25 April

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consumer-led Citizens Advisory Council, which will advise ministers on the emerging Food Strategy alongside the industry-dominated Food Strategy Advisory Board.

Defra and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will launch their ADOPT funding opportunity next week. ADOPT will support collaborative farmer-led, on-farm trials or experiments to generate, test and demonstrate innovative solutions to farming challenges. Project outputs  will be shared with the wider sector to encourage adoption.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) have launched new government-backed green finance standards to boost investment into nature and support economic growth. Projects that could be supported include restoring wetlands, improving water quality, building flood resilience, and creating new habitats.

Small-scale farmers and food activists will converge in London to rally for a legally enshrined 'Right to Food', as well as sweeping reform of the UK’s farming systems. The rally will happen on 26th April, aligning with a pivotal moment for UK food and framing - with the Land Use Framework for England closing for consultation on 25 April, and a National Food Strategy and a 25-Year Farming Roadmap in development. PepsiCo has launched a new programme to support farmers in Latin America to reduce their carbon footprint using low-carbon fertilisers. Farmers will be supported to switch from conventional fertilisers to low-carbon fertilisers made with low-carbon ammonia via carbon capture or 100% clean energy.

The British Ecological Society have published a report exploring the practices and principles associated with regenerative agriculture in the UK and assessing the evidence regarding their efficacy. The report presents robust evidence that soils and biodiversity can improve under regenerative farming systems.

A new study published by The Lancet journal has indicated that the widespread use of nitrogen fertilisers in agriculture could worsen pollen allergies including hay fever sixfold. This research comes as the latest in a line of studies demonstrating links between soil conditions and human health.