Measuring farming sustainability: science, practice and policy

Defra recently launched its Sustainable Farming Incentive, and the Welsh Government is in the process of developing its Sustainable Farming Scheme. In many respects, sustainable farming is synonymous with reduced impact on the environment, whether that is climate, air, water or soils. Consumers and the supply chains are placing greater demands on farming businesses to be more environmentally responsible and there is the ever-present threat of increased regulation if incentives don’t work.

What will you hear?

Susan Twining, CLA Chief Land Use Policy Adviser, explains how sustainable farming fits within policy thinking, how to measure sustainability, and the role of the Government to build confidence in setting clear guidance on how to measure and assess what these sustainability metrics are. 

John Renner, farmer at Bellshill Farm, talks us through what sustainable farming means, the practices implemented on his farm, and how he deals with environmental conflicts. 

Hugh Martineau, Head of Sustainability at Map of Ag, discusses how you can improve profits through sustainable farming, where you can get advice and support on data gathering, how to make sense of the data, and how to use it to improve your business.