Earlier this month, I attended a launch event for the much-anticipated report, A Net Zero Transition Plan for the UK Food System. As someone deeply invested in driving sustainable change in agriculture, the report is both a clear pathway as well as an urgent call to action. The event gathered industry experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders, all united by a single purpose: to navigate the complexities of achieving net zero in the UK food system.
The Big Picture: Why This Report Matters
The report presents an actionable guide for each segment of our food system. Net zero is achievable, but it won’t be easy and it will require coordinated action across supply chains, investment in new technologies, and significant policy support. The emphasis on holistic change—taking into account emissions, biodiversity, and social impact—is encouraging, and aligns with our own mission at Soil Association Exchange.
Farmers on the Front Lines of Transition
The role of farmers is crucial. It rightly identifies them as key players that are not only part of the issue (as we all are), but also a large part of the solution. But it is clear that farmers cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. Transitioning to regenerative practices often requires capital and support for farmers to make sustainable shifts without sacrificing their livelihoods. At Soil Association Exchange, we see firsthand the commitment of farmers who want to do the right thing for both their businesses and the planet but at the same time are hampered by the risk of doing so. Essentially the risk of moving away from the ‘insurance’ that the current (and broken) conventional system offers them.
However, it is the change in practices that is one of our biggest levers we can pull as an industry. Transitioning to lower carbon farming practices needs to happen rapidly, and at scale to achieve the 40-50% cut needed by 2050 (vs 2021 baseline) and farmers will need financial support and advisory guidance to do so.
Indeed, the calls for enhanced financing options—whether through grants, favourable loans, or insetting programs—all tally with what we hear on the ground every day from farmers. From creating mechanisms that truly understand the complexity of the transition, to supporting farmers with financial and business advice, our latest piece of farmer led research – Banking for Change, is an in depth look at what the banking and financial sector needs to do to help unlock the transition.'
The Role of Data and Technology
Accurate, granular farm-level data is going to be essential for monitoring progress and reporting to frameworks like the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
There are many organisations doing amazing work on this already across the sector – and at Exchange we’ve baselined over 1000 UK farmers, which is creating one of the largest datasets in the UK. But real progress depends on collaboration across the entire food system—retailers, processors, government agencies, and farmers all working toward the same vision.
What’s Next?
This is not just a plan—it’s a call to action. If we’re to reach net zero, we need all hands on deck, embracing innovation and a collective vision for a resilient, sustainable future. It reminded me that while the challenges are vast, so too is the potential to reshape our food system into one that sustains the planet and future generations.
You can find the full report here.
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