Royal Patron Trustees HRH The Prince of Wales Matt Brown Neil Canetty-Clarke Chair of Trustees John Carson Dennis Overton OBE Oliver Dowding Rachel Martino Chief Executive Graeme Matravers Helen Browning OBE Dr Isabel Oliver Dennis Overton OBE Honorary Vice-Presidents Dr Gabriel Scally Jonathan Dimbleby Charles Weston Charlotte Mitchell Trudie Styler Our 2017 Soil Association Soil Association Scotland Spear House, 3rd Floor, Osborne House, 51 Victoria Street Osborne Terrace, Bristol, BS1 6AD Edinburgh, EH12 5HG T 0117 314 5000 T 0131 666 2474 F 0117 314 5001 F 0131 666 1684 Work www.soilassociation.org www.soilassociationscotland.org Registered charity no. 206862 Registered charity no. SC039168 Transforming the way we eat, farm and care for our natural world Introduction It has been an extraordinary year and I’m and we will have our work cut out going proud of the way we have responded to forward to do them all justice. the twists and turns of an ever-changing political environment. We have sought The additional support from donors to use this ‘unfrozen moment’ as an who have pledged funds for three opportunity to set out a compelling years as part of our 70th anniversary vision and to position the UK as leader appeal has allowed us to increase our in food, farming and environmental policy capacity at this crucial time. We policy making. As a charity with organic are overwhelmingly grateful for their principles at our core, our campaigning confidence and generosity. This was and delivery work spans food culture the year too, when the philanthropy and health, biodiversity, animal welfare, of the Spear Charitable Trust enabled farming, forestry and much more. This us to purchase our new HQ in Victoria broad and deep perspective has allowed Street, which staff are very much looking us to play an important role in brokering forward to moving into next May. across interest groups. So, it is to all our funders that I dedicate Given how many organisations and this review; the many trusts and individuals are working hard on post- foundations, the businesses that choose Brexit farm and food policy, we have to work with us, our members, who concentrated our detailed policy efforts provide so much of our unrestricted on the issues where we have special income, and the individuals who expertise and experience, or which may support us at a higher level. The Soil otherwise be left neglected. There are Association is in a pivotal position, eight of these: organic farming, of course; working constructively with our many soils; public procurement; children’s food; friends and partners, to enable change animal welfare/antibiotic abuse; zero right now, to not just ensure that organic carbon farming; farmer led innovation food and farming has a vibrant future, and hospitals as beacons of good food. but to transform the way we eat, farm and As you will see in this review, we have care for nature. This is the time to invest made progress in all these areas this year, in a better future, for this and future generations. Helen Browning OBE, Chief Executive 1 2 What we do and why it matters We are the UK’s leading food and farming charity and ethical certification body. The Soil Association was formed in Food For Life – we work to make good 1946 to transform the world into a food the easy choice for everyone place where we can all farm, eat and whoever and wherever they are live healthily in balance with the environment. Facing the Future – we support farmers and growers to research and tackle The world’s resources are being the most serious food and farming put under increasing pressure by challenges overconsumption and poor farming systems. This is why we work with Enabling Change – we engage with farmers, growers and researchers to thousands of businesses, from organic find pioneering and practical solutions farmers and processors, to caterers and to today’s farming challenges. We’re foresters, to bring our principles to life also making good food the easy choice for everyone, from children in schools, We operate as a charity and as a to older people in care homes. And not-for-profit business through Soil we’re inspiring millions of people to Association Certification. Together, take their own step towards a healthier, along with our supporters, we happier future. champion a world where people, farm animals and nature can thrive. 3 4 What we’ve achieved Making waves at a glance Thank you for the support you’ve shown us this year. Here’s a look at what you’ve helped us accomplish from April 2016 to April 2017. In 2016, we changed UK policy by giving We launched the Food for Life Better Out to Lunch’s army of secret diners Campaign for Clarity received key evidence to the first ever Select Care project which uses good food to descended upon the UK’s most popular extensive coverage by leading media Committee inquiry into soil health which improve health and reduce the isolation attractions throughout 2016, uncovering outlets such as Huffington Post, The sparked parliament’s firstWestminster faced by many older people. The Big a whole host of unhealthy pre-packed Guardian and Vogue. Our petition for Hall debate on soil health and Lottery Fund granted us £1.25 million lunchboxes. The story was picked up by brands to come clean about beauty has protection. In response, the Government to spend on creating links between the BBC Breakfast and all major broadsheets, gained thousands of signatures and is announced its intention to halve the generations by involving our Food for reaching 39 million people. After still growing. We’re looking to build subsidies paid on soil-damaging maize Life schools in communal activities like receiving the lowest score, the Natural on this momentum to make a big grown as biofuel. This success has cooking, growing and shared meals. History Museum decided to completely difference to the way beauty products redoubled our resolve to work towards a redevelop their restaurant and menu. are marketed to the public. complete end to the subsidies. As of this spring, the AssureWel project has meant that over 11,000 dairy farms , sought to Organic Market Report caught the We have responded to the challenges and over 200,000 cows are benefiting Organic September encourage buyers to look for the attention of the press when it revealed presented by Brexit, standing up for the from assessment against welfare Soil Association logo. The campaign that sales of organic products had issues that matter deeply to our members outcome measures. The project won the was picked up by leading national increased by a massive 7.1%, reaching the and licensees. We’ve put forward TP Organic Innovation Award for its work newspapers and reached 32 million highest levels since the 2008 recession. practical, positive solutions for the UK’s in “improving farm animal welfare”. people. Social media engagement The report was picked up by major future farming and food policy. Our work reached a further 28 million people. This publications, such as The Daily Mail, has ranged from undertaking field-based Sustainable Food Cities now has 50 lead to a 7% increase in sales of organic Country Life and Horticulture Week, research with the Innovative Farmers members. The movement is looking to products during September – a fantastic reaching 7 million people. network, to ensuring that organic farmers create cities where every nursery, school boost for our organic licensees. receive fair payments through the EU’s and college, every hospital and care Rural Development Programme (RDP). setting, every restaurant and workplace canteen serve healthy and sustainable meals. 5 6 Our future Support for Soil organic farming Antibiotics Healthy soils are essential. We will be encouraging Hoping to build on Over the next year, the Soil greater governmental support momentum from 2016, We’re looking forward Association will be running to increase the number of The alliance to save our a series of GREATsoil farmers converting to building on the many antibiotics is campaigning workshops and field labs, to organic. for a dramatic reduction successes from 2016. offering practical advice on in the use of ‘critically soil enrichment Here are some of our important’ antibiotics. plans for 2017: and crop rotation. Labelling With Compassion in World Farming and the RSPCA, we are launching the Labelling Matters Campaign to Brexit encourage mandatory method of production There’s no doubt Britain’s labelling for the meat and withdrawal from the EU poses dairy industries. major risks to the future of food and farming. We’ve published a major report naming game-changing proposals that we believe should be included in Britain’s future Children’s food agricultural policy. In the coming We will relaunch our year, we’ll continue to contribute flagship Food for Life evidence to parliamentary Schools and Early Years inquiries and to campaign for the Award programmes, government to put food, farming making them more and the environment at the heart accessible for schools, of it’s agenda. nurseries and children’s centres. Funding farmer innovation Forestry We will continue to call on We’re developing a new Zero carbon farming the Government to commit Catering training programme From 2050 the UK needs to cut to a dedicated agricultural for forest managers, This September we will greenhouse gas emissions to innovation fund to be spent policymakers and auditors, relaunch our Catering Mark zero. Over the next year we’ll on farmer-led research, as the to engage more foresters as Food for Life Served Here. continue to lobby Westminster best agricultural ideas come across the world.