07 January 2022
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Soil achievements applauded
AS the Soil Association's 75th anniversary came to a close at the end of 2021, the organisation launched a summary of its 12-month achievements.
The long-awaited National Food Strategy was published in July, offering a vision and recommendations to Government for the future of the food system in England. The organisation had been campaigning for the past year on Ultra-Processed Foods, calling for the Government to take action to rebalance diets and was pleased to see ultra-processed foods positioned within the National Food Strategy.
It acquired a new site, Woodoaks Farm, just outside London straddling the M25, where it planted over 2km of new hedgerows to create habitats for wildlife and protect the soil from extreme weather events.
Securing soil health as a key priority in the Environment Bill, with it's own long-term target for improvement and recovery, was described as a real breakthrough, and it launched a new report, Saving our Soils, calling for national soil strategies.
Finally, at the global UN Climate Conference, COP26, it called for a transition to a food and farming system that delivers healthy and sustainable diets, resilient livelihoods and meets climate and nature goals, nature friendly farming and an investment in agroecology.
