Sustainable farming isn't sentimental return to the past, it's the forthcoming reality

Yeo Valley Organic Embraces Regenerative Farming for Sustainable Future

Yeo Valley Organic, a pioneering dairy farm based in Somerset, England, is leading the charge in regenerative agriculture, a farming practice that aims to rebalance agriculture's relationship with nature and potentially help save the planet.

At the helm of this movement is Tim Mead, a farmer at Yeo Valley Organic, who believes that the main barrier to more widespread adoption of regenerative farming is mindset. He is working tirelessly to change that by educating farmers and engaging Yeo Valley Organic's 150 dairy suppliers, encouraging them to carry out soil tests and sharing insights on herbal leys, composting, and advanced grazing techniques.

Mead practices companion planting, growing cereals and pulses together for crop resilience and better soil health. He also advocates for mob grazing, keeping livestock in a dense herd and moving it on to pastures new four times a day. This method not only improves soil health but also allows for continuous vegetation cover, a key principle of regenerative farming.

Cows, an integral part of Yeo Valley Organic's farming practices, fertilize the soil by trampling in plant matter when grazing on mixed pastures of herbs, grasses, and legumes. This improves water retention and fertilizes the soil, creating a healthy ecosystem.

Yeo Valley Organic is also experimenting with agroforestry on an almost unprecedented scale, blending agriculture with tree cultivation. A patch of woodland affected by ash dieback has been turned into silvopasture, where beef cattle graze below the canopy. The goal of this silvopasture is to maximize carbon drawdown, lift biodiversity, and offer livestock respite from extreme weather.

The farm has set a target of 1,000 acres (405 hectares) for its silvopasture, which would make it one of the largest in Britain. This initiative, along with the ongoing project to track soil carbon stocks with the goal of improving carbon sequestration by 25% on their farmland, is a testament to Yeo Valley Organic's commitment to carbon neutrality.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) supports Yeo Valley Organic's efforts, stating in their Land of Plenty report that regenerative farming has huge co-benefits for nature, water, air, and people. They suggest that, by 2030, regenerative farming methods could reduce the UK's greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking almost a million cars off the road.

Niels Corfield, an independent regenerative farming consultant, emphasizes that regenerative farming is not a throwback but the future, where profit comes in harmony with nature. He believes that scaling up these practices should be seen as 'easy-wins'.

Tim Mead, with his dedication to educating farmers and implementing regenerative farming techniques, is indeed working towards a future where agriculture and nature exist in harmony. His work at Yeo Valley Organic, founded in the mid-90s with roots tracing back to 1961 when Mead's parents purchased Holt Farm in Blagdon, Somerset, is a shining example of this vision.