Yorkshire Water and Future Food Solutions celebrate 300 farmers supporting World Soil Day

It’s World Soil Day today (Friday 5 December) and Yorkshire Water, together with its partner, Future Food Solutions, is celebrating the event with a record number of 300 Yorkshire farmers now taking part in the Sustainable Landscapes Programme, that aims to improve the health of farmland soil.

Yorkshire Water has been involved in the Sustainable Landscapes Programme since 2018 and has worked in partnership with Future Food Solutions for six years.  The family-run East Yorkshire business, with a farmers-first philosophy, aims to create profitable, sustainable agricultural solutions that benefit the environment. 

Over 95 per cent of food comes from soils but climate change, human intervention and erosion are impacting the delicate balance of nutrients, vitamins and soil biodiversity.  The partnership has helped drive the transition to sustainable agriculture across Yorkshire, supporting farmers as they trial and adopt practices that build soil health and protect water.

Together with Future Food Solutions, over 300 Yorkshire farmers, covering 80,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of farmland, which is 20% of the region’s arable land, are using sustainable soil practices improve soil health, improve water quality, reduce emissions and sequester carbon in soil. 

Andrew Walker, catchment strategy manager, Yorkshire Water, said: “Keeping soils healthy is good for the environment; the resilience and profitability of farming and it improves the water we treat for our customers. Sustainable Landscapes is a platform to share, develop and implement best practice within and by the farming community. We believe it has the potential to make a real difference where everybody wins, not least the environment.”

As well as important work in sustainable soil, improving biodiversity and local water quality, the programme also creates valuable opportunities for farmers to meet in person through events and farm walks, providing spaces to share experiences, exchange practical tips, and learn from one another.

Following a very wet winter and an extremely dry summer, farmer-members have had access to real-time data from soil probes which help inform decision making, as well as practical advice for better performing crops, while reducing risks to water quality.  Following the disruptive, weather-related issues, more farmers are engaged in sustainable practices like planting cover crops.  These boost soil health, increase water retention, reduce erosion, and support water quality, while helping produce stronger, more resilient crops. 

Will Rhodes, Project Manager, Future Food Solutions, said:  “We are pleased to celebrate World Soil Day and our partnership with Yorkshire Water as our Sustainable Landscapes programme reaches 300 farmers. As a local farming family, we understand the challenges farmers face, not least those brought about by climate change.

“Working with Yorkshire Water allows us to share our expertise while creating opportunities for the farming community to come together, exchange experiences and practical tips. Through our farmer-first ethos, the programme creates win-win opportunities to trial practical on-farm measures that improve soil health, with a focus on delivering sustainable and profitable solutions.”

Yorkshire Farmers who’d like to learn more about the Sustainable Landscapes programme or join the next event should visit the Futurefoodsolutions.co.uk website.