October 2015
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is a partner organisation in SIP (Sustainable Intensification Research Platform) a multi-partner research platform funded by Defra to explore opportunities and risks for sustainable intensification, from a wide range of perspectives.
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Monthly Archives: October 2015
Sustainable livestock production in Europe: A question of food security, climate and innovation
Policy Paper – October 2015
Meeting current and forecast demand in a sustainable way is a challenge, especially given that we are already using the earth’s resources at rates thought to be unsustainable. The livestock sector currently constitutes the world’s largest user of natural resources: with 80% of all agricultural land used for grazing or animal feed production and 8% of the global water use, primarily for irrigation of feed crops. Moreover, climate change is expected to further challenge food security through more extreme weather events and other challenges at both regional and global scales.
Thus, the European Union (EU) is faced with a dual challenge: it is called to produce larger quantities of high quality and affordable meat, milk, and eggs in response to an increasing global demand, while doing so through production systems that are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically viable. Read more…
Soil Biodiversity and Integrated Farming
Integrated Farming Topic Sheet no 5 / 2015
Soils – abundance of life!
Whether used for agriculture, forestry, gardening, landscaping or nature conservation purposes for example, soils are home to an abundance of life: In addition to the soil minerals sand, silt and clay, and soil organic matter, literally billions of all kinds of organism can be found under one single footprint alone. This includes bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, nematodes, mites, springtails, insect larvae, diplopoda and earthworms. Their combined body weight may amount to a total of 260 to 1,650 grams per square metre of soil – and that is part of the explanation for the importance of soil life in Integrated Farming. Read more…
Healthy food and farming to top agenda for LEAF’s Annual Conference
October 2015
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) have announced that the theme of their Annual Conference this year will be: Setting the Agenda: Healthy Food and Farming Fit for the Future. Read more…
LEAF launches Sustainable Biodiversity Guide
October 2015
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), has launched a new guide: ‘Simply Sustainable Biodiversity’ to help farmers manage their land for food production as well as for wildlife. Read more…
(Photo, left to right: Dr Chris Brown, ASDA Director Sustainable Business; Caroline Drummond MBE, LEAF Chief Executive; Philip Huxtable, Director JSR Farming, Alice Midmer LEAF Projects Co-ordinator and Pearce Hughes, Agricultural Development Manager, Asda)
New LEAF Brochure “Simply Sustainable Biodiversity”
October 2015
Simply Sustainable Biodiversity, developed by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is a booklet to help farmers monitor, manage and enhance biodiversity through the adoption of Integrated Farm Management (IFM). Based on Six Simple Steps, it outlines practical ways for farmers to manage their land for food production as well as for wildlife. Download your copy here: