I'm delighted to be working with Organic UK* for a mini-series of podcast episodes to mark Organic September - an annual month long awareness campaign by the Soil Association In collaboration with the Organic Trade Board.

Now I’ve been buying organic food for a while now – we get a weekly Riverford veg box, and I seek out organic products in the supermarket whenever I can. But until recording this series I wasn’t really that aware of the huge potential impact that organic systems can have on the climate crisis.
Agriculture and food production get a bad rap when it comes to the climate – agriculture is responsible for 9% of all Greenhouse Gas emissions in the UK. Together with related emissions from changing land use and cutting down forests, it accounts for around 30% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. BUT research by the The Soil Association shows that if Europe’s farmland all followed organic principles, agricultural emissions could drop by 40-50% by 2050. That's a massive chunk of carbon saved right there.

So how does this work? What is it about organic practices that means they pump out so much less carbon?
Well I’m glad you asked!

In this episode I’ve got a two parter for you – in the first part I’m chatting to the wonderful Anna de la Vega from The Urban Worm who some of you may remember from episode 38 where she answered all my questions about wormeries. In this episode she’s sharing her knowledge about soil health, why it’s so vital to the planet, why modern agriculture is so bad for it, and how organic systems can help to replenish it.
And then in Part 2 I’m chatting to Tim Mead, dairy farmer and owner of Yeo Valley, about how organic and regenerative agriculture works in practice on their farm and what they’ve achieved in terms of reducing their carbon footprint.

It’s a fascinating episode, a total eye opener for me – I think I say the words ‘mind blown' at least 57 times…

Enjoy!

* This is a paid partnership with Organic UK.

This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

• Organic UK
  - Website
  - Facebook
  - Instagram
  - Twitter
  
• Organic September
• The Urban Worm
  - Website
  - Facebook
  - Instagram
• Yeo Valley
  - Website
  - Facebook
  - Instagram
  - Twitter
• The other episodes and blog posts in the Organic mini-series
  - [072] - The plight of the bumble bee
  - [073] - Organic 101
  - A beginners guide to organic
  - [074] - Eating sustainably
  - A beginners guide to sustainable eating
• [038] - Everything you ever wanted to know about wormeries with The Urban Worm
• Kiss The Ground - documentary on Netflix about soil - it's fascinating, do have a watch if you can!
• Elaine Ingham - Soil Food Web
  
• "If Europe’s farmland all followed organic principles, agricultural emissions could drop by 40-50% by 2050",
• The Knepp Estate - Rewilding in West Sussex
  
• The Sustainable(ish) Facebook group

As with all things Sustainable(ish), organic doesn't have to be 'all or nothing'. No-one is expecting you to covert to 100% organic, and as Harriet points out in the podcast, you'd struggle even if you wanted to, as there are some products that there aren't organic versions of.
But I hope after listening to this episode, and to the others in the Organic September mini-series, you'll be a convert (if you weren't already) to the power that organic farming has to help us to pass on a healthy planet to our kids and grandkids. 
As consumers we have a lot of power to amplify the impact of organic by making some simple swaps. 
Next time you're shopping, can you swap one of your regular products for an organic one? Just imagine the surge in demand if everyone who was able to do this, did it! 

"Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"
The Sunday Times

"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"
Online review