regenagri podcast

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode 15, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, speaks to Ian Gould from Oakbank, a consultancy which works closely with farmers and landowners to make the best use of agri-environment schemes to improve wildlife habitats.

They are also joined by Toby Simpson, a regenerative arable farmer in Cambridgeshire, who has worked in partnership with his Dad over the last few years to transition their farm from ‘scratch’ tillage to no tillage. He has been awarded a 2022 Nuffield scholarship to look at cover and catch cropping opportunities for UK arable farmers.

They consider the benefits of cover and catch crops to soil health and pest management and explore how to measure the impact of cover cropping on soil health and carbon capture.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode 14, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, speaks to Dr Shatadru Chattopadhayay from Solidaridad, an international civil society organisation with expertise in supply chain sustainability and resilience.

They explore how sustainability can be made the norm at every stage of supply chains. For Shatadru, this includes enabling farmers and workers to earn a sufficient income, produce in balance with nature, and shape their own future. It must also involve strengthening links between producers and markets and stimulating demand for products which are good for the planet.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode 13, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, welcomes Rob Ward, founder and CEO at Forward Food.

With experience in farming, ag-tech and retail businesses, Rob views the food and farming sectors from multiple perspectives. Throughout the episode, he and Harry discuss how tech solutions can support a transition to regenerative food systems and pave the way to a profitable, subsidy-free farming sector.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode 12, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, welcomes James Lomax from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

James’ work focuses on regenerative and net-positive agriculture, sustainable land-use finance mechanisms and coordinating UNEP’s internal work on food systems and agriculture.

With COP26 in progress at the time of recording, there is no better time to explore how UN conventions bring about tangible impacts. James also reflects on the UN biodiversity conference, COP15, which took place in October, and how farming has a crucial role to play in finding solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode 11, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, looks into how regenerative farming and rewilding can work together to unlock natural capital.

He is joined by Ivan de Klee, regenerative land management consultant and conservationist on Knepp Estate in West Sussex. Ivan has previously worked in Kenya, India, Australia and South Sudan, so brings insight into how farms all over the world can work with natural processes.

At Knepp, Ivan leads on all rewilding and natural capital opportunities on the 3,500 acre estate. He is also leading on the Weald to Waves nature corridor from Ashdown Forest to the Climping Gap. He also facilitates the Upper Adur Farmers group, which is made up a cluster of farms in the Low Weald who are adopting more regenerative and wildlife friendly farming systems.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In the tenth episode, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, delves into the problems faced by small-scale producers when accessing international markets.

He is joined by Bobbie Garbutt, who brings two perspectives to the conversation. Bobbie’s family grow nutmeg and cocoa on L’Esterre Estate in Granada, using regenerative farming methods. The farm was the second on the island to achieve organic certified status, which enables them to receive a higher price for their exported produce.

Bobbie is also a sales associate at Ethiopian agribusiness, Greenpath Food, which supplies regeneratively grown fresh produce from small-scale East African farms to businesses across the world. She shares how certification has supported the route to market for Greenpath Food producers, and the impact it has had.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In the ninth episode, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, delves into how dung beetles support integrated parasite management.

He is joined by Claire Whittle, from LLM Farm Vets, part of the VetPartners group, and James Allen, who farms in the Cotswolds, grazing on the Bruern Estate. Both Claire and James are members of the dung beetles for farmers group, which raises awareness of the benefits of dung beetles on farmland and how farmers can help them to increase their numbers.

On top of her day job as a vet, Claire has been awarded a Nuffield scholarship to research the extent to which regenerative agriculture practices can improve the health and welfare of livestock. She is grappling with the dynamics between offering the best advice for her clients’ animals and what’s best for the environment.

James shares how being a first-generation farmer has helped him, as he is not constrained by how things have ‘always been done’. He uses conservation grazing practices to support wildflower meadows and soil health.

We also delve into some welfare issues including how to balance the need for freedom of choice with mob grazing methods and the benefits of on farm slaughter.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In the eighth episode, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, explores how regenerative grazing practices can be incorporated into farm systems.

He is joined by Neil Harley, from British farms, Weavelands and Cheswell Grange, and Glen Burrows, co-founder of the Ethical Butcher. Neil shares some of the benefits he has seen since adopting regenerative grazing practices for his beef herd.

He supplies the Ethical Butcher with regenagri certified beef, which is used in the extremely popular GROUND burger kit. Glen shares the story behind his business, including how regeneratively produced meat benefits the health of both people and the planet.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In the seventh episode, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, delves into transitioning to green finance.

He is joined by Paul Pizzala, chief information officer at New Foundation Farms, a regenerative agrifood enterprise on a mission to produce food and fibre in a way that supports soils, communities and human health.

Paul’s career started out in the city working in private client investment management. Following the global financial crisis in 2008, his career took an exciting twist when he enrolled on a permaculture course and became interested in systems thinking, leading him to where he is today.

Alongside Harry and Paul is Tim Coates, who farms 1,450 acres in Oxfordshire. He is also a co-founder and chief customer officer at Oxbury Bank, a dedicated agricultural bank which supports farmers in a sustainable way.

Harry, Paul and Tim explore how farmers looking to transition to a more regenerative approach can link with funding. They also look to a future in which there will be an accessible income stream delivered by the impact of regenerative farming practices on the land, which is as well as, not in place of, income from food production.

The regenagri podcast explores the future of farming and the hot topics surrounding the global movement of regenerative agriculture, with industry experts.

In episode six, Harry Farnsworth, sustainable agriculture projects lead at Control Union UK, focuses on regenerative textiles, primarily the production of British wool.

Joining Harry is Ruth Rands, founder and CEO of HERD, which creates sustainable knitwear from Bluefaced Leicester wool, sourced in the North West of England.

Ruth is passionate about turning the tide on synthetic mass-made woollen clothing and instead using high-quality English heritage wool produced locally with non-toxic dyes, thus reducing the carbon footprint associated with garment manufacture.

Alongside Harry and Ruth is Soil Association and Pasture for Life certified organic farmer, Leigh Weston, otherwise known as social media sensation ‘Hill Top Farm Girl’.

With her partner, Neil Heseltine, she manages a flock of Bluefaced Leicester, Wensleydale and Swaledale sheep as well as a herd of breeding pedigree Belted Galloway cattle on their upland farm in the Yorkshire Dales.

Leigh explains how downsizing livestock numbers has benefited the business and farmland over time, economically and ecologically. Plus, she describes how versatile the sheep breeds they rear are for breeding stock and producing meat and wool.