Recent research from Tesco highlights critical insights from hundreds of UK farmers, revealing that an overwhelming 91% believe the government should enhance its support for farming resilience. Additionally, this sentiment resonates with UK consumers, as 89% express the opinion that the government needs to take greater action to assist UK farmers.
The study indicates that 68% of farmers are eager to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. However, a staggering 96% point to inconsistent environmental standards and data reporting as significant barriers. Moreover, 73% of farmers face challenges in implementing vital innovations that would boost efficiency, resilience, and sustainability across their operations.
Soil health emerged as a particular concern, cited by 64% of farmers, underscoring its importance for farm productivity and food production capabilities.
In response to these challenges, Tesco has initiated a “significant extension” of its environmental data baselining program, investing £1.5 million. This initiative aims to assist hundreds of British lamb and beef farmers in capturing essential soil, water, and nature data at scale for the first time.
This initiative, known as the ‘Tesco Sustainable Farming Programme,’ will be implemented in partnership with Soil Association Exchange (SAX) and is set to support 360 beef and lamb farmers from Tesco’s Sustainable Farming Groups. The program’s goal is to establish clear baseline measurements within the first 12 months, thereby providing farmers with tailored advice to enhance resilience and efficiency.
This new program builds on Tesco’s financial incentives scheme launched in August, which included more than £800,000 aimed at helping Tesco dairy farmers assess and establish baseline soil and water health metrics.
Ashwin Prasad, CEO of Tesco UK, commented, “British farmers are the backbone of our food system but they face unprecedented pressure, from rising costs and climate shocks to uncertainty over government policy. They tell us data is vital to measuring and driving improvements in sustainability and efficiency on farms, but the patchwork approach to data across the UK has resulted in a lack of a unified or standardised framework to track industry-wide progress or share insight and best practice.”
Furthermore, Minette Batters, former NFU President, emphasized, “Farmers are working hard to feed the nation sustainably, but they cannot do it alone. Establishing and supporting a consistent national baselining framework is essential if we are to measure progress fairly, unlock new opportunities, and build resilience across the sector. The whole industry must work together to support farmers in this transition and ensure UK agriculture can thrive in the years ahead.”
This new initiative aligns with recommendations outlined in Tesco’s Greenprint for UK Farming Report, which advocates for standardized data and insights to help farmers future-proof their operations and minimize their environmental footprint.
Last year, Tesco collaborated with Arla and Müller UK & Ireland to launch a new sustainability partnership, further emphasizing its commitment to enhancing agricultural practices across the UK.
