33
Supplying organic food to schools
A 2024 update from BIOFACH
16
Ways to get more organic food to market
22
CONTENTS
Read about the ecology and history of our hedgerows
50
The Soil Association is a membership charity campaigning for planet-friendly food and farming. We believe in the connection between soil, food, the health of people and the health of the planet. Founded in 1946, we drafted the world’s first organic standards 30 years ago and by joining us you can support the transformation of the UK’s food culture, give your beliefs a voice and become part of the solution.
NEWS FE AT URE S TECHNICAL
S H U T T E R S T O C K
:
I M A G E
C O V E R
6 CAMPAIGN
Stop k illing our rivers 8 FARMER AND GROWER BOARD
An inspiring v isit to Maple Farm in Suffolk 10 NEWS ROUND-UP
Why children need to eat more real food, new protection for hedgerows and an update on the latest Organic Market Report16 BUSINESS MATTERS
A report f rom BIOFACH and the latest f igures f rom the World of Organic Agriculture Yearbook29 INNOVATIVE FARMERS
Growing sorghum as an alternative forage, treating manure with bokashi micro-organisms and using biofumigants to t ack le potato wireworms
14 OXFORD REAL FARMING CONFERENCE
Catch the sessions on YouTube 20 TAKING A NEW APPROACH TO GRAINS
Issues around get t ing population crops to market 22 ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO MARKET
Making organic more af fordable and accessible 33 PUTTING LOCAL PRODUCE ON THE PLATE
Getting good food onto school plates is helping local business 36 SUPPORTING SMALL ABATTOIRS
Local meat supply chains need small abat toirs 54 A COMMUNITY COMMITMENT
An organic farm of fering ar t , education and nourishment
26 RESEARCH
Wild f lower st rips for orchards, agroforestry, biotracers and soil erosion and more 40 EXPLORING SOIL MICROBIOLOGY
Soil health and how to carr y out biological test ing 42 COW-CALF CONTACT DAIRY SYSTEMS
Considerations before adopting this t ype of system 44 POLYCULTURES AS NATURE RESERVES
Get involved with research to show polyculture supports more biodiversit y 46 EXPLORING SFI OPTIONS
Some of the options suit able for organic arable and horticultural farmers 50 REVIEWS Six Inches of Soil and more
COW-CALF CONTACT DAIRY What you need to consider
The Soil Association magazine for farmers and growers
SPRING 2024 ISSUE 145
LOCAL PRODUCE
ON THE PLATE Getting good food into schools
POPULATION CROP RESEARCH Taking a new approach to grains
Routes to MARKET
Making organic more accessible
PLUS Research / Latest news / SFI options / Polycultures Book reviews / Business matters / Innovative Farmers / Technical advice
I SSUE 145 SPRING 2024
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
To receive every issue of Organic Farming Magazine go to www. soilassociation.org/ organic-farming-mag
