Conscious farming to feed the nation

Something we can’t escape is that we, as humans, need to eat. We may have varying levels of interest in what, when and how we eat – but we all do it and it’s a basic necessity for life. We also have a growing population (expected to reach 69.6 million in the UK by mid-2029 – a 4.2% increase from mid-2019 according to the ONS as of January this year).

No-one is more aware of these problems than the farming community. Battered by the media for environmental accountability, but faced with a growing demand for food at the cheapest possible cost – it’s a tug of war between welfare, the environment and day-to-day survival of the farm.

Intensive farming should not be confused with conscious farming on a commercial scale

Undoubtedly, intensive farming is detrimental for both animal welfare and the environment, necessitating the use of unnatural methods and crowded rearing conditions. The problem is, if we wish to farm both more sustainably and on a commercial level, this doesn’t come for free (by “commercial” we mean livestock production that will feed a significant number of people, whilst also producing a profit for the farmer).

So, what’s the solution? Do we have to give up our ambition to eat more sustainably if we wish to feed the nation? Our pig farmer, Simon, doesn’t think so.

Farming is not a simple numbers game where larger equals bad and smaller equals good. When the right investment and decisions are made in commercial livestock production, a larger scale operation can still benefit the environment and animal welfare – we just have to be prepared to pay more for our meat.

The true cost of sustainability

On Simon’s farm in Devon, he chooses to give each of his free-range pigs more room. This equates to around 30m squared per pig, compared to a minimum space allowance of 0.75m squared per pig in intensive production and standard free-range requirements of 12m squared per pig. The benefits to welfare are vast, but it also significantly reduces the number of pigs he can keep on the farm (and you don’t have to be a mathematician to work out, this also significantly reduces profit).

This isn’t the only factor that impacts cost when you farm more sustainably. The commitment to rearing his pigs outdoors for their entire lives means that Simon is also outside daily, enduring the coastal weather come sunshine, rain or snow (and when a coastal storm sets in the investment of labour is never clearer – why wouldn’t you want a warm and protected barn to become the preference for rearing pigs?).

Then there’s the treatment of the land. Simon rotates his stock on an 18-month basis, allowing the soil to recover and thrive, as well as using the pig manure to naturally fertilise the fields and planting wild flowers around the farm. Clearly, this all entails a cost and requires both time and space – but it also encourages biodiversity, with everything from insects to birds populating the farm.

A balanced approach to farming

Of course, balance comes into play and we often feel the nation requires a mind-set shift when it comes to meat. When we choose quality over quantity the initial cost may be higher, but we’re minimising overall spend whilst also allowing ourselves to invest in welfare and sustainability (alongside the farmers who do this daily, just like Simon). This conscious approach to both shopping and farming is how we can make a difference to the future of agriculture – and feed a growing population in the process.