“To build a socially and environmentally resilient and regenerative food system in a net zero landscape, the SFN will connect diverse demonstration farm networks across the UK to share experiences, findings and best practice.”

Building on a key recommendation of the 2022 report The Application of Science to Realise the Potential of the Agricultural Transition Report, produced in collaboration between the SSFF and Food & Farming Futures, the Sustainable Farm Networks (SFN) initiative is underway to support, champion and amplify the work of demonstration farm networks across all four nations of the UK.

Working in partnership with the Landex Network of teaching farms and with the input of multiple organisations who are helping to shape the project, the SFN will help UK food producers speed up the implementation of sustainable farming practices for healthy food – boosting biodiversity, operating at net zero and supporting thriving rural communities through profitable businesses.

Building links between research, policy and practice through evidencing what works on farm helps inform the application of up-to-date science to the work farmers and land managers do. The SFN’s network of demonstration farm networks will build on the proven and growing successes of on farm learning to develop agreed best practice based on clear communication and testing of research, advice and lived experience.

In its first year, the SFN will convene and grow a community of demonstration farm network facilitators who are interested in working together to build a collective resource for sustainable farming through the sharing of experiences, findings and innovations. By facilitating a pre-competitive, system-agnostic forum for this, the SFN will provide training, support and resources for facilitators, who will be able to utilise this to the benefit of the farmers & land managers they work with.

We will be sharing the successes of member networks through a range of routes, including working with existing platforms that are already doing great work in linking research and practice in the progression of more sustainable farming (including FarmPEP, Agricology and TIAH).  The intention is that the reach and impact of member networks and their farmers will be amplified, enabling robust practical recommendations for realistic implementation of change across the food system as a whole.

Whilst offering a practical regional focus, keeping a global perspective to ensure supply chain and public policy initiatives such as FAO’s One Health, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Food Data Transparency Partnership Roadmap are successfully embedded in land use policy and practice is key to the initiative. Similarly, it is looking to attract and work for a truly diverse spread of networks. Not only is the SFN looking to identify and build on common ground across innovators in all regions, sectors and farm types, but is very much open to those working at all scales and systems- including community led and peri-urban growing networks.

Following launch at the Royal Welsh Show 2024, Professor Michael Lee, Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University, said: “Farmers, as we know, learn best from each other. There are many different groupings around demonstration farm networks with different purposes… There is a lot of pre-competitive work that can realise common solutions so that common goals, such as carbon net zero, can be realised together across networks. This is why we are working to bring together these demonstration farms to be greater than the sum of their parts.”

The SFN’s chair, Professor John Gilliland, is a willow and livestock farmer from  Northern Ireland and the chair  of the  ARC Zero climate smart farming project, and who has helped to define the groundbreaking N. Ireland Soil Nutrient Health Scheme.

Drawing on his experiences as both farmer and advisor in his new role, John told attendees at the launch:  “The beauty about the networks within SFN is the empowerment of farmers with knowledge and experiences, all of which are slightly different. What SFN will do is encourage and facilitate the collaboration of what worked, what didn’t work, and support how we can use this collective experience to help prepare our  industry better  for  the further change which is approaching at such speed.”

Benefits of the Sustainable Farm Networks

For networks: Participating networks can expect improved knowledge exchange opportunities; connected and upskilled facilitators; PR and funding opportunities; a quicker transition towards integrated sustainability based on up-to-date information; and stronger industry and policy influence.

For farmers: Participating farmers will build useful connections with other networks and farms; will have easier access to better advice; can take part in benchmarking and marketing opportunities; should see improved business resilience; and will get opportunities to have their say on policy input.

For the industry: Industry partners will be assisted in meeting operational and sustainability KPIs; will see communication channels streamlined; benefit from upskilling and expanded knowledge exchange within and across supply chains; and see sustainability metrics integrated and harmonised.

For policy makers: Policy makers will be informed through demonstration of leading, up to date research and innovation in development of future policy aligning to the delivery of strategic government priorities.

Over 2024, we will be reaching out to demonstration farm networks – putting into action the plans in place so far and honing them: to fit the industry, to fit the sector, to fit the supply chains, to fit the individuals, to fit the farmers and the networks that get involved.

The SFN is now recruiting for members. If you run, facilitate, coordinate or are part of a demonstration farm network of any type, scale or sector, please do get in touch with LBates@harper-adams.ac.uk for more information.