Description
Ten years ago Pasture for Life (PfL) was a collection of around 50 UK farmers who were producing high quality ruminant food products wholly from pasture. They were regenerative farming pioneers and PfL was run by volunteers and funded through various grants. In the past two to three years, membership has increased significantly, nearing 1,000 with almost 150 certified Pasture for Life (100% grass-fed). The organisation is now run by a paid executive and is bursting with energy, conversation, and learning. Members are mainly farmers, but also include butchers, chefs, vets, academics and consumers – all keen to champion the role of ruminants in pastoral ecosystems and diets. This is an example of bottom-up learning - farmers working with other farmers on topics such mob grazing, soil health, multi-species swards, breeds and breeding, biodiversity, animal welfare, carcase breakdown and presentation of products for selling. Technology transfer is happening at farmer level - study group trips away, a very active Internet forum, farmer-to-farmer mentoring. Participation is growing still further with the setting up of 15 local groups across the country, led by facilitators, carrying out local farm walks and workshops and developing local food supply. The rise in PfL membership has been helped by the rising cost of farm inputs, pushing more farmers towards increasing production from grass and pasture. Environmental pressures, have for example, seen an upsurge in the sowing of multi-species leys to improve soil health and this has also inspired interest in the PfL. Increasingly researchers are validating what farmers have been doing and seeing happening in their fields and in their herds. Building local supply chains remains a challenge but as more people talk about the benefits of PfL – better for the animals, better for the environment (wildlife and carbon storage), better for the farmer, better for the people that eat and drink the meat and milk, the easier this will become.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
How ‘Pasture for Life (Championing 100% Pasture-Fed Ruminant Products) Has Taken Off in the UK – From the Bottom Up!
Ten years ago Pasture for Life (PfL) was a collection of around 50 UK farmers who were producing high quality ruminant food products wholly from pasture. They were regenerative farming pioneers and PfL was run by volunteers and funded through various grants. In the past two to three years, membership has increased significantly, nearing 1,000 with almost 150 certified Pasture for Life (100% grass-fed). The organisation is now run by a paid executive and is bursting with energy, conversation, and learning. Members are mainly farmers, but also include butchers, chefs, vets, academics and consumers – all keen to champion the role of ruminants in pastoral ecosystems and diets. This is an example of bottom-up learning - farmers working with other farmers on topics such mob grazing, soil health, multi-species swards, breeds and breeding, biodiversity, animal welfare, carcase breakdown and presentation of products for selling. Technology transfer is happening at farmer level - study group trips away, a very active Internet forum, farmer-to-farmer mentoring. Participation is growing still further with the setting up of 15 local groups across the country, led by facilitators, carrying out local farm walks and workshops and developing local food supply. The rise in PfL membership has been helped by the rising cost of farm inputs, pushing more farmers towards increasing production from grass and pasture. Environmental pressures, have for example, seen an upsurge in the sowing of multi-species leys to improve soil health and this has also inspired interest in the PfL. Increasingly researchers are validating what farmers have been doing and seeing happening in their fields and in their herds. Building local supply chains remains a challenge but as more people talk about the benefits of PfL – better for the animals, better for the environment (wildlife and carbon storage), better for the farmer, better for the people that eat and drink the meat and milk, the easier this will become.
