Memorandum
submitted by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (SFS 16)
Introduction
1 Biodynamic
agriculture was inspired in 1924 by
the holistic and spiritually oriented research of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925).
Over the last 85 years it has grown into a worldwide movement and is now
practiced in more than forty countries. It is one of the most sustainable and
organic approaches and is applicable in every climatic zone. See website for
biodynamic FAQ. [1]
2. Demeter is the name of the ancient
Greek Goddess of fertility. Today it is used as a certification mark on all
products which have been certified as complying with strict international
standards for biodynamic production and processing. See website for full
Demeter Standards.[2]
3. Biodynamic Preparations are made
from specially fermented materials of plant and mineral origin. They are used in the biodynamic system to
stimulate plant assimilation, regulate metabolism in soil and plant and enhance
the vitality and quality of the final product. They have been described as a
form of homeopathy for the earth.
4. Research Biodynamic food is
consistently known for its high quality. A research project recently undertaken
comparing the effects of processed conventional, fresh organic and biodynamic
food against a wide range of health and well being criteria, has again
demonstrated the vitality and health giving properties of biodynamic food. A
summary of results is available on the website. [3]
1. How robust is the current UK
food system?
How well placed is the UK to make the most of its
opportunities
The UK
food system has become increasingly vulnerable and dependent on a low cost
global transport system. With the majority of its food supplies coming from
overseas, any interruption of supply (through oil shortages, terrorism, war
etc.) could prove disastrous. This is exacerbated by the widespread policy of
last minute supply by Britain's
major supermarket chains - the lorry drivers strike and blockade of oil depots
a few years ago clearly demonstrated this danger. Cheap oil and an ongoing
cheap food policy is feeding a growing problem. It only needs a prolonged oil
shortage (the oil and food price rises in the summer of 2008 was a warning) to
make imported food unaffordable.
Challenges facing the UK
food system
A fundamental
shift in direction is needed if the UK is to respond to the challenge
of producing more of its own food. Over the last century the UK has been leading the way towards
creating an efficient and specialised industrial farming system. This has meant
that farms have grown in size and fewer people have been employed per acre,
artificial fertilisers and specialised mono-cropping techniques have been
followed and expensive and toxic pesticides have had to be used. This has
proved very profitable for the relatively few large sized farmers but is
inherently unsustainable in the long term.
In an age of cheap oil such a system can appear efficient and
profitable. Scratch the surface however and enormous long term problems become
apparent:
- Toxic
residues in soil and food stuffs.
- Health
problems caused by these residues.
- Environmental
damage, loss of biodiversity.
- Empty
landscapes with no people and rural unemployment.
- Factory
farming and abuse of animals.
- Heavy
reliance on oil and oil based products.
- Cumulative
loss of fertile soil.
Soil is the
most important ingredient for healthy food production. Unfortunately the
practitioners of industrial agriculture ignore this and in effect operate a
system of 'soil mining'. This is demonstrated by the fact that fertiliser use
per acre increases year on year as result of ever declining soil humus
reserves. Through applying lifeless fertilisers these highly exploited soils
are themselves becoming lifeless. They ultimately serve as little more than
root stabilising media. Were it not for our moist climate the once fertile
soils of Britain
would already be desert.
The UK is
blessed with a great diversity of farming landscapes and a rich cultural
history. Although suffering great decline there is still a strong skill base in
rural communities. There is also growing consumer interest in being involved in
local, sustainable food production. This is complimented by a well established
network of highly successful farmer's markets, local food networks,
distribution cooperatives, box schemes and community supported farms. Although
still small in relation to the UK
food market, these initiatives have a huge potential for securing sustainable
sources of food. There is also a strong
organic sector which can lead the way towards a new focus on high quality
produce free from toxins.
How to progress
The UK
could once again feed itself but only if the destruction of our soils is halted
and serious efforts are made to develop soil fertility and introduce a truly
sustainable form of agriculture. There are several things which can and should
be done:
- No more fertilisers and pesticides
The success of the organic movement demonstrates that farming without
fertilisers and pesticides is not only possible but also profitable and
beneficial to the community as a whole.
The health benefits of eating organic food free of toxins are also well
known.
- Farm in harmony with nature
A healthy farm is a mixed farm embedded in the natural environment of the
district. The intimate relationship between woodland, hedgerows, wetlands,
meadows and hillsides etc. is vital for ensuring stable and well balanced
bio-diversity and a healthy environment.
- Build
soil fertility
Cropping must take the building of soil fertility as its starting point. This
means arranging fertility building crop rotations, developing mixed farms with
livestock fed from the farm, maximizing the use of manures, composts green
manures and grass leys. Biodynamic preparations can be used to stimulate soil
life and enhance vitality.
- Encourage
a reduced consumption of meat
Livestock form an essential part of a farm enterprise. Their main purpose is to
increase soil fertility. They can only do this if they are fed with home
produced feed. This in turn limits the number of livestock each farm can keep
and therefore the amount of meat produced. It has been calculated that a
sustainable level of meat consumption is approximately two meat dishes per
week.
- Encourage
small scale quality production
Many more people need to be involved with food production, as home producers
but also within the context of small farm production. Small scale is especially
important to achieve quality. A small area of land can be far more intensively
managed and made more productive than a large area of single cropping.
- Contribution to world food supplies
Britain
is very heavily populated and its first priority should be to feed itself. By
reducing imports of food from other countries, the UK would contribute significantly
to food availability in other countries. There is enough land in these islands
to supply the UK
population if it is managed in a sustainable way (as described above). There
would be little scope for food exports but this in itself will provide a large
contribution towards the UK
climate change targets.
- Biodynamic
agriculture
A healthy farm is a mixed farm embedded in the natural environment of the
district. The intimate relationship between woodland, hedgerows, wetlands,
meadows and hillsides etc. needs to be considered and is vital for ensuring a
stable and well balanced diversity. All of these landscape elements and the
wild flora and fauna that accompany them are integral to a truly sustainable
farm. Their presence is important both for the farm and the quality of the
entire surroundings. If then the farm is able to rely on its own resources to
feed its livestock and build fertility, a truly sustainable system can come
about. Additional biodynamic measures can be applied to strengthen the vitality
and disease resistance of both crops and stock and also enhance the nutritional
quality of the food produced.
b) Challenges faced by the UK in relation to:
- i) water availability Food production methods which rely on a
healthy humus rich soil use generally less water. Sustainable mixed farming in
biologically rich landscape (with trees, hedges etc) tends to slow down water
loss and hold moisture in the soil.
- ii) the marine environment The UK has a huge resource area.
Unfortunately the same unsustainable methods have been applied as on the land
and fish stocks are now greatly depleted. Toxins must be removed, beaches
cleaned up, radioactive fallout must be stopped and the sea should no longer be
the place where sewerage and industrial wastes end up. With care and
consideration the wealth of the seas will return to our shores.
- iii) the science base The UK has a well of innovative skills
and a lot of research skills. More research into sustainable agriculture would
be very important to help the country move forward more rapidly. However there
is also a lot of experience already available through the organic and
biodynamic movements as well as long forgotten written research which could be
drawn on to help progress.
- iv) training There is a great need to support the training of
young farmers. Training should be practical apprenticeships rather than purely
college based. Learning with other farmers is a well proven approach.
- v) trade barriers A few trade barriers might be a helpful
incentive to bring about the needed change in direction.
- vi) the way land is managed needs to move decisively towards a
wholly organic and self-sustaining system.
2.
Emerging trends in the UK
food system
It is
likely that the interest in local organic food will continue to grow. At the
same time the taste for variety and world foods will remain strong. This means
that trade in exotics will continue to be an important part of consumer tastes.
At the same time there will be a growing demand for the local production of all
the staples. This fits in very well with the above mentioned suggestions for a
sustainable farming system. The current local food networks would then become
the main means for distribution.
Defra's role should primarily be to encourage a move to sustainable
agriculture employing both the second pillar framework and a resourced research
and training programme.
Bernard Jarman
January
2009
[1] www.biodynamic.org.uk
[2] As above
[3] As above
