UK supermarket chain Waitrose has unveiled its Farming for Nature programme to boost the long-term financial resilience of UK farms and combat the effects of climate change.
The retailer will work with farmers to produce food using regenerative agriculture practices to source meat, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables only from regenerative farms by 2035.
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Farmers will be provided with plans to access affordable finance and provide resources to support their transition to regenerative and low-carbon farming.
Waitrose is also establishing a market for regeneratively produced food in its shops and online, alongside a permanent centre of excellence at its Leckford farm with practical tools, workshops, online resources and mentoring.
A further goal is the completion of a “state of nature” assessment by 2026 of all of Waitrose’s own brand UK farms to create land management plans.
This comes in response to demand from Waitrose customers as four in ten are reportedly worried about the impact that modern farming has on nature and wildlife.
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By GlobalDataTwo new collaborations have also been announced between Waitrose and Leaf (Linking Environment And Farming) on a new certification, and the University of Reading on a three-year knowledge transfer programme backed by a grant from the UK Research and Innovation.
Waitrose executive director James Bailey stated: “We want our customers to know that when they shop with us, they are voting with their purses and wallets for a food system that restores and works in harmony with the natural world.
“We have a duty to help our farmers make the move towards more nature-friendly growing, and we’re committed to playing our part in the revolution that our country’s food system requires.”
The retailer recently partnered with Tony’s Open Chain, an initiative launched by Tony’s Chocolonely to combat exploitation in the cocoa industry.
