This is a formative time for LEAF, amid a consultation that will inform the update of its LEAF Marque standards, due in October 2012, and help boost a membership that already encompasses 2,500 businesses in some 46 countries.
The charity, which aims to promote sustainable farming through its LEAF Marque standard, is in the process of joining a global association - the ISEAL Alliance - which develops guidance and helps strengthen the effectiveness and impact of social and environmental standards. LEAF Marque has become synonymous with high quality retailers like Waitrose and has even been named as an aspirational standard for this summer’s Olympics.
“The LEAF audit has been the mainstay to help growers adapt to integrated farming,” says Boxall. “Now we are breaking it down into the components of sustainable farming, including soil, water and biodiversity.
“But the most important thing for growers is economic sustainability. Without profitability to invest, they can’t move their businesses forward.
“Many of our grower members have saved money by joining LEAF. It’s all about resource management and if you can be more efficient, you can save money.”
In fact, the latest member survey two years ago showed that 66 per cent of respondents said they had benefitted economically from LEAF membership.
The latest round of consultation features two six-week online surveys, which will look at what should be included in the standard and then review these ideas. “This is the opportunity for the industry and our members to comment on the standard,” says Boxall. “ISEAL has a code of practice for setting environmental and social standards and more interestingly, for measuring the impact and effectiveness of these standards. The LEAF Marque standard will be updated to take into account developments in new technologies as well as its impact to consumers. For example, we need to expand on areas like precision farming and resource management.
“We can get a lot more out of the crop with innovative technology, such as precision farming and companion planting. We try to adapt and change attitudes on farms and use all the technology that’s available including crop protection and nitrogen fertiliser.”
And what about technologies that are not yet available? GM, for example? It’s still a controversial concept, with consumer approval thought to be some way off.
“Society needs to be able to debate the issues and the benefits,” Boxall says. “We need to talk about it with the consumer. One of the issues is who owns the patents, but perhaps it could be more of a public ownership.
“Unfortunately, the public purse hasn’t got the money to fund the research, but it’s the private companies that have it. That’s the biggest conflict with consumers. They don’t trust big corporate companies but at the moment, do they trust the government right now?
“The main thing is that the technology should only be part of the story. You can’t rely on GM, you have to embrace all aspects of crop management.”
In the meantime, LEAF has recently launched two new management tools - the Water Management Tool and the Simply Sustainable Soils brochure - both aimed at equipping farmers with practical know-how to help improve the long-term sustainability of their businesses.
These measures will help producers to farm more sustainably, make financial savings and safeguard food for the future. -
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