The Sustainable Food Trust Podcast

For this episode of the SFT Podcast, we hear from Owen Shiers – Welsh folk singer, researcher, grain grower and cultural historian. In his late 20s, Owen was rewarded a scholarship from the Finzi Trust to research folk music in Ceredigion, where he grew up – a moment which he describes as the 'beginning of his journey'. What was originally intended to be an exploration of culture, became an exploration of agriculture as Owen came to learn about the significance of black oats in Wales. During his research, Owen crossed paths with Gerald Miles, an organic farmer from Pembrokeshire, and Iwan Evans Coedfadre, a Welsh folk singer and farmer. Whilst Gerald had been searching for black oats for 20 years, having all but disappeared and been replaced by more modern varieties of oats, Iwan was the last farmer in Wales to be growing them. Through this research, Owen was able to connect Gerald and Iwan, which led to the creation of the Llafur Ni Network ('Our Cereals') – a project they co-founded with the Gaia Foundation, bringing together farmers and growers across Wales to revive black oats and other rare welsh grains. Owen's music, (Cynefin – Owen's 'musical brainchild') is firmly rooted in the customs and cultural vernacular of Ceredigion. His most recent album Shimli, explores the intersection between music, poetry, food and the natural world. Stick around until the end of this episode to hear 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man) from Owen's latest album, and for an explanation about the origins of the song. Elsewhere in the episode, Patrick and Owen also talk about the impact that religion has had on Welsh folk music; how the cultivation and preservation of seeds compares to that of the cultivation of wool and other animal by-products; and they ask, how can we create economic opportunities for people in a food and farming system which is often working against the principles of sustainability? You can listen to Cynefin's music here and and follow him on Instagram. To find out more about the Llafur Ni Network and how Owen first came to meet Gerald and Iwan, watch this brilliant film from The Gaia Foundation and Andy Pilsbury. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in January 2026. Timestamps: 0:00: Welcome to the SFT Podcast! 0:49: Who is Owen Shiers? 3:17: Exploring the roots of Welsh folk music 5:03: The Methodist Church's impact on folk music in Wales 7:55: Black Oats in Wales 11:06: What can poetry tell us about farming culture? 13:40: Stuck between a rock and a hard place: valuing culture versus making a profit in farming 17:53: Opportunities in agricultural education 23:40: How do we create economic opportunities for people in a system set against the principles of sustainability? 28:18: The Llafur Ni Network 42:06: How does the cultivation and valuing of seeds compare to wool? 45:28: How can we make sustainable food and clothing more affordable? 49:11: Owen reads some Welsh poetry 51:52: Goodbye! 52:31: 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man)

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this episode of the SFT Podcast we're talking about food security – as the war in Iran shows no sign of easing, with thousands of casualties and many people displaced from their homes, we discuss the impact of the conflict in terms of food security in the Middle East, as well as how agriculture is often weaponised in times of conflict. We also reflect on how the conflict has impacted food security in the UK, and what steps could be taken to ensure the country is more food secure and our farming sector is more resilient in the face of local and global shocks. This week, Patrick and Stuart are also joined by Megan Perry, the SFT's Head of Policy & Campaigns. Megan has a degree in international politics and has been working with the SFT for 12 years, heading up our work the UK's small abattoir sector. Alongside her experience at the SFT, Megan has also spent time visiting and supporting organisations and individuals working in the agriculture sector in places like Palestine and Lebanon who have been significantly affected by the ongoing conflict. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels. Resources mentioned in the episode: Feeding Britain report: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/our-work/feeding-britain/ Food sovereignty report: https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/pathways-towards-food-sovereignty-in-lebanon/?tztc=1 Tim Lang: UK must stockpile food in readiness for climate shocks or war: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/07/uk-stockpile-food-climate-shocks-war

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. To mark the release of the recent documentary Finding Harmony: A King's Vision – exploring his Majesty King Charles III's lifelong commitment to the environment and his philosophy of Harmony – in this episode of the SFT Podcast, Patrick talks to Stuart about his involvement in the documentary and recalls first meeting the King in 1982. They also explore the philosophy of Harmony in more depth, including how we can bring harmonious practices into our everyday lives and why achieving this is now more important than ever. Elsewhere in the episode, Patrick and Stuart talk about the evolution of agricultural education and the importance of influencing the influencers to enable a transition to more sustainable food and farming practices. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels – let us know what you'd like to hear Patrick and Stuart talk about next time! Timestamps: 0:00: Welcome back! 0:33: Patrick talks about his relationship with King Charles, first meeting him in 1982, the development of Highgrove Farm and their shared passion for organic farming 4:01: The King's book: Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World 5:55: We are not separate from nature, we are part of nature 10:45: Striving for Harmony in a world of conflict 13:36: To achieve Harmony, where do we start? 18:02: Harmonious practices in our everyday lives 25:48: Patrick's involvement in Finding Harmony 28:36: 'Seeing is believing' experience at Highgrove Farm 30:17: The evolution of agricultural education and need for reform 37:53: The history of Dumfries House 43:14: The interconnectedness of faiths/The King's influence on connecting different faiths 44:52: How do we transform farming to become part of the solution, rather than the problem? 49:35: Influencing the influencers 53:31: What's coming in future episodes Follow Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://bsky.app/profile/susfoodtrust.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/SusFoodTrust https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-food-trust/ Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com/ https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page.

Sir Julian Rose and his daughter, Miriam Rose, of the Hardwick Estate – England's first community-owned estate – joined our CEO, Patrick Holden, on the SFT Podcast. Julian Rose was one of the pioneers of organic farming in the UK. In the late 1960s, Julian inherited ownership of the Hardwick Estate and by 1975 the 375-acre farmland had been converted to organic status. 40 years later, the Rose family have made the decision to transfer ownership of the Estate to the local community, seeking to move away from a history of private aristocratic ownership. Following closely in her father's footsteps, Miriam says she identified as a 'natural environmentalist' from a very young age having grown up on the farm, and has been a fierce advocate ever since – including spending eight days incarcerated in Iceland after protesting the country's aluminium industry's impact on the rivers. Nowadays, Miriam sits on the board of Trustees of the Hardwick Estate, overseeing its direction, which is otherwise managed by the Hardwick community. In this episode, Julian and Miriam go into more detail about how this community-owned model works, as well as the risks involved with this approach, and they discuss whether or not this model could be scaled. They also talk about the complex feelings they have towards land-ownership and the inheritance of wealth. Find out more about the Hardwick Estate here. This conversation was recorded in October 2025. Featured image courtesy of www.julianrose.info/. Timestamps 0:00: Welcome Julian and Miriam! 01:04: The history of the Hardwick Estate and how the Julian came to inherit the Estate 9:05: Patrick and Julian's involvement in the early organic movement – including the beginnings of the UK's organic food standards 12:15: Miriam's early beginnings as an environmentalist and her role at Hardwick 15:12: Becoming England's first community-owned estate 22:35: How does the community ownership model work? 24:46: What are the risks involved with this approach? 30:02: 50 years of organic at the Hardwick Estate 32:58: Can this community-owned model be scaled? 33:59: The complexities of inheriting land and wealth To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky.

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. For our first episode of 2026, Patrick and Stuart talk about the extreme weather we've experienced, just days into the new year – reflecting on the disruption that Storm Goretti caused, particularly in Cornwall where Stuart farms, they discuss the incredible display of community resilience in response to shocks like this. Elsewhere in the conversation, Patrick also talks about his time at the Oxford farming conferences – both Oxford Real Farming Conference and Oxford Farming Conference – where the environment secretary announced updates to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) schemes; Stuart discusses Marks & Spencer's new range of nutrient dense food, and the two also debate the importance of measuring farming system outcomes and explore the challenges that come with this. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org – let us know what you'd like to hear Patrick and Stuart talk about next time. Timestamps: 0:00: Welcome! 0:13: The overproduction of milk affecting price per litre 2:32: The aftermath of Storm Goretti and show of community spirit 6:48: Local procurement vs exports 8:31: ORFC and OFC 13:00: Are big food companies comitting greenwash or should we embrace their regen efforts? 20:38: Defra's recent announcement on SFI and FiPL 24:07: Should we and how can we measure farming system outcomes? 29:50: M&S's 'nutrient dense' food range 31:48: McDonald's efforts to champion higher quality food 35:06: What's Stuart up to in Brazil? 36:08: Patrick's message on health for 2026 37:17: Global dependence on roundup 41:03: Goodbye! Follow Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://bsky.app/profile/susfoodtrust.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/SusFoodTrust https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-food-trust/ Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com/ https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this episode, Patrick and Stuart explore the current distortion of food pricing, with Christmas vegetables being used as loss leaders in supermarkets. They discuss nose-to-tail eating, share Patrick's carrot-growing journey, and reflect on making the most of festive meals and holiday food traditions. The conversation finishes with New Year's resolutions and ideas for a few ways to access 'flow state' to help us to be present in our day-to-day lives. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org – let us know what you'd like to hear Patrick and Stuart talk about in the next episode!

Our CEO, Patrick Holden, recently sat down for a conversation with Sir Tim Smit, former archaeologist, music producer and founder of the Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. In this episode, Patrick and Tim talk about the emerging dangers of forever chemicals for the environment and human health, reconceptualising what we mean when we talk about farms and their importance for mental health and wellbeing, and why the integration of food and farming into the national curriculum "shouldn't be fringe, it should be right at the core". To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in December 2025.

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this week's episode, Patrick and Stuart talk about forever chemicals and the increasing awareness of their impact on human health – as recently investigated in an episode of the BBC's Panorama. They also discuss the politicisation of regenerative agriculture; Patrick shares his thoughts on the publication of new research reviewing the safety of the widely used herbicide, Roundup, and asks what a post-Roundup farming future might look like; and Stuart reflects on his camel farming journey and how at one point he had the largest camel farm (21 camels!) in mainland Europe. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org – let us know what you'd like to hear Patrick and Stuart talk about in next week's episode! Follow Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://bsky.app/profile/susfoodtrust.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/SusFoodTrust https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-food-trust/ Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com/ https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this episode, Patrick and Stuart reflect on some events they've recently attended including COP30 in Brazil and AGRITECHNICA in Germany. Meanwhile, on abattoirs, Stuart shares what he learnt from his first visit to a slaughterhouse, Patrick talks about mobile abattoirs, and the two discuss the 'demonisation' of the consumption of animal fats. Patrick also touches on the demise of small dairy farms and describes how farmers being told to 'get big or get out' when it comes to their farming methods, and later on in the episode, Stuart discusses some of the developments being made in agri-tech that he came across at AGRITECHNICA. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org. Watch the SFT Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@sustainablefoodtrust6605 Follow Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://bsky.app/profile/susfoodtrust.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/SusFoodTrust https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-food-trust/ Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com/ https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this episode, Patrick and Stuart report live from two big events in the food and farming calendar - COP30 in Brazil and Agritechnica in Germany - covering everything from the power of showing up and building connections to the rights of agricultural workers and indigenous peoples. Watch the SFT Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI_AeZT35qk Find out more about Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://www.tiktok.com/@susfoodtrust Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu https://www.tiktok.com/@camelstu

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. Watch the SFT Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYoPEVtp3UU Find out more about Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/ https://www.tiktok.com/@susfoodtrust Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project: https://fossilfreefarm.com https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/ https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu https://www.tiktok.com/@camelstu

At this year's Regen Gathering on the island of Jersey, our CEO, Patrick Holden, had the chance to meet with the event's co-founder, India Hamilton, for the latest episode of the SFT Podcast. Alongside founding Jersey's Regen Gathering – an annual event which brings together a diverse range of people and ideas to discuss the innovative food, farming and finance approaches that are taking place on Jersey – India is also a chef, food systems expert and heads up HYPHA Consulting, a regenerative consultancy committed to pioneering sustainable futures within the rural economy and food system. In 2018, India was also involved in developing The Sustainable Cooperative (SCOOP), a consumer-led cooperative which aims to create a more sustainable supply of food on Jersey. In this episode, Patrick and India talk about the beginnings of the Jersey Regen Gathering and how its conception was inspired by other food and farming events like Groundswell, what the Jersey government is doing to support their farmers and how this differs from what's happening in the UK, and the connection between public health and our food systems. To connect with India, follow her on LinkedIn. To find out more about the Regen Gathering, visit the website where you can also find details of this year's Jersey Farming Conference, taking place in November. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in September 2025. Timestamps: 0:00: Intro 0:42: Welcome India 1:15: India's background and how she founded the Jersey Regen Gathering 4:55: Scoop, Jeresy's CSA shop/community shop 9:48: Jersey's food and farming culture/Jersey's peri-urban culture 19:15: What is the Jersey government doing to support farmers? 32:54: Regen Gathering programme 36:40: The connection between public health and food systems 40:01: Outro

After both appearing on the Grazing for Good: Livestock and Biodiversity in the UK panel at ORFC earlier this year, SFT CEO, Patrick Holden, sat down once again with Molly Biddell, Head of Natural Capital at Knepp Estate – a 3,500-acre rewilding project in West Sussex – for an episode of the SFT Podcast. Her work involves leveraging nature markets and policy for Knepp, Weald to Waves and the River Adur Landscape Recovery project. She also works part-time at Hampton Estate, a family-run regenerative farming business, facilitates the Upper Adur Farming Cluster group and is a columnist for Farmers Weekly. In this episode, Patrick and Molly talk about the work going on at Knepp Estate – 'a radical rewilding experiment', says Molly – including the success they've had so far in terms of an increase in biodiversity, carbon sequestration and habitat restoration. They also talk about the role of projects like Knepp Estate to improve public awareness of rewilding and more sustainable agricultural methods, before finishing the episode with a discussion on measuring the climate, nature and social impacts of such projects. To hear more from Molly, you can read her column for Farmers Weekly here. To find out more about Knepp Estate, visit: https://knepp.co.uk. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in May 2025.

Following their session together at this year's Oxford Real Farming Conference – Land, Food and Spirit – SFT CEO, Patrick Holden, and renowned biologist and author, Rupert Sheldrake, reconnected to record an episode of the SFT Podcast. Rupert's impressive career started at Cambridge University where he studied Natural Sciences, before receiving a scholarship to attend Harvard University, studying History and Philosophy of Science. Rupert later returned to Cambridge where he gained a PhD in Plant Development. This eventually led him to India, where he worked at The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), to develop a more holistic approach to biology and science: "the mechanistic, materialist paradigm was too limiting and constricting" resulting in the idea of 'morphic resonance'. Rupert has also authored more than 100 technical papers and nine books, including Science and Spiritual Practices. This episode takes a slightly different turn from our usual episodes, with less focus on agriculture, and more on the role of spirituality in science. During this episode, Patrick and Rupert discuss bridging the gap between spirituality and science, they ask whether farms could be considered 'holy places', Rupert explains his theory of morphic resonance and talks about his involvement with the British Pilgrimage Trust. To find our more about Rupert and his work, visit https://www.sheldrake.org, and follow him on Instagram and YouTube. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in April 2025. Timestamps: 0.00: Intro 0.55: Welcome Rupert! 1.11: Patrick and Rupert at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) 2025 2.20: Rupert's career beginnings 3.59: What is 'morphic resonance'? 4.53: Is there a connection between morphic resonance and epigenetics? 6.43: Building a bridge between science and spirituality 8.58: The influences of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Rudolf Steiner 11.20: Rupert's spiritual journey 17.00: What is a 'holy place'? 21.59: Choral Evensong and its place at conferences like ORFC 27.56: Rupert's involvement with the British Pilgrimage Trust 32.25: Could farms be considered 'holy places'? 34.10: Rogation Sunday and patronal festivals 40.21: What's drawing people back – regardless of religion – to holy places and patronal festivals? 43.07: Revaluing the parish and local community 48.36: Saying grace at mealtimes 53.30: Thank you Richard 54.21: Outro

This month we bring you a special edition of the podcast, recorded at London Climate Action Week as part of Extreme Hangout's live podcast series. Our CEO Patrick Holden is joined by Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE, with a special guest appearance from Professor Tim Spector, Founder of ZOE, for the first half of the episode. Dr. Federica Amati's career boasts a plethora of academic achievements – alongside her position as Head Nutritionist at ZOE (the science and nutrition research company), Dr Federica also holds a PhD in Clinical Medicine Research, a masters in Public Health and is an Association for Nutrition (AfN) Registered Nutritionist. She has also authored Recipes for a Better Menopause and the Sunday Times Bestseller, Every Body Should Know This. Her approach focuses on improving overall dietary quality throughout the life course, using food as the best tool to transform health. During their conversation together, Patrick and Dr Federica talk about the importance of reconnecting people with how their food is grown, the current culture of litigation and fear of the wrong kinds of bacteria in our foods and how environmental health and nutrition are intrinsically linked. The final 20 minutes of this episode features a Q&A segment from the audience. This episode was recorded and produced by Extreme Hangout. To find out more about Dr Federica, follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in June 2025.

For this episode of the SFT podcast, Max Jones – transhumance guide and traditional foods archivist – visits our CEO, Patrick Holden, on Patrick's farm in Wales. Alongside his work as a transhumance guide – the practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in accordance with the seasons – Max Jones is also a writer, photographer, educator and founder of Up There The Last, a project which aims to reconnect people with their food and educate them about the traditional food practices of the past, which still exist in some parts of the world today. From rare cheese production in the heights of the Alps, to traditional wild salmon smoking in the republic of Ireland, Max Jones' journey to seek out and learn more about traditional food practices has taken him all over the world and led him to meet the people working hard to preserve these essential practices that are at risk of being left behind and forgotten. In this episode, Max and Patrick talk about the threat to traditional foods including modern technology and health and safety regulations, as well as the presence of an off-the-record 'food counterculture' that exists to protect ancient practices. To find out more about Max, follow him on Instagram, and visit the Up There The Last website and Substack page. You can also read the article that Max wrote for the SFT about the importance of preserving traditional food practices, here: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/news-views/preserving-the-practices-of-traditional-foods/. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in August 2024.

To coincide with the release of our new report, Grazing Livestock: It's not the cow but the how, the latest guest on the SFT Podcast this month is Nic Renison. Nic is a regenerative farmer based in Cumbria where she farms alongside her husband, Paul (Reno), at Cannerheugh Farm. The daughter of dairy farmers, Nic grew up within the conventional, high production agricultural environment, growing food with little thought of the environment. This all changed in 2012 when Nic and Reno had a 'light bulb' moment after visiting an organic farm in Northumberland, which inspired them to start employing more regenerative farming methods. In 2018, alongside Liz Genever, Nic co-founded Carbon Calling – a conference created for farmers, by farmers, to share ideas and exchange knowledge on all things farming and regenerative agriculture. During the episode Nic and Patrick discuss Nic's early farming influences, her and her husband's journey from conventional to regenerative farming methods and the origins of the Carbon Calling conference, and how it supports the wider farming community. To find out more about Nic and Cannerheugh Farm, follow their journey on Instagram and visit their website here. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X or Facebook.

Richard Higgins, chairman and CEO of Good Gardeners International, is our guest on the latest episode of the SFT Podcast. Alongside being CEO of Good Gardeners International (GGI), Richard is also a philosopher, fungi specialist, holistic scientist, and Director of Sustainable Agriculture London. He grew up on a mixed farm in Somerset and studied his National Diploma in Agriculture (NDA) at the Royal Berkshire College of Agriculture on Farm and Grassland Management. He later completed a 10-year postgraduate study of the soil fertility works of Sir Albert Howard while travelling and teaching from China to Hawaii. In this episode, Richard talks to Patrick about Sir Albert Howard's influence on his own career, how agriculture intersects with the work of Good Gardeners International – including the charity's demonstration farm, its innovative composting system and the value of human manure as fertiliser. Visit Good Gardners International here to find out more about their work and follow them on their social media channels @GoodGardenersINTL. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X or Facebook.

Joining our CEO, Patrick Holden, for this episode of the podcast is Jamie Feilden, founder of Jamie's Farm. Jamie Feilden founded Jamie's Farm in 2009, a charity which seeks to transform the lives of vulnerable children through farming, food and therapy. 15 years later, Jamie's Farm works with over 2,300 children a year across seven farms, and aims to offer as many children as possible an opportunity to improve their wellbeing, boost engagement and develop key life-skills, whilst spending time on a farm. In this episode, Jamie shares with Patrick how his experiences as a history teacher in Croydon led to the inception of Jamie's Farm, as well as discussing his recent involvement in the SFT's Beacon Farms Network, and why an educated public is key to achieving positive change across our food and farming systems. Visit Jamie's Farm here to find out more about their work and follow them on their social media channels at @JamiesFarm. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X or Facebook.

Kicking off series five of the Sustainable Food Trust podcast, Patrick Holden, SFT CEO and organic dairy farmer, catches up with Dani Nierenberg, President of Food Tank. Dani Nierenberg is a world-renowned researcher, speaker, and advocate, on all issues relating to our food system and agriculture. In 2013, Dani co-founded Food Tank with Bernard Pollack, a nonprofit organisation focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. Food Tank is a global convener, thought leadership organisation, and unbiased creator of original research impacting the food system. Dani has an M.S. in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and spent two years volunteering for the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. In this first episode of the new series, Dani and Patrick discuss the impact of an extractive approach to agriculture upon our planet and our health. They consider how we can switch to a more regenerative approach – one that restores the soil, conserves water, and reduces the need for agrichemicals. Dani shares her insights on the recent shake-up in US politics and what the new administration could mean for food and farming, as well as exploring challenges relating to certification, labelling and consumer engagement. The conversation also examines the true cost of industrial food production, which typically isn't reflected in the retail price, and unpicks some of the sustainable agriculture challenges currently being faced in California and beyond. Commenting on what gives her hope for the future, Dani gives plenty of reasons to be optimistic, including opportunities for young people in agriculture and the huge potential for collaboration within the food and farming sector. Visit Food Tank here to learn more about their work. And you can find Dani on LinkedIn and X. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up with our news, you can subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, X or Facebook. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:43 – Welcome Dani! 1:28 – Food Tank's impressive global reach 3:06 – Dani's path to agriculture & sustainability 4:40 – The Peace Corps' influence on Dani's work 6:45 – The California wildfires 10:35 – Extractive agriculture in America 11:55 – What does the transition to more sustainable food & farming systems look like? 13:54 – How will the new US administration impact food and farming? 19:03 – How can we reach a wider audience? 21:22 – What did the Democrats achieve on food & farming in the last four years? 23:50 – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joel Salatin 25:59 – Barriers for young farmers in the US 26:46 – Groundswell film 27:31 – The challenges with certification in organic farming 30:56 – The agrochemical industry's attempts to silence critics 32:53 – The importance of uncomfortable conversations and unusual collaborations 33:34 – True Cost Accounting 39:53 – Taking 'Feeding Britain' international 41:16 – Goodbye and thank you! 42:11 – Outro