The Sustainable Food Trust Podcast

The Sustainable Food Trust podcast questions current food production methods and sheds light on the future of farming. Chief Executive Patrick Holden hears from a range of voices, including policymakers, business leaders, food producers and campaigners, about some of the issues facing farming systems across the world.

Richard Higgins on the influence of Sir Albert Howard and why we should be using human manure as fertiliser 04/01/2025

Jamie Feilden on the transformational power of farm visits for young people and the value of an educated public 03/04/2025

Dani Nierenberg on US agricultural policy shifts and the future of sustainable farming 02/03/2025

Dani Nierenberg on US agricultural policy shifts and the future of sustainable farming 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 to learn more about their work. And you can find Dani on and To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our . And to keep up with our news, you can or follow us on , or . 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 /episode/index/show/sustainablefoodpodcast/id/35130150

Iain Tolhurst on 40 years of organic horticulture: Lessons, trials and triumphs (part two) 04/09/2024

Iain Tolhurst on 40 years of organic horticulture: Lessons, trials and triumphs (part two) Bringing the fourth series of the SFT podcast to a close, Patrick Holden caught up with longtime friend and one of the pioneers of the UK’s organic farming movement, Iain ‘Tolly’ Tolhurst. “We need to bring farming back into society. It’s become completely divorced from society.” Tolhurst Organic, located on the Hardwick Estate between the Chilterns and the river Thames, is a model of sustainability, and one of the longest running organic vegetable farms in England. For over 40 years, Tolly has been producing a wide range of seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables, which are sold to the local community through a box scheme. His farm was the first to attain the “Stockfree Organic” symbol in 2004, and there have been no grazing animals and no animal inputs to any part of the farm for over 30 years. To build soil fertility, Iain uses green manures as part of a crop rotation, as well as using vegetable and woodchip compost from waste materials. With his extensive knowledge and experience of organic food production, Iain also delivers educational talks across the UK and beyond, and runs a consultancy service giving advice on organic conversion and production, helping to train and educate farmers and growers for the future. During this episode, Patrick and Tolly explore the economics of farming and what it means to pay the ‘right price’ for our food. Tolly also talks about the productive capacity of Tolhurst Organic and how they’re feeding the surrounding community through their veg box scheme. Patrick and Iain delve into the current state of the UK farming sector amidst the changing policy around farm subsidies and how this is affecting both organic and conventional farmers, before closing with a conversation on the importance of demonstration farms for informing and educating people about the story behind their food and the need to incentivise farmers for this. To find out more about Iain and Tolhurst Organic, follow on Instagram, or visit . This conversation has been split into two episodes – or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts from. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our . And to keep up with our news, you can or follow us on , or . /episode/index/show/sustainablefoodpodcast/id/30748423

Iain Tolhurst on 40 years of organic horticulture: Lessons, trials and triumphs (part one) 03/27/2024

Iain Tolhurst on 40 years of organic horticulture: Lessons, trials and triumphs (part one) Bringing the fourth series of the SFT podcast to a close, Patrick Holden caught up with longtime friend and one of the pioneers of the UK’s organic farming movement, Iain ‘Tolly’ Tolhurst. Tolhurst Organic, located on the Hardwick Estate between the Chilterns and the river Thames, is a model of sustainability, and one of the longest running organic vegetable farms in England. For over 40 years, Iain has been producing a wide range of seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables, which are sold to the local community through a box scheme. His farm was the first to attain the “Stockfree Organic” symbol in 2004, and there have been no grazing animals and no animal inputs to any part of the farm for over 30 years. To build soil fertility, Iain uses green manures as part of a crop rotation, as well as using vegetable and woodchip compost from waste materials. With his extensive knowledge and experience of organic food production, Iain also delivers educational talks across the UK and beyond, and runs a consultancy service giving advice on organic conversion and production, helping to train and educate farmers and growers for the future. During this episode, Patrick and Iain recount how they first met in 1981 when the UK Organic Farming movement was still in its infancy, and Iain shares the origin of his passion for horticulture, including his earliest influences. They also discuss the impacts of World War II on agriculture in the UK and what lessons we can learn from this, before digging into Iain’s farming practices including the use of wood chip, as well as a discussion around the the role of livestock. To find out more about Iain and Tolhurst Organic, follow on Instagram, or visit . This conversation has been split into two episodes – tune in for part two on Wednesday 10th April. To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our . And to keep up with our news, you can or follow us on , or . /episode/index/show/sustainablefoodpodcast/id/30563163