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Commitment Meeting: Where it all began

The Sustainable Soils Alliance was born out of a meeting that took place on 16 December 2016 attended by participants representing agriculture, government, NGOs, retail and banking.  It was our initial sounding of expert opinion about the nature of the crisis facing our soils. 

The Soils in Crisis Commitment Meeting concluded that, despite decades of activity, knowledge and study around soil health, there was a need for a new, inclusive approach based on interdisciplinary and inter-organisational collaboration to galvanise action for real change.  Attendees signed up to the common goal of restoring our soils to health within the space of one generation.

The high level of informed debate and contribution during the day, the initial funding secured and firm commitments made by participants following the event have provided the impetus to continue to build momentum towards the formation of the Sustainable Soils Alliance and the initiatives that followed.

The Commitment Meeting, Chair:
Rebecca Pow MP, Member of Parliament for Taunton Deane

Chief Scientist:  
Prof Chris Collins, Environmental Chemistry, Reading University

Commitment Meeting Attendees: 

Yeo Valley

Rebecca Pow MP

University of Reading

Eden Project

Woodland Trust

Triodos Bank

Soil Association

Barclays Bank

Pukka Herbs

Royal Forestry Society (RFS)

Natural England

National Farmers' Union (NFU)

Wessex Water

Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative

Graham Harvey

The Story Group

Better Food

Innovations in Agriculture

Burges Salmon LLP

Pasture for Life

The Gaia Foundation