Construction Industry Council
Executive Director Ellen Fay has written on the need for a greater understanding of the importance of soil within the construction industry.
8.9ha
'Regenerative farming is at a crossroads', says SSA Executive Director Matther Orman, who writes about bridging the gap between corporate and farmer interests.
The Independent
Executive Director Ellen Fay calls for 'urgent action' in addressing issues of food security and tackling the UK soils crisis.
Farming Today
SSA's executive Director Matthew Orman is interviewed for a special program on the issues around maize cultivation.
The Telegraph
Ellen Fay points out that there are questions about how government incentives and carbon trading schemes will interact.
Farmers Weekly
SSA's response to the Environmental Improvement Plan highlights the hugely disappointing shelving of a standalone Soil Health Action Plan for England.
Farming Today
The Farm Soil Carbon Advisory Board's Professor Guy Ziv (University of Leeds) was interviewed on BBC's Farming today about our recent report Recommendations on minimum requirements for high-integrity soil carbon markets in the UK.
Sustainable Food Trust
SSA's article: Unlocking the Benefits of Consistent Soil Monitoring and Metrics was featured in the SFT's newsletter.
WWF
SSA's work with the Soil Health Industry Platform (SHIP) was featured as a case study in WWF's report "What's in Store for the Planet: The Impact of the UK Shopping Basket on Climate and Nature 2022".
Marie Claire
By now, you’ll likely have heard that there are microplastics in both the ocean and in humans, too. But how? Why? And since when?
Farmers Guardian
In a post-Brexit world, UK Governments are having to develop their own soil policies, some of which are more formed than others.
ENDS Report
Thousand of tonnes of microplastics are being spread to soils - according to the Environment Agency’s latest water and sewerage company assessment.
The Grocer
A global ‘soil extinction’ is threatening to leave billions of people hungry and push the world’s biodiversity into disarray.
ENDS Report
There is more plastic in soils than in the sea, a UN body has warned, posing a grave threat to food security, people and the environment.
The Guardian
New UN FAO report highlights the “disastrous” way in which plastic is used in farming is threatening food safety... It says soils contain more microplastic pollution than the oceans...
Farming UK
Three projects have been awarded funding to help develop new carbon markets for regenerative agriculture, saltmarsh restoration and lowland peatlands.
Farmers Guardian
Grant awarded under the Environment Agency’s Investment Readiness Fund to develop a Soil Carbon Code for UK farmers.
BBC Food
Headlines warn the state of our soil is now a serious threat to the environment and crops. But they also say good-quality soil can help save the planet. What are the powers and dangers of this dark material, and how worried should we be?
Farmers Guardian
Just 0.41 per cent of money invested into environmental monitoring in England is dedicated to soil health, a Freedom of Information request by the Sustainable Soils Alliance (SSA) has revealed.
BBC News: Science & Environment
A vital knowledge gap about England’s environment has been uncovered by soil campaigners. They have discovered that just 0.41% of the cash invested in environmental monitoring goes on examining the soil.
ENDS Report
DEFRA is spending just 0.4% of its total environment monitoring budget on soil monitoring each year, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request response.
Business Green
Fraction of budget spent on soils in England despite importance for combating floods and boosting food security, the SSA warns. The government has been accused of neglecting soil health in England...
Food Climate Research Network
According to the Freedom of Information request made by the UK non-profit Sustainable Soils Alliance (SSA), the UK government spent only £283,780 on monitoring soil health in England in the year 2017/18.
Somerset Life
Write up and photographs from the SSA's fundraising event at Yeo Valley in September appear in the Socials Pages of the latest edition of Somerset Life magazine.
Ends Report
Agriculture Bill revisions bring new focus on soil health. Ministers have tweaked the text of the Bill to emphasise safeguarding and improving soil quality…Comment from the SSA.
Farmers Guardian: Brexit Hub
Recognition of soil’s importance in the Ag Bill is a statement of ambition few other countries can match, but there is more work to do to meet the Government’s target of sustainably managed soils by 2030.
The Guardian
Agriculture Bill biggest shake up to farming in 40 years. Specific attention paid to soils was welcome, but more detail is needed on how to implement measures to protect soil health.
Western Daily Press
SOS - Save our Soils. The health of our soils is increasingly coming under the spotlight… In conversation with the SSA, featuring Yeo Valley and Piper’s Farm.
Bristol Post
The UK loses the equivalent of 240,000 double decker buses of soil/year. Soil is the beating heart of life on earth, a vital element that supports the health of people, plants, wildlife, water & air.
Wicked Leeks (Riverford)
The quest to bring soil health to Westminster: the first months of the Sustainable Soils Alliance.
Farmers Guardian
DEFRA could be forced to make a U-turn on its decision not to pay farmers to improve soil health… the Natural Capital Committee said any future ELM scheme should incentivise farmers to reverse soil degradation…
Farmlink: Waitrose & Partners
As the majority of farmers know, healthy soils are the key to the achievement of healthy crops and higher yields. It is a fact that for decades has passed politicians by.... Matthew Orman for Waitrose.
The ARB Magazine (Arboricultural Association)
Attendees gathered for the Arboricultural Association’s 52nd National Amenity Conference 'Soils & Trees – Standing your Ground' to explore the adverse effects of soil degradation on the health of the tree population.
Farmers Guardian
SSA Champion Rebecca Pow MP on soil as the bellwether of our farming and environment policy.
The Guardian
UK farmers will be given the first ever targets on soil health: A new bill will mandate measures to preserve and improve the health of UK soils…
Farmers Weekly
Campaigners have called on the government to underline its commitment to the environment by explaining how it will incentivise farmers to improve soil health.
Hort Week
Delegates at a Sustainable Soils Alliance meeting at parliament have heard that the Government's 25 year Environment Plan, published in January, could be grounds for optimism for crisis-hit soils.
The Guardian
A new bill will be brought before parliament this year mandating, for the first time, measures and targets to preserve and improve the health of the UK’s soils, amid growing concern that we are sleepwalking into a crisis of soil fertility that could destroy our ability to feed ourselves.
Fresh Produce Journal
Expert stakeholders and campaigners have challenged the government to provide more detail on its ambition to achieve “sustainably managed soils” by 2030 at parliamentary debate.
Fresh Produce Journal
Soil health has been catapulted onto government agendas thanks to a parliamentary launch of the new Sustainable Soils Alliance.
Plant Based News
Speaking at the parliamentary launch of the Sustainable Soils Alliance, Environment Secretary Michael Gove blames intensive farming practices for the loss of soil fertility.
Daily Mail
Environment Secretary Michael Gove states that he hopes the SSA, a body formed with the mission of bringing UK soils back to health within a generation, will hold government to account.
The Telegraph
The UK has only 40 years of fertile crop growing left because intensive farming is “cutting the ground from beneath" our feet, Michael Gove has warned.
The Guardian
Countries can withstand coups d’état, wars and conflict, even leaving the EU, but no country can withstand the loss of its soil and fertility...
The Times
There has been an increasing realisation of the dangers of soil infertility, leading to Michael Gove speaking out: 'We have encouraged a type of farming which has damaged the earth.'
Farming UK
Environment secretary Michael Gove warns UK will see 'fundamental eradication of soil fertility', speaking at the parliamentary launch of the Sustainable Soils Alliance.
My Green Pod
The UK has measurable air and water quality standards, but lacks the same benchmarks for soil. Ellen Fay (SSA) explains what is needed to restore soil health.