The food retailer has announced additional investment in a new data baselining programme and has called for a national framework on farm data to bolster UK food security.
Tesco has said that it has launched a significant extension of its environmental data baselining programme to help British lamb and beef farmers capture soil, water and nature data at scale, and is also calling for the introduction of a national data baselining framework to “end the patchwork approach to data collection, and safeguard the country’s food security”.
Tesco UK CEO Ashwin Prasad will make the call to action at an event for British farmers and food suppliers at Tesco’s headquarters today (17th November). The announcement follows research by Tesco canvassing the views of hundreds of UK farmers, which it said found 91% want Government to do more to support farming resilience.
Farmers find inconsistent environmental standards a barrier to progress
According to Tesco, the research found the majority of farmers (68%) want to do more to make their farms more environmentally friendly, but 96% of farmers cite inconsistent environmental standards and data reporting as a key barrier, and a further 73% report difficulties getting innovation onto farms that will improve efficiency, resilience and sustainability. Soil health was named by 64% of farmers as a particular area of concern.
Tesco stated that the new data baselining programme (referred to as Tesco Sustainable Farming Programme) aims to address these concerns. Delivered in partnership with Soil Association Exchange (SAX), it will support 360 beef and lamb farmers from Tesco’s Sustainable Farming Groups to capture soil, water and nature data at “unprecedented” scale.
The programme will establish clear baseline measurements over its initial 12 months, providing farmers with tailored advice to strengthen farm resilience and efficiency.
Tesco UK CEO Ashwin Prasad stated: “British farmers are the backbone of our food system but they face unprecedented pressure, from rising costs and climate shocks to uncertainty over Government policy. They tell us data is vital to measuring and driving improvements in sustainability and efficiency on farms, but the patchwork approach to data across the UK has resulted in a lack of a unified or standardised framework to track industry-wide progress or share insight and best practice.
“Our new programme will give farmers the data and tools to build resilience and it’s vital farmers are provided with a clear and consistent reporting framework to reduce the burden they face and make it easier for the whole industry to measure and scale progress. This is fundamental to creating a stronger future for UK agriculture and protecting the country’s ability to reliably grown high-quality, homegrown food, now and for the future.”
“Farmers are working hard to feed the nation sustainably, but they cannot do it alone.”
Former National Farmers’ Union president Baroness Minette Batters commented: “Farmers are working hard to feed the nation sustainably, but they cannot do it alone. Establishing and supporting a consistent national baselining framework is essential if we are to measure progress fairly, unlock new opportunities, and build resilience across the sector. The whole industry must work together to support farmers in this transition and ensure UK agriculture can thrive in the years ahead.”
The new initiative builds on recommendations set out in Tesco’s Greenprint for UK Farming Report, unveiled earlier this year at the Oxford Farming Conference, which called for standardised data and insights to help farmers futureproof their businesses and reduce their environmental impact.
