AIC at 20: Working in support of soil health in UK food and farming
As AIC marks 20 years as the UK agri-supply industry’s leading trade association, we're looking back at some of its greatest achievements since it was founded in 2003.
Each week throughout 2023, we’ll explore a major achievement where AIC represented its Member businesses, promoted the benefits of modern sustainable commercial agriculture in the UK, and supported collaboration throughout the food system.
For World Soil Day (5 December), we look at the importance of healthy soils for feeding the global population and consider the work of the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) in support of modern, sustainable, commercial agriculture.
Feeding the world
World Soil Day serves as a reminder of the essential role soil plays in our lives, and AIC's efforts in promoting soil health in the UK are crucial in ensuring a sustainable food supply and prosperous agricultural future.
Some 95% of our food comes from soils which provide 15 of the 18 naturally-occurring chemical elements essential for plants.
Soils and the concept of "soil health" has taken centre stage in political and environmental circles, and AIC is at the forefront of efforts to promote sustainable soil practices in the UK.
Amid concerns and divisive claims surrounding certain agricultural practices, AIC works to foster a balanced, constructive discussion on soil health.
Through legislation like the Environment Act (2021), the UK Government has elevated soil health on the political agenda but environmental NGOs have sometimes responded with exaggerated claims, such as the misleading notion that soils are being "dosed in pesticides" or that there are only a handful of harvests left before our soils can no longer support crop production.
The policy team at AIC has been proactive in engaging in important discussions, representing the voice of the UK agri-supply industry.
AIC has proactively engaged in initiatives like Championing the Farmed Environment, Catchment Sensitive Farming, and the Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, all of which contribute to supporting the interests of AIC Members and the wider agricultural sector.
Through its Roadmap for a Sustainable Food Chain, AIC supports the agri-supply industry's ambitious goals to drive nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) with a focus on soil health and overall nutrient balance on farms.
Quality training of feed advisers on key environmental topics such as soil health is supported by AIC through its continuous professional development (CPD) as part of the Feed Adviser Register (FAR).
This CPD gives FAR advisers crucial knowledge to help them increase their understanding of issues such as soil nutrient content, manure application and storage, livestock housing and nutrient balance.
Soil health and SFI
A significant milestone in AIC's soil health work was its representation at an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Soil Health and Innovation [PDF].
This allowed parliamentarians to gain a balanced, well-informed perspective, particularly regarding the role played by AIC Members in supporting good farming practices.
AIC's leadership has been instrumental in ensuring that advice plays a critical role in the future Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS).
A prime example of this is the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) announcement of substantial payments for farmers who seek qualified advice on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and nutrient management under the revised Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme.
Under the new standards, farmers in England will receive £989 per year for taking BASIS-qualified advice on IPM and £589 per year for obtaining a nutrient management assessment and report from a FACTS-qualified advisor. These incentives are a key part of promoting healthy soils across farmland.
Similarly, the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have other schemes and incentives either in place or in development, with AIC helping to make sure these are fit for purpose.
EFRA Committee Soil Health report published
To coincide with World Soil Day on 5 December, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee published its Soil Health report.
AIC is cited in the report, having contributed to the Committee's call for evidence earlier in the year.
AIC welcomes the report's conclusions - in particular the need to prioritise the alignment of soil alongside air and water for funding and monitoring, the push for the publication of the National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides and the Land Use Framework and the recognition of the complexities of soil health and need for flexibility in its management.
Watch the video below to learn about AIC's role as the UK agri-supply industry's trade association.
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Visit the AIC at 20 webpage for more content like this.
Authors
Oli Hill
As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.
Vicky Robinson
Vicky Robinson is Head of Sustainability and is responsible for leading and co-ordinating AIC's work on sustainability.
