CLIMATE FRIENDLY FOOD STANDARDS

Measuring the carbon footprint of food from field to the consumer

Climate Friendly Foods is a not-for-profit social enterprise set up in the UK in 2008 to tackle climate change through agroecological farming, particularly field-scale vegetables, market gardening, orchards and other perennials. We certify low-carbon growers through farmer-to-farmer inspections, and aim to increase carbon awareness and community resilience.

20 PRINCIPLES

Worldview

1. care for health, social inclusion and the planet through agroecological farming
   

2. promote community-led trade, whilst striving to be economically viable and independent

3. support the proliferation of urban and peri-urban producers

Finite resources & fossil fuel greenhouse gases (GHG)

1. promote abundance without oil

2. mitigate fossil fuel GHG along the food chain

3. use low-carbon technology

4. reduce the use of mains water

5. reduce waste

6. recycle all organic wastes

7. generate renewable energy (where practicable)

Biological GHG

1. mitigate carbon losses from soil

2. mitigate on-farm methane and nitrous oxide

3. reduce the cultivation of histastols (peat soils)

4. be free from media with extracted peat

Sequestration (carbon absorption)

1. observe agroecological soil husbandry based on closed cycles

2. sequester “new carbon” from photosynthesis

3. create compost with woody materials

4. preserve carbon sinks & recognise equilibrium

Land use

1. support the vision for UK land use outlined in Zero Carbon Britain 2030

2. optimise arable land to feed increasing world populations

The first phase of CFF Standards has now been initiated with the launch of the Farmers and Growers Carbon Calculator and a cycle tour to explain the importance of the project, which encompasses the “new approach of ‘rich-soil’ farming, revealing that correctly-managed agriculture could help us to turn back the carbon clock”.

For further information, click here.