More than three quarters of organic farmers have seen their crops affected by unpredictable weather in the past 12 months, a new report from Abel & Cole has revealed.
The Future of Organic Fruit & Veg report found that 78% of farmers had been affected particularly by floods and extreme drought, a byproduct of the worsening climate crisis.
It also revealed nearly half (47%) had been so badly affected that they had been forced to change their crops to diversify their offering and build a more sustainable supply chain.
The report, backed by campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the Soil Association, presents a “damning picture” with farmers agreeing the climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry.
“Organic farming has a tangible, positive impact on our planet, from improving soil health to store more water to boosting biodiversity,” said Ed Ayton, sustainability & ethics advisor at Abel & Cole. “In fact, if Europe’s farmland all followed organic principles, agricultural emissions could drop by 40%-50% by 2050.”
Despite the positive role organic farming could play, the report revealed only 15% of consumers understand that how the UK farms its land plays a role in tackling the climate crisis.
However, two-thirds of consumers believe that supermarkets and the government should do more to support organic farming, with 84% wanting to see farmers paid fairly.
It comes as 32% of organic growers have had to stop farming some crops entirely because they can no longer get a fair price for them from the big supermarkets.
“At Abel & Cole, we know the incredible effort it takes to grow delicious, top-quality organic food,” said Ayton. “That’s why we’ve always been committed to paying our farmers a fair price for food done right. This not only provides them with security in the short- and medium-term, but also means they can invest in the future of their organic farms.”
Fearnley-Whittingstall said: “I’ve been passionate about organic food for decades and, to me, it’s never been more important to get the nation eating more organic fruit & veg. After all, plants are the foods that do us the most good and, especially coupled with organic farming practices, do the planet the least harm.”
The report surveyed Abel & Cole’s farmers, 1,000 consumers and interviewed 11 industry experts.
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