LEAF - Linking Environment And Farming, UK

LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is the leading organisation delivering sustainable food and farming. Working with farmers, the food industry, scientists, educationalists and consumers, LEAF inspires and enables sustainable farming that is prosperous, enriches the environment and engages local communities. It develops and promotes Integrated Farm Management (IFM) and works in three core pillars:

• Facilitating knowledge generation and exchange amongst farmers and researchers through the LEAF Network of Demonstration Farms and Innovation Centres; LEAF develops management tools and resources to support farmers in the adoption of IFM. These include the LEAF Sustainable Farming Review, IFM Guide and IFM Bulletin.  Farmers also have the opportunity to see IFM in practice by visiting LEAF Demonstration Farms.
• Developing Market Opportunities through the LEAF Marque Standard.
• Engaging the public in sustainable food and farming through a range of educational and public engagement activities including LEAF Open Farm Sunday, LEAF Open Farm School Days, Countryside Classroom, resources and training.

Role in the project

LEAF is co-leader in the knowledge exchange and dissemination package (work package 7). They also have a network of 38 Demonstration Farms in the UK, which can be interviewed for work package 1 and have links to farmers across Europe and the world who are LEAF Marque certified.  The LEAF Marque is a global assurance scheme recognising sustainably farmed products, which can be used as a case study in work package 5.

Key persons involved

• Callum Bennett, Co-leader work package 7, leader task 7.