LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has published the latest version of its LEAF Marque Standard, including a recommended control point on the use of carbon footprinting tools.
The revisions to the standard after a two-year consultation, have been made to raise the bar on important sustainable farming issues like greenhouse gases, carbon sequestration and carbon footprinting.
Vicky Robinson, director technical at LEAF, explained:
“LEAF is a listening organisation and works hard to understand and meet evolving expectations of more regenerative farming, while maintaining a programme that is also practical, accessible and science-based.
“We strongly believe that this new version of the LEAF Marque Standard strikes the right balance between setting a high ambition for sustainability with the need to make sure the requirements are practical for the best performing farming businesses around the world.
“With the ever increasing reach of LEAF Marque both in the UK and worldwide, these changes represent extremely good news for the health of our farms, food, planet and people.”
Commenting on the publication of the revised Standard, LEAF Marque Chairman, Tom Green added:
“LEAF welcomes constructive stakeholder engagement and dialogue and I wish to thank the many individuals and organisations who engaged in the LEAF Marque Standard consultation process.
“Third-party scrutiny and stakeholder engagement are central to our values and our commitment to respond to the constantly evolving field of sustainable farming. By honouring this commitment, we can maintain our world-leading standards.”
Robinson said that the LEAF Marque Standard is continually evolving and that the farming industry is facing huge changes.
She continued:
“Much attention is focussed on the nature of our trading relationships with other countries – both within and outside the EU, coupled with challenges around climate change, population growth, resource protection, market volatility and increasing political uncertainties.
“These are issues shared by farmers across the globe. Against this background, LEAF Marque provides a powerful tool to accelerate incremental improvements at a farm level.
“I take this opportunity to thank our many supply chain partners and farmers as it is their commitment and leadership which enables us, collectively, to drive profound reforms in the delivery of more sustainable global farming and food systems.”
