Livestock farmers in Somerset have been interviewed about how they are managing environmental and economic pressures as part of the JUSTLANZ project.
Researcher from University of Leeds Shivani Singhal has been working with Mandy Lowe, Farm Engagement Officer with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Southwest exploring with them what matters most? and how they view changes around climate policy, food production, nature recovery and farm livelihoods?
JUSTLANZ research project seeks to transform UK land to achieve net zero by 2050. Its overall aim is to develop practical, fair & forward-looking pathways to help the UK food & farming sector reach net zero while balancing the many demands on our land.
Project teams are working with livestock farmers, rural communities, policymakers, conservation groups and industry to bring together diverse knowledge & values to co-design innovative solutions.
The project involves four areas which are:-
💚 Launder Hills in the Scottish Borders
💚Loch Errne in Northern Ireland
💚Gwent Levels
💚Somerset Levels
Contributions from livestock farmers and people who work in the food industry across these four UK regions are being analysed to identify common themes and differences. The findings will help inform more practical and socially fair approaches to supporting agricultural transition in the UK, which have been informed by farmers.
“Our conversations have been really insightful, with farmers sharing a wide range of experiences and perspectives shaped by different farming systems, landscapes, and business challenges.” said Shivani, working in Somerset
Some of the findings are:-
- Conversations about net zero are not just about emissions, they’re about livelihoods, stewardship for the landscape, and the future of nature friendly farming.
- Farmers largely support environmental action, but highlighted the importance of practical policies, fair reward for food production and environmental outcomes, recognition of local, experiential knowledge and greater long-term certainty.
- Achieving a just transition in agriculture will depend not only on what changes are made, but also on how they are designed, implemented and experienced on the ground.
- There’s a need for – long-term policy which provides stability and builds trust; a fairer food-farming system where healthy, nutritious food is valued and available to a wide range of people; farm businesses to be remunerated fairly for the ecosystem services they provide.
Mandy and Shivani have been working with Ralph Hoyte, a storyteller from Bristol, to create a Westcountry Ballad that tells the story of the farming community in Somerset. Once complete, the ballad will feature on a short film, created with local farmers, and will be performed locally and at a selection of farming events.
JUSTLANZ is funded by Daera, UK Research and Innovation, defra, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Llywodraeth Cymru/ Welsh Government and The Scottish Government.
JUSTLANZ is one of five projects supported by the Land Use for Net Zero (LUNZ) Hub. Led by the James Hutton Institute and the Univeristy of Leicester, with 34 organisations including Univeristy of Leeds, the government-funded Hub helps to translate complex research into useful guidance for policy and practice.
You can read this bulletin with news from the innovative JUSTLANZ which seeks to transform UK land to achieve net zero by 2050.
