Rooted in change: How British farmers are growing for the future

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As late summer gently rolls into autumn, orchard trees once heavy with apples are picked and stored, and the last of the potatoes are dug from the earth, marking the end of the harvest season.

But this year, the UK has seen its earliest harvest ever, taking place a full three weeks earlier than usual owing to the increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather. The summer was the hottest on record, with much of the country suffering from drought, too.

For the farmers who grow the food for M&S shelves, the future of British farming depends on farms that can continue to grow and adapt despite the uncertainties. Through Plan A for Farming, M&S is working alongside growers and producers to help support their longevity – investing in the land, people and skills needed to produce great-quality food.

“We’ve worked with M&S for decades and that long-term partnership gives us confidence to invest in both the fruit and the environment around it,” says Rob from A. Hinge and Sons, a fifth-generation family farm that’s been supplying British apples to M&S for 38 years.

Throughout that time, M&S have supported across a range of projects to develop the farm’s sustainability efforts, variety trials and the opportunity to bring new crops to market. Beyond the orchard, the farm has invested in solar power, more efficient machinery and water capture, plus upgrading the cold storage to keep produce fresher for longer.

Rob explains that the main driver for farming sustainably is “growing amazing crops of fabulous fruit for M&S that customers want to buy”, understanding that to make this possible beyond their tenure of the land, it is key to prioritise the environment and its ecosystems.

On his orchards, it’s easy to see how farming can be viewed in the long term, as unlike an annual crop, apple trees remain in the ground year after year. “Very little is removed from the orchard each year except the fruit,” says Rob. “Leaves, prunings and vegetation remain there for recycling into the soil. This gives a really great opportunity to enhance the ecosystem within the orchard.”

Rob goes on to add: “It can also be seen (and heard) from the hum of the abundance of bees while walking through the orchard in spring – a visible sign of a healthy environment – but orchards, like many crops, can be susceptible to diseases and pests. Soil management is the next big thing for us in the battle against apple tree diseases. Healthy trees need healthy soil.”

Why healthy soil is vital for British farms to thrive

Plan A for Farming is focused on strengthening the resilience of British agriculture for the future and regenerative farming practices are an important part of that approach, from improving soil health and supporting biodiversity to managing water more effectively. Alongside innovation, crop trials and shared learning, the programme aims to help farmers continue producing outstanding-quality British food while caring for the land for generations to come.

At the heart of many of these practices is a simple principle: healthy soil is the foundation of every harvest, such as potatoes, which Brits eat around two million tonnes of each year.

“Healthy soil supports stronger crops and better water infiltration, and reduces the need for synthetic inputs,” explains Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S Food. “We can see a thriving ecosystem above ground, but what is happening beneath the surface is often less well understood.” She explains that soil is a living organism, and at its best, it’s filled with nutrients, organic matter, bacteria, fungi, worms and insects.

In practical terms, through Plan A for Farming, M&S has partnered with the Soil Association Exchange to provide 50 growers and farmers across different systems with whole farm assessment packages that have been fully funded. It is also providing healthy soils courses for farmers and growers in the form of both on-farm and online workshops.

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, as each farm and its soil is as individual as the next, but M&S, which partners with potato growers such as Home Farm Nacton in East Suffolk, says practices that build soil health can include “planting cover crops so that the soil is never left bare between harvest and planting, using integrated pest management to reduce pesticides, and manure or animals to increase soil fertility”. The result is that the soil is better able to support years of potato crops to come.

How sustainable farming is helping secure the future of British food

While increasingly unpredictable weather is changing the reality of farming in Britain, the ambition of Plan A for Farming is to help businesses thrive, support the future of British food and ensure generations to come can continue to enjoy great-quality British produce.

“This summer’s hot weather has shown exactly why the Plan A for Farming commitment matters,” says Langton. “For growers, it puts pressure on soils and crops, and it can affect yield, quality and harvest timing, meaning farmers have to be more agile than ever while still protecting the land they depend on for the future.”

The hope, says Langton, is straightforward: “Producing great food while building healthy soils, supporting biodiversity and leaving the land in a better state for future generations.”

A good harvest is no longer just about what can be grown, picked and sold today. It’s about making sure there’s something worth harvesting tomorrow – and long beyond that too.