Francis Blake:

The Future of Food Production

How will organic farming have to change to be really sustainable?

Francis Blake

I will start with a short presentation to introduce the subject (though not sure if I will manage to make a power point), but will want to spend most time on discussion. Organic farming is currently the best model for sustainable agriculture, indeed it is the only proper system of sustainable agriculture - everything else is just a disparate collection of individual techniques or practices. However, if we are talking about 80% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in the next 30 years, diminishing oil supplies, etc, then organic farming today is miles from where we need it to be. Where is it that we need it to be? What will it look like and what will have to change?

Strand: Sustainable Food Production & Distribution

Type of event: Presentation & Discussion

Place: Room 2 upstairs in Primary School

Starts: 17.00

Ends: 18.00

Presenter's Personal/Professional Background: Francis Blake

After my degree from Oxford University (agricultural and forest sciences), I have devoted my working life to organic food and farming. Starting with setting up my own organic farm (with an overdraft limit of £150) I developing it into a successful business over 10 years. I have worked for the Soil Association since 1986. For the first 13 years, this was in its trading subsidiary running the certification scheme, starting with one administrator a small number of part time inspectors, and growing it to 40 full time staff. I established its international reputation and achieved a market share of some 70% of UK organic production and sales. For the last 10 years I have been responsible for all the organic standards within the charity, shepherding through a range of new standards from aquaculture to cosmetics. Most recently I have been active in developing international agreement on standards, in particular the Global Organic Textile Standards and the COSMOS-standard (for cosmetics).

In 1990, I helped found the EU Regional Group of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and served as its president until April 2009. It brings together the 300+ member organisations of IFOAM in the EU and EFTA countries and aims to reach common positions to promote to the EU authorities. The organisation has grown from being entirely voluntary to a permanent office in Brussels with eight staff.

Organisation: Soil Association - Standards Technical Director