The soil association was founded in 1946. It was formed by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists. They could all see the direct connection between farming practices and some of the problems with animal, human and environmental health.
They are now the UK's leading membership charity which campaigns for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. They have over 150 members of staff and work as certification inspectors across the country.
The charity is solely reliant on donations and the support of the members and public. They get no help from the government which surprises me.
What they do:
Their work is split into three sections.
1) Facing the Future
The charity wants to ensure that organic systems can secure durable and humane solutions to the challenges that face the world through climate change and growing populations.
This means they want to help provide solutions in terms of the way people live, eat and farm as well as to help those grow with available resources.
The charity is also trying to pioneer new solutions which will tackle climate change, support biodiversity, improve animal welfare and give fairness.
- Support innovative farming
- Supporting animal welfare
- Campaigning against genetically modified ingredients in human/animal food and against the commercial planting on GM crops
- Encouraging students to visit organic farms
- Campaigning against the escalation of industrial pig farming in the UK.
- Supporting organic farms which are a haven for wildlife
- Encouraging people to grow their own organic foods.
2) Good Food for All
Good food is food that is organically grown, minimally processes, fairly traded, fresh and seasonal. The charity believes this food should be a right, not a privilege.
The charity is working in schools through the Food for Life Partnership which is proving that it is possible to transform 'food culture' improving the life and health chances of thousands of children.
- Food for Life Partnership working in schools
- Helping source fresh, local and organic food with no cost impact in hospitals as many are falling short of acceptable standards
- Encouraging the public to eat at places with a full organic certification or those with the Food for Life catering mark
- Encouraging people to buy organic
- Campaigning for nursery children to have the same healthy, nutritious food that is served in schools
- In partnership with Community Supported Agriculture where a local community makes a financial pledge to support a local farm.
3) Enabling Change
The charity represents and works with farmers, growers and businesses that can provide a practical change in terms of making change happen on the ground. They are providing technical support and advice to farmers and businesses through their Soil Association Certification. They are also working to improve consumer understanding of organic principles to ensure vision, integrity and trust at the core of their certification process and that it is understood by anyone purchasing a product which carries their symbol.
- The Certification allows the charity to award organic certifications to farms and businesses
- Local groups to celebrate organic food, run educational community events, organise food festivals and grow organic produce
- Aim to protect the countryside by acquiring and managing farmland sustainability
- The Food for Life Catering Mark which encourages caterers to make progress towards more local, seasonal and organic ingredients
- Provide an Apprenticeship scheme with an organic farmer or grower
- Provide courses from bee-keeping to willow weaving
This charity mostly looks at Ethical issues in foods rather than textiles, however there is a link with the farmers in terms of innovative farming. This links in the way that crops such as cotton crops need to be less harmful towards the environment, animals and humans. There are solutions and ideas that need to be provided in order to change the way these crops are farmed in order to provide much healthier lifestyles.
Reference: http://www.soilassociation.org/
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