UK supermarket Waitrose has launched a £500,000 fund for British farmers to support projects which aim to reduce carbon emissions.
The £500,000 net zero farm fund is part of Waitrose’s ‘Farming For Nature’ programme and will finance projects by farmers and suppliers that will support the adoption of low carbon farming practices. Individual grants will be made available to British farmers or producers that supply Waitrose.
James Bailey, executive director at Waitrose, said: “We know every farm is unique and we want to ensure that our Waitrose Farmers have the support they need to make nature-friendly changes that work for them.
“The fund is about giving farmers access to financial backing to invest in sustainable practices that will benefit their farms in the long run and support a rapid reduction in the carbon footprint of the food we eat.”
Marija Rompani, director of ethics & sustainability at John Lewis Partnership added: “We’re proud to work with fantastic British suppliers and farmers and look forward to supporting them through this fund to innovate, scale and deliver the low carbon products our customers want.”
“We want to ensure that our Waitrose Farmers have the support they need to make nature-friendly changes that work for them.”
James Bailey, Waitrose
The funding is available for small-scale projects as well as large scale investments and builds on the £1 million Farming For Nature investment to provide access to affordable finance and resources to support the transition to regenerative and low carbon farming.
Harry Thompson, Waitrose chicken farmer for Pilgrim’s Europe, commented: “This is a fantastic announcement from Waitrose. It really highlights the partnership relationship that we have with them; whenever they are backing British farming and supporting my farm, they become more efficient and lower our carbon footprint to support us on our net zero journey.
“This is important at a time when farmers are having a lot thrown at them; all support is greatly appreciated, and it really strengthens the farm to fork connection.”
Net zero commitment
The launch of the fund is part of Waitrose’s commitment to achieve net zero across its UK farms by 2035 and its entire supply chain by 2050.
Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs stated: “Climate change is a significant threat to agriculture and our broader food system, and reducing emissions from the sector is vital to meeting our net zero commitments. I’m extremely pleased to see new funds, such as Waitrose’s net zero farm fund, support the adoption of low carbon farming practices.”
