FARM ~ an introduction
FARM is a national organisation that represents Sustainable Farming within the UK. Our work seeks to promote the common values and objectives shared between farmers, consumers and environmentalists.
FARM was established in 2002 to uphold those values that are too easily dismissed by those who choose to evaluate farming within their own narrow definitions of efficiency. Through our work we can help to redress the economic pressures that often discriminate against extensive, mixed farming systems. We strive to promote farm businesses where economic viability is balanced by a duty of care within social and environmental aspects of farming.
FARM exists to provide balance to many of the issues relevant to today’s farming. Mainstream organisations such as the NFU are, in their own words, an industry lobby group. However, there are often circumstances where the immediate interests of the “industry” have to be placed within the context of a longer-term future for farming. We recognise that a successful future for farming within the UK depends upon the support of the wider public and that it is only through genuine transparency and honesty in addressing the challenges facing us, that we can expect to deliver farming systems worthy of that support.
Those involved in representing FARM recognise the value of good farming practice and the potential benefits from having that closely integrated within local food networks with the accompanying efficiencies, accountability and assurance lacking in today’s centralised food distribution industry. Our challenge is to help develop a modern context for these values within the market and to lend focus to those areas where exploitative business models have undermined good husbandry practice.