Sustainability auditor LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) has launched a new online self-assessment system for members that will replace its previous audit.
LEAF said its new Sustainable Farming Review allows growers and farmers to monitor performance over time, compare with other users, and prepare for legislative changes.
Released yesterday (1 December) at an event attended by environment minister George Eustice, the new review is designed to be more user-friendly and help farmers to more easily evaluate their progress.
LEAF members can now use the review as an annual audit, to help measure and implement Integrated Farm Management (IFM) – a whole-farm approach to sustainability that combines technology with traditional methods and benefits the environment and local community.
“Being able to measure, assess, evaluate and most importantly, improve performance is at the heart of why LEAF first developed the LEAF Audit back in 1994,” said LEAF chief executive, Caroline Drummond.
“Today, after 20 years of doing just this, we have replaced the LEAF Audit with the new and improved LEAF Sustainable Farming Review which will be the bedrock of helping our members implement IFM.”
Drummond said the new review was developed after feedback from farmers on how to make a practical difference to sustainable farming.
Speaking at the launch, Eustice said: “Reviewing performance is key to improvement and the LEAF Sustainable Farming Review is a practical way of helping farmers measure and evaluate their progress.”
The LEAF Sustainable Farming Review is available to members through the organisation’s website.
The nine key sections of IFM are all covered in the new review and include organisation and planning; soil management and fertility; crop health and protection; pollution control and by-product management; and energy efficiency.
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