Sustainability Action Plan

Case studies

A tasty local food co-op

Futurefarms is a co-operative, set up in early 2004, whose purpose is to grow food within the parish of Martin in Hampshire for sale to the people who live there. It is a not-for-profit social enterprise - all proceeds from the sale of food are used to cover costs and to build up the business.

The venture was started in response to concern about the distance that our food has to travel from farm to plate. This not only increases the amount of road traffic and contributes to climate change; it also cuts people off from the food that they buy, leading to poor quality food, high prices and a lack of attention for legitimate customer concerns like food safety, animal welfare and damage to the environment. In contrast, Futurefarms sell direct to their customers. They aim to produce food that is tasty, wholesome, and grown in a way that is in harmony with nature and respectful of animal welfare. Since it is a non-profitmaking organisation, the food is also reasonably priced.

The co-operative is run by a committee of eight people, all of whom live in Martin. At the moment, the work of caring for the animals and tending the crops is done by members of the committee, with some hired labour, but ultimately their aim is to employ a full-time farmer to work on the farm. In time, they hope to be able to produce and sell a full range of meat, vegetables, and other food products.

Find out more at Futurefarm's website.

Photo credit: Emily Heath 

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