Carbon Clarity – a guide for family farms launched at the Devon Show

Sponsored by Morrisons and developed after a successful first year of the PCF’s Carbon Clarity programme, the publication is a practical guide designed to help farmers begin managing carbon on their farms.  

To launch the informative guide, local farmers and rural organisations came together for a carbon myth-busting session, presented by Becky Willson from the Farm Carbon Toolkit. The event offered the opportunity to network and explore the topic with like-minded people. 

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund opened the event with an introduction to both the publication and the Carbon Clarity programme. He said: “The most popular topics arising from our Farm for the Future programme (participants can choose) were succession and carbon and this interest informed our desire to produce a publication about carbon containing practical approaches that farmers can take. 

“We are delighted that Morrisons wanted to extend their partnership with us to produce the publication, and to fund the launch of Carbon Clarity in Devon this autumn.”  

Becky Willson from the Farm Carbon Toolkit, who facilitates the Carbon Clarity Programme, addressed the audience, enthusing: “It is really exciting to have gone from our initial conversations to now having not only the publication, but through the programme, to turn what can be a challenging and difficult subject for farmers into practical steps to understand how carbon links with what they are doing day to day on the farm.” 

This year, the PCF and Morrisons partnership will provide up to 20 farming families in Devon with an introduction to carbon opportunities on farms through a group workshop, one-to-one support, and assistance in creating a carbon ‘action plan’. Becky will deliver the workshop in Devon, helping farmers to create their action plans, as well as provide ongoing support. With more than 8 in 10 participating farmers likely or very likely to recommend Carbon Clarity to others, it is set to be hugely beneficial for farmers in the county. 

Supporting Carbon Clarity forms part of Morrisons’ three-year commitment to The Prince’s Countryside Fund, alongside their longstanding contribution to the PCF’s Farm Resilience Programme.  

Sophie Throup, Technical and Sustainability Director at Morrisons says: “As British farming’s single biggest direct customer we understand that whilst there is so much good work already happening, it can be difficult for some farmers to access the information they need to help reduce carbon on their farms. That is why we’re pleased to be continuing to support this scheme and the publication of the Carbon Clarity guide which we hope will benefit some of the UK’s smallest farms as we look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions created through food production.” 

Interested farmers can now sign up for the Carbon Clarity with sessions scheduled to begin in September 2023 in Devon.