AtlasFram, one of the UK’s largest farmer owned cooperatives has joined LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming). AtlasFram which has an annual turnover of £168 million is now encouraging its 1250 farmers to become members and gain LEAF Marque certification. The LEAF Marque logo is widely recognised as the leading environmental food label, and a key reason why AtlasFram has elected to join LEAF.

AtlasFram’s farmer members will have access to the services of Suffolk FWAG to help them with this process, including the completion of the LEAF Audit. Suffolk FWAG, (which joined AtlasFram in January and is also a LEAF advisor), will work with farmers to help them implement LEAF’s Integrated Farm Management (IFM) principles, on which LEAF Marque is based.

Jeremy Boxall, LEAF’s Commercial Manager said: “AtlasFram is a very significant new member for LEAF. As the UK’s most trusted and highly regarded farm inputs purchasing and grain marketing cooperative, we are delighted that they have chosen to join LEAF.  This is an especially exciting time for LEAF, as we have just announced that we are working with ADM on a new supply chain initiative that will see more farmers achieving LEAF Marque certification. This partnership offers benefits for farming businesses like AtlasFram, the environment and consumers. It is also testimony to the increasing importance consumers are placing on sustainable food production.”

Ashley Gilman, Group Business Manager for AtlasFram explains why they have joined LEAF: "The importance and benefits of strong environmental whole-farm business management has become more evident to us over the last few years. Now consumers are recognizing its necessity too and are encouraging the food and farming industry to demonstrate its environmental credentials more readily. For AtlasFram therefore, LEAF is the perfect umbrella organization to combine the expertise of Suffolk FWAG, the farm and land management expertise of the shareholders and the strength of ADM, our grain marketing partner.

"LEAF provides practical guidelines for farmers, supporting them to achieve high standards of food production with minimal environmental impact; LEAF Marque then provides tangible evidence of this for the consumer. Many of the farming businesses within the cooperative are already incorporating high levels of environmental management whilst still achieving a very respectable commercial return. The LEAF Marque will provide AtlasFram Members with a genuine commercial advantage in the demanding premium and assured food markets in the future."