The National Trust cares for 200,000ha (~500,000 acres) of farmland across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A tenth of this land is directly managed by The Trust, with the remaining area farmed by 1,500 agricultural tenants. A total of 160,000ha (395,000 acres) amounting to 80% of the farmed area, is grazeable land, located mostly in upland regions.

The future viability of livestock farming, both economically and environmentally is core to the Trust’s agricultural and food interests. It recently published the What’s Your Beef? report to raise awareness of its contribution to the wider debate on food security and climate change, and the important role it believes pasture-based farming has to play within this.

Rob Macklin, the National Trust’s head of food and farming said, “The principles laid out in the production standards for pasture-fed livestock, as developed by farmers in the PFLA, align well with the work we and our tenants do. The Pastoral brand could provide a new marketing opportunity for some of our tenants, helping them promote their farming businesses and the land they manage.”

North Yorkshire farmer and National Trust tenant Neil Heseltine, is already a PFLA member, and is now looking to become an approved supplier – so he can sell his meat under the PASTORAL label.

“I am really heartened that the National Trust is taking an active interest in the PFLA,” says Mr Heseltine. “This membership offer will help raise awareness of the organisation’s work amongst the tenants, and show it is possible to produce entirely grass-fed British meat which is viable, sustainable and tasty!

“It is hugely important to the agricultural industry that a body like the National Trust is concerned enough to encourage their tenants to consider different methods of meat production which, in the long term, will be to the mutual benefit of the Trust, the tenant and the environment.”

To take up the offer, National Trust tenants who are interested need to become full members of the PFLA by paying the £50 subscription fee. They can then contact membership@pfla.org.uk to claim back the cost.

Full members who already meet the Pasture-Fed production standards can easily progress to become approved suppliers and use the PASTORAL brand in their marketing.

Other members, who may not be quite ready to meet the requirements, can engage with the pastoral community, taking advantage of discussions and farm visits to gain contacts, knowledge and ideas to help them become approved suppliers in the future.

For a summary of PFLA membership benefits visit www.pasturefed.org.