Leicestershire-based dairy farmer and sustainability manager Ruth Grice NSch 2023 has published her Nuffield Farming report entitled 'Working Together: How Dairy Farmers & Environmental Organisations Can Achieve Sustainable Food Security & Combat Climate Change', sponsored by AHDB.

The full report is now available on the Nuffield Farming report library and her report video is available on the Nuffield Farming YouTube channel. Ruth will present the findings of her research at the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference, to be held in Belfast in November.

During her Scholarship, Ruth travelled to Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, United States, and the UK. Her Scholarship was borne out of frustration around the often-difficult relationships between dairy farmers and environmental organisations.

In her report, Ruth says, "If the right relationships between dairy farmers and environmental organisations can be forged, there is significant potential to be gained by working together.

"By meeting various individuals in both the dairy industry and the environmental community, I learnt that the relationship between them is deeply rooted in cultural heritage, economic heritage and political landscapes."

Ruth notes that within the UK, cultural heritage influences relate partly to long-established class prejudices: "Economic heritage established after the Second World War also influences how the two communities perceive one another. To remain competitive, the race to the bottom in UK agriculture began, again at the expense of the natural environment.

"During my travels, I found examples of healthy, symbiotic relationships between dairy farmers and environmental organisations. They taught me that even if the foundation stones of cultural heritage, economic heritage and political landscapes are against you, partnerships are possible."

Unsurprisingly, it is all about the people. "Inspiring leaders who believe in the art of the possible and can find common ground between dairy farmers and environmental organisations, are able to forge partnerships regardless of predisposed barriers.

"Together, dairy farmers and environmental organisations can achieve sustainable food security and combat climate change."

 Study objectives

• Objective 1: Visit four of the world's largest milk producing countries to find out if symbiotic partnerships between the two communities existed within them
• Objective 2: Understand what cultures, policies and conversations were in place to make such partnerships the social norm.

 Messages

1. The relationship between dairy farmers and environmental organisations is influenced by cultural heritage, economic heritage and political landscapes.
2. Inspiring leaders who believe in the art of the possible and can find common ground between dairy farmers and environmental organisations are able to forge partnerships regardless of predisposed barriers.
3. Individuals within the dairy supply chain, including processors and retailers, can play a critical role in forging partnerships between the two communities.