Tesco targets beef and sheep sector to capture farm data

Tesco plans to work with 360 beef and sheep farms from across the UK, as part of a major extension to its baselining project.

The supermarket chain is already working with its sustainable dairy group to capture environmental data and hopes to establish baseline measurements during the initial 12 months of the programme.

Tesco will undertake the project in partnership with the Soil Association Exchange, collecting data on farms around soil health, water quality and biodiversity.

See also: Dairy farmers asked to shape future environmental targets

Farmers will then be issued with tailored advice to improve their sustainability and business resilience.

Tesco chief executive Ashwin Prasad said:

“Our new programme will give farmers the data and tools to build resilience, and it’s vital farmers are provided with a clear and consistent reporting framework to reduce the burden they face and make it easier for the whole industry to measure and scale progress.”

Soil Association Exchange chief executive Joseph Gridley added: “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to show how consistent data, expert advice and targeted funding can drive real change on UK farms.

“At a time of unprecedented challenges, it points to a future where farmers have the clarity and support they need to take action with confidence.”

National data framework

Tesco has also called for a national framework on farm environmental data to be established.

Mr Prasad said: “British farmers are the backbone of our food system, but they face unprecedented pressure, from rising costs and climate shocks to uncertainty over government policy.

“They tell us data is vital to measuring and driving improvements in sustainability and efficiency on farms, but the patchwork approach to data across the UK has resulted in a lack of a unified or standardised framework to track industry-wide progress or share insight and best practice.”

However, other attempts by industry to collect data from farms related to environmental performance, such as the Greener Farms Commitment from Red Tractor, faced tough opposition from agricultural groups over fears it would force farmers to give away data free.