Farming groups said that the Government needs to turn “warm words” into action.
Published 18th Oct 2026, 06:00 BST
The UK’s growing organic food market is a huge opportunity for farmers to meet the increased demand, the Government has said.
It has pledged to work with the agricultural sector to break down barriers, as the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published its Organic Action Plan this week.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: “The opportunity is plain. More shoppers are choosing organic food and drink than a few years ago, yet the share of England's farmland managed organically has barely moved.
“That gap is a chance for English producers. We want more farmers able to make the change, and stronger supply chains to carry their produce from field to shelf.
“This Organic Action Plan for England sets out how government and industry will act on that opportunity.”
Defra said that while organic farming accounts for 3.4 per cent of agricultural land, food sales are now worth almost £4bn and grew by 4.2 per cent in the last year.
Yorkshire and the Humber has a very small proportion of the total organic farmland at just 3.9 per cent.
This includes Stamford Farm at West Rounton, near Northallerton, where Sam and Angus Gaudie’s dairy cow herd produces milk, yogurt and clotted cream. A couple of years ago they opened a milk vending machine and now also do milkshakes.
The report found that “growing consumer demand, alongside demand for intermediate inputs such as animal feed, is increasingly being met by imports”.
“The trade gap in organic goods is widening, with a particular import dependency in horticulture,” it added.
Defra said its aim is to support farmers to increase organic land to 10 per cent of the total.
Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said the Government must turn “statements and plans into action and opportunities on the ground."
He explained: “Organic farming can deliver real benefits for soil health, biodiversity and giving farm businesses the resilience they need in the face of climate change, so this action plan for England is a welcome step in the right direction.
“However, farmers need both confidence and practical support if the transition to nature-friendly farming is going to be viable, and cannot rely on government funding alone.
“We need to see real investment from the supply chain and the private sector, along with fairer prices for farmers for their goods and stronger domestic markets for homegrown produce.
“We have heard warm words from the Government about nature-friendly farming, but the agricultural transition now depends on ministers turning statements and plans into action and opportunities on the ground.”
Praveena Sridhar, chief science officer at the Save Soil campaign group, added: “To make a lasting difference, soil organic matter must become a central and measurable policy objective.
“We have long called for a practical percentage target of organic matter in agricultural soils, based on regional conditions, supported by clear incentives that enable farmers to invest in the knowledge, equipment and practices needed to rebuild their soils.
“Soil restoration is not an add-on to agricultural policy; it is a national priority.
“The farmers who rebuild soil health must be recognised and rewarded for the essential role they play in strengthening food security, climate resilience and the long-term viability of farming.”