LancsCAN Lunch & Learn - Food and Farming

Food production and security has never been more important. Sustainable agricultural practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance soil health, and conserve water. They can also make farms more efficient, for example restored hedgerows that provide shelter for livestock and enable better livestock management, or a better understanding of soil structure and chemistry, which can reduce the need for fertiliser (saving costs) and improve the management of water acrosst the farm. Connecting producers with consumers in local areas also promotes more resilence within food related industries and connects people with the land. By adopting eco-friendly methods, we can ensure food security, protect biodiversity, and mitigate climate change impacts. This holistic approach not only supports farmers but also fosters a healthier planet for future generations, promoting resilience against climate-related challenges.

Join us for our first online 'Lunch & learn' sessions for the Lancashire Climate Action Network (LancsCAN) in 2025, where we'll explore different ways of engaging the next generation about climate change and climate action. Our speakers are:

Simon Stott, who heads up Sheep Milk UK and farms in Chipping will talk about farming for a sustainable future. Simon is a keen innovator and over the past decade has made a whole range of improvements on his farm which promote animal welfare, improve farm efficiency, and work with nature so the land is kept in the best condition for a sutainable future. Working with Ribble Rivers Trust, Simon has been able to access funding to support these changes, whilst also promoting sustainable farming across the community and with the next generation. Simon has appeared on radio and TV talking about his farm, including Countryfile, and has won several awards as a result of his work.

Rachel Marshall from LESS (Lancaster District) CIC will join us to talk about FoodFutures, North Lancashire’s award winning Sustainable Food Place initiative. This is made up of representatives from the local farming community, local food businesses, the public sector, Lancaster City Council, NGOs, community food groups and our local academic institutions. This partnership of people from across North Lancashire’s food system are working together to create “A thriving local food system that is healthy, resilient and fair”.

As always there will be opportunities for Q&A, and for networking and sharing your news at the end of the presentations.

The aim of these events is to allow members to showcase what they’re doing, spread the word about upcoming opportunities, and support peer-to-peer learning. We also hope they will strengthen the network through interaction and help build the LancsCAN community.

Further details about LancsCAN can be found online - https://sites.edgehill.ac.uk/lancscan/

Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash