Waitrose has announced new partnerships with Soil Association Exchange and Regenified to accelerate its support for British farmers to produce food in ways that restore and protect the environment.

The announcement furthers Waitrose’s Farming for Nature programme, which aims to support 2,000 British farmers to move to nature-friendly farming practices, helping boost business resilience of farms in the long-term, secure food supplies and combat the effects of climate change. With a plan for all its UK farms to be using regenerative practices by 2030, Waitrose has committed to reach net-zero across its UK farms by 2035.

Andrew Hoad, director of Leckford and Farming for Nature at Waitrose, said: “Our commitment to regenerative farming reflects our belief that producing high-quality food and caring for the environment go hand in hand. We are leading the way in backing British farmers, protecting nature, meeting climate goals, and building a sustainable and resilient food system from the ground up.”

The new partnership with the Soil Association Exchange, a farm-measurement tool backed by the Soil Association, involves a four-year programme to support the early adopting farms representing key Waitrose supply chains. By tracking metrics on soil health, biodiversity, water, carbon, animal welfare, and social impact, it will provide robust measurement and build evidence of the impact of changing farming practices.

Soil Association Exchange will work closely with existing partners such as Land App, LEAF, and the University of Reading, combining forces to help farmers succeed amid changing climate realities. In a move with Regenified, a specialist in regenerative agriculture verification, Waitrose will offer 100 farms free access to the framework to achieve certification. This will help farmers across livestock, dairy, fresh produce and horticulture, to measure and track improvements over time in key areas such as soil health, water management, and biodiversity.

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