Latest News

Find where to buy LEAF Marque Produce

LEAF has a Supply Chain Directory where buyers can access who produces and who is selling LEAF Marque food.  The directory allows the user to search by crop, postcode or name and by business type such as packer processor or retailer.  To obtain access you first need a user account in myLEAF and then apply for access in Service upgrades.  For more information see Supply Chain Directory page

We are looking for an Honorary Treasurer for LEAF

LEAF is looking for an Honorary Treasurer to join the Board of Trustees to help oversee the financial activities of the organisation and ensure financial stability and sound reporting to the board.  For further information and full job description click here. 

 LEAF Trustees see LEAF paying its way

LEAF trustees visit T Hammond and Son and hold board meeting in Nottinghamshire.  John Hammond made it clear to the LEAF trustees that LEAF Marque certification has moved forward his business, opened doors and secured vital markets. The LEAF Marque standard clearly has driven change on the farm and given the business the opportunity to speakout about the positive environmental gains to a whole range of audiences including local school children.  

UK government-procured flour must meet set standards

All flour bought by government departments will soon have to conform to British farming and manufacturing standards. Under a new government plan, flour used in hospitals, schools and prisons will have to meet production standards such as the Red Tractor scheme or LEAF Marque scheme.

The commitment applies to government departments procuring commodities such as flour rather than processed products like bread and cakes. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said that although the move would boost British farmers, it was not a ‘buy British’ campaign, which would contravene European Union regulations.

She said: “The government is committed to ensuring that food procured by government departments, and eventually the whole public sector, meets British standards of production wherever this can be achieved, without increasing overall costs. We know that some departments are already buying a high proportion of food that meets British standards of production and therefore it should be possible for others to do the same.”

LEAF Marque: Helping caterers to realise the opportunities of the London 2012 Food Vision

Sustainability lies at the very heart of the Food Vision for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It calls for catering that delivers a tastier, healthier and greener Games. Companies tendering for catering contracts will need to demonstrate how specific benchmark standards and aspirational targets will be achieved and that they are building sustainability into their businesses. The LEAF Marque is one of the official aspirational standards for product sourcing and affords caterers the opportunity to meet many of the core objectives of the London 2012 Food Vision.  To source LEAF Marque produce see the Supply Chain Directory web page

Click here for the full press release

LEAF Members Events 2010 – come and join us!

What will a sustainable farming enterprise look like in 2020?
And is your business ready?

The pace of change and opportunity that farmers and growers will experience is enormous,  LEAF is holding a number of membership events across the UK to highlight these opportunities, each event is aimed at a particular sector from dairy to horticulture and subjects from food security to animal husbandry.

To book your place and find out more, click here.

LEAF Team Grows

We have appointed a new Integrated Farm Management (IFM) Development Co-ordinator to help push forward our demonstration and technical activities.

Kathryn Mitchell, who took up her appointment on the 12th July, joins a growing team at the LEAF head office based at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. Kathryn has a strong rural background, having lived and worked on a large estate in the North Cotswolds. Since graduating last year in Biological Natural Sciences, Kathryn has worked for Cumuls Consultants - a specialist rural consultancy working in the land and environment sector.

Fifth Open Farm Sunday a Fantastic Success!

Fantastic team work from farmers across the country, together with support from the food and farming industry and stakeholders, all contributed to make LEAF’s fifth Open Farm Sunday (13th June) a great success.  Early indications show that 420 farms opened and that between them they welcomed approximately 203,000 visitors.  Support for this annual event came from the highest level with Defra ministers Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for Environment and Jim Paice, Food and Farming Minster also attending events. Every year tens of thousands of people get great pleasure in visiting a farm. They come to simply enjoy the countryside or to learn more about where their food comes from.