Description

The UK fresh produce sector is coming together behind a new collaborative initiative to coordinate the transition to peat-free horticulture.

The newly launched Peat-Free Pathway provides an umbrella programme to align research, innovation and delivery across horticultural supply chains, creating a clear, pre-competitive approach to removing peat used for growing media, while protecting productivity, food security and business resilience. Critically it clearly identifies support needed for any transition and the timelines required based around that support provision.

The Pathway is built around a suite of sector-specific Fresh Produce Roadmaps developed with the crop associations setting out the practical steps, shared challenges and innovation priorities required to deliver peat replacement across different crop categories. The road mapping process has identified both substantial progress and clear remaining barriers that require further public and private funding, targeted research, shared insight and aligned action.

Claire Donkin, founder of the Peat-Free Pathway and coordinating author of the roadmaps, said:

“We have reached a pivotal moment. There has been considerable investment in peat alternatives, but real barriers for industry transition very much remain. Much of what remains to be solved sits in the pre-competitive space. The Peat-Free Pathway creates the framework to align stakeholders behind a sector plan — one that creates a level playing field, ensures smaller businesses are not left behind, and clearly explains growers’ needs across the different stakeholders engaged in this issue.”

Minimising disruption to food production, safeguarding British onshore production and a level playing field to maintain our competitiveness it critical.

With limited resources available across both public and private funding streams, it is crucial that research efforts are aligned so that investment is optimally targeted to deliver change. This all must be considered as policy evolves across national and international supply chains and markets manage their sustainability expectations. The programme is designed to deliver multiple outcomes by bringing stakeholders together behind a clear and coordinated plan of work. It recognises the unique requirements of fresh produce production while supporting food safety, productivity, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, peatland conservation and long-term resilience.

It comes at a time when policy drivers, including Defra’s Good Food Cycle, NHS dietary ambitions and the forthcoming Farming and Food Partnership Board’s horticulture sector plan and Farming Roadmap, create a significant window of opportunity for systemic progress.

To support coordination and reduce duplication, the Peat-Free Pathway has also launched a Trials Register, inviting growers, researchers and businesses to log peat-free trials against the roadmap steps. The register will improve visibility of ongoing research, encourage collaboration, identify gaps and overlaps, and accelerate shared learning. All stakeholders are invited to register their trials by scanning the QR code below.

The next major milestone will be the Peat-Free Pathway Launch Event, hosted at Fountain Plants in Boston, Lincolnshire on 6 October. The event will bring together growers, retailers, researchers, policymakers, investors and supply chain partners to review roadmap priorities, identify cross-sector research needs, explore governance and funding models, and strengthen alignment across the value chain.

Sponsorship and trade stand opportunities are now available, offering businesses the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainable substrate innovation and sector collaboration. For more information about the event, contact events@britishgrowers.org.

The vision is clear: a world-class horticulture sector that is peat-free, productive and resilient.

Find out more about the Peat-Free Pathway at https://www.linkedin.com/company/peat-free-pathway/

View the Fresh Produce Roadmaps via the published online flipbooks.

Roadmaps All