The Biodynamic Land Trust has a big vision to fulfil: to secure more land into healthy, sustainable, non-polluting, organic and biodynamic cultivation for nutritious and local food production which is essential for the future of food sovereignty and healthy communities.
The BD Land Trust hosted a session at this year’s Oxford Real Farming conference delving into the complexities of farm succession and ways for new entrants to contribute to a resilient agricultural landscape. It emphasised succession planning for small to medium-sized farms, particularly when there are no family members to take over. The message in the room was clear, in order to have more healthy and sustainable food growing that simultaneously cares for natural resources, we need to secure more land to make community-connected sustainable food growing possible.
Why Is This Needed?
Scientists predict industrial farming, comprising 96% of current practices, may deplete soil to the extent where 30-60 harvests remain. To safeguard our planet’s future, we must expand regenerative non-chemical agriculture – and biodynamic methods are amongst the most regenerative. The BD Land Trust exists to meet this need, by working with communities and individuals to secure land for healthy farming. To actively progress this vision, the Trust needs additional resources, to not only steward existing projects but also secure more land for biodynamic farming. The Trust assists new entrant farmers in accessing land, and supports landowners in maintaining biodynamic and organic practices on their land when they retire or die – whatever the family situation or stage of life we work to co-create the right solutions.
What Are We Asking For?
The Trust wants to be able to optimise securing land in any and every way to increase biodynamic, ecologically farmed acreage, and to do that it needs more regular resources than it currently has. We are asking for all members to support us in our journey by a small regular donation to help us cover our running and basic development cost sustainably.
How Can You Donate?
The Biodynamic Land Trust does not currently operate an annual subscription programme, people become members by a one-off investment in shares for the projects and developments of the Trust, and anyone can join the (online) newsletter list for free.
Regular giving is a real gift to us and is a way of us showing grant funders that the public supports our aims and projects. If supporters contribute by a regular giving scheme sufficient to generate an annual income of £15,000 in donations then the Trust would be able to work effectively on developing its mission: more acres for healthy food and communities. (We thank all those who do donate regularly, we achieve about 1/4 of the helpful amount cited above in this way.)
What Are The Benefits?
The Trust is asking friends, members and supporters of these aims to donate an annual amount. Regular income is really important for the Trust, £20 a year or a monthly £5 or £10 would make a huge difference. One-off donations help as well but cannot be counted on in the budget which is key to determining staff time. Just 250 people donating an annual average of £60 would bring in £15,000, or 500 people donating an average £30. This is achievable with your help.
Donations can be made directly through the website or by contacting the office for the bank details so you can set up a regular payment. All help is much appreciated and every bit makes a difference, we look forward to hearing from you.
Not Yet A Member?
Become a member by making a one-time investment in shares (minimum £100 in withdrawable shares). Being part of the Trust enables you to vote at AGMs and helps us in our strategy and decisions on best ways forward. You can then justifiably feel you are helping support better agriculture, caring for nature and the production of better food for all, and so increase the number of years we can continue to feed society. Land is so precious for the wellbeing of the planet and for us as humans; without nature both the planet and humans would die, we need to care!
When more people invest the Trust can build reserves to be resilient and to be able to make the most of saving land opportunities. If we have reserves to meet the urgencies of our projects and development work our work is more durable. Details of how you can INVEST here: https://biodynamiclandtrust.org.uk/get-involved/join/
Gabriel Kaye (Director), and the BD Land Trust team.
gabriel@biodynamiclandtrust.org.uk / info@biodynamiclandtrust.org.uk
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