How Regenerative Farming Is Saving Britain's Soil

Farmers across the United Kingdom are trying a new approach to save their land from the effects of climate change. This summer, England recorded its worst harvest ever, with crops failing because of extreme heat and little rainfall. In response, many farmers are turning to a method called regenerative agriculture, which focuses on rebuilding healthy soil, holding onto water, and bringing back wildlife. This shift matters not just for farmers, but for everyone who enjoys Britain's parks, footpaths, and green spaces.

Martin Lines is the CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network and a farmer from Cambridgeshire. He says this year's poor harvest should be a major wake-up call for the country. Old-style farming methods were designed to produce as much food as possible after World War Two, but they are now struggling in the face of hotter summers and wetter winters. Lines believes farmers need to change how they work if their land is going to survive the years ahead.

Regenerative agriculture is not a brand-new idea — it borrows from farming practices that people used long ago. The key goal is to make soil healthy again so it can hold water, store carbon, and support plants and animals. Healthy soil also helps stop floods by soaking up heavy rain instead of letting it run off into rivers. Without good soil, farms produce less food, rivers get muddier, and wildlife loses its home.

There are five main steps in regenerative farming. Farmers try to disturb the soil as little as possible, keep it covered with plants at all times, maintain living roots in the ground year-round, grow a wide variety of plants, and mix in livestock. For example, planting crops such as oats, radishes, or mustard between main harvests keeps soil covered and strengthens its structure. These cover crops help stop heavy rain from washing the soil away.

In Bedfordshire, wheat farmer Clare Donkin has seen her harvest drop by about 30 percent because of heat and drought. She is one of more than 100 farmers being supported by Purina through a partnership with a group called LENs, covering more than 8,000 hectares of UK farmland. This partnership gives farmers the money and expert advice they need to try new, regenerative techniques. Donkin says this support gives farmers the confidence to experiment without taking on all the risk themselves.

Purina's partnership has also helped farmers plant more than 12,000 trees and many hedgerows across the UK countryside. Research by Natural England shows that native hedgerows act as important corridors for wildlife, providing shelter and food for hundreds of species. Trees and hedgerows also help manage water by absorbing rain and reducing flooding in nearby areas. These landscape improvements benefit farmers and local communities alike.

You do not have to be a farmer to help protect soil health. A survey taken in 2024 found that many British people are already using regenerative-style techniques in their own gardens. About 38 percent keep living roots in the ground over winter, 35 percent use fallen leaves as mulch, and 34 percent compost their garden waste. These small steps make a real difference to local soil health and wildlife.

Donkin's advice for home gardeners this autumn is simple: dig less, leave some leaves on the ground, and let seed heads and stems stay standing as shelter for insects and birds. Healthy soil in gardens works the same way as healthy soil on farms — it supports life, holds water, and stores carbon. By making small changes at home, ordinary people can mirror what regenerative farmers are doing on a large scale. The countryside is a shared space, and protecting it is something everyone can take part in.