The Sustainable Food Trust Podcast

Patrick Holden
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Food
  • Updated Semimonthly

The Sustainable Food Trust podcast questions current food production methods and sheds light on the future of farming. Chief Executive Patrick Holden hears from a range of voices, including policymakers, business leaders, food producers and campaigners, about some of the issues facing farming systems across the world.

  1. Aug 28

    Harmony in Food and Farming 2026: The highlights

    Ever wondered what goes on at all the food & farming events that take place throughout the year, but no time to actually go to them? Look no further – this special edition of the SFT Podcast lifts the lid on the most thought-provoking conversations and engaging debates that took place at our recent Harmony in Food & Farming event. From conversations on how to finance the transition to sustainable farming, to how to stop paying so much for your farm's energy to what nutrient density is and how to get it – this episode provides a 30-minute rundown of the most interesting conversations being had in food and farming right now. Watch this space for a future programme of events designed to find real solutions to the real challenges facing food and farming right now.   Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the most exciting names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. These conversations were recorded at the SFT's Harmony in Food & Farming event at Bwlchwernen Fawr in West Wales in July 2026.   Timestamps: 0:00: Harmony in Food & Farming 2026 1:06: Measuring sustainability on farms 7:46: Farm-based education and outfoor learning 13:20: Renewable energy and fossil-free farming 19:15: Financing the sustainable agricultural transition 27:28: The link between environmental health and public health 34:15: Goodbye + share you feedback!

  2. Aug 14

    SFT Podcast: Land use in the UK – can we do it all?

    How can we make the land we have in the UK work best for nature, for people and for producing food? Our final episode recorded in our Podcast Tent at Groundswell this year, focused on a contentious yet hugely important topic: land use. Simply, do we have enough land in this country to do everything? To produce food, to support nature, to generate energy, to store carbon, to build housing, to maintain community spaces – the list goes on. The SFT's Stuart Oates is joined by our CEO and organic dairy farmer, Patrick Holden, journalist and presenter of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4's Rare Earth, Tom Heap, and organic mixed farmer and Nuffield scholar, Dave Oates – they discuss whether or not crop rotations and rotational grazing offers the solution to doing it all, how 'agrihood' initiatives across the world are successfully integrating food growth and productive green spaces into residential areas, and ask how can regulation and government policies better support multifunctional land use? Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the most exciting names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. This conversation was recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026, sponsored by The Rothschild Foundation. To listen to more podcasts recorded live at this year's festival, click here.   Timestamps 0:00: Welcome + who's on the podcast + initial thoughts 02:26: The challenges of land use and food production 05:21: Balancing nature and demand for food 08:27: The role of diets and consumer behaviour 11:48: Is animal agriculture a good use of land? 14:39: Innovative approaches to land use 17:45: Integrating agriculture with community development 21:39: Organic vs regenerative 24:07: Balancing productivity and environmental targets 28:43: Regulation and measurement in agriculture 29:43: Integrating solar and agrivoltaics 32:03: Community ownership 36:05: The future of biofuels and land use policy 39:33: What's one change you'd make to land use in the UK?

  3. Aug 4

    SFT Podcast: The next generation of farmers – Nuffield Farming's young scholarship programme

    What's it like to be young in an industry where the average age is nudging 60 (and climbing)? Why would you want to join it, and what happens if no-one does? On this week's episode, Stuart Oates sits down with Summer Wyatt-Buchan, Craig Alexander Byrne and Jessica Walker – three members of Nuffield's Next-Gen class of 2026 to find out what really matters to the UK's next generation of farmers, what they think about the big regen debate and why they decided to visit no less than 45 farms around the UK  – plus what they discovered along the way. Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the most exciting names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. This conversation was recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026, sponsored by The Rothschild Foundation. To listen to more podcasts recorded live at this year's festival, read this month's newsletter or visit our podcasts page. Learn more about the Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholarship and find out how to apply at https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/scholarships/nuffield-farming-next-gen-scholarships ~~~ Timestamps 0:00: Introduction – what is the Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholarship? 01:50: Personal journeys into regenerative agriculture 04:45: Insights from farm visits 08:44: Reflections on the Nuffield Farming experience 12:27: Community engagement and social metrics in farming 15:34: The debate on regenerative certification 20:08: Bridging the gap between conventional and regenerative farming 25:04: Advice for future scholars

  4. Jul 30

    SFT Podcast: Ozempic and sustainable farming – an unlikely alliance?

    Could the rise of GLP1s such as Ozempic be a catalyst for more sustainable farming? Sounds ridiculous right? But for anyone eating less, the calories you do consume need to really count. As more and more people use anti-obesity medications (the UK is already Europe's largest market for GLP1s and uptake is projected to increase dramatically), the focus on nutrient density is only going one way. The public is waking up to what nutrient density actually means, and crucially, what it means for their health. If nutrient dense food depends upon nutrient dense soil – and the route to nutrient dense soil is agroecological farming – will this create greater demand for sustainable farming practices? Join Stuart Oates and expert panellists Dan Kittredge (founder of the Bionutrient Food Association), Dr Lucy Williamson (author of Soil to Gut and award-winning registered nutritionist), and Tom Pearson (Nuffield farming scholar and medical doctor) to find out what might happen next.    Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. This conversation was recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026.

  5. Jul 17

    Best of the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell 2026

    Missed the action at this year's Groundswell-SFT Podcast Tent? Don't worry – we've rounded up some of the highlights 💚 Key themes include the organic versus regenerative divide, nutrient density, and that all important soil to human health connection.   We'd like to thank all our incredible podcasters and guests for making  the inaugural Podcast Tent such a hotbed of debate, ideas and inspiration – and huge thanks to Groundswell and The Rothschild Foundation for their generous support.     We'll be sharing links to all of the podcasts recorded at this year's festival in our upcoming newsletter (out 5th August) – sign up via our website: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/newsletters/ Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky. These conversations were recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026.

  6. Jul 7

    John Cherry and Joanna Bowen on 10 years of Groundswell and the art of storytelling in agriculture

    In this very special edition of the SFT Podcast, Patrick Holden sat down with John Cherry and Joanna Bowen, creators and co-founders of Groundswell. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Glastonbury of the Food and Farming world was even bigger and better this year - and for the first time, hosted its very own Podcast Tent (a collaboration between the Sustainable Food Trust and Groundswell, and generously supported by The Rothschild Foundation). Patrick was joined by Groundswell co-founders John and Joanna to talk through how what started as 400 people in a field in 2016, has today transformed into one of food and farming's most anticipated events with over 10,000 eager participants from farming, food and beyond.  Find more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in food and farming, at our main podcast page. Keep up to date with news, policy updates and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky. This conversation was recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026. End track 'Assurance' courtesy of and licensed through Soundstripe.   Timestamps 0:00: Welcome to the SFT Podcast Tent! 00:43: The origins of Groundswell 2:56: Transitioning from conventional to no-till farming 5:55: Inspired by American farmers and the No-Till Alliance 8:56: The first Groundswell 14:45: The organic versus regenerative divide 19:45: The power of storytelling in agricilture 26:07: What does the future of Groundswell look like? 34:10: Making regenerative agriculture profitable 41:13 Goodbye!

  7. May 14

    Chris van Tulleken on ultra-processed food, corporate power and human health

    In this episode of the SFT Podcast, Patrick Holden is joined by doctor, broadcaster and bestselling author Chris van Tulleken for a wide-ranging conversation about ultra-processed food, public health, farming and the future of our food systems. Best known for his TV appearances and ground-breaking book Ultra-Processed People, Chris has played a major role in bringing the realities of ultra-processed food into public debate. In this discussion, the conversation explores the deeper connections between food production, corporate power, human health and environmental damage. Patrick and Chris examine where responsibility for our broken food system really lies – with consumers, governments or multinational food companies – and discuss the growing influence of ultra-processed food corporations over public policy, scientific research and public understanding of nutrition. The episode also explores the relationship between farming methods and health outcomes, asking whether the way food is produced matters as much as the way it is processed. From organic farming and pesticide use to food affordability, regulation and the hidden costs of industrial agriculture, the discussion highlights the overlaps between public health and environmental sustainability. Throughout the conversation, Patrick and Chris find common ground in their belief that meaningful change will require a better-informed public, stronger regulation and a food system that works in the interests of both people and planet. To stay up to date with our latest podcasts, sign up to our monthly newsletter and follow us on social media: @susfoodtrust.

  8. Apr 20

    SFT Podcast: Should we be eating salmon?

    What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices. In this episode of the SFT Podcast, we take a deep dive into the realities of salmon farming – one of the UK's most significant food industries and its largest food export. Prompted by a recent open letter questioning whether farmed salmon can ever be considered sustainable, Patrick and Stuart explore the environmental, ethical and nutritional implications of modern aquaculture. Drawing on Patrick's firsthand experience with organic salmon certification in the 1990s, the conversation traces how the industry has evolved – and why its foundations are now being challenged. From feed production and ocean pollution to sea lice, disease, fish escapes and the impact on wild salmon populations, this episode examines the complex web of issues surrounding farmed salmon. The discussion also considers the wider consequences for marine ecosystems, public trust in food systems, and the difficult balance between economic importance and environmental responsibility. As always, the conversation remains open and exploratory – asking whether a more sustainable model is possible, what alternatives might look like, and what this means for consumers trying to make informed choices about the food they eat. To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels.

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The Sustainable Food Trust podcast questions current food production methods and sheds light on the future of farming. Chief Executive Patrick Holden hears from a range of voices, including policymakers, business leaders, food producers and campaigners, about some of the issues facing farming systems across the world.

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