Yorkshire Water backs sustainable farming project

Yorkshire Water has joined food industry players in sponsoring a regenerative farming project that will seek to educate current and future generations of chefs and farmers on sustainable farming practices.

Yorkshire Water’s fellow members of the group behind the project are hospitality firm and project leader, Levy UK & Ireland, the food services business, Quorn Professionals, and regenerative agriculture consultancy, RegenFarmCo.

Levy said the 36-hectare project near Harrogate – the Biohub at Ings Farm – will enable it to grow its own produce and serve its partner venues across the UK. In addition, it will play a crucial role in the implementation of its long-term sustainability strategy.

RegenFarmCo will lead on the design and management of the project. It will work closely with Levy UK+I chefs, culinary teams, and its wider supply chain, “to develop sustainable crops and ingredients which will be directly incorporated into future menus.”

Yorkshire Water said it will include the project in its Beyond Nature programme, which, it said, helps its tenant farmers practice a sustainable and biodiverse approach to land management and agriculture.

Lead Surveyor for Yorkshire Water, Lisa Harrowsmith, said: “Our land strategy focuses on delivering exceptional land for Yorkshire, forever. We, and our tenant farmers, are enthusiastic about sustainable land management and livestock farming – helping consumers to make better, more informed choices about where they buy their produce.”