Author: Wiktoria Szkolnicka
Organic produce plays an important role in restoring nature. By reducing synthetic inputs, organic farming helps protect soils, water and biodiversity. It also matters for public health, by lowering exposure to pesticides for farm workers, rural communities and consumers. Throughout a discussion at ORFC 2026, the panel returned to the need to better connect organic farming with environmental and public health goals, and to make those links clearer to the UK government.
The panel brought together:
- Katrin Hochberg, Farming and Land Use Lead at the Soil Association
- John Taylor of Pollybell Farms, working to grow the organic market for brassicas and leeks
- Adam Westaway, a long term organic dairy farmer and member of the Organic Dairy Round Table
- Lee Holdstock, Manager of Trade and Regulatory Projects at Soil Association Certification
They reflected on what their experience tells us about how the organic market has developed, what has supported growth in the past, and what continues to hold UK production back.
Organic sales have been rising steadily since 2009. The demand is there but UK production is not keeping up, as is further in evidence throughout the Soil Association’s 2024 report.
Uncertainty for producers
The panel highlighted that over the past few years UK retailers have often chosen to delist organic lines, anticipating a fall in demand rather than maintaining long term commitment. At the same time, exports of UK organic produce remain limited, while imports from better supported organic markets in Europe have increased. This has resulted in a growing gap between the size of the organic market and the level of domestic production.
For farmers, this imbalance translates into significant uncertainty. Adam described the current situation after a recent family trip to Alton Towers as feeling like: ‘sitting at the top of the Wicker Man rollercoaster in the dark, waiting for the drop’.
This uncertainty is reinforced by the structural characteristics of organic production, which depends on volume sales and consistent retailer support. Limited processing capacity, particularly in organic dairy, adds further pressure on the sector.
Best practise solutions: organic as the everyday choice
The discussion highlighted the importance of informed consumers. Placing organic products alongside non-organic alternatives makes comparison easier, particularly when supported by clear education on the environmental, animal welfare, and health benefits of organic production.
Denmark was presented as an important case study in organic. In Denmark, organic food is part of everyday life. When asked why they eat organic, many people respond that it was simply what they were given at school. This reflects long term policy support, including national action plans, strong public procurement standards and clear government ambition to expand organic production. Longer term contracts between retailers and growers provide certainty, while conversion support for farmers helped them with the transition. Organic is treated as part of the food system, not as a niche category.
The panel agreed that the UK could learn from this approach through:
- A clearer government strategy to support the organic market
- More ambitious use of public procurement, especially in schools and hospitals, to normalise organic consumption
- Greater certainty for farmers, for example through longer-term contracts and transition support
About the author: Wiktoria Szkolnicka is a PhD student at the University of Reading investigating the transition of UK supply chains to regenerative agriculture through participatory modelling and systems thinking.
To learn more, check out this session in the ORFC archives.
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