Summary of the impact

A body of research on agricultural geography, with a strong regional focus on the Welsh Marches (the English counties bordering Wales), has led to changes in conservation policy and practice relating to rare breeds, primarily at the national level but also internationally; it has shaped farming policy at the regional level, particularly in Herefordshire, specifically leading to increased diversification in the farming sector across the county; and it has stimulated policy debate around the place of farming in society.

Summary of the impact

Since 2005 the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit has undertaken an extensive programme of research related to mitigating the climate change impacts arising from agricultural land management policies and practices. The research findings that identified the impact on climate change of various policies, schemes and farming initiatives have been instrumental since 2008 in providing UK policy makers, farmers and their advisors with data and tools that helped to formulate improved climate change mitigation policies. They also contributed to the development of key guidance materials that supported the implementation of these policies on the farm.

Summary of the impact

Biopesticides can help protect crops and offer a more sustainable means of pest protection to offset the withdrawal of synthetic products, as well as offering the potential of a new hi-tech industry. Before Professor Grant's research there were insufficient regulatory mechanisms to authorise biopesticide products. He worked closely with government bodies such as the UK Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), industry, growers and retailers to identify and address this problem. The main impact of Grant's research was the design and implementation of principles for a new regulatory system for biopesticides in the UK and EU. A Biopesticides Scheme was introduced in 2006 that increased the registration rate of biological products and retailer awareness. Grant also contributed to the REBECA (Regulation of Biological Control Agents) policy action, which informed and shaped EU debate and legislation that was revised in 2009.

Summary of the impact

Writtle College's Postharvest Technology Unit and the Mauritian Agriculture Research and Extension Unit (AREU) studied the use of returnable plastic crates (RPC's) to reduce food losses for subsistence farmers in Mauritius. This study demonstrated that the RPC's reduced damage caused by pressure, abrasion and lower temperatures. This study had a positive impact, mainly economic, on the postharvest losses of the "pomme d'amour" cooking tomatoes in Mauritius due to rot, damage and dehydration. As a result these stakeholders have increased their income through having a more marketable-quality crop to sell.

Summary of the impact

Impact: Policy and economic: Introduction of the concept of High Nature-Value (HNV) Farming and embedding this into EU Rural Development Policy: Guidelines and policy options for exploiting the concept have been refined such that the EC has incorporated the care of HNV into legislation and Rural Development planning.

Significance: HNV farming recognises that sustaining or enhancing biodiversity is a central feature of the management of rural areas.

Attribution: Prof. McCracken (SRUC)

Beneficiaries: Policy makers in all Member States of the EU.

Reach: All EU member states. It is estimated that HNV farming systems are being practiced on 30% (i.e. 52 million ha) of EU agricultural land.

Summary of the impact

Climate change, and the need to feed 9-10 billion people by 2050, are two of the greatest challenges facing humanity this century. Agriculture needs to provide more food from less input, and with agriculture contributing around a quarter of human greenhouse gas emissions, it needs to do so while reducing its impact on the climate. Research in UoA6, led by Pete Smith underpins (a) international climate policy choices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and (b) development of a greenhouse gas accounting software tool, The Cool Farm Tool. This is being used in 18 countries around the world (including some of the largest emitting countries) by a consortium of the world's leading agri-food companies including e.g. Unilever, PepsiCo, Tesco, Heineken, Heinz, McCain, Sysco, Ben & Jerry's, Costco, Yara and Marks & Spencer, to reduce the climate impact of farming. These major companies control large parts of the global food supply chain and have ambitious emission reduction targets. Through both policy and industry channels, this work is having a global impact on greenhouse gas emission reductions in agriculture, by raising consciousness of emissions from agriculture, and engaging farmers and producers in practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby promoting climate friendly farming.

The specific impacts on the environment are: (a) increased awareness of greenhouse gas emissions by producers, reduced climate impact of farming for growers and suppliers, (b) influence of policy debate on climate change and farming; impacts on production are that costs of production have been reduced, and impacts on commerce are: (a) the adoption of new technology and (b) improvement in the environmental performance of leading agri-food companies.

Summary of the impact

Food safety and quality management developments have resulted from a combination of major food incidents, government regulations and industry initiatives. This has led to the development of private standards that have become quasi-regulatory on industry. The body of evidence aggregated from the RAU's research and consultancy activities has provided a unique global perspective on food safety regulation and management. Governments, NGOs and industry have used this evidence to further national and global strategies for food safety management including primary production. Current research is now centering on two key areas: strategic management of risks in primary production and public: private partnerships supporting agriculture.

Summary of the impact

BEAA's large-scale research designing and testing alternative grazing management systems for the uplands has achieved impact on the environment and economy. Environmental policy and its implementation via agri-environment schemes has been directly and indirectly influenced, with the evidence provided by the research vital to the development of grazing prescriptions and related payment structures by government agencies and conservation bodies. The results have also benefitted the upland farming community by identifying opportunities for improved productivity and hence economic viability; through e.g. more efficient use of pasture resources leading to higher growth rates for forage-based systems and reduced reliance on purchased feed and fertiliser.

Summary of the impact

Research into `Food and Sustainable Communities' has become increasingly applied and impact- oriented during the current REF census period, reflecting a diversification in funding sources and a growing recognition of the significance, quality and international reach of the research undertaken.

This research has delivered national and international impact in the following key areas:

• Impact on practitioners and professional services, influencing and enabling the work of Non-Governmental Organisations working in support of the local food economy and community food growing sector in the United Kingdom;
• Impact on public policy and services, informing the development of new Common Agricultural Policy measures to promote sustainable agricultural livelihoods and farm product quality.

Summary of the impact

The Centre for Food Policy (CFP) at City University London has analysed the food system's dynamics and impacts and how policy shapes and addresses its challenges. CFP influence has taken two forms:

(1) Injecting the case for integrated policy analysis into policy debates. For example:

• Establishing Ecological Public Health as a reasoned intellectual framework, for instance in the Chief Scientist's Foresight Obesity project as a unifying perspective, binding different disciplines and data in the much-cited obesity `systems map'.
• Shaping food policy discourse, manifest in Defra's Food 2030 policy framework (2010).
• Taking the case to the food industry, during and after the food commodity price `spike' (2007 to 2008) and the horsemeat scandal (2013).

(2) Advising high-level policy-makers. For example:

• Proposing in 2005 the creation of and then serving on (2008 to 10) the Council of Food Policy Advisors.
• Advising the Cabinet Office for its Food Matters policy report (2008) which led to the creation of a Cabinet sub-committee, the Domestic Affairs (Food) Committee (DA(F)), chaired by Hilary Benn.
• Appointment to the Expert Advisory Group on Obesity (2008 to 2010) following the Foresight obesity project and advising the £0.3bn Healthy Weight Healthy Lives programme.
• Advising United Nations bodies on integrated policy.
• Being appointed as members of the Cabinet Office review of food policy (2008).
• Providing `inside track' Whitehall briefings to ministers, civil servants, commissions and Select Committees as requested, e.g., on food security following the commodity price `spike' (2008 to 2009).
• Prime Ministerial appointment to the UK Sustainable Development Commission enabling leadership and actions inside government e.g., on food security and sustainability.
• Appointment to Ireland's SafeFood Advisory Committee.