We want to work with our community to see us grow a green future. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, organic food has seen a boom in sales, primarily because people have become more concerned with their health. But this change sends a positive message to all retailers that we all want to move away from chemical farming. This summer we have run our ‘Growing A Green Future’ campaign supported by the Brighton and Hove Greens and Pesticide Action Network UK.
organic farms have around 50% more bees, butterflies and other pollinators
Soil Association
“You may be concerned that our food standards are under threat due to the future trade deals the UK may make after exiting the EU. Infinity Foods values do not sit at the peripheries of our Co-operative; for 50 years our values have always been at the core of our ethos, this is our bottom line and what motivates our Co-op both in the now and for the long-term. From the outset, Infinity Foods has been committed to providing an extensive range of high-quality natural & organic vegetarian foods. We will continue to advocate for the highest welfare for animal rights, worker rights and positive environmentally sound sourcing.” Infinity Foods Co-operative Ltd statement on future trading
Lady Eve Balfour organic farming pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement said ‘the health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible’.Fifty years later, that statement seems obvious to many of us.
New YouGov polling which reveals that like us the UK public is overwhelmingly opposed to any lowering of UK pesticide standards to meet the demands of other countries’ trade negotiators. 71% of respondents are ‘concerned’ that a trade deal with the US, in particular, will increase the amount of pesticides in the food they consume, with 43% of people ‘very concerned’. The same figure (71%) agree that the UK Government must resist pressure in trade negotiations with the US to overturn bans on pesticides, even if this means the “best” trade deal cannot be reached. Meanwhile, 79% are concerned about impacts on health resulting from a lowering of UK pesticide standards with 77% worried about negative impacts on the environment (PANUK).
Without healthy soil, we cannot grow nutritious food, the health of our environment and communities should not be at the mercy of short term profits.
To find out more on soil health read our 2018 blog post ‘We are nothing without the soil’.
Our friends at PAN UK have worked with Sustain and Dr Emily Lydgate to compile a new report Toxic Trade. This report compares current UK pesticide protections with that of two countries slated as major priorities for post-Brexit Free Trade Agreements – US and Australia – and a third country, India. The report focuses on how trade deals with these countries threaten to weaken UK pesticide standards. It also looks at ways in which these deals could increase pesticide-related harms to UK citizens, wildlife and the natural environment.
While far from perfect, the UK currently has some of the most stringent pesticide regulations in the world, meaning that many agricultural products produced elsewhere can’t be sold here. However, the concern is mounting that in the wake of the UK’s exit from the EU, trade deals currently under negotiation with the USA, and planned imminently for Australia and India, will drive down UK pesticide standards. This not only risks damaging public health but also the environment as trade negotiators push the UK government to allow currently banned hazardous pesticides to be used in UK farms and gardens.
The time is now, more so than ever to vote with your £ and buy organic. Why not this September try going organic, because organic farms have around 50% more bees, butterflies and other pollinators and if Europe’s farmland all followed organic principles, agricultural emissions could drop by a huge 40% by 2050, with plenty to feed the growing population healthy diet. With those kinds of statistics its a no brainer right?
This year has brought more changes to our world than anyone could have foreseen. With more of us seeking solutions to help restore nature, health and a safe climate, becoming part of the organic movement this year can help make a world of difference.
All of our fruit & veg is organic certified by the Soil Association. what does that mean, for us that means great local produce grown with the health of the environment and you at the heart of farming. It also means a lot of paperwork, time and a bit of extra money, But a guarantee of health for you and the planet. please see our Soil Association certificate
Infinity Foods Bakery is Brighton’s only organic certified bakery.
We are extremely proud of our bread, which we have been baking on site since 1976. Since those early days, our range has expanded but the bakery still thrives on its original aims of producing additive-free, freshly baked goods from organic ingredients.
Today as always, our team of eight skilled artisan bakers are committed to using traditional methods. For example, the use of natural leavens in our sourdoughs allows a fuller flavour to develop and makes the bread more digestible by reducing the need to add bakers’ yeast.