Sustain's approach

To feed ourselves and future generations sustainably, we need a radical shift in farming, land use and fishing, towards agroecological, fair, more diverse and resilient systems. Such systems are those that are characterised by:

• Providing nutritious, plant-rich and affordable food that promotes our health 
• Protecting the climate
• Restoring soil, clean water and nature
• Supporting high animal welfare and farm antibiotics stewardship
• Securing decent livelihoods and conditions for farmers, fishers and workers
• Accessible to all, cultivating inclusive food sovereignty and community connections 

The Sustain alliance advocates for policies and practices – for farmers, supply chain, food buyers and consumers – that will support and accelerate the just transition to agroecological food and farming systems. In doing so, the Sustain alliance advocates for:

• A plant-rich approach, with food production and consumption prioritising an abundant, agroecological, affordable, and accessible supply of vegetables, fruit, pluses, legumes and grains (preferably wholegrain). We advocate for policies, investment, supply chain practices and standards that support these in retail, food products and on menus. 
• A ‘less and better’ approach to meat and dairy, recognising that intensive industrial livestock production is hugely damaging to climate, nature, animals and people. We advocate for an end to intensive, factory-farmed meat and dairy. We also advocate for any meat and dairy that is consumed to come from agroecological methods in which fewer farm animals, from resilient breeds, play their role in nature-friendly agroecological land management and nutrient cycles.
• Reduction in ‘discretionary’ snack foods and drinks (sometimes described as products high in fat, salt and sugar - HFSS; or ultra-processed foods - UPFs) that provide little nutritional value, and come at a cost to our health, as well as to the environment due to the impact of e.g. producing ingredients, energy-intensive processing, excess packaging, refrigeration, transport and waste disposal.

Achieving common aims will require a radical increase in diverse, agroecological, plant-rich food production and consumption, with enhanced support for horticultural producers, plant-based proteins (such as nuts, pulses and legumes), and new entrants, and a renaissance in biodiverse and community-connected orchards and market gardens. Policies and practices that deliver this change must be just and equitable, supporting farmers and workers in the UK and overseas.

As set out in Sustain’s strategy:

• Our definition of ‘sustainable farming’ includes agroecology, organic, pasture-fed, high animal welfare, antibiotics stewardship, agroforestry, biodiverse horticulture, farmer-focused infrastructure, fair dealing, standards in commercial and public-sector food procurement, and farmer-focused routes to market.
• Our definition of ‘sustainable fishing’ is informed by marine conservation science and based on the principles of ‘exclude the worst, promote the best and improve the rest’, fully integrated with sustainable fishery management, stock recovery, and marine ecosystem conservation, as well as verifiably sustainable supply chains and sustainable fishery-focused routes to market.