At Sainsbury's, we know that great-quality food starts with great farmers. That's why we are committed to working closely with our partner suppliers and farmers to help build resilient, sustainable businesses that can thrive for generations to come.
Through our long-standing partnership with the North Highland Initiative (NHI), alongside supply chain partners ABP and Dunbia, we have supported an innovative pilot project designed to help beef and sheep farmers better understand their businesses and prepare for future opportunities and challenges.
The project brought together 21 livestock farms from across Caithness, Ross-shire, Inverness-shire, Morayshire, Aberdeenshire and Angus, providing farmers with access to practical data, expert advice and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
Investing in farmers and their future
Farmers, and the whole food supply chain, are facing increasing pressures, from changing policy to climate and environmental challenges. We believe that supporting farmers through these challenges is essential to securing a resilient and sustainable food supply chain.
Building on NHI’s previously commissioned work through the Jude Capper Report and working with Soil Association Exchange, participating farms gathered baseline information across a range of areas, including:
Animal health and welfare
Soil health
Biodiversity
Carbon and environmental performance
Livestock production measures
The project was designed to help farmers better understand their current position, identify opportunities for improvement and make informed decisions about the future of their businesses.
The focus was on providing practical support ensuring farmers could gain valuable insights that would benefit both their businesses and the wider supply chain.
Working together to deliver change
Alongside farmers, the initiative brought together organisations from across the agricultural, environmental and rural development sectors, including Soil Association Scotland, The Royal Countryside Fund, Dounreay, NatureScot, RSPB Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), NFU Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Focus North and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
By combining expertise from across the sector, the project has helped create a stronger support network for farmers while encouraging knowledge sharing and practical action.
Henry Blain, Sainsbury’s Head of Livestock: "Our farmers are at the heart of our food supply chain. By investing in projects like this, we're helping to support the long-term future of British farming while continuing to provide our customers with high-quality, responsibly produced beef and lamb.”
Genevieve Duhigg Chair of NHI: “NHI has been working with and to support farmers in our region for over 20 years. This project gives us the clearest view that the management of our landscapes, environments and farm businesses is deeply entwined and in good hands”.