Soil Association

Soil Association

The Soil Association is a UK membership charity that promotes sustainable food and farming through the use of local, seasonal and organic systems.

History

The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between farming practice and plant, animal, human and environmental health.

Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading organic organisation, with over 180 staff based in its Bristol headquarters, in regional centres and working as certification inspectors across the country. The Soil Association's director is Patrick Holden, who reports to the Council of Trustees.

The Soil Association sets standards for organic production in:
*organic farming
*organic food processing
*organic restaurants and catering
*organic fisheries
*organic textiles and leather

Soil Association standards are recognised to exceed statutory organic standards, such as those set by the European Union, and the UK government. Compassion In World Farming regards Soil Association standards to offer the best guarantee of high animal welfare standards in the UK.

Soil Association Certification Ltd is a subsidiary company of the Soil Association, independently providing organic certification services and advisory support on all aspects of organic certification. Soil Association Certification Ltd is one of ten approved organic certification bodies in the UK.

According to their website: "The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between farming practice and plant, animal, human and environmental health.

"The catalyst was the publication of "The Living Soil" by Lady Eve Balfour in 1943. The book presented the case for an alternative, sustainable approach to agriculture that has since become known as organic farming."

According to an article in The Guardian 30 August 2008, broadcaster Monty Don is to be the new President of the Soil Association. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/30/food.gardens Leo Hickman, "Interview: Monty Don, new President of the Soil Association," The Guardian, 30 August 2008] ]

ee also

*Eve Balfour
*E. F. Schumacher
*Tracy Worcester
*Monty Don

External links

* [http://www.soilassociation.org www.soilassociation.org]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=laisvjpYdBc Patrick Holden, Soil Association director, presents "Week In, Week Out" for BBC Wales examining the implications of a carbon constrained world on agriculture]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Soil Association — Soil As|so|ci|a|tion, the an organization in the UK which establishes standards for ↑organic foods, making sure that they really have been grown in a natural way that does not harm the environment. Foods that are approved of in this way can have… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Soil Association, the — Soil Associ ation, the a British organization that decides whether fruit and vegetables have been grown in a natural way …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Soil Association — a British organization, started in 1946, which encourages organic food and farming. Their symbol is used on organic products to show that they are produced and processed to strict standards relating to the environment and the care of animals. * * …   Universalium

  • (the) Soil Association — the Soil Association UK US a British organization that decides whether farming products, especially fruit and vegetables, have been produced in a natural way http://www.macmillandictionary.com/med2cd/weblinks/soil association the.htm * * * the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Soil pH — is the pH of soil water. It is based on the measurement of pH, which depends on the activity of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution.There are many different methods to collect soil water, all which influence the measured soil pH in one way or… …   Wikipedia

  • Soil horizon — Soil samples illustrating horizons (subsoil on right) A soil horizon is a specific layer in the land area that is parallel to the soil surface and possesses physical characteristics which differ from the layers above and beneath …   Wikipedia

  • Soil mechanics — is a discipline that applies principles of engineering mechanics, e.g. kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, and mechanics of material, to predict the mechanical behavior of soils. Together with Rock mechanics, it is the basis for solving many… …   Wikipedia

  • Soil conservation — is set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, salinization, acidification, or other chemical soil contamination. The principal approaches these strategies… …   Wikipedia

  • Soil carbon — is the generic name for carbon held within the soil, primarily in association with its organic content. This discussion begins with a brief introduction to soil carbon, its function within the soil, influences on soil carbon, and finally the… …   Wikipedia

  • soil — Ⅰ. soil [1] ► NOUN 1) the upper layer of earth in which plants grow, typically consisting of organic remains, clay, and rock particles. 2) the territory of a particular nation. DERIVATIVES soil less adjective. ORIGIN Old French, perhaps from… …   English terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”