Sign Up
Compassion was inspired to introduce its Sustainable Food and Farming Award following its 2017 Extinction and Livestock conference that brought together the worlds of animal welfare, conservation and the environment.
The Sustainable Food and Farming Award is a panel-based award that recognises producers and businesses that are taking steps to produce higher welfare meat, dairy and eggs in ways that protect, improve and restore wildlife and the environment.
Projects submitted for this award should involve livestock production with good animal welfare and already have been implemented into practice or pilot stage on farm.
Read the full criteria for the Sustainable Food & Farming Award
2024 Corporate Sustainable Food and Farming Awards
The 2024 ‘Corporate’ Sustainable Food & Farming Award went to Waitrose who has been testing and implementing a range of regenerative farming practices at its 2,800 acre Leckford Estate and has pledged to source UK meat, milk, eggs, fruit, and vegetables from farms using regenerative practices by 2035.
Andrew Hoad, Head of Leckford Estate said: “We need a resilient food system that is kinder to nature and recognises the incredible value of healthy soil. We think a regenerative approach has the potential to do this. We are excited to extend our work at Leckford by now working with other farmers in supporting transition to regenerative agriculture across our UK based farmers and growers.”
The winner of the ‘Producer’ Sustainable Food & Farming Award was White Oak Pastures in the US. The company has transformed from a conventional cattle operation into a diverse ecosystem with 14 species working to restore the land through regenerative farming.
Will Harris, Owner of White Oak Pastures said: "As a fourth-generation farmer, I made the decision to return the farm to a production system aligned with nature and its systems. We focus on regenerative land management and humane animal husbandry, which in turn helps our local community. We’re honoured to be chosen to receive the Sustainable Food and Farming Award from Compassion in World Farming.”
Finca Regenerativa Valle del Conde in Spain received a Special Recognition Award in the Sustainable Food and Farming category.
Since 2019, they have focused on regenerative agriculture, prioritising soil health through sheep grazing, which has transformed their olive fields into biodiverse, multi-species grasslands. This approach has fostered a thriving ecosystem and produced high-quality olive oil with an exceptional nutritional profile.
Francisco Ruiz Rico, Technical Director of Finca Regenerativa Valle del Conde said: “We firmly believe that Regenerative Agro-Farming offers a crucial solution to alleviate the climate crisis we are suffering, that especially affects and will continue to affect the agricultural sector. We understand it is necessary to adopt a holistic approach that considers all aspects: water cycles, soil fertility, biodiversity, and the integration of various species within the ecosystem. We strive to implement these principles through holistic and ancestral practices.
Currently, no other olive farm in the world is implementing regenerative practices like ours, and as a result, our olive oil has been recognised among the top 10 globally for its healthy composition and the presence of Oleocanthal or natural Ibuprofen. We are incredibly proud to be acknowledged for our work, establishing Finca Regenerativa Valle del Conde as a worldwide reference.
We also want to thank Compassion for envisaging the future of food and recognising the urgent need to reform our current systems. Their commitment to supporting companies like ours on this transformative journey is invaluable.”
