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Protecting bees this Black Friday: our donation to the Nature Friendly Farming Network

 

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Protecting bees this Black Friday: our donation to the Nature Friendly Farming Network

At Neal’s Yard Remedies, there’s something even more exciting about Black Friday than unwrapping great value offers you’ve waited for all year. Because it’s also the time of our annual Black Friday tradition – giving back to causes close to our hearts. This year, we’re celebrating the work of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and donating 50p from every transaction made this Black Friday weekend to the sustainable farming organisation’s peer-to-peer learning programme.

What is the Nature Friendly Farming Network

Founded in 2017, the NFFN is an independent, farmer-led organisation committed to shaping nature-positive farming policies that work in harmony with wildlife, mitigate climate change and safeguard the future of British agriculture.

With an ever-growing community of farmers, the NFFN provides a strong and trusted voice for sustainable farming in the UK. Its work demonstrates the value of regenerative farming systems – like their potential to reduce UK carbon emissions and prevent wildlife decline, to name a few, all while maintaining high-quality produce – to ensure support for regenerative farming within the government and across the supply chain.

Like the NFFN, we believe that working harmoniously with nature and preserving its ecosystems isn’t optional but necessary. That’s why we’ve pledged to fund the NFFN’s peer-to-peer learning programme this Black Friday – an extensive knowledge-sharing base for farmers to learn from one another’s successful experiences adopting nature-friendly farming techniques.

Why we’re supporting the NFFN’s peer-to-peer learning programme

If you’ve followed our work over the years, you’ll know that environmental issues underpin much of what we do – especially when it comes to our precious bee populations. This year, our co-owner Anabel Kindersley spearheaded our Stand by Bees campaign, which saw her call on the government to ban toxic neonicotinoids and support nature-friendly farming initiatives.

As such, the NFFN’s peer-to-peer learning programme couldn’t be more aligned with our vision for the future of sustainable British farming and its role in safeguarding wild pollinators’ habitats. The programme will provide the NFFN’s 2,600-plus-strong membership with resources, advice, support and training around regenerative farming systems, including practical ways farmers can achieve net-zero carbon targets, workshops on best practices to improve farm resilience and lessons on reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.

The programme’s focus on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – a natural, holistic approach to managing pests, diseases and unwanted plants – means farmers will have the support they need to move away from the perils of pesticide use. In real terms, the adoption of nature-friendly farming means:

  • reducing environmental harm and the risk of pest and disease attacks
  • protecting and restoring biodiversity
  • safeguarding and creating wildlife habitats
  • promoting better crop health
  • improving soil health and strength
  • supporting healthy plants, and
  • ensuring long-term farming resilience

A word from Martin Lines, Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network:

“As our climate changes, we must respect and enhance our landscapes, and farmer-to-farmer knowledge-sharing helps make this possible. There are many natural assets at farming’s disposal; working with nature on a whole-farm scale can reduce the need for chemical inputs, leading to more resilient food production that works in tandem with the ecosystem, protects nature and protects people. It’s a win-win.”

Boost your support for bee conservation

While all purchases made across the Black Friday weekend (25 – 27 November) will see 50p donated to the NFFN’s peer-to-peer learning programme, our Bee Lovely collection continues to raise funds for bee conservation, with 3% from each sale going towards bee-friendly initiatives. For a naturally skin-nourishing, naturally feel-good purchase, feast your eyes on some of our most-loved Bee Lovely products.

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