Environmental Farmers Group (EFG) is a farmer-led natural capital cooperative delivering positive environmental change at landscape-scale, funded through natural capital trading. EFG acts as a trusted navigator for farmers and landowners by providing a cohesive approach to baselining, planning and monitoring natural capital and ensuring fair financial reward for Members.
Founded in 2022 in the Hampshire Avon water management catchment, EFG has grown significantly, now comprising groups in Northern Lincolnshire, Central England, Test & Itchen, Dorset and Isle of White. EFG currently has over 500 farmers who have joined or expressed an interest in joining, covering over 330,000 hectares, or around 3.5% of England’s farmed area.
Environmental Farmers Group functions through a structured membership model which is based on local water management catchments. This ensures that income brought in by the cooperative through natural capital trading is shared on a local level. Members pay £1.25/ha to become a member of the co-operative and commit to share 12% of any trading income back with local members and the cooperative. This rewards others for providing scale and not competing.
From an environmental perspective, these water management catchments provide a geographic landscape for ‘catchment conservation plans’. These plans form a mechanism for identifying the environmental projects on farms, understanding local targets and priorities, bringing in finance to deliver projects and then demonstrate the projects being delivered over time.
Ambitions and services
EFG has set itself three principal ambitions:
- Membership – To be the most trusted and reliable source of advice and information for farmers and landowners on natural capital.
- Environment – To deliver more environmental projects through EFG’s Membership than any other UK organisation.
- Trading – To be one of the most trusted and highest quality ‘suppliers of choice’ for developers, water companies and corporate organisations in natural capital markets.
Success stories and industry impact
EFG’s model is gaining national recognition, with the cooperative actively shaping policy discussions and influencing the evolving regulatory landscape for natural capital markets. Recent highlights include:
- Establishing one of the largest supplies of phosphate credits in the Hampshire Avon to mitigate the impact of stalled housing development.
- Engaging with policymakers at all levels to ensure farmer interests are represented in upcoming environmental legislation.
- Expanding its reach across the UK, with EFG representatives speaking at industry events in Yorkshire, Bristol, and the Isle of Wight.
- Providing members with grant funded opportunities to get ahead in natural capital markets, including for biodiversity baseline auditing and assessments for viability of planting woodland.
Looking ahead: Membership window opens in April 2025
As Environmental Farmers Group continues to grow, it remains committed to supporting farmers and landowners in navigating the complexities of natural capital markets. The next membership window opens in April 2025, offering an opportunity for new members to join this innovative cooperative and benefit from its services.
For more information or to express interest in joining, please visit Environmental Farmers Group or contact Environmental Farmers Group at efg@gwct.org.uk
