Vet Sustain at Groundswell: A Focus on Antimicrobial Resistance and Regenerative Agriculture
At the beginning of July, Vet Sustain were invited to the Groundswell Festival to take part in a seminar on antimicrobial resistance. Ed Bailey, Chair of Vet Sustain and Farm Vet at The George in Malmesbury joined the panel alongside Dr Aoife O'Driscoll, Senior Specialist in Crop Protection and IPM at NIAB, Professor Matthew Fisher, Professor of Fungal Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London and David Passmore from Mays Farm in Oxfordshire.
Vet Sustain
Vet Sustain participated in the annual Groundswell Festival in Hertfordshire at the beginning of July, contributing to a seminar dedicated to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The event, hosted at Lannock Farm, is a two-day farming conference renowned for its focus on the theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems.
The festival operates under the slogan 'By farmers, For Farmers' and serves as a comprehensive forum for attendees to delve into techniques such as no-till cultivation, the strategic use of cover crops, and the re-introduction of livestock into arable rotations. The overarching goal of these methods is to significantly improve soil health, with this years conference exploring the six principles of regeneration as shown below.
The conference attracts a diverse audience, including conventional, organic, livestock, and arable farmers, as well as landowners, tenant farmers, allied professionals, and policymakers with a vested interest in food production and environmental sustainability. Groundswell provides a vital platform for farmers to deepen their understanding of their fundamental asset – the soil – enabling them to make more informed decisions as well as explore methods of collaborating with nature to achieve profitable food production. The two-day programme featured a variety of talks and workshops led by soil health experts, experienced arable and livestock farmers, veterinary professionals, and agricultural policy experts.
Ed Bailey, Chair of Vet Sustain and Farm Vet at The George in Malmesbury joined the panel for the seminar, ‘Facing the challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)’, alongside Dr Aoife O'Driscoll: Senior Specialist in Crop Protection and IPM at NIAB1, Professor Matthew Fisher: Professor of Fungal Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London and David Passmore: From Mays Farm in Oxfordshire.
The panel's discussions explored how a One Health approach can be effectively utilised to confront the global challenge of AMR. This approach acknowledges the interconnectedness of human health, farmed and natural environments, and livestock production. Ed specifically demonstrated how the 6Ws of Veterinary Sustainability can serve as a critical lens when addressing AMR. By considering all 6 Ws, a wider systems thinking approach can be facilitated in the search for solutions and alternatives. The 6Ws comprise: Water, Waste, Wellbeing, Warming, Welfare, Wildlife:
Considering these six facets allows for a holistic assessment of the broader impacts of decisions, thus reinforcing a comprehensive One Health approach.
Further information on the 6Ws of Veterinary Sustainability can be found here: https://vetsustain.org/work/the-6-ws-of-veterinary-sustainability, and further details about Groundswell are available on their website: https://groundswellag.com/