Producer Award Levels - All producers agree to abide by the low-carbon policies that have already been written on a wall chart available here

Energy saving policy
Machinery maintenance policy
Heat conservation policy
Electricity policy
Refrigeration policy
Rich-soil farming policy
Nitrous oxide reduction in soils policy
Materials – 3R's policy
Packaging – 3R's policy
Buildings materials policy
Machinery purchase policy
Glasshouse and polytunnel policy
 
In addition to agreeing to the Wall chart policies producers make commitments depending on where they are on their low-carbon food journey. We may allowances where fossil energy use is already very low or if producers take on more land. Within the commitment forms there is flexibility to allow for differences between holdings, for example a producer may only need to agree to 4 out of 6 commitments in a given section. You can have a look at the commitment forms in the download area here.

Gold Award

Reduce liquid fossil fuel use (including distribution) by 10% for next year
Reduce solid fossil fuel use by 10% for next year
Reduce electricity demand by 10% for next year
100% electricity from renewable sources (includes purchased from the Grid)
Generate renewable energy on farm
95% closed-fertility (includes on-farm or inputs that do not deplete another farms' fertility e.g.
seaweed or green waste)
Tillage do deeper than 8”/ 20cm
Peat-free propagation compost for own-plants or bought in
No manure is slurry
Ruminants (excluding dairy) – no grains / compounds
Dairy – no more than 10% grains / compounds
Pigs & poultry – all feed grown on the farm
Enhance soil organic matter levels
Maintain existing field margins, hedges, trees and orchards
Establish more perennial food crops each year
Actively increase biomass sequestration by planting more trees, hedges, orchards or establishing field margins
Use decentralised distribution
Minimise handling on mechanised processing lines
Avoid refrigeration unless required by Food Hygiene Regulations

Silver Award

Reduce liquid fossil fuel use (including distribution) by 5% over the next 12 months
Reduce solid fossil fuel use by 5% over the next 12 months
Reduce electricity demand by 5% over the next 12 months
100% electricity from renewable sources (includes purchased from the Grid)
75% closed-fertility (includes on-farm or inputs that do not deplete another farms' fertility e.g. seaweed or green waste)
Tillage do deeper than 8”/ 20cm
Peat-free propagation compost for own-plants or bought in
Less than 10% of manure is slurry
Ruminants (excluding dairy) – no more than 5% grains / compounds
Dairy – no more than 20% grains / compounds
Pigs & poultry – minimise compound feed
Enhance soil organic matter levels
Maintain existing field margins, hedges, trees and orchards
Establish more perennial food crops
Use decentralised distribution
Minimise handling on mechanised processing lines

 Bronze Award

Reduce liquid fossil fuel use (including distribution) by 2% over the next 12 months
Reduce electricity demand by 2% over the next 12 months
40% closed-fertility (includes on-farm or inputs that do not deplete another farms' fertility e.g. seaweed or green waste)
Tillage no deeper than 8”/ 20cm
Reduce peat by 25% over the next 12 months
Less than 25% of manure is slurry
Ruminants (excluding dairy) – no more than 10% grains / compounds
Dairy – no more than 30% grains / compounds
Pigs & poultry – minimise compound feed
Maintain existing soil organic matter levels
Maintain existing field margins, hedges, trees and orchards

If you do not have previous year accounts (for reasons of just starting or taking over a business) and therefore you cannot complete your carbon footprint, you are still eligible to apply for a bronze award providing that you are observing organic practices.