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Home Farm Nacton Joins LEAF Demonstration Farm Network.
Home Farm Nacton has officially joined the LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) Demonstration Farm Network, following a successful launch event that brought together farmers, industry representatives and stakeholders to explore what resilient, practical farming looks like beyond simplified labels and definitions.
Held at Home Farm Nacton on the Orwell Park Estate near Ipswich, the event, Farming Beyond the Labels, examined how farming businesses can balance productivity, environmental responsibility and commercial resilience in the face of increasingly complex expectations from markets, policymakers, financial institutions and consumers.
The event also marked the formal recognition of Home Farm Nacton as a LEAF Demonstration Farm, acknowledging the farm's commitment to Integrated Farm Management (IFM), innovation, continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
Home Farm Nacton comprises 912 hectares of high-quality agricultural land and produces more than thirty different crops across a diverse landscape of woodland, heathland, grassland and arable land. The business operates both LEAF Marque and Soil Association certified organic production systems, providing a unique opportunity to demonstrate how principles from different farming approaches can complement one another in practice.
Throughout the day, attendees explored key topics including water management, soil health, crop rotations, evidence-led decision making, collaboration across supply chains and the realities of managing environmental and commercial pressures on a modern farming business.
Andrew Francis, Managing Director at Home Farm Nacton and Chair of the LEAF Marque Technical Advisory Committee, which oversees the ongoing development of the LEAF Marque Standard, said:
"We were delighted to welcome so many people to Home Farm Nacton and to officially become part of the LEAF Demonstration Farm Network. Farming is often discussed through labels and categories, but the reality on farm is that decisions are rarely that simple. Our focus is on finding practical solutions that work environmentally, economically and operationally. We continually test, adapt and learn, drawing on ideas from different farming systems where they add value. Becoming a LEAF Demonstration Farm gives us an opportunity to share those experiences openly and contribute to wider industry learning."
Speaking at the event, LEAF’s Chief Executive, David Webster said:
"The conversations we are seeing across agriculture today increasingly centre on terms such as 'regenerative', 'organic' and 'conventional' farming, yet these labels can mean very different things depending on who is using them. Farmers are navigating a complex landscape of environmental ambition, commercial reality and societal expectations that rarely fits neatly within a single definition.
Home Farm Nacton demonstrates the value of focusing on outcomes rather than labels. Through its willingness to test, adapt and draw on ideas from different farming approaches, it provides a practical example of how farming businesses can balance productivity, environmental stewardship and commercial resilience. At a time when the sector is seeking practical, evidence-based solutions to complex challenges, Home Farm Nacton will be a valuable addition to the LEAF Network, helping to inform and inspire the transition to more resilient and sustainable food and farming systems.
We are delighted to welcome Andrew and the team to the network and look forward to the contribution they will make."
Dr Emily Pope Network Development Manager at LEAF added:
"Home Farm Nacton is an excellent addition to the LEAF Demonstration Farm Network. The farm's willingness to share both successes and challenges, alongside its experience of operating across organic and LEAF Marque-certified systems at commercial scale, makes it a valuable place for open discussion, practical learning and collaboration. Demonstration Farms are not about presenting a finished model; they are about creating spaces where farmers and the wider industry can learn together and explore what continuous improvement looks like in the real world."
LEAF Demonstration Farms are commercial farming businesses that showcase Integrated Farm Management in practice while acting as hubs for innovation, collaboration and knowledge exchange. Through farm visits, events and educational activities, they help bridge the gap between research and practical farming, supporting the development of more resilient food and farming systems.
Home Farm Nacton will now become part of LEAF's international network of 43 Demonstration Farms and 19 Innovation Centres, showcasing best practice and facilitating knowledge exchange between farmers, researchers, educators and industry partners around the world.