Soil Association Exchange, which works with over 2,000 UK farmers across 4% of UK farmland, is expanding into Europe with a new regenerative agriculture pilot in Spain. The programme will support an initial cohort of eight farms across Murcia, Valencia, Andalusia, Aragon and Catalonia, helping them measure environmental impact, improve performance, and build resilient supply chains.
Following the pilot, the ambition is to roll out the model to other European countries, creating a pan-European network of farms committed to regenerative practices.
Six pillars of sustainability, tailored for Spanish conditions
The Exchange platform has been redesigned for European datasets and Spanish agricultural conditions, combining proven technology with local expertise from specialist advisors. It will track and support improvements across six critical areas:
- Soil health
- Water
- Carbon
- Biodiversity
- Animal welfare
- Social impact
Farmers will receive comprehensive sustainability baselines, tailored advice, and benchmarking data to guide their transition.
Why now? Climate and regulatory pressures mount in southern Europe
The move comes as southern European agriculture faces severe challenges: water scarcity, extreme weather, and tightening regulations on supply chain transparency. The European Environment Agency recently warned that “Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world, and climate risks are threatening its energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and people’s health.”
Linking sustainability to funding
Beyond advice and measurement, Soil Association Exchange plans to connect farmers to new funding streams through its Exchange Market insetting scheme. This model pays farmers for measured reductions in greenhouse gas emissions within participating companies’ supply chains, without creating or selling carbon credits. Funds are pooled from retailers, banks, and landowners and distributed to farmers who deliver verified emissions cuts.
Backed by major partners: CrowdFarming, Innocent Drinks, Riverford
The Spanish pilot is supported by CrowdFarming, which connects European farmers directly with consumers, UK smoothie brand Innocent Drinks, and organic veg box company Riverford.
- Joseph Gridley, CEO of Soil Association Exchange:“We’ve spent years learning what works on UK farms, and now we’re translating that knowledge into the European landscape. The key to success is combining the technology platform we’ve built with deep local expertise.”
- Gonzalo Úrculo, co-founder of CrowdFarming:“Our goal is to make regenerative organic agriculture possible for farmers and accessible to consumers. This partnership gives us the tools and insights to support regenerative transitions at scale.”
- Mario Diaz Marcos, Sustainability Manager at Innocent Drinks:“This partnership allows us to provide practical, data-driven support that helps farmers improve their practices while building more resilient and sustainable supply chains.”
- Harriet Bell, regenerative farming lead at Riverford:“Healthy soils, thriving biodiversity and resilient farms are fundamental to how we grow food. Joining this pilot in Spain is an exciting step.”
Looking ahead: scaling regenerative agriculture across Europe
The pilot aims to prove the model in Spain, then expand across Europe by 2026, supporting farms in transitioning to regenerative practices while meeting climate, biodiversity, and supply chain transparency goals.
As Gridley summed up: “Our ambition is simple: to help farmers produce food in a way that has a genuinely positive impact – for now and for the future.”
