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Case study
Case study
Case study
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative Agriculture
How Myton Food Group measured soil carbon across its British supply chain
How Myton Food Group measured soil carbon across its British supply chain
How Myton Food Group measured soil carbon across its British supply chain
About
Myton Food Group
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. As part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, Downforce has measured soil organic carbon across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, working alongside Map of Ag, who have tracked on-farm emissions data separately under the same programme.
About
Myton Food Group
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. As part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, Downforce has measured soil organic carbon across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, working alongside Map of Ag, who have tracked on-farm emissions data separately under the same programme.
About
Myton Food Group
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. As part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, Downforce has measured soil organic carbon across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, working alongside Map of Ag, who have tracked on-farm emissions data separately under the same programme.
United Kingdom
location
United Kingdom
location
United Kingdom
location
27,186
hectares
27,186
hectares
27,186
hectares
2,200+ suppliers
Programme reach
2,200+ suppliers
Programme reach
2,200+ suppliers
Programme reach
Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme
Programme
Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme
Programme
Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme
Programme
challenges
Proving progress at scale, across a varied supply base.
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. Measuring progress across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
challenges
Proving progress at scale, across a varied supply base.
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. Measuring progress across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
challenges
Proving progress at scale, across a varied supply base.
Myton Food Group, one of the UKs largest food manufacturers, is one of British agriculture biggest direct customers. Across our 18 manufacturing sites, we source directly from over 1500 British farmers. Measuring progress across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
challenge 1
A 2030 target across thousands of suppliers
Myton has committed to developing its Sustainable Farm Network across the British farms it buys directly from by 2030.
challenge 1
A 2030 target across thousands of suppliers
Myton has committed to developing its Sustainable Farm Network across the British farms it buys directly from by 2030.
challenge 1
A 2030 target across thousands of suppliers
Myton has committed to developing its Sustainable Farm Network across the British farms it buys directly from by 2030.
challenge 2
A varied supply base
Progress has to be measured across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce.
challenge 2
A varied supply base
Progress has to be measured across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce.
challenge 2
A varied supply base
Progress has to be measured across thousands of suppliers spanning beef, sheep, eggs, and fresh produce.
challenge 3
Sampling that doesn’t scale
Measuring progress has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
challenge 3
Sampling that doesn’t scale
Measuring progress has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
challenge 3
Sampling that doesn’t scale
Measuring progress has historically relied on periodic sampling and farmer-reported data, which is difficult to scale consistently across such a varied supply base.
Our response
Measured soil outcomes, alongside emissions data
Downforce measured soil organic carbon across the 96 areas of interest using remote sensing data reaching back to 2018 at 10-metre resolution, working in parallel with Map of Ag's emissions tracking under Myton's Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme.
Our response
Measured soil outcomes, alongside emissions data
Downforce measured soil organic carbon across the 96 areas of interest using remote sensing data reaching back to 2018 at 10-metre resolution, working in parallel with Map of Ag's emissions tracking under Myton's Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme.
Our response
Measured soil outcomes, alongside emissions data
Downforce measured soil organic carbon across the 96 areas of interest using remote sensing data reaching back to 2018 at 10-metre resolution, working in parallel with Map of Ag's emissions tracking under Myton's Sustainable Farm Agriculture programme.
response 1
Measured the supply base
Soil organic carbon measured across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, as part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University.
response 1
Measured the supply base
Soil organic carbon measured across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, as part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University.
response 1
Measured the supply base
Soil organic carbon measured across 96 sites within the Myton supply base, as part of a collaborative project with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University.
response 2
Resilience in action
Healthier soil carbon means better water retention and more resilient yields, so this data points to where the supply chain is becoming more resilient, and where it still carries risk.
response 2
Resilience in action
Healthier soil carbon means better water retention and more resilient yields, so this data points to where the supply chain is becoming more resilient, and where it still carries risk.
response 2
Resilience in action
Healthier soil carbon means better water retention and more resilient yields, so this data points to where the supply chain is becoming more resilient, and where it still carries risk.
response 3
Paired with emissions data
Worked in parallel with Map of Ag’s emissions tracking, giving Myton both sides of the picture by showcasing what’s being emitted and what the soil itself is capturing and holding.
response 3
Paired with emissions data
Worked in parallel with Map of Ag’s emissions tracking, giving Myton both sides of the picture by showcasing what’s being emitted and what the soil itself is capturing and holding.
response 3
Paired with emissions data
Worked in parallel with Map of Ag’s emissions tracking, giving Myton both sides of the picture by showcasing what’s being emitted and what the soil itself is capturing and holding.
Key findings
Evidence at work
Key findings
Evidence at work
Key findings
Evidence at work
01
Carbon quantified, not estimated
Measured soil organic carbon across the supply base has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂.
01
Carbon quantified, not estimated
Measured soil organic carbon across the supply base has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂.
01
Carbon quantified, not estimated
Measured soil organic carbon across the supply base has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂.
02
A comparable reference point
That figure is comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow.
02
A comparable reference point
That figure is comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow.
02
A comparable reference point
That figure is comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow.
03
Resilience under climate stress
The upward trend has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.
03
Resilience under climate stress
The upward trend has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.
03
Resilience under climate stress
The upward trend has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.
04
Two sides of the picture, together
Field-by-field soil organic carbon data now sits alongside the emissions data Map of Ag already provides.
04
Two sides of the picture, together
Field-by-field soil organic carbon data now sits alongside the emissions data Map of Ag already provides.
04
Two sides of the picture, together
Field-by-field soil organic carbon data now sits alongside the emissions data Map of Ag already provides.
05
A fixed reference point going forward
The 96 sites now represent a soil carbon baseline for this stage of Myton’s direct supply base, an independently measured, remote-sensing-derived picture that did not exist before this work began, standing on its own as evidence regardless of how the wider programme structure evolves.
05
A fixed reference point going forward
The 96 sites now represent a soil carbon baseline for this stage of Myton’s direct supply base, an independently measured, remote-sensing-derived picture that did not exist before this work began, standing on its own as evidence regardless of how the wider programme structure evolves.
05
A fixed reference point going forward
The 96 sites now represent a soil carbon baseline for this stage of Myton’s direct supply base, an independently measured, remote-sensing-derived picture that did not exist before this work began, standing on its own as evidence regardless of how the wider programme structure evolves.
customer perspective
“Through our collaboration with Downforce Technologies, we've supported farmers in enhancing soil health using advanced data analytics and satellite monitoring. Soil health is foundational to our sustainable agriculture programme, helping us build truly resilient supply chains.”
Lily Spencer-Brown
Senior Agriculture and Sustainability Manager
customer perspective
“Through our collaboration with Downforce Technologies, we've supported farmers in enhancing soil health using advanced data analytics and satellite monitoring. Soil health is foundational to our sustainable agriculture programme, helping us build truly resilient supply chains.”
Lily Spencer-Brown
Senior Agriculture and Sustainability Manager
customer perspective
“Through our collaboration with Downforce Technologies, we've supported farmers in enhancing soil health using advanced data analytics and satellite monitoring. Soil health is foundational to our sustainable agriculture programme, helping us build truly resilient supply chains.”
Lily Spencer-Brown
Senior Agriculture and Sustainability Manager
On-farm outcome
Across the Myton supply base, measured soil organic carbon has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂, comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow. That gain has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century. The upward trend didn’t stall under that pressure, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.
On-farm outcome
Across the Myton supply base, measured soil organic carbon has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂, comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow. That gain has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century. The upward trend didn’t stall under that pressure, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.
On-farm outcome
Across the Myton supply base, measured soil organic carbon has risen over the eight years to the equivalent of 275,157 tonnes of CO₂, comparable to the carbon held in 5,207 miles of mature native hedgerow. That gain has held through the UK’s warmest year and hottest summer on record, and its driest spring in over a century. The upward trend didn’t stall under that pressure, pointing to a grower base building resilience even under climate stress.