On Friday (16^th September), our wonderful Patron, Deborah Meaden, joined our Global CEO, Philip Lymbery, at the Oxford literary Festival to talk about the insights of his new book: Sixty Harvest Left. 

Deborah captivated the audience, sharing her anecdotes and passionate interests in a range of environmental causes, emphasising the importance of renewables and new technologies for a more sustainable future. “The question is not whether we can do this, the question is whether we are prepared to do it fast enough,” she said.

Bringing landscapes back to life

The event – which took place at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford – was chaired by former LBC radio host and BBC presenter Matthew Stadlen.

The conversation started with a presentation by Philip, who spoke about the main motivations that drove him to write Sixty Harvests Left, before touching on some of the pressing issues with Deborah. He highlighted shocking new data collated for the book, which shows that in the last five years, megafarms in the US have increased by a third – sweeping the countryside and threatening the very survival of our planet.

He also inspired hope, stressing that our food system is at the centre of what needs to change in order to bring landscapes back to life. This can be done by rethinking farming methods and rediscovering traditional techniques.

Wise words from our patron

The event was part of a series under the banner Pasture to Plate that looks at the environmental and health benefits of raising food on pasture and getting it to the consumer quickly through a short supply chain.

As a successful businesswoman, Deborah shared a clear message to the public: we as consumers have a strong voice and the power to be heard by corporations and beyond.

Consumers are waking up to the power that they have, by choosing to eat planet-friendly food and making sure it comes from regenerative sources. “A lot of people can afford to make the right choices,” said the Dragons’ Den star. “If you can afford to do it, you have a responsibility to do it. If you can’t afford to do it, you certainly should not feel bad about it, but I do also believe that government has a big part to play in the transition period”.

Sixty Harvests Left

Sixty Harvests Left is available to buy online or in-store from most bookshops. Royalties from the book will help us to continue our fight against factory farming.