The Sustainable Food Trust Podcast

In this episode of the SFT Podcast, Patrick Holden is joined by doctor, broadcaster and bestselling author Chris van Tulleken for a wide-ranging conversation about ultra-processed food, public health, farming and the future of our food systems.

Best known for his TV appearances and ground-breaking book Ultra-Processed People, Chris has played a major role in bringing the realities of ultra-processed food into public debate. In this discussion, the conversation explores the deeper connections between food production, corporate power, human health and environmental damage.

Patrick and Chris examine where responsibility for our broken food system really lies – with consumers, governments or multinational food companies – and discuss the growing influence of ultra-processed food corporations over public policy, scientific research and public understanding of nutrition.

The episode also explores the relationship between farming methods and health outcomes, asking whether the way food is produced matters as much as the way it is processed. From organic farming and pesticide use to food affordability, regulation and the hidden costs of industrial agriculture, the discussion highlights the overlaps between public health and environmental sustainability.

Throughout the conversation, Patrick and Chris find common ground in their belief that meaningful change will require a better-informed public, stronger regulation and a food system that works in the interests of both people and planet.

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What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices.

In this episode of the SFT Podcast, we take a deep dive into the realities of salmon farming – one of the UK's most significant food industries and its largest food export.
Prompted by a recent open letter questioning whether farmed salmon can ever be considered sustainable, Patrick and Stuart explore the environmental, ethical and nutritional implications of modern aquaculture. Drawing on Patrick's firsthand experience with organic salmon certification in the 1990s, the conversation traces how the industry has evolved – and why its foundations are now being challenged.
From feed production and ocean pollution to sea lice, disease, fish escapes and the impact on wild salmon populations, this episode examines the complex web of issues surrounding farmed salmon. The discussion also considers the wider consequences for marine ecosystems, public trust in food systems, and the difficult balance between economic importance and environmental responsibility.
As always, the conversation remains open and exploratory – asking whether a more sustainable model is possible, what alternatives might look like, and what this means for consumers trying to make informed choices about the food they eat.

To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels.

For this episode of the SFT Podcast, we hear from Owen Shiers – Welsh folk singer, researcher, grain grower and cultural historian.
In his late 20s, Owen was rewarded a scholarship from the Finzi Trust to research folk music in Ceredigion, where he grew up – a moment which he describes as the 'beginning of his journey'. What was originally intended to be an exploration of culture, became an exploration of agriculture as Owen came to learn about the significance of black oats in Wales. During his research, Owen crossed paths with Gerald Miles, an organic farmer from Pembrokeshire, and Iwan Evans Coedfadre, a Welsh folk singer and farmer.
Whilst Gerald had been searching for black oats for 20 years, having all but disappeared and been replaced by more modern varieties of oats, Iwan was the last farmer in Wales to be growing them. Through this research, Owen was able to connect Gerald and Iwan, which led to the creation of the Llafur Ni Network ('Our Cereals') – a project they co-founded with the Gaia Foundation, bringing together farmers and growers across Wales to revive black oats and other rare welsh grains.
Owen's music, (Cynefin – Owen's 'musical brainchild') is firmly rooted in the customs and cultural vernacular of Ceredigion. His most recent album Shimli, explores the intersection between music, poetry, food and the natural world. Stick around until the end of this episode to hear 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man) from Owen's latest album, and for an explanation about the origins of the song.
Elsewhere in the episode, Patrick and Owen also talk about the impact that religion has had on Welsh folk music; how the cultivation and preservation of seeds compares to that of the cultivation of wool and other animal by-products; and they ask, how can we create economic opportunities for people in a food and farming system which is often working against the principles of sustainability?
You can listen to Cynefin's music here and and follow him on Instagram.
To find out more about the Llafur Ni Network and how Owen first came to meet Gerald and Iwan, watch this brilliant film from The Gaia Foundation and Andy Pilsbury.
To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky.
This conversation was recorded in January 2026.
 
Timestamps:
0:00: Welcome to the SFT Podcast!
0:49: Who is Owen Shiers?
3:17: Exploring the roots of Welsh folk music
5:03: The Methodist Church's impact on folk music in Wales
7:55: Black Oats in Wales
11:06: What can poetry tell us about farming culture?
13:40: Stuck between a rock and a hard place: valuing culture versus making a profit in farming
17:53: Opportunities in agricultural education
23:40: How do we create economic opportunities for people in a system set against the principles of sustainability?
28:18: The Llafur Ni Network
42:06: How does the cultivation and valuing of seeds compare to wool?
45:28: How can we make sustainable food and clothing more affordable?
49:11: Owen reads some Welsh poetry
51:52: Goodbye!
52:31: 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man)

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices.
In this episode of the SFT Podcast we're talking about food security – as the war in Iran shows no sign of easing, with thousands of casualties and many people displaced from their homes, we discuss the impact of the conflict in terms of food security in the Middle East, as well as how agriculture is often weaponised in times of conflict. 
We also reflect on how the conflict has impacted food security in the UK, and what steps could be taken to ensure the country is more food secure and our farming sector is more resilient in the face of local and global shocks.
This week, Patrick and Stuart are also joined by Megan Perry, the SFT's Head of Policy & Campaigns. Megan has a degree in international politics and has been working with the SFT for 12 years, heading up our work the UK's small abattoir sector. Alongside her experience at the SFT, Megan has also spent time visiting and supporting organisations and individuals working in the agriculture sector in places like Palestine and Lebanon who have been significantly affected by the ongoing conflict.
To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Feeding Britain report: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/our-work/feeding-britain/
Food sovereignty report: https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/pathways-towards-food-sovereignty-in-lebanon/?tztc=1
Tim Lang: UK must stockpile food in readiness for climate shocks or war: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/07/uk-stockpile-food-climate-shocks-war

What's really going on in food and farming? Two farmers – Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, and Stuart Oates, founder of the Fossil Free Farm project – get behind the headlines to unpack the biggest stories shaping what we eat, how we farm and the future of the planet. Expect lively debate, real-world experience, and unique insights from some of food and farming's top voices.
 
To mark the release of the recent documentary Finding Harmony: A King's Vision – exploring his Majesty King Charles III's lifelong commitment to the environment and his philosophy of Harmony – in this episode of the SFT Podcast, Patrick talks to Stuart about his involvement in the documentary and recalls first meeting the King in 1982. They also explore the philosophy of Harmony in more depth, including how we can bring harmonious practices into our everyday lives and why achieving this is now more important than ever.
 
Elsewhere in the episode, Patrick and Stuart talk about the evolution of agricultural education and the importance of influencing the influencers to enable a transition to more sustainable food and farming practices.
 
To join in the conversation, get in touch with us at info@sustainablefoodtrust.org or send us a message via any of our social media channels – let us know what you'd like to hear Patrick and Stuart talk about next time!
 
Timestamps:
 
0:00: Welcome back!
0:33: Patrick talks about his relationship with King Charles, first meeting him in 1982, the development of Highgrove Farm and their shared passion for organic farming
4:01: The King's book: Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World
5:55: We are not separate from nature, we are part of nature
10:45: Striving for Harmony in a world of conflict 
13:36: To achieve Harmony, where do we start?
18:02: Harmonious practices in our everyday lives
25:48: Patrick's involvement in Finding Harmony
28:36: 'Seeing is believing' experience at Highgrove Farm 
30:17: The evolution of agricultural education and need for reform 
37:53: The history of Dumfries House 
43:14: The interconnectedness of faiths/The King's influence on connecting different faiths 
44:52: How do we transform farming to become part of the solution, rather than the problem?
49:35: Influencing the influencers
53:31: What's coming in future episodes
 
Follow Patrick and the Sustainable Food Trust:
https://www.instagram.com/susfoodtrust/ | https://www.instagram.com/hafodcheese/
https://bsky.app/profile/susfoodtrust.bsky.social
https://www.facebook.com/SusFoodTrust
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-food-trust/
 
Find out more about Stuart and the Fossil Free Farm project:
https://fossilfreefarm.com/
https://www.instagram.com/camelstu/
https://www.youtube.com/@farmerstu
 
To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page.