09 SEPT 2024
Peat-free Partnership open letter to the Prime Minister: Ban the retail sale of peat composts in the UK.
We are proud to be one of the many faces of the horticulture industry to sign the Peat-free Partnership's open letter to Kier Starmer, Prime Minister of the UK, asking him and his government to finally put a stop to the retail sale of peat composts. We would like to express a huge thank you to the Peat-free Partnership for organising this open letter, and for the many other businesses, professional growers, nurseries, retailers and influential advocates who have signed this letter alongside us.
Read the full letter and full list of signatories below.
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing as professional growers, gardeners, nursery owners, compost manufacturers and retailers, plus advocates and supporters of peat-free horticulture to urge you to end years of uncertainty and legislate to end peat sales once and for all.
We are proof that peat is not required for British horticulture to flourish. Between us we grow,buy and sell millions of exceptional quality peat-free plants every single year. With a fair, well-managed and supported transition, there is a bright, successful future ahead for a fully peat-free,proudly sustainable UK horticultural industry.
But legislation is required if this future is to be realised. There have been great strides inreducing peat use. Yet the total amount of peat used for horticulture in 2022 was 950,000m3 –enough to fill 380 Olympic sized swimming pools. This trade continues to destroy irreplaceable peat bogs across the UK and overseas, contrary to legal commitments on climate change and biodiversity.
For a fair, level marketplace, where environmentally damaging peat-grown imports are a thing ofthe past and home-grown, peat-free horticulture based on a sustainable, circular economy canthrive – legislation is needed. For consumers to buy with confidence, knowing the plants andcompost in their trolleys have been produced without contributing to climate change orbiodiversity loss – legislation is needed.
To bring an end to the business uncertainty which has plagued the UK’s horticultural industry forwell over a decade now – legislation is needed. This is a popular and straightforward measureleft as unfinished business by the previous government. We call on you to make this a priority for your government’s programme and legislate without delay to end the sale of peat.
Yours sincerely,
Growers, suppliers & retailers
George Davies, for peat's sake!
Emma Maxwell, Ash & Elm Market Gardeners
Julian de Bosdari, Ashridge Nurseries
B&Q Ltd
Nick Hamilton, Barnsdale Gardens
Becky Wildman, Gardener and nurserywoman
Darren Shipp, Bedwen Plants
Sarah Holdsworth, Bee Happy Plants & Seeds
Julia Boulton, Beth Chatto’s Plants and Gardens
Sue Beesley, Bluebell Cottage Nursery and Gardens
Jonathan Sheppard, British Cosmos
British Wildflower Plants
Brenda Smith, Bud Garden Centre
Augusta Lewis, Sustainable Food Places Coordinator, Bwyd Sir Gâr Food
Kevin Hughes, Cally Gardens
Danièle Muir, Celtica Wildflowers
Co-op Supermarkets
Ffin and Steph, Criw Compostio
Holly Short and Marcus Wilson, Kimberly Nurseries
Derek Taylor, Kirton Farm
Neil Lucas, Knoll Gardens
Malcolm Allison, Malcolm Allison Plants
Melcourt Industries
Anne and Simon Harrap, Natural Surroundings
Sam and Liz Frings, Organic Plant Nursery
Rob and Joanna Courtney, Paddock Plants
Neil, Catherine and Sam Wallsgrove, Pepperpot Nursery
Jenny Shukman, Picts Hill Alpines
Chris and Ellen Corke, Prenplants Sussex
Toby Thomas, RocketGro Compost
Rosi Rollings, Rosybee.com
Lewis Normand, President, Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society
Harry Hoblyn, Rymer Trees and Hedging
Seedball
Southwold Succulent Co
Bleddyn & Sue Wynn-Jones, Crûg FarmPlants
Sabina Kucz, Cumbria Wildflowers
Earthed Up! Limited
Colin Stephens, Managing Director, Evergreen Garden Care
Matthew Dent, Fertile Fibre Compost
Sean Higgs, Floralive
Mischa Warnecke, Forus Tree
Toni Borella, Greenup Farm
Melanie Asker, Managing Director, Greenwood Plants
Grow Wilder, Avon Wildlife Trust
Lisa Wesley & Andrew Blackwood, Growild Nursery
Steve Hipkin, Gwynfor Growers
Nick Mann, Habitat Aid
Rosy and Robert Hardy, Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants
Harriet Thompson, Harriet’s Plants
Sarah Wild, Heeley City Farm
Jonathan Hogarth, Hogarth Hostas
Dr Harry Watkins, Executive Director, and Beccy Middleton, Curator, St Andrews Botanic Garden Trust
Billy Stott, Stotts Nursery
Dawn Yeardsley, Sunnyview Flowers
Alison Tindale, The Backyard Larder
Jenny Rafferty and Frantisek Zika, The Humble Bee Gardeners
Claire Brodie, The Little Green Plant Factory
Tim Fuller, The Plantsman’s Preference
Lindsey Jones, The Wildflower Nursery
Avery Rowe, Tradescantia Hub
Mark Wash, Trecanna Nursery
Henry White, Trevor White Roses
Helen Warrington, Ty Cym Nursery
Roisin Taylor, Verde Flower Co.
Peter Manfield, Village Nurseries
Vitacress Ltd
Anna Robinson, Water Garden Plants
What the Fungus
Mandy Barber, Incredible Vegetables
Jane Cureton, Jemima’s Garden
Individual supporters
Professor Andy Baird, University of Leeds
Chris Beardshaw, Award-winning garden designer, TV presenter
Alys Fowler, Garden writer and former BBC Gardeners' World presenter
Professor Dave Goulson, University of Sussex
Stephanie Hafferty, Organic gardener, writer and consultant
Leigh Johnstone (aka The Beardy Gardener)
Richard Lindsay, University of East London
Chris Packham, TV Broadcaster and Environmental Campaigner
Jake Rayson, Wildlife and food forest garden designer
Becky Searle, Environmental Journalist
Guy Shrubsole, campaigner and author of The Lost Rainforests of Britain and The Lie of the Land
Jack Wallington, Garden designer and writer
Supporting organisations
Buglife
Garden Organic
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Peat Free April
Butterfly Conservation Plantlife
Campaign for National Parks
Royal Horticultural Society
The Chartered Institute of Ecology andEnvironmental Management (CIEEM)
CPRE, the countryside charity
Sizzle
Soil AssociationStop Climate Chaos Scotland
Decarbonize Ltd
Sustain Alliance
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
The National Trust
Food Matters International Ltd
The Wildlife Trusts
For Peat’s Sake!
Wildlife & Countryside Link
Friends of the Earth
Find out more about the open letter at https://peatfreepartnership.org.uk