The UK is the only member state of the European Union to show a decrease in the area of land dedicated to organic farming, while the total amount in the EU continues to grow steadily.

Latest figures from the European Commission point to the UK area falling 30% between 2010 to 2016, to roughly 500,000ha. This compares to the EU's organic area which has risen 30% in this period to reach almost 12m hectares in 2016, with Bulgaria, Croatia, France and Cyprus showing the biggest increases. Some 6.7% of the total ground in Europe is under organic farming in Europe.

The report also highlighted that the dynamism of the organic sector has not been reflected in the wider agricultural field, with agricultural employment levels dropping despite rising overall.

The Soil Association which released a report looking into the possibility of an uncertain future for the British organic market in the face of Brexit last year, claimed maintaining stability and confidence in supply chains could become increasingly complex with potential changes in the way the UK trades with other nations.

Closer to home there have been changes to the current board at the Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA), the UK’s only co-operative organic organisation.

Current chair of the board of directors, Alexander Brewster has opted to take a sabbatical from his position for a year to concentrate on his Nuffield Scholarship commitments.

As a result, Edward Smith is stepping up from vice-chair into the role of chairman and board member, Gordon Whiteford, will be taking on the position of vice-chair.

Outside of SOPA, Edward Smith is the managing director of Norvite, leading supplier to the Scottish livestock industry and specialists in animal nutrition.

Edward is a farmers’ son from North Yorkshire with a passion for agriculture and country pursuits. He began his career in the animal feed industry as a nutritionist for a North East England based cooperative before moving to Aberdeenshire in 1998 to work for Norvite, where he held various positions before leading a management buyout of the business in 2005.

Originally brought up on a dairy farm in Ayrshire, new vice-chair Gordon Whiteford is now a first-generation farmer on Fochabers Estate. Gordon took his first venture into organics in 2005 by renting a field in Ardersier, near Inverness, to establish an organic poultry enterprise. He now has two flocks of 2000 British Black Tails for organic egg production.

In 2012, Gordon was fortunate to gain tenancy of a 52ha farm at Lower Mill of Tynet, where he initially set up a free-range laying hen enterprise, and as of 2016 the farm entered conversion to organic production with a mix of enterprises, including the laying hens, as well as the addition of sheep and cattle, along with supporting arable. He is also a Nuffield scholar.