For Peat’s Sake! Do We Need A New Approach To Peatland Agriculture?

Peatlands are some of the most productive landscapes in the UK. They account for less than 4% of our farmland yet produce up to 40% of the nation’s fresh vegetables. For generations they have been valued by growers and supermarkets for their uniformity, ease of cultivation and reliability. But this productivity comes at enormous cost. Once drained, peat soils oxidise, releasing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In the UK, peat soils emit 23.1 million tonnes of CO₂e annually, around 3.5% of our total greenhouse gas emissions. This makes drained peat one of the largest sources of emissions, and places us at a crossroads: continue with short-term gain, or transition towards systems that balance food security with climate goals.

This study has taken me to 14 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, visiting farmers, researchers and communities working on peatlands. It has shown that the UK’s horticultural dependence on peat is unusually high. Elsewhere, peatlands are more often used for grazing, forestry, or rice production, each with its own challenges of subsidence, emissions or declining productivity.

Importantly, I found that alternatives do exist. In Finland, hydroponic systems allow for highly productive salad production without reliance on peat, achieving yields 20 times greater per hectare than UK field systems. In Canada, small, diversified farms linked to strong CSA models can thrive on mineral soils. In Asia, vertical farms and greenhouses are producing high-value crops year-round, while in the Netherlands, pixel cropping management shows how resilience and diversity can be embedded into outdoor systems. Together, these examples demonstrate that vegetable production need not depend on drained peat soils.

Yet each alternative comes with trade-offs. Hydroponic systems rely on synthetic fertilisers. Regenerative agroforestry or wetter farming reduces yields and demands new markets. Novel amendments such as biochar show promise but remain under-researched. What is clear is that there is no silver bullet, the solution must be a mosaic of restoration, wetter farming and regenerative practices, all supported by finance and policy.

Farmers are not resistant to change, but they cannot bear the risks alone. Current UK schemes incentivise restoration, leaving productive peatlands unsupported. Internationally, the lessons are clear: “carrots” such as Dutch infrastructure subsidies are far more effective than “sticks.” Markets, too, must adapt. Supermarket supply chains drive demand for uniformity; more resilient systems such as farmers’ markets and direct sales can absorb imperfection, reduce waste and take pressure off peatlands.

This report concludes with six recommendations: prohibit further exploitation of intact peatlands; invest in national water storage; replicate not for profit farmer-led collaborative models such as Fenland SOIL; expand future peatland opportunity mapping; fund long-term applied research into regenerative systems; and align supermarket procurement with sustainability.

Peatlands cannot be written off as relics, nor exploited indefinitely as expendable soils. They are vital carbon stores, biodiversity refuges and food-producing landscapes. If we are willing to change the narrative, share the risks, and invest in alternatives, we can create a future where peatlands sustain both food and climate security.