Yorkshire-based doctor and organic farmer Hannah Fraser NSch 2023 has published her Nuffield Farming report 'Displacing empty calories with nutrient dense food: How can UK farmers be rewarded for practices that promote nutrient density?', sponsored jointly by the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The full report is now available on the Nuffield Farming report library. Hannah's report video can be found on the Nuffield Farming YouTube channel and a recording of Hannah presenting at the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference can be found here.

During her Scholarship, Hannah travelled to USA, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark and France, as well as Texas, Germany, Ireland, and Northern Ireland during a Global Focus Programme tour.

In her report, Hannah said: "While the link between food and health is now well-established, emerging evidence suggests that the way food is produced could also play a critical role in combating our health issues."

Hannah believes that farmers could be key to improving public health by enhancing the nutritional quality of their produce. During her study tour she identified four areas where evidence demonstrates a clear link between farming method and nutrient density: soil health, breeding and variety selection, biofortification and animal feed.

"While the potential benefits of these methods are promising, there is still much work to be done. Collaboration between researchers and farmers is essential to understand the impact of different farming practices on food quality."

For real change to occur, comprehensive data collection and stronger evidence are necessary, along with closer collaboration between agricultural and public health sectors, said Hannah.

"Farmers who sell directly to consumers have an opportunity to promote the nutritional benefits of their practices, however broader adoption will require systemic changes, including potential new incentives that reward farmers for not just the quantity, but the quality of food they produce.

"If these efforts are successful, they could lead to a new understanding of the role of food production in public health and potentially reduce the burden of chronic diseases. It could also transform how we value food in society," she concluded.

Study objectives

• What is nutrient density?
• How do farming practices alter the nutrient density of foods?
• How can farmers be financially rewarded for providing greater nutrient density?

Key messages

1. A growing number of researchers and farmers are exploring how farming methods affect the nutrient quality of food.
2. Through my study tour, I identified four key areas where evidence demonstrates a clear link between farming method and nutrient density:
   1. Soil Health: Regenerative farming practices that improve soil health can increase the populations of beneficial microorganisms, which play a crucial role in nutrient cycling. Healthier soils could therefore lead to more nutrient-rich crops.
   2. Breeding and Variety Selection: Selecting and breeding crop varieties with a greater ability to take up nutrients could help to improve nutrient density.
   3. Biofortification: Enhancing the nutrient content of crops either through selective breeding to take up a particular nutrient, or by applying nutrients directly to plants during growth, potentially leading to foods that are richer in minerals.
   4. Animal Feed: Influencing the nutritional content of animal products: meat, milk and eggs, through optimising the animals' diet.
3. While the benefits of these methods are promising, there is still much work to be done:
   1. Collaboration between researchers and farmers is essential to gain further understanding about the impact of different farming practices on food quality.
   2. Large-scale human health trials may also be needed to confirm the health benefits of consuming more nutrient dense foods.
   3. Additionally, healthcare professionals must become more aware of how food quality, influenced by farming methods, can affect health.