A Veterinary Approach to Sustainable Food and Farming

Farming for the future is a 10-module online course for farm veterinary professionals, focused on sustainability concepts, challenges and solutions in agriculture worldwide. It will unlock the unique toolbox of skills and knowledge held by veterinary professionals, helping them and their clients to attain multiple sustainability objectives on farms for the benefit of animals, rural communities, wildlife and the wider environment. The full course offers a step-by-step actionable guide to food system sustainability and opportunities for embedding these principles into daily veterinary work, with the modular options allowing those with limited time to fill specific knowledge gaps.

The finer details

We increasingly understand the impacts that agriculture can have on the environment, with the sharp decline in biodiversity attributed largely to the expansion of certain farming practices. At the same time, climate change is making our food systems more fragile and our global population continues to rise, applying increasing pressure on our planet’s boundaries, as well as on public health and animal welfare. We need to become more sustainable in our approach to producing, distributing and consuming food and other agricultural products, including those derived from animals.

As veterinary professionals, we are in a unique position to take action and inspire others. As farm animal practitioners, we have privileged access to the farming businesses that represent our food system, the unrivalled trust of our clients, and a multidisciplinary skill set. With these tools, we are in an ideal position to help develop the sustainable food and farming system we need to meet the nutritional needs of our growing population, combat climate change, regenerate ecosystems, secure rural livelihoods and safeguard animal welfare.

Farming for the future is a 10-module online course for farm veterinary professionals, focused on sustainability concepts, challenges and solutions in agriculture worldwide. It will unlock the unique toolbox of skills and knowledge held by veterinary professionals, helping them and their clients to attain multiple sustainability objectives on farms for the benefit of animals, rural communities, wildlife and the wider environment. 

The 10 modules include:

•       Veterinary Professionals in Sustainability
•       The Sustainable Practitioner
•       Sustainability Challenges and Opportunities in Farming
•       Farming Systems of the World
•       Better Farming
•       Efficient Farming
•       Agro-ecological Farming
•       Regenerative Farming
•       Driving Change
•       Sustainable Veterinary Businesses