Dartmoor Farmers Association was formed in 2007. A Farmer’s Initiative Inspired by HRH Prince of Wales.
The Association was formed, taking a more holistic approach to how we sell our produce and ensuring a greater return benefiting the community, environment, and local economy on Dartmoor
Today Dartmoor Farmers Association are a co-operative of nearly 100 innovative farmers, from small tenant farmers to owners with local employees, who support the local economy and ecology by working together within Dartmoor National Park.
We supply beef and lamb with full traceability to responsible wholesalers, retailers within the south west, including hotels, and Morrison’s supermarkets.
In October 2020 we launched our branded products with two wonderful pies, Dartmoor Farmers Beef & Jail Ale Pie, Dartmoor Farmers Beef and Stilton Pie and recently we have added our Dartmoor Farmers Beef & Jail Ale Pasty.
It’s no secret that farming is tough, to survive on the moor animals and humans alike have to be hardy and adaptable.
Farming here is slow and careful. Our farmers work together to educate people about looking after the environment. The love of generations is sown into the soil, communities support each other, rich habitats offer sanctuary to wildflower meadows and wildlife, and the native breeds of sheep and cattle we farm are part of that ecosystem.
Dartmoor Farmers slow growing, native breeds have time to mature with a rich natural diet and thousands of acres to roam. Cattle and sheep forage for herbage across the high heather clad heathlands and ancient hay meadows down in the home farms. Conservation grazing in Dartmoor National Park, creates an iconic landscape. Thriving with unique flora and fauna, it’s free and enjoyed by over 2.3million visitors every year.
The beef and lamb produced here is nutrient rich, supports the local economy and nurtures the spectacular environment.
Aspiring to the highest levels of environmental stewardship, we take care to minimise our environmental impact in everything that we do from production and packaging to transport and waste.
Dartmoor Farmers Association Collective Aspirations
- Members should seek to share their skills and knowledge with future generations of farmers in order to deliver a sustainable farming future.
- Stock should travel the minimum number of miles to be slaughtered, ideally within the Dartmoor National Park area.
- Distribution should take into consideration the number of food miles generated an environmental impact of distribution and packaging.
- Farmers should aspire to develop renewable localised energy generation and shared disposal of waste.
Dartmoor Farmers Association Production Criteria
- Members must have the majority of their farm within the Dartmoor National Park.
- Livestock must be owned by a DFA member from birth to slaughter.
- The livestock must be born, raised and finished on DFA member holdings.
- Livestock will be reared using traditional and sustainable farming methods of husbandry:- Beef to be singled suckled, no entire males, grass based diet.
- Members must only supply Native breeds of cattle and sheep, crossed or pure excluding dairy derivatives.
- All members must belong to a nationally recognised farm assurance scheme.
- All members must be a member of a nationally recognised Environmental Stewardship Scheme and aspire to higher level accreditation.
- Membership of the Dartmoor Farmers Association is by invitation only.