Henry Astor Transitions Cotswold Farm to Biodiversity Restoration

Henry Astor, owner of Bruern Farms in the Cotswolds, transitioned his 490-hectare estate from conventional arable farming to heritage wheat production and biodiversity restoration. Since 2017, Astor has eliminated pesticides, planted up to 40,000 trees, and established wildflower meadows to restore soil fertility and support red-listed bird populations.

To maintain financial viability, Astor purchased his own mill and established direct supply chains with bakeries, including a partnership with the chain Gail's. He aims to mill 500 tonnes of heritage grain annually by 2028 to lower carbon emissions and reduce cropping intensity.

Beyond his own estate, Astor co-founded the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster, collaborating with 40 other farms on flood mitigation along the River Evenlode and broader landscape restoration. Cluster co-chair Tim Field criticized the UK government's 30 by 30 nature restoration plans, arguing that aggregated farmer groups are more effective than public or NGO-driven schemes.