The small organic farm struggling to survive cost of living crisis

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The people behind an organic farm just south of Bristol say they fear it will not survive the cost of living crisis.

The Community Farm, in the Chew Valley, is a not-for-profit social enterprise with a focus on ethical farming.

But it says the rising cost of living means people are seeking out the cheapest possible food options - and so its orders are dwindling.

Kim Brooks, who runs The Community Farm, said six months ago they were selling around 700 boxes of veg a week. Now, that's dropped to 450.

"With the new level of costs we're seeing, it's just not financially viable," Kim said.

"We cannot sustain those sorts of losses. We're talking about a matter of months (to stay in business)."

Kim Brooks says food producers like The Community Farm cannot sustain huge price increases and falling demand Credit: ITV News

The Community Farm was set up 12 years ago, transforming a dozen acres of land beside Chew Valley lake to provide an alternative to mass-produced food.

It sells directly to the public and local businesses - and sales boomed in lockdown.

But now customers are cutting back, Kim says the farm is under more pressure than ever before.

"Our story is not isolated," Kim said. "If a community business, a local business like ours that has built a community over 12 years and has incredible support, if we cannot survive then so many others won't be able to survive either."

Prices have already had to be increased, and may again, but with overheads jumping by as much as 50% for packaging and fuel, margins remain tight. The only option is to start cutting staffing costs by a third.

Nick Haigh started at the farm as one of its many volunteers.

He told ITV News he feels food and farmers are "undervalued massively", adding: "I don't think we pay farmers a fair price for the food and I certainly didn't know the amount of effort that goes into putting food on the plate for sure."