Agriculture Flashcards
(52 cards)
Give examples of organisations that offer support and advice to farmers
- National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS)
- Scottish Tenant Farmers Association
- Scottish Land Commission (Tenant Farming Commissioner)
- Farm Advisory Service
- RSABI
What is a smallholding?
Owner occupied or tenanted agricultural holding, operating on less than 50 acres
What is high farming?
When a farm tenant adopts a more beneficial farming system than is required by the leasing arrangement
What is a viable unit?
A farming unit which (in the opinion of the Land Court) is capable of providing an individual occupier with full-time employment and the means to pay the rent
What issues are currently facing british agriculture?
- Shortage of labour due to Brexit
- High fertaliser prices
- High feed prices
What is contract farming?
A joint agreement between a landowner or occupier and a contractor. The farmer provides the land, buildings and fixed equipment. The contractor provides the labour and machinery. The parties share the cost of variable inputs and will each receive a baseline fee and a share of the devisible surplus depending on what is stated in the agreement.
What are the benefits of contract farming?
- flexibility for the farmer in choosing the right contractor
- best possible machinery without investment
- no need to sign up to tenancy or employ staff
- contractor can expand business without additional land
What is the purpose of crop rotations?
To maintain soil fertility
To control weeds and diseases
To improve soil structure
What is a typical crop rotation in your area?
- Wheat, wheat, potatoes, wheat, barley, rape
- WW, SB, WOSR, WW and Beans
When might you drill oilseed rape?
Should be early so perhaps after winter barley or an early maturing wheat variety. Often precedes a winter barley crop.
What might be used as break crops in a cereal crop rotation?
Oilseed Rape
Potatoes
Beans
Grass leys
What factors affect a crop rotation?
Local climate Land capability Demand Subsidy Timings of harvest
What is a cover crop?
A non-cash crop grown for the purpose of protecting or improving between between periods of regular crop production. Act as a green manure.
Give some examples of cover crops?
Brassicas - mustards, radishes and turnips
Legumes - vetch and clovers
Grasses and cereals - oats, rye, rye-grass
What are the methods of destruction of cover-crops?
Sprayed off in spring, killed by frost, grazed or mechanically destroyed
What yeild might you expect for winter wheat?
Average around 8t/ha, might get more like 6t/ha on second harvest
What yeild might your expect for spring barley?
4.5 - 6.5t/ha
What is the going price for milling wheat and feed wheat?
Milling wheat =£210/tonne (ex-farm)
Feed wheat = £180/tone (ex-farm)
What is the going price for OSR?
Around £500/tonne
What are the price for peas (feed and micronising)?
Feed = £210 Micronising = £250
What yeilds might you expect for winter and spring OSR?
Winter = 3-4t/ha Spring = 1.5-3t/ha
What yeilds might you expect for peas and beans?
2.5 - 5t/ha
Describe the yearly feild operations for a winter cereal crop?
Ploughing - September Drilling - October Weed and aphid control - November Fertaliser - March Fertaliser - April Weed control - April Disease control - June Harvesting - August
Remember - please don’t wait for fields with driven hares
What factors affect the required fertaliser ratio for different crops?
- previous cropping policy
- quantity of organic manures used
- soil nutrient status
- whether the land is in an NVZ
