WHEAT FARMING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Wheat farming in the UK has become more productive as new technology is used.
However production has to be sustainable. Productivity today cannot be enjoyed
at the expense of production tomorrow.
Integrated farm management
'Integrated farm management' (IFM) means managing crop production for profit
as well as considering its impact on the environment. IFM is a whole farm system
providing efficient and profitable production that is environmentally
responsible. It works by incorporating natural processes into modern farming
techniques to ensure high standards of stewardship and environmental care.
Farmers that practise IFM have to be able to demonstrate improvement to the
quality of soil, water, air, wildlife and the landscape. IFM involves:
Crop rotation
If crops are grown in the same place year after year, pests and diseases can
build up in the soil. 'Rotating' the crops – or planting a different crop in the
same area each year – helps to keep the soil productive. A well-planned crop
rotation helps reduce input requirements (e.g. fertilisers), pollution and soil
erosion. It can help to boost profit and enhance landscape and biodiversity.
Soil management
Good soil management improves soil structure and reduces environmental
problems. The content of soil changes over the years as crops and products (e.g.
fertilisers, pesticides) are added to it, and crops are removed during
harvesting. Soil can also be eroded by water, especially if the ground is
sloping or the soil is sandy. Reducing the intensity of cultivation can have
economic and environmental benefits.
Planting
choosing the right variety of seed, and when you sow it, can cut down crop
protection costs.
Weeds
Cultural and chemical control methods are used to manage weeds across the
crop rotation.
Pests
Managing rather than simply controlling pests is important.
Diseases
Crop planning, variety choice, husbandry and fungicides all help to minimise
disease.
Water
Crop production and the inputs used (e.g. fertilisers, pesticides) can affect
the quality of water in the environment. If the nutrients in fertilisers are not
taken up by plants, they may be washed out of the soil by rain water and enter
streams and rivers ('leaching'). Pesticides can also be washed into the water.
The extent depends on weather conditions during the growing season. However,
correctly fertilised cereals present a low risk of nitrate leaching loss and, in
the past 10 years, phosphate levels in water have declined by 10%. The EU
Drinking Water Directive imposes stringent standards on permitted pesticide
levels, and very few pesticides commonly found in water samples are used on
cereals.
Nutrition
The aim is to maximise the use of applied fertiliser and soil reserves while
minimising environmental losses. Fertilisers work by providing one or more of
the essential ingredients that plants need for growth: nitrogen (N), phosphate
(P) and potassium (K). Farmers may use organic fertilisers (e.g. manure, waste
crops) or inorganic products (e.g. ammonium nitrate). They have to be used
carefully to avoid polluting the environment.
Fertilisers
Fertilisers are substances added to the soil to increase the yield of the
crop. When plants are harvested, the nutrients are removed with them. In a
natural ecosystem, the plants would eventually die and decay, with the nutrients
being returned to the soil. Farmers need to use fertilisers containing these
nutrients to maintain productivity year after year.
Fertilisers work by providing one or more of the essential ingredients that
plants need for growth: nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K). Plants
need nutrients as well as carbon dioxide and water for photosynthesis. Plants
also need to make proteins and nucleic acids. Macronutrients are needed in
relatively large quantities, e.g. nitrogen to make amino acids.
Micronutrients are needed in very small amounts. If plants lack these
nutrients when they are growing, they show specific deficiency symptoms.
| Nutrient |
Use |
Deficiency symptoms |
| nitrogen |
growth, production of proteins and nucleic acids |
stunted growth, brown older leaves |
| phosphorus |
proteins, nucleic acids, ATP |
poor root growth, dead yellow spots on leaves |
| potassium |
enzyme activator |
poor growth, dehydration, small purple leaves |
Farmers can use organic fertilisers or inorganic fertilisers.
| Inorganic |
Organic |
| manufactured, e.g. ammonium nitrate |
animal manure, sewage sludge |
| contains concentrated amounts of macronutrients |
may contain important micronutrients |
| more easily leached from the soil |
adds organic matter which improves soil structure |
| can be applied in smaller amounts because it is concentrated |
manure is a good way of recycling the manure produced on mixed farms |
| easy to handle and spread on the fields |
smelly! |
The application of fertilisers in farming is closely monitored by the farmer
and subject to a number of regulations. This is because the incorrect
application of nitrogen and phosphorus can have a negative environmental impact.
Other environmental initiatives
There are also other initiatives which are helpful to the environment.
Encouraging biodiversity
All crops affect the biodiversity of an area, but farmers can take steps to
reduce the impact of their crops. For example, leaving unsown patches in winter
cereal fields helps birds such as skylarks to use the fields later in the season
to find food and raise more young. Also, the introduction of 'beetle banks'
(uncultivated strips of land which lie across the field) can encourage beetles,
providing food for birds.
Set-aside
Set-aside means land that farmers are not allowed to use for any agricultural
purpose. They are paid a subsidy in return. The set-aside land is undisturbed
for most of the year, which benefits bird, mammal and insect populations.
Environmentally sensitive areas (ESA)
There are currently 22 areas in the UK covering around 10% of agricultural
land. Farmers are paid if they enter into an agreement to manage their land in
ways that will conserve the traditional environment.
Environmental stewardship
This is a new scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land
managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their
land. Its main objectives are to:
- conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
- maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
- protect the historic environment and natural resources
- promote public access and understanding of the countryside.
Environmental stewardship has three elements:
- Entry Level Stewardship (ELS)
Open to all farmers
and landowners
Simple and effective land management
- Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS)
Organic
strand of ELS
Open to all farmers not receiving Organic Farming Scheme
(OFS) aid
- Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)
Targeted
environmental management
Capital work plans
English woodland grant scheme
Launched in 2005, the scheme gives farmers grants to help plant woodland
trees or hedgerows on their land. Between 2000 and 2005, the Woodland Grant
Scheme supported the creation of 28,262ha of new woodland in England
(approximately 28 million new trees planted).
The creation of new woodlands and forests:
- provides economic returns, e.g. timber
- enhances the environment, e.g. the landscape
- provides new areas for recreation.
The Woodland Grant Scheme also aims to:
- encourage good management of forests and woodlands, including their
regeneration, particularly looking after ancient and semi-natural woodlands
- provide jobs and improve the economy of rural areas and other areas with
few other sources of economic activity
- provide a use for land instead of agriculture.
Cereal crops and greenhouse gases
Crops provide a 'sink' for carbon – photosynthesis 'fixes' carbon in plants
and carbon is returned to the soil in plant residues. The greenhouse gases
involved in global warming are nitrous oxides, methane and carbon dioxide. Less
than 1% of UK carbon dioxide emissions comes from agriculture.
Other uses for cereal crops
Sustainable development also involves finding new uses for cereal crops.
There is a lot of potential for using cereal crops for non-food uses, e.g. to
produce renewable fuel such as bio diesel and bio ethanol. The HGCA is one
organisation which awards funding to companies looking to develop non-food uses
for cereals. One company has used cereal crops to make sealants for the oil
exploration industry. Another has used wheat flour to make packaging material.
