farm,food &
countryside 10
good reasons to eat British food
Bio-diverse Britain The farmer’s year – including poster pullout!
FREE
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Contents 10 good reasons to eat British food
2
Great reasons to visit the countryside
4
The creation of our countryside
6
Bio-diverse Britain
8
Why Farming Matters to the environment
10
The farmer’s year – including poster pullout!
11
Why Farming Matters to the economy
15
Buy local, buy seasonal, buy British
16
Great British recipes
17
Where does your Sunday lunch come from?
18
Farming timeline
20
Flower power!
22
The appliance of science
24
About this booklet
25
The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members. More information at: www.nfuonline.com
Foreword Everyone loves the great British countryside – and for lots of different reasons. Some people like to spend their weekends in the fresh air and others want to enjoy wonderful British food. Farming is at the core of both these essential ingredients of life. Farmers care for the British countryside and grow or rear the produce that ends up on our dinner tables. Farming will also become more important with the increasing demands of climate change and population growth. We also know that people have a genuine interest in what we do as farmers – and some strong opinions about it. That’s why we have reprinted this booklet – to give an insight into farming and answer some of the questions you might have about what we do. Peter Kendall NFU President
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 1
10
good reasons to eat British food
2 1
4
You will be buying a safe, traceable product Food from British farms is produced to very high standards of safety and wholesomeness. The process is regulated and checked from field to plate to ensure you have a meal you can enjoy and trust.
You will cut down on your food miles The transportation of food clutters our roads and airways. This uses up fuel and leads to increased pollution. By sourcing your food locally you can help minimise the problems food miles generate.
You will be supporting your local rural economy Agricultural businesses are key parts of the local rural economy. It’s not just the farmers and farm workers who benefit from your custom, but all those who benefit from a healthy agricultural sector. From those who work in food processing, to the teacher who teaches farm children at the local village school, everyone receives benefits from keeping farmers in business.
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3 5
You will be supporting some great British traditions From English strawberries to Scotch whisky, from Welsh lamb to Cornish clotted cream. British food made from ingredients from British farms represents the best of British culture. Where would we be as a nation without our Cheddar cheese and our real ale?
You will be supporting small family businesses 80% of farms are run by family businesses with modest turnovers. In Britain we have lost nearly half of these family farms in the past 40 years. By supporting British farmers with your custom you will be doing your bit to reverse this regrettable decline.
6
You will be encouraging high animal welfare standards
7
Eat the view By buying British farm produce you are eating the view. British farmers maintain the beautiful British landscape. By keeping them in business you are helping maintain that countryside.
British farmers have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. There are more commercial free range hens in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. UK pig farmers do not use tethers and stalls, in contrast to their foreign competitors. Beef farmers do not use veal crates, beef lot systems, or hormones found abroad.
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9
Shop local, shop British Try shopping at a farm shop or a farmers’ market. This is the best way to get close to the point of production. It’s the best way to ensure the produce is fresh. You might even get to meet the farmer who grew the produce.
The farmer gives you good value Out of an average basket of food costing £37 the farmer receives just £13.
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And the tenth good reason to buy British farm produce? ...oh yes, it tastes good. Very, very good.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 3
Great reasons to vis Enjoy the view From the South Downs to the North York Moors, from the flat fens to the undulating dales, the British countryside offers a range of views that no art gallery could match. Get your boots on and get viewing.
Immerse yourself in nature Britain boasts an inspiring bio-diversity. Whether it’s the scent of wild flowers, the spectacle of birds on the wing, the buzz of a busy bee or the warm breeze on your face, the British countryside has it all to offer.
Stay on a farm or pay a visit
Fresh air and health The first thing to do in the countryside is to fill your lungs with fresh air. The air in the countryside is significantly cleaner than the air in the city. It has been suggested that people who live in the countryside have a longer life expectancy than those who live in the towns.
Access and space Britain has one of the most comprehensive footpath networks in the world. With over 188,700km public rights of way in England you will never be short of a new walk. And if you are in need of some exercise, why have an expensive workout when you can have a free walk out?
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There are over 1200 Farm Stay registered properties to stay at where you can enjoy farm life first hand. Whether it’s bed and breakfast, full board or self catering, there will be something to fulfill your needs at www.farmstayuk.co.uk. With over 500 open farms and farm attractions, Britain can offer all manner of agricultural days out. Pet a lamb, ride a pony, watch a cow being milked – all right on your doorstep.
It’s the most popular physical activity you can do with your clothes on. Say ‘hello’ to the great outdoors.
it the countryside …and while you’re in the countryside don’t forget the Countryside Code Be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs Even when going out locally, it’s best to get the latest information about where and when you can go (for example, your rights to go onto some areas of open land may be restricted while work is carried out, for safety reasons or during breeding seasons). Follow advice and local signs, and be prepared for the unexpected.
Leave gates and property as you find them Please respect the working life of the countryside, as our actions can affect people’s livelihoods, our heritage, and the safety and welfare of animals and ourselves.
Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home We have a responsibility to protect our countryside now and for future generations, so make sure you don’t harm animals, birds, plants or trees.
“The thing I enjoy about the countryside the most is the peace, quietness, space, fresh air... scenery. It’s really beautiful.”
Keep dogs under close control The countryside is a great place to exercise dogs, but it is every owner’s duty to make sure their dog is not a danger or nuisance to farm animals, wildlife or other people.
Consider other people Showing consideration and respect for other people makes the countryside a pleasant environment for everyone – at home, at work and at leisure.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 5
The creation of our W
e tend to take many of the features of our countryside for granted, assuming they are naturally occurring.
We forget it is largely a worked countryside rather than a natural one and that farmers manage and maintain 75% of it. At the same time as producing healthy, nutritious food, farmers take their roles as countryside managers very seriously. Here are some key environmental features to look out for next time you visit a farm‌
The meadow and the margin Grazing livestock are hugely important to the ecology and environment of the hills, upland and other grassland areas. Grazing cattle and sheep allow different flora and fauna to flourish and margins at the edges of fields allow other wildlife species to thrive. In 2009 there were six million hectares of farmland in agri-environment schemes where the farmer manages the land to encourage this biodiversity.
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The farm track
The hedge
Two hundred years ago the countryside was criss-crossed by a cob-web of cart tracks and droves used for herding farmstock from field to field. Many of those old routes remain and are still used and maintained by farmers as they go about their work. Often public footpaths run along these tracks and today there are around 188,700km of public rights of way in England.
Britain has one of the most densely hedged farmscapes in the world (in upland areas the hedge’s place is taken by the stone wall). Since 1987, agrienvironment schemes have helped to restore more than 17,000km of hedgerow. The good news is that bird species that nest in hedges, such as blackcap, whitethroat, long-tailed tit, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and dunnock have all shown increases over the past 10-15 years.
countryside
The old barn Barns provide the architecture of our countryside. They were built to store crops and house animals in bad weather. They provide an important nest habitat for species such as the barn owl, swallow and bat.
The pond The ditch
The copse
Ditches, or dykes, are small watercourses around fields that drain the land so that crops can be grown. Unlike streams they are not natural but have been dug by farmers. Their banks provide habitat for creatures such as voles and plants such as primrose.
The copse or spinney is a small group of trees and shrubs. Since 1990, farmers have planted over 90 million trees. Copses act to break up the open countryside and provide stopping off points for species such as deer.
Farm ponds were traditionally created by farmers to provide water for stock. In recent times farmers have dug small lakes called reservoirs to collect winter rainfall which is used to irrigate crops in the summer. The number of ponds in Great Britain increased by 11.1% between 1998 and 2007 to an estimated total of 487,000. They provide habitats for a range of species such as ducks and frogs.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 7
Bio-diverse Britain It is often assumed that wildlife is in decline or under some sort of threat. While it is true that some species of animal and bird have declined since the war, there are others that are stable or have increased in the past 50 years.
According to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), three of the most common wildfowl on Britain’s waterways – the mallard duck, the greylag goose and the mute swan – have and continue to rapidly increase in numbers. Having suffered setbacks in the 1960s and 1970s the otter is now making a comeback in Britain.Otters are good indicators of river quality because they need clean rivers with an abundant, varied supply of food and plenty of bankside vegetation with secluded sites for their holts. After many years of absence the number of otters has increased significantly, especially in the South West. Fish populations in London rivers have steadily increased in number and variety.
Most British birds of prey have shown good increases in the past 30 years, most notably the buzzard and the sparrow hawk. Brown hare populations have increased by around 50% in England since the low point in the mid 1980s. Other mammals are also showing healthy increases in population sizes, including the weasel, stoat and polecat.
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The decline in some farmland birds during the 1970’s and 80’s has stabilised since the late 1990’s. However, the cause of more recent declines in the past couple of years are poorly understood. The continued work by farmers on agrienvironment schemes helps these farmland birds cope with other pressures that are beyond our control, such as the impact of climate change. The good news is that some farmland birds – the goldfinch (left), the whitethroat and the reed bunting have all increased by over a third.
Did you know Britain is home to: 1.5 million hedgehogs 31 million moles 41 million common shrews 75 million field voles 38 million wood mice *According to JNCC Review of British mammals 2005
Bats are often used as UK wildlife health indicators. Increasing population trends were seen from 1999-2006 in common pipistrelle, lesser horseshoe bat and dauberton’s bat.
For the first time in 300 years we have wild boar roaming free and proliferating. Similarly, the red necked wallaby can be seen running free in the countryside. Some swear we also have pumas and lynx at large. But don’t have nightmares, there is nothing to fear from the countryside and its wildlife.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 9
Why
Did you know? For every hectare of English loamy soil there will be four tonnes of earthworms, ten tonnes of fungi and one tonne of springtails, spiders, beetles and snails.
Farming Matters! From the worms wriggling through the soil, to the beetles scuttling about on the grass (go on, kneel down and take a look!) farmland is teeming with plant and animal life. Farmers are passionate about making their land a great habitat for a range of animals and plants – more than ever before are taking part in what are called ‘agri-environment schemes’ to encourage more wildlife onto their farms. In 2009, almost two-thirds (65%) of suitable agricultural land was part of one of these schemes. Farmers taking part in those schemes:
Restore hedges that were taken out in the 1960s and 70s
Encourage wild birds onto their land by growing crops that the birds can feed on and only cutting their hedges during the winter so that nesting birds will be undisturbed
Invite schools and groups to look around their land Dig new ponds for frogs, newts and all the animals that rely on them for drinking water
Leave wide margins at the edge of fields for wild plants, butterflies, insects and birds
Create beetle banks so that beetles can get from one side of the field to another
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The Farmer’s
year
Grazing season The grazing season lasts for six to eight months depending on the weather and the location of the farm in the north or south of Britain. Most cattle are brought inside for the winter and fed mainly on hay or silage. Cattle and sheep outdoors will also be given supplementary feed until the grass starts to grow again in the spring.
Some of the things you might see going on in the countryside Lambing and calving Many sheep and cattle have their young inside to protect them from harsh weather conditions, but those arriving later in the spring may be born outdoors. Ewes and lambs, and cows and calves spend the warm summer months at pasture.
Fertilising/field operations Fertilisers and crop protection products are applied to crops when necessary, according to their stage of growth. During the spring, farmers cut grass to be made into silage – this is a way of preserving grass so it can be fed to livestock during the winter months.
Harvest Arable crops such as wheat and barley are harvested at the end of the summer once they have had time to ripen. If the weather is wet during harvest, the grain is brought inside to be dried ready for selling, or for storage. Improvements in crop breeding and growing methods have increased the harvesting season for crops like strawberries, and some, like cabbage, are harvested every month of the year.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 11
The Farmer’s
year sowing/planting land preparation and farm maintenance cattle sheep grassland orchards fruit & vegetables harvest grain & other farmed crops
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FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 13
Pigs and poultry
Animals on the
farm
Pig and poultry units produce meat (pork, chicken and turkey, for example) and eggs from both indoor and outdoor systems. Outdoor pigs often have access to ‘arks’ – small shelters to give them protection from the weather – and also enjoy mud bath areas. The most popular breeds of pig in the UK are the British Landrace and the Large White, although the Duroc breed is popular for outdoor systems. Poultry breeds include Cobb and Ross for meat and Isa or Bovan for eggs.
Some of the livestock you might see in the countryside Dairy cows Most dairy cows are milked twice a day, and spend the rest of their time eating or lying down chewing the cud. This process is an important part of digestion, and refers to the way cows regurgitate food they’ve already swallowed and chew it again! The most common dairy breeds in the UK are Holstein Friesians (pictured) but you might also see Ayrshires, Jerseys and Guernseys.
Beef Beef cattle are reared on a combination of indoor systems, often on large straw yards, and outdoor, grass-based systems. The meat differs in flavour and texture according to the system of rearing, the breed of the animal and the age it goes to slaughter. Traditional UK beef breeds include the Hereford (pictured), Lincoln Red and Aberdeen Angus, but continental breeds like the Limousin, Charolais and Simmental are very common now.
Sheep Many hardy breeds of sheep live outside year round, but most come indoors for lambing before going back out in the spring. Typically, hill breeds like the Herdwick, Scottish Blackface and Swaledale (pictured) produce breeding stock for lowland farms, where breeds like Texels, Suffolks and Charollais are common.
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Why Farming Matters! Where does our food come from? Mostly it is grown at one of the farms that stretch across the length and breadth of the country. But what does that mean in money terms? What part does it play in the economy?
holiday cottages and outdoor activities, for example. If you go into the countryside you might even see signs for a Maize Maze – a great place to get completely lost!
Farmers are committed to their businesses and have worked hard to make them successful – so much so that in 2008 farm incomes increased by over a third.
Many farms are directly involved in rural tourism which generates around £14 billion a year.
Agriculture and horticulture contribute around £5.8 billion to the UK economy. Because everyone needs to buy food, even during a recession, farming can still do well and continue to keep people in employment. Over half a million people are employed in agriculture. The wider rural economy employs about 5.5 million people. Farmers are used to looking after themselves so they are very independent and always looking for ways to make the most of their land and buildings. Over half of the farms in England have ‘diversified’ – opening farm shops,
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 15
Buy local, buy seasonal, buy British Shopping in today’s hectic world can be a rushed affair. A multitude of labels, kitemarks and logos do nothing to make it easy. Always look out for signs that say ‘Produced in Britain’ rather than ‘Packed in Britain’.
Shop at a farmers’ market Since their inception in 1997, farmers’ markets have become remarkably popular for the discerning shopper. There are now over 500 regular markets around the country – attracting millions of customers who are looking for fresh, local produce.
Use a farm shop There are over 3,000 farm shops scattered throughout Britain’s beautiful countryside – each of them giving the visitor a delightful opportunity to access local, fresh, seasonal food and drink.
Look for seasonal food Our mild climate means that we can grow a dazzling variety of vegetables and fruit, all of them delicious and healthy! Take a look at the chart on pages 12 and 13 to see when different foods are in season – remember if you buy British your food will not have collected food miles while travelling half way around the world.
Look out for the Red Tractor The Red Tractor on pack proves it’s been produced to stringent standards that are subject to independent inspections. These standards cover all aspects of farm production, from looking after the countryside to food hygiene and how animals are cared for, to what they are fed. It also rewards the hard work of the farmer who cares as much as you do. Red Tractor assured products can be found in all the major supermarkets, independent retailers and a growing number of restaurants and pub chains with the Union Flag confirming that it is quality food from Britain – guaranteed.
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Great British recipes These simple, nutritious dishes are made using fresh produce which everyone will enjoy.
Chicken and ff Mushroom Strogano Serves 4 strips n skinless fillets cut into Red Tractor British chicke tter 1 knob of Red Tractor bu 2 tsp oil , finely sliced 1 small Red Tractor onion ut mushrooms, sliced 150g Red Tractor chestn 75ml white wine 75ml chicken stock rd 1 tsp whole grain musta am 1 x 150ml tub soured cre ctor parsley or Bunch of fresh Red Tra pped Red Tractor thyme, cho black pepper Salt and freshly ground ok the onion in a large frying pan. Co Heat the butter and oil our. Add the col to soft and beginning for 3 – 4 minutes until brown. n lde – 7 minutes until go chicken and cook for 5 the liquid k until soft and most of Add the mushrooms; coo has simmered off. by half. Then for 5 minutes to reduce Add the wine and boil bring to the and soured cream and add the stock, mustard Red Tractor parsley. boil. Season and add the noodles or rice. Serve immediately over
Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins Serves 8 300g Red Tractor plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 150g Red Tractor caster sugar 75g white chocolate, chopped 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 200ml Red Tractor milk 50g Red Tractor butter, melted 100g Red Tractor fresh or thawed frozen raspberries Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6. Place 8 paper muffin cases into a muffin tray, or line with squares of greaseproof paper. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and chopped choc olate. In a jug, beat together the egg, vani lla extract, milk and melted butter. Add to the dry ingr edients with the raspberries and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes until well-risen. Cool on a wire rack. Cook’s tip: Another time make the muffins with Red Tractor blueberries instead of rasp berries.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 17
Where does your Sund lunch come from? British free range chicken Over a third of the meat we eat in Britain is chicken – it’s tasty, versatile and easy to prepare. Eating chicken is also said to make us happy – packed full of amino acids that produce serotonin, the hormone that helps us feel cheerful.
Potatoes The humble potato is an all important part of the perfect roast and there are over 80 varieties grown here in the UK. Every year the average person eats 500 medium sized potatoes. That’s just as well, as potatoes are packed full of goodness – an average sized potato contains over half the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Try roasting some butternut squash with your roast potatoes, one of the new varieties of vegetables that British farmers are growing.
Roast chicken dinner
Cheeseboard
Broccoli Crammed full of vitamins and antioxidants, broccoli is proven to reduce the risk of cancer and is considered a great source of energy.
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day Blueberries A relatively new crop in Britain, you can now enjoy home-grown British blueberries during the summer months. Believed by many to be the “ultimate super-food” just a handful of blueberries contain the same amount of age-defying antioxidants as five servings of other fruit and vegetables. A recent study even concluded that around 100g a day can stimulate the growth of new brain cells!
Summer fruit pudding Cream The perfect accompaniment to a plethora of puddings. This indulgent treat, in common with other dairy products, contains bone and teeth-strengthening calcium. There are around two million adult dairy cows in the UK producing milk to drink and milk for a range of other dairy products.
Bread A true staple of the British diet which has been around since the Stone Age. Wheat is the central ingredient and UK farmers produce around 15 million tonnes each year. Bread is also baked full of nutritional benefits including fibre, calcium, vitamins and iron. As a nation we munch our way through 10 million loaves of bread every day!
Cheese There are over 700 named British cheeses in the UK, from the well know Cheddar and Red Leicester to the more exotic Caerphilly from South Wales. Commonly produced from cows’ milk, you can also find British cheese produced from goats’ and sheep milk. Every year 400,000 tonnes of cheese is produced in the UK, - that’s more than the weight of 60,000 elephants!
Blackberries and raspberries Along with other soft fruits, blackberries and raspberries are carefully harvested by hand. Find them on the supermarket shelf, the local pick-your-own, or even find blackberries growing wild in hedgerows on country walks.
Sugar British produced sugar comes from sugar beet. There are over 4,000 sugar beet growers in the UK. When sliced and boiled it makes a sweet liquor from which sugar is then crystallised. This is then packed and can be found on the supermarket shelf.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 19
Farming timeline 1850: Horse drawn reaping and threshing machines introduced.
Agriculture is more productive and can feed the fast growing towns. Only 22% of the 21 million population is employed in agriculture. Famine is rare, with the exception of Ireland.
1750: Beginning of the agricultural revolution brings in new machinery such as Jethro Tull’s drill, new breeds of farm animals and root crops such as swede and potato from the Americas introduced.
Rampant urbanisation begins. Cars and roads allow urban workers to live in rural areas.
Railways open up the countryside. Start of rural tourism.
Dairying becomes important. Imported sea bird droppings (guano) provide a new and important fertiliser. The open field system is abandoned and land becomes enclosed into single fields. 200,000 miles of hedge are established.
1800
1850
1900: The steam engine powers machinery such as ploughs and threshing equipment. Railways move food such as milk quickly from farms to towns. Free trade policies and competition from America push farming into economic decline.
1900
Ever wondered whether the food you eat costs more or less in real terms than it did a generation ago? Imagine the Average family sitting down to watch England win the 1966 World Cup final while eating a meal. Compare it with watching the England cricket team playing against Australia for the Ashes in 2009. Mr or Mrs Average would have to work for a lot longer to pay for their lunch in 1966 than they do in 2009. For example, if
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Things have changed a lot over the past two hundred years. At the beginning of the 1800s, the agricultural revolution was in full swing – with new machinery and new crops from around the world. Take a look at the timeline below to track the changes, and to see how much the price of food has dropped in comparison with the weekly wage. Only 3% now employed in farming.
Conservation of the countryside becomes a serious political issue.
Countryside equivalent to five times the size of Cambridge lost every year.
Tree cover rising. Demise of the elm tree due to dutch elm disease.
Diesel powered tractors and harvesters replace men and horses.
The yellow flowered oilseed rape becomes common in the landscape.
100,000 people moving from town to countryside every year.
2009: The productivity of UK agriculture increases by over 55% since 1973.
2001: Defra replaces MAFF.
2002: Auto steer tractors in common use.
Mechanisation requires larger fields and many hedges are removed. The motor car causes increased urbanisation of the countryside. Population at 55 million. End of food rationing imposed during World War II. 1950: Widespread use of fertilisers allows cropping without animal dung which causes the decline of the mixed farm.
Animal Institute for
©
AGCO Ltd
Artificial insemination improves farm animal genetics.
2009: Over half of farms in England diversify beyond core farming activities.
Sugar beet becomes an important crop. 1975: Most farms now have electricity and telephones.
New varieties of cereals and fungicides doubles yields in 30 years.
1950
© Health
After decades of losses, hedges are on the increase again.
1975
2000: Mechanisation continues and the number of farmers and workers falls by 50% in 25 years.
2000
Number of ponds increasing. Less land under cultivation-farmers respond to conservation challenge.
2002
2010
Mr Average were on an average salary for the time he would have to work for 44 minutes to buy a joint of beef in 1966 – now he has to work for less than 26 minutes to buy the same joint. In 1966 it would take 25 minutes work to buy a loaf of bread – in 2009 that would now take less than four minutes. In real terms food in Britain has never been so affordable as it is today. Modern British agriculture helps deliver that affordability.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 21
Flower
POWER!
Everyone’s heard of climate change – but what does it mean to farmers? Farmers see it every day on their land – and six out of ten say that they are already affected by it. They are keen to cut down on emissions from their own land and are also uniquely placed to provide many different kinds of renewable energy such as biofuels. We have all seen the oilseed rape that blazes with yellow flowers in May and June. Most of it goes to make vegetable oil for cooking – for example in margarine, but it also has an increasingly important role with other crops, to replace the damaging fossil fuels used to power our cars and machinery. Using plant oils and other biofuels to replace petrol and diesel is a way of moving to a ‘low carbon’ culture and cutting down on greenhouse gases.
Cars which run on agricultural products Since 2008, the government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation means that all fuel for road vehicles must contain 2.5% biodiesel or bioethanol (made from agricultural crops) rising to 5% by 2013. Biofuels from the UK achieve high scores for sustainability and can save over 50% on greenhouse gas emissions.
Plant power is being harnessed to fuel a car for Jonathan Scurlock, who is the energy advisor at the NFU. His Audi A6 diesel runs on pure vegetable oil fuel produced by British rapeseed growers. He can now drive around the country on business without ever visiting a filling station!
Did you know? A field of oilseed rape the size of a football pitch can provide enough fuel to power the average family car for one year. A growing number of cars and some farm machinery, such as tractors, can be fuelled by biodiesel or converted to run on plant oil.
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Farmers are also investing in new technology to create electricity on their farms. There are lots of ways of doing this: harnessing the power of the wind with windmills, growing energy crops like miscanthus and short rotation coppice willow for local heating or power stations, or turning manure and silage into biogas. There are a growing number of anaerobic digesters making biogas on farms in the UK. The farmer collects all the manures from the farm (this has the advantage of reducing one of the greenhouse gases produced by manures – methane) and mixes them with farm silage in a large tank. Bacteria in the manure breaks down this mixture to produce biogas, which is then burned in a generator to make electricity. What’s left can be recycled and used to improve the soil.
Miscanthus
Anaerobic Digester
Using anaerobic digestion, farmers can make enough electricity for their own farms, as well as selling the surplus to the national grid to power hundreds of local houses.
FARM, FOOD & COUNTRYSIDE 23
The appliance of science From the invention of the steel plough in the 1800s, to the use of robotic milking, science and technology have played a critical role in farming’s ability to produce enough food to keep millions of people happy and healthy. The whole world is now facing a difficult challenge. The number of people is increasing while climate change is making it harder, in some places, to grow food. It is clear that British farmers will need to respond by producing more food while keeping the impact on the environment to a minimum. This will only be possible with new and improving science and technology. Imagine using a satellite to guide your tractor. Many farmers are now using
precision farming – using mapping, remote sensing, data technologies and robotic technologies to manage crops precisely and accurately. For example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver on an auto steer tractor allows planting between last years rows in a no plough system. The tractor can be used in the dark and will not overlap on fertilisers or crop protection products – saving money and climate change emissions. Thousands of animals were affected by the bluetongue virus in northern Europe during 2007 – at a cost of almost £100 million. Fortunately scientists had recognised this threat and started to prepare a vaccine to protect the livestock of the UK.
AGCO Ltd©
Did you know? Artificial insemination (AI) has revolutionised livestock production. It is now standard practice in all systems, including organic.
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AI allows female animals to be inseminated without the male (for example a bull) being transported to the farm. It also means that semen can be traded around the world, which also brings greater genetic diversity.
About this booklet The NFU is the voice of British farming. And there is little doubt we always need to work to explain what farmers do and the benefits we achieve for the nation and its people. While we will be producing an in-depth report aimed at policy-makers, we also wanted to produce a booklet that would explain the facts to the people that love the countryside and enjoy British food.
If you are inspired to find out more about farming please go to www.nfuonline.com and if you would like any further copies of this booklet email farmfoodandcountryside@nfu.org.uk. The first 10 copies are free but we ask for a contribution of £5.00 P&P for 50 copies and £10.00 P&P for 100 copies. Details of payment options will be given on receipt of the order request.
ISN’T IT GREAT WE GROW OUR OWN
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