Agriculture

Crop Production

Planting

  • Consider converting to organic farming
  • Encourage the use of set-aside to reduce the input of fertilisers and pesticides
  • Consider using green cover crops when calculating fertiliser requirements to utilise nutrients and avoid nitrate leaching

Pesticides

  • Check if the use of sprays are all essential
  • Use large pesticide containers as this will cut down on the quantity of containers used
  • Consider using cultural control methods to reduce pesticide use
  • Consider the use of direct injection spray
  • Check the dosage of chemical pesticides being used to see if it can be reduced

Fertilisers

  • Reduce the use of inorganic fertilisers by using farmyard manure, slurry and sewage sludge. These should be fully accounted for when calculating other inorganic fertiliser requirements. The N available to be used by crops in manure decreases with age
  • Consider fertiliser planning that takes into account soil indices, previous cropping, soil type, crop potential yield and any organic fertiliser applied
  • Make sure that herbicide and pesticide sprayers are calibrated to ensure correct application rates and minimal diluted products that require to be disposed

Harvesting and Storage

  • Consider the machine settings of harvesters and graders and cleaners to avoid crushed grain and sliced or bruised roots
  • Monitor temperature, ventilation, humidity, calibration or controls of storage areas to avoid grain deteriorating in quality (ageing/deadspots/moulds)

Livestock Waste Management

Sheep Dip

  • Use pour-on preparations or injectables instead of sheep dip

Manures

  • Be aware of where all foul and clean drains go and the relative inputs going into these
  • Reduce rainwater from being collected into a slurry or manure system and consider roofing midden areas
  • Reduce water by removing excess dung from parlours and yards with a brush or squeegee before hosing down

Bedding

  • Use woodchip corrals as an alternative to over-wintering sheds with straw. This will reduce labour needed to muck out sheds, straw and amounts of muck inputs into the soil

Feed Waste

  • Check that feeders are calibrated regularly
  • Always use feed troughs or racks in preference to tipping feed on the ground in fields
  • Check mangers and replace old feeders to avoid losses
  • Check that feeding equipment doesn’t damage the physical form of the pellets and cause dust
  • Install bulk feed bins that cuts down on packaging waste

Water And Energy In Buildings

  • Reduce electricity consumption by fitting lower energy sodium lighting
  • Consider fitting cooling controls in the dairy
  • Check control settings regularly in crop stores
  • Consider fitting automatic temperature controls in livestock and poultry units
  • Install good insulation in livestock and poultry units
  • Reduce water consumption by collecting rain water from farm buildings
  • Reduce water consumption by investigating and fixing any leaks and install water meters
  • Look at processes and activities that require water use and investigate opportunities for reducing consumption

Packaging

  • Reduce packaging by buying-in-bulk and using bulk storage
  • Reduce in packaging by changing to larger sized containers or bags using liquid fertiliser
  • Investigate different methods of stacking products onto pallets to reduce packaging


Sources:

  • ‘Opportunities for Saving Money by Reducing Waste on Your Farm’: MAFF
  • ‘Environmental Improvements in Agriculture’ – Borders Waste Minimisation Project: SAC/SEPA

Contacts

Farm and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG)

FWAG Scotland exists to provide farmers, crofters, landowners and our other clients with the best opportunity for environmental gain through cost effective, quality solutions. FWAG provides farmers and landowners with practical advice on making adjustments to farm operations and enhancing farm features in order to support wildlife, landscape, archaeology, access and other conservation issues. Farm waste management is an issue that the group deals with.

FWAG Scotland currently has 15 local groups with 18 farming advisers. The Scottish headquarters are in Ingliston outside Edinburgh:

www.fwag.org.uk/scotland/ external link

Scottish Agricultural College

SAC offers a wide range of environmental management, protection and development services for farmers, rural industries, developers and agencies. Our environment is a fragile resource and its enhancement, protection and development is usually a matter for wider scrutiny and debate. legislation is becoming increasingly tougher and SAC consultants can advise on the most appropriate course of action.

SAC services include:

  • Heartland Environmental
  • SAC Conservation Services
  • Engineering Resources
  • SAC Building Design Services
  • Land and Water Engineering
  • Renewable Energy Design Services
  • SAC Training Services

Contact:

Don Stevenson, SAC Consultancy and Business Development Manager
Tel: 01292 525121
http://www.sac.ac.uk/ external link