SOIL MANAGEMENT

Soil Management

Soil Erosion/Run Off

Tactical methods and techniques employed to reduce risk of soil erosion and run off by water and wind including:

  • Analysis of soil texture and structure
  • Risk assessment
  • Tactical ways to prevent and minimise soil erosion/run off and remedial action
  • Considerations relating to soil erosion from cropping practices, cultivation, livestock, bare soil and wind blow
  • Crop rotation
  • Principles and effects on soil of cultivation strategies from no-till to full inversion ploughing
  • Field drainage systems and soil compaction remedies
  • Countryside stewardship options available to assist with prevention of this
  • Soil related ‘Cross Compliance’ issues
  • Soil Management Plans

Water Protection

Protection of water and maintenance of water quality. Considerations regarding land management and water quality to minimise point source and diffuse water pollution.

  • Pesticide and stewardship schemes, e.g., ‘Get Pelletwise’ for metaldehyde-based slug pellets
  • Voluntary Initiative and Think H2OK?
  • Advice concerning on-farm implementation of Water Framework Directive
  • Spraying: Filling/cleaning and application to minimise point source pollution
  • Aquatic buffer zones and label legislation
  • LERAPs, Interim Scheme and Drift Reducing Technology Scheme

Good Agricultural and Environment Conditions (GAECs)

  • Providing Minimum Level of Soil Cover (GAEC 4)
  • Minimising Soil Erosion (GAEC 5)
  • Maintaining Level of Soil Organic Matter (GAEC 6)

SEED

Seed and Crop Rotation Support

Crop Rotation

  • Varietal selection
  • Varietal diversification, minimising impact of rusts
  • Maturity ratings
  • Yield and straw considerations

Crops

Winter/Spring:

  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Oats
  • Forage Rye
  • Triticale

Forage maize:

  • Breeders include: KWS, Poineer, LG and many more
  • Dry matter/Starch values
  • Marginal/(less) favourable sites technical data
  • Oil Seed Rape
  • Potatoes
  • Fodder beet
  • Peas/beans
  • Swedes/turnips
  • Fodder/catch crops: Stubble turnips, rape/kale crosses
  • Lucerne
  • Grassland: perennial ryes, clover, chicory, lupins

ARABLE

Integrated Crop Management

Crop Protection

  • Integrated Crop Management (ICM)/ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plans
  • Weeds
  • Pests: Knowledge of life cycles and breaking this to control specific pests
  • Disease biology
  • Crop Walking:

  • Identification of problems
  • Crop spray prescriptions with critical timings
  • Industry monitor alerts and forecast tools for disease/pests
  • Control and management of grass weeds and broad-leaved weeds in crops
  • Herbicide/fungicide resistance management strategies
  • Plant growth regulation
  • Trace elements and micro nutrition

Pesticide Application, Transport and Storage

  • COSSH risk assessments
  • Advice on pesticide stores on farm
  • Sprayer filling areas, e.g. lined bio beds
  • Application equipment and nozzle selection/low drift technology
  • Spray quality
  • Sprayer calibration
  • Limits of accuracy
  • Decontamination of pesticide containers

Fertiliser

  • Fertiliser requirement worked out from crop demand to optimise inputs
  • Organic manure availability calculations

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Grassland Management

Sward Species

Tailored to each individual enterprise requirements be it diary, beef, sheep or any combination thereof.

Species to consider:

  • Italian rye/ Westerwolds
  • Hybrid ryes (Italian/perennial ryegrass cross)
  • Perennial ryegrasses
  • Timothy
  • Festuloliums
  • Red/white clovers
  • Chicory
  • Lucerne

Fodder/brassica crops:

  • Stubble turnips
  • Swedes/turnips
  • Rape/kale crosses

Other factors:

  • Duration of ley- short, medium or long
  • Heading dates designed for various silaging times
  • Ratio of tetraploid/diploid perennial ryegrasses in sward
  • D values and sugar content
  • Extended grazing options
  • Multi-cut silage
  • Dense palatable aftermath grazing
  • Intensive grazing, mixes to suit prolonged traffic
  • Renovation mixes

Sward Management

  • Re-seeding advice and techniques
  • Sward renovation
  • Optimal seed bed conditions
  • Pest control
  • Target pH levels
  • Soil structure management
  • Sward lifting options and conditions required during this procedure
  • Clover management
  • Rotational grazing
  • Ground cover and persistency and advice on how to maintain
  • Dense and versatile sward options
  • Vigorous spring growth
  • Dual purpose cut and grazing mixes
  • Brassica break crops

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Farm Nutrient Management Planning

Achieving Crop Nitrogen Utilisation Efficiency

  • Matching inputs with crop requirements
  • Interaction of Nitrogen (N) with other nutrients, eg Phosphors (P), Potassium (K) and Sulphur (S)
  • Canopy management: Green Area Index manipulation, plant growth regulation
  • Nmax calculations
  • Soil nutrient balance and soil nitrogen supply (SNS)

Nitrogen Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)

  • N farm limits (holding limit)
  • Field limits
  • Nmax
  • Closed spreading periods
  • Storage periods and conditions
  • Livestock manures and slurry nutrient availability
  • Digestate application
  • Liming

Managing Farm Phosphorus

  • Phosphorus (P) inputs and crop requirements
  • P and water quality
  • Farm P balance calculations

Soil Sampling / Precision Farming

  • Advice on how to get the most of your data on soil analysis
  • Yield monitoring/mapping
  • Soil conductivity
  • Interpolation
  • Remote sensing: passive/active
  • Variable rate fertiliser
  • Controlled traffic farming

Efficient Use of Manures and Other Organic Inputs

  • Effect of soil pH on nutrient availability
  • Timings of application
  • Advice on P, K, Magnesium (Mg) indices and trace element status

Legislation, Nutrient Planning and Record Keeping

  • Implications of NVZs on nutrient management
  • Paper work preparation for inspections

Fertiliser Security, Storage and Transport

  • Fertiliser industry legislation- 5-point plan
  • How to comply with regulations on safe storage/transport

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT / BIODIVERSITY

Conservation Management and Biodiversity

Maintaining and Increasing Farm Wildlife Populations

  • Protect, link and enhancing farm wildlife habitats
  • Habitat conservation
  • England’s Biodiversity 2020 strategy/targets
  • Agri-environment schemes and how to access funding for farm businesses
  • Principles and delivery mechanisms for aspects of biodiversity/wildlife management
  • Wildlife legislation

Habitat Management

  • Feeding and habitat requirements of key farmland species and management on farm
  • Hedgerow management

Conservation Management

  • Identifying key habitats/species and management for the protection of these
  • Utilisation of agri-environment schemes and how to fit within constraints of farm business
  • Beetle banks, skylark plots and conservation headlands
  • Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) explained in language that is understood
  • Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs)

Farming Systems and Legislation

  • Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Farm Management (IFM)
  • NVZs
  • Farm exemptions
  • Agricultural/hazardous waste application and associated legislation
  • Manures and slurry
  • Spreading of waste on land

Farming Standards

  • Promoting sustainable practices and keeping within the law to make a success of your business
  • Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF)
  • Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF)

Leisure Activities

  • Public rights of way and CRoW Act
  • Control of vermin and Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU)
  • Code of practice for shooting and game management