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VPH > Environment and economics > Flashcards

Environment and economics Flashcards

1
Q

What areas of the environment are impacted by farming?

A
  • Green-house gas production
  • Nitrates
  • Water quality
  • Land use
  • Soil compaction
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2
Q

Outline the effects of farming on soil structure

A
  • Soil compaction and erosion, esp dairy and pig
  • Reduced water infiltration
  • Increased water run off and flood risk
  • Effects of producing feed crops e.g. maize
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3
Q

Outline the effects of farming on soil contamination

A
  • Agricultural chemicals, fertilisers, disinfectants
  • Veterinary medicines
  • Heavy metals from feed concentrates (Zn, Cu)
  • Pathogens (faecal indicator organisms e.g. E coli, viruses, Cryptosporidium)
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4
Q

Outline the effects of farming on soil biodiversity and ecology

A
  • Avermectins affect invertebrates (stay in soil for >180 days), consequently affecting animals that feed on invertebrates
  • Antibiotics and anthelmintics
  • Survival of animals in compacted soil
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5
Q

Outline the effects of farming waste disposal on the soil

A

80% of NH3 is from agriculture, mainly manure and urea based fertiliser

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6
Q

Outline the effects of slurry applied to land

A
  • Nutrient recycling, positive effect

- But excess washed into water courses, causing harm through eutrophication and algal blooms

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7
Q

Describe eutrophication in riparian and terrestrial ecosystems

A
  • Blooms of phytoplankton and zooplankton
  • depletion of dissolved oxygen
  • Release of toxins
  • Reduced biodiversity
  • Decreased perception of aesthetic value of water body
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8
Q

Outline the processing options for agricultural waste

A
  • Spread on land
  • Dumping at sea no longer allowed
  • Landfill is expensive
  • Incineration produces pollution and requires energy
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9
Q

What are the effects of farming on water?

A
  • Contamination
  • Consumption
  • Flooding
  • Leaching of nitrates and phosphates
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10
Q

Outline the consumption of water in farming

A
  • 70% of all withdrawn freshwater used for farming
  • Large part of feed crop production is irrigated
  • Traditional irrigation systems waste up to 50% of water by evaporation
  • Inexpensive so no incentive to use efficiently
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11
Q

Outline the nitrates directive

A
  • EU directive to reduce water pollution from agriculture
  • All land draining to waters affected by nitrate pollution placed in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)
  • Requires framers to: plan and record application of nitrogen to each field, not exceed nitrogen loading limit per year, calculate amount of N and P produced by livestock, produce risk map of the farm, produce risk assessment for the application of nitrogen
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12
Q

Outline the main uses of energy in farming

A
  • Fertiliser production
  • Machinery
  • Loss of non-renewables
  • Modern agriculture heavily dependent on fossil fuels
  • Deforestation to make room for arable land
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13
Q

Outline the impact of farming on biodiversity

A
  • Loss of biodiversity and species

- Landscape degradation

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14
Q

Outline how agriculture causes a loss of biodiversity

A
  • Clearing of land for agriculture
  • Soil com-action
  • Degrading habitats by pollution
  • Contributing to climate change
  • Selective breeding in livestock
  • Monocultures of plants
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15
Q

What are the risks associated with loss of biodiversity?

A
  • Monocultures can increase susceptibility to pests and distort ecosystems
  • Extinction of species removes plants and animals potentially beneficial to humans
  • Imbalance of ecosystem can allow/encourage new pathogens to emerge
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16
Q

Outline the impact of farming on the air

A
  • Contributes 18% of greenhouse gases
  • CO2, N2O, NH3
  • Nitrous oxide mainly indirect from fertilisers (denitrification to N2O0
  • 1/5th of all greenhouse gases come from agriculture
17
Q

Explain the link between welfare and economics

A
  • Animal welfare seen as a “public good” i.e. a product that can be consumed freely at no cost to you, and in unlimited supply
  • Animal suffering is a “negative externality” of livestock production, negative impact on perception of industry and income
18
Q

How can welfare go from “natural” welfare to “maximal” welfare?What are the economic consequences?

A
  • Improve welfare, improve productivity

- e.g. provision of shelter, protection from predators, better nutrition, better housing

19
Q

How can welfare go from “maximal” welfare to “desired/appropriate” welfare? What are the economic consequences?

A
  • Increased productivity, but may decrease welfare

- E.g. intensification, pharmaceutical intervention, genetic selection

20
Q

How can welfare go from “desired/appropriate” welfare to “minimal” welfare? What are the economic consequences?

A
  • Dramatically increase productivity, but very negative impact on welfare
  • E.g. genetic engineering, further intensification (vertical farming), controlled environment and nutrition, growth promoters, gut microbiota manipulation
21
Q

What is the “iron triangle” concept in welfare and economics?

A
  • Consists of welfare, environment and economic benefit
  • Where improve 2, the other will decrease
  • E.g. good welfare and low environmental impact will be expensive
22
Q

Outline the Government Procurement Policies

A
  • Money spent on agricultural products for government departments
  • Pay more for higher welfare products
23
Q

Outline tools for conflict resolution regarding the environment and farming

A
  • Whole farm carbon footprinting
  • Main categories: feed, bedding, enteric fermentation, manure management, fuel and energy use, fertiliser manufacture etc.
  • Assign environmental damage cost to each activity e.g. artificial fertiliser
  • Modelling of individual factors
  • More challenging to build holistic model and impractical for wider use
24
Q

Outline the role of vets in the management of environmental impacts from farming

A
  • Leadership roles i.e. cross species diseases, animal production systems, population medicine, formulation of comprehensive farm policy
  • Active health planning (rare)
  • Reduction in medication use where environment and welfare are improveed
25
Q

Outline some measure that can be used to minimise the environmental impact of farming

A
  • Slurry injection, crusting/covering of slurry storage areas, fuel efficient tractors, anaerobic digestion of cattle and pig slurry, use CH4 as energy source
  • Dietary manipulation (feed cows more starch, less fibre = less methane emissions), rationing of concentrates to reduce leakage of heavy metals, nitrates and phosphates
  • In dairy herds use plate coolers for milk, prevent direct access to water courses, breeding programmes to increase longevity and fertility
  • For pig farming, establish vegetation before stocking with pigs and plant species pigs do not eat
26
Q

Outline some of the future challenges regarding farming and the environment

A
  • Increasing human population
  • Increasing affluence and demand for meat
  • Inevitable shift towards intensive farming
  • Challenge to maintain good animal welfare standards in intensive farming
  • Water security (1b have no secure supply)
  • Global warming (affects crop yields, disease patterns, pests, predictability)

VPH (14 decks)

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