Environment and Food Production

Question 1

What is the “one health” approach

Answer 1

“Designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors work together to achieve optimal public health outcomes”

Question 2

Name 4 aspects of one health approach when targeting zoonoses

Answer 2

Targeted legislation
Improving the environment
Human behaviour
Animal health and welfare

Question 3

Name the 5 aspects of the environmental impact of food animals and give examples

Answer 3

1. Energy - machinery, non-renewables, fertiliser production
2. Ecology - loss of species and biodiversity
3. Air pollution - CO2, N2O, NH3
4. Soil pollution - Structure of the spoil, contamination
5. Water pollution - contamination, flooding, water consumption

Question 4

Name a legislation put in place to reduce damage from livestock

Answer 4

Nitrates Directive

Question 5

What impact can drip irrigation have on environmental impacts, what what are the negatives associated

Answer 5

Impact - less water usage, reduced leaching/pollution
Negative - Higher initial capital cost

Question 6

What are the 5 negatives of centralisation of production - fewer but larger farms

Answer 6

1. More vulnerable to disease outbreaks
2. Overwhelms the capacity of the local ecosystem to process the waste
3. Separates management from workers
4. Adverse physical, economic, mental and social health in rural communities
5. Poorer welfare of animals?

Question 7

Name the 3 options for dealing with manure, and what are the requirements for each

Answer 7

1. Spread it on your own land - may need an environmental agency permit, stop animals grazing on land for 21 days, or 2 months for pigs
2. Process for sale as a fertiliser - needs APHA approval
3. Transport and store off-site - ABP Cat2 facility, transport must comply with APHA guidance

Question 8

Name an additional risk associated with poultry manure and how to reduce risk

Answer 8

Botulism
Remove carcasses from litter and milk feathers and eggs must not be added

Question 9

What is meant by the “livestock revolution”

Answer 9

Demand for meat in developing countries is rapidly growing

Question 10

What does animal welfare mean from an economists perspective

Answer 10

The preferences of the animal are not taken into account
Welfare is a subset of human preferences
good animal welfare is a byproduct of animal production - makes humans feel good

Question 11

What is meant by “public good”

Answer 11

A good which when supplied to one individual is immediately available to others at no charge

Question 12

What is meant by “negative externality”

Answer 12

Animal suffering is a negative externality of livestock production
This impacts productivity, product quality ad consumption

Question 13

Describe the conflicts between animal welfare and productivity

Answer 13

Improving welfare can improve production and have an economic benefit to a certain level
Maximal welfare => appropriate welfare - improving productivity at the expense of some welfare
Maximal welfare costs money and can reduce productivity of a system