Environmental Stewardship and changing food demands Flashcards
What did the entry level stewardship scheme involve?
Farmers would receive £30 per hectare per year Over 50 options to chose from They include: - hedgerow management - stone wall maintenance - creating buffer strips - ditch and pond management And many many more
What were buffer zones?
Areas along field boundaries, around ponds and along ditches. They vary from 2-10m in width. Clear instructions were given to farmers on how they should be created.
What were the potential benefits of buffer zones?
- Creating new habitats for small mammals, invertebrates and birds
- Protecting habitats from pesticide sprays, fertilisers and cultivation
- Protecting archaeological and historic features
- Stabilising banks
- Protecting water courses from pollution
What are the four main changes in demand in food?
- Importing goods from LEDCs
- All year demand for seasonal foodstuffs
- Organic
- Local/regional sourcing
Why are ghost acres a problem?
- Flower crops compete with domestic food crops in developing countries for scarce land and water
- Some land has been cleared to grow cash crops, including rainforest
- Food production for domestic consumption may decline in exporting countries
- Fertilisers and pesticides can damage the environment
- Poorer farmers may not take safety precautions with pesticides and fertilisers
- Food miles and carbon footprint
- Reduction in food security in poorer countries
Name two examples of countries with ghost acres and state their effects
Thailand- 44 million ghost acres that grow fodder for European cattle. Farmers encouraged to grow cash crops for export, reduction in food security
Brazil- soya beans for European animal feed, it has cut down 1/4 of its forests causing huge amounts of damage
What fruit did Wight salads produce in 2005 for the first time for winter consumption in the U.K.?
Tomatoes in a heated greenhouse
How long does it take to become an organic farm and what type of farming is organic farming?
At least two years and its intensive farming, both in land and labour
What are the problems for organic farmers?
- Farmers in the process of organic conversion cannot class their food as ‘organic’ until the farm has been certified as organic
- Weeds may have to be controlled by hand
- Labour costs per unit of land are much higher than for traditional farming
- Lower yields meaning more expensive food
- The food is not as ‘attractive’
- Food doesn’t last as long as it has no preservatives
What are the advantages of organic farming?
- No harmful chemicals used in production e.g. Pesticides
- Better than traditional farming as it can maintain a diverse eco system
- Uses less energy and produces less waste e.g. Packaging materials for chemicals
Which country is entirely organic?
In 1990 the Cuban government converted the entire country to organic agriculture. Pesticides are now outlawed but the Cuban government has a different view of organic farming, promoting GM crops
Local and regional produce is sold by…
- Independent stores e.g. Booths supermarkets
- Farmers markets e.g. Harrogate
- Direct marketing e.g. Farm shops
- Local labelling and traceability
The growth of crops for what, has expanded in recent years? And give an example of this
Bio fuels- Brazilian sugar is grown for ethanol and jatropha has become a major crop in Malawi and Zambia
What percentage of the EU’s transport fuel should come from from biological sources by 2010?
5.75%
Growing crops to meet EU targets would take up, how much of the EU’s agricultural land?
Over 15%
What do the eu have to rely on to,reach its biofuel targets?
Imported palm oil and sugar cane from LEDCs, raising the question of competition for land in these regions
Do we import the majority of our food?
Yes
Why do we import some types of food?
If we can’t grow them in sufficient amounts or if they can produced cheaper elsewhere
Name some foods that we import?
Wheat from North America
Lamb from New Zealand
Beef from Argentina
Give three examples of air freighted, imported food which have grown in importance in recent years?
- Air freighted vegetables
- High protein food for livestock
- Beef from Brazil
What is ferry fast?
A company based in perhsore, Worcestershire
What was ferry fast originally set up to do?
Transport locally grown produce
What does ferry fast do now?
Import fruit, flowers and veg from 17 countries, many being LEDCs in tropical and sub tropical regions
What does ferry fast import from Kenya?
Baby corn, chillies, green beans, extra fine beans, okra, mange tout, mangoes, sugar snap peas, passion fruit and flowers