Low Input Farming

In a month when Danish scientists have suggested, from a limited survey, that organic produce may prevent a reduction of male fertility, we have laid out recent developments and initiatives from the UK, which are being mirrored across Europe, addressing low input farming.  These initiatives still rely on the use of chemical control, but in a more environmentally benign way. We follow the jargon—integrated pest management, integrated farming systems, integrated production, integrated farming, integrated ecological farming systems, less-intensive input production—and (pause for breath) outline what is happening in practice. By David Buffin.

Farming for LIFE
The Institute of Arable Research at Long Ashton near Bristol has pioneered research into less-intensive farming and the environment in the UK (LIFE). LIFE, part of a Europe-wide network, has now adopted measures identified by research in two pilot commercial farms—one in Trerulefoot in Cornwall and the other at Cirencester. David Buffin has visited the farm at Cirencester with Dr. Vic Jordan and Dr. Paul Farmer of Long Ashton to look at the results.
    LIFE farms demand a holistic pattern of land use which integrates natural regulation processes. This helps to reduce the need for off-farm inputs such as pesticides. Crop rotation, cultivation and soil management, cultivars resistant to pests and diseases, sowing date, nutrition, biodiversity, as well as pesticides used, affect pest control and are all important parts of integrated farming systems.
    According to Vic Jordan, the results from three years of study show that profitability can be maintained with less-intensive production. Results from arable production have shown that herbicide use has been reduced by 19%, fungicide use by 84% and insecticide use by 100%.  The management input has not yet been costed.  In relation to pesticides, the following practices for LIFE farming have been adopted:

• the use of chemicals that are more selective;

• the use of minimal dosage and frequency of application;

• spot treatment or inter-row applications (not yet fully implemented on pilot farms);

• low volume sprays and more careful timing of application.

The following strategies are recommended in order to reduce inputs:

• modification of cropping sequences to increase crop diversity;

• use of tillage systems that favour natural control of key pests (animal pests, diseases and weeds) improve soil structure and reduce demand for external nitrogen;

• development and use of pest thresholds—with decision models and non-chemical methods to reduce agrochemical input;

• modification of field margins to encourage natural enemies of pests.

Putting the message across
Now they have identified successful ways of reducing inputs, Vic Jordan and Paul Farmer promote the practices by holding open days at both pilot farms and visiting about 40 farmer groups per year. Its rather like the parable—’if you give a man a fish, he can eat for a day, if you teach him to fish, he can eat for a life-time’,” says Vic Jordan on the possibities of integrated farming systems. “Commercial farmers are already part of local study groups, and we will hope for a rapid dissemination of integrated farming systems by plugging into these forums. They are a little sceptical at first, but are often won over by results, rather than our words” he says. Farmers were previously reluctant to show their peers fields which had been converted to an integrated farming system because the appearance is less regimental and clean. But it seems that the environmental benefits are beginning to outweigh appearances.
    Clear reductions in pesticide use can be achieved, as demonstrated by the encouraging research work at Long Ashton, without significant reductions in profitability. The Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK] remains concerned about how widely this information can be passed on when advisory organisations such as ADAS are cutting back (see page 20). Environmental improvements which reduce pollution provide benefits to the nation as a whole, and therefore need national  input in the form of resources. The Ministry of Agriculture is funding small-scale research on low inputs, but seems to be decreasing its emphasis on providing advice to implement the results. In the meantime. organisations such as the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and LEAF (linking the environment and farming) can help to bridge this divide.

Good agricultural practice for Europe
The European Commission has published the results of a workshop which identified the  environmental problems to be resolved, and began to devise the scientific basis for, codes of good agricultural practice across Europe. These standards take a whole-systems approach. They assume  it is essential to develop a more environmentally benign policy based on the principle of integrated production which is profitable and sustainable in the long-term. The recommendations for  stepwise replacement of off-farm inputs suggest integrating natural regulation processes, on-farm alternatives and management skills, to minimise pollution. The workshop, attended by Vic Jordan, identified the components of a farming-systems approach as:

Crop Rotation
Monoculture and short rotations are only sustainable at high economic and environmental cost. Crop rotation is an important part of environmentally benign farming, and can help prevent a natural build-up of pests. A minimum of four different crops in a rotation are desirable.

Soil Conservation
Research from Germany has demonstrated that minimum tillage has environmental benefits. It reduces soil erosion, which assists pesticide leaching to ground water. Pest and disease risk are also reduced and profitability maintained. 

Crop Protection
In general, the experts were opposed to setting arbitrary pesticide use reduction targets, because of changing land use patterns and unpredictable climatic conditions, which can affect pesticide use. Policies may become inflexible and the aim is to  achieve minimum use for control consistent with human health and environmental safety. The following options were recommended:

• IPM should be adopted wherever practical;

• non-chemical and biological control are preferred to synthetic chemicals—but more research and technical innovations are required (see TIBRE report, p. 9);

• habitat manipulation, especially at the beginning of the season when predator populations are best able to control pests, should be adopted;

• persistent, volatile, leachable, total biocidal and broad-spectrum pesticides should be avoided and an up-to-date positive list of pesticides prone to water pollution should be produced (although no specific pesticides were given);

• pesticides should only be used when economic thresholds are exceeded;

• lower doses and patch spraying should be encouraged.

The researchers recommended a standardised regulatory process throughout Europe.

Irrigation
Good practices for irrigated agriculture must address efficient use of water, appropriate use of chemicals to minimise pollution, and soil management to prevent soil degradation.

Biodiversity
The conservation of natural control agents, such as predators of agricultural pests is important as they provide a form of pest control that costs nothing and helps reduce pesticide use. However, the ecology of agro-ecosystems, including population dynamics and animal behaviour, has been under-studied. Past policies have encouraged the removal of habitats and landscape features which encourage species diversity. Ecological parameters should be incorporated within the long-term implications of agricultural policy.

Advisory requirements
While expert advice was available in the past, this is gradually declining across Europe. The current shortcomings in adopting a code of good agricultural practice are:

• no general policy, guidelines or perceived economic advantages;

• lack of knowledge of the whole systems approaches;

• lack of sufficient scientific information;

• lack of advisors of ecologically based farming.

Financial considerations
The experts agreed that lower price support would encourage less intensive, more environmentally benign farming, however the concepts of the polluter pays principle and environmental taxes were discussed without reaching a consensus view.

Nutrients and fertilisers
Various measures were suggested to reduce nitrate pollution of water caused by nitrogen surpluses.

Overall recommendations
A progressive evolution towards the systems discussed should be implemented during a minimum four-year period, during which time environmental parameters should be monitored. The EU should develop a research and advisory training programme on principles of good agricultural practices. The adoption of this approach, for the long-term environmental benefit, may require incentive payments, at least in the initial phase.

1. Agriculture: Scientific basis for codes of good agricultural practice, Commission of the European Communities, Report EUR 1457 EN, 1993, ECU 18.50, 163pp.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 24, June 1994, pages 3-4]