The purpose of this article is purely to provoke thought. To ask you to consider where you fall in the spectrum of techonogist and environmentalist, and to think about how this perspective influences your view of the solutions that are presented to you every day.
We have recently implemented a new assessment which assigns each farm participating with Trace & Save a sustainability status. The purpose of this status is not necessary to categorise each farm and say whether they are good or not. It is rather to identify where the farm is on their sustainability journey.
The main culprit, of nitrous oxide emissions, in agriculture is the excessive use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. Fortunately, that is something farmers can do something about.
Transpiration depends on evaporation, therefore factors affecting the rate of evaporation also affect the rate of transpiration.
Soil fungi increase security, awareness, and knowledge for those connected to them. Any soil management action that results in the breakage of these connections, such as tillage and fungicides, destroys the entire nerve system of the soil thus isolating plants and soil organisms from each other.
The purpose of this business case is to investigate the association between the economic and environmental facets of sustainability related to milk production on dairy farms in South Africa.
Quality milk production depends on the nutrition given to the cow and it’s overall health. Careful attention has to be provided for diet formulation and feeding patterns to make sure that all cows get what they need.
Effluent may be a waste product generated on dairy farms, but it can be a valuable resource when disposed of correctly and in the right places.
Weeds are a nuisance but through effective field management, herbicide usage, and cover crops they can be controlled.