Arable Land News on agriculture-xprt.com

Soil pollution comes under scrutiny

Soil pollution, due mostly to human activities that leave excess chemicals in soils used to grow food, took centre stage at the 5th Global Soil Partnership (GSP) Plenary Assembly held at FAO headquarters this week. Excess nitrogen and trace metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury can impair plant metabolism and cut crop productivity, ultimately putting pressure on arable land. When they ...

Jun. 23, 2017

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Produced by the UK’s Arable Sector Significantly Lower Than Previously Thought!

Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas, contributing more than 40% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. Previously, production levels of nitrous oxide from soil were calculated at 1% a unit of nitrogen (N) applied. However, Farmers Weekly report that the five-year average Minimising Nitrous Oxide (MIN-NO) research study estimate for UK arable land is 0.46% of N applied, taking ...

Nov. 9, 2015

By ENDURAMAXX

OPINION: Corporate land grabs threaten food security

Proponents of the local food movement like to talk about keeping "food miles" to a minimum. Buying a New Zealand apple in New England is a big no-no. Imagine if instead of stores buying fruit from the South Pacific, the government was buying land in South America to produce "our own" food. Yet that is what's happening all over the world, ...

Sep. 25, 2010

By Worldwatch Institute

The effects of agricultural land use change on farmland birds in Sweden

The effects of changing agricultural practices on farmland birds are explored in a recently published study from Sweden. Overall abundance of 16 common species declined by 23% between 1994 and 2004, which may be partly caused by changes in land use, such as an increase in the amount of wheat cropland. However, effects vary between species, and some species increased or stayed stable in number. ...

May 8, 2015

By European Commission, Environment DG

Protecting forests alone would not halt land-use change emissions

Global forest conservation measures meant to mitigate climate change are likely to drive massive cropland expansion into shrublands or savannahs to satisfy the ever-growing hunger for arable land. The consequent changes in land use could cause substantial greenhouse gas emissions, a new study in the journal Nature Climate Change shows. In contrast to previous assumptions, conservation schemes ...

Nov. 17, 2014

By The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

Protecting forests alone will not halt land-use change emissions

Global forest conservation measures meant to mitigate climate change are likely to drive massive cropland expansion into shrublands or savannahs to satisfy the ever-growing hunger for arable land. The consequent changes in land use could cause substantial greenhouse gas emissions, a new study in the journal Nature Climate Change shows. In contrast to previous assumptions, conservation schemes ...

Nov. 18, 2014

By GLOBE Foundation

Despite drop from 2009 peak, agricultural land grabs still remain above pre-2005 levels

An estimated 70.2 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide have been sold or leased to private and public investors since 2000, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute (www.worldwatch.org) for its Vital Signs Online service. The bulk of these acquisitions, which are called “land grabs” by some observers, took place between 2008 ...

Jun. 21, 2012

By Worldwatch Institute

Do agri-environmental policies support mixed farming systems?

The Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGS) of the EU are governed by legislation at regional, national and European levels. New research investigates an LSGS in Spain and suggests that the area's traditional mix of sheep and cereal farming needs improved, better co-ordinated regulatory support to survive. LSGSs are large areas of countryside used for grazing in the EU, characterised by cultural ...

Jul. 20, 2009

By European Commission, Environment DG

CAP reform and crop diversity can be springboard for growth

Linking CAP payments to crop diversity represents a growth opportunity for farmers, according to anaerobic digestion (AD) specialist EnviTec Biogas UK. Under the new rules, 30 per cent of direct payments will depend on demonstrating environmentally-friendly farming practices – including crop diversification. Full details are yet to emerge, but “greening” the CAP is likely to ...

Sep. 6, 2013

By EnviTec Biogas AG

Tenth of China`s farmland contaminated

A tenth of China's farmland is contaminated with fertiliser, polluted water and heavy metals, threatening the country's food supply, official Chinese sources have said. As much as 12.3m hectares of farmland are affected by pollution from liquid and solid waste, some of which makes its way into the food supply, China's official news agency Xinhua reported. The statistics, sourced from the ...

Apr. 27, 2007

By edie.net - Faversham House Ltd.

Urban expansion can reduce food security

Urbanising arable land can have serious economic consequences as a result of the reduction in food production and loss of ecosystem services, according to recent research. The loss of 15 000 ha of productive soils during 2003-2008 on the Emilia-Romagna Plain in Italy cost approximately €19 million in carbon storage, €100 million in wheat production and €270 million in raw ...

Jun. 18, 2014

By European Commission, Environment DG

Protecting farmland biodiversity

A new study describes the rate of loss in plant diversity in intensively farmed fields. The authors recommend that measures to protect biodiversity should focus on low-intensity farmland, due to difficulties associated with rebuilding lost biodiversity in intensively farmed land. Intensive agriculture is one of the main drivers of the decline in worldwide biodiversity. The rate of species ...

Jan. 19, 2009

By European Commission, Environment DG

Global framework with Nordic farming giant, Lantmannen

We have signed a global framework agreement with Lantmännen to provide all parts of their business with access to our full range of environmental and energy services. The agreement, valid until June 2011, covers operations in 12 speciﬁed countries and follows a successful period where we have monitored and reported on legislative issues that affect Lantmännen's operations. Lantmännen is ...

Apr. 23, 2010

By WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

New practical workshops to help UK farmers prevent nitrate pollution

Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) workshops and farm walks that provide hands-on help for farmers and land managers are now taking bookings across the East Midlands. Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) workshops and farm walks that provide hands-on help for farmers and land managers are now taking bookings across the East Midlands. Following the extremely popular national NVZ seminars that ran between ...

Feb. 16, 2009

By The Environment Agency - England and Wales

European Farms Growing Slowly but Surely

There are around 14 million farmers in the European Union, and the average size of farms is just 14 hectares. By comparison, the USA has just 2 million farmers, yet the average size of farms is 180 hectares. Just under 50 percent of the EU’s surface area is covered by fields, 30 percent by forests and 20 percent by something other, such as cities. Family farms are traditional in Europe, but ...

Jun. 9, 2014

By Valtra Inc. - part of AGCO Corporation

From the ground up: local knowledge informing agri-environmental policy

Agricultural land use presents a number of environmental challenges, which the European Commission is committed to addressing through a range of agri-environmental policies. A new study points to the importance of aligning agri-environmental policies with farmers’ needs and operations. Using the case of land clearing in Finland, the research underlines the importance of incorporating input ...

Dec. 3, 2015

By European Commission, Environment DG

Grassy field margins enhance soil biodiversity

Grass strips at field margins are almost as valuable as hedgerows in encouraging diversity of soil creatures, according to new research. Six metre wide margin strips increase the number and variety of species such as earthworms, woodlice and beetles, and may act as corridors between isolated habitats. The study analysed the presence of invertebrates of three main feeding types - soil ingesters ...

May 12, 2009

By European Commission, Environment DG

Northern peat soils: potential as a carbon sink

Upland peat soils provide a substantial carbon sink if managed properly, according to new research. A study of a peatland area in the UK indicated that it could potentially store approximately 160,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. It has been estimated that 20 to 30 per cent of carbon stored in the soil is held in northern peatlands. There are two main drivers that convert this from a net sink to a net ...

Dec. 18, 2009

By Science for Environment Policy - European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service

Soaring food prices put further pressure on African agriculture

Food insecurity has been exacerbated in Africa by the current rapid rise in food prices together with challenges such as climate change, greater demand for food products in emerging economies, agricultural production used for biofuels, rapid population and urbanization as well as transboundary animal and plant diseases, said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf on June 19th at the 25th FAO Regional ...

Jun. 19, 2008

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

First 4th Generation T Series Reach Customers

Coinciding with the launch of the new T-series in November 2014, the factory in Suolahti, Finland, began mass production of the newly developed and extensively tested tractor range. Across Europe, including in Germany, the first machines are already working on farmland and with contractors. We were present at one of the handovers, and talked to the new owners. A white T174e Direct with front ...

May 20, 2015

By Valtra Inc. - part of AGCO Corporation

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