From nhl@aberystwyth.ac.ukFri Sep 15 10:27:59 1995 Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 08:56:29 +0100 From: Nic Lampkin To: ecol-agric@mailbase.ac.uk Subject: 1995/6 Organic Farm Management Handbook [The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] We are pleased to announce that the 1995/6 Organic Farm Management Handbook (2nd edition) edited by Nic Lampkin and Mark Measures is now available from (and published jointly by) the: Welsh Institute of Rural Studies University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3DD Tel: (01970) 622248 Fax: (01970) 622238 E-mail: nhl@aber.ac.uk ISSN 1354-3768 Organic Advisory Service, Elm Farm Research Centre Hamstead Marshall, Nr Newbury, Berkshire RG15 0HR Tel: (01488) 658298 Fax: (01488) 658503 ISBN 1 872064 18 3 Individual copies: UK £10, Overseas £13 (including postage) Trade and bulk orders (more than 5 copies): £6 plus postage Payment should accompany orders for individual copies. Further information about the publication, including prefaces, foreword by Prof. John Nix (editor of the Farm Management Pocketbook published by Wye College), and the contents, follow. Preface to the first edition (1994) The idea for an Organic Farm Management Handbook has been several years in the making, but 1994 seems an opportune moment for it to be realised. The growth in interest in organic farming throughout Europe, and the introduction of financial support for organic farming in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1994, mean that organic farming is on the brink of a major new phase in its development. Sound management information will be a key factor in this, supported by the increasing availability of first-hand data from MAFF-funded and other research programmes. We have attempted to compile data from a range of sources to provide best possible estimates for the physical and financial performance of organic crop and livestock enterprises. Our initial estimates have been considered by a panel of experienced organic producers and modified in the light of their comments. It is inevitable, however, that in a publication of this type, particularly the first issue, some errors will creep in. As editors, we must accept full responsibility for these, but we would be grateful for feedback if calculation errors are noted. We would also welcome feedback on the content and style of the different sections. We have included a feedback sheet which can be cut out and returned to us with your comments. We would like to acknowledge the willingness to assist and helpful comments received from organic producer members of British Organic Farmers/Organic Growers Association, as well as other producers and researchers who commented on the initial drafts of this handbook. We owe a big debt to the researcher/contributors Tony Pike, Hugh Bulson, and Christopher Stopes who did much of the ferreting around for information on the earlier versions of the handbook. Thanks are also due to Susanne Padel for advice and comments on the technical content. Finally, we acknowledge financial support from the EC for the collection of financial data under research contract AIR 3-CT92-0776. Nic Lampkin Lecturer in Agricultural Economics, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Wales Mark Measures Senior Advisor, Organic Advisory Service, Elm Farm Research Centre, Newbury July 1994 Preface to the second edition (1995/6) In the 12 months since the first edition was published, there have been a great number of developments affecting the organic sector in the UK. The rules and payment rates for arable area and livestock premium payments have changed significantly. The support programmes for organic farming under the European Union's agri-environment programme are finally operational. New markets for organic produce are opening up, including opportunities for vegetables through expanded box schemes and processing for baby foods, for milk through new co-operative marketing and processing ventures, and for meat and cereals through new export opportunities to countries such as Denmark where consumer demand has increased dramatically. There has also been substantial change in the organic sector elsewhere in Europe. The most dramatic change has been in Austria where organic farming is expanding at more than 100% annually and now accounts for nearly 10% of land use, with more than 23,000 farmers managing 335,000 hectares organically in 1995. Organic farming in the European Union continues to grow at an average 35% per year, with 48,000 farms and 1 million hectares certified organic or in conversion in 1995. The expansion in supply is making it possible for more companies to consider using organic ingredients for their mainstream brands, allowing organic food to emerge from its traditional niche market image. In this edition, we have responded to comments received, and have simplified the presentation of many of the gross margins. We have included some new data relating to pigs and poultry, although these are based on very limited data and need to be treated with caution. We have introduced new sections highlighting market developments and changes to organic production standards over the last year. Lastly, we have included an index to make finding information easier. We hope that readers will find the new information of use and that this edition will be as successful as the first. Any comments would be very welcome, as would more producer participation in the annual consultative panel and monthly price survey (see response sheet on the next page). As last year, our thanks are due to all the researchers, contributors, and producers who have helped with the production of this handbook. We are also very grateful to Professor John Nix for his foreword and for permission to extract data from his Farm Management Pocketbook for the Fixed Costs Section of this Handbook. Nic Lampkin and Mark Measures September 1995 Foreword by Professor John Nix For some years now organic farming has "come of age", in the sense that most thinking people in agriculture accept it as being a serious alternative to "conventional" farming. It was not always so. Indeed the present writer can recall that he himself, not all that long ago, was one of those describing it as "muck and mystery" - though he now admits to feeling rather ashamed of having done so. The reasons for this change of attitude are not hard to find. It is not to do with many farmers and growers being absolutely dedicated to the system, virtually as an act of faith. This has long been the case, though certainly the numbers have been substantially increasing in relatively recent years. Worries concerning the environment and health effects of agrochemicals are shared by many people, whether or not they are scientifically valid. Many consider the wasteful cost of providing surpluses that are apparently incapable of being distributed to the millions of undernourished people in this world to be nonsensical. These surpluses cost a great deal to store and to dump (let us admit it) on the world markets; and the latter distorts international trade and creates animosity between nations. Then there is the most positive point. There is an increasing demand for organic products, owing mainly to health concerns (again, whether or not these are valid) and this demand is being met largely by imported produce. The economics of organic versus conventional farming can be argued to and fro: lower yields and variable cost being offset by premium prices, etc. Certainly, though, there is no point in pro-organic farmers overstating their case. If it were definitely more profitable there would be many more farmers taking it up. It has to be accepted that the conversion period is a serious problem financially. It has required a new subsidy to attempt to overcome this difficulty and persuade more farmers to take up the system. The introduction of this subsidy proves the Government's acceptance that the system has advantages to the nation. A major difficulty has been a lack of research into organic farming and of data specific to it. This handbook goes a considerable way to overcoming the latter. It is packed with relevant, practical information on organic production, based on widespread research and survey data, prepared by people long steeped in the subject. As the author of the long-standing Farm Management Pocketbook I applaud it. I introduced a measly two pages in my 18th edition, seven years ago. I have known ever since that I should expand it, but I baulked at the thought that it could end up a very long section, and anyway I did not have the data. Now I do not have to worry. In my latest edition I have simply referred all those interested to obtain a copy of the present, excellent specialist publication. John Nix December 1994 Contents Section 1 Introduction 1 Why an Organic Farm Management Handbook? 1 What is organic farming? 3 The nature of the organic farm business 4 Gross margins and organic farming systems 6 Section 2 Marketing 8 Marketing and the organic premium 8 Market outlets 9 Market developments in 1994/5 10 Organic food promotional events 12 Marketing and processing grants 13 Section 3 Certification 15 Organic farming production standards and legislation 15 Developments in 1994/5 16 UK Register of Organic Food Standards 18 Soil Association Organic Marketing Co. Ltd. 19 Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd. 20 Bio-dynamic Agricultural Association (Demeter) 21 Scottish Organic Producers Association Ltd. 22 Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association 23 International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements 23 Section 4 Converting to Organic Farming 24 The conversion process 24 Conversion costs 27 Conversion planning 29 UK Organic Aid Scheme 30 Republic of Ireland organic farming and conversion support scheme 32 Section 5 Crop Production 33 Crop husbandry principles 33 Permitted input costs 35 Crop production subsidies 38 Section 6 Arable Crop Gross Margins 44 General information 44 Wheat 46 Barley 48 Oats 50 Rye 52 Triticale 52 Beans 54 Section 7 Field-scale Vegetable and Horticulture Gross Margins 57 General 57 Prices and marketing costs 59 Potatoes 62 Carrots and parsnips 64 Beetroots and swedes 66 Leeks 68 Onions 70 Brassicas 72 Broad beans 76 Raspberries 78 Strawberries 80 Coldhouse cucumbers and tomatoes 82 Section 8 Forage Crops and Green Manures 84 Forage/catch crops 84 Green manures/cover crops 86 Undersown forage 88 Grassland 88 Forage row crops 91 Section 9 Livestock Production 93 Organic livestock husbandry 93 Livestock feed nutritional values and prices 98 Section 10 Livestock Gross Margins 100 Milk production 100 Beef production 104 Sheep production 108 Pig production 111 Poultry production 114 Section 11 Whole Farm Gross Margins 115 Whole farm output, variable costs and gross margins 115 Arable systems 116 Dairy systems 118 Beef/sheep systems 120 Specialist horticultural systems 122 Section 12 Fixed Costs 123 Land 123 Labour and machinery costs 123 Manure handling and storage 128 Buildings and other capital assets 130 Section 13 Environmental Management 132 Environmental management and organic farming 132 Hedges, woodland and forestry 133 Landscape and nature conservation schemes 135 Agri-environment programme 138 Rural Environment Protection Scheme (Republic of Ireland) 141 Environmental advice and further information 141 Section 14 Sources of Further Information 142 Events 142 Publications 143 Organic Advisory Service (Elm Farm Research Centre) 144 Centre for Organic Husbandry and Agroecology (Aberystwyth) 145 Section 15 Addresses 146 Section 16 Index 150 Nic Lampkin Welsh Institute of Rural Studies Stapledon Building, Penglais Campus University of Wales, Aberystwyth GB-Dyfed SY23 3DD. Tel: +44 (0)1970 622248 Fax: +44 (0)1970 622238