The US egg industry has released a report which says that egg production today is more efficient than previous decades and leaves a smaller
environmental footprint.
Researchers conducted a lifecycle analysis of U.S. egg production from 1960 to
2010 to evaluate environmental performance measures for the complete lifecycle
from crops to hens to the farm gate.
It's interesting that this study (funded by the corporate egg industry) does not include the environmental footprint generated by transporting the eggs across the country when the leave the farm.
Details here:
http://www.ans.iastate.edu/EIC/Media/50yrStudy/EggIndustryCenterReportEnv50yrStudy081613FINALWeb.pdf
Showing posts with label environmental farming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environmental farming. Show all posts
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Thursday, March 08, 2007
On-farm biodiversity is the key to success
We have always believed that the maintenance of on-farm biodiversity is the key to having a long term, sustainable business. It is becoming ever more certain that more extreme weather conditions, as part of emerging climate change will make it difficult for farmers to sustain highly specialized production.
A US study has calculated that diverse, synergistic farms can be profitable and simultaneously benefit the environment. Some farmers are successfully experimenting with biodiversity.
Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms near Swoope, Virginia (US) has developed a rotational grazing production system featuring pastures containing at least 40 varieties of plants and numerous animal species. Salatin’s farm uses little fossil fuel, yet the farm is highly productive. The 57-hectare farm annually produces 30,000 dozen eggs, 10,000 to 12,000 broilers, 100 beef animals, 250 pigs, 800 turkeys, and 600 rabbits.
Production at the Freeranger Farm is not that large, but the principles are similar and we maintain a balance with our natural ecosystems. Sustainability is what we are about.
Farming systems that are less energy intensive, more flexible in the face of unstable climates, and that produce a variety of products are likely to be the future of agriculture. When farms convert from monocultures to more diverse operations, net farm income can increase by as much as 108% while generating significant environmental and social benefits. Specialised, intensive and industrialised production methods are not as efficient as some 'experts' have been telling us.
A US study has calculated that diverse, synergistic farms can be profitable and simultaneously benefit the environment. Some farmers are successfully experimenting with biodiversity.
Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms near Swoope, Virginia (US) has developed a rotational grazing production system featuring pastures containing at least 40 varieties of plants and numerous animal species. Salatin’s farm uses little fossil fuel, yet the farm is highly productive. The 57-hectare farm annually produces 30,000 dozen eggs, 10,000 to 12,000 broilers, 100 beef animals, 250 pigs, 800 turkeys, and 600 rabbits.
Production at the Freeranger Farm is not that large, but the principles are similar and we maintain a balance with our natural ecosystems. Sustainability is what we are about.
Farming systems that are less energy intensive, more flexible in the face of unstable climates, and that produce a variety of products are likely to be the future of agriculture. When farms convert from monocultures to more diverse operations, net farm income can increase by as much as 108% while generating significant environmental and social benefits. Specialised, intensive and industrialised production methods are not as efficient as some 'experts' have been telling us.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Fuel Reduction Burns - are they any use?
The extent of fires in Victoria seems to have demonstrated conclusively that fuel reduction burns have little if any impact on the damage caused by wildfires in bushland areas.
Much of the vegetation which was deliberately burned two years ago as the required 'knee-jerk' reaction to fire safety has again been burned - so what was gained by the time and effort involved in the prescribed burns (apart from the inner glow it gave those who love setting fires)
Now one of the ludicrous actions of bureaucracy is the fire bombing of areas which survived the wildfire. They are making sure they get the lot!
There is a fixation with showing the 'assets' which which have been destroyed - houses, fences, plantation timber, pasture etc. But what about the native fauna and habitat values which have been lost.
Much of the vegetation which was deliberately burned two years ago as the required 'knee-jerk' reaction to fire safety has again been burned - so what was gained by the time and effort involved in the prescribed burns (apart from the inner glow it gave those who love setting fires)
Now one of the ludicrous actions of bureaucracy is the fire bombing of areas which survived the wildfire. They are making sure they get the lot!
There is a fixation with showing the 'assets' which which have been destroyed - houses, fences, plantation timber, pasture etc. But what about the native fauna and habitat values which have been lost.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Aussie drought is biting
The drought is biting pretty hard in most parts of Australia and even here in South Gippsland we are not immune. The town water supply is dwindling fast and farm dams are running low. People on Phillip Island are starting to panic with the tourist season fast approaching.
One of the pathetic things though is the way some farmers just have to whinge!
One local was in the paper last week saying he had to sell cattle at a third of their market market value.
What a load of cr*p. He sold at the market price. If he'd had the sense to sell a month or two earlier he may well have received two thirds more for his cattle.
The biggest impact so far for us is the price of feed. It's already risen 25 - 30% and as feed is our biggest input in the cost of producing eggs we will have to pass that on to consumers.
For us the Christmas holiday period is truly the 'silly season' because the population increases so remarkably that we have no hope of meeting demand for free range eggs.
One of the pathetic things though is the way some farmers just have to whinge!
One local was in the paper last week saying he had to sell cattle at a third of their market market value.
What a load of cr*p. He sold at the market price. If he'd had the sense to sell a month or two earlier he may well have received two thirds more for his cattle.
The biggest impact so far for us is the price of feed. It's already risen 25 - 30% and as feed is our biggest input in the cost of producing eggs we will have to pass that on to consumers.
For us the Christmas holiday period is truly the 'silly season' because the population increases so remarkably that we have no hope of meeting demand for free range eggs.
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