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Browse our library of the best technical guides, research papers and videos on sustainable agriculture below. You can also filter by topic.

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Displaying 241 - 270 of 315

Simply Sustainable Water

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) A practical guide to help you develop an effective on-farm management strategy for efficient and sustainable water use.

Drainage, Natural resources & waste
Reduced Tillage: Farmer’s motivations and problems

resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) A video from the TILMAN-ORG project providing useful insights from farmers who have have adopted reduced tillage on their farms.

Compaction & cultivation, People & skills
Trees, water and farming - improving water quality

resource Woodland Trust A short video highlighting how trees have been used in the uplands of Cumbria to manage water drainage and quality and prevent soil erosion.

Agroforestry, Natural resources & waste, People & skills
Cattle foot care

resource Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Prevention is better than cure! This podcast provides some insights into helping you spot the first signs of lameness.

People & skills, Animal health & welfare, Dairy cattle
What could farmers do to rely less on neonicotinoids?

resource Pesticide Action Network UK Ways in which farmers and growers can reduce neonicotinoid use and employ pest control alternatives.

People & skills, Pests & diseases
Managing phosphorus dynamics in organic rotations

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Practical recommendations for improving soil phosphate (P) availability for your crops; maintaining levels and maximising on P inputs.

Organic farming, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management
Managing the drought

resource Harper Adams University College Don’t waste a drop. Belts of native trees can act as an insurance policy against droughts by modifying the crop microclimate.

Agroforestry, Type, texture & structure, Drainage, Animal health & welfare, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Natural resources & waste, Climate
Sustainability toolkit for organic businesses

resource Organic Centre Wales & Weir Total Supply Chain Sustainability A guide designed to help you improve the profitability, sustainability and environmental performance of your business.

Business management, Markets & food systems, Communities & education
Novel vegetables: Observations on growing a range of tropical crops

resource Duchy College / Farm Cornwall Interested in diversifying? Perhaps growing some tropical crops? This report provides some useful insights from some trials run in West Cornwall.

Weeds, Pests & diseases, Roots & horticulture, Markets & food systems
Simply Sustainable Soils

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) LEAF’s soil assessment tool to help you improve the soil on your farm and long-term sustainability of your land using ‘Six Simple Steps.’

People & skills, Type, texture & structure
Natural Poultry Health

resource RIKILT - Institute for Food Safety Wageningen University and Research Centre & Institute for Ethnobotany and Zoopharmacognosy (IEZ) Interested in guidance on keeping your flock healthy with herbs and other natural products? This useful guide has a range of tips and recommendations.

Animal health & welfare, Poultry, People & skills
Illustrated guide to water courses beside grassland

resource Natural England Practical guidance to help you manage watercourses and livestock in ways that will cause the least harm to water quality and wildlife.

Drainage, Natural resources & waste
Illustrated guide to hedgerow network restoration

resource Natural England A quick reference guide from Natural England promoting best practice in hedgerow restoration to help you reap the benefits on your farm.

Agroforestry, Natural resources & waste, People & skills
Traditional orchards: Wildlife

resource Natural England Traditional orchards are a haven for wildlife - simple management techniques can help increase populations of rare and priority species.

Agroforestry, Roots & horticulture, People & skills
Traditional orchards: maintenance pruning

resource Natural England This information note provides guidance on the reasons for the routine pruning of fruit trees and advice on the different methods used.

Agroforestry, Roots & horticulture, People & skills
A Guide to Nutrient Budgeting on Organic Farms

resource SAC & Newcastle University Everything you may need to know about basic nutrient budgeting and valuable insights into how using them can benefit your farm.

Type, texture & structure, Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Regulations, standards & policy, Business management, Markets & food systems, People & skills
Sward enhancement: diversifying grassland by spreading species-rich green hay

resource Natural England Practical guidance to help you assess suitability of using green hay as a sward enhancement method and best management techniques to apply.

Grasslands & forage crops, Natural resources & waste
Compost: The Effect on Nutrients, Soil Health and Crop Production

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Practical guidance to inform your use and management of compost, using it to its full potential to improve soil properties and crop yields.

Rotations, Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Regulations, standards & policy, Natural resources & waste
Seed sources for grassland restoration

resource Natural England This note is one of a series providing information on grassland restoration and re-creation.

Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity, Regulations, standards & policy
Beneficials on farmland

resource Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust & ADAS A guide to insects that pollinate crops, control pests and help maintain soil fertility, and what you can do to encourage them on your farm.

Agroforestry, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Regulations, standards & policy, Pollinators & ecological services
Welfare and environmental impact of organic pig production

resource FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL handbook aiming to create a common toolbox of knowledge-based strategies for organic pig producers and presents best practice examples from across Europe for inspiration.

Organic farming, Animal health & welfare, Pigs, People & skills
PFLA Biodiversity case studies

resource A series of Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) case studies which focus on various ways in which farmers are increasing biodiversity on their farm.

Animal health & welfare, Dairy cattle, Beef cattle & sheep, Grasslands & forage crops, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity, Climate
Silage sorghum, an alternative to silage maize

resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) & Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Some practical recommendations for producing silage sorghum based on research carried out as part of the DiverIMPACTS project.

Compaction & cultivation, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, People & skills, Climate
Three silvopasture tree planting designs to suit your farm

resource Innovative Farmers Details of planting designs for 3 contrasting farms in Devon who are taking part in a long-term field lab trial to help justify financial commitment...

Agroforestry, Animal health & welfare, Natural resources & waste, Climate
Plants and planting designs for organic poultry ranges

resource Danish Organic National Association (original booklet) & Ok-Net Ecofeed project (English translation) This booklet (translated from Danish as part of the OK-Net Ecofeed project) looks at different planting methods to improve the use of free-range areas on...

Animal health & welfare, Poultry, Natural resources & waste, People & skills, Biodiversity
Towards farmer principles of health

resource Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research Germany & Humboldt University Berlin & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Austria Ten statements / principles farmers have developed that make them successful in developing healthy farming systems, as part of the HealthNetworks Project, and used as...

Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Animal health & welfare, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, Markets & food systems, Natural resources & waste, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity, Climate, Nutrition & public health, Communities & education
Reduced tillage trials aim to improve soil sustainability

resource University of East Anglia / Wensum Alliance Interesting results from a 5-year reduced cultivation trial that took place at the Salle Park Estate, Norfolk, to assess the impact of contrasting tillage regimes...

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Buildings & machinery, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services
Cover crops help to reduce diffuse water pollution

resource University of East Anglia / Wensum Alliance An update from research undertaken as part of the Demonstration Test Catchments research platform established to investigate the extent by which on-farm mitigation measures can...

Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services
Measuring and managing soil organic matter

resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) - produced as part of the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership (ahdb.org.uk/greatsoils) This GREATSoils factsheet explores different ways in which organic matter can be added to soil and how you can measure how much organic matter is...

Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills
Which nutrient management system to use?

resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Regular soil tests and recommendations associated with them can be vital tools to help ensure best possible crop yield and quality from any soil type...

Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills

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