Privacy Policy for http://industryagricultural.blogspot.com/
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Friday, February 18, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Commercial Agriculture
Commercial agriculture is the production of consumable agricultural products and commodities for wholesale and retail distribution to consumers and markets. Alameda County has a rich agricultural heritage and continues to contribute greatly to California's 30 billion dollar agricultural industry. Today, Alameda County's agricultural production is dominated by three main commodities: nursery products, livestock, and grapes for wine production. A number of other agricultural commodities are also produced in Alameda County including field and vegetable crops, cut flowers, apiary products, and fruit and nut crops. (Select current and past years crop statistics.) Despite continuing growth and development in urban portions of Alameda County in recent decades, much of the county's agricultural production is secure and growing, particularly in the nursery and viticultural industries, and also in the production of certain fruit and vegetable crops, organic products, and products for Farmers' Markets.
CoSHH and the Agricultural Industry
There are a number of hazardous substances in the agricultural industry which can be detrimental to a worker’s health and safety.
Such substances include:
Dusts from plants, animals and compost materials
Pesticides and feed additives
Silage making products
Fertilisers
Animal diseases
Vehicle exhaust fumes.
Pesticides are a particular hazard to human health and will be examined more closely in this article. Unlike industrial chemicals, pesticides are developed solely for their ability to act on living tissues. The purpose of them is to protect plants by killing and deterring insects and animals which can spoil crops. Pesticides may include fungicides, herbicides (weedkillers), insecticides or bird and animal repellents. Everyone involved in the agricultural industry must store and transport pesticides with great care.
CoSHH law imposes strict regulations governing the use of pesticides. It requires employers to carry out CoSHH risk assessments to examine and control the hazards associated with pesticides by eliminating exposure to them, controlling any necessary exposure and monitoring the health of those who use pesticides.
It is very difficult to eliminate all exposure, thus employers should try and look for an alternative substance to use. Alternately, employers should look at using pesticides in a safer manner. For example, it may be possible to replace a powdered pesticide with a less dangerous liquid equivalent.
There must be controls in place if an employee is exposed to pesticides. Good ventilation is crucial, as are sufficient washing facilities and the use of personal protective equipment (gloves, masks etc).
Workers should be given adequate training and current information on the product. Part of the training process for the use of pesticides should include reading the product’s label for instructions on usage. Cheap alternative pesticides should not be used. Officially approved pesticides will have a DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) or HSE (Health and Safety Executive) number on the label.
Health surveillance is also part of CoSHH legislation. Workers health needs to be monitored if they are using pesticides.
The transportation of pesticides is another key area for consideration. Pesticides should never be transported on self-propelled equipment or in a tractor. They should however, be stored in a locked container and carried on the outside of a vehicle. The container needs to be leak proof and have an identification label on the exterior.
There are also strict guidelines covering the disposal of pesticides. There are a number of Codes of Practice and Guidance in place to help employers meet their obligations.
The Irish Agricultural Industry by Aoise Keogan Nooshabadi
Agriculture, without doubt, is a key catalyst and drive behind both the economic and social sectors in Ireland. Ireland’s mild weather and rich soil content allows Ireland to devote 6.9 million hectares for agricultural purposes, employing over 10% of the Irish workforce. Although exportation is not wholly relied on, when we take into account the reduction of importation costs, the agri-food sector reports over 25% of net foreign earnings. It is thus clear that agriculture in Ireland holds incredible importance and without such emphasis placed upon it, Ireland would lack culturally, socially and of course economically.
Ireland over the years, although moving towards industrialized developments, has held fast to its connection with the farming industry. This is most likely due to the parallel development of Ireland's exporting farm produce. In contrast to this, other countries may produce only enough in order to be self-sufficient, yet still there are some in Europe that will import needed food. This is not to say that the Irish are consistent in their levels of agricultural involvement. A detrimental drop occurred in the percentage of those that work in the agri-sector, in 1926 the impressive 53% saw a decline in 1990 to just under 13.5%. It is also difficult for Ireland to compete with those farms around the world that produce at a much larger scale, if we can compare that of a sheep farm in New Zealand and a farm in Ireland, averaging at 73 acres. These small farms are incredibly vital to Irish agriculture, as with not many large contractors, Ireland relies on these low sized farms as a driving force. This doesn’t mean that Ireland is in somewhat lacking, it is accountable for over 28% of exports in forest and fishery exports, second to Denmark who sits at 34.3%.
Ireland’s agriculture is above all a grass-based industry. Beef and dairy produce is one of the largest exports that Ireland offers, accounting for just off 60% of Irish outputs. In 2002, Ireland sent out over 445,000 tonnes of beef adding up to €1,185 million in worth. Also in 2002, 126,000 cattle were exported live from Ireland which was also worth an impressive €70 million. This is just some evidence of the cattle farming’s worth and back up to Ireland being the biggest EU exporter of beef, and up near the top of the largest of the world. Not only the beef but the Irish dairy farms in 2008, produced over 5,437 million litres of milk, only 472 million of these were as sold as liquid, the rest was placed into the production of other dairy products. Sheep are also at large in Ireland, counting up to over 9.1 million, cattle are mainly kept inside, whilst sheep are let out, until the intensive lambing season. In 2009, over 47,850 tonnes of sheep meat was exported which was worth just under €167 million, most of these outputs going to both Britain and France. Pig farming is not as widely common as it raked in €325.6 million last year, yet it is surprisingly successful in the small amounts it presents itself. At present, there are over 1.5 million pigs, in the EU continental market Irish pig meat accounts to 34% whilst the remaining 17% go internationally.
A favourable climate allows Ireland to grow grass very well; this is because of Ireland’s long periods of rainfall and reasonable temperatures which result in good, moist soil. On the contrary, tillage crops need a phase of dryness to allow seed-bed preparation, seed sowing and also then there is some additional needed time for the ripening and harvesting of the crop. Due to these necessary conditions, tillage is mainly in the east, south-east and south of the country. Crops include barley, wheat, oats, potatoes and horticultural crops. Barley is mainly grown for animal-feed accounting for over 75%, whilst the remaining 25% goes towards malting. This crop allows Ireland to be 60% self-sufficient when it comes to animal feed. Wheat and oats on the other hand, are not only used for animal feed, but also for human use, more so oats on the human scale than wheat. Ireland has been known around the world to be one of the largest consumers of the potato crop, it is largely useful that Ireland is self-sufficient in this area. The horticultural sector has seen to have grown over the last 20 years, it is mainly focused on crops such as field vegetables, mushrooms and tomatoes, alongside other protected crops. Although very little of Irish agricultural land is devoted to the horticultural sector, it seems to be a worth-while and of considerable worth.
Currently about 0.40 million ha of Ireland is under forest, this accounts to just of 5% of Ireland’s total land mass. This is the lowest in Europe, and considering that the majority of our cultivated forest-land has only been planted since 1901. A past project in 2005, saw the planting of more forests placed an additional 9%, totaling at just over 14%. This is a great improvement, yet Ireland is still ranked the lowest forested country in the EU. Considering the climate, Ireland has done quite well. Forests in Ireland are mainly harvested and are condensed to the mountainous and hilly areas. 95% are conifers and are mainly state-owned. The lack of forestry involvement could be due to the over-harvesting of seen in the 17th-19th century, with no re-planting. Since this, Ireland has seen to adapt its land therefore to a more livestock based production, almost cutting out forestry to some extent.
Ireland also has a strong aquaculture sector. Although Ireland has suffered over-fishing in the last 15 years, there is a stronger and stricter management policy imposed to the Irish waterways dealing with freshwater salmon and sea trout. Ireland in the past has also traditionally been reliant on its peat extraction. Historically, it has been incredibly beneficial to the Irish economy, but that since has depleted as bogs are now more environmentally preserved and more efficient fuels have taken its place.
Agriculture Industry Development Program
| Mission Statement | |
The Agricultural outreach program coordinates with the agribusiness industry to evaluate issues of concern and to facilitate communication and problem resolution related to County government agencies. It is also responsible to initiate and assist with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all its residents.  The Hillsborough County Agriculture Industry Development Program is a component of the Hillsborough County Economic Development Department. The program works under the guidance of a council, the Agriculture Economic Development Council, comprised of agribusiness, local chambers of commerce, government, industry, and business leaders.The purpose of the Agriculture Industry Development Program is to initiate and assist with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all its residents. The major goals of the Agriculture Industry Development Program are:
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Future Uncertain for Kentucky Tobacco Farmers
As a native Kentuckian and someone who grew up around farming, I take a keen interest in the fate of our farms. Kentucky’s agricultural industry, long dependent on tobacco, has changed dramatically in the last 11 years. The number of farms growing burley tobacco has reduced by nearly 90% since 1997. Most of these are small, family-run operations and this has radically changed the face of Kentucky’s farming culture.
As a product, I am tempted to dislike tobacco because it has killed so many people. But as a part of our culture here, it is hard as a Kentuckian to not drive by a healthy tobacco field and not feel a certain amount of pride. And I’m not even a grower. Imagine how hard that choice would be for a 3rd or 4th generation tobacco farmer?
Kentucky’s geography made tobacco a perfect fit when growing first began over 200 years ago. The lack of large open prairie meant that farmers could not hope to profit off crops that require a huge yield in order to pay off. They needed a crop that would have a high-dollar value per acre. Tobacco was the crop that enabled them to tend small farms and still make a decent living.
After the tobacco settlements of the 1990′s and the buyout plans offered by the federal government, the return on a few acres of tobacco were no longer enough to support a family. The choice became one of growing more, diversification, or leaving the industry completely. Kentucky farmers have done all three.
Agricultural Industry Grain Elevator Morse Saskatchewan
The agricultural industry throughout the town of Morse in Saskatchewan, Canada plays an important role in the economy and a large grain elevator like this keeps the town alive and booming.
A bright, orange structure seen for miles across the prairie landscape in the town of Morse, Saskatchewan is an important part of the agricultural industry flourishing here. This modern day grain elevator has large, circular cylinders to hold the grain which is emptied into the cars with Canadian Pacific Railway. From here, the grain is transported to many large ocean ports like Vancouver, Churchill and Thunder Bay.
To keep the agricultural industry alive in the town of Morse, Saskatchewan, farmers must update their grain elevators to keep up with the current pace of life. The cylinder shaped inland terminals make the entire grain industry work at a much faster pace.
Many of the prairie provinces, Saskatchewan being one of the main ones, keeps the supply of grain flowing as it travels in railway cars the length of the track running from Vancouver to Montreal.
Grain Elevator in the town of Morse, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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