A MAFF LINK project - integrated farming systems.

Abstract

The MAFF/LINK Integrated Farming system was started by the U.K. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in collaboration with industry in April 1992. The project will run for six years through a five-course rotation. The six sites involved are situated in the main arable production areas of England and Scotland. At each site a minimum of five fields will be used to cover an appropriate five course rotation for that region. Each field will be split into two, one half under a conventional farm practice (CFP), the second half an integrated farming system (IFS) in which profits will be maintained with a different balance of inputs to achieve environmental benefits. The crop husbandry treatments and the research programme are described.