Agricultural Practices

2017 ADM04 Sustainable Design Present(s)

AGRICULTURE PRACTICES Whilst intensive commercial farming practices provide year-round availability of produce, these practices come with costs.

1 Agricultural practices have increasingly become industrialised and active in global networks - to provide for the needs of human consumption.

Context

“High-input, resource-intensive farming

food and agricultural production”

systems, which have caused massive

Un food and agriculture organisation, 2017

deforestation, water scarcities, soil

Fig1- intensive chicken farm in uk

depletion and high levels of greenhouse

www.sraproject.org

gas emissions, cannot deliver sustainable

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The Growth of Agriculture The Farming Revolution, Traditional

revolution and post world war economy

hunter-gatherer lifestyles, followed by

and boom of consumerism are some of

humans since their evolution, were less

the reasons that have lead to rapid

adopted in favour of permanent

expansion of intensive farming practices.

settlements and a reliable food supply.

Only in which now its impacts are

Out of agriculture, cities and civilisations grew, and because crops and animals

becoming a critical topic within sustainability.

could now be farmed to meet demand, the

Organisations such as WWF and

global population rocketed—from some

Compassion in world farming are a few of

five million people 10,000 years ago, to

the many that are fighting the problems the

more than seven billion today.

industry is causing to its environment.

The Genographic Project.

Raising awareness and providing

Historian Yuval Noah Harari states “The agricultural Revolution- Made us hungry for more, History’s Biggest Fraud”.

As demonstrated at Londons British museum, this opened the door for trade of goods and skills as we became less nomadic more specialised in different subject areas and therefore ultimately it was the start of our economy.

As the population grew the expansion of farming practice and trade increased to provide for the masses. The industrial

sanctuaries for animals under poor animal welfare are just some of the few methods they are using to make an impact.

We can now access documentaries and films, such as Cowspiracy, highlighting the critical problems that agricultural industry and our food systems have, however they often have an activist approach, with bias or extreme view points.

The current Agricultural systems, we now know, have a critical impact on our position within global warming, and a vital role to play in a sustainable future of living.

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Current Farming Practices Significant drives that contribute to current farming practices.

- Farming is ultimately a business, sustaining its self through producing and trading consumer goods, (mainly food).

- It is a huge contributor to the economy, eating is a basic necessity and agriculture produces food for supermarkets, local, national and global stores. Through trade, jobs and business have grown and global produce can be purchased in any country. This has encouraged the growth of intensive farming practices, to meet supply and demand at a cheap and eďŹƒcient cost, often with damaging eect on its environment.

- For many farming families, the practice has been passed down for generations, and has been a way of life for them. A part of their identity and heritage, for many its hard often unrewarding work.

- We need farming methods and practices that work with the environment. Practices such as culling and conservation allow for a balance in wildlife, animal grazing encourages birds and insects, animal manure helps to enrich our soils currently being stripped by chemicals.

The next two pages will briefly overview the positive and negatives of both intensive farming and small scale farming to better understand their positions.

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Intensive Farming

Fig3 ‘Crop Duster’, an agricultural aircraft used in the application of pesticides and fertilising large areas of the landscape.

Provides, for high demands, verity from all over world, feed for the meat industry Often less labour intensive Can grow to specific requirements/qualities Reduces wildlife Pollutes water and soils Food waste from issues such as not aesthetically pleasing for supermarket requirements Fig5 British chicken farm Mass production of cheap, readily available meat “Clinical” manufactured Less demand for manual labour Animal welfare can be poor Overuse of antibiotics, threat of resistance for example virus’s Deforestation and landscape consumption for animal feed Less understanding of what and where meat comes from Morality debates becoming more current, life choices such as veganism and vegetarian, supermarkets and hospitality are providing more meat free options

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Small Scale

Fig4 Workers at Tablehurst Community Farm maintaining their vegetable crops.

A Knowledge of systems needed to grow produce Often higher need for manual labour Seasonal and Sustainable growth to that specific landscape Can not compete with intensive methods to provide for demand form retailers Less chance of developing supermarket “aesthetic� standards Currently meets less demands for population, cheap and convenience shopping Fig6 Plawhatch Biodynamic Farm Quality of life for animals is greater Arguably more naturally richer in nutrition Natural fertilisers for soils Essential to Biodynamic farming practices High demand for labour Supply and demand are not met in comparison to intensive methods Wider variety of breeds and bloodlines are preserved through this method provides for a niche market

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Whilst intensive commercial farming practices provide year-round availability of produce, these practices come with costs.

2 Issues

These include: •Monocultures •Over use of pesticides and antibiotics •Excessive waste •Animal decline and extinction •Animal welfare •Deforestation •Cultural losses to farming communities

Fig7 shows the small tortoiseshell butterfly, once one of Britains most common butterfly species.

In 2013 it was reported that numbers had dropped by 77%. Once a common sight in gardens, parks and hedgerows, the small tortoiseshell is in steep decline. Getty Images/Robert Trevis-Smith.

Cultural Losses to Farming Communities The future currently looks bleak for Tom in continuing his Grandfathers legacy.

Thomas Williams 1989

Thomas Fisher 2006 7

There are a range of complexities within the agricultural system that have lead the the decline of small scale farming.

‘England has lost over a fifth of farms in the past 10 years. If current trends continue, there will be almost no small farms left. When we lose farms we lose a social cohesion, jobs, landscapes and nature habitats.’ Sustain.org Some of the reasons behind this loss are: •Financial success and expansion of large, intensive farming.

•Cannot compete with larger suppliers, or have scope to conform to specific aesthetics of supermarket regulations.

•Young people are unable to make innovative changes to the families practice.

•Desire for maximum production, minimum cost.

Rare breeds may not offer such efficient qualities as those used in intensive farming, rare breeds become niche and sold at high price so depends on peoples food choices.

•Unable to produce a wide variety or convenience of foods •Lack of innovative methods within the practice and the business of small farming due to hereditary learning •attitudes within the rural industry can be lacking in broader communication/education that may benefit the industry. Suspicious/proud attitudes.

•Survival only through government subsidies.

• Reliance on environment. Changes or disasters such as floods, poor conservation, drought can lead to bankruptcy suddenly.

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This ‘manifesto’ aims to better understand the lived experience of rural communities and small scale farming practices within the uk.

A Day in the Farming Community By entering into the daily life of a small farming community, a record of honest daily experiences will be made to better understand the situation this culture is currently facing.

It will follow a few characters within uk farming industry and aid in exploring their values, what is important to them, what is the honest truth for the British farming heritage.

A series of five short films will be made, following four characters in touching upon their lives through their daily work.

Nicola.

A single mother of three children, continuing the legacy left by her grandfather, and generations before him. Farming a breed of 200 Welsh black mountain sheep in Gower, Wales. Alongside this she works to financially support her family and heritage.

Thomas.

Son of Nicola, began fishing and hunting alongside his studies to provide honest produce of the land to help the family. He dreams of

3 Manifesto

continuing his talent, but his experience is threatened from the decline of fish populations caused by overfishing, pollution and changes sea temperatures.

Katie.

Chairman of Gower young farmers. The federation of young farmers is a registered nationwide charity aiming to support young people within rural communities in a range of skills that will support their future. Katie works full time whilst living at home on her family farm.

The future of her and others like her, being able to continue her fathers work in the future doesn’t look bright.

Emile.

He has been farming for 5 years, and would call himself a “novice”. Born and raised in the Netherlands, he has a Masters in music, but from his childhood memories of his grandfathers pigs, and increasing concerns over the future of farming, he moved to the UK to begin farming one of the rarest breeds of pigs, the Long Black.

His farming practice works to promote a rich, biodiverse and healthy environment.

Nicola Welsh Black Mountain Sheep Farmer

Preparing Rams for Ewes

Nicola describes her grandfather as her best friend. She would she lost her mother at age of 14 she came to live on the farm. Her grandfather, Thomas, loved what he did, he was who Nicola looked up to. When he died Nicola wanted to continue everything her family had worked for, but faces daily struggles.

Physically farming can be hugely demanding on her, her children aren’t fully involved in all the daily tasks as they are studying. Financially the farm doesn't make an income, only enough to continue, and Nicola has to work full time on top of this to help support her family. She describes her area, Gower, as

“a funny ol’place, the community is small and everyone interferes with others business, I try and keep myself to myself, looking after the wildlife, farm animals and giving my children something for their future is important.”

Nicola is now working with the National Trust, they are developing an old medieval patchwork of fields in Gower to restore them back to traditional faring practices. Their aim is to teach tourists about the farming heritage in Gower, to help sustain their practice on this land. Using the welsh black mountain breed on their farmland.

Together we are sustaining a dying breed, and both land and animals can be maintained.

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A Day Farming Welsh Black Mountain Sheep

What questions/issues this arises•The sustenance of the small farming heritage •Lack of income- Sustaining itself without scope for extra costs such as children, illnesses, weather disasters.

•Many farms survive on government subsidies Unable to compete with demands met by larger more intensive farms Living a lifestyle sustained through the government •Hardships of managing a small diverse farm •Mind and body is deeply connected to its produce through deep physical and emotional interaction

Story Board

Mother

Dinner

Preparation for meal times most often comes from the resources the family have access too.

Pigeon and rabbits are a problem within the rural farming community, as well as a problem for much of Britains wildlife. There is an abundance of these animals within the area, it doesn’t financially cost the family by utilising this food source. Family meal times become a rich and proud time when the family gather together, (or not due to other activities), appreciating the food they have and have a deep understanding of what life and death has to offer. This is a circular

food system that suggests a high morality to the typical discussions around the meat industry.

‘This bird is considered to be a major agricultural pest, causing at least £3 million worth of damage to crops annually in the UK.’ RSPB The smallest loss in crops can dramatically effect the survival of small farms financially and environmentally. The conservation of these ‘pests’ can also effect relationships with other members of the rural community who may have opposing opinions that each-other can often lack understanding or misinterpret each other.

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Preparing Family Dinner

What questions/issues this arises•Where do our morals lie •What our respect and spiritual awareness lie with what and how we eat.

•Small scale, conservation produce, zeros waste, vs intensive meat production, the leading game player within the meat industry.

•As an intelligent animal how do we really understand/ritual/respect what we are consuming and eating.

•Farming pest for small scale farmers and biodiversity/conservation •Is this almost religious and beautiful method of consumption now a privilege over a necessity.

•How much does society lack in understanding of where its food comes from.

•How can this be changed? what role does design play in this.

Story Board

Thomas Young Fisherman

Oxwich Bay 7.30am

Gower is a peninsular, thus surrounded by three parts water. Another enterprise in-which Nicolas son has grown keen to pursue. At the age of fourteen Thomas represents Wales in the sport of fishing. But wants to spend his career fishing the coast of Gower to provide fresh, delicious fish to the local pubs and restaurants. Tourists seasons also increase the demand of such delicacy.

However in recent years the size of sea bass, cod, and mackerel, main three species Thomas looks for have declined rapidly. The majority of

catch must be put back as they do not confirm to fisheries rules and regulations. He believes this decline in the diversity of the oceans is a cause of our actions in recent years. One of the main causes of fish decline is due to the pollution causes from pesticides and fertilisers contamination the waters. ‘90% of pesticides filter straight into our waters.’ Thomas worries about the future of the oceans and is realising the effect this could have on his livelihood.

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A Day Fishing for the Family

What questions/issues this arises•Farming being a cause of decrease/loss of fish due to pollution from chemicals leaching into soils and waters... rather an irony •Young people within the industry are understanding and suffering the destructive effects that agriculture has had as well as on the environment •Is there a future for young people •what needs to change amongst the new generation to adapt to sustainable causes needed within the industry •innovative methods that work in harmony or to an advantage of all needs is to be better established for the future •Are young people being assisted enough through education to allow for this •What role can design have on aiding the upcoming generations to think and act on tehir effects towards the environment.

Story Board

Katie Gower Young Farmer Chairperson

Proud Mother

Katie is current chairman of Gower Young Farmers, and is trying to make her way within the agricultural community as best she can. I have followed her through Glamorgan young farmers annual stock judging competition. An event in which the local clubs compete at county level in order to select the most skilled stock judgers to represent the county at national level. The event is taken very seriously and includes skills such as public speaking, organisation and in depth understanding of the animals and their purpose.

The sense of community and pride of this practice amongst the young-farmers throughout the day was powerful. Katie had one two First and one Third in the 18-21 section and will go on to compete at county level in the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, Builth Wells in July.

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A Day Stock Judging

What questions/issues this arises- Interview with Katie -Where do you feel you stand with-in the farming community?

I am a young farmer who is looking to develop and grow my knowledge and influence on the agricultural industry. Being born and bred into a farming family the farming community and way of life is instilled in you.

-What is important to you about being involved in this industry?

Agriculture is an rapidly changing industry facing increasing pressures, it’s important to keep its historic roots in the UK alive and to educate and impact agriculture in the UK and globally.

-What struggles are facing the rural family farming community?

Pressures to become more cost effective/environmentally aware/ traceability etc. Competition is a massive issue towards the small scale family farm e.g. the super dairy’s that are sprinting up across the UK as well as the recent drop in milk prices force smaller family farms out of the industry as they cannot compete.

-What struggles do young people currently face within the industry?

Older farming generations unwilling to pass the reins to the younger generations forcing them to find work else (sometimes out of the agricultural industry). They are unable to develop their own ideas to improve the business. Often when they eventually return to the farm it’s an uneconomical venture to begin improving the business due to poorly maintained infrastructure etc. here is already a rapid decline in family farms across uk, do you feel there is future survival/heritage of small family farms?

Yes - I feel there must be the survival of the family farm! The farming generations from years gone by have fed us through world wars using noting but the land we were given. We must continue to farm in honour of those who have gone before us and to also prevent domination of the market by certain producers who in turn could have a negative impact on the price passed onto the consumer.

-What are your opinions on what Brexit means for small farms?

Subsidies is a huge issue for a large proportion of farmers - this could potentially see then end to some family farms who run on a loss leading system but are kept a float by their subsidies from the EU. Also trade of our products such as lamb will have a great impact unless we reduce imports and become more self sufficient in supplying to our own demand.

Story Board

Emile New Farmer to the Industry

Foot Care

Emilie has turned to farming in the UK after understanding the threats of loosing rare breeds from failing farms. Until five years ago he studied and trained in the arts of music. Emelie grew up in rural Netherlands which may have inspired his change in career. His grandfather owned pigs when Emile was a child. He owns 3 sows, and a boar, in which he is breeding to preserve the bloodline of the long black pig, one of the rarest breeds in the UK. Emeile talks about how much he doesn't yet know but interestingly he talks about the use of antibiotics and chemicals in intensive farms where a few ‘eďŹƒciently superior’

breeds are under threat of catching a resistant virus that could leave us in critical situations that where we could be facing a collapse in the food system. By maintaining and breeding a specific rare breed organically and humanly may become the answer to this yet unknown threat by holding their own residence or being untouched by the threat of intensive animals. He believes in the welfare of these animals allows for a better genetic makeup or healthier hormones.

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A Day Preserving a Rare Breed Bloodline

What questions/issues this arises•How the business model built around a niche breed can be sustained as well as having sustainable farming practices •This business method provides higher costing meat, may only open doors to the higher classes or more privileged, or those that have an understanding or who morals lie with a sustainable, environmentally conscious pastoral farming model.

•Means to preservation of almost extinct, less desirable breeds of animals •How can morals be justified ?

•Seeing the need for farmed animals in circular sustainable system of farming •An issue within the meat industry is the production of “cheap” meat which has poor environmental and animal welfare standards, the higher the standards the more expensive the meat, how can design encourage a better understanding to masses of the value of sustainable meat and end cheap meat production?

•

Story Board

All Together

A Short Film

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4

Identifying opportunities for further enquiry following the manifesto

Throughout creating the manifesto a range of interesting debates, discussions, questions and lines of enquiry have become apparent in continuing research. Opportunities for this will be identified in this chapter.

Further Enquiry

Looking at a Case Study Alternative Practices Government Policies ie Brexit

Case-study

Using my family farm as a case study to develop a true understanding of the dynamics within that area. It has a variety of members from society, all living in a rural landscape. These include •Farmers •Young Farmers •National Trust •Retirement for Riches •Tourists •City Dwellers •Game Keeper •Campsite Owners •Surfers •Artists

•Restaurant and Pub Owner The survival of our family farm is under threat. My mother does not see a future in how its currently managed. I disagree with her and therefore would want to study the farm dynamics from environmental, economical and social perspectives and identify ways in which alterations or innovative ideas and methods can challenge or alter those issues. I wish to identify wether these dynamics could act as a representation for small farms across the uk or even wider, or in-fact are specific only to that particular area.

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Mapping

Using mapping as a communication tool

understanding of how best to carry out

to study the social, environmental and

my study. Projects such as community21

economical factors that contribute to the

share a similar purpose, using online

case study area.

interactive communication maps to better

I plan on looking into the dynamics,

facilitate knowledge within given areas.

historically, currently and develop

3D mapping may also be another method

innovative scenarios to benefit the future

to communicate scenarios of my case

and survival of food system practices.

study to a dierent/wider society in order

I will explore methods of community

to connect dierent understanding and

mapping on order to gain a better

perspectives of critical farming issues.

Mapping Welsh Black Sheep

Map relevant relations to the families herd, such as •Locations throughout a season, a year, a lifespan •Material qualities such as wool, meat, bones, horns, hoofs •Practices such as trimming, shearing, lambing •Equipment/resources needed- water, grass, hay, medication •Locations/travel/costs of these resources •Cost of maintenance •Social Qualities •History of breed/bloodline •Historical Practices •Waist streams

Alternative Farming Practices

Fig8 Circular Food System Plan. Feed Back Looking at current designs and innovative farming practices or projects that are adapting/questioning the current threats faced by farming communities.

They could provide for the needs of future generation farmers and consumers.

Permaculture, bio-dynamic farming, urban agriculture and community/share farms are a some well established practices within uk.

There is also an opportunity to look research into areas of design that test the boundaries of this area.

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Biodynamic Community Farming Tablehurst Biodynamic Farm grows, produces and sells food that is certified Biodynamic  and Organic by the Biodynamic Association. They run the farm and garden as a holistic organism and all fertility as well as most of the food for the animals is produced on the farm itself.

The farm is open to everyone and owned by the local community Co-op along with their partner farm Plaw Hatch. Fig9

Cae Tan is a Community Supported Agriculture Project (CSA) based on The Gower Peninsula in South Wales. We grow and supply fresh, seasonal, biodynamic produce to our members weekly throughout the year.

We oer volunteering and learning opportunities to a range of groups and individuals, such as local schools to raise awareness of sustainable farming and to reconnect children and young people to the land and their food. Fig10

Permaculture Permaculture is a design process. It helps design intelligent systems which meet human needs whilst enhancing biodiversity, reducing our impact on the planet, and creating a fairer world for us all.

Brighton permaculture trust aims to promote sustainable development, or better still regenerative development to give us a better farming system. their work fits into three main themes: •Permaculture education •Growing & using fruit as well as related land management •Green buildings Fig11

Urban Agriculture This comes in many forms but generlisation of this subject is to utalize agricultural practices within urban spaces, some examples are roof top farming or vertical farming.

US architecture firm Sasaki Associates has designed the farm to produce food for the inhabitants of China's largest city. The project aims to offer a space-saving alternative to traditional land-intensive farming, prompted by high land prices that encourage the development of vertical infrastructure.

Fig12

Brexit

The situation under Brexit is leaving the agricultural industry in a cloudy debate as to where or what will be put in place/change for British farming, wether this benefits small scale farms is yet known. Fig13 This leaves an opportunity to push the issues currently within the industry to attention in hope for a strategy that will work in favour.

This leaves an opportunity in developing a design project that aims to target political agendas, thorough research and development amongst issues within the Uk. Designing a body of work that works in favour of sustainable and community focused farming futures.

This could have great effect on the preservation of Uk heritage and identity within agriculture whilst making innovative design changes to better the environment.

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5 Bibliography Books Barber, Dan. “The Third Plate: Field Notes on the future of Food.”. Great Britain. Clays Ltd, St Ives. 2014.Print.

Chapman, V.J. “Seaweeds and Their Uses”. USA. Chapman and Hall Publishing. 1950.

Print.

Clover, Charles. “The End of The Line- How Over Fishing Is Changing The WOrld and What We Eat”. London. Ebury Press. 2004. Print.

Harari, Yuval noah. “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind”. Great Britain. Clays Ltd, St Ives plc. 2011. Print. Page 87 Jenkins, Joseph. “The Humanure Handbook- A Guide to Composting Human Manure”.

USa. Chelsea Green Publishing. 2005. Print.

Montgomery, David. “The Hidden Half of Nature- The Microbial Roots of Life and Health”.

USA. W.W.Norton and Company. 2016. Print.

Websites

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Community21, A Social Design Agency Based in The University of Brighton Supporting Sustainable Community Development. https://community21.org (Accessed November 2017) Brighton Permaculture Trust. https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/ecobuilding/earthshipbrighton (Accessed November 2017) The Genographic Project- The Development of Agriculture. https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/development-of-agriculture/ (Accessed November 2017) Socially Responsible Agricultural Project. http://www.sraproject.org/factory-farms-abuse-animals/ (Accessed November 2017) Countryfile- 1o of The Most Endangered Species in the UK. 21/10/2017. http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/10-most-endangered-animal-species-britain (Accessed November 2017)

Futurefarmers- group of diverse practitioners. 1995. http://www.futurefarmers.com (Accessed November 2017) Sustain- Farming and the Supply Chain. Vikki Herd. 11/2017. http://mailchi.mp/sustainweb/what-do-farms-mean-to-you-farm-policy-newsletter-4?e=3e 324d41b9 (Accessed November 2017) RSPB Community. What does Brexit mean for farmers and for the environment? Martin Harper. 24/10/2017 http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/martinharper/archive/2017/10/24/what-doe s-brexit-mean-for-farmers-and-for-the-environment.aspx (Accessed November 2017)

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RSPB Community. 10 Facts About Wood Pigeons. Annonymous. 23.01/2010 http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/13609/p/9050/65252.aspx#bciuEjoSUvBRiAf 7.99 (Accessed November 2017) USDA. China in the Next Decade: Rising Meat Demand and Growing Imports of Feed.

James Hansen. 07/04/2014. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2014/april/china-in-the-next-decade-rising-meatdemand-and-growing-imports-of-feed/ (Accessed November 2017) MOLD. An editorial platform about designing the future of food. https://thisismold.com (Accessed November 2017) Modern Farmer. The Fog of Farming. Marsha Johnston. 15/01/15. Fig3 https://modernfarmer.com/2015/01/fog-farming/ (Accessed November 2017) Plawhatch Farm. Fig4 http://www.plawhatchfarm.co.uk/the-garden-1/8v7s91ob93gubc21uxn87bzqoa2ohf (Accessed November 2017) The Gaurdian. UK has nearly 800 livestock mega farms, investigation reveals. Andrew Wasley. 17/07/17. Fig https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/17/uk-has-nearly-800-livestock-mega -farms-investigation-reveals#img-1 (Accessed November 2017) Tablehurst Farm. http://tablehurst.farm/the-farm/ (Accessed November 2017) SCA Cae Tan. http://caetancsa.org/en/ (Accessed November 2017) Permaculture Assosiation. https://www.permaculture.org.uk (Accessed November 2017) Talks/Conversations/Interviews

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Extinction and Livestock Conference. WWF and Compassion in World Farming.

International. London. 5-6/10/2017. supporters@ciwf.org.uk https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-7iZXkicZxfRMp9U7euR3GvhpZTR1V5y Kearsley-Evans, Alan. National Trust. Recorded Conversation. 03/11/2017. 2-4pm Alan.Kearsley-Evans@nationaltrust.org.uk Webber, Emile. Long Black Pig Farmer. Recorded Conversation and Working Day. 11/11/2017 EmileHSK@hotmail.com Defacto, Ashab. Conservationist. Working Day. 29/10/2017. ashab23@gmail.com

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