Stephen J. Ramsden

Impacts of changing relative prices on farm level dairy production in the UK

Abstract This paper presents a linear programming model designed to evaluate the impact of changes in milk to milk-quota-leasing price ratios, nitrogen fertiliser and concentrate prices on the profitability of a technically efficient UK dairy farm. The model incorporates energy and protein requirements of cows of different yield levels and allows substitution between forage and concentrate feeds. The results show that there is a large financial incentive to reduce input levels and move to lower yielding cows as milk to milk-quota-leasing price ratios fall relative to prices for concentrates and nitrogen fertiliser. However, under proposed reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy, and at current UK milk prices, technically efficient producers will find it profitable to continue feeding relatively large amounts of concentrates to relatively high yielding cows.

How do we cultivate in England? Tillage practices in crop production systems

Abstract Reducing tillage intensity offers the possibility of moving towards sustainable intensification objectives. Reduced tillage (RT) practices, where the plough is not used, can provide a number of environmental and financial benefits, particularly for soil erosion control. Based on 2010 harvest year data from the nationally stratified Farm Business Survey and drawing on a sub‐sample of 249 English arable farmers, we estimate that approximately 32% of arable land was established under RT, with 46% of farms using some form of RT. Farms more likely to use some form of RT were larger, located in the East Midlands and South East of England and classified as ‘Cereals’ farms. Application of RT techniques was not determined by the age or education level of the farmer. Individual crops impacted the choice of land preparation, with wheat and oilseed rape being more frequently planted after RT than field beans and root crops, which were almost always planted after ploughing. This result suggests there can be limitations to the applicability of RT. Average tillage depth was only slightly shallower for RT practices than ploughing, suggesting that the predominant RT practices are quite demanding in their energy use. Policy makers seeking to increase sustainable RT uptake will need to address farm‐level capital investment constraints and target policies on farms growing crops, such as wheat and oilseed rape, that are better suited to RT practices.