Month: April 2025

Tree Assistance Program (TAP):

hoose: A popular name for a lungworm. Preventing and managing hoose ensures the respiratory health of livestock.

slapmark: the herdmark allocated by Defra, put on both shoulders of a pig. Ensuring slapmarks are legible helps farmers comply with regulations and maintain accurate records for traceability and biosecurity.

Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE):

seed rate: The amount of seed sown per hectare shown as kilos per hectare (kg/ha). Farmers benefit from understanding and managing seed rates for optimal crop density and yield.

intervention price: Same as support price. The intervention price is the price at which the national intervention agencies are obliged to buy up agricultural commodities offered to them. Helps farmers understand price support mechanisms.

Production Flexibility Contract (PFC):

A method of marking cattle by injecting ink into the skin, usually inside the ear. Tattooing provides a permanent form of identification. For example, tattooing registration numbers on purebred cattle for breed certification and record-keeping.

nitrification: the process by which bacteria in the soil break down nitrogen compounds and form nitrates which plants can absorb. Nitrification is a key process in the nitrogen cycle, essential for converting nitrogen into forms that plants can use. Farmers can benefit from understanding and managing nitrification to ensure efficient nitrogen use and minimize losses. Practices like maintaining soil health, using nitrification inhibitors, and optimizing fertilizer application timing can enhance nitrogen availability for crops, leading to better yields and reduced environmental impact.

Payment-in-Kind (PIK):