Ráðunautafundur - 15.02.2001, Page 44

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anced nutrition for plants and animals and a natural crop protection. It also makes the total
production less vulnerable to falling prices or reduced yields.
Soil
Soil management is crucial for all the activities on the farm. Measures to improve micro-life
activity and soil structure are prerequisites to achieve a balanced nutrient supply, resistance
against pests and a high product quality. Careful soil labour, coverage witlr living plants and
supply of organic matter through green manure, mulch and compost are important measures
to activate and increase the micro-organisms and build up soil fertility.
Nutrient management
Nutrient supply relies on recirculation of organic matter and efficient use of available nutri-
ents. In addition nitrogen-fixing plants (legumes) are used. Farmyard manure is stored and
distributed in such ways that it is efficiently used without leaking to the surrounding envi-
ronment. A certain addition of minerals and lime may sometimes be needed. In those cases
the certification body provides a list of allowed inputs.
Green manure
Green manure, living plants which are used to fertilise the soil, has many positive effects such
as nitrogen fixation, improvement of soil structure, organic matter supply, animal fodder,
crop protection, erosion reduction, water holding capacity and weed control. Green manure
can be grown as a main crop (clover, beans, peas), intercropped with various species (clover-
grain, beans-corn) or as a cover crop after harvest of a main crop (rye, mustard).
Weeds
Weed nranagement consists of preventive measures (crop rotation, intercropping, green ma-
nure and the competitiveness of strong crops) and technologica! measures (cultivation, de-
layed sowing, weed harrowing, hoeing, brushing, flame-weeding and hand-weeding). Several
new methods are under development.
Pests
Pest management consists to a large extent of planning and preventive measures. For each
crop, strategies have to be elaborated according to the biology of each specific crop and its
pests. Polyculture and diversity benefit predators. Balanced fertilisation, crop rotation and
intercropping, resistant varieties and green manure are important measures. Mulching and
biological control with soap, plant extracts or living organisms like predators, beneficial bac-
teria, fungi and nematodes, are some direct control measures.
Ethieal animal husbandry
Animal Irusbandr}' is planned in a way that grants the animals a life according to their natural
needs and behaviour. The well being of the animal is the basis for good animal health and
good economy. Basically animals are kept free-range and outdoor and babies of mammals
suckle their mothers. The animals are aliowed to live in a herd and to make up their own
ranking order and they should be fed the kind of feed they are naturally adapted to digest.
Mixing of animal species reduces parasites and adds to the well being of the animals.
Economy
It is diffícult to generalise and compare the economy of an organic farm with a conventional
one. There are many influencing factors and first and last it is a matter of the farmer’s techni-
cal and economic skill and the farm’s basic conditions.