Research on Sustainable Livestock Farming in the United Kingdom

[Dakore]

I am doing research on evaluating the effects of sustainable livestock farming among smallholder livestock farmers in the United Kingdom as part of my final thesis. I would like smallholder farmers in the UK to please help me and fill out this questionnaire using the link below.

Evaluating the Effect of Sustainable Livestock Farming Practices on Smallholder Livestock Farmers in the United Kingdom

I am a student at Rhine Waal University of Applied Sciences in Germany. As part of my thesis, I am conducting a survey of smallholder farmers to understand the effect of sustainable livestock practices on smallholder farmers in the United Kingdom. Definition of terms: Smallholder: Smallholders...

docs.google.com

I will also like to get feedback from farmers, either in the form of interviews or as comments under the post.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

First question, are you a smallholder livestock farmer? What does that mean? I think you need to quantify, do you mean 250 sheep is that a smallholder? Or do you mean only 50? I remember a lecturer telling me he asked the students what a large farm was, and the students opinion was anything over 800 or 1000 acres (and we are talking a stock farm).

With 250 ewes and 30 suckler cattle I was unable to complete your questionnaire, as I do not identify myself as a smallholder, however I do try to farm in a sustainable way, oh well.

 

[Dakore]

Thank you very much for your reply. Smallholders are actually family farmers who don’t practice farming in an industrial scale. It does not have to do with the number of flock. If you practice livestock farming in a small-scale, You are described as a small scale farmer. In terms of size, farm size less than 4 hectares, number of cattle less than 50, and number of small ruminants less than 200 and percentage of non farm income less than 50 percent.

 

[Dakore]

So in essence, if you meet one of these criteria, you are classified as a smallholder farmer.

 

[yellowbelly]

Thank you very much for your reply. Smallholders are actually family farmers who don’t practice farming in an industrial scale. It does not have to do with the number of flock. If you practice livestock farming in a small-scale, You are described as a small scale farmer. In terms of size, farm size less than 4 hectares, number of cattle less than 50, and number of small ruminants less than 200 and percentage of non farm income less than 50 percent.

By definition then, if these farms aren't producing 50% of the income, how can the livestock be sustainable

 

[Dakore]

There are some persons that combine livestock farming with other occupations. That clause is to also accommodate them as well.

 

[Muddyroads]

The word sustainable has too many definitions these days.

 

[Dakore]

Yes that’s right. There are three dimensions to sustainability. Economic, environmental and social.

 

[yellowbelly]

Yes that’s right. There are three dimensions to sustainability. Economic, environmental and social.

Doesn't matter how environmental or social it is, if it can't pay it's own way, it can not be sustainable.
How can it carry on if the money runs out?

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Partner works in a Uni, and she said the first thing she tells her students (when writing essays too), is to define the terms as everybody has their own unique definitions, so I would advise you rewrite your questionnaire and put definitions in the first question, ie livestock numbers with a reference to John Nix for standard work days, then use standard work days to define a smallholding. I believe, Nix, used 180 standard man days as his definition for a full time farm by the way.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Doesn't matter how environmental or social it is, if it can't pay it's own way, it can not be sustainable.
How can it carry on if the money runs out?

also define sustainable, I can see @yellowbelly uses a definition as financially self sustaining, however, I took it to mean, sequestering Carbon in a regn ag sort of way, again, define terms!

 

[Dakore]

Economic sustainability entails making profit. No doubt about that. But there are farmers whose income does not come from farming alone. That does not mean that they are not sustainable economically. This is why I said percentage of non-farm income less than 50 percent. I don’t mean farm income. You can check again.

 

[Muddyroads]

Economic sustainability entails making profit. No doubt about that. But there are farmers whose income does not come from farming alone. That does not mean that they are not sustainable economically. This is why I said percentage of non-farm income less than 50 percent. I don’t mean farm income. You can check again.

It’s a frequent topic of conversation here as to whether off farm income should be used to support a farming business. If off farm income is required for financial survival, the farm isn’t sustainable.

 

[Dakore]

Alright. I will take the feedback and define terms and repost the questionnaire. Thanks everyone for the valuable feedback. I will also esponge the part that has to do with off farm income.

 

[topground]

Another survey designed to deliver a pre determined outcome. Not completed.

 

[Dakore]

No there is no predetermined outcome here. I am only taking feedback to improve understanding of the questionnaire. If you went through the whole survey you will see that there are two way questions. That asks questions on both merit and demerits of sustainable livestock farming.

 

[delilah]

Alright. I will take the feedback and define terms and repost the questionnaire. Thanks everyone for the valuable feedback. I will also esponge the part that has to do with off farm income.

If you're doing another version, can you make it so that it is possible to look at the whole thing before starting to answer. These things need thinking time.

I never fill an online form in if I can't get past the first page without answering the questions. (Which is one of the reasons defra don't get much back from us on being an sfi pilot.)

 

[Dakore]

Hi everyone, I have modified the whole questionnaire. Kindly help me fill it out. Thank you very much for your feedback.

 

[SteveHants]

Doesn't matter how environmental or social it is, if it can't pay it's own way, it can not be sustainable.
How can it carry on if the money runs out?

That'll be "economic".

They are trying to describe the "triple bottom line" model of sustainability.

 

[Dakore]

Hello friends, this post was banned for spam but after meeting with the administrators the ban has been lifted. Kindly help me feel the form to complete my thesis. Thank you very much for your understanding.