Abstract
The key objective of this project is to recommend a methodology to test a list of key questions agreed at the end of the first stage of this project as follows:
1. How do the biodiversity elements measured for organic maintenance options compare to similar land not in Countryside Stewardship (CS)?
2. How do the biodiversity elements measured for the conventional options in CS compare to organic maintenance options?
3. How does biodiversity on the maintenance options of CS compare to the biodiversity of conventional farms with similar environmental settings and/or farm business types?
4. Do the biodiversity elements measured for conventional options change at a different rate to conventional farms in CS as farms convert to organic production?
5. How does biodiversity change as a farm converts to organic production compared to a similar farm that is outside of CS over the same time period?
6. How does soil organic matter differ between conventional farms and organic farms in CS?
7. Is there a difference in soil erosion between conventional and organic farms in CS?
8. How do soil biota differ between conventional and organic farms in CS?
9. Is there a difference in water quality leaving conventional and organic farms in CS?
10. Do organic farms maintain or change the landscape in a way different from conventional farms in CS?
11. Can the public benefits of organic and conventional farms in CS be quantified and compared: what are the variables (above and beyond those in question 1 to 9) that need to be collected to do this?
1. How do the biodiversity elements measured for organic maintenance options compare to similar land not in Countryside Stewardship (CS)?
2. How do the biodiversity elements measured for the conventional options in CS compare to organic maintenance options?
3. How does biodiversity on the maintenance options of CS compare to the biodiversity of conventional farms with similar environmental settings and/or farm business types?
4. Do the biodiversity elements measured for conventional options change at a different rate to conventional farms in CS as farms convert to organic production?
5. How does biodiversity change as a farm converts to organic production compared to a similar farm that is outside of CS over the same time period?
6. How does soil organic matter differ between conventional farms and organic farms in CS?
7. Is there a difference in soil erosion between conventional and organic farms in CS?
8. How do soil biota differ between conventional and organic farms in CS?
9. Is there a difference in water quality leaving conventional and organic farms in CS?
10. Do organic farms maintain or change the landscape in a way different from conventional farms in CS?
11. Can the public benefits of organic and conventional farms in CS be quantified and compared: what are the variables (above and beyond those in question 1 to 9) that need to be collected to do this?
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Commissioning body | Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Jul 2020 |
