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Cereals - Autruy-Sur-Juine, France

Executive Summary

The farm is a member of the Arvalis Charter farm assurance scheme (requires compliance relating to environment, production methods and food safety) and the Exploitation Qualifiee scheme (integrated farm management, promoting positive environmental practices on the environment and reducing adverse effects, without jeopardizing the economics of the enterprise).

The farm undertakes soil testing for nitrogen at the beginning of spring to calculate forthcoming application rates. Later in the season crop stem samples are tested to calculate plant nitrogen levels, which are used to determine final application requirements, ensuring protein levels in the grain are suitable for milling.
Cooling stored grain with ventilation fans helps eliminate the need to treat the grain to control storage pests. Cooling the grain also reduces the risks of mould formation.

A purpose-built facility stores all of the farm’s plant protection products. This locked, bunded and heated facility ensures that no stored chemicals can leak into the natural environment.

The farm has been a member of a local cooperative for over five years. The cooperative provides technical advice and assistance. It also purchases all the required farm inputs and markets outputs, bringing economic benefits.

Both the sprayer and fertiliser spreader are regularly calibrated to ensure that the products applied by these machines are placed accurately.

The farm has made the most of its geographic position and soils to produce a high-quality, in-demand milling wheat and receives a premium price for this product.