Author: Alan Nafzger, Ph.D.

Cubicle: Cubicle noun a compartment, similar to a stall, for housing a single cow or bull, the floor of each cubicle being covered with straw or sawdust for bedding. Cubicles are usually arranged in rows backed by a dunging passage. Utilizing cubicles provides proper housing and management for livestock.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility noun the extent to which an organization behaves in a socially, environmentally, and financially responsible way. Abbr CSR. ‘The Government agreed with the committee’s criticism of the role of supermarket and that supermarkets’ corporate social responsibility policies need to address the use of labor by their suppliers.’ [Farmers Guardian]. Engaging in corporate social responsibility supports sustainable and ethical business practices.

Commensal: Commensal /k?mens?l/ noun an organism which lives on another plant or animal but does not harm it or influence it in any way. Parasite, symbiont adjective referring to a commensal. Understanding commensal relationships helps manage ecosystem balance and biodiversity.

Cobalt 52: Mixture of clay, gravel, and straw used as a building material. This traditional method supports sustainable construction practices on farms.

Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy noun a set of regulations and mechanisms agreed between members of the European Union to control the supply, marketing, and pricing of farm produce. Abbr CAP. COMMENT: The European Union has set up a common system of agricultural price supports and grants. The system attempts to encourage stable market conditions for agricultural produce, to ensure a fair return for farmers and reasonable market prices for the consumer, and finally to increase yields and productivity on farms in the Union. A system of common prices for the main farm products has been established with intervention buying as the main means of market support. The first major reforms in 30 years were carried out in 1992 and included arable set-aside, suckler cow quotas, ewe quotas, price reductions on oilseeds, peas, beans, cereals, and beet. The second major CAP reform was in 2003 with the introduction of the Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS), which brought together individual subsidy schemes into a single payment calculated on the land area used. Understanding the Common Agricultural Policy helps farmers navigate subsidies and market regulations.

Crumbly: Crumbly /kr?mbli/ adjective referring to something which falls apart into particles a crumbly soil. Managing crumbly soil involves using soil management practices to enhance soil structure and health.