Category: E

E number: A classification of additives to food approved by the European Union. Understanding E numbers helps farmers in food processing and product formulation to comply with regulations and ensure food safety.

Energy Crops Scheme: A system set up by Defra under which farmers can apply for grants to establish energy crops on their land. The ECS supports farmers in developing sustainable energy production practices.

ecto-: Prefix meaning outside. Compare endo-. Understanding prefixes like “ecto-” helps farmers and agricultural scientists accurately describe and manage pests and diseases.

eelworm: A minute worm-like animal (Nematode) which attacks a great variety of food crops. Stem eelworm. Managing eelworm infestations is crucial for protecting crop health and yield.

enriched cage: A type of cage in which battery hens are kept, where the bird’s living conditions have been improved by an increase in the size of the cage and the inclusion of perches, nests, and litter so that the bird can peck and scratch. Enriched cages will replace existing battery cages in 2012 when the EU Directive on the welfare of laying hens comes into force. However, a review of the Directive is underway, with a report expected next year. Using enriched cages helps farmers improve animal welfare and comply with regulations.

endocrine gland: A gland such as the pituitary gland which produces hormones introduced directly into the bloodstream. Understanding endocrine glands helps farmers manage livestock health and reproduction.

enteric: Referring to the intestine. Understanding enteric health helps farmers manage livestock nutrition and prevent digestive diseases.

Essex Saddleback: A breed of pig which has been bred with the Wessex Saddleback to form the British Saddleback. Raising Essex Saddleback pigs can provide farmers with high-quality pork and contribute to the preservation of rare breeds.

environmental tax: Same as ecotax. Understanding environmental taxes helps farmers adopt practices that protect the environment and comply with regulations.

exposure: The harmful effect of having no protection from the weather. Suffering from exposure after spending a night in the snow. Understanding exposure risks helps farmers protect crops and livestock from environmental harm.

erode: To wear away gradually, or to wear something away. The hills have been eroded by wind and rain. Understanding erosion helps farmers adopt practices that protect soil health and prevent land degradation.

elephant grass: Same as miscanthus. Growing miscanthus can provide farmers with a renewable energy source and improve soil health.

essence: A concentrated oil extracted from a plant, used in food, cosmetics, analgesics, and antiseptics. Vanilla essence. Understanding essence extraction helps farmers in value-added production and marketing.

ecotax: A tax that is used to encourage people to change from an activity that damages the environment or to encourage activities with beneficial environmental effects. Also called environmental tax. Ecotaxes can incentivize farmers to adopt environmentally friendly practices.

EIA: Abbreviation for environmental impact assessment. Conducting an EIA helps farmers plan sustainable agricultural practices and comply with environmental regulations.

electrical conductivity: A measurement of salt concentration in soils. Monitoring electrical conductivity helps farmers manage soil salinity and improve crop health.

E. coli: Abbreviation for Escherichia coli. Understanding E. coli helps farmers ensure food safety and implement measures to prevent contamination.

ecosystem services: The benefits provided by ecosystems that support human life and agriculture, such as pollination, water purification, and soil fertility. Protecting ecosystem services is essential for sustainable farming.

EA: Abbreviation for Environment Agency. Understanding the role of the EA can help farmers comply with environmental regulations and improve sustainable farming practices.

etiolation: The process by which a green plant grown in insufficient light becomes yellow and grows long shoots. Understanding etiolation helps farmers manage plant health and optimize growth conditions.

erysipelas: An infectious disease mainly affecting pigs and also turkeys. In pigs, the symptoms are reddish inflammations on the skin and a high fever. It may cause infertility or abortion and manifests itself in three forms: acute, sub-acute, and chronic. Also called Diamonds disease. Managing erysipelas is crucial for farmers to ensure the health and productivity of their livestock.

exceed: To be more than expected, needed, or allowed. The concentration of radioactive material in the waste exceeded the government limits. It is dangerous to exceed the stated application rate; do not apply more than the recommended amount. Understanding limits helps farmers comply with regulations and ensure safe practices.

excretion rate: The rate at which a substance such as nitrogen is excreted by an animal. Understanding excretion rates helps farmers manage livestock nutrition and waste.

extraction rate: The percentage of flour produced as a result of milling grain. Understanding extraction rates helps farmers optimize processing and improve product quality.

etiolation: The process by which a green plant grown in insufficient light becomes yellow and grows long shoots. Understanding etiolation helps farmers manage plant health and optimize growth conditions.

ecologically sustainable development: Development which limits the size of the human population and the use of resources, so as to protect the existing natural resources for future generations. This principle helps farmers plan for long-term sustainability and resource conservation.

estimated breeding value: The value of an animal, calculated using an estimate of how many offspring it will have and what they will be worth. Abbr EBV. Knowing EBV helps farmers select and breed livestock for desirable traits, improving herd quality and productivity.

ectoparasite disease: A disease caused by lice and other insects, usually characterized by intense irritation. Farmers need to manage ectoparasite diseases to ensure the health and welfare of their livestock.

emission standard: The amount of an effluent or pollutant that can legally be released into the environment, e.g., the amount of sewage which can be discharged into a river or the sea, or the amount of carbon monoxide that can legally be released into the atmosphere by petrol and diesel engines. Complying with emission standards helps farmers reduce pollution and avoid legal penalties.

encephalopathy: BSE. Managing encephalopathy is crucial for farmers to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain animal health.

excreta: The waste material excreted from the body of an animal, e.g., faeces, urine, droppings, or sweat. Managing excreta helps farmers maintain hygiene and prevent disease spread.

ecosphere: The part of the Earth and its atmosphere where living organisms exist, including parts of the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. Also called biosphere. Knowledge of the ecosphere helps farmers adopt practices that protect and sustain the environment.

export refunds: Refunds made by the EU to farmers to compensate for a lower export price for produce. Accessing export refunds helps farmers manage financial stability and market fluctuations.

Escherichia coli: A Gram-negative bacterium commonly found in faeces and associated with acute gastroenteritis if it enters the digestive systems of humans or animals. Understanding E. coli helps farmers ensure food safety and implement measures to prevent contamination.

ecoparasite: A parasite which is adapted to a specific host. Compare ectoparasite, endoparasite. Understanding ecoparasites helps farmers manage pest control and animal health.

earmarking: The process of identifying an animal by attaching a tag to its ear. Earmarking helps farmers keep track of livestock health, breeding, and management efficiently.

environmental pollution: The pollution of the environment by human activities. Preventing environmental pollution helps farmers maintain healthy ecosystems and comply with regulations.

exposed: 1. Referring to something or someone not covered or hidden. 2. Not protected from environmental effects. Left in an exposed position on the hillside. Managing exposure helps farmers protect crops and livestock from environmental stressors.

ephemeral: A plant or insect that has a short life cycle and may complete several life cycles within a year. Many weeds are ephemerals. Managing ephemeral species helps farmers maintain crop health and productivity.

entomological: Referring to insects. Understanding entomology helps farmers manage pests and protect crops.

eyespot: A disease of cereals (Cercosporella herpotrichoides), which causes lesions to form on the stem surface and gray mold inside the stem. Compare sharp eyespot. Managing eyespot disease helps farmers protect crop health and yield.

ecological efficiency: A measurement of how much energy is used at different stages in the food chain or at different trophic levels. Understanding ecological efficiency helps farmers optimize resource use and improve sustainability.

environmental quality standard: A limit for the concentration of an effluent or pollutant which is accepted in a specific environment, e.g., the concentration of trace elements in drinking water or of additives in food. Complying with environmental quality standards helps farmers protect ecosystems and ensure food safety.

emulsifier: A substance added to mixtures of food such as water and oil to hold them together. Stabilizer (NOTE: Emulsifiers are used in sauces and added to meat to increase the water content so that the meat is heavier. In the European Union, emulsifiers and stabilizers have E numbers E322 to E495.) Understanding emulsifiers helps farmers in food processing and product formulation.

environmental impact: The effect upon the environment of actions or events such as large construction programs or the draining of marshes. Understanding environmental impact helps farmers adopt practices that minimize harm to the natural world.

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund: A fund set up to cover the costs of administering the CAP, financed by the European Union budget. Abbr EAGGF. Accessing EAGGF helps farmers receive financial support for agricultural improvements and sustainability projects.

ecoagriculture: The practice of productive agriculture using methods designed to maintain natural resources, biodiversity, and the landscape. Ecoagriculture benefits farmers by promoting sustainable practices that protect and enhance the environment.

enrich: 1. To make something richer or stronger, e.g., soil can be enriched by adding humus. 2. To improve the nutritional quality of food. Enrich with vitamins. 3. To improve the living conditions of farm animals, e.g., by providing them with larger living areas. Enrichment practices help farmers enhance soil health, food quality, and animal welfare.

emulsifying agent: Same as emulsifier. Emulsifying agents help farmers in food processing and product formulation to create stable and consistent products.

export: Produce or a crop which is sold to a foreign country. To send and sell crops or produce to foreign countries. Understanding export processes helps farmers access international markets and increase sales.