Category: F

Founder Crop: A crop that was one of the earliest to be used and developed by humans, e.g., wheat, barley, lentils, and chickpeas. Growing founder crops supports food security and agricultural diversity.

Floodwater: Water that spreads uncontrolled onto land that is usually dry. After floodwater recedes, the center of the town was left buried in mud. Properly managing floodwater helps protect farmland and infrastructure.

Farmed: Grown or produced commercially and not in the wild. For example, farmed salmon. Farmed products help meet market demand and can be managed sustainably.

Farm Environment Record: A basic plan of a farm describing its landscape and main features. Abbr FER. Keeping an environment record helps farmers monitor and improve their environmental practices.

Fen: An area of flat marshy land with plants such as reeds and mosses growing in alkaline water. Managing fenland can provide valuable wildlife habitats and agricultural resources.

Firebreak: An area kept free of vegetation so that a fire cannot pass across and spread to other parts of the forest or heath. Creating firebreaks helps prevent the spread of wildfires and protects valuable land.

Fool’s Parsley: A species of hemlock (Aethusa cynapium) resembling parsley. Properly identifying and managing fool’s parsley helps prevent poisoning in livestock.

Fat: A white oily substance in the body of mammals, which stores energy and protects against cold. In farming, managing animal fat levels is important for meat quality and marketability.

Fahrenheit: Fahrenheit is a temperature scale where water freezes at 32°F and boils at 212°F. Monitoring temperature using Fahrenheit helps farmers manage environmental conditions, crucial for optimizing crop growth and livestock well-being.

Fertility: 1. The state of being fertile. 2. The proportion of eggs which develop into young. 3. A measure of the ability of a female to conceive and produce young or of the male to fertilise the female. Managing fertility is crucial for successful breeding and high productivity.

Farmer-Controlled Business: A farm owned and controlled by the farmer who also manages the land. These businesses often adopt long-term, proactive approaches to marketing and return value to members through innovative contracts.

Fructose: Fruit sugar found in honey as well as in fruit. Properly managing fructose levels supports plant health and crop quality.

Fungicidal: Referring to a substance that kills fungi. Properly using fungicidal products ensures effective disease control and crop health.

Food: The nutrient material eaten by animals for energy and growth. Properly managing food resources ensures the health and productivity of livestock.

Foggage: 1. A winter grazing of cattle on non-ryegrass swards. 2. Grass left standing to provide winter grazing for sheep and cattle. Proper management of foggage supports efficient grazing and livestock nutrition during the winter.

Frond: A large compound leaf divided into many sections, such as that found on ferns and palm trees. Properly managing fronds supports plant health and biodiversity.

Flint: A hard stone of nearly pure silica, found in lumps in chalk soils. Properly managing flint in soils helps prevent damage to farm machinery and improve soil workability.

Fluke: A parasitic flatworm. Proper monitoring and control of fluke infestations ensure livestock health and productivity.

Fatstock: Livestock fattened for meat production. Proper feeding and management of fatstock ensure high-quality meat and profitable market returns.

Feather: An outgrowth of the epidermis on a bird’s body and wings providing insulation. Proper management of poultry feathers ensures bird health and product quality.

Furrow Press: A special type of very heavy ring roller attached to the plough, used to press the furrow slices. Properly using furrow presses supports efficient soil management and crop establishment.

Fatty: Containing a lot of fat. Fatty foods contribute to the risk of obesity. Farmers must balance livestock diets to maintain animal health and product quality.

Fell: A high area of open moorland in the north of England. Fells can be used for grazing livestock, providing a natural and sustainable source of forage.

French Nettle: Same as red dead-nettle. Properly managing French nettles helps maintain crop health and biodiversity.

Fill-Belly: Feed that fills the animal’s stomach without providing any useful nutrients. Proper feed formulation ensures animals receive balanced nutrition and maintain optimal health.

Freestone: Referring to varieties of peach where the flesh does not cling to the stone. Properly managing freestone peach varieties ensures high-quality fruit production.

Feather Eating: The pulling of the feathers of a bird by another bird. Addressing feather eating through proper nutrition and management practices prevents harm to poultry.

Frost Pocket: A low-lying area where cold air collects. Properly managing frost pockets helps protect crops from frost damage and ensure healthy growth.

Food Standards Agency: A British government agency set up in 2000 to offer advice on food safety and quality. Abbr FSA. This agency provides valuable guidance to farmers on best practices for food safety and quality.

Fruit: The structure of a plant formed after flowering and usually containing seeds. Properly managing fruit production ensures high-quality crops and marketability.

Feed Off: The practice of allowing stock to feed on a crop while it is still in the ground. This method can help manage crop residues and provide additional nutrition for livestock.

Farrowing Fever: A disease of pigs caused by inflammation of the womb. Pigs suffer high temperatures and loss of appetite. Also called MMA. Early detection and treatment of farrowing fever are crucial for maintaining pig health and productivity.

Furrow Irrigation: Irrigation technique where water is allowed to flow along furrows. Properly managing furrow irrigation ensures efficient water use and crop irrigation.

Fenland Rotation: A system of crop rotation developed on the Fens of East Anglia, using potatoes, sugar beet, and wheat in rotation. This rotation helps maintain soil fertility and reduce pest and disease pressures.

Fowl Pox: A viral disease in which wart-like nodules appear on the comb, wattles, eyelids, and openings of the nostrils of fowls. Properly managing fowl pox through vaccination and biosecurity measures ensures poultry health and productivity.

FER: Abbreviation for Farm Environment Record. Keeping an environment record helps farmers monitor and improve their environmental practices.

Feedingstuff: Same as feedstuff. Providing high-quality feedingstuff ensures optimal nutrition and health for livestock.

Friesland: A breed of sheep whose milk is used in the production of soft cheese and yoghurt. Properly managing Friesland sheep supports high-quality dairy product production and farm diversification.

Futures: Stocks of produce bought or sold for shipping at some later date, which may not even have been produced when they are on the market. Properly managing futures contracts supports farm financial planning and market responsiveness.

Forage Wagon: A mobile container with a pick-up attachment used for collecting and carrying cut forage. Using forage wagons supports efficient feed transportation and livestock management.

Functional Food: Food designed to be medically beneficial, helping to protect against serious conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Also called nutraceutical, neutraceutical. Properly managing functional food production supports livestock health and consumer wellbeing.

Febrile Disease: A disease such as Newcastle disease, accompanied by a fever. Early detection and treatment of febrile diseases help prevent livestock losses and maintain herd health.

Free-Running Sleeve: A loose sleeve fitted over shafts to stop clothing from becoming entangled by riding on the shaft if contact is made, e.g., on manure spreader beater drive shafts. Properly using free-running sleeves enhances farm safety.

Fatty Liver: A condition in older cows where the animal absorbs calcium too slowly, affecting the liver. Goats are also affected. Preventing and managing fatty liver is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of livestock.

Freedom Food: An RSPCA scheme that sets out guidelines for the welfare of livestock and labels food from participating suppliers. Adhering to Freedom Food guidelines ensures ethical and humane treatment of livestock.

Frits: Trace elements fused with silica to form glass. This is crushed into small pieces for distribution on the soil. Properly managing frits supports soil health and plant nutrition.

Food Hygiene: The series of actions taken to ensure clean, healthy conditions for handling, storing, and serving food. Proper food hygiene practices ensure food safety and quality.

Frequently Asked Questions: A document containing common questions and their answers related to a particular subject. Abbr FAQ. Providing FAQs helps farmers access important information and make informed decisions.

Fortified Food: Food with vitamins or proteins added to make it more nutritional. Providing fortified food ensures high-quality nutrition for livestock and supports their health and productivity.

Followers: Young cows in a dairy herd that are not yet in milk and are being reared to replace the older stock. Properly managing followers ensures a continuous supply of productive dairy cows.