Category: F

Fruitwood: The wood from a fruit tree such as apple or cherry, which may be used to make furniture. Properly managing fruitwood supports timber production and farm diversification.

Fibrous: Made of a mass of fibres. Fibrous rooted plants have roots that are masses of tiny threads with no major roots like tap roots. Growing fibrous rooted plants helps improve soil structure and prevent erosion.

Febrile: Referring to a fever. Managing febrile conditions in livestock is crucial for maintaining animal health and preventing disease outbreaks.

Farmland Bird: A bird that nests in an agricultural environment. Many are declining in numbers because of changes in agricultural practices. Protecting farmland birds supports biodiversity and ecological balance on farms.

Fallow Cultivation: A type of cultivation where the period under crops is increased and the length of the fallow is reduced. This method helps maximize land use efficiency and productivity.

Food From Britain: A trade organization specializing in marketing British food abroad. Abbr FFB. This organization helps farmers expand their markets and increase sales.

Farm Assured: Produced in accordance with the quality standards of a farm assurance scheme. This label indicates that the product meets high standards of quality and safety.

Feed Block: A block of foodstuff left out in the pasture, especially on hill farms, used by sheep to prevent loss of condition. Providing feed blocks supports animal nutrition and health in challenging environments.

Flea Beetle: A small dark beetle that causes damage to Brassica seedlings, especially during hot dry weather between April and mid-May. Managing flea beetles helps protect Brassica crops and ensure healthy growth.

Fumigate: To kill microorganisms or insects by using a fumigant. Properly managing fumigation practices ensures effective pest control and farm hygiene.

Farmyard Manure Spreader: A machine for spreading manure, consisting of a trailer with a moving floor conveyor and a combined shredding and spreading mechanism. Efficient spreading of manure helps improve soil health and crop yields.

Flail Forage Harvester: A type of forage harvester that uses a high-speed flail rotor. The cut crop passes through a vertical chute and is discharged into a trailer. Using a flail forage harvester ensures efficient harvesting and feed preparation.

Fungal: Referring to fungi. Properly managing fungal diseases helps protect crop and livestock health.

Flowers of Sulphur: Powdered sulphur used to dust on plants to prevent mildew. Using flowers of sulphur helps protect crops from fungal diseases and improve yields.

Feed Wheat: Wheat used as an animal feed and not for human consumption. Selecting appropriate feed wheat supports animal nutrition and farm efficiency.

Fenland: A large area of flat marshy land with alkaline water. Managing fenland provides opportunities for agriculture, conservation, and recreation.

Fasciation: An abnormal plant growth where several stems become fused together. This condition can affect crop yields and quality, requiring management practices to mitigate its impact.

Furze: A common shrub (Ulex europaeus) found in wasteland and formerly often cut and used as fodder after chaffing. Managing furze supports livestock nutrition and biodiversity.

Fat Class: The amount of external fat present on a beef or sheep carcass, classified from lean (class 1) to very fat (class 5). Understanding fat classes helps farmers meet market standards and optimize meat quality.

Factory Farm: A farm that uses intensive methods of rearing animals. Such methods can increase production efficiency and output, though farmers must balance these benefits with considerations for animal welfare and environmental impact.

Feed Compounds: A mixture of different ingredients, including major minerals, trace elements, and vitamins, blended to provide balanced diets for stock. Formulating feed compounds ensures optimal animal nutrition and performance.

Ferment: To produce alcohol and heat under the effect of yeast. Fermentation processes are used in making silage, wine, and other agricultural products.

Fibre: A long narrow plant cell with thickened walls that forms part of a plant’s supporting tissue, especially in the outer region of a stem. Fibre is also a hair, e.g., of a rabbit or goat. High-fibre crops and products provide valuable resources for agriculture and industry.

Foxtail Millet: The first cereal to be cultivated in China, used for silage, hay, brewing, and flour in many parts of the world, and in Britain it is used as birdseed. Properly managing foxtail millet production supports diverse crop options and agricultural productivity.

Food Processing Industry: The industry involved in treating raw materials to produce foodstuffs. Properly managing food processing supports food safety, quality, and marketability.

Flail: A wooden hand tool used for beating grain to separate the seeds from the waste parts. Proper use of flails supports traditional farming practices and efficient grain processing.

Farmers’ List: A list of veterinary medicines obtainable from agricultural merchants with a prescription from a veterinary surgeon. This list helps farmers manage animal health and ensure proper medication use.

Forestry: The management of forests, woodlands, and plantations of trees. Proper forestry practices ensure sustainable timber production and environmental health.

Floral: Referring to plants or flowers. Properly managing floral resources supports pollination and enhances farm productivity.

Farmworker: A person who works on a farm. Farmworkers are essential for the daily operations and success of a farm.

Flour Corn: A variety of maize with large soft grains and friable endosperm, making it easy to grind to flour. Growing flour corn provides a valuable food source and supports diverse crop production.

Flat Deck Piggery: A piggery used for rearing weaned piglets from between two and eight weeks of age, featuring a mesh floor, self-feed hoppers, and controlled heating and ventilation. Properly managing a flat deck piggery ensures the health and growth of piglets.

Foul of the Foot: A disease of cattle caused by damage to the cleft of the hoof and invasion by a germ (Fusiformis necrophorus). Managing foul of the foot through proper practices ensures cattle health and productivity.

Feces: Solid waste matter passed from the bowels of a human or other animal after food has been digested. Proper management of feces is essential for sanitation and disease prevention on farms.

Fat Hen: A weed (Chenopodium album) affecting spring cereals, peas, and row crops. Effective weed management practices are necessary to control fat hen and protect crop yields.

F1 Hybrid: An animal or plant that is the result of a cross between two different plants or animals. F1 hybrids can be crossbred to produce F2 hybrids and the process can continue for many generations. These hybrids offer traits like higher yields and disease resistance, enhancing farm efficiency and profitability.

Fingers: Pieces of metal attached to the cutter bar of a binder, mower, or harvester. Proper maintenance of machinery, including fingers, ensures efficient operation and crop harvesting.

Fleece: A coat of wool covering a sheep or goat. Properly managing and shearing fleece ensures high-quality wool production.

Farmland Bird Indicator: A standard way of measuring the frequency of birds found in agricultural areas. This indicator helps farmers monitor and enhance biodiversity on their land.

Fe: Abbreviation for the chemical element iron. Iron is essential for plant and animal health, playing a critical role in growth and metabolism.

Fish Farm: A place where edible fish are bred or reared in special pools for sale as food. Fish farming, or aquaculture, helps meet the demand for fish and provides farmers with a profitable enterprise.

Flex-Fuel: Referring to a vehicle designed to run on petrol, an alcohol-based fuel such as ethanol, or any combination of the two. Using flex-fuel vehicles supports sustainable energy use and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.

Fair: A regular meeting for the sale of goods or animals, often with sideshows and other entertainments. Fairs provide farmers with opportunities to market their products, network with other farmers, and learn about new farming techniques and technologies.

Fair: A regular meeting for the sale of goods or animals, often with sideshows and other entertainments. Fairs provide farmers with opportunities to market their products, network with other farmers, and learn about new farming techniques and technologies.

Fallow Length: The period between cultivation periods. Adjusting fallow lengths helps farmers manage soil health and crop rotation effectively.

Food Value: The amount of energy produced by a specific amount of a type of food. Understanding food value helps farmers manage livestock nutrition and optimize feed use.

Flood: A large amount of water covering land that is usually dry, caused by phenomena such as melting snow, heavy rain, high tides, or storms. Managing flood risks and implementing flood control measures help protect farmland and infrastructure.

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.

Fleeced: Covered with a coat of wool. Fleeced animals provide valuable wool for the textile industry.

Fallow Cultivation: A type of cultivation where the period under crops is increased and the length of the fallow is reduced. This method helps maximize land use efficiency and productivity.