Careful monitoring means corrective actions can be brought in quickly if performance is not good enough. The farmer calls the shots. Each plan is tailored to individual farm needs, with carefully chosen objectives and best management practices. It identifies the sources of possible environmental effects on the farm and develops ways to counter these. The public can have confidence that the manager of a certified farm continually seeks to improve farm practices in terms of environmental effects, animal welfare and food safety.
Markets are becomingly increasingly sceptical about such claims.
In future we can expect high standards of proof to be required. Because the farmer drives it, the plan can change with the farm e.g., with new farming methods or totally new production systems. It's flexibility and adaptability is one of it's strenghts. OK, I'm interested. The workshop introduces the concept and explains the development of an environmental farm plan.