Fields are no longer just fields they have become a complex mix of crop production, conservation and environmental protection. Add to this list, electricity pylons, housing, footpaths, wells and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and it is easy to see how costly mistakes can be made when briefing farm workers or contractors on field work around the farm.
However, The Game Conservancy Trust's Allerton Project in Leicestershire has once again hit upon a unique wildlife-friendly solution called CabCards that will give peace of mind to busy farmers as well as protecting the environment and their Single Farm Payment.
At the click of a mouse, all critical field information applying to individual fields can be organised into useful summary information using the Trust's novel CabCards system. CabCards, which is web based, is simple to use and enables farmers to create an individual summary card for each field. These portable summary cards are then stored in the tractor or sprayer cab so that every operator is kept up-to-date with all the important information needed to work the field efficiently and safely without breaching Cross Compliance or Environmental Stewardship Rules.
Phil Jarvis, The Game Conservancy Trust's farm manager at Loddington has developed this system for the benefit of the farming community. Phil said, "Many farms are now using contractors but there are so many things going on in a field these days that each field needs to be managed uniquely. We therefore needed an easy to use system that could communicate all this important field information to the contractor or farm worker and CabCards does just this. Mistakes such as cutting or spraying field margins or applying too much fertilizer can jeopardise the environmental payment to the farm and damage wildlife. These should now be a thing of the past."
The development of CabCards, including the user-friendly website, which has been developed by CWi Technical Ltd., is supported by Syngenta UK Ltd and Vaderstad. The system has also been endorsed by The National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) who found it an extremely valuable development for contractors and advisors. Jill Hewitt, Chief Executive said, "In these days of Cross Compliance, ELS and HLS Environmental schemes, LERAPS and closed periods, there is always a danger that a farm contractor might not be properly briefed by his customer and may unknowingly fall foul of regulation. This could result in the partial loss of a client's payment. CabCards are an easy to use way of bringing together all the legislative constraints on a field-by field basis, protecting both the farmer and the contractor."
CabCards was launched at Cereals on Wednesday 13 June on the Kings Stand (number 314) by Jim Paice MP. To view the site or to sign up to CabCards, click on: www.cabcards.co.uk or phone Phil Jarvis, at the Game Conservancy Trust on (mob) 07703 203536 or CabCards helpline: 01572 718763 or email: pjarvis@gct.org.uk
