Introduction Agriculture and horticulture

The Agriculture and horticulture target sector (SIC 01) consists of three sub-sectors: livestock farming, arable farming and horticulture.

Environmental pressure generated by the agriculture and horticulture target sector

• Contribution by agriculture to the enhanced greenhouse effect. The major emissions are carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) from fermentation (ruminants).
• Manure and fertiliser make a significant contribution to acidification and the eutrophication of soil and water. Manure is also a source of odour nuisance.
• The application of manure, fertiliser and pesticides releases large quantities of harmful substances into the environment.
• The groundwater level is reduced in order to improve the employability and productive capacity of the cultivated area. This is partly responsible for a decline in moisture-loving plants in natural areas in the vicinity (dessication of natural areas). Dehydration and drainage by agriculture make a significant contribution to the problem of desiccation.
• Because of rural land parcelling and economies of scale in the last decades, many landscape elements such as wooded banks and small unused parcels have been lost, whilst much cultivated land has been so intensively farmed that it has lost much of its significance for many plant and animal species.

• Look under the tab 'More information' for links to information about the problems referred to here.