Division Assumptions for the agriculture sector

For Member States using econometric models:

• Agricultural trade (import/export)

• Domestic consumption (e.g. milk/beef consumption)

For Member States using other models:

• Development of area of crops, grassland, arable, set-aside, conversion to forests etc

• Macroeconomic assumptions behind projections of agricultural activity

• Description of livestock (e.g. by input/nutrient balance, output/animal production, milk production quota/productivity of cattle)

• Development of farming types (e.g. intensive conventional, organic farming)

• Distribution of housing/grazing systems and housing/grazing period

• Parameters of fertiliser regime:

  • Details of fertiliser use (type of fertiliser, timing of application, inorganic/organic ratio);

  • Volatilisation rate of ammonia, following spreading of manure on the soil;

  • Efficiency of manure use.

• Parameters of manure management system:

  • Distribution of storage facilities (e.g. with or without cover):

    • Nitrogen excretion rate of manures

    • Methods of application of manure

  • Extent of introduction of control measures (storage systems, manure application), use of best available techniques

• Parameters related to nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils (e.g., Nitrogen leaching fraction, emission factor for direct emissions, Nitrogen content in crop residues)

• Amount of manure treatment