Livestock and Crops

Nearly everything you eat comes from the farm

A great many different crops are grown on the farm. Almost everything you eat started on a farm somewhere. Here we tell you a little about some of them.

Grass - the invisible crop

Without grass there would be very few animals.

A more detailed look at grass.
A more detailed look at hay and silage.

Wheat

Wheat makes modern civilisation possible.

The history of wheat and the rise of the modern form.
The structure and genetics of wheat.
Modern wheat, its characteristics and uses, from a farmer's point of view.

Barley

Barley, animal feed and brewer's raw material.

The history of barley, an ancient crop
Growing and harvesting barley.
Malting barley and brewing beer.

Oilseed Rape

The distinctive yellow flower produces more than just cooking oil.

Breeds of Livestock

In less that 300 years farm animals have been developed from unimproved semi-wild beasts to highly efficient food producers.

Animal diseases

A look at the animal disease situation and food scares.

How many animals?

Recent figures detailing how many animals there are on British farms.