The farm is embedded in a specific environmental and social environment. Any action taken on a farm can have some effect on its surroundings, which can cause significant problems.
For example, when planning to sow crops that require very heavy transport for harvesting, the strength of local roads must be taken into account, and by sowing row crops we provoke water erosion and surface scouring in wet years leading to soil loss from the field, siltation of drainage ditches, as well as pollution of watercourses and ultimately significant environmental damage. With ill-considered actions, it is easy to come into conflict with the local community, the authorities and the applicable law. As a rule, local residents are employed on the farm. It is in everyone’s interest to understand and cooperate with each other. Conflicts always lead to increased operating costs and reduced freedom of action on the farm. Conflicts can be avoided by including important issues for the local community in the farm’s activities, and even better, by cooperating with the community and even small, voluntary farm activities for the benefit of the community (helping the local school, supporting an organisation or parish, small investments to benefit everyone).
More in Area 16: Local community.