Ka. Lewis et al., ECO-RATING SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING PESTICIDE USE AT FARM-LEVEL - PART 1- THEORY AND DEVELOPMENT, Journal of agricultural engineering research, 68(3), 1997, pp. 271-279
A computer-based decision support system is described which aims to en
courage and enhance sound environmental management within agriculture.
Part of the system focuses on the management of pesticides on the far
m, and can help to ensure that the farmer adopts practices which maxim
ize crop production and profitability without jeopardizing the environ
ment. The approach taken looks at all aspects of farm pesticide use in
cluding crop applications, storage and waste disposal and the use of n
on-crop pesticides. As a whole, the system can act as a informal envir
onmental management system. An ecorating is derived by comparing actua
l farm practices with what is perceived to be best practice for the si
te, to provide a measure of environmental performance. The first time
the method is used, these indices act as benchmarks against which the
success of future improvements can be judged. The system has three mod
es of operation. An ''assessment mode'' seeks to identify strengths an
d weakness in practices and regulatory compliance and to provide guida
nce on areas where improvements could be made. In support of this, a s
econd mode known as the ''technical system'' allows the user to explor
e ''what-if'' scenarios in order to identify site-specific best practi
ce and aims to provide answers to the issues raised in the assessement
mode. The third mode is a fully integrated hypertext information syst
em containing a range of context-sensitively mapped text on agricultur
e and the environment which can be used on a stand-alone basis or acce
ssed from any part of the software system. (C) 1997 Silsoe Research In
stitute.