Agriculture: Commercial and Intensive Farms

Particle Analysis in the Agriculture Sector

Commercial Farming
Commercial farming involves farming for a profit. The farmer is growing crops or rearing animals to sell for as much money as possible. These farms can be arable (just growing crops), pastoral (just rearing animals) or mixed (both arable and pastoral). Increasingly farms are becoming more mixed due to the impact of farming subsidies and regulations. Most of the farming in MEDC’s is commercial farming of one type or another. The arable farms of East Anglia are a good example of commercial farming, as are the cereal farms of the central United States and the Canadian Prairies.

Intensive Farming
Intensive farms generally take up a fairly small area of land, but aim to have a very high output, through massive inputs of capital and labour. These farms use machines and new technologies to become as efficient and cost-effective as possible. Meritics instrument range provides a wide range of measuring techniques, for measuring, Rheology, Particle size, Zeta potential, Molecular weight , Flow characteristics of powders and pore characterisation of packaging materials. These types of measurement are widely used throughout the food production chain, from R&D through formulation and on to production, quality control and packaging.

• Ensure consistency of incoming ingredients
• Rapidly test new formulations
• Accelerate innovation and product development
• Predict shelf life
• Streamline quality control
• Optimise milling and granulation operations
• Improve manufacturing processes
• Increase productivity and yields
• Reduce process downtime.
• Develop appropriate packaging
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards
• Control conditions for Humans and Animals alike
• Monitor quality

Here is a selection of particle analysis instruments which can help the agriculture industry