Environmental impact of different production systems and consumer willingness to pay for chicken meat produced with a higher regard for the environmen

PhD ThesisThe aim of this study was to identify policy approaches to promote sustainable broiler production in Malaysia and this was addressed by three specific objectives namely to: i) estimate the environmental impact of different broiler production systems; ii) estimate consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for chicken meat produced with a higher regard for the environment (chicken-HRE); iii) investigate potential policy changes which could be brought in to livestock production in Malaysia and assess their impact on the poultry industry from the perspective of various stakeholders including broiler producers, integrated broiler companies and the Government. Evaluation of environmental impact was carried out using the Life Cycle Assessment method, with a functional unit of 1 tonne live weight of broiler chickens and a cradle to point of slaughter criterion as the system boundary. The environmental impact analysis used various sources to obtain foreground data on two broiler production systems, namely intensive closed house (CH) and open house (OH) systems. The CH system produced 6 to 7% lower environmental burdens but marginally greater use of energy than the OH system. Feed-related inputs (mainly raw materials and transportation) accounted for the greatest proportion of environmental burdens with, on average, 89.8% of energy use, 94.1% of greenhouse gas emissions, 76.8% of acidifying emissions and 86.8% of eutrophying emissions. A Contingent Valuation Method was used in a survey of over 200 selected consumers across Peninsular Malaysia to ascertain the maximum WTP for chicken-HRE. Some 50% of respondents were willing to pay an increment of 10% above the existing market price. Using a mixed method approach, quantitative findings from the environmental assessment and the socio demographic and economic survey were integrated with qualitative results to explore the impact of potential policy approaches to promote sustainable broiler production in Malaysia. Even though the economic aspects explored in this study give only an indication of the likely societal attitudes to broiler chicken production, they nevertheless provide an indication of the growing stakeholder interest in methods of food production and implications for the level of environmental quality to be experienced by future generations.Government of Malaysi

XIII International Congress in Animal Hygiene, June 17-21, 2007, Tartu, Estonia "Animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity" : proceedings. Volume 2

KonverentsikogumikOn behalf of both the Organising Committee and the Scientific Committee, I am pleased to welcome you in Tartu, Estonia, to participate at the XIII International Congress of the International Society for Animal Hygiene (ISAH). The ISAH (www.isah-soc.org) was founded in 1970 and has today members from 48 countries throughout the world. ISAH can be considered as a group of scientists contributing to efficient, sustainable animal farming with healthy animals, providing wholesome food in a sound environment. Veterinarians and non-veterinary academic scientists (animal science, agricultural economics, engineers, microbiologists, public health professionals, epidemiologists etc., etc) and respective professionals in animal husbandry, who work and/or do research and education in the field of animal hygiene, can apply for a membership of ISAH, and are most welcome to attend ISAH congresses. The first ISAH congress was held in Budapest in 1973. The last ISAH main congress took place in Warsaw, Poland in 2005 and the last in-between symposium in Saint-Malo, France in 2004. Starting from Warsaw congress in 2005, the ISAH, considering the need for a more flexible and frequent exchange of scientific and practical knowledge, organizes its congresses every second year. The present, XIII ISAH congress in Tartu, Estonia, in June 17–21, 2007 is organised under the device "Animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity”. The scientific programme, trying to follow the scope of the ISAH and receive the feedback from modern animal husbandry and food production, concentrates with more profoundness on the following subjects: interaction between the environment and health and welfare of individual animal and herds; managing animal health in large dairy units; ensuring animal welfare during transportation and slaughter; economical implications considering animals’ health; possibilities of precision livestock farming in maintaining good health and welfare of animals; measures for prevention the development and spread of diseases and pathogens in animals including those posing risk to human health (zoonoses); food safety relevant infections and contaminations such as residues in food derived from animals; influence of the animal production on the environment and public health. The Proceedings from the XIII ISAH Congress are herewith presented. The papers on lectures from invited speakers, oral and poster presentations from 11 parallel sessions are included in this excellent compilation. In general, the printed contribution to the ISAH-2007 congress illustrates clearly the broad scientific field of the ISAH and related to it activities. I hereby would like to express my most sincere gratitude in the address of ISAH-2007 organising and scientific committees. Special thanks go to Frens Conference Services for their excellent organizational and technical contribution and to AS Triip for their outstanding printing job of these proceedings. We also appreciate different companies and organisations for their considerable financial support which gave us the opportunity to keep the registration fees affordable. Finally, we thank all participants, contributors, chairpersons, organisational and technical assistants for your considerable efforts – you made the ISAH-2007 in Tartu real success. We wish you all interesting and pleasant congress and enjoyable stay in Tartu. A. Aland Editor Chairman of the ISAH-2007 Organising Committe

Federal Register

Daily publication of the U.S. Office of the Federal Register contains rules and regulations, proposed legislation and rule changes, and other notices, including "Presidential proclamations and Executive Orders, Federal agency documents having general applicability and legal effect, documents required to be published by act of Congress, and other Federal agency documents of public interest" (p. ii). Table of Contents starts on page iii