What makes a citrus farmer go 'organic'? Empirical evidence from Spanish citrus farming

Organic farming is increasing its share of total world food output and receiving growing support from policymakers concerned with agricultural sustainability issues. This paper studies the characteristics of citrus farmers in the Spanish region of Valencia that affect their probability of becoming organic farmers. A fair understanding of these characteristics may help policymakers improve the design of agricultural policies aimed at supporting organic citrus practices. As regards the methodology, a probit model is estimated with information from a sample of conventional and organic citrus farmers obtained from a survey designed for a larger research project aimed at analysing Valencian citrus farming. Our main finding is that university education and agricultural professional training both increase the probability of becoming an organic farmer. Conversely, older farmers, farmers selling their production to foreign markets and those with larger farms and/or managing family farms are less likely to adopt organic citrus farming. The main policy implication is that, in order to support organic citrus production, more attention needs to be paid to improving farmers' technical training and education

Environmental performance assessment of european countries

The European Union(EU) has been promoting an integrated approach to climate protection and energy policy, through a set of key objectives for 2020, 2030 and 2050, linking Europe’s green agenda with its need for energy security and competitiveness.This paper aims to evaluate the environmental efficiency of European Countries from 2010 to 2015 towards the set targets, through a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model.The DEA model assesses the ability of each country in minimizing current resources while maximizing the gross domestic product and minimizing undesirable outputs,such as GHG emissions.The DEA model is based on directional distance Function, imposing weak disposability for the undesirable output. Results obtained show that globally, in the period under analysis, the EU has increased its environmental efficiency which is consistent with the analysis of the indicators of the 2020 climate and energy package.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effectiveness and Safety of the Sequential Use of a Second and Third Anti-TNF Agent in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results from the Eneida Registry

Background: The effectiveness of the switch to another anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agent is not known. The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness and safety of treatment with a second and third anti-TNF drug after intolerance to or failure of a previous anti-TNF agent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Methods: We included patients diagnosed with IBD from the ENEIDA registry who received another anti-TNF after intolerance to or failure of a prior anti-TNF agent. Results: A total of 1122 patients were included. In the short term, remission was achieved in 55% of the patients with the second anti-TNF. The incidence of loss of response was 19% per patient-year with the second anti-TNF. Combination therapy (hazard ratio [HR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-3; P < 0.0001) and ulcerative colitis vs Crohn''s disease (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1; P = 0.005) were associated with a higher probability of loss of response. Fifteen percent of the patients had adverse events, and 10% had to discontinue the second anti-TNF. Of the 71 patients who received a third anti-TNF, 55% achieved remission. The incidence of loss of response was 22% per patient-year with a third anti-TNF. Adverse events occurred in 7 patients (11%), but only 1 stopped the drug. Conclusions: Approximately half of the patients who received a second anti-TNF achieved remission; nevertheless, a significant proportion of them subsequently lost response. Combination therapy and type of IBD were associated with loss of response. Remission was achieved in almost 50% of patients who received a third anti-TNF; nevertheless, a significant proportion of them subsequently lost response

Evolution after Anti-TNF Discontinuation in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicenter Long-Term Follow-Up Study

OBJECTIVES:The aims of this study were to assess the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to identify the factors associated with relapse, and to evaluate the overcome after retreatment with the same anti-TNF in those who relapsed.METHODS:This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter study. IBD patients who had been treated with anti-TNFs and in whom these drugs were discontinued after clinical remission was achieved were included.RESULTS:A total of 1, 055 patients were included. The incidence rate of relapse was 19% and 17% per patient-year in Crohn''s disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively. In both Crohn''s disease and ulcerative colitis patients in deep remission, the incidence rate of relapse was 19% per patient-year. The treatment with adalimumab vs. infliximab (hazard ratio (HR)=1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.01-1.66), elective discontinuation of anti-TNFs (HR=1.90; 95% CI=1.07-3.37) or discontinuation because of adverse events (HR=2.33; 95% CI=1.27-2.02) vs. a top-down strategy, colonic localization (HR=1.51; 95% CI=1.13-2.02) vs. ileal, and stricturing behavior (HR=1.5; 95% CI=1.09-2.05) vs. inflammatory were associated with a higher risk of relapse in Crohn''s disease patients, whereas treatment with immunomodulators after discontinuation (HR=0.67; 95% CI=0.51-0.87) and age (HR=0.98; 95% CI=0.97-0.99) were protective factors. None of the factors were predictive in ulcerative colitis patients. Retreatment of relapse with the same anti-TNF was effective (80% responded) and safe.CONCLUSIONS:The incidence rate of inflammatory bowel disease relapse after anti-TNF discontinuation is relevant. Some predictive factors of relapse after anti-TNF withdrawal have been identified. Retreatment with the same anti-TNF drug was effective and safe

Ahora / Ara

La cinquena edició del microrelatari per l’eradicació de la violència contra les dones de l’Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere «Purificación Escribano» de la Universitat Jaume I vol ser una declaració d’esperança. Aquest és el moment en el qual les dones (i els homes) hem de fer un pas endavant i eliminar la violència sistèmica contra les dones. Ara és el moment de denunciar el masclisme i els micromasclismes començant a construir una societat més igualitària. Cadascun dels relats del llibre és una denúncia i una declaració que ens encamina cap a un món millor

Valoración del impacto de los programas agroambientales sobre la eco-eficiencia de la agricultura de secano

This paper analyses the impact of the Agri-environmental Extensification Scheme for the Protection of Flora and Fauna (F&amp;F Scheme) on the eco-efficiency of a sample of dryland farms in the Spanish region of Castile and Leon. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the so-called program decomposition approach to efficiency measurement, we explore whether or not the production technology of the farms included in the F&amp;F Scheme is more eco-efficient than the technology used by farms that are not included in the Scheme. The re-sults obtained confirm the foregoing hypothesis, providing evidence that environmental pres-sures could be reduced if all farms adopted the F&amp;F Scheme technology. Furthermore, shad-ow prices are used to assess the monetary value of the potential reduction in environmental pressures that farms could achieve by adopting the F&amp;F Scheme. The results show that the average opportunity cost of the decrease in environmental pressures (€55.65 ha-1) is similar to the compensation received by farms included in the F&amp;F Scheme. Nevertheless, bearing in mind the great diversity of farms, we recommend agricultural policymakers to use an auction system to award such environmental contracts.Este artículo analiza el impacto del Programa Agroambiental de Extensificación para la Protección de la Flora y Fauna (F&amp;F Scheme) sobre la eco-eficiencia de una muestra de explotaciones agrarias de secano de Castilla León. Utilizando técnicas de Análisis de la En-volvente de Datos (DEA) y la aproximación a la medición de la eficiencia conocida como descomposición por programas, se estudia si la tecnología de producción de las explotaciones que adoptan el programa agroambiental es más eco-eficiente que la tecnología utilizada por aquellas explotaciones que no están acogidas al mismo. Los resultados obtenidos confirman esta hipótesis, evidenciando la posibilidad de reducir las presiones ambientales si todas las explotaciones adoptaran la tecnología del programa agroambiental. Asimismo, se utilizan los precios sombra de las presiones para obtener un valor monetario de la reducción potencial que podría alcanzarse adoptando la tecnología F&amp;F. Los resultados muestran que, en promedio, el coste de oportunidad de reducir las presiones (55,65 € ha-1) es similar a la compensación que reciben las explotaciones por participar en el Programa F&amp;F. En cualquier caso, habida cuenta de la gran variabilidad existente entre explotaciones, se aconseja adjudicar este contrato me-dioambiental mediante un sistema de licitaciones