Ökologischer Kreislauf Moorbad Harbach: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Agricultural Plant Production and Transportation

In 1992 the community of Moorbad Harbach (Austria), located near the border of the Czech Republic and dominated by extensive agricultural practice on small scale farms, decided to initiate activities for regional devolopment. About 40 farms (27 %) converted to organic farming, a local marketing service as well as regional food processing businesses (slaughterhouse, dairy), operating as linkages between regional agriculture and the local spa hotel were founded. The basic idea for the work presented here was to evaluate the – especially ecological – consequences of such a regional conversion. One part of this attempt of evaluation was carried out as a LCA for the agricultural production in Moorbad Harbach. The emphasis of the study was to compare plant production before and after the regional conversion to organic farming. In another step changes in transportation distances and quantities with special regard to transport of raw milk and milk products were quantified

Organic Farming in Austria

During the present decade, Austria has experienced a dramatic increase in organic farming among those countries that comprise the European Union (EU). For example, in 1992, approximately 2,000 farms were practicing organic, ecological, or biodynamic farming methodes. By 1997 the number of certified organic farms plus those in transition from conventional farming had increased 10-fold to some 20,000 farms. This represents almost 9% of the total farms in Austria and an area of 345,375 ha, or 10% of the total cultivated farmland. The largest concentration of organic farms is in regions with a high proportion of alpine grassland or pastures. Approximately 50% of the organic farms range in size from 5 to 15 ha. The strong organic movement in Austria can be attributed to a) government subsidies which provide incentives to organic farmers and b) widepread acceptance of organic products and their brand names by large food chains and supermarkets. More than 60% of organic farmers are affiliated with associations and organizations that provide advisory and support services in marketing activities. Certification of organic farms and food processors is conducted by seven monitoring bodies according to EU regulations No. 2092/91, which guarantees legally-binding standards of food saftey and quality to EU consumers, and according to the Austian Alimentari Codex. Since January 1998, all monitoring/certifying bodies in Austria must verify accreditation according to rgulation European Norm 45011. The major supermarket chain offers a variety of organic dairy and meat products, as well as organic ice cream, pizza, vegetables, fruits, baby foods, and bread. The current domestic wholesale value of organic products arketed from Austria farms is approximately 170 million US$ annually. Unfortunately, funding for support of scientific research and extension to enhance organic farming and marketing has not kept pace with the increasing number of organic farms and farmers. Additional funding is essential to ensure the sustainable development of the organic movement and the organic market

Versuch der monetären Bewertung ökologischer Leistungen des Biologischen Landbaus im Bereich Grund- und Trinkwasser am Beispiel des Einzugsgebietes der Fernwasserversorgung Mühlviertel/OÖ

Die tatsächlichen oder potentiellen volkswirtschaftlichen (externen) Kosten durch Umweltbelastung der intensiven Landbewirtschaftung werden der Allgemeinheit aufgebürdet, anstatt als Preis- bzw. Kostenfaktor in das betriebliche Rechnungswesen einzugehen. U.a. in Hinblick auf eine Verringerung externer Kosten der Landwirtschaft infolge Grund- und Trinkwasserbelastung wird der Ökologische Landbau als wirksame Alternative diskutiert. Eine Vielzahl wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen belegt denn auch das hohe Maß an Grundwasserverträglichkeit des Biologischen Landbaus: So wiesen u. a. VEREIJKEN und WIJNANDS (1990),BRANDHUBER und HEGE (1992), MATTHEY (1992), SCHULTE (1996), BERG et al. (1997) sowie SCHLÜTER et al. (1997) deutlich niedrigere Nitratgehalte des Sickerwassers unter biologisch bewirtschafteten Flächen als unter konventionell oder integriert bewirtschafteten Vergleichsflächen nach. Aufgrund der Verringerung der Nitrat- und Vermeidung der Pestizidbelastung von Grund- und Trinkwasser durch Biologischen Landbau ist daher zu prüfen, in welchem Ausmaß durch diese Bewirtschaftungsform externe Kosten eingespart werden können

Entwicklung eines stickstoffbasierten Ertragsprognosemodells zur Optimierung des Ökologischen Kartoffelbaus

Potatoes are one of the most important crops in organic farming with respect to farmers’ income. Yields are often strongly influenced by regional and yearly diffe-rences. Despite the availability of detailed knowledge, it is only now that a crop growth model has been generated which allows for the estimation and prediction of potato yield under organic conditions. The aim of our study was to produce a highly elaborate prediction model based on the utilization and speed of nitrogen uptake as they relate to the yield dynamics of tubers and canopy in combination with late blight dynamics. Therefore, from 2005 to 2014, these parameters were assessed in up to 18 varieties of potatoes comprised of differing maturity groups. The data were ana-lyzed in R using similar algorithms to the Grofit package. Our distinct model included updated mathematical functions to estimate the yield development in organic potato-es. Finally, we demonstrate that at a relatively early time in the season it is possible to estimate the yield of potatoes of various varieties and maturity groups

Ermittlung der Futterqualität verschiedener Wintererbsengenotypen in Rein- und Gemengesaat zur Nutzung als nachwachsender Rohstoff, als Grünfutter und als Druschfrucht

Normalblättrige Wintererbsen sind in Reinsaat eine rohproteinreiche Winterzwischenfrucht für die Nutzung als Grünfutter oder als nachwachsender Rohstoff zur Energiegewinnung im Rahmen von Zweikulturnutzungssystemen. Zum Korndrusch im Gemengeanbau stellen sie bei mindestens vergleichbaren Kornerträgen und Qualitäten eine Alternative zu Sommererbsen dar. Dabei können Anbauprobleme von Sommererbsen besonders hinsichtlich der Unkrautregulierung reduziert werden