Economic sustainability and risk efficiency of organic versus conventional cropping systems

Environmental, social and economic attributes are important for the sustainability of a farming system. Resilience is also important yet has seldom been directly considered in evaluations of economic sustainability. In economic terms, resilience has to do with the capacity of the farm business to survive various risks and other shocks. A whole-farm stochastic simulation model over a six-year planning horizon was used to analyse organic and conventional cropping systems using a model of a representative farm in Eastern Norway. The relative economic sustainability of alternative systems under changing assumptions about future technology and price regimes was examined in terms of financial survival to the end of the planning period. The same alternatives were also compared in terms of stochastic efficiency. The results illustrate possible confl icts between pursuit of risk efficiency and sustainability. The model developed could be useful in supporting farmers’ choices between farming systems as well as in helping policy makers to develop more sharply targeted policies

What will organic farming deliver? COR

Summary Environmental, social and economic attributes are important for the sustainability of a farming system. Resilience is also important yet has seldom been directly considered in evaluations of economic sustainability. In economic terms, resilience has to do with the capacity of the farm business to survive various risks and other shocks. A whole-farm stochastic simulation model over a six-year planning horizon was used to analyse organic and conventional cropping systems using a model of a representative farm in Eastern Norway. The relative economic sustainability of alternative systems under changing assumptions about future technology and price regimes was examined in terms of fi nancial survival to the end of the planning period. The same alternatives were also compared in terms of stochastic effi ciency. The results illustrate possible confl icts between pursuit of risk effi ciency and sustainability. The model developed could be useful in supporting farmers' choices between farming systems as well as in helping policy makers to develop more sharply targeted policies

Comprehensive policy review of anti-trafficking projects funded by the EU

The study reviews the 300+ projects that were funded by the EU in relation to their anti-trafficking policy, between 2012-2016, at a cost of 158.5m euros. The study explores the nature and geographic distribution of these projects. It also examines the activity and outcomes related to them for areas of good practice. Using this information the study examines the current EC strategy and makes recommendations for the future strategy

‘Friends call me racist’: Experiences of repercussions from writing comments on newspaper websites

acceptedVersio

Costs and effectiveness of a brief MRI examination of patients with acute knee injury

The aim of this study was to assess the costs and effectiveness of selective short magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with acute knee injury. A model was developed to evaluate the selective use of MRI in patients with acute knee injury and no fracture on radiography based on the results of a trial in which 208 patients were randomized between radiography only and radiography plus MRI. We analyzed medical (diagnostic and therapeutic) costs, quality of life, duration of diagnostic workup, number of additional diagnostic examinations, time absent from work, and time to convalescence during a 6-month follow-up period. Quality of life was lowest (EuroQol at 6 weeks 0.61 (95% CI 0.54–0.67)); duration of diagnostic workup, absence from work, and time to convalescence were longest; and the number of diagnostic examinations was largest with radiography only. These outcomes were more favorable for both MRI strategies (EuroQol at 6 weeks 0.72 (95% CI 0.67–0.77) for both). Mean total costs were 2,593 euros (95% CI 1,815–3,372) with radiography only, 2,116 euros (95% CI 1,488–2,743) with radiography plus MRI, and 1,973 euros (95% CI 1,401–2,543) with selective MRI. The results suggest that selective use of a short MRI examination saves costs and potentially increases effectiveness in patients with acute knee injury without a fracture on radiography