Potentials of Organic Farming in the Region of Marchfeld (Austria)

Marchfeld is one of the most important crop production regions in Austria. High input agriculture causes environmental problems, especially groundwater pollution by nitrate and pesticides, decline of soil fertility and ecosystem diversity. While Austria has about 8.3 % certified organic farms, Marchfeld has only 1.5 %. The presented study was carried out in order to investigate the potentials of organic farming for solving environmental problems. The main interest of this work is the present economic and social situation of organic agriculture, its environmental effects and the identification of factors that support or hamper the further increase of organic farming in this regio

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

Ernährungssicherung durch Ökologischen Landbau am Beispiel der Region Mostviertel- Eisenwurzen

Ein nachhaltiges Agrar- und Ernährungssystem verfolgt zumindest zwei Ziele: Bereitstellung hochwertiger Lebensmittel und Gewährleistung gesunder Ernährung bei gleichzeitiger größtmöglicher Schonung natürlicher Ressourcen. Zur komplementären Erreichung beider Zielsetzungen wird der Ökologische Landbau als Lösungsmodell diskutiert. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, am Beispiel der Region Mostviertel-Eisenwurzen (A) die Folgen einer großflächigen Umstellung für die Lebensmittelproduktionsmengen abzuschätzen. Darüber hinaus soll auf Seiten des Bedarfs eine konkrete Alternative in Form veränderter Verzehrsgewohnheiten entwickelt und deren Rückwirkung auf die Produktion bewertet werden

Konsequenzen einer großflächigen Umstellung auf ökologischen Landbau

Die aktuellen Schwierigkeiten im Agrarsektor haben ein bisher nicht dagewesenes Interesse an einer verstärkten Förderung des ökologischen Landbaus durch gezielte agrarpolitische Maßnahmen geweckt. Es werden Zielvorstellungen von bis zu 20% biologisch wirtschaftender Betriebe geäußert. Eine deutliche Zunahme dieser Betriebe ist aufgrund der weitgehend anerkannten und vielfach nachgewiesenen ökologischen Vorzüglichkeit der biologischen Landwirtschaft wünschenswert. Gleichzeitig stellt sich aber auch die Frage nach den ökonomischen und sozialen Konsequenzen einer weitgehenden Umstellung auf ökologischen Landbau. In einer Reihe von Studien wurde versucht, die Wirkungen einer flächendeckenden Umstellung ganzer Länder (Olson et al., 19821), Langley et al., 1983, für die USA; Bechmann et al., 1992, Zerger & Bossel, 1994, Seemüller, 2000, für Deutschland; Lampkin, 1994, für Großbritannien; Alroe & Kristensen, 2001, für Dänemark) oder Regionen (Rist et al., 1989, für den Kanton Zug; Braun, 1995, für Baden-Württemberg; Pommer & Rintelen, 1997, für Bayern) bzw. einer teilweisen Umstellung (Lampkin, 1994: 10 % ökologischer Landbau in Großbritannien; Wynen, 1998: 10 bis 80 %in Dänemark; Zander et al., 1999: in Brandenburg) abzuschätzen. Die Ergebnisse der zitierten Untersuchungen sollen hier vergleichend dargestellt und daraus Handlungsbedarf hinsichtlich einer großflächigen Umstellung abgeleitet werden

1954 South Dakota Corn Performance Tests

As in previous years corn yield trial were conducted by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Results of these trials supply farmers and ranchers with current information on popular hybrids being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The trials were replicated plots planted and harvested in an accepted procedure with an unbiased analysis of the data. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting, and analyzing will be presented under separate headings

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1955

As in previous years corn yield trials were conducted by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Results of these trials supply farmers and ranchers with current information on popular hybrids being grown extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The trials were replicated plots planted and harvested in an accepted procedure with an unbiased analysis made of the data. Methods used in selection of entries, planting, harvesting, and analyzing will be presented under separate headings. Yields of hybrids within the trials of 1955 reflect the relative performing ability of the entries during a season which had below normal rainfall for all areas except Highmore and Watertown. Cottonwood had a total growing season precipitation slightly above normal, however all months except September were below normal. The heavy rains in September were too late to affect the already drought damaged com. Temperatures were all above normal, with a range of 1.2 degrees above normal for the growing season at Newell to a maximum of 3.8 degrees above normal at Tyndall. The extreme above normal temperatures occurred during July and August in most areas-a time when there was a deficiency in rainfall. Yields from all trials except those at the Highmore substation and on the Korth farm north of Watertown were below average. Frost occurred on September 11 at all areas except Newell, Cottonwood, Watertown, Sioux Falls, and Vermillion. This early frost date may have contributed, along with the drought and high temperatures, to the low yields and poor quality of most varieties in the tests. Harvesting of the plots in all areas was completed during October. Results of these trials are presented in the tables that follow

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

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1957

Yield trials on those corn hybrids currently most popular among farmers are conducted each year by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The purpose is to supply farmers and ranchers with information on the relative performing ability of the various hybrids when they are subjected to similar environmental conditions such as rainfall, soil moisture, and fertility level. Such information, when used as a guide in selecting hybrids for planting, can aid the farmer in obtaining maximum yields under his field conditions. In 1957, 14 tests were planted throughout South Dakota. Each contained from 20 to 40 entries planted in replicated plots. Yields, moisture percentages at harvest, and in some cases lodging, were obtained and are presented in the tables in this publication. Most areas of the state entered the 1957 season with extremely low reserves of subsoil moisture. Above normal rainfall over most of the state during the months of April, May, and June supplied adequate moisture for abundant growth of corn. There were only two stations, Brookings and Vermillion, which were below normal moisture for the entire growing season. Highmore and Cottonwood were considerably above normal with a plus 8.67 and 7.42 inches for the growing season, respectively. Although adequate moisture was available, corn was retarded in germination and early growth by low temperatures. All areas in which test plots were grown had below normal temperatures for April, May, and June. This below normal temperature was greatest at Vale during May when this station reported an average departure from normal of a minus 4.6 degrees, while Brookings rep01ted an average minus departure of 4.5 degrees for June. July temperatures were near normal, or slightly below, over most of the state; however, the temperatures dropped in August and September so that all stations rep01ted minus departures from normal for both months. The greatest departures were minus 7.5 and 5.2 degrees at Vermillion and Menno, respectively, during September. The low temperatures during August, September, and October resulted in slow maturing of the corn crop over the entire state. Frost held off until into October in many areas. This lack of a killing frost coupled with the low temperatures caused the corn crop to dry slowly. Many fields of corn were picked too wet for cribbing, and considerable corn was still in the field in December at which time kernels on some of the ears of varieties that were of a long season maturity for the area were turning brown while still on the stalk. The moisture content of all test plots harvested was considerably above long time averages. Late maturing hybrids, though producing more weight at harvest time in each test, were carrying so much moisture it would have required ultimate artificial drying to have cribbed such varieties. This year\u27s results would seem to indicate farmers should use extreme care in selecting a hybrid which is adapted to their length of growing season, and refrain from using those hybrids which require excessive length of season to produce cribbable corn

Potenziale der biologischen Landwirtschaft zur Entlastung des Natur- und Landschaftshaushaltes im Marchfeld

Das Marchfeld unterliegt heute einer überwiegend intensiven landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung, die maßgeblich über eine konventionelle bzw. Integrierte Produktion erfolgt. Die unter ökonomischen Gesichtspunkten aus der Sicht der Landwirte erforderliche intensive Produktion wirkt sich belastend auf das Grundwasser (Stoffeintrag), die Bodenkrume (Erosion) und die Arten und Lebensraumvielfalt aus. Die Anwendung und Umsetzung der Prinzipien des ökologischen Landbaus lässt eine Reihe ökologischer Leistungen erwarten, die insbesondere auch zur Entlastung oben genannter, durch die Landwirtschaft verursachter Probleme im Marchfeld beitragen können

South Dakota Corn Performance Tests, 1952

Corn yield trials were conducted in 1952 by the Agronomy Department of the South Dakota Experiment Station to supply farmers with up to date information on popular hybrids which are planted extensively in the various agricultural areas of the state. The information obtained from the 1952 yield trials reflects the relative performing ability of the hybrids in a season having a deficiency of moisture during the later part. Temperatures for the season averaged close to normal, or slightly above, throughout the state. However, in most areas there was a deficiency of moisture the later part of the growing season. This deficiency of moisture, plus a warm late fall, resulted in well matured corn of low moisture content for most areas. The results are presented in the tables which follow