Productivity and Quality-Environmental Changes in Marketing Co-operatives: An Analysis on the Horticultural Sector

The object of the present paper is to analyse productivity incorporating quality-environmental changes in marketing co-operatives. Firstly, it reviews competitiveness factors in the current European agri-food market, especially in relation to the fruit and vegetables sector. Secondly, the productivity trend is studied empirically using nonparametric methods (Malmquist indices) and taking as reference panel data of Andalusian horticultural co-operatives for the period 1994-2001. For this purpose productivity is decomposed into technological change, efficiency and quality-environmental change. Additionally, the correlation of these results with other economic variables is analysed. The indicators obtained show a relevant increase in efficiency for the period under study and a high relationship between the results and product quality-environmental improvement.productivity, quality-environment, efficiency, marketing co-operative, horticultural sector, Agribusiness, Productivity Analysis, D24, Q13, Q21, L15,

Productivity and Environmental Performance in Marketing Cooperatives: Incentive Schemes on the Horticultural Sector

The object of the present paper is to analyze the productivity of marketing cooperatives incorporating environmental inputs/outputs. In the European agricultural policy, expectations for attaining sustainable and competitive agriculture lie to a great extent on the cooperative sector's ability to adapt to the new market conditions. These challenges have led marketing cooperatives in the fruit and vegetables sector to consider improvement in productivity and sound environmental performance. In this sector environmental management was intensified by the Common Agrarian Policy (CAP) through incentives on the so-called Operative Programs (OP). The present study analyses the total factor productivity (TFP) related to environmental variables in this sector using a parametric-stochastic approach and taking as reference a panel data of Spanish cooperatives for the period 1994-2002. Additionally, the determinants of productivity environmental indices are examined econ ometrically. The estimates obtained show a relevant increase in the efficiency component for the period under study and a relatively low impact of incentive schemes. However, they also show a relationship between productivity changes and several management factors in cooperatives, such as labor quality, capital intensity and environmental spillover.Productivity, environmental performance, parametric approach, efficiency, marketing cooperative, horticultural sector, Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy, Productivity Analysis, D24, Q13, Q21, L15,

Environmental and Quality Improvement Practices: Their Analysis as Components of the Value Added in Horticultural Firms

This paper analyses the effect of environmental and quality improvement practices on the value added of the fruit and vegetable sector. These practices form part of the incentive-based programmes established by the Common Agricultural Policy. Taking the investment in quality-environmental activities as knowledge capital, we propose a specific analysis that evaluates the effect of the factors of the production function and of the current subsidies over the value added. In general, the share of quality environmental activities in the rise of the product's market value is quite high. The analysis reflects that the expenditure on these activities is still higher than their benefit, and that the current subsidies can hardly be considered encouraging factors for the development of the above-mentioned practices.Quality-environmental practices, investment incentives, horticultural firms, value added, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Lagrangian Flow Network approach to an open flow model

Concepts and tools from network theory, the so-called Lagrangian Flow Network framework, have been successfully used to obtain a coarse-grained description of transport by closed fluid flows. Here we explore the application of this methodology to open chaotic flows, and check it with numerical results for a model open flow, namely a jet with a localized wave perturbation. We find that network nodes with high values of out-degree and of finite-time entropy in the forward-in-time direction identify the location of the chaotic saddle and its stable manifold, whereas nodes with high in-degree and backwards finite-time entropy highlight the location of the saddle and its unstable manifold. The cyclic clustering coefficient, associated to the presence of periodic orbits, takes non-vanishing values at the location of the saddle itself.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. To appear in European Physical Journal Special Topics, Topical Issue on "Recent Advances in Nonlinear Dynamics and Complex Structures: Fundamentals and Applications

Comparative regulatory approaches for new plant breeding techniques - Workshop Proceedings

The JRC-IPTS organized a workshop on "Comparative approaches for new plant breeding techniques" in September 2011. In this workshop, the regulatory framework for biotechnology derived crops with specific focus on approaches for new plant breeding techniques in Argentina, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan and South Africa was presented by experts from these countries. Additionally, experts discussed approaches and decisions for specific groups of new plant breeding techniques. Whereas, in Canada products derived through biotechnology are treated as any other novel products (plants with novel traits, PNTs), specific biotechnology or GMO legislation was introduced in the other five countries. Experience with the regulation of crops obtained by new plant breeding techniques is very limited globally. While initial decisions have already been taken in a few countries, discussions have only just started in others. Deviating decisions (between countries and between techniques) have to be expected.JRC.J.4-Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Econom

Adoption of GMHT Crops: Coexistence Policy Consequences in the European Union

Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Best Practice Documents for coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming. 2. Monitoring efficiency of coexistence measures in maize crop production

The present technical report deals with monitoring the efficiency of measures/strategies for coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM maize crop production. The report is a follow up of the best practices for coexistence in maize crop production proposed by the Technical Working Group (TWG) for Maize of the European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB). The ECoB TWG maize held three meetings in October 2010, June 2012 and November 2012 and examined state-of-art-knowledge from scientific literature, research projects and empirical evidence provided by numerous finished and ongoing studies looking at the appropriate level of monitoring, monitoring strategy, sampling and testing issues, detection methods, analysis of results and possible follow up. The review of this information (coming from a total of 55 references) is presented in a structured manner in Section 3 and 4 of the document. The overview of the activities carried out by EU Member States for monitoring effectiveness/efficiency of coexistence measures in maize crop production (Section 3), shows a still limited experience in practical terms, due to the limited experience in commercial cultivation of GM maize in most EU Member States. However, the present report provides technical guidance to those responsible for monitoring the efficiency of coexistence strategies.JRC.J.4-Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Econom

European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB) - Best Practice Document for Coexistence of Genetically Modified Crops with Conventional and Organic Farming. 1. Maize Crop Production

The European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB) was created in 2008 by DG AGRI and the JRC to implement the Agriculture Council conclusions of 22 May 2006 in which the Council invited the Commission to engage in works related to coexistence in close cooperation with Member States and stakeholders. Among others the Council invited the Commission to identify the best practices for technical segregation measures and to develop crop-specific guidelines for coexistence regulations while leaving Member States necessary flexibility to adapt the recommendations to their specific climatic and agricultural conditions. ECoB, located in the premises of JRC Institute of Prospective Technological Sciences, consists of Secretariat (formed by permanent JRC staff and seconded national experts) and crop-specific technical working groups consisting of technical experts nominated by interested Member States (currently only one, dealing with maize crop production). The management practices for maize crop production proposed in this Best Practice Document (BPD) are a result of a consensus building process which started in October 2008. The ECoB Secretariat is responsible for collection of inputs from and exchange of information between them, analysis of the collected data and preparation of drafts of the Best Practice Document for consultation. ECoB Secretariat proposes compromise solutions on controversial issues, if necessary. This Best Practice Document was adopted by consensus within the EcoB in May 2010.JRC.DDG.J.5-Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Econom