The vulnerability of the European agriculture and food system for calamities and geopolitics : a stress test

During the 1960s and 1970s, the EU succeeded in becoming largely self-sufficient in food production, thus assuring its food security for the most part. However, it is unclear which areas of food security are still vulnerable and/or whether there are there new vulnerabilities. In this report we have focused on emergencies and geopolitical shocks that can have a major impact on food security, i.e. food volume. We have not included emergencies that affect food safety (such as a nuclear disaster) or emergencies that have a much broader effect than on food chains alone (such as a flu pandemic or power failure)

Hoge productie stelt eisen aan diermanagement

Verhoging van de melkproductie per koe kan een manier zijn om het bedrijfsresultaat te verbeteren. Een hoge productie vraagt echter ook meer van het dier en daarmee van de verzorgin

Management, milk production level and economic performance : an explorative study on dairy farms

The research described in this thesis focuses on the relation between dairy herd management, milk production per cow, and gross margin per 100 kg of milk. The study was carried out as an explorative and empirical study. The thesis is composed of five parts.First, relations between technical data, including milk production, economic performance and nutrient losses were determined for a group of 478 farms. This part serves as the empirical basis for the study. Second, literature was reviewed as to the definition of management and management research.Third, based on this knowledge a field study was set up with 38 dairy farms. Technical and economic data were gathered during one year. Repeatability of economic data and milk production data was determined to get insight into the usefulness of one year of data. As could be expected, ranking over years of farms was not completely random. However, the ranking changed over time as well. This indicated that one year of data could be used to determine the influence of fixed effects on technical and economic performance, but year-effects cannot be separated.Fourth, two methodologies that were available to analyse this kind of data were described: Principal Components Regression (PCR) and Partial Least Squares (PLS). An overview of these two methodologies showed the advantage of using PLS for the current study, with a relatively large number of variables and complex relations that have to be determined.Fifth, the results of the analyses of the data set were described. Data were available on management, technical and economic performance. Ma-nagement data were acquired by questionnaires, observations, and a workshop. PLS-models were constructed to determine the relationships between pasture and feeding management and gross margin, milk production level and nitrogen loss. The models were used to define hypotheses for the relationship between pasture and feeding management and gross margin and milk production. Also two models were set up to determine the relationships between mastitis and fertility management and gross margin and milk production.In the concluding chapter, a schematic overview is given of management characteristics that are clearly related to gross margin per 100 kg of milk and milk production per cow. Characteristics of the farmer are a central element of 'the key to success'. A high production per cow is not the best economic option for each farmer. High production per cow should only be advised when the farmer is able to give the herd the detailed attention and interest that are needed.</p

A Qualitative Study of the Professional Experiences of Teachers With Mobility Challenges and Their Self-Perceptions of Professional Success

This qualitative investigation explored the professional experiences of 3 Ontario teachers who have mobility challenges. The study’s participants (2 male and 1 female) were Ontario teachers who have permanent physical disabilities that challenge their means of mobility. Each participant has an Ontario Certified Teaching License and has either taught or is currently teaching in an Ontario school. My primary source of data collection was a semi-structured face-to-face interview with each participant. The focus of the interview was participant perspectives. Data analysis was accomplished in 3 phases. Data analysis generated 5 prominent themes of commonality among participants: (a) independence and sacrifice, (b) living with pain, (c) barriers and obstacles, (d) the importance of communication, and (e) professional benefits and personal rewards

Influence of grassland and feeding management on technical and economic results of dairy farms

A field study of 38 dairy farms was set up to determine the relationships between feeding management, grassland management and feed costs/100 kg milk, 305-day milk yield and nitrogen surplus/ha. Data of the farms were on management (based on questionnaires), grassland calendar, milk yield and economic data for May 1996 to May 1997. Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to analyse data, because of the large number of variables relative to the number of farms. The R2 of the models varied between 0.32 (nitrogen surplus model) and 0.60 (feed costs model). The nitrogen surplus model did not have predictive relevance. The PLS-model for feed costs resulted in the hypotheses that (1) a high percentage of pasture that cannot be grazed by the cows results in an increase in feed costs, (2) a high percentage of grazings lasting >4 days increases feed costs, (3) mistakes in set-up of the paddocks cannot be compensated for by exact planning, and (4) farmers who have not organized their grazing management well, also tend to have worse results as to their silage management. The milk yield model showed that a high milk yield/cow is realized on farms with too low a number of growing days for cutting

Belang melkproduktieniveau voor saldo en N-overschot

Op basis van modellen is de laatste jaren veel onderzoek gedaan naar relaties tussen bedrijfsintensiteit, melkproduktieniveau, bedrijfsresultaat en N-overschot

Kansen voor een uniek gebied : maatwerk voor het GLB in Oost-Nederland

Gezien de omvang van de huidige inkomenssteun aan de landbouw in Gelderland en Overijssel zullen Europese en nationale beleidswijzigingen op dit vlak belangrijke gevolgen hebben voor de landbouw en het platteland in beide provincies. Om hierin meer inzicht te krijgen hebben de provincies Gelderland en Overijssel aan CLM/LEI gevraagd een verkenning uit te voeren naar de mogelijke gevolgen (kansen en bedreigingen) en alternatieven die voortvloeien uit de aanpassingen van het stelsel van de inkomenssteun. Volgens het Rijk komen de Natura-2000 gebieden en de nationale landschappen het eerste als waardevolle gebieden in beeld. Het inzetten van geld voor speciale gebieden brengt ook risico’s met zich mee voor gebieden die niet aangewezen zijn als waardevol, en waar geen groenblauwe dienstenbeleid wordt gevoerd (de zogenaamde nee-nee gebieden)

Graslandmanagement op hoogproductieve bedrijven

Een hoge melkproductie is mede afhankelijk van een goede voeding voor de koe. Een goed gebruik van het grasland lijkt dus een belangrijke vereiste voor een hoge productie. Het PR heeft het graslandmanagement op 38 bedrijven met uiteenlopende producties bekeken, waarna de gevolgen voor het saldo zijn onderzocht. Dit artikel gaat enkel in op het graslandmanagement