Nature Conservation and Trade Distortion: Green Box and Blue Box Farming Subsidies in Europe

Many rural communities in Europe are distinctively dependent on farming. Also, the very close association between Europe\u27s environmental assets - soil, water, forests, biodiversity - and farming make a strong case for integrating environmental objectives in farm policy. However, the European model too often assumes that Europe\u27s farming is static and that market protection (in the form of export subsidies, tariffs and subsidies) will automatically deliver the additional functions of the European model. This article will seek to critique this assumption. It is argued that the European Model is justifiable as a descriptor of part of the EU countryside but that existing policy instruments are mis-matched to delivering these objectives. Instead, subsidies are used to ensure EU farmers have a place in global food markets. These neither work in the interests of ensuring the continuation of the European model, nor are they sustainable within international trade discussions

Nature Conservation and Trade Distortion: Green Box and Blue Box Farming Subsidies in Europe

Many rural communities in Europe are distinctively dependent on farming. Also, the very close association between Europe\u27s environmental assets - soil, water, forests, biodiversity - and farming make a strong case for integrating environmental objectives in farm policy. However, the European model too often assumes that Europe\u27s farming is static and that market protection (in the form of export subsidies, tariffs and subsidies) will automatically deliver the additional functions of the European model. This article will seek to critique this assumption. It is argued that the European Model is justifiable as a descriptor of part of the EU countryside but that existing policy instruments are mis-matched to delivering these objectives. Instead, subsidies are used to ensure EU farmers have a place in global food markets. These neither work in the interests of ensuring the continuation of the European model, nor are they sustainable within international trade discussions

Soil assessment of the Weaber Plain (Goomig) farmlands

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain (Goomig) As part of the environmental planning and approvals process, the WA Government was required to prepare a groundwater management plan and a hydrodynamic plan. As a result, the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) was requested to lead an investigative program to support a second phase of modelling. The project was divided into five components: two addressing deficiencies related to groundwater, two relating to soils and subsoils, and one addressing surface and groundwater quality aspects. This report summarises the two soil assessment components of the project

Designing a soil pH monitoring network for the Western Australian wheatbelt

Natural resource managers in Western Australia require a purposely designed soil pH monitoring network to identify areas at higher risk of soil acidification and to observe changes in soil pH through time. This monitoring network, in conjunction with field experimental work and acidification modelling, will identify state and regional trends and help shape state natural resource management policy and regional extension programmes, as well as directly inform industry and land managers

Planning for horticultural expansion on the Swan Coastal Plain

Horticulture is an intensive, high value form of agriculture highly dependant on the availability of good water supplies for the year-round production of fresh produce. Production increase in Western Australia and the encouragement and development of export markets has caused rapid expansion if the industry in recent years. Expansion is expected to continue, placing severe pressure on available water supplies and suitable land close to markets. At present\u27 90 per cent of the Stase\u27s horticultural land is on the Swan Coastal Plain and minor selected hills areas around Perth

A multi consumer-grade fixed camera set-up with poorly determined camera geometry for precise change detection [abstract]

A multi consumer-grade fixed camera set-up with poorly determined camera geometry for precise change detection [abstract

Targeted interventions for patellofemoral pain syndrome (TIPPS): classification of clinical subgroups

Introduction Patellofemoral pain (PFP) can cause significant pain leading to limitations in societal participation and physical activity. An international expert group has highlighted the need for a classification system to allow targeted intervention for patients with PFP; we have developed a work programme systematically investigating this. We have proposed six potential subgroups: hip abductor weakness, quadriceps weakness, patellar hypermobility, patellar hypomobility, pronated foot posture and lower limb biarticular muscle tightness. We could not uncover any evidence of the relative frequency with which patients with PFP fell into these subgroups or whether these subgroups were mutually exclusive. The aim of this study is to provide information on the clinical utility of our classification system. Methods and analysis 150 participants will be recruited over 18 months in four National Health Services (NHS) physiotherapy departments in England. Inclusion criteria: adults 18–40 years with PFP for longer than 3 months, PFP in at least two predesignated functional activities and PFP elicited by clinical examination. Exclusion criteria: prior or forthcoming lower limb surgery; comorbid illness or health condition; and lower limb training or pregnancy. We will record medical history, demographic details, pain, quality of life, psychomotor movement awareness and knee temperature. We will assess hip abductor and quadriceps weakness, patellar hypermobility and hypomobility, foot posture and lower limb biarticular muscle tightness. The primary analytic approach will be descriptive. We shall present numbers and percentages of participants who meet the criteria for membership of (1) each of the subgroups, (2) none of the subgroups and (3) multiple subgroups. Exact (binomial) 95% CIs for these percentages will also be presented. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by National Research Ethics Service (NRES) Committee North West—Greater Manchester North (11/NW/0814) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) Built, Sport, Health (BuSH) Ethics Committee (BuSH 025). An abstract has been accepted for the third International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat, Vancouver, September 2013

Evaluation of the controls affecting the quality of spatial data derived from historical aerial photographs

This paper is concerned with the fundamental controls affecting the quality of data derived from historical aerial photographs typically used in geomorphological studies. A short review is provided of error sources introduced into the photogrammetric workflow. Data-sets from two case-studies provided a variety of source data and hence a good opportunity to evaluate the influence of the quality of archival material on the accuracy of coordinated points. Based on the statistical weights assigned to the measurements, precision of the data was estimated a priori, while residuals of independent checkpoints provided an a posteriori measure of data accuracy. Systematic discrepancies between the two values indicated that the routinely used stochastic model was incorrect and overoptimistic. Optimized weighting factors appeared significantly larger than previously used (and accepted) values. A test of repeat measurements explained the large uncertainties associated with the use of natural objects for ground control. This showed that the random errors not only appeared to be much larger than values accepted for appropriately controlled and targeted photogrammetric networks, but also small undetected gross errors were induced through the ‘misidentification’ of points. It is suggested that the effects of such ‘misidentifications’ should be reflected in the stochastic model through selection of more realistic weighting factors of both image and ground measurements. Using the optimized weighting factors, the accuracy of derived data can now be more truly estimated, allowing the suitability of the imagery to be judged before purchase and processing