Public health risk management during the Covid-19 pandemic, new amendments in the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to meet fishers’ needs

The recent COVID-19 emergency has shaped economic performance across all sectors, and the fisheries and aquaculture sector did not come out unscathed. The need to protect against risks has always been primary for economic operators, but COVID-19 has accentuated the need to obtain coverage for health risks. In this regard, the European Union has moved quickly with an amendment art. 35 of European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (Regulation [EU] No. 508/2014), including “public health crises” among the causes considered valid for compensation in mutual funds. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of Regulation 508, focusing on Article 35 and its most recent amendments, to understand if the new reform is adherent to the needs of the fisheries sector in Italy, one of the only two States that have documented in their Operational Plans the intention to implement mutual funds. The work involved an empirical analysis through the use of multivariate statistics carried out on 61 Italian stakeholders. Several company profiles were identified and then the likelihood of subscribing to a mutual fund was estimated based on their focus on health crises. The work underlines that the amendments meet the demands of the sector for improved mutual fund clauses, but it's not yet an attractive tool for the Italian market

A typological classification for assessing farm sustainability in the Italian Bovine dairy sector

Italy is among the most important countries in Europe for milk production. The new European policies encourage a transition towards sustainability and are leading European dairy farms to follow new trajectories to increase their economic efficiency, reduce their environmental impact, and ensure social sustainability. Few studies have attempted to classify dairy farms by analyzing the relationships between the structural profiles of farms and the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This work intends to pursue this aim through an exploratory analysis in the Italian production context. The cluster analysis technique made it possible to identify three types of dairy farms, which were characterized on the basis of indicators that represented the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic sustainability) and the emerging structural relationships based on the structural characteristics of the dairy farms. The classification made it possible to describe the state of the art of the Italian dairy sector in terms of sustainability and to understand how different types of farms can respond to the new European trajectories

A Typological Classification for Assessing Farm Sustainability in the Italian Bovine Dairy Sector

open5noItaly is among the most important countries in Europe for milk production. The new European policies encourage a transition towards sustainability and are leading European dairy farms to follow new trajectories to increase their economic efficiency, reduce their environmental impact, and ensure social sustainability. Few studies have attempted to classify dairy farms by analyzing the relationships between the structural profiles of farms and the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This work intends to pursue this aim through an exploratory analysis in the Italian production context. The cluster analysis technique made it possible to identify three types of dairy farms, which were characterized on the basis of indicators that represented the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic sustainability) and the emerging structural relationships based on the structural characteristics of the dairy farms. The classification made it possible to describe the state of the art of the Italian dairy sector in terms of sustainability and to understand how different types of farms can respond to the new European trajectories.openMasi, Margherita; Vecchio, Yari; Pauselli, Gregorio; Di Pasquale, Jorgelina; Adinolfi, FeliceMasi, Margherita; Vecchio, Yari; Pauselli, Gregorio; Di Pasquale, Jorgelina; Adinolfi, Felic

The leading role of perception: the FACOPA model to comprehend innovation adoption

none5noIn this work, we explore the link between the perception of complexity and the possibility of adopting precision agricultural tools (PATs). Many studies have analysed the role of perception, mostly considering it a determinant of adoption on the same level as other contextual factors. In contrast, this study contributes by assuming that farmers' perceived complexity is the main factor influencing their propensity to innovate and should be analysed on a different level. Starting from this assumption, a new theoretical model is proposed with the aim of studying the “factors–perception of complexity–adoption” (FACOPA) process. To test the validity of our hypothesis, a survey is conducted based on a purposive sample of 285 farmers. First, a linear regression model permits us to identify determinants of the perception of complexity. Then, a multinomial logistic model is used to determine which aspects of perceived complexity may affect the choice to adopt precision farming tools made by three different types of agricultural entrepreneurs: adopters, non-adopters, and planners. First, the linear regression results show that socio-structural variables have a logical relationship with perceived complexity, with age, farm size, the intensity of information and the intensity of work being significant. Then, the multinomial logistic model highlights that non-adopters perceive almost all aspects of complexity as barriers to adoption. Planners show a lower perception of complexity than non-adopters, with complexity being determined by financial and network aspects. The results provide interesting suggestions for policy-makers. Indeed, the FACOPA model offers insights into an intervention framework in which policy measures can be diversified to disseminate PATs based on farmer categories. Non-adopters require a broader set of policy instruments, while planners should be encouraged to become adopters through financial support and the activation of innovation networks.openVecchio Y.; De Rosa M.; Pauselli G.; Masi M.; Adinolfi F.Vecchio Y.; De Rosa M.; Pauselli G.; Masi M.; Adinolfi F

A cross-sectional study in Mediterranean European countries to support stakeholders in addressing future market demands: Consumption of farmed fish products

Aquaculture is now a viable alternative to help depleted wild fish stocks and encourage the production of alternative animal protein sources. However, studies have shown that farmed fish has a less positive image in consumers than wild fish. The present study investigates the aspects that most influence the consumption choices of some of the most farmed species in the Mediterranean, sea bass and sea bream. The objective is to analyse the habits and preferences of consumers of these products in Mediterranean countries to identify homogeneous and transversal behaviours in the four countries under analysis in order to recognise common marketing actions and levers. To achieve it, a direct survey was conducted on a representative sample of 6117 consumers from France, Spain, Greece and Italy. The cluster analysis carried out for the four countries revealed 11 well-defined consumer profiles. They showed that different socio-economic characteristics, purchasing habits and product attributes explain a significant part of consumption choices and offer key information for exploring food consumer attitudes. In addition, the role of labelling in consumer behaviour is important to understand which aspects consumers pay more attention to when making their choices, representing a discriminating factor in segmenting respondents' profiles. Understanding these preferences, and the importance of certain information, can be useful to intercept and respond to market demands and to improve consumer confidence in farmed fish products

Retrieving magma composition from TIR spectra: implications for terrestrial planets investigations

Emissivity and reflectance spectra have been investigated on two series of silicate glasses, having compositions belonging to alkaline and subalkaline series, covering the most common terrestrial igneous rocks. Glasses were synthesized starting from natural end-members outcropping at Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Italy) and on Snake River Plain (USA). Results show that the shift of the spectra, by taking Christiansen feature (CF) as a reference point, is correlated with SiO2 content, the SCFM factor and/or the degree of polymerization state via the NBO/T and temperature. The more evolved is the composition, the more polymerized the structure, the shorter the wavelength at which CF is observable. CF shift is also dependent on temperature. The shape of the spectra discriminates alkaline character, and it is related to the evolution of Qn structural units. Vulcano alkaline series show larger amount of Q4 and Q3 species even for mafic samples compared to the subalkaline Snake River Plain series. Our results provide new and robust insights for the geochemical characterization of volcanic rocks by remote sensing, with the outlook to infer origin of magmas both on Earth as well as on terrestrial planets or rocky bodies, from emissivity and reflectance spectra

Effect of stoned olive pomace on rumen microbial communities and polyunsaturated fatty acids biohydrogenation: an in vitro study.

Background The stoned olive pomace (SOP), which represents approximately 50% of the conversion process of olive in oil, is largely not-utilized and creates costs for its disposal and problems related to environmental impact. In-vitro trial experiments were employed to study the effect of feeds integrated with this bio-waste rich in polyphenols on rumen biohydrogenation, using sheep rumen liquor as inoculum. Results Fatty acid (FA) analysis and polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach aimed to microbial community characterization showed that including SOP in feeds at the level of 50 g/kg and 90 g/kg induced changes in FA profile and in microbial populations. The contemporary decrease of Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus and the accumulation of vaccenic acid was observed. A depression of Neisseria weaveri, Ruminobacter amylophilus and other unclassified bacteria related to members of the Lachnospiraceae and Pasteurellaceae families was detected, suggesting that these microbial groups may be involved in rumen biohydrogenation. Conclusions Supplementation of feeds with SOP changes rumen bacterial community, including bacteria responsible for vaccenic acid hydrogenation to stearic acid, thus modifying FA profile of rumen liquor. Hence, an use of SOP aimed to produce meat or dairy products enriched in functional lipids could be hypothesized

ASPETTI DELLA PRODUZIONE DEI PICCOLI RUMINANTI CON IMPATTO SULLA SALUTE UMANA

Negli ultimi anni l’attenzione del consumatore si è sempre più orientata verso le caratteristiche nutrizionali degli alimenti. Queste proprietà sono di grande importanza anche per quanto riguarda le produzioni dei piccoli ruminanti. Il presente lavoro ha lo scopo di riassumere i principali risultati emersi dal progetto di ricerca “Aspetti della produzione dei piccoli ruminanti con particolare impatto sulla salute umana”. Sono stati analizzati mediante i metodi descritti in letteratura: 1) i polimorfismi genetici dei biopeptidi del latte dei piccoli ruminanti; 2) le attività di alcuni enzimi della membrana del globulo di grasso e la frazione lipidica del latte ovino; 3) la qualità nutrizionale del latte e del formaggio ovino in relazione all’intensità di pascolamento; 4) le componenti bioattive di siero e scotta residui alla produzione dei formaggi ovi-caprini; 5) la resistenza genetica alle encefalopatie spongiformi trasmissibili e l’efficienza economica e biologica in razze ovine. I risultati ottenuti evidenziano, da svariati punti di vista, numerose potenzialità legate alle produzioni dei piccoli ruminanti e alle loro ricadute sulla salute umana