Effects of land consolidation in Southern Poland

Motives: The fragmentation of land and the distribution of plots in rural areas negatively affects the profitability and efficiency of agricultural production. Land consolidation is an activity that facilitates the improvement of the spatial structure and at the same time contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas. European Union (EU) funding helps to improve, among others the area structure of agricultural land in the EU countries. Aim: From these premises, the purpose of the work results, which is the assessment of the effects of the performed consolidation of land with EU funding. The detailed analysis covered 16 precincts from the Podkarpackie voivodeship and 3 precincts from the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. The assessment of the consolidation of land was made in 19 consolidated objects in the years 2007-2020. In practice, there is a problem of how to demonstrate the effects of land consolidation? This article proposes to present the four most important effects of land consolidation in the form of the following coefficients: W1 (coefficient of reducing the number of plots as a result of consolidation), W2 (coefficient of increasing the average plot area in the consolidation facility), W3 (coefficient of reducing the number of plots in an individual farm as a result of consolidation), W4 (index of road network density in merged area) are a reliable image of the results of the land consolidation performed in the studied area. Results: The results were obtained. Index W1 in the examined objects indicated the result of 34.0% for the Podkarpackie voivodeship, and 28.8% for the Świętokrzyskie. Index W2 in the Podkarpackie voivodeship is 27.0%, and in the Świętokrzyskie it is higher and amounts to 29.7%. Index W3 which amounts to 39.4% of the average number of plots in a farm in the Podkarpackie voivodeship and much higher, amounting to 46.6% in the Świętokrzyskie. Index W4 for the Podkarpackie voivodeship is + 14.7%. However, for the Świętokrzyskie it is only + 3.7%. Summing up, the study analyzed four indicators showing the effects of land consolidation in southern Poland. The results obtained for these two voivodeships were similar. However, unsatisfactory in terms of the effects of land consolidation.

Socioeconomic Challenges of California Strawberry Production and Disease Resistant Cultivars

Strawberries are the 4th highest grossing crop in California and supply 90% of US strawberries. But the industry's long reliance on the use of chemical fumigants to control soil disease, nematodes and weeds is being threatened by increased regulation of these fumigants, leading to urgent efforts to develop and test non-chemical alternatives to fumigation, such as disease resistant cultivars. Many of these technologies are promising ecologically, but making them economically viable for growers is more challenging, especially in light of the socioeconomic context of strawberry production in California that has created a state of lock-in for a sustainability transition. This paper discusses how the challenges of land prices, labor shortages, marketing standards, and low prices bear on cultivar selection. Based on qualitative interviews, we corroborate that strawberry growers operate under significant socioeconomic constraints in California, many of which are beyond their control. In addition, we find that most growers see high-yielding varieties as crucial to their economic viability with regard to land, labor, and marketing intermediaries and yet recognize that the focus on individual farm productivity works at cross purposes to the problem of poor prices. Disease resistant varieties do not at face value address the concerns voiced by most growers. Our findings suggest, however, that if some of the other pressures were exogenously mitigated, growers might be more inclined to experiment with and adopt disease resistant varieties, in combination with other approaches. The most promising policy avenues seem to therefore lie with support of grower revenues.

Monitoring the Microevolution of Salmonella enterica in Healthy Dairy Cattle Populations at the Individual Farm Level Using Whole-Genome Sequencing

Livestock represent a possible reservoir for facilitating the transmission of the zoonotic foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica to humans; there is also concern that strains can acquire resistance to antimicrobials in the farm environment. Here, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to characterize Salmonella strains (n = 128) isolated from healthy dairy cattle and their associated environments on 13 New York State farms to assess the diversity and microevolution of this important pathogen at the level of the individual herd. Additionally, the accuracy and concordance of multiple in silico tools are assessed, including: (i) two in silico serotyping tools, (ii) combinations of five antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinant detection tools and one to five AMR determinant databases, and (iii) one antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) prediction tool. For the isolates sequenced here, in silico serotyping methods outperformed traditional serotyping and resolved all un-typable and/or ambiguous serotype assignments. Serotypes assigned in silico showed greater congruency with the Salmonella whole-genome phylogeny than traditional serotype assignments, and in silico methods showed high concordance (99% agreement). In silico AMR determinant detection methods additionally showed a high degree of concordance, regardless of the pipeline or database used (≥98% agreement among susceptible/resistant assignments for all pipeline/database combinations). For AMR detection methods that relied exclusively on nucleotide BLAST, accuracy could be maximized by using a range of minimum nucleotide identity and coverage thresholds, with thresholds of 75% nucleotide identity and 50–60% coverage adequate for most pipeline/database combinations. In silico characterization of the microevolution and AMR dynamics of each of six serotype groups (S. Anatum, Cerro, Kentucky, Meleagridis, Newport, Typhimurium/Typhimurium variant Copenhagen) revealed that some lineages were strongly associated with individual farms, while others were distributed across multiple farms. Numerous AMR determinant acquisition and loss events were identified, including the recent acquisition of cephalosporin resistance-conferring blaCMY- and blaCTX–M-type beta-lactamases. The results presented here provide high-resolution insight into the temporal dynamics of AMR Salmonella at the scale of the individual farm and highlight both the strengths and limitations of WGS in tracking zoonotic pathogens and their associated AMR determinants at the livestock-human interface.

Methodologies for the Sustainability Assessment of Agricultural Production Systems, with a Focus on Rice: A Review

The intensification of agricultural production is connected to the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation water, and energy. Among all cropping systems, rice cultivation is considered to be one of the most significant sources of environmental harm due to the flooding conditions in which rice normally grows; at the same time, rice has important economic and social implications, especially in areas where it is a staple food. In the last 20 years, sustainable development of agricultural production has become a priority for scientific research and policy programs. Several studies proposed methodological frameworks to assess the impacts of different management practices adopted in agro-ecosystems and to identify strategies to mitigate the negative effects of agricultural intensification. Such methodologies are based on the use of particular indicators, which are increasingly seen as crucial tools in impact assessment studies and for decision making. This paper aims to review and analyze the most significant methodological frameworks developed to assess the sustainability of agricultural production systems, with a particular focus on rice cultivation. The analysis includes highlighting which dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, social, and governance) are covered by each method and identifying which indicators are used to describe the different dimensions. The spatial scale of the application of the indicators, their typology, the data needed for their implementation, and the criteria for formulating the overall sustainability judgment were then examined. The analysis highlighted the scarce availability of clear operational data for the calculation of the indicators and the often-limited involvement of stakeholders in the development and implementation of the methodologies. The exceptions to these limitations are represented by a few methodologies developed under the umbrella of important international organizations to promote sustainability and research efficiency in specific agricultural production systems, such as the SRP (sustainable rice platform) for rice. Finally, the analysis shows that there is a need to develop methodologies that are applicable not only to an individual farm or group of farms, but also at larger spatial scales (district, watershed, region), which are often those of greatest interest to decision makers.

83 Mapping Resilience Indicators and Measuring Emotions of Farm Animals Using Sensor Data

More often sensor and the data analytical tools are established for human biomedical applications before it finds ways in solving farm animal problems. Resilience is a type of toughness or resistance against degrading forces and the capacity to recover or endure from potentially harmful dynamics. For moment-by-moment quantification of the individual farm animal’s cardiovascular functioning, physiological functioning indices sensor-based data becomes paramount. With much emphasis being given currently on the animal welfare, especially the cognitive, emotional, and psychological aspects of livestock, creating scientifically meaningful information from the sensor data becomes important. In this invited talk, I will be sharing results on measuring emotions, evaluating the indicators of resilience in farm animals, and developing solutions for livestock digital phenotyping through data analytics. I will walk you through some examples of how the data analytics was handled, and sensor-based data were collected, assimilated, integrated, and the insights were developed based on machine learning approaches.

Elasticity and substitutability of food demand and emerging disease risk on livestock farms

Disease emergence in livestock is a product of environment, epidemiology, and economic forces. The environmental and epidemiological factors contributing to novel pathogen emergence in humans have been studied extensively, but the two-way relationship between farm microeconomics and outbreak risk has received comparably little attention. We introduce a game-theoretic model where farmers produce and sell two goods one of which (e.g. pigs, poultry) is susceptible to infection by a pathogen potentially dangerous to humans. We model market effects and epidemiological effects at both the individual farm level and the community level. The addition of a second good into this modeling framework ensures that producing a unit of livestock has an opportunity cost. We find that in the case of low demand elasticity for livestock meat, the presence of an animal pathogen causing large production losses can lead to a bistable system where two outcomes are possible, depending on the economic inputs into the system. One outcome is succesful disease control. The second outcome, a potentially dangerous one, is a stable equilibrium where farmers slaughter their animals at a low rate, face substantial production losses, but maintain large herds because of the appeal of high meat market prices, therefore maintaining disease circulation. We show the potential epidemiological benefits to (i) policies aimed at stabilizing livestock product prices, (ii) subsidies for alternative agricultural activities during epidemics, and (iii) diversifying agricultural production and sources of proteins available to consumers.

Monitoring the Antimicrobial Resistance Dynamics of Salmonella enterica in Healthy Dairy Cattle Populations at the Individual Farm Level Using Whole-Genome Sequencing

Livestock represent a possible reservoir for facilitating the transmission of the zoonotic foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica to humans; there is also concern that strains can acquire resistance to antimicrobials in the farm environment. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to characterize Salmonella strains (n = 128) isolated from healthy dairy cattle and their associated environments on 13 New York State farms to assess the diversity and microevolution of this important pathogen at the level of the individual herd. Additionally, the accuracy and concordance of multiple in silico tools are assessed, including: (i) two in silico serotyping tools, (ii) combinations of five antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinant detection tools and one to five AMR determinant databases, and (iii) one antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) prediction tool. For the isolates sequenced here, in silico serotyping methods outperformed traditional serotyping and resolved all un-typable and/or ambiguous serotype assignments. Serotypes assigned in silico showed greater congruency with the Salmonella whole-genome phylogeny than traditional serotype assignments, and in silico methods showed high concordance (99% agreement). In silico AMR determinant detection methods additionally showed a high degree of concordance, regardless of the pipeline or database used (≥98% agreement between susceptible/resistant assignments for all pipeline/database combinations). For AMR detection methods that relied exclusively on nucleotide BLAST, accuracy could be maximized by using a range of minimum nucleotide identity and coverage thresholds, with thresholds of 75% nucleotide identity and 50-60% coverage adequate for most pipeline/database combinations. In silico characterization of the microevolution and AMR dynamics of each of six serotype groups (S. Anatum, Cerro, Kentucky, Meleagridis, Newport, Typhimurium/Typhimurium variant Copenhagen) revealed that some lineages were strongly associated with individual farms, while others were distributed across multiple farms. Numerous AMR determinant acquisition and loss events were identified, including the recent acquisition of cephalosporin resistance-conferring blaCMY- and blaCTX-M-type beta-lactamases. The results presented here provide high-resolution insight into the temporal dynamics of AMR Salmonella at the scale of the individual farm and highlight both the strengths and limitations of WGS in tracking zoonotic pathogens and their associated AMR determinants at the livestock-human interface.

Analysis of the need for soil moisture, salinity and temperature sensing in agriculture: a case study in Poland

Efficient use of scarce water resources is both a marketing objective and an environmental obligation for sustainable agriculture. In modern agricultural production, which is intensive and should at the same time be environmentally friendly, there is a need to monitor soil moisture, salinity and temperature. The aim of the study was to determine the demand of producers of agricultural and horticultural plants for equipment and systems for monitoring soil properties at an individual farm level in regions with highly developed agriculture. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1087 respondents, also direct interviews in Poland were undertaken. According to the producers' responses, it is important to know soil moisture, salinity and temperature, although currently only about 4% of the surveyed farmers have the equipment to evaluate these soil parameters. In their view cost is not the most important obstacle to the purchase of the necessary probes. More important is that the devices should be easy to install and use, and have an easy to use application for data collection, processing and transfer. The current market does not offer solutions that meet these producers expectations. The demand for suitable probes is very high as over 80% of the farmers declared their willingness to purchase such probes. Technical problems related to the operation and servicing of such equipment were the most frequently mentioned impediments in their use. However, farmers and horticulturists believe that knowledge of their soil properties would allow them to optimize the elements of cultivation technology, including the use of plant irrigation systems, the use of mineral fertilizers and plant protection products.

Perceptions on Impacts of Competition of Eucalypt Plantations with Other Land Uses on the Rural Livelihood in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-South Ethiopia

Since recent years, conversions of croplands, grasslands or cash crop fields to eucalypt plantations are becoming common trends in Ethiopia. Reasons for the conversions are better return from eucalypt than crop farming. This study tried to assess the land use competition impacts of eucalypt plantations with other land uses in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-south Ethiopia. The specific objectives were to investigate households’ and experts’ perceptions on land use competition of eucalypt plantations; and to assess perceptions on impacts of eucalypt plantation and copping strategies. Samples from three woredas (districts) namely Cheha, Enemorna Ener, and Eza located in the Watersheds were used. These woredas were purposefully selected due to large coverage of the watersheds, extensive expansion of eucalypts farming and thereby high eucalypts pole production, incidences of serious competition of eucalypts with other uses, and the presences of road accessibility for data collection. To get detail information on perception of the households and experts, in-depth discussions with focus groups and key informant were employed. Individual farm households whose age were greater than 70 years old and knowledgeable persons to discuss on the issue of eucalypt plantations were selected purposefully with the guidance of each kebele (sub-district) chairpersons and district experts. Thereafter, three focus group discussions with farm households were conducted in the three districts. Key informant interviews were conducted with purposefully selected and well experienced individual farm households and experts in each district. The result showed that young farmers planted from 1000 to 5000 eucalypt seedlings on lands previously covered with crops. The young people resisted advice from elders and converted farmlands to eucalypt plantations. Previous practitioners (adoptees) who benefitted much from eucalypt products tended for further expansion. This, in turn, resulted in serious land use competition with farmland and grasslands. To mitigate such serious competition with food crops and grasslands, and to sustain the livelihood and environment, appropriate management, e.g. site selection and substitutions by horticultural and cash crops using micro irrigation schemes for market needs are recommended. Conducting in-depth participatory research and specific policy ratification and promulgation on eucalypt plantations will curb its serious land use competition with farm and grazing lands.

Enzootic abortion in sheep: a review

Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) is the most commonly diagnosed cause of abortion in sheep in the UK. This document will review disease background, how to reach a diagnosis of EAE, and recent developments in diagnostics and preventative approaches. It also explores the scope for progress and how that may be achieved. There is significant scope for more widespread screening and vaccination against EAE to yield benefits to animal health, human health, antibiotic stewardship, individual farm profitability and the UK sheep sector.