World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
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Australia's "Post-Mining Era" Seizes China's Agricultural Market2014/1/8 First Financial Daily content Summary: The Australian economy is currently facing a "hole" in growth, and it is urgent to find new economic growth points. Australian agricultural producers are actively seeking Chinese organic food certification is one of Australia's attempts to diversify the economy. As a large red meat supplier, Australia intends to kangaroo meat as a specialty into the Chinese market, and take the opportunity to expand bilateral trade. Wandering in the economic crossroads of Australia, I am afraid that can only "look at the coal sigh". Recently, the economic advisory body Australia Deloitte released a report "want to make a fortune? These industries can not miss" (Positioning for prosperity Catching the next wave) said that the Australian economy is currently facing growth "hole", mining investment decline, and non-mining investment and difficult to make up for the funding gap. Therefore, it is urgent to find new economic growth points. In this context, the Deloitte report takes stock of five "super fast-growing" industries, including tourism, natural gas, agribusiness, international education and wealth management. It is believed that the above five industries will boost the Australian economy in the next 20 years and contribute 25 billion Australian dollars. Five Emerging Pillar Industries according to Deloitte economic data, although the mining industry is still the main driving force of economic prosperity, agribusiness, natural gas, tourism, international education and wealth management will also become the pillars of support for the Australian economy. Deloitte predicts that global demand for natural gas, tourism and agribusiness will grow over the next decade or two, at least 10 per cent compared with the world's 3.4 per cent GDP growth rate. Turning attention to Asia, especially China, is a new move by the Australian government and the practitioners of the "new five pillar industries. The move aims to get rid of the current situation that economic development relies heavily on mining and form a diversified economic development pattern as soon as possible. The Australian economy is at a crossroads. The thorny problem facing the Australian government is how to shift the economic development model from capital-intensive industries that rely mainly on energy to new areas represented by services, finance, education, etc., and the huge Chinese market undoubtedly brings new ones. hope. "Australia's competitive advantage has been challenged and a trend of diversification is needed to develop a diversified economy." Deloitte pointed out. Moving to new cooperation in agriculture australian agricultural producers are actively seeking Chinese organic food certification is one of Australia's attempts to diversify the economy. For the country's agricultural producers, obtaining Chinese certification means getting a "ticket" to enter the promising and potential Chinese market, although the certification fee for a single product is as high as A $50000. At the same time, the Australian government is planning to expand the types of agricultural exports to China. As a large red meat supplier, Australia intends to kangaroo meat as a specialty into the Chinese market, and take the opportunity to expand bilateral trade. World Trade Organization statistics show that the Chinese market in the next 8 years, meat consumption demand is expected to grow by 17e%. The Deloitte report also pointed out that Australia and China are "natural partners" in agricultural trade ". China's strong demand for high-quality and safe food is driving investment in Australian agriculture-including grains, sugar, crops, dairy and horticulture. The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Australia is strengthening its ties with China and seeking ways to stand out. Australia aims to increase its share of exports of agriculture, high-tech products and services to China by 2025. In addition, Australia will attract Chinese investment in infrastructure, including ports, iron ore, energy and other utilities needed for Australian resource development. Man of Feeding
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UK agriculture minister calls on EU to approve GM maize2014/1/8 China News Network content Summary: British Agriculture Minister Owen Patterson suggested at the Oxford Agriculture Conference that the European Union approve the planting of a newly developed genetically modified corn in 2014. The new variety is jointly developed by DuPont and Dow Chemical. If this genetically modified corn is approved, It will be the first time in 15 years that the European Union has approved the planting of genetically modified food crops. The British Minister of Agriculture issued an appeal to recommend that the European Union approve a genetically modified corn jointly developed by DuPont and Dow Chemical in a vote at the end of January 2014. British Agriculture Minister Owen Patterson said at the Oxford Agriculture Conference that if genetically modified corn is approved, it will be the first time in 15 years that the European Union has approved the planting of genetically modified food crops. He added that as innovative firms decide to invest in other markets and develop new agricultural technology the EU is at risk of becoming a museum of world agricultural history. In 1998, the European Union approved an insect-resistant genetically modified corn developed by Monsanto. Since then, the EU has not approved any genetically modified food crops because of public concerns about the safety of genetically modified crops in the EU. Later in January 2014, senior diplomats from the 28 EU countries will vote on whether to allow the planting of genetically modified corn developed by DuPont and Dow Chemical. Patterson said it remains to be seen whether the vote will pass. France, Austria and Italy are expected to vote against, while Britain, Sweden and Spain are expected to vote in favor. In December 2013, the European Court of Justice overturned the European Commission's decision to allow the cultivation and sale of genetically modified potatoes developed by BASF. Since the withdrawal of this product by BASF in 2012, the EU has no longer planted this genetically modified potato. Man of Feeding
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ASEAN Economic Community will play an important role in ensuring food security in Southeast AsiaYEARENDER: Asean Economic Community to play major role in SEA food security By Rudy A. Fernandez (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 5, 2014 - 12:00am LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines - The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 is expected to play a major role in defining Southeast Asia's agricultural landscape, industry experts noted. This assessment was highlighted in various conferences held in the Philippines in 2013 that focused on food security in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. In one assembly that had as its theme “Operation One ASEAN: Towards Food Security in 2020”, Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., director of the Los Banos-based Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA) stressed that AEC 2015 is likely to result in more integrated regional market and harmonized production base of agricultural goods. Saguiguit added that AEC 2015 “is expected to develop a meta-national concept in food supply chains, and result in a single trade block that can deal and negotiate with non-ASEAN exporters and importers ." Time is the essence in this thrust as the demand for agricultural products vis-a-vis the rapid global population growth has been putting additional pressure on sustainable food production, he said. Global food requirements by 2020, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO), will depend on the size and nature of the world population, which is expected to reach nine billion. Most of the population increase will occur in the developing world. Urbanization is expected to continue at an accelerating pace wherein by the middle of the 21st century, about 70 percent of the wold population will be urban, and income levels will be much higher. Conversely, rural and agriculture-based population is expected to decline. “To feed this shift in demographics, it is calculated that food production must increase by 70 percent," Saguiguit said. He noted that Southeast Asia's population is projected to reach 800 million by 2050, from 604 million in 2011. “The changing ASEAN landscape is now characterized by regional integration, notably the ASEAN Economic Community 2015; increasing population and urbanization; decreasing number of small farmers; dominance of smallholder agriculture; changing consumption patterns; declining performance of agriculture; and environmental degradation and climate change ." “Food security and reducing poverty remain to be the most formidable challenges faced by the region," he added. During the conference, the participants, comprised of high-ranking officials of government research and development (R&D) institutions and state universities from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Philippines - discussed and submitted their county reports supportive of a “food-secure ASEAN region," he added. The conference was sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and SEARCA. In another regional conference attended by key officials of research and academic institutions in nine Southeast Asian countries, the participants crafted an umbrella program and action plan on food security in the region. As envisioned, the umbrella program will harness the expertise that reside in the region through the SEARCA-led Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) and align their food security programs with the region's development needs as well as the ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework (AIFS) .. The conference, sponsored by the Food Security Center of the University of Hohenheim in Germany, SEARCA, and UC, acknowledged that there are many research institutions focusing on food security in Southeast Asia. However, they added, “these are more national in scope and scattered across the region, thus the need for a regional program that will mobilize collective efforts and resources needed to address common food security issues and relevant strategic thrusts of the AIFS ." As early as 2009, the Southeast Asian countries had adopted the ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework to provide scope and avenues for cooperation among member-states toward long-term food security and improvement of livelihood of farmers in the region. Saguiguit said the “ASEAN and SEAMEO are currently discussing ways on how to effectively collaborate to address issues of common concern, especially in light of the Millennium Development Goals." SEAMEO, SEARCA's mother organization, is an inter-government treaty body founded in 1965 or two years ahead of ASEAN, to promote cooperation among Southeast Asian nations in the fields of education, science, and culture. All the 11 SEAMEO countries, except Timor-Leste, are also members of ASEAN. A subsequent activity dubbed the 'Workshop-Meeting: Priority Agenda of the Umbrella Program on Food Security for Southeast Asia' was convened to prioritize the collaborative activities and projects on food security earlier hammered out for implementation in the next five years by the SEARCA-led UC. The conference was participated in by the SEARCA senior fellows and management committee, which is composed of internationally known research administrators, scientists, academics, and economists who provide advice and technical guidance in the conceptualization of programs and technical inputs in project development and management. During the workshop, the fellows enhanced the agenda of the program by identifying other priority areas and cutting-edge thinking on food and nutrition security considering the changing ASEAN and global agricultural landscape. Summing up, the conferences concurred that the guiding principle of the high-level assemblies on food security was based on the declaration of the World Food Summit in 1996, which stipulated that “food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life ." http://www.philstar.com/business/2014/01/05/1275175/yearender-asean-economic-community-play-major-role-sea-food-security
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Can a hungry world reject GM food and have a meal to eat?Can a Hungry World Say No to GM Crops and Still Have Food Security? by Marc Van Montagu The world is running low on food. Can we afford to reject GM crops out of hand? Can a Hungry World Say No to GM Crops and Still Have Food Security? Genetically-modified Golden Rice grains are infused with Pro-Vitamin A. Forty gram of Golden Rice per day can save eyesight and the lives of 2 million people every year Rice provides up to 80 percent of food calories for poor societies, but lacks micronutrients such as Vitamin A. Worldwide, every year, hundreds of thousands of children die due to a lack of Vitamin A and multiples thereof become permanently blind. In the late '90s, Golden Rice was developed because the inventors were concerned about food security and food quality. Through genetic engineering scientists were able to generate Golden Rice in which the intensity of colour is an indication for the level of Pro-Vitamin A. Forty gram of golden rice per day can save eyesight and the lives of more than 2 million people every year. mg_73429_marc_van_montagu_280x210.jpg The attempt by Greenpeace and other NGOs to block transfer and acceptance of Golden Rice is criminal because it has been proven to be completely safe. Furthermore, Golden Rice will be provided to farmers in developing countries free of costs for the trait. In many countries GM crops are not accepted because they are thought to be unsafe for both human health and environment. However, more than 2,000 scientific papers over the last 10 years have evaluated the safety of GM crops on human health and all of them have concluded that they are as safe as crops obtained by conventional breeding. Furthermore, for the past 15 years, people in the United States have been eating GM crops and, until now, not one single negative health effect has been observed. Another argument posed by anti-GM organisations is that growing GM crops will lead to a decrease in biodiversity. But the contrary is true: In areas where insect-resistant crops are grown, the population of non-target insects-varieties other than the ones the crops are resistant to-is much larger than in areas where conventional crops were grown. Additionally, GM technology will allow us to go back to the old varieties that were used in agriculture, but this time with added trade value, resulting in crops with higher yields or drought-resistance and other such traits. Protestors against GM crop try to convince people that these crops are much more expensive for farmers. But if all expenses and yield gains of GM crops are taken into account, they are even less expensive than growing crops conventionally. As compared to conventional seeds, GM seeds are indeed more expensive, but their quality, as measured by their germination rate, is much higher, thus making them more cost-effective. And because GM seeds are herbicide and/or insecticide-resistant, less herbicide or insecticide is used to spray in the fields, effectively reducing the cost for the farmer; insect-resistant GM crops have proven to cut insecticide sprays by more than 25 percent. GM crops also require less tillage, which reduces carbon emissions and allows for the growth of a second crop in the same season, resulting in even more yield gain for the farmer. Finally, fewer patents are valid for farmers in developing countries. All this together will result in an increase in global farm income of nearly 51 percent in developing countries and 49 percent in developed countries. Ironically, the extreme opposition to genetic modification has led to hyper-regulation, which has raised the cost of bringing GM crops to market. Currently, only multinationals and large entities, public or private, can afford to comply with these rules. Small enterprises in developing countries are ultimately hurt much more than the conglomerates. Everyone knows that climate instability will lead to storms, global warming and extreme climate variations. For the moment, we have no plants ready to survive under such extreme conditions and it is therefore important that researchers all over the world, and also in India, work on the development of stress-tolerant plants. Activists claim that western Europe-which has shunned GM crops-is better off as compared to the US when it comes to productivity and pesticide use, but this is not true. If you consider the global pesticide and herbicide use of the past years, indeed more of it was used but this is not due to the growth of GM crops but to the overall increase in the amount of arable land. It is proven that GM crops result in much higher yields per hectare and less pesticides and herbicide use. In order to obtain the same kind of yields for conventionally bred maize or soybean, even more land and pesticides will be needed. The effect of the refusal to grow GM crops is dramatic. Because of the absolute ban in Europe, many scientists are leaving, and with them they are taking their knowledge and technology. Europe will end up far behind on agriculture knowledge and it will find it difficult to reach the frontline again. We are facing an enormous shortage of food. Today, out of around 7 billion people on this planet, almost 2 billion people are hungry. By 2050, the world's population will be 9 billion. That's another 2 billion mouths to feed. To do so, the amount of food we produce between 2014 and 2050 must be equal to the amount grown in the last 2,013 years. To obtain this enormous quantity of food, agricultural production as we know it today will not be enough. More arable land and water will be needed, climate changes will have an enormous impact on agriculture and changing diets of people in the western world will demand even more food. Genetically modified crops can, however, be an answer to these increased food requirements. And society should look at the product and not at the process that made the product. Illustration: Sameer Pawar Read more: http://forbesindia.com/article/the-big-questions-for-2014/can-a-hungry-world-say-no-to-gm-crops-and-still-have-food-security/36833/1#ixzz2qEnQT8aq
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World food prices hold steady at high2013 was the third highest year on record for the FAO Food Price Index sugar stored in a warehouse in Limera, São Paulo, Brazil. 2014 january 9, Rome-The FAO Food Price Index averaged 206.7 points in December, essentially unchanged from the previous month, as a sharp rise in dairy prices and higher meat prices offset a sharp drop in sugar prices and a decline in cereal and vegetable oil prices. The full-year 2013 index averaged 209.9 points-down 1.6 per cent from 2012 and well below the 2011 peak of 230.1 points, but still the third highest annual value ever (see sidebar). Adequate supplies have pulled down international prices for cereals (except rice), fats and confectionery. However, dairy prices peaked in 2013, and meat also set records. "The FAO Food Price Index remained high last month as still-strong demand for certain high-protein foods pushed up overall prices, offsetting the decline in the prices of major food crops after the previous year's bumper harvest," said FAO economist Abdolreza Abbashian. The FAO Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index that measures the prices of five major food commodities in international markets: cereals, dairy products, meat, sugar and vegetable oils. The bumper harvest caused grain and sugar prices to fall. The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 191.5 points in December, 2.8 points lower than in November and the lowest monthly reading since August 2010. After a record harvest in 2013, plentiful global supplies continued to put downward pressure on international prices for wheat and, in particular, maize. In contrast, rice prices rose slightly in December. Throughout 2013, the Cereal Price Index averaged 219.2 points, down as much as 17 points, or 7.2 percent, from 2012. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 234.9 points in December, a sharp decline of 15.8 points from its level in November. It was the third consecutive month of decline as the sugar cane harvest in Brazil, the world's largest sugar producer and exporter, exceeded expectations. Reports of record production in Thailand, the world's second-largest sugar exporter, and a good harvest in China have further added to the downward pressure on international prices. Overall, sugar prices were 18% lower in 2013 than in 2012. Dairy and meat prices hit record highs on the other hand, dairy prices rose in December and 2013 for the whole year. The FAO Dairy Price Index averaged 264.6 points in December, up 13.2 points from November. Demand for milk powder, especially in China, remains strong, causing processors in the southern hemisphere to focus production on milk powder rather than butter and cheese products. During 2013, the average dairy product index was 243 points, the highest annual value since statistics. The FAO Meat Price Index averaged 188.1 points in December, slightly above its November level. Rising beef and pork prices: Beef prices have continued to rise since June last year due to strong demand in China and Japan. Poultry prices were more stable, while mutton prices were lower. Nevertheless, the index has remained at historically high levels in 2013, well above its pre-2011 levels. Vegetable oil prices fall the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 196 points in December, down 2.5 points from November. Throughout 2013, the index averaged 193 points-well below the average of 224 points in 2012, in which palm oil fell to a four-year low. http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/212085/icode/ man of Feeding
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UK: Robot farmers are the future of agricultureRobot farmers are the future of agriculture, says government UK farming conference hears how 'farmbots' will bring efficiencies and benefits and an end to back-breaking tasks theguardian.com, Thursday 9 January 2014 06.00 GMT A robot being used in vineyards in Chalon-sur-Saône, France. Photograph: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images Will robot feet in near-future time walk upon England's mountains green? And will there be drones flying overhead from England's pleasant pastures seen? A new vision of robots patrolling the meadows and cornfields of the UK may seem dark and satanic to some, but according to farmers and the government it is the future, and will bring efficiencies and benefits, and an end to some of the most back-breaking jobs around the farm. An increasing number of "farmbots" are being developed that are capable of finicky and complex tasks that have not been possible with the large-scale agricultural machinery of the past. For instance, a "lettuce bot" is capable of hoeing away ground weeds from around the base of plants. A "wine bot" trundles through vineyards pruning vines. Other bots are under development to remotely check crops for their growth, moisture and signs of disease. Owen Paterson, the secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, enthusiastically embraced the prospect at the Oxford Farming Conference this week, saying: "I want our farmers and food producers to have access to the widest possible range of technologies, from new applications of robotics and sensor technology to new LED lighting in greenhouses and cancer-fighting broccoli ." The government has set out for the first time an "agri-tech" strategy, with £160m in public funding. Of this cash, about £70m will go to commercialising new agricultural technologies - including robots, and £90m will be spent on setting up centres for agricultural innovation that will seek to develop farm technology for export, with the help of a new unit within UK Trade and Investment. There will even be a new "agri-tech business ambassador", Paterson boasted, charged with driving forward exports of new technologies. It is not just on the ground that technology promises to transform farming. Unmanned air vehicles, or drones, are also coming into play on farms. In South America, with its vast ranches, drones are being used for the surveillance of widely dispersed herds and crop monitoring, and in Japan smaller models are programmed to spray pesticide on crops. In the US, there are experiments under way to use drones for surveillance and perhaps even herding. Robot in farming : Lettuce bot boxy robotic machine that can thin fields of lettuce A 'lettuce bot' is tested in Salinas, California. Photograph: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP In the UK, there is likely to be less scope for drones - our farms are smaller and easier to manage on the ground, and the prospect of filling the sky with a profusion of small aircraft is likely to raise safety concerns. Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers Union, said technology had been key to raising farm productivity, and this would continue with more "futuristic" appliances such as robots. He pointed out that automated "robotic" milking machines are becoming increasingly common on large dairy farms. These can milk many cows at a time, sometimes on a revolving platform that lifts the cows to the milking station. Some research suggests this could be better for the cows and improve yield. Arable and vegetable farmers have also made great use of GPS for mapping their crops, he added, and monitoring yield, weed incidence and other vital data, leading to "real rewards ". Kendall said: "The use of unmanned robots is rather more futuristic but people are working on it. As well as field operations, there is potential in fruit harvesting and even livestock management. It is certainly an exciting time to be involved in farming ." But there is also scepticism over how likely it is that new robot technology will take off. Emma Hockridge, head of policy at the Soil Association, said: "The potential use of robots on farms has been discussed for years, but we haven't yet seen anything practical close to reaching the market ." While the prospect of replacing seasonal workers with robots may be attractive for farm bosses looking to consolidate into bigger units, farm workers may be less keen. Hockridge said the government and farmers should concentrate on the better use of existing technologies: "In food and farming, which is now our biggest manufacturing industry, we think the priority should be creating more and good quality meaningful jobs. Organic farms provide almost 50% more jobs per hectare and over 30% more jobs than non-organic farms ." Even enthusiasts for such technology acknowledge that the advanced robots now being drawn up will take years and probably decades to reach the commercial stage. Prof Simon Blackmore, head of engineering at Harper Adams University, told the Oxford conference on Wednesday that his vision was for "farming with robots in 2050", by which time he believes this should be practical. Some may never catch on. Perhaps the oddest robot yet under development - and most unsettling for anyone attached to traditional farming practices - is the development of a robot for herding livestock. The bot wheels around pastures on remote control, drawing stragglers back to the herd, though without actually having to nip at their heels. Presumably the dogbot dreams of electric sheep. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/09/robots-farm-future
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Industrial farming: a constitutional right?~~A Constitutional Right to Industrial Farming? By Brooke Jarvis January 09, 2014 Article I of Indiana's constitution begins in the usual way, spelling out the familiar rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In November, Indiana voters may be asked to decide whether to add one more to the list: the right “to engage in the agricultural or commercial production of meat, fish, poultry, or dairy products ." When Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill in 2011 to start the process of amending the constitution, many people regarded it as a joke. The senate minority leader mockingly tried to tack on a constitutional right to garden; a local political columnist called the amendment a “circus-like sideshow." The bill's sponsors said it was a way to keep non-farmers, including national animal rights groups, from meddling in the state's rural interests-an update on the right-to-farm laws that protect farmers in all 50 states from being sued by people who move to rural areas from cities and then sue their new neighbors over the smell. But the amendment could also help shield large industrial dairies, feedlots, and slaughterhouses from environmental and food safety regulations-and curb lawsuits from people who get sick from the rivers of noxious animal waste they produce. “All the safeguards that we already have would be subject to constitutional challenge," says Kim Ferraro, an attorney with the Hoosier Environmental Council. “You can't limit an activity if it's a fundamental right ." Story: The Food Industry's New Answer to GMO Labeling: Make It Voluntary Indiana is one of several states that have moved to change their constitutions to favor agricultural operations. In 2012, North Dakota became the first to enshrine a broad right to engage in “modern farming practices." The same phrase popped up in a proposed Oklahoma amendment that has been tabled until the next legislative session. In Missouri, the word “modern” was dropped from the most recent version of the amendment due to concerns that it appeared too narrowly aimed at benefiting industrial farms. Instead, the legislature has asked voters to decide this year whether “the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state ." Supporters in all three states have promoted the amendments as necessary to protect farmers from “out-of-state special interests," in the phrasing of the pro-amendment group Missouri Farmers Care. One of those special interests is the Humane Society of the United States, which sought to regulate puppy mills in the state. “We've seen an increase in efforts by what we would call activist organizations throughout the country and in Missouri to try to impose unreasonable and unnecessary restrictions on agriculture," says Leslie Holloway, director of state and local governmental affairs for the Missouri Farm Bureau. “We're taking the approach of trying to be proactive ." indiana's legislators took a somewhat stealthier approach, downplaying the benefits to commercial agriculture and naming their version the Indiana Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment. Both houses had already approved the bill once (they must do so twice to get it on the ballot in November) before many environmental groups realized what had happened. “It just slipped right past us," Ferraro says. Story: The Truth About Pork and How America Feeds Itself Much of the drive behind the amendments has come from big corporations. Members of Missouri Farmers Care include Cargill-one of the nation's largest processors of beef, pork, and turkey-and Monsanto (MON), as well as a long list of state agricultural industry associations. Some of them have been pressing for farm protections for years. In 1996, the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, a group that brings together corporations and state lawmakers to write pro-business bills, came up with model legislation that would expand existing right-to-farm laws to grant wide-ranging legal rights to farms of all sizes. ALEC's bill, intended as a template for state politicians, voided local farm ordinances and made it harder to lodge complaints about animal mistreatment, pollution, and noise. Supporters and opponents of the amendments see them as the evolution of those efforts, taking farm protection, for better or worse, to the next level. Peverill Squire, a University of Missouri political scientist who studies state constitutions, says the proposed amendments are rooted in concerns that the growing movement to reform industrial agriculture will mean trouble for farmers-that urbanites will try to restrict what methods or chemicals they can use or dictate how they house animals or deal with their waste. In several Indiana counties, activists are working to ban CAFOs-concentrated animal feeding operations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines CAFOs as businesses that “congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area." Going after puppy mills “may be one thing, but when people start talking about cattle and the treatment of pigs, that gives them greater worry," Squire says. “They want to strike first, in essence, and prevent any of that concern from taking root ." ~~When a dairy operation moved next door to Eric and Lisa Stickdorn's farm in Wayne County, Ind., in 2003, the couple couldn't believe the stench. At first, “We'd grit our teeth and say, 'We're going to stay here,' ” says Eric, who raises grass-fed beef on 120 acres. “We're farmers, too. We're not unaccustomed to manure odors." But the open manure pit near their house was more than they could take. They say the dairy workers would sometimes dump animal waste onto frozen fields, turning the water in the stream that ran across their property into a foaming sludge. Their well water smelled of manure. They started experiencing headaches, nausea, and vomiting, which their doctor attributed to exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas given off by the waste pits. They moved out of their house and turned to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and Office of Environment Adjudication for help, to no avail. Finally they sued the dairy to change the way it disposed of animal waste and won on appeal. Faced with the need to change their operations, the dairy owners offered to sell their land to the Stickdorns, who bought it and moved back home last July, after nine years away. Eric Stickdorn says he fears that if the amendment passes, people who live next to agricultural pollution will have even fewer options for recourse. “We're treating these facilities as if they're farms," says Ferraro, who represented the Stickdorns in court, “when really they're factories ." Story: Modern Farmer Combines Serious Coverage With LambCam, Hits Jackpot http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-09/industrial-farming-state-constitutional-amendments-may-give-legal-shield#p2
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U.S. Corn Yield May Increase by 64 million PuU.S. Corn Yield May Increase by 64 million Pu 2014-01-09 08:56 | source: China Grain Network | WASHINGTON, Jan. 8: The U.S. Department of Agriculture will release its final estimate of crop production in 2013 on Friday. Before the report was released, analysts at major U.S. futures agencies believed that the U.S. Department of Agriculture was likely to raise U.S. soybean and corn production data in the report. According to a survey of 20 futures institutions, analysts on average expect U.S. corn production to increase to 14.053 billion bushels in 2013, higher than the U.S. Department of Agriculture's December forecast of 13.989 billion bushels and far higher than the U.S. corn production of 10.78 billion bushels in 2012/13. Of the 20 institutions, Macquarie Securities had the highest forecast for U.S. corn production at 14.255 billion bushels and Farm Futures magazine had the lowest forecast at 13.897 billion bushels. Other major agency forecasts include Citigroup 14.109 billion bushels, Allendale 14.083 billion bushels, Donne 14.044 billion bushels and Jeffreich 14.067 billion bushels. In addition, the 20 agencies expect an average U.S. corn yield of 161.10 bushels per acre in 2013/14, higher than the USDA's December forecast of 160.40 bushels per acre and 123.4 bushels per acre the previous year. On average, 20 institutions forecast 87.195 million acres of U.S. corn to be harvested in 2013/14, slightly lower than the 87.2 million acres forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in December and 87.4 million acres in 2012/13. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release a new monthly supply and demand report on Friday. The U.S. futures agency expects this report to increase the ending inventory of U.S. corn in 2013/14,. According to the summary of the forecasts of 20 futures institutions, analysts on average expect the ending inventory of US corn in 2013/14 to be 1.844 billion bushels, higher than the USDA's December forecast of 1.792 billion bushels and far higher than the ending inventory of 0.824 billion bushels last year. Of the 20 institutions, Macquarie Securities had the highest forecast for U.S. corn ending stocks at 2.019 billion bushels, and Farm Futures magazine had the lowest forecast at 1.654 billion bushels. Other major agency forecasts include Citigroup 1.873 billion bushels, Allendale 1.902 billion bushels, Donne 1.843 billion bushels and Jeffreich 1.771 billion bushels. (Source: Game Master)
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Brazilian Basmati Rice Exports Expected to Set New RecordBrazilian Basmati Rice Exports Expected to Set New Record 2014-01-09 08:53 | source: China Grain Network | according to industry sources, Brazil's Basmati rice exports in 2013/14 (April to March of the following year) are expected to hit a record high of about 4 million tons, an increase of 12.5 percent over the previous year's export volume of 3.5 million tons. Between April and December 2013, India's Basmati rice exports increased to 2.8 million tons, up 15% from 2.45 million tons in the same period last year. According to the CEO of the Indian Rice Exporters Association, Basmati rice exports in 2013/14 are expected to hit a record high due to strong demand in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran. http://www.cngrain.com/Publish/inter/201401/561021.shtml
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Russian Ministry of Agriculture actively supports the restoration of agriculture in the Far East2013-12-09 09:10 Business Office of Consulate General in Khabarovsk the Amur media website reported on December 4 that Russian Deputy Minister of Agriculture De Yuriev said during a working visit to the Haba Krai that the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has actively taken measures to support the restoration of agriculture in the Far East. First of all, in order to compensate farmers in the Far East for the losses suffered by floods, the federal finance has allocated 1678.1 billion rubles of special funds. Among them, about 1500 farmers in Haba Krai received a total of 43 million rubles in compensation. Secondly, the federal government has provided 3.182 billion rubles of support funds for various regions in the Far East, including: short-term loans and investment loan subsidies for animal husbandry -0.229 billion rubles; Investment loan subsidies for planting industry -0.1229 billion rubles; Loan subsidies for small businesses -27 million rubles, etc. Thirdly, the Ministry of Agriculture intends to provide "preferential transportation" conditions for the import of seeds of grain, soybeans, feed crops and spring potatoes in the Far East, and plans to include feed in the "zero-rate input" goods list. Finally, a 50 per cent subsidy for the rental of agricultural machinery is provided to farmers, for which the Ministry of Agriculture will allocate 0.2424 billion rubles directly to the joint-stock company "Russian Agricultural Leasing. Man of Feeding
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FAO report: New health approaches must be adopted to tackle the surge in diseases of animal originExplore the root causes to strengthen prevention A poultry farm in Chad. 2013 rome, 16 December-Population growth, the expansion of agriculture and the increasing globalisation of food supply chains have dramatically changed the way diseases emerge, cross species boundaries and spread, according to an FAO report released today. Therefore, a new and more comprehensive approach is needed to address the disease threats posed by animal-human-environment interactions. The report, World Livestock 2013: The Changing Disease Situation, notes that 70 per cent of emerging diseases in recent decades have originated in animals, some of which are directly related to the increasing human pursuit of animal-derived foods. The current expansion of agricultural land into wilderness areas, coupled with strong global livestock production, means that "livestock and wildlife are in more contact with each other, and we ourselves have more contact with animals than ever before," said Ren Wang, FAO Assistant Director-General for Agriculture and Consumer Protection. "This means that we cannot address human health, animal health and ecosystem health in isolation-we must look at all three and identify the causes behind the emergence, persistence and spread of disease, rather than simply waiting for disease to emerge and then responding," he added. Multiple effects of disease this new FAO report makes a strong case for new strategies to deal with the emergence of the disease. The report pointed out that developing countries are facing huge challenges brought by various diseases such as human, zoonotic and livestock, which seriously interfere with the development process and food security. The recurrence of livestock epidemics has a major impact on food security, livelihoods and national and local economies in both poor and rich countries. At the same time, food safety hazards and drug resistance are increasing worldwide. Globalization and climate change have led to the redistribution of pathogens, vectors and hosts, and the risk of human epidemics from pathogens of animal origin has become a focus of attention. The increasingly complex disease situation according to the World Livestock 2013 report, changes caused by human activities have greatly increased the complexity of the global disease situation. The current growing population and poverty, as well as poor health systems and infrastructure, remain the main drivers of change in the development of the disease. But in order to expand food production, humans have turned what was once wilderness areas into farmland-bringing themselves and their livestock into contact with diseases spread by wild animals. According to the FAO report, in fact, most of the human infectious diseases that have emerged since 1940 have originated from wild animals. For example, human infection of SARS virus may first be transmitted from bats to civet cats, and eventually to humans through animal markets. Some situations are just the opposite, that is, livestock bring pathogens into natural areas, affecting the health of wild animals. In addition, more people are moving than ever before, and the number of internationally traded products has reached unprecedented levels, allowing disease-causing microorganisms to easily move around the globe. Climate fluctuations (especially in warm and humid areas) have a direct environmental impact on pathogen survival, while climate change also affects host habitats, migration patterns and disease transmission dynamics. The role of animal husbandry new FAO research focuses on how changes in the way humans feed and trade animals affect the onset and spread of disease. The "World Livestock 2013" report stated: "In response to population growth, income growth and urbanization, the world's food and agriculture has shifted its focus from the supply of cereals as a staple food to the provision of high-protein foods based on livestock and fishery products." while livestock production provides substantial economic and nutritional benefits, the rapid growth of the industry has also spawned a number of health-related problems, the report notes. The risk of transmission of pathogens from animals to humans can vary widely depending on the type of livestock production and the state of infrastructure and services. According to the report, although intensive production systems are largely immune to high-risk animal and zoonotic diseases, these systems also have certain shortcomings, especially in developing countries and countries in transition. Large-scale intensive production involves large populations of genetically identical animals. Strong biosecurity and health protection systems often prevent infectious disease problems, but major outbreaks also occur when pathogens become virulent, evade the vaccines used, become resistant to antibiotics, or spread along the food chain. But the report also notes that emergency outbreaks in the livestock sector are not specifically related to large-scale intensification systems. In small-scale livestock production systems, animals tend to be kept free-range over large areas, but their densities are still relatively high-which often facilitates the spread of disease, both within local animal populations and on a wider scale. New ways to deal with disease "The challenges in the various diseases discussed in this publication demand that we pay more attention to prevention," argues the book World Livestock 2013. "Conventional risk management methods are no longer sufficient." in order to achieve this, FAO promotes the concept of "one health"-exploring the interaction between environmental factors, animal health and human health, bringing together human health professionals, veterinary experts, sociologists, economists and ecologists to work together in a holistic framework to address disease. In addition, "the health of livestock is the weakest link in the global health chain. The problem of disease must be addressed at the source -- especially in animals," the report added. The FAO report identifies four main areas for action: reduce poverty-induced endemic diseases in humans and livestock addressing biological threats driven by globalization and climate change · Safer animal-derived food through healthy livestock farming · Prevention of transmission of disease-causing agents through wild animals to domestic animals and humans. In particular, United Nations agencies point out that we must prioritize the collection of evidence on the causes of animal diseases, and that the analysis carried out in this regard must focus on strengthening risk assessment and prevention measures. In addition, international exchange mechanisms for general information on animal diseases and best practices in livestock husbandry and animal health risk management should be strengthened, underpinned by the concept of "one health. http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/210758/icode/ man of Feeding
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Japan's agriculture crisis Abe's new deal raises concernsJapan's agriculture crisis Abe's new deal raises concerns january 06, 2014 15:32 Source: World Wide Web according to a report by the US Business Week on January 2, the Japanese government is implementing policies such as reducing agricultural subsidies, lowering tariffs on agricultural products, relaxing agricultural land controls, and joining the Pan-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement. The implementation of these policies is arousing Japan's domestic agriculture. Worries in the community. Japanese government subsidies to agriculture accounted for 56% of Japan's agricultural profits last year, a proportion second only to Norway and Switzerland. In November 2013, the Japanese government decided to phase out subsidies to rice farmers over the past four decades to raise the prices of agricultural products, which totaled 160 billion yen (9.28 billion yuan) a year, and reduced import tariffs on wheat, sugar, beef, pork and dairy products by three digits. The purpose of this is to further integrate the power of farmers, thereby increasing yields. According to APEC estimates, the price of Japanese agricultural products is twice the world average. Robert Feldman (Robert Feldman), chief Japanese economic researcher at Mitsubishi UFJ-Morgan Stanley Securities, commented, "the current agricultural system is still inefficient and affects the country's overall planning of agriculture. Adjusting agricultural regulations is a good way to improve land use efficiency." The original rural land policy was established after World War II, and the land of the landlord class was distributed to the original tenants. With the rise of the Japanese economy, the agricultural population began to engage in industrial production, but strict land regulations restricted the conversion of arable land, forcing a new generation of farmers to resell their land. Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries revealed in an interview in 2010 that 90% of the agricultural population is over 50 years old. Congress has passed a bill aimed at allowing farmers to lease small plots of land to reduce idle land. Abe wants the land to be better consolidated and run by those who are truly determined to specialize in farming and mulberry. Abe also hopes to join the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership agreement and promote trade liberalization to revitalize Japanese agriculture. However, some experts said that Japanese agriculture is uncompetitive compared with major agricultural countries such as the United States and Australia. It is estimated that the initial direct economic loss of Japanese agriculture may be as high as 3 trillion yen (about 174 billion yuan). At present, the Japan Agricultural Association has collected a petition signed by 12 million people against Abe's decision. (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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The growing importance of Israeli agricultural technology2013/12/31 Jerusalem Post content Summary many Israeli start-ups and large enterprises have been innovating in the field of agricultural technology for a long time, which makes the importance of Israeli agricultural technology in the world more and more obvious, and the agricultural technology industry is also expected to become a global force to be reckoned. Experts say Israel's agricultural technology industry is poised to become a global force to be reckoned. Recently, experts said at a conference that following in the footsteps of the country's high-tech field, Israel's rapidly developing agricultural technology industry is also expected to become a global force that cannot be ignored. "Agricultural technology can and should be the next technology sector in Israel," said Steve Rhodes, Chairman and CEO of The Trendlines Group." experts at the conference said that many Israeli start-ups and large enterprises have been innovating in the field of agricultural technology for a long time. It is critical to ensure that the technology has multidisciplinary applicability and to promote them globally. Israeli Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir said: "The dramatic increase in the global population, climate change and water shortages have all made agriculture more important in the world. Israel is globally known for its capabilities in agriculture, but we must make full use of them to make Israel a global leader in this field." citation from Science and Technology World Network http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/53_217811.html man of Feeding
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U.S. farm 2014 could plunge in face of arable land bubbleAmerican Agriculture Could Slump In 2014, Confronting Farmland Bubble By Nat Rudarakanchana on January 01 2014 10:34 AM U.S. farms and related agricultural industries could be entering a harsh years-long winter in 2014, if analysts are right about declining capital spending and potential asset bubbles in U.S. farmland. William Blair & Co. analyst Larry de Maria warned in August of an impending cyclical downturn, amid lower commodity prices, international competition and lower exports. Companies like farm equipment giant Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) will suffer, he said then. Larger harvests in the U.S. could depress prices, narrowing profit margins for farmers next year, said De Maria in a November interview with IBTimes. “Weak used equipment prices and some weakness in land values are starting to show. These are some of the signs," he said. “We're starting to see signs of cracking, but it's more about the next couple of years ." Deere beat analyst expectations with its latest quarterly report in November, despite lower corn prices. Still, the company forecast a decline in sales of farm equipment for 2014. In the last five years, sales of high-powered combine harvesters boomed as ethanol demand soared, but farmers may now sit tight on equipment they already own. Deere could compete fiercely with rivals like Titan Machinery Inc. (NASDAQ:TITN), which sells popular CNH Global NV (NYSE:CNH) farm equipment through more than 100 dealers in North America, on cheaper farm equipment prices. U.S. agriculture has followed a familiar boom-and-bust cycle for decades, driven by commodity prices and broader economic factors. “Farmer sentiment is likely to drift lower as the reality of $4 [per bushel] corn sinks in," wrote De Maria in August. Corn opened at $4.24 per bushel for March 2014 delivery on Tuesday, and is set for its largest annual drop since 1960, performing the worst relative to other commodities. Less cash from farm crops will likely stem equipment buying. U.S. cash crop income could fall 11 percent in 2014 and a further 2 percent in 2015, according to William Blair estimates. Others are similarly cautious on the timing of this slump, though they're still bearish on North American agriculture. “I don't know whether you are seeing it already or not," Vertical Research analyst Rob Wertheimer said of the slump he believes will play out in coming years. Negative signs from CNH dealers and cautious signals from equipment maker AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO) in its mid-December investor day conflict with strong Deere sales from early 2013. Still, Wertheimer expects spending by U.S. farmers on tractors to decline 15 percent in 2014 and 35 percent in 2015, with further drops in 2016. “We basically are expecting the market to get cut in half," Wertheimer told IBTimes. Part of the peak in farm equipment sales is due to historically high production capacity, led by increasingly powerful tractors, according to Wertheimer. Horsepower has climbed higher. Complicating the picture is a potential bubble in U.S. farmland prices. Weakness in farmland trades emerged in late 2013, according to De Maria. He earlier said in a separate report in August that there is a “potential asset bubble” in farmland, which could cause sharper spending declines. “This could be the big wild card. Since 85 percent of farmer assets are tied to land holdings, if they weaken that could severely affect farmer balance sheets and their 'wealth effect'," wrote De Maria in an email on Friday. “We are starting to see signs of stress in transactions since the outlook for prices and cash flow is worsening ." Investors could earn $1.4 million after 10 years if they bought and held U.S. farmland worth $2.5 million, with annualized returns exceeding 10 percent, according to a Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) October 2013 report on U.S. farmland investment. That includes asset appreciation if U.S. farmland values rise, as they have done consistently over the past decade. U.S. farmland prices rose more than 10 percent annually since 2000, and surged more than 25 percent yearly from 2008, on William Blair's estimates, to reach up to $3,500 per acre in 2010, in the fertile Midwestern U.S. corn belt. That region encompasses Iowa, Indiana and Illinois, among other states. That's up from under $500 per acre in 1970. The U.S. contains about 12 percent of the world's farmland. “Certainly, they're extremely high - no question about that," said Wertheimer of U.S. farmland prices. Higher corn prices in recent years probably boosted farm values, he said. But he added: “Even if land prices are bubbly, debt is low at farms. … Farm balance sheets are healthier ." Michael McGlone, who used to cover agricultural commodities for Standards & Poor's Financial Services LLC, visited relatives in Princeton, Ill., this Christmas, in the heart of America's grain belt. Serious droughts in 2012 recently pushed grain prices, land prices and equipment sales to peaks, McGlone told IBTimes. That means declines could be on their way. He sold his Indiana farm, which produced corns and soybeans, in April of this year. “When I was a kid, there weren't pivots anywhere, near where my farmland was," said McGlone earlier in December, referring to irrigation systems designed to improve crop yields. Investment in such farm infrastructure has helped boost corn supply in the long run, with U.S. production at 10.8 billion bushels last year, and up to about 14 billion bushels this year. That in turn has bearish implications for corn prices, according to McGlone. Only freakish one-off weather events can disrupt basic supply-demand dynamics and lift prices significantly, in McGlone's view. There could be weakness in agriculture elsewhere in the world, too. Weak orders at Europe's premier November Agritechnica trade show don't bode well. Bumper soybean crops in Brazil next year will also narrow margins and pressure prices for farmers, according to De Maria. http://www.ibtimes.com/american-agriculture-could-slump-2014-confronting-farmland-bubble-1523754
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Thailand wants to export 10 million tons of rice in 2014Thailand wants to export 10 million tons of rice in 2014 2013-12-31 09:15 | source: China Grain Network | according to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Trade, Thailand's rice exports may increase significantly to 800 to 10 million tons in 2014, higher than the expected export volume of 6.68 million tons in 2013. As the price of Thai rice has tended to fall and the demand of importers is good, the outlook for Thai rice exports will improve next year. In 2014, rice exports may increase to 800 to 10 million tons, of which intergovernmental transactions may account for 60% of total exports. The Ministry of Finance also stated that the government has enough funds to purchase farmers' rice, and the outstanding payment will be completed by January 15, 2014. http://www.cngrain.com/Publish/inter/201312/560408.shtml
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Global soybean supply sharply increases South American weather supply and demand~ ~ International Market: Global Soybean Supply Greatly Increase South American Weather Fixed Supply and Demand 2013-12-31 10:27 Source: 99 Futures this provides a buffer for this year's soybean production due to the huge production of soybeans harvested in South America last winter and the United States this summer. In other words, only severe weather problems in South America will lead to a tightening of global soybean supply next spring. According to the report, even based on conservative production forecasts, soybean stocks in the United States, Brazil and Argentina will still reach 0.1586 billion tons on March 1, 2014. Although this is lower than the record high of 0.1776 billion tons in the same period, this inventory level is still at an all-time high. The United States, Brazil and Argentina account for more than 80% of global soybean production and exports. The report added that if the weather is normal in the next few months, the expectation of high soybean yield in South America, and the large volume of US soybean and soybean meal export contracts, it will put negative pressure on soybean prices.
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Brazil hopes to expand China's agricultural and animal husbandry products marketNovember 08, 2013 Source: Xinhua xinhuanet, Beijing, November 8 (Reporter He Meng) Kazia Abreu, chairman of the Brazilian Federation of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, who is visiting China, said on the 8th that China is experiencing social development and urbanization. Consumption and food security have put forward higher requirements. Brazil's advantages in agricultural and animal husbandry production and strict quality control system can help China meet these needs. Since 2009, China has replaced the United States as Brazil's largest trading partner. According to data released by Brazilian Customs, from January to June 2013, Brazil's total imports and exports from China were US $21 billion and US $27.1 billion respectively. In the bilateral trade between China and Pakistan, agricultural and animal husbandry products account for a large proportion. In 2012, Brazil exported nearly US $18 billion in agricultural and animal husbandry products to China, of which grain and seeds accounted for 29.2 per cent of its total exports to China. In order to consolidate and strengthen this trade relationship and open up the market for Brazilian agricultural and animal husbandry products, Abreu led a business delegation to visit China on the 8th, and strongly invited Vice President Temer and Minister of Agriculture Antonio Andrade to Beijing to help. Before his visit to Beijing, Brazilian Vice President Temer attended the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Portuguese-speaking countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in Macao and co-chaired the third meeting of the China-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee in Guangzhou with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang. The meeting made important progress in bilateral agricultural trade. Temer revealed that China will increase its imports of Brazilian soybeans, and the two sides will reach a consensus on importing Brazilian corn and beef as soon as possible. Thanks to the tropical climate, vast territory and high investment in scientific and technological innovation, Brazil has become one of the most important producers and exporters of agricultural and animal husbandry products in the world. According to the data provided by the Brazilian Federation of agriculture and animal husbandry, agriculture and animal husbandry account for 22.5 per cent of Brazil's GDP, providing 36 per cent of Brazil's employment opportunities, and the export of agricultural and animal husbandry products accounts for nearly 40 per cent of Brazil's total exports. Abreu said that the delegation led by the Brazilian Federation of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is mainly composed of medium-sized production and trade enterprises in the industry. "These enterprises produce meat, coffee, dairy products, aquatic products, pulp and many other products. The Brazilian agricultural trade industry is interested in expanding the supply of high-quality agricultural products to China and hopes to take this opportunity to expand its export range." So far, the type of Brazilian agricultural products entering China is relatively single, and soybeans are still the most core product. The Brazilian Federation of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry will also hold a seminar on Brazilian agricultural investment in Shanghai from the 12th to the 14th, and participate in the Shanghai International Food and Catering Exhibition. Abreu said: "The deepening of investment and trade relations between the two countries is beneficial to both sides." As Brazil's largest food supplier alliance, the Brazilian Federation of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry established an office in Beijing in November last year to strengthen the diversification of Brazilian agricultural and animal husbandry products in China, and strive to build it into the general trade of Brazilian agricultural and animal husbandry products. platform. Transfer from Xinhua http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-11/08/c_118069556.htm man of Feeding
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Japanese farmers grow vegetables while "planting" electricity to revive agriculture2013/12/26 content Summary: Since plants absorb a certain amount of light every day, why not use the remaining sunlight? In a vegetable garden in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, rows of solar panels are erected in the upper space of the farmland, and these panels can generate nearly 35000 degrees of electricity per year on average. In a 750-square-meter vegetable garden in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, Kanto Prefecture, Honda, Japan, rows of neat brackets stand between the ridges, with lead-gray plates arranged in gaps, but they are not used to drive birds away. If you look closely, you will find that they are all solar panels. Vegetable farmers grow vegetables and" kind of electricity" according to reports, this is the solar energy sharing project team of the city's Shangzong Hewu Power Generation Institute. It is a win-win mode of solar power generation in the field without affecting the growth of vegetables-planting vegetables and "planting electricity". Previously, the law strictly prohibited the erection of solar power generation equipment in farmland. However, at the end of March 2013, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries issued a notice allowing farmers to set up solar panels in the upper space of farmland to generate electricity. The concept was first proposed in 2004 by Akila Nakajima, a retired Japanese agricultural machinery engineer. He studies biology and understands the concept of the "light saturation point": increased levels of solar irradiation, photosynthesis however, after accumulation to a certain extent, even if the amount of light irradiated on the plant increases, it will not increase the rate of photosynthesis. Knowing that too much sunlight does not further promote plant growth, Akira came up with the idea of collecting and using excess sunlight to make solar panel systems more suitable for agriculture. His specially designed structure was patented and looks like a flower vine stand in a garden. It is impossible to densely arrange solar panels in farmland to generate electricity. After the sunlight is blocked by the densely laid solar panels, the crops below cannot grow normally. Therefore, the basic attitude of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is: "We should not only pursue power generation but also plant good land first." akira carried out experiments in Chiba Prefecture and made many experimental fields with different shading effects on different crops. Japan requires that the installation of photovoltaic systems must be simple, the field must not use concrete pouring base, and easy to disassemble, its bracket design and assembly must ensure that there is enough sunlight to the crops, but also leave enough space to facilitate agricultural machinery in the field operations. Akira said the rules are a way to prevent farmers from completely converting productive farmland into solar panels. After many experiments, he suggested that the shading rate of each farmland should be 32%, so that enough sunlight can be left for crop growth. In order to ensure continuous farming, the Chiba Prefecture Board of Agriculture requires that farmers must report the annual planting volume. After installing solar panels, if the crop harvest is less than 20% more than when it was not installed, the panels must be removed. Farmers' income increased several times "This solar energy sharing method is a powerful strategy to revitalize agriculture!" Takazawa Zhen, head of the solar energy sharing project at the Shangzong Hewu Power Plant in Chiba Prefecture, is the manager of this pastoral area. He said that this is the first solar energy project in Japan to use this mechanism. Japanese farmers are facing serious problems, such as reduced agricultural income and no successor. Many farmers are forced to find second jobs to make ends meet. Takazawa learned this way from Akira and found that it could stimulate declining agriculture and increase farmers' incomes while contributing to Japan's energy needs. Takazawa has installed 348 solar panels in this 750-square-meter agricultural land. They are mounted on top of the pipe, 3 meters above the ground, with 5 meters between each row. In order to generate as much power as possible, the panel can also adjust the angle with the seasons. For example, in winter and summer, the angle of the panel facing the sun can be adjusted to 40 degrees and 25 degrees respectively. Under the solar panels, Takazawa's father has grown peanuts, yams, eggplant, taro, etc., and he sells these vegetables to the neighborhood on the nearby street. According to Gao Ze, the system cost him 12.6 million yen (about 780000 yuan) and can generate nearly 35000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year on average. Tokyo Electric Power Company, in accordance with the relevant law on the use of renewable energy to generate electricity-the "Fixed Price Full Volume Purchase Law", has set a 20-year contract with him to buy at a price of 42 yen (about 2.6 yuan) per unit of electricity. In this way, he can earn about 1.5 million yen (about 93000 yuan) every year by selling electricity alone, in the past, the land only earned about 100000 yen (about 6200 yuan) a year by growing vegetables. Doing so in the countryside will not only produce clean energy, but also stimulate the local economy, which he hopes will attract young people back to the countryside. Many people question the stability and durability of this solar sharing system. On September 16, the No. 18 strong typhoon "Wanyi" in 2013 hit the Kanto region. People thought that the panels should be blown away, but the reality is that there are intervals between these solar panels, which can make the wind pass smoothly., To prevent the solar panels from being blown away by the huge wind. Akeela also recommends that U.S. farmers adopt this solar-sharing farm model. He said that putting solar panels on the grass can shade cattle and sheep when they are resting, and can also reduce water evaporation, thereby reducing irrigation costs. Akira also said that before the industrial revolution, farmers provided food and energy (firewood and charcoal) for society. Today, this kind of vegetable and "electricity" mode once again allows farmers to provide these two types of important substances. Reflective scallop shells increase power generation seeing the vegetable farmers busy growing vegetables and "planting electricity", the fishermen are not far behind. Japan's Hokkaido region is rich in scallops, where scallops are generally the size of an adult's open palm. In many places near the sea, you can see small mounds of white scallop shells. Today, some research units and fishermen have found that laying those huge scallops under the solar panels and allowing them to reflect sunlight onto the solar panels increases the power generation by 20% compared to not laying the scallops. As a result, many fishermen are busy. They pay close attention to the cooperation with the scallop processing manufacturers to catch electricity again ". In this way, turning waste into treasure not only does not have to spend money to deal with scallop shells, but also contributes to power generation and increases income, which can be described as a win-win situation. In Hokkaido, where heavy snow often floats, solar power generation capacity is amazing. The reporter's net walk market is also gradually promoting solar power generation, but many families put solar panels on their roofs. The average temperature in Hokkaido is low, and the snow season is from November to March of the following year. Will the snow be very thick, and will it adversely affect solar power generation? The reporter interviewed Kondo Hibo, manager of the Hokkaido Net Go City Electrical Appliance Store, which is also engaged in the sales and installation of solar panels and modules. He said that contrary to expectations, statistics show that the ability to use solar power in many parts of Hokkaido even exceeds that of places such as Tokyo, where there is less snow and relatively little snow accumulation. For example, Sapporo, Kushiro and other cities in Hokkaido have set up 20 household solar panels with 4 kW power systems to generate electricity. Their annual power generation is generally about 4300 degrees. A system of the same size, such as Tokyo, generates 4158 degrees per year, less than Hokkaido. http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/53_217199_1.html man of Feeding
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Wood production slows in Europe and grows rapidly in North AmericaIncreased demand for bioenergy drives surge in wood pellet fuel production wood pellets as renewable energy for boiler heating, Korea 2013 rome, 18 December-according to a FAO report published today latest data europe's share of the global timber market declined in 2012 as a result of the region's economic downturn, while North America and the Asia-Pacific region showed the fastest recovery over the same period. The economic recovery in Europe, including the Russian Federation, slowed in 2012, with production of most wood and paper products falling by 1 to 4 per cent compared to 2011. These trends are the result of economic stagnation or recession in some Western and Southern European countries in 2012. As a result, the demand for forest products has shrunk, and the global market share of all types of forest products in Europe has decreased by an average of 1-2% compared with 2011. North America and Asia Pacific markets are growing stronger in the recovery from the 2011 recession, North American industrial log and sawn timber production increased sharply (6%) in 2012, while wood-based panel production increased by 2% compared to 2011, mainly due to the recovery of the housing market. At the same time, pulp and paper production has continued to decline, reflecting the shift from print to electronic media in recent years. The importance of the Asia-Pacific region as a producer and consumer of forest products continues to grow, with China being the most prominent. Compared with 2011, the production of sawn timber in this area increased by 11%, and the production of wood-based panels increased by 6%. Sawdust pellet fuel production surges wood pellet fuel production has increased 10-fold in the past decade, mainly due to increased demand due to policies and bioenergy targets set in Europe. According to FAO's first-ever wood pellet data, global wood pellet fuel production reached 19 million tons in 2012, of which about half (9.3 million tons) was traded internationally, compared to 2 million tons a decade ago. Europe and North America account for almost all of the world's wood pellet fuel production (66% and 31%, respectively) and consumption (80% and 17%, respectively). "Overall, the global market for wood products is recovering, but the pace of recovery varies around the world," said Eduardo Rojas-Briales, Assistant Director-General for Forestry. "There are positive signs that demand for wood products, especially those used in the bioenergy sector, will continue to increase in the coming years. However, the extent and success of this market recovery will ultimately depend on the health of the overall economy." http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/211132/icode/ man of Feeding
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FAO calls for greater support for mountain family farmingPoor groups in mountain areas have great potential to improve food security and nutrition rural women in mid-western Nepal bring home fuelwood gathered from nearby forests. 2013 rome, 11 December-Protecting land tenure, giving mountain family farms access to resources and strengthening mountain infrastructure are among the main ways to improve the livelihoods and food security of mountain and lowland communities, FAO said today. To commemorate the United Nations" international Mountain Day FAO today launched a new publication. Mountain Agriculture as Family Farming. According to the book, in developing and transition countries, about 40 per cent of mountain dwellers-around 0.3 billion-are food insecure, and half of them are chronically undernourished. Globally, mountains provide fresh water to half the world's population, thanks largely to the management of water and soil by millions of mountain farmers. Mountains are also a treasure trove of global biodiversity, and for centuries, mountain farmers have not only provided valuable nutrients to their families, but have also been the custodian of this genetic wealth. "This report comes at a time of discussion on the post -2015 development agenda," said Eduardo Rojas-Briales, FAO Assistant Director-General for Forestry. "We should ensure that issues related to sustainable mountain development are adequately reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the post -2015 development agenda. Raising awareness and support for mountain farmers through an enabling policy environment will benefit mountain people and those lowland populations who enjoy their products and services." rapid Transformation today, family farming is undergoing a rapid transformation in high mountain areas due to population growth, economic globalization, the spread of urban lifestyles and the migration of men and youth to urban areas. It has led to increased workloads for women, greater pressure on local resources and greater vulnerability of mountain farmers to global change. At the same time, these changes also provide opportunities for local development. For example, mountain dwellers can diversify their income by engaging in non-agricultural activities such as tourism and selling local handicrafts. The publication provides case studies from around the world showing how mountain regions and peasant households have benefited from the opportunities these changes have created. "2014 international Year of Family Farming it provides an opportunity to focus on the benefits and challenges of family farming in mountain areas, "said Rosara Romeo, Programme Officer, FAO Forestry Department. "For centuries, family farming in mountainous areas has been small in scale and low in carbon emissions, which has promoted sustainable development." develop strategies to support mountain agriculture secure land tenure, women's empowerment and investment in public education, health, transport and research are key requirements for promoting sustainable family farming in mountain regions. Improving access to credit is also crucial for mountain farmers. Family farming policies in mountain areas should help to strengthen the development of regional centres and small towns, provide alternative employment opportunities in the handicraft, industrial and service sectors, boost the local economy and reduce population exodus. Sustainable mountain family agricultural production can provide vital ecosystem services to lowland areas, and farmers should be compensated for it. These services include good watershed management to ensure freshwater supplies, biodiversity conservation, and cultural landscapes for tourism and leisure purposes. organic agriculture another way to help farmers improve their livelihoods is to create, label and sell organically produced mountain produce. In the Indian state of Sikkim, for example, 64 per cent of the population in the Himalayan mountains is directly dependent on family farming. The Government's decision to implement an organic farming policy in the state has increased production margins through organic product premiums and job creation. The Government covers the cost of certification and provides free inputs, equipment, training and extension services. Encouraging cooperation and enforcement activities, such as farmers' associations and cooperatives, can help lower market access barriers. http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/209914/icode/ man of Feeding