Scope of Action of Family Farms
To date, the perceived extent of the freedom of action of farmers has rarely been used to evaluate the social sustainability of farms. Now, however, a new indicator has been developed that illustrates the scope for action of family farms in terms of consumption and production.
Organic Pig Fattening Pays Off for Large Farms
Agroscope analysed the economic situation of organic fattening-pig production in Switzerland. The study shows that six of the ten farms examined – particularly the larger ones – can produce profitably.
Agriculture and Biodiversity: Systematic Overview Identifies Important Avenues for Future Research
The intensification of agriculture has greatly changed Europe’s agroecosystems, with major implications for biodiversity. An overview study by Agroscope and the Swiss Ornithological Institute identifies the most important areas for future research with a view to minimising the uncertainties of currently available knowledge.
Scope of Action of Family Farms
To date, the perceived extent of the freedom of action of farmers has rarely been used to evaluate the social sustainability of farms. Now, however, a new indicator has been developed that illustrates the scope for action of family farms in terms of consumption and production.
Organic Pig Fattening Pays Off for Large Farms
Agroscope analysed the economic situation of organic fattening-pig production in Switzerland. The study shows that six of the ten farms examined – particularly the larger ones – can produce profitably.
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Agriculture and Biodiversity: Systematic Overview Identifies Important Avenues for Future Research
The intensification of agriculture has greatly changed Europe’s agroecosystems, with major implications for biodiversity. An overview study by Agroscope and the Swiss Ornithological Institute identifies the most important areas for future research with a view to minimising the uncertainties of currently available knowledge.
What are Farms in Switzerland Doing to Preserve Biodiversity?
To prevent biodiversity decline, Swiss farms are implementing 19.3% of their utilised agricultural area as ecological focus areas (EFA). It appears that organic farms implement considerably more and qualitatively better EFAs than do PEP farms.
Sustainable Soil Management Requires a Mixture of Support Measures
An Agroscope study shows that Swiss farmers have different soil management priorities. Considering these may increase the effectiveness of information and policy measures to promote sustainable soil management.
The Highly Diverse and Nutrient-Rich Inner Life of Sourdough Bread
The microbial composition of the sourdough culture defines the character of the bread baked from it. A sourdough can increase the health-promoting characteristics of bread when combined with specific types of flour and suitable processing parameters.
Westerwold Ryegrass: Three New Recommendations and One Candidate for the Variety List
Fast-growing Westerwold ryegrass delivers valuable high yields on annual temporary leys and in forage intercropping. Based on the most recent variety trials, Agroscope can now recommend three new multi-cut varieties and earmark a single-cut variety for recommendation.
Agricultural Production and Biodiversity Conservation: Four Typical Land-Use Patterns
Swiss farms must decide on the extent to which they produce agricultural goods and provide biodiversity services. Agroscope has analysed and typified the diversity of farm-level land-use patterns.
Reducing Tillage and Herbicide Use: Can Weed-Induced Crop Yield Losses Be Limited?
Integrated weed management with reduced tillage and reduced herbicide inputs can successfully control weeds in wheat and prevent yield loss.
Information Framing Makes Visually Suboptimal Potatoes more Appealing
Large quantities of potatoes are rejected due to visual defects. For this reason, Agroscope researchers investigated how consumers can be motivated to purchase visually suboptimal potatoes.
The DNA of Franches-Montagnes Horses Reveals the Origin of the Breed
The genotype information of over 1,000 horses reveals that the Franches-Montagnes can be distinguished from other historically introgressed breeds. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated, that this kind of information can also be applied to manage the inbreeding within the population.
Timothy and Meadow Fescue: One New Recommendation, One New Candidate
Timothy and meadow fescue are key components of high-performance mixtures for forage production. Agroscope can now recommend one new variety of timothy and earmark a meadow fescue for recommendation based on variety tests conducted from 2021 to 2023.
What is Typical Spelt and How Do We Distinguish it From Modern Wheat-Spelt Intercrosses in Switzerland?
Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) is in increasing demand from consumers and bakeries. Linking phenotypic traits to the underlying genetic information of each variety helps us to better categorise the spelt varieties in Switzerland.
It’s Not All About Cheese: Cows and Hikers are Not the Only Ones to Benefit from Alpine Pastures
Alpine pastures provide forage for cattle, storage for CO2, food for pollinators, a habitat for countless plants, and fascinate us with their beauty. The extent to which these services are provided depends on location, climate – and cows.
Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Drained Peatlands – Is It Possible?
A mineral soil cover combined with a rise in the water table can mitigate the loss of organic carbon in cultivated peatlands. At the same time, it would allow agricultural productivity to be maintained.
Paratuberculosis in Cattle: International Evolution and Situation in Switzerland
A current overview of paratuberculosis describes this chronic disease of cattle, shows how it is being controlled internationally and in Switzerland, and explains why this is important.
