Archive
2,595 posts
Effects of the abolition of export contributions on the apple juice concentrate market
This paper examines the effects of the abolition of export contributions for apple juice concentrate (AJC), scheduled for 2010, on the Swiss apple sector. A dynamic partial equilibrium model (SAPEM) was developed for this purpose. After the projection of the development of the markets for apples and derivative products until 2013 (reference scenario with export…
Improved field margins and the effects on voles and moles
In the regions where agriculture covers most of the landscape, species rich field margins have an important role in the preservation of biodiversity, plants and fauna. Considering this, the Swiss Confederation plans to introduce «field margins» as new type of ecological compensation area. It is a perennial and linear structure sown with a mixture of…
Endangered arable flora: how to conserve and promote it?
The arable flora is one of the most endangered plant groups in Switzerland. To conserve and promote the arable flora conservation headlands were introduced as ecological compensation areas. To evaluate their effect on the arable flora 28 conservation headlands were studied. There were more plant species and more red-list plant species in the conservation headlands…
Agriculture in the media – which issues are addressed and how are they represented?
The content analysis presented focuses on the question of which agricultural issues are reported in the Swiss media and how these issues are represented. For this purpose 1,588 articles from six German-language Swiss newspapers and 215 TV reports from three news programmes on Swiss television were analysed according to their content; the research material was…
Fat reduction with inulin in water-boiled sausages
In a trial with lyoners and in comparison to a control (REF) with a total of 22% backfat, 15% backfat was replaced in three experimental sausages as follows: 15% inulin gel of supplier A (IG-A), 7,5% inulin powder of supplier B plus 7,5% ice water (IP-B), 4,5% inulin powder and 1% wheat fibre of supplier…
Regulation of fruit ripening by 1-methylcyclopropene and apple storage
Since autumn 2005 treatment of apples with SmartFresh™ (active compound 1-Methylcyclopropene, MCP) is permitted in Switzerland. MCP is an ethylene inhibitor. It binds to the ethylene receptors and prevents ripening processes which are induced by ethylene. Enthusiastic postharvest scientist called it the “magic pullet” and presumed that application of this compound will revolutionize storage technology…
Biodiversity benefits from connectedness of restoration meadows
The connectedness of ecological compensation areas (ECAs) is considered as one of the most important measures to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, but only few empirical studies exist. We compared the species diversity of land snails and grasshoppers on connected ECA meadows and on isolated ECA meadows. The investigated ECA meadows were sown on arable…
Udder health and somatic cell counts in ewes
For decades, somatic cells counts in milk are used as an important measure for the diagnosis of udder infections in cows. The objectives of our investigation, performed on three farms during an entire lactation, was to get some data about the most important bacteria causing intramammary infections in milk sheep and to evaluate whether the…
Sheep milk is a high-value food
The aims of the investigation were to develop a better way of describing the composition and quality of sheep milk (milk as received from suppliers), and to identify possible differences between the milks obtained from the two sheep breeds most commonly used in Switzerland (Lacaunes and Ostfriesian milk sheep) and from cross-breeds of these two.…
The seasonal aspect of the assessment of pasture quality
In the context of the revision of the Ordinance of Ecological Quality of Ecological Compensation Areas in the Used Agricultural Area 2008 extensive pastures will get extra payment if they’re ecologically valuable. The possible keys to assess the quality are all based at least partially on floristic indicator taxa. As the assessment should be objective,…
Phenological retrospective for the year 2006
L’anno 2006 è stato caratterizzato da un inizio freddo e da temperature elevate durante parte dell’estate e per tutto l’autunno. Ciò ha avuto conseguenze sullo sviluppo della vegetazione con un inizio molto tardivo del periodo vegetativo 2006. Soltanto grazie al tempo caldo di aprile e maggio, il ritardo iniziale dello sviluppo vegetativo ha potuto essere…
The canton of Berne promotes conservation of natural resources
Since the late 1950s agricultural production on arable land has been strongly intensified. As a consequence of primarily physical soil stress brought about by tillage operations, the fertility of arable soils is at risk. A strategy of action introducing a practicable cropping system, which combines the conservation of natural resources with economical benefits, was required.…
Map of soil erosion risk in Switzerland
The Soil Erosion Risk Map gives a national overview on the erosion risk of Swiss soils, particularly for arable land. With the help of an adapted version of the empirical erosion model USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation), the long-term soil erosion risk was calculated all over the country in a hectare grid. The Soil Erosion…
The mowing date of ecological compensation areas: influence on the fauna
The earliest cut of meadows, which are implemented as ecological compensation areas, nowadays is June 15th, first July or July 15th depending on the agricultural zone. An earlier cut is only possible with the permission of the cantonal authorities of nature conservation. Within the process of the agricultural law revision a liberalisation of these earliest…
Pluriactivity is no obstacle for farm succession
Structural change in agriculture is not only affected by the next generation’s decision to give up or take over the family farm, but also by the decision to continue running the farm as a fulltime venture or as pluriactivity. In an empirical study, it was shown that it is not the proportion of non-farm-related wageearning…
Economic situation of Swiss agriculture
The Institute of Agricultural- and Food Economics at ETH Zurich analyzes the economic state of Swiss Farms on a periodical basis. The study consists of a performance analysis, and the investigation of stress of competition under a hypothetical adjustment of prices to EU levels. The performance decreased slightly between 2000 and 2004, which was mainly…
Composition of Bernese Alpine Cheese (“Berner Alpkäse”) and Bernese Planing Cheese (“Berner Hobelkäse”)
Samples of selected premium quality Bernese Alpkäse (BA) and Bernese Hobelkäse (BH) were analysed for dry matter, fat, protein, salt, lactic acid, volatile carboxylic acids, and non-protein nitrogen. In addition, the calcium content of BA was determined and in BH the concentrations of free amino acids and of biogenic amines were measured. The moisture in…
PreDaBa: a tool for developing price scenarios
The assessment of future development of Swiss agricultural market prices and input costs serves as a basis for generating scenarios. However, often comparability between studies is difficult due to a lack of details about the assumptions. The Institute for Agricultural Economics has developed a database PreDaBa to generate scenarios based on comparable assumptions. The Basisszenario…
DOC Trial: effects of the farming systems on the earthworms
The DOC long-term trial in Therwil has been comparing two organic farming systems, with one another since 1978: two conventional systems and one unfertilized control system. Earthworm surveys from 2001 to 2005 revealed no statistically significant differences between the farming systems D2, O2 and K2, which were fertilized with solid and liquid manure, either in…
