USA – ‘Greener’ ag land better for climate change

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
MOST land use changes occurring in the continental United States reduce vegetative cover and raise regional surface temperatures, according to a new study by scientists at Purdue University, the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado-Boulder. This map shows observation minus re-analysis trends in the continental US from 1979 to 2003. The trends are associated with land use and changes in land use. Researchers from Purdue and the universities of Colorado and Maryland conducted a study showing land use can affect surface temperatures locally and regionally. Units are in degrees Celsius per decade. Photo: Purdue University/Souleymane Fall. The study, which will appear in the Royal Meteorological Society's International Journal of Climatology, found that almost any change that makes land cover less "green" contributes to warming. However, a less obvious finding is that the conversion of any land to agricultural use results in cooling - even land that was previously forested. This suggests that local and regional strategies such as creating...
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USA – Population boom to pressure farm water supplies

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
With a projected 25 per cent and 50pc increase in United States and world populations respectively by 2050, substantial increases in freshwater use for food, fibre and fuel production, as well as municipal and residential consumption, are inevitable, according to a new publication from the Council on Agricultural Science & Technology (CAST). This increased water use will not come without consequences, and as one of the largest users of water in the US, agriculture will be affected significantly by changes in water availability and cost. An abundant, reliable supply of water to meet demands cannot be taken for granted, CAST said. To evaluate current trends, summarise key vulnerabilities and identify possible solutions to current and future challenges, CAST convened a task force of eight scientists, educators and resource analysts who have prepared the new CAST Issue Paper, Water, People & the Future: Water Availability for Agriculture in the United States. Through case studies, the new CAST publication discusses the diverse demands for water resources...
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Rural development: first wave of approvals of national/regional proposals for using funding from CAP Health Check and European Economic Recovery Plan

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
The Rural Development Committee approved a first wave of proposals from Member States/regions for using fresh European Union funding for rural development. The Member States/regions in question have proposed amendments to their Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) to make use of extra funding provided by the Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy and the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP), agreed in November 2008. The extra funding in question totals € 4.4 billion for the EU as a whole and must be spent through RDPs in the period 2009 to 2013. Member States/regions choose the priorities on which to spend their funding from a list which includes climate change, restructuring of the dairy sector and broadband for rural areas. "The current economic and environmental situation demands action – in the countryside just as much as in our towns and cities," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. "We have been taking determined action at European level in many ways. The...
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Can the green movement save wool?

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
CAN the green tag reinvigorate wool demand? That’s the question circulating around the industry as vertically integrated wool marketing company, The Merino Company (TMC), becomes the first wool licensee of the highly respected EU Eco-label ‘Flower’ and offers it to its retail clients. The environmentally conscience label first hit European retail shelves in 1992 and at the beginning of 2009 more than 750 companies world-wide had been awarded the label as marketing managers attempted to benefit from the shiny green dollars by helping consumers find more environmentally friendly products and services. Growth spiraled 18 months ago when around 230 new companies were added to the green store catalogue. To become a licensee the credentials are tough, but in one promotional week in Denmark licensee holders reported a 600 per cent lift in sales. It is this consumer response that Stefan Bernerius, manager of TMC yarns, says is why the Eco-label is a significant marketing tool. "We recognise the importance placed on high quality natural fibres that...
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Drought-tolerant GM corn by 2012: Monsanto

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
MONSANTO’S director of scientific affairs Harvey Glick has shrugged off suggestions genetic modification advances have stalled and has predicted a boom period for biotech products as the 'second generation' of traits becomes available to growers. "I think we are just at the beginning of an exciting period, with crops being rolled out with new traits, especially in soybeans and corn," Dr Glick said. Canada-based Dr Glick said that it was not just more of the same herbicide resistance traits either. "We are working on more nitrogen efficient and drought tolerant lines, as well as oilseeds with higher oil levels." He dismissed claims that many of the new traits being developed were being done by conventional breeding regardless of genetic modification. "It's not fair to say its just being done with conventional traits." And work is still being done on perfecting existing traits. "Take a look at Roundup Ready soybeans," he said. "Roundup Ready is one of the most widely planted traits, but we are not just taking...
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Prototype corn cob harvester impresses farmers

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
Pre-commercial, prototype equipment for harvesting cobs for cellulosic ethanol production continues to improve. Several hundred farmers braved cold, wind and rain this week at Emmetsburg, Iowa, USA, to see the latest in pre-commercial equipment designed for harvesting corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol production. The event was the POET Project Liberty field day. Project Liberty is POET's effort to commercialise cellulosic ethanol. The project will be a 25 million-gallon-per year cellulosic ethanol plant located within the current grain ethanol plant. POET's pilot-scale plant in Scotland, South Dakota, is already producing cellulosic ethanol at a rate of approximately 20,000 gallons per year. "We feel this can be a brand new revenue stream for farmers," said Jeff Broin, POET chief executive. "It's a tremendous opportunity for farmers and rural America. "We had 800 farmers here last year and the equipment continues to improve." Corn cobs are the feedstock of choice for POET. But collecting corn cobs can be a challenge while trying to get the harvest done on time. That's why a number of...
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BNR keeps reference interest rate steady, at 8 pc

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
In its last session dedicated to monetary policy this year, the Board of Administrators for the National Bank of Romania (BNR) resolved to keep the monetary policy interest rate steady at 8 per cent and the RON and hard currency mandatory minimum reserve rates at 15 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Also, the BNR Board of Administrators decided that banking sector liquidity should be managed in firm fashion with a view towards strengthening monetary policy signals. The members of the Association of Financial and Banking Analysts in Romania (AAFBR) foretold the decision by the BNR board to keep RON and foreign currency interest rates unchanged. However, 20 per cent of the respondents to a poll among AAFBR members opined that the central bank might cut the monetary policy interest rate down by 0.25 per cent. This year, the central bank cut monetary policy interest down 2.25, from 10.25 per cent. The decision means commercial banks have to keep loan...
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FDIs expected to amount to €5 bln in 2009

By dana.bucur Comment Closed
Foreign direct investments (FDI) totalled €9.5 billion last year, according to data provided by the National Bank of Romania (BNR). This figure was revised upward from the preliminary data in February, which estimated FDIs at €9.02 bln. Over half of last year’s investments (51.3 percent), namely €4.87 bln, were net participations in the share capital of Romanian companies. Also, the net credit received by companies from foreign direct investors, including from within the group, made up 48.7 percent of the net FDI flow, namely €4.62 bln. Investors targeted the manufacturing industry (31.3 percent of total FDIs), with metallurgy (6.9 percent) and the food, beverage, and tobacco industry (4.6 percent) as its most attractive segments. Significant amounts were invested in activities related to financial brokerage and insurance (20.5 percent of total FDIs), construction and real estate transactions (12.6 percent), trade (12.4 percent), and IT&C (6.7 percent). Due to the financial crisis, FDIs in Romania dropped sharply. Only €3.15 bln were invested in this country...
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