ALBERT

Description: Slaughterhouse waste management is an important technological, economic, and environmental challenge. Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the possibility of obtaining biogas from waste generated by slaughterhouses. The aim of the paper was to examine the effect of an emulsifier addition in the form of a carboxymethyl cellulose solution to create animal waste fermentation media based on the quantity and quality of the generated biogas. The adopted research goal was achieved based on a laboratory experiment of methane fermenting poultry processing waste. The waste was divided into two fractions: soft (tissue) and hard (bone). A fat emulsifier in a concentration of 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% of fresh weight of the substrate was added to each substrate sample made from the above fractions. The emulsifier used was a 55% carboxymethyl cellulose solution, since this emulsifier is most commonly used in food production. The experiment was conducted in order to determine how the addition of an emulsifier (55% carboxymethylcellulose solution) affects the hydration of fats during methane fermentation, as demonstrated on poultry slaughterhouse waste. The samples were subjected to static methane fermentation, according to the methodology of DIM DIN 38414(DIN Deutches Institut für Normung). The experiment lasted 30 days. The total amount of biogas obtained after fermentation was 398 mL·g−1 for the soft fraction and 402 mL·g−1 for the hard fraction. In the case of the soft waste fraction, the addition of carboxymethylcellulose at 1% of the mass to the biogas process increased the amount of obtained biogas by 16%. In the case of the hard fraction, no effect of the addition of emulsifier on the total amount of biogas obtained was identified. In each case, the biogas from substrates with added emulsifier contained less methane and slightly more carbon. The emulsifier added to the soft fraction of slaughterhouse waste from poultry processing allowed cutting the process of methanogenesis by over 50% while maintaining the efficiency of biogas production. In the case of biogasification of bone tissue, no unambiguous effect of the addition of emulsifier on the improvement of process efficiency was identified.

Description: Optimization of plant fertilization is an important element of all quality systems in primary production, such as Integrated Production, GLOBAL G.A.P. (Good Agriculture Practice) or SAI (Sustainable Agriculture Initiative). Fertilization is the most important element of agricultural treatments, affecting the quantity and quality of crops. The aim of the study was to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage, depending on the technological variant. The factor modifying the production technology was the use of fertilizers with a slow release of nutrients. One tonne of marketable Chinese cabbage crop was selected as the functional unit. To achieve the research goal, a strict field experiment was carried out. Calculation of the total amount of GHG emitted from the crop was made in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. The system boundaries included the production and use of fertilizers and pesticides, energy consumption for agricultural practices and the emission of gases from soil resources and harvesting residue. The use of slow-release fertilizers resulted in a greater marketable yield of cabbage compared to conventional fertilizers. The results of the research indicate a significant potential for the use of slow-release fertilizers in reducing agricultural emissions. From the environmental and production point of view, the most favourable variant is the one with 108 kg N·ha−1 slow-release fertilizers. At a higher dose of this element, no increase in crop yield was observed. At this nitrogen dose, a 30% reduction in total GHG emissions and a 50% reduction in fertilizer emissions from the use of per product functional unit were observed. The reference object was fertilization in accordance with production practice in the test area.

Description: The promotion of renewable energy is a key concept in the European Union for both environmental and economic reasons. It contributes to securing the objectives set out in the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, it brings various social and economic benefits, e.g., diversification of the energy offer, new jobs, improvement of regional and local development opportunities and building a solid national industry. The main purpose of the article is to contribute to the debate on the instruments promoting renewable energy sources (RES) by emphasizing its importance within the technology transfer network. The subject is an empirical study of an actual technology transfer network. Its international activity promotes RES among entrepreneurs. Data related to meetings as part of brokerage events (BE) and company missions (CM) were subject to statistical and visual analysis, based on the data obtained from the Enterprise Europe Network from the years 2017–2018. The presented results are the foundation for future theoretical and practical studies. One of the important aspects to be examined is the intensity of cooperation launched during CM and BE. It is related to the results of partnership agreements and the importance of increasing the knowledge flow and creating opportunities for partners to acquire foreign technologies.

Description: This paper aims to determine and explain the main factors for power losses (the so-called “leaky bucket” effect) in Kazakhstan and the reasons for inefficient energy distribution within the country. Energy efficiency in Kazakhstan is much lower compared to more economically developed countries. The differences between energy efficiency in various regions of Kazakhstan are also significant. This article explores the impact of administrative monopoly tariffs on the regional energy efficiency, based on a national study conducted in Kazakhstan in 2017. The purpose of the study was to identify the administrative barriers and their impact on the sustainability of enterprise development. What hinders the distribution of energy resources among different regions is artificial barriers in the energy market and the administrative tariff monopoly for electric power. This leads to the inefficient distribution of resources throughout the country. In addition, it is difficult to leverage low distribution efficiency in the absence of a market. The authors attempt to prove that the magnitude of administrative barriers directly affects the efficiency and competitiveness of business, as well as the final prices of goods and services for the end consumer.

Description: Globalization of the food market is associated with the possibility of selling products into newer markets. However, it is also associated with the necessity to ensure proper quality products. Quality defined by the ISO 9001:2015 standard consists of factors that are part of customers’ expectations concerning the safety of products and the technology of their manufacture. Currently, consumers are looking for products with defined and reproducible sensory properties, in which the content of harmful substances is below the critical values specified by legislation. This is observable particularly in developed countries. The second quality factor is the use of a production technology where negative environmental impacts are reduced. Recently, issues associated with protecting workers’ rights and social needs have also become very important. In successive versions of quality management systems, such as GLOBAL G.A.P. or SAI Platform, social issues are becoming more and more important. The aim of this study was to assess the role of risk analysis for social practices in small farms in building a quality management system. Surveys were conducted in 2018. The surveys covered 62 vegetables or fruit farms with a cultivated area of up to 20 ha. Their lack of staff was due to the character of production. Where mechanic production is possible in small farms, family members can secure workforce demand. To achieve the research objective, a risk analysis was carried out for the implementation of social practices according to the guidelines of the ISO 31000:2018 standard. The criteria and inventory of identified risks were carried out, based on the guidelines of GLOBAL G.A.P. Risk Assessments on Social Practice (GRASP). Based on the identified risks, the areas relating to social practices, which require improvement in order to satisfy compliance with the GLOBAL G.A.P. standard, were indicated. The results of the conducted research pointed to a high risk of good social practices not being carried out and not meeting compliance with the requirements of the GLOBAL G.A.P. standard. The most important identified problems are associated with the deficiency of competent workers as well as the lack of facilities where workers can rest, eat and drink. A considerable problem is the conformity of employment contracts with local legislation and ensuring that work time and rest time are consistent with the law. In conditions of small farms in Poland, the problem with ensuring compliance with the standard in question is often the small number of workers. Creating an organized quality management system in the area of social practices is difficult in these cases, and sometimes even impossible.

Description: Plant-based foods should be fresh, safe, and natural, with nutritional value and processed in sustainable ways. Among all consumed vegetables, Brassica vegetables are considered to be the most important ones. As they are eaten in large quantities and frequently, they may constitute an important source of nutrients and bioactive compounds in a daily diet. This work is aimed at assessing the effect of technological processing (blanching and traditional cooking in water and in a convection steam oven) as well as the method of frozen storage (in PE-LD zipper bags and vacuum packing) on the content of selected components in purple cauliflower. The material was examined for the content of dry matter, vitamin C, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, thiocyanates, nitrates, and nitrites, as well as antioxidant activity. All technological processes caused significant changes in the contents of examined nutritive and non-nutritive compounds as well as in antioxidant activity or the level of selected chemical pollutions. A trend was also observed towards lower constituents’ losses as a result of convection steaming, compared to traditional cooking in water. Moreover, the reduction in the content of examined compounds was smaller in vacuum-packed and frozen-stored vegetables then in those stored in zipper PE-LD bags.

Description: The purpose of the article is to identify and estimate the dependency model for the extreme prices of agricultural products listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The article presents the results of the first stage of research covering the time interval 1975–2010. The selected products are: Corn, soybean and wheat. The analysis of the dependency between extreme price values on the selected futures was based on the estimation of five models of two-dimensional extreme value copulas, namely, the Galambos copula, the Gumbel copula, the Husler–Reiss copula, the Tawn asymmetric copula and the t-EV copula. The next stage of the analysis was to test whether the structure of the dependency described with the estimated copulas is a sufficient approximation of reality, and whether it is suitable for modeling empirical data. The quality of matching the estimated copulas to empirical data of return rates of agricultural products was assessed. For this purpose, the Kendall coefficient was calculated, and the methodology of the empirical combining function was used. The conducted research allowed for the determination of the conduct for this kind of phenomena as it is crucial in the process of investing in derivatives markets. The analyzed phenomena are highly dependent on e.g., financial crises, war, or market speculation but also on drought, fires, rainfall, or even crop oversupply. The conducted analysis is of key importance in terms of balancing agricultural production on a global scale. It should be emphasized that conducting market analysis of agricultural products at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in the context of competition with the agricultural market of the European Union is of significant importance.

Description: Currently, the level of efficiency of an effective agricultural production process is determined by how it reduces natural environmental hazards caused by various types of technologies and means of agricultural production. Compared to conventional production, the aim of integrated agricultural cultivation on commercial farms is to maximize yields while minimizing costs resulting from the limited use of chemical and mineral means of production. As a result, the factor determining the level of obtained yield is the soil’s richness in nutrients. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of soil richness, depending on the production system appropriate for a given farm. The analysis was conducted for two comparative groups of farms with an integrated and conventional production system. The farms included in the research belonged to two groups of agricultural producers and specialized in carrot production.

Description: The goal of organic farming with respect to plant production is to create high-quality products while minimizing human impacts. The aim of this paper was to assess soil properties in selected organic farms in terms of the achievement of general and specific objectives of organic farming. Fifty five (55) organic farms were selected for the research; twenty five (25) of those farms additionally had conventional animal production with cattle breeding. Soil samples were collected from each farm and, the following parameters, deciding about the suitability for agriculture were determined: pH, content of organic carbon, available phosphorus and potassium, mineral nitrogen, and Total nitrogen content. The content of available phosphorus and mineral nitrogen was very low or low in most of the studied soils, which can lead to disturbance of homeostasis of agroecosystems. Potassium content in these soils was high. The properties of the studied soils indicate a high risk of chemical and biological degradation. Without implementing actions that control the pH and increase the content of nitrogen and phosphorus elements, the degradation will increase. Soil properties in the group of farms with animal production were more beneficial from the point of view of crop production, compared with farms that do not breed animals.

Description: Optimization of plant nutrition is a very important part of primary production quality systems. Crop fertilization is the most important agrotechnical measure because it determines the amount and quality of the yield. Moreover, excess fertilization intensifies the eutrophication processes and the greenhouse effect. The study aimed to assess the suitability of slow-release fertilizers in cultivation of carrot subspecies Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus in the integrated production system. The objective was realized on the basis of a strict field experiment set up on a clay loam soil with low nutrient content. The dose of fertilizer was the experimental factor. The fertilizers were applied during the formation of the ridges. Traditional fertilizers (ammonium phosphate, potassium salt, ammonium nitrate, and a multi-component fertilizer Polifoska 6), as well as a multi-component fertilizer with slow release of nutrients, NPK Mg (18-12-24-4), were used. In individual variants of the experiment, different fertilization strategies were applied: integrated production fertilization, traditional fertilization, and fertilization based on the use of slow-release fertilizers. The control treatment comprised of unfertilized plants. The efficiency of nitrogen fertilization was evaluated based on agronomic efficiency, partial factor productivity, physiological efficiency, and removal efficiency. Fertilization strategy significantly impacted the quantity of obtained yield. In the control sample, prior to mineral fertilization, the crop yield was 33.53 Mg·ha−1. The largest yield was 82.30 Mg·ha−1.The largest yields were obtained from plants fertilized with a combination of slow-release fertilizers, with nitrogen introduced in the form of ammonium phosphate, and through conventional fertilization. The highest productivity and environmental efficiency were obtained in treatments with fertilization according to the principles of integrated production and with slow-release fertilizers. In terms of environmental efficiency, the best results were obtained through nitrogen fertilization using 400 kg of slow-release fertilizers. The use of slow-release fertilizers in carrot cultivation can significantly improve the efficiency of fertilization, both in terms of production and environmental protection.