Abolition Of Quotas Research Articles

Economic Assessment of Small-Scale Mountain Dairy Farms by Using Accounting Data: Evidence from an Italian Case Study

Dairy mountain farms are economically disadvantaged due to small farm sizes and high production costs. This situation was exacerbated firstly by the opening of the market linked to the abolition of milk quotas; secondly by the rising prices due to the energy crisis due to covid 19 and the war in Ukraine. However, these farms are important for the preservation of traditional landscapes, the economy of these areas and the offered ecosystem services, especially when they are managed extensively. The objective of this research is to understand if mountain dairy farms are economically sustainable and competitive through the analysis of a case study. The economic analysis takes into account the production cost of milk, profitability, and some economic indicators using accounting data. The results show that the farm profitability is decreasing, and the costs are unsustainable. As a consequence, more efficient policy support is needed to overcome this crisis.

Investing in Ukraine during the war and prospects for investment processes in the postwar period

This article analyzes the current state of the investment market in Ukraine. The impact of Russian military aggression on the investment attractiveness of our country is studied. During this study, all investment opportunities for existing and potentially new Ukrainian investors were analyzed. This study was based on the results of a survey of active Ukrainian investors. The study identified negative factors that affected the investment project market in Ukraine during the war and in the postwar period. Among them were the following: the unstable economic situation in the country, an imperfect legal framework for investor protection, military aggression by Russia and the lack of war risk insurance during the war, and the general economic crisis. The study also identified positive factors influencing investment processes in Ukraine. Among them were the following: the introduction of a visa-free regime, Ukraine’s active foreign economic policy, its association with the European Union, Ukraine's integration course into NATO, and the abolition of export duties and quotas. Possible areas for investment in Ukraine during martial law and in the postwar period were identified. In addition, the problem of attracting foreign investment during the military aggression against Ukraine was analyzed. The possibilities of attracting domestic and foreign investment in the Ukrainian investment project market were considered. The main areas for investment in the country were identified as the defense industry, energy, agriculture, metallurgy, logistics, infrastructure, innovative technologies, and others. For a more detailed analysis, the investment potential of each sector was determined. The largest investment potential was noted in the energy sector (UAH 177 billion), logistics and infrastructure (UAH 123 billion). Woodworking (UAH 5 billion) and investments in natural resources (UAH 5.6 billion) were the least attractive for investors. This article analyzes in detail the investment opportunities in each sector. The article also considers the possibility of shifting international relations from the anti-Putin coalition to closer economic relations, in particular by attracting foreign investors to the Ukrainian investment project market.

Utilising a hybrid DMAIC/TAM model to optimise annual maintenance shutdown performance in the dairy industry: a case study

PurposeOutput from the Irish Dairy Industry has grown rapidly since the abolition of quotas in 2015, with processors investing heavily in capacity expansion to deal with the extra milk volumes. Further capacity gains may be achieved by extending the processing season into the winter, a key enabler for which being the reduction of duration of the winter maintenance overhaul period. This paper aims to investigate if Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques can be used to enhance operational maintenance performance, thereby releasing additional processing capacity.Design/methodology/approachCombining the Six-Sigma Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC) methodology and the structured approach of Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) widely used in process industries creates a novel hybrid model that promises substantial improvement in maintenance overhaul execution. This paper presents a case study applying the DMAIC/TAM model to Ireland’s largest dairy processing site to optimise the annual maintenance shutdown. The objective was to deliver a 30% reduction in the duration of the overhaul, enabling an extension of the processing season.FindingsApplication of the DMAIC/TAM hybrid resulted in process enhancements, employee engagement and a clear roadmap for the operations team. Project goals were delivered, and original objectives exceeded, resulting in €8.9m additional value to the business and a reduction of 36% in the duration of the overhaul.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that the model provides a structure that promotes systematic working and a continuous improvement focus that can have substantial benefits for wider industry. Opportunities for further model refinement were identified and will enhance performance in subsequent overhauls.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that the structure and tools of DMAIC and TAM have been combined into a hybrid methodology and applied in an Irish industrial setting.

Cultural Assimilation: Identities of Second-Generation Indian Americans

Following the abolition of national origin quotas, the United States witnessed a substantial influx of Asian immigrants, with India accounting for 19 percent of incoming immigrants. Consequently, American society has become a mosaic of diverse cultures, often referred to as a "melting pot" or "salad bowl." However, this cultural diversity has profound implications for the offspring of immigrants, particularly second-generation Indian Americans, as they grapple with the intricate interplay between their Indian heritage and American upbringing. While the extant literature presents divergent viewpoints on the effects of cultural assimilation, it emphatically underscores the imperatives of inclusivity, cultural acceptance, and psychological support in mitigating the cultural and identity conflicts faced by second-generation Indian Americans. The review concludes by advocating for comprehensive interventions that foster a harmonious and inclusive approach to cultural assimilation, striking a delicate balance between the preservation of cultural heritage and the embrace of the enriching multicultural tapestry within the United States.

EVALUATION OF THE LEVEL OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF COWS MILK PRODUCTION IN THE COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Food self-sufficiency is considered one of the basic priorities for the functioning of modern food economies. The main aim of the study is to assess the level of self-sufficiency of cows milk production in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Thirteen Central and Eastern European countries were accepted as the research area. The study used simplified indicators of food self-sufficiency. Technical self-sufficiency included the volume approach to the foreign trade balance and the conversion of indices constituting the relation of the production volume per number of inhabitants and the volume of cows milk consumption in relation to the production volume. Economic self-sufficiency was based on the study of the balance of foreign trade in terms of value. The study was conducted for the years 2015-2020. The research results indicate that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are characterized by a significant degree of differentiation in terms of the self-sufficiency of cows milk production. Most of the countries considered follow a safe food policy for this agricultural raw material. The lowest degree of self-sufficiency of cows milk production is found in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania. Moreover, it was found that the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 in the European Union countries did not result in a significant increase in the volume of cows milk production.

«Customs visa-free travel» in the fight against money laundering and optimization of customs risks

Ukraine constantly continues to move towards the consolidation of economic processes with the European Union, and the issue of rapid European integration as a whole is extremely relevant. Currently, a number of simplified procedures have been introduced with EU countries: «economic visa-free travel», transport and energy «visa-free travel» (all this contributes to the abolition of tariffs and quotas to simplify documentation, save money, avoid corruption and money laundering). Customs innovations allow Ukrainian businesses to get tools to take advantage of the benefits and simplifications of the joint transit procedure. The article defines that Ukraine’s accession in 2022 to the convention on the procedure of joint transit, the so-called «customs visa-free», will contribute not only to the simplification of customs procedures, but also to strengthening the security of customs transportation, the development of international trade, strengthening the fight against money laundering, transparency of export-import operations and ensuring the payment of customs payments to the budget. The use of a computerized transit system (NCTS) for «customs visa-free travel», in addition to simplifying customs clearance, allows for customs risk analysis, which generally contributes to improving the efficiency of customs risk management and combating money laundering.

The Deportation Machine: America's Long History of Expelling ImmigrantsOne Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle over American Immigration, 1924–1965

The Deportation Machine: America's Long History of Expelling ImmigrantsOne Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle over American Immigration, 1924–1965

Analysis of Marketing Prediction Model Based on Genetic Neural Network: Taking Clothing Marketing as an Example

With the economic and social development and the improvement of people’s living standards, consumers have put forward higher requirements for clothing from quantity to quality. The clothing industry has ushered in vigorous vitality and broad development space. China’s clothing industry has achieved great results after long‐term development. With the gradual abolition of world textile and apparel trade quotas, China’s apparel and textile industry is facing greater opportunities and challenges. In today’s increasingly developing market economy, many production companies are making marketing forecasts. A good forecast result can be used to guide the company’s decision‐making. The results of the model help decision‐makers to reasonably arrange production and formulate marketing strategies. With the development of genetic neural network technology, this technology has been more and more widely used in signal processing, pattern recognition and other application fields. This article discusses a marketing forecasting model based on genetic neural network, predicting model parameters based on historical data of actual sales, and then carrying out experimental analysis. First of all, a series of analysis and preprocessing must be performed on the collected data. In the process of estimating and calculating the parameters of the prediction model, an error criterion is selected to determine a set of relatively optimal prediction parameters, and finally the model results A verification analysis was carried out. The experimental results show that the genetic neural network method can be used to establish a marketing forecasting model, and the established forecasting model has certain practical application value.

Longitudinal Prevalence of Antibodies to Endemic Pathogens in Bulk Tank Milk Samples From Dairy Herds Engaged or Not in Contract Heifer Rearing.

Since the abolition of EU milk production quotas in 2015, Europe's dairy industries have undergone a period of rapid expansion with possible resultant increased inter-herd transmission of endemic pathogens. The aims of this study were (1) to establish the post-2015 prevalence of antibodies to selected endemic infectious diseases and (2) to determine if prevalences differed between herds where heifers were reared at home and those where heifers were sent out for contract-rearing. Three bulk tank milk (BTM) samples were collected annually between May and August of 2018–20 inclusively from 120 Irish dairy herds. Additionally, herd vaccination status was collected by questionnaire. Milk samples were tested using commercially available ELISAs for eight pathogens: bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHv-1), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), Mycoplasma bovis, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), Salmonella Dublin (S. Dublin), Leptospira Hardjo (L. Hardjo), and Neospora caninum (N. caninum). The true prevalence of each pathogen was calculated using a Rogan-Gladen estimator. The true prevalences (95% CI) of BTM antibodies in unvaccinated herds across the 3 years were as follows (i) BVDV: 57, 86, and 73% (95% CI: 40.7–65.9, 74–94, and 58–85) (n = 56, 56, and 48), (ii) BoHv-1: 47, 49, and 19% (95% CI: 26.3–69.7, 25–75, and 1–56) (n = 21, 20, and 11), (iii) L. Hardjo: 34, 59, and 73% (95% CI: 12.5–63, 33–82, and 33–99) (n = 15, 21, and 10), (iv) S. Dublin 32, 57, and 11% (95% CI: 12.21–68.1, 30.2–90.1, and 0) (n = 19, 22, and 13), (v) BRSV: 100% (95% CI: 99.5–100, 100, and 100) (n = 120, 109, and 91), (vi) MAP: 0% (95% CI: 0, 0, and 0) (n = 120, 109, and 91) (vii) N. caninum 0% (95% CI: 0, 0, and 0) (n = 120, 109, and 91) and (viii) M. bovis (ELISA) 53, 0.42, and 30% (95% CI: 3.95–6.84, 0, and 21–41) (n = 120, 109, and 91). M. bovis was detected by PCR in 0, 1, and 0% of herds in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. This study showed that expanding Irish dairy herds are endemically infected with several of the studied pathogens. No differences in herd prevalence of infectious agents were observed between farms with different heifer rearing strategies (contract-rearing vs. traditional rearing).

Productivity and Efficiency in European Milk Production: Can We Observe the Effects of Abolishing Milk Quotas?

The study aims to explore the sources of competitiveness of dairy producers before and after the abolition of milk quotas in selected EU member states. The investigation is based on the stochastic frontier modelling of an input distance function in the specification of the four-error-component model. The model is estimated with a multistep procedure employing the generalized method of moments estimator, addressing the potential endogeneity of netputs, and panel data gained from the FADN database. The results revealed that total factor productivity experienced an increasing trend in the majority of the analysed countries. Since the main driver of productivity growth was found to be the scale effect, our findings support the hypothesis that abolishing milk quotas has a positive effect.

Prediction of global sugar prices after abolition of EU sugar quotas

In the article two main goals were indicated. The first is to verify the hypothesis that there is not a relevant relationship between limiting the impact of state intervention mechanisms and sugar prices on world exchanges. The second goal is to choose the best model for forecasting sugar prices after the abolition of the sugar quotas on domestic markets of sugar producers. The starting point for building the model was the time series of sugar prices on a monthly basis on world stock exchanges – London and New York in 1990–2020. One of the three models was used for forecasting. Sugar prices on world stock exchanges showed large fluctuations amounting to USD cents 28 per pound of sugar for white sugar, while for raw sugar the figure was slightly lower and reached USD cents 26 per pound. On average, in 1990–2020, the nominal price for white sugar was 16 cents per pound, and for raw sugar -12 cents per pounds. However, the level of sugar prices in the world is determined primarily by market factors, rather than administrative constraints.

Exploring the Opinions of Irish Dairy Farmers Regarding Male Dairy Calves.

Background: There has been very little previous research in Ireland on the farmers' opinions regarding calf welfare issues. Calf welfare, particularly for male dairy calves, has assumed greater importance in Ireland in recent years due, in part, to an increase in the number of dairy cattle over the past decade. The objective of this study was to explore dairy farmers' views on a broad range of issues related to the expansion in the dairy herd.Methods: A survey was developed to capture the views of farmers regarding male dairy calves. The majority of questions were quantitative, and a final open-ended question collected qualitative data. The survey was distributed to ~2,900 dairy farmers via text message and 881 responses were received.Results: The sample was composed almost entirely of dairy farmers, although ~20% also had a beef enterprise on their farm. Fifty eight percent of the farmers were concerned with the increase in the number of male dairy calves in recent years. The EU's abolition of milk quotas, the profitability of dairy farming compared to other farm types, and guidance from farm advisors were the three highest ranked drivers behind the increase in the number of male dairy calves. The three highest ranked options for managing the number of male dairy calves were to increase exports, encourage greater use of sexed semen, and improve the beef merit of these calves. Eighty five percent of respondents stated that individual farmers had responsibility for making changes to the number of male dairy calves. The main themes arising from analysis of the responses to the open-ended question, seeking any additional comments, were breed, beef price, live exports, and sexed semen.Conclusions: Dairy farmers recognized the responsibility they have for making changes in respect of male dairy calves, and many demonstrated a willingness to make changes in this regard. The important role of other stakeholders, particularly suckler (system where reared from calf to beef) farmers, in rearing male dairy calves for beef production was also recognized. However, the issues of who bears the risks and costs associated with greater integration will have to be carefully considered.

European Dairy Farmers’ Perceptions and Responses towards Development Strategies in Years of Turbulent Market and Policy Changes

Farmers operate in a changing market, policy and social environment so questions arise as to how they experience these changes and react in their business orientation. This topic was examined in the period 2011 to 2016 in a strongly fluctuating product market and food policy environment, e.g., abolition of milk quotas in Europe. The study was based on unique panel data for 290 dairy farms in Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and The Netherlands, questioned up to three times in 2011, 2013 and 2016. The conceptual framework was composed of Farmer goals, Resources, Opportunities and Threats (O&T), and Future expectations (performance) as continuous variables, and countries and strategy farmer groups as categorical variables. Data were analysed applying PCA, ANOVA, cluster and regression analyses. Dairy farmers seemed not to be motivated or educated to take strategic decisions that made the best use of their resources and to take opportunities and mitigate threats to achieve their personal goals. Farmer perceptions were strongly affected by country of origin, local environment and milk price, and less by the strategy group. The market situation is one of the dominant factors affecting the mind-set of farmers in Europe. Future expectations were evaluated highest in 2013 (period with ‘high’ prices), lowest in 2016 (price crisis) and intermediate in 2011 (moderate price period). The large dependence of farmers on the price of their product could be a sensitive issue for politicians, but also food chain members and farmers’ syndicates. They may anticipate a fluctuating attitude of farmers with respect to organisational and institutional plans and implemented measures, depending on the market situation and related policy context.

A comparison of meat composition, tenderness and the fatty acid profile of three muscles from Holstein-Friesian bulls from production system resulting in final ages of either <16 or 19 months

Context The increased number of male dairy origin calves in Ireland due to the abolition of European Union milk quotas is a potential resource for the beef industry. Rearing these animals as bulls rather than steers is more efficient from a production perspective. Ensuring satisfactory quality of bull beef from dairy origin is essential. Aim To determine the effect of two production systems and three muscle types on physico-chemical characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of beef from Holstein-Friesian (HF) bulls. Methods Thirty HF bulls were equally assigned to two production systems, namely, slaughter at under 16 months of age or slaughter at 19 months of age. Longissimus thoracis (LT), Semitendinosus (ST) and Gluteus medius (GM) muscles were excised post-slaughter for determination of pH, colour, Warner–Bratzler (WB) variables, cook loss, chemical composition [intramuscular fat (IMF), moisture, protein, ash], collagen characteristics and FA profile. Results WB variables and cook loss after 14 days postmortem ageing, and insoluble and total collagen contents were higher, while IMF content, redness and saturation at 24 h post-blooming were lower for muscles from the 19-month production system. Muscles from the under 16-month production system had a higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) proportion and n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio, while muscle from the 19-month production system had a higher PUFA proportion, n-3 PUFA proportion and PUFA:SFA ratio. The GM muscle had the lowest L* value, followed by LT and ST. Yellowness, saturation and hue angle were greater in ST. LT had lower WB variables, cook loss, moisture, and a higher IMF content than ST and GM. The PUFA proportion and PUFA:SFA ratio were highest in ST, followed by GM and LT. IMF, total FA, SFA and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) concentrations were higher in LT from the under 16-month production system bulls (the interaction). Conclusions Beef from the under 16-month production system compared with beef from the 19-month production system, and LT compared with ST and GM muscles had better quality characteristics. Implications Dairy bulls can produce beef of acceptable quality. The findings will guide selection of the combination of production system and muscle type most appropriate to specific market requirements.

How did the multi-fiber agreement affect the level of specialization in the textile sector of the countries?

This paper aims to reveal the effects of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA), which determines the course of the textile trade and the global competition on countries' levels of specialization. In this perspective, we analyze the levels of specialization (competition) of the 10 countries whose exports were the highest in the sector before and after the complete abolition of quotas in a comparatively. In the analyses, we use the Index of Contribution to Trade Balance (ICBT), the Export-Import Ratio Index (EIRI) and the Michaely Index (MI) to measure the progress of countries' level of specialization in the sector by years. All of these indices indicate that the highest levels of specialization in the sector were Pakistan, India and Turkey before the end of the MFA. After 2005, when quotas were completely eliminated, China and Hong Kong increased their level of expertise in the sector and separated positively from other countries. In this context, China achieved a global competitive advantage in the sector, especially with high level of specialization.

Wpływ zniesienia kwot mlecznych na funkcjonowanie gospodarstw specjalizujących się w produkcji mleka

Rynek mleka od początku integracji europejskiej należał do najbardziej uregulowanych. Jednym w kluczowych instrumentów, które miały zapewnić jego stabilizację były wprowadzone w 1984 r. kwoty mleczne. Dążąc do większej liberalizacji rynku mleka UE zdecydowała o zniesieniu od 1 kwietnia 2015 r. limitów produkcji. Fakt ten znacząco zmienił warunki funkcjonowania gospodarstw specjalizujących się w produkcji mleka. Celem artykułu była próba ukazania jak zniesienie limitowania produkcji mleka wpłynęło na funkcjonowanie polskich gospodarstw mleczarskich. Podstawowym źródeł informacji były wyniki badań ankietowych przeprowadzonych wśród 1047 właścicieli gospodarstw specjalizujących się w produkcji mleka. Informacje te uzupełniono danymi Agencji Rynku Rolnego, Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego oraz Eurostat. W opinii ponad połowy respondentów na skutek likwidacji w 2015 r. kwot mlecznych pogorszyła się sytuacja ich gospodarstwa. Wynikało to przede wszystkim z niskich cen mleka, które wpłynęły na obniżenie opłacalności produkcji. Z tego względu aż 62% badanych było zdania, że na rynku mleka powinien być większy stopień interwencji.

Scenarios to limit environmental nitrogen losses from dairy expansion

Increased global demand for dairy produce and the abolition of EU milk quotas have resulted in expansion in dairy production across Europe and particularly in Ireland. Simultaneously, there is increasing pressure to reduce the impact of nitrogen (N) losses to air and groundwater on the environment. In order to develop grassland management strategies for grazing systems that meet environmental targets and are economically sustainable, it is imperative that individual mitigation measures for N efficiency are assessed at farm system level. To this end, we developed an excel-based N flow model simulating an Irish grass-based dairy farm, to evaluate the effect of farm management on N efficiency, N losses, production and economic performance. The model was applied to assess the effect of different strategies to achieve the increased production goals on N utilization, N loss pathways and economic performance at farm level. The three strategies investigated included increased milk production through increased grass production, through increased concentrate feeding and by applying a high profit grass-based system. Additionally, three mitigation measures; low ammonia emission slurry application, the use of urease and nitrification inhibitors and the combination of both were applied to the three strategies. Absolute N emissions were higher for all intensification scenarios (up to 124 kg N ha−1) compared to the baseline (80 kg N ha−1) due to increased animal numbers and higher feed and/or fertiliser inputs. However, some intensification strategies showed the potential to reduce the emissions per ton milk produced for some of the N-loss pathways. The model showed that the assessed mitigation measures can play an important role in ameliorating the increased emissions associated with intensification, but may not be adequate to entirely offset absolute increases. Further improvements in farm N use efficiency and alternatives to mineral fertilisers will be required to decouple production from reactive N emissions.

Assessment of policy conflict using systems thinking: A case study of carbon footprint reduction on Irish dairy farms

The dairy sector in Ireland is in potential conflict with environmental regulations due to the abolition of European Union dairy quotas and domestic agricultural expansion policy. The ‘Dairy Carbon Navigator’ aims to help Irish farmers reduce the carbon footprint of their milk and enhance economic viability by suggesting actions that could be taken to reduce carbon footprint. The tool is a national solution to Ireland’s contribution to the global problem of climate change and food production. It was designed to drive a decrease in net global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit milk produced but may conflict with legislation and policy designed to reduce total national emissions. The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of taking a systems thinking approach to identify areas of policy conflict, using carbon footprint reduction on Irish dairy farms as a case study. This was done by developing a causal loop diagram (CLD), which reflected a typical Irish dairy farm. The causal loop diagram was used to show the direction of change in farm level impact caused by implementing the Dairy Carbon Navigator recommendations. This was used to identify potential conflicts between farm management changes and the achievement of the EU Effort Sharing Decision (regulating GHG emissions), National Emissions Ceiling Directive (regulating some GHG emissions and acidification) and the Water Framework and Nitrates Directives (regulating eutrophication). It was found that extending the grazing season would increase absolute greenhouse gas emissions and absolute eutrophication but decrease carbon footprint. Increasing total herd intake per unit milk would also increase absolute impact. However, across all recommendations, reductions in carbon footprint, acidification and eutrophication per unit milk solids was predicted, due to increased efficiency. These results reflected the rising emissions detailed in the most recent national inventory report and reported decline in water quality, threatening the current overall good status of Irish waterbodies. The qualitative methods used to develop the CLD may introduce bias, but this was moderated by using workshops with interested parties. However, the main benefit of the approach was the identification of the differences between improving production efficiency (impact per unit output) and absolute mitigation of environmental impacts (decrease in national inventory). Systems thinking facilitates an interdisciplinary approach to policy evaluation from initiation to implementation, and highlights issues that may be overlooked when policy instruments are focused on a single factor.

An Examination of Water Quality Entering Irish Dairy Processors

Agriculture plays an important role in the Irish economy. It provides food and employment and has strong linkages with the agri-food and other sectors. The abolition of EU milk quotas in April 2015 provided a platform for agriculture to grow significantly and thus scope to improve existing processing practices emerged. The nature of the dairy industry makes it extremely water intensive, this research indicates on average 2.44 m3 of water are required to process 1 m3 of milk. The long term sustainability issues surrounding water supply require make it imperative that alternative sources are investigated. However, for these alternative sources to be acceptable the current cleanliness of water entering the process must be analysed closely, to provide a datum level of acceptable cleanliness. This study reviews the current Potable Water Standards in detail and investigates the level of compliance being achieved by 6 internationally trading dairy co-operatives within the Republic of Ireland. Results from this detailed study illustrate that current cleanliness levels far surpass the EU standards recommendations thus providing a tangible target for waste water recovery systems with the objective of satisfying customer concerns regarding reusing process water.

Development of a discrete infrastructure optimization model for economic assessment on dairy farms (DIOMOND)

The objective of this paper was to develop a discrete infrastructure optimization model for economic assessment on dairy farms (DIOMOND) to maximize return on investment (ROI) in dairy farm infrastructure over a specified time horizon. Optimizing ROI in dairy farm infrastructure is essential since the choice of technology, electricity tariff and management practices affects the economic performance of the farm. The abolition of European Union milk quotas has started to increase investments in on-farm equipment, necessitating a means of financial decision support for farmers. The optimization of ROI in dairy farm infrastructure within DIOMOND was accomplished by obtaining the optimal selection of equipment, management processes and electricity tariff which affect dairy farm electricity and capital costs and consequently ROI for new infrastructure. Optimization algorithms were applied to previously published dairy farm electricity consumption and ROI models to obtain the combination of decision variables pertaining to dairy farm technology, management practices and electricity tariff which yielded the maximum ROI for a dairy farm over a specified time horizon, compared with a base investment scenario. Furthermore, an assessment was carried out to find the most suitable optimization algorithm for use in maximizing ROI in dairy farm infrastructure. Five optimization algorithms, namely Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, Simulated Annealing, Tabu Search and Dynamic Programming, were assessed and their optimization performance compared. The Genetic Algorithm was selected due to its superior efficiency and performance. For a test case involving a 195 cow farm the optimal combination of farm technology, management and electricity tariff was found, resulting in a level of improvement in ROI of 26.31% over a ten year time horizon compared to a base investment scenario. The applicability of DIOMOND to a real world scenario was demonstrated successfully. Therefore it is anticipated that DIOMOND will provide a comprehensive tool to deliver substantial monetary savings and assist in decision making for dairy farmers, including those investing in new technology.