Farms In Poland Research Articles

COMPATIBILITY OF ALLOCATION OF CAP STRUCTURAL FUNDS WITH REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN POLAND

The objective of the research was to examine whether the current distribution Common Agricultural Policy structural funds (second pillar of CAP) between different objectives in particular macroregions corresponds to the regional differentiation of rural areas and agriculture in Poland. Policy objectives were identified according to RDP 2014-2020 priorities. Six macroregions have been adopted at regional level NUTS-1. In order to determine whether the directions of distribution correspond to regional variation, the linear correlation coefficient was calculated. The coefficient describes the correlation between synthetic variables describing the level of rural and agricultural development in macroregions of Poland and regional allocations of funds for rural development and agriculture in Poland in the years 2004-2013 according to the RDP 2014-2020 priorities. The results show the presence of moderate linear dependence or lack of it between the variables tested. This means that the previous division of CAP structural funds only partially took into account the regional differentiation of rural and agricultural areas.

THE OPINION OF INDIVIDUAL FARMERS ON THE REPLACEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL TAX WITH INCOME TAX FROM AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

The paper presents the opinion of farmers on the possible changes in the agricultural tax system. Attention was drawn to the expected positive changes and farmers’ concerns following the introduction of income tax in agriculture. The research shows that almost 40% of respondents positively evaluated the above proposal, and about one-third of them claimed that the taxation of agricultural activities will be very unfavourable for farmers. Following the changes, farmers are concerned about complicated tax settlements, penalties for irregularities in settlements and frequent inspections from the tax authorities. Approximately 40% of the respondents felt that any changes will affect the increase of the current tax burden on farms in Poland. 45 and 30% of the respondents, however, predicted that the above change may contribute to an increase in investments and overall development of farms.

The prevalence of ocular diseases in polish Arabian horses

BackgroundEquine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. To date, no retrospective studies specifically investigating Arabian horses have been published.ResultsThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of ocular lesions and define the ocular diseases present in Arabian horses from breeding farms in Poland. Clinical and ophthalmic examination of 615 Arabian horses at Polish breeding farms (15% of Arabian population in Poland) were performed and medical history from the previous 5 years was analyzed. Data was obtained from review of veterinary archives and epidemiological interview of the resident veterinarian at each farm. The prevalence of ocular diseases was 9.75%. The following pathologies were diagnosed (with their respective prevalence): equine recurrent uveitis (ERU; 5.5%); cataract not related to ERU (3.3%); non-visual eyes (1.13%); posttraumatic lesions (0.8%); glaucoma (0.16%).ConclusionsIn this study, ERU was the most common ocular disease identified in Arabian horses in Poland. Its prevalence was lower than usually reported in Europe and the United States. There was no sex or farm predisposition but ocular disease prevalence increased with age. Other severe ocular pathologies were also observed, confirming that ocular diseases remain an important clinical problem.

POLISH AGRICULTURE ENERGY INTENSITY WITH OTHER ECONOMIC SECTORS

The aim of this article is to assess the energy intensity of Polish agriculture with other sectors of the economy. The article also assesses the share of agriculture in final energy consumption in the European Union countries. The article uses secondary data from the Central Statistical Office and EUROSTAT. The energy intensity of agriculture in Poland is decreasing and will continue to decline as changes in the agrarian structure and intensification of production in family-owned commodities grow. Comparing the energy intensity of the economy in EU member countries, it is much higher in newly-admitted countries than in EU-15 countries.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CONDITION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COOPERATIVES IN POLAND

The aim of this study was to present the changes that occurred in the group of large-scale farms functioning in a form of agricultural production cooperatives (APC) in 2013-2015. Due to little availability of information concerning this form of farms in Poland, the data for the analysis were gathered from the database of the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics National Research Institute. This database was created in connection with the annual publication of Top 100 APC. The analyses show that the surveyed group of cooperatives in 2015 reached a worse financial ratios than in previous years. However, this did not result in discontinuation of investment and modernization in these farms.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURE FROM AREAS WITH DIFFERENCES IN CONDITIONS OF RESOURCES IN THE LIGHT OF DATA OF AGRICULTURAL CENSUS (NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SCALE)

The aim of the article was to assess the level of sustainability of agriculture from areas with differences in conditions of resources in the scales: national (regions in Poland) and regional (Wielkopolska counties). For this purpose was made a comparative analysis of the indicators of agricultural sustainability in economic, environmental and social dimensions with using the data from the 2002 and 2010 agricultural censuses. It was found that in the case of environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development in agriculture were different directions of change in agriculture in Poland and in the Wielkopolska region.

The Importance of Improving Incentives and Employment Opportunities for Farm Households in Poland

Poland is experiencing the first stages of a period where its active labour force will decline steadily over time. This has raised important concerns with how well labour markets in Poland function, especially those in rural areas where there are still large numbers of households on small farms that have only limited engagement with formal work, and whose farm income is too low to provide an acceptable family income. The result is a high level of rural under-employment that imposes a growing burden on the economy and society, both in terms of unproductive labour and in high transfer payments to these families. There is a clear understanding that reducing the number of small full-time family farms in Poland is desirable as a way to: improve household incomes, address the need for more workers in other sectors, and further enhance the competitiveness of farming. Achieving this goal has been problematic, largely because to date there have been few incentives for these farm families to alter their behaviour. Simply put, the vast majority of small farm households do not perceive that they would be better off by engaging in formal employment. This largely reflects limited job opportunities in rural areas and a significant skill mismatch in local labour markets. But, it also reflects the continued existence of a variety of Polish policies that provide considerable financial benefits to these farm households, including a highly subsidized medical and retirement plan and exemption from income taxes, that significantly reduce the incentive to change behaviour. With a shrinking work force the cost of holding these potential workers in their current situation will only increase over time, but changing these longstanding policies remains a major challenge for the government.

Effects of wind turbines on spatial distribution of the European hamster

Rapid worldwide growth of wind energy is an important factor that is changing agricultural areas and affecting wildlife. The impact of wind farms on ground-dwelling animals is poorly recognized. Such lack of knowledge is disadvantageous, particularly in the case of rare and protected species, because it may lead to incomplete or inappropriate conservation strategies. We studied whether wind turbines through their vibration and visual or acoustic impact contribute to fragmentation of the environment and change the spatial distribution of the European hamster Cricetus cricetus (a small mammal, threatened with extinction) within wind farm areas. The study was conducted at three wind farms in Poland. The hamsters' burrows were counted along 218 transects near turbines (up to 150m), at intermediate distances (200–500m), and outside of wind farms (1–5km). We did not find any evidence that wind farms in their operational phase cause habitat fragmentation for the European hamster and change its spatial distribution. The studied species occurred even near wind turbines, within the zone of the most intense noise and ground vibrations. Possible explanations for the spatial patterns of hamsters' distribution around wind turbines and their implications for the conservation strategy of this endangered species in contemporary agricultural habitats are discussed.

SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION VS. FARMS` ECONOMIC OUTCOMES – THE CASE OF POLAND

The concept of agriculture intensification, in traditional terms, is understood as a process of increasing inputs of work units and/or industrial means of production in order to increase production per unit of agricultural land or animal. Having regard to the greater human pressure to natural environment, there is the need of sustainable intensification implementation. Sustainable intensification concerns agricultural productivity increase, simultaneously reducing agriculture negative impact on ecosystem. Sustainable intensification can be understood in two different ways. The first one refers to inputs minimization, mainly industrial inputs, although such practices may result in reduction of economic outcomes. The second approach is based on the use of agrobiological processes in factor productivity improvement. In this case, of particular importance is the farmer`s extensive knowledge, which translates to the quality of agri-environmental practices, as well as the use of environmentally friendly traditional and modern production technologies. The purpose of the article is economic assessment of farms in Poland, diversified in the scope of sustainable intensification process. This process was evaluated on the basis of soil fertility data, namely balance of soil organic matter. Farm Accountancy Data Network was used (2004, 2015). Keywords: sustainable intensification, soil fertility, soil organic matter balance, economic outcomes, farms sustainability, Farm Accountancy Data Network, Poland

Respecting EU cross-compliance requirements as an indicator of animal welfare on dairy farms in Poland

Respecting EU cross-compliance requirements as an indicator of animal welfare on dairy farms in Poland

Typ rolniczy a efektywność gospodarstw rolniczych w Polsce

The article assesses the level of effectiveness of farms in Poland depending on the type of farming. The analysis included agricultural farms participating in the Polish FADN. The study period covered the years 2010–2013. It was found that the highest efficiency use of resources of land, labor and capital were characterized by farm-type agriculture “granivores” and “milk cows”, while the lowest farm specialized in the breeding of other grazing livestock. In the analyzed period a uniform upward trend all analyzed performance indicators reported in farms focused on livestock granivores.

Wyniki produkcyjne i ekonomiczne wybranych typów gospodarstw rolnych w Polsce

Celem opracowania jest ocena wyników gospodarowania zasobami produkcyjnymi w wybranych typach gospodarstw rolnych, które należą do najbardziej licznych grup gospodarstw specjalistycznych w Polsce, czyli gospodarstw nastawionych na produkcję roślinną, specjalizujących się w produkcji mleka oraz produkcji żywca wieprzowego. Zaprezentowane w opracowaniu wyniki analiz wskazują na znacznie wyższy poziom wyników produkcyjnych i produktywności zasobów w gospodarstwach nastawionych na produkcję żywca wieprzowego w związku z dużym udziałem pasz z zakupu w żywieniu zwierząt, co warunkowało relatywnie dużą skalę produkcji. Dochodowość zasobów ukształtowała się na najwyższym poziomie w gospodarstwach nastawionych na produkcję mleka, ponieważ gospodarstwa mleczne uzyskały największe dochody.

FINACIAL FUNDS FROM EUROPEAN UNION FUNDS AS A CHANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECTOR OF ORGANIC FARMS IN POLAND

The aim of the work was to present and describe the development of organic farms in Poland and the impact of EU funds on the development of this sector. The possibilities of financing their development from the Rural Development Program funds in the period 2007-2013 functioning within the framework of the Union‘s Common Agricultural Policy were pointed out. The theoretical foundations and assumptions related to the functioning of the organic farming sector were also approximated. The results show that in the years 2002-2013 there was an increase in the number and area of organic farms. The greatest impact on the increase of the number and area of organic farms is the functioning of the RDPs in the years 2004-2006 and 2007-2013 and within it the subsidies for organic production. This confirms the very strong correlation between the number of farms and the amounts of subsidies paid to farms producing organic farming. It can be assumed that in the next few years the share of the area of ecological agricultural land may exceed 4-5%.

First detection of porcine circovirus type 3 on commercial pig farms in Poland.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is a novel circovirus species recently discovered in USA and China in cases of porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, reproductive failure, respiratory disease and multisystemic inflammation. This study reports on the first identification of PCV3 in Europe, in serum from pigs from Polish farms. A total of 1,050 serum samples were collected between 2014 and 2017 from sows and 3-20weeks old pigs from 14 commercial farms representing different regions of Poland, different size and health status. The samples were pooled by 4-6 and tested with real-time PCR for PCV3. PCV3 DNA was detected in 12 of 14 farms (85.7%). On the PCV3-positive farms, the virus was detected in 5.9% to 65% serum pools. PCV3 was most common among weaned pigs and finishers (26.1% and 28.0% of serum pools, respectively). Sequence analysis of 359 nucleotide fragment of ORF2 showed highest identity of 99.7% to PCV3-US/SD2016 from USA. Our results indicate that PCV3 is a common virus among Polish pigs but no links to unexplained disease conditions were established.

THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS IN SELECTED EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

The objective of the study was to compare the productivity of horticultural farms in Poland and selected EU countries with the highest horticultural production, ie France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Italy. The general characteristics of horticultural farms, the productivity of the basic factors of horticultural production and the production profitability have been analized. It has been shown that Polish horticultural farms are characterized by several or even a dozen times lower level of productivity of land, capital and labor than in other EU countries.

Jews Working in Agriculture in Poland in the First Years after the Second World War

The article presents the political and geographical considerations and the development of Jews in agriculture in Poland in the first years after the Second World War. The analysis was made in the context of the implementation of the policy so-called productivisation, which was based on increasing employment among the Jews (and other groups) in the industry, the cooperative sector and the rural economy. The areas of the largest concentration of Jewish farms were Lower Silesia and north-western Poland, especially two counties: Stargard and Choszczno. Despite the financial and material support (among others the Society for the Propagation of Professional Knowledge ORT), many farmers did not succeed at ensuring the profitability of their farms. However, the launch of farms quite quickly improved the dire material situation of Jews. The most resigned, fearful and hurt among them, who saw handing over their fate to appropriate institutions as their only chance for a change in living conditions, found employment in agriculture.

Current Status and Prospects for Organic Agriculture in Poland

AbstractOrganic farming is part of a sustainable development model; at the same time it is becoming a prerequisite for the multifunctional development of rural areas. The main aim of this study is to identify the state and analyse changes in the development of organic agriculture in Poland as well as to present the possibilities for its development. The time horizon of the study covers the years 2003 to 2015. The basis of the research was an analysis of the literature, the Report of the Chief Inspectorate of Trade Quality of Agriculture and Food (IJHARS), and national empirical research; it also includes an analysis of the results of surveys carried out on organic farms in the summer of 2016, as well as our own observations. The study showed that in the years 2003-2015 Poland saw a rapid increase in the number and area of organic farms due in part to the introduction of EU subsidies. Spatial analysis of the proportions of farms by voivodeship shows that in 2015 most were recorded in Warmia-Mazuria, Podlasie and West Pomerania. Similar to the increase in the number of organic farms, the years 2003-2015 saw an increased area of organic farmland. Poland is second in the world in terms of growth in the area of organic farms. In the years 2003-2014 the average size of an organic farm remained at about 25 ha and was higher than the average size of conventional farms (10 ha). In 2014 the crop structure was dominated by fodder plants (35.8%), and meadows and pastures (31.5%). In terms of livestock production, cattle and horses had the biggest share.

Measuring Efficiency of Websites of Agrotouristic Farms from Poland and Slovakia

Abstract Subject and purpose of work: The aim of the paper was to study traditional measures of efficiency of websites of agrotouristic farms from Poland and Slovakia. Materials and methods: It was assumed that basic measures of efficiency of a website of an agrotouristic farm are: a number of displays, mean time spent by a user in a website and also a mean number of pages which were browsed. 200 websites were analysed and their addresses were gained from online catalogues. The amounts of established measures were gained by means of SimilarWeb application. Results: In case of websites of agrotouristic farms from Poland, statistical data were available for 54 websites whereas for Slovak websites - there were 52 of them. There was by about 15.5% less number of views on the websites of Polish farms in contrast to Slovak ones, however there were Polish websites where users spent more time. In holiday months, tested websites had the highest viewer rating. Conclusions: Performed surveys brought a series of methodical questions. Gained statistics of websites’ usage do not tell much about differences in the Internet using rate in promotion of agrotouristic farms in Poland and Slovakia.

Pre-slaughter bodyweight and daily gains in mink are independent of the housing system

The research hypothesis assumed that the size of the cage affects bodyweight after weaning and prior to slaughter and, as a consequence, mean daily bodyweight gains in individuals of both sexes. The study was conducted from 2014 to 2015 at one of the private mink farms in Poland. In total, 800 brown mink were used as the object of research (400 animals in a given year). In each year, the animals were divided into two equal-sized groups, in accordance with their housing system. The first group included animals living in single-storey cages and the second group lived in two-storey cages (i.e. cages with an upper level added). The animals were weighed after weaning and before slaughter. Based on these data the mean daily bodyweight gains were calculated. The research hypothesis was rejected. The conclusion of the analysis of variance is the statement that the cage size did not affect either the animals' bodyweight or their mean daily weight gains. The differences in these results, however, were observed in individuals of different sexes. Males were significantly heavier than females and showed higher daily weight gains. High and positive correlation coefficients were also noticed between bodyweight prior to slaughter and mean daily weight gains.Keywords: Bodyweight gains, cage type, mink

The significance of financing farms with personal equity in the opinion of individual farmers in Poland

The aim of this research was to present the role and significance of financing with equity capital on individual farms in Poland. The research was carried out with the use of an interviewer questionnaire on a group of 100 farmers running individual farms as well as keeping the agricultural accounts in the FADN system. The research was conducted in the Mazowsze. Limitation of financing of the operational and investment activity only to the equity capital, in the opinion of farmers, contributes to less dynamic development of agricultural production due to a lack of sufficient equity resources for the purchase of machines and devices. The farmers included no requirements concerning warranties and guarantees in the situation of financing with a loan as the most significant advantages of financing with equity capital. Most farmers allocated the saved financial surplus to current or planned investments, assessing such financial strategy as the average level of risk. Such approach to self-financing of the activity was assessed by farmers as average in the context of the effectiveness of using equity capital.