Rural Affairs Research Articles

Does agricultural mechanization improve agricultural environmental efficiency?

Improving agricultural environmental efficiency (AEE) is critical for sustainable and green agricultural advancement. However, there is limited research on the impact of agricultural mechanization on agricultural environmental efficiency. This study innovatively used micro-level survey data from the national fixed observation points of China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to employ a super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model with undesirable outputs for quantifying AEE. Additionally, a Tobit regression model was used to examine the influence of agricultural mechanization on AEE. Our findings revealed a “U-shaped” relationship between agricultural mechanization and AEE. Specifically, when the extent of mechanization fell below a particular threshold, any further increase adversely affected the AEE. Conversely, surpassing this threshold enhanced the AEE. This “U-shaped” effect was mediated by agricultural carbon emissions. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that relative to other village categories, the benefits of mechanization in elevating AEE are more pronounced in plain, agriculturally focused, and affluent villages. To promote the improvement of agricultural environmental efficiency, it is advisable to advance agricultural mechanization, reduce agricultural carbon emissions, and develop agricultural mechanization tailored to local conditions.

The suitability of the MOSTADAM system with the global systems of sustainability in the desert city, Case study ( North Narjes project in KSA)

Sustainable building practices are becoming increasingly important today, especially in desert areas with more severe environmental challenges. Numerous sustainable building assessment systems are available globally and locally, but their effectiveness and applicability in desert areas are poorly understood[1]. The world’s desert regions are facing unique environmental challenges, and sustainable building practices are becoming more important than ever. By comparing various assessment systems, we hope to identify the most effective and applicable methods for sustainable building in these areas. This research aims to compare global and local sustainable building assessment systems in desert areas to identify the most effective and suitable systems.Applying this to a sustainable program, which is one of the programs offered by the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing (MOMRAH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)[1], where the research will mean studying its suitability within desert Areas.

「스마트농업 육성 및 지원에 관한 법률」 제정에 따른 향후 과제

The Act on Promotion and Support of Smart Agriculture, which was approved during the plenary session of the National Assembly in June 2023, is scheduled to take effect from July 2024. Comprising 6 chapters and 25 articles, this legislation addresses key aspects such as the framework for nurturing and supporting smart agriculture, the establishment of a foundation dedicated to smart agriculture, and the promotion and expansion of smart agricultural practices. Anticipated to serve as a foundational milestone, the Act is poised to facilitate diverse policy initiatives grounded in legal principles in the future. Additionally, it will play a crucial role in consolidating the objectives and orientations of various policy endeavors that have, until now, lacked a clear legal foundation.
 However, as many of the provisions are focused on supporting policy projects currently being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, there are still some issues that are insufficient in content or require further consideration. Primarily, it may be deemed inappropriate to explicitly designate ‘promoting unmanned agriculture’ as the primary objective of the law, for various reasons. Considering the various social issues related to smart agriculture, it seems somewhat inappropriate that the Act does not include a provision stipulating the priority of application of laws to prevent contradictions or conflicts in the interpretation and enforcement of laws in the future. In addition, the absence of provisions related to support for domestic and international sales of products or treatment of smart farm by-products is also considered to be an area that needs to be supplemented in the future.
 In fact, Korea's ‘smart agriculture’ did not initially rely on clear definitions and concepts. Instead, it evolved by incorporating and refining similar or adjacent concepts, such as facility agriculture, precision agriculture, and digital agriculture, to a certain extent. This development was guided by addressing specific issues and aligning with policies. It is also a major characteristic of smart agriculture in Korea that the discourse on smart agriculture has been spread by the government, rather than naturally growing the pie of related industries centered on the private sector and the market like major countries abroad. Despite these limitations, smart agriculture has emerged as a major topic in agriculture, not only as a response to the agricultural sector's transition to a digital economy, but also as a way to increase agricultural productivity for food security, respond to the declining and aging farm population, and address climate change and environmental issues in the agricultural sector.
 Therefore, complementary work such as revising the law prior to the full-scale implementation of the Act on Promotion and Support of Smart Agriculture, resolving doubts and building consensus in the agricultural field, emphasizing the agricultural mission of stably supplying food and maintaining rural society, upgrading the smart agriculture policy promotion system centered on ‘data’, and setting goals and strategies for ‘Korean-style smart agriculture’ in a way that broadly recognizes and utilizes the problems and resources of the agricultural field as well as domestic climate conditions will be the future challenges of domestic smart agriculture sector laws and policies.

2022 동물보호에 대한 국민의식조사 결과에 관한 분석과 윤리·철학적 제언

In recent times, amidst the various voices emerging in our society, discussions related to animal protection have been gaining attention. A striking example is the advocacy for legislating against the consumption of dog meat. The momentum behind the opposition to the consumption of dog meat has grown primarily due to the rapid increase in the population living with companion animals, leading to a heightened negative public opinion regarding the consumption of dogs, which are representative companion animals. A nationwide survey on the overall awareness of animal protection among Koreans was announced in early 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs disclosed the results of a 2022 survey on public awareness of animal protection, covering 10 key aspects. This article aims to examine the core findings of the 2022 survey on animal protection awareness and analyze these results from a cultural and philosophical perspective. In conclusion, based on this, I would like to propose ethical and philosophical considerations to enhance awareness for animal protection.

Unveiling the importance of VOCs from pesticides applicated in main crops for elevating ozone concentrations in China

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered as important precursors of ozone in the air, while the contribution of VOCs from pesticide application (PVOCs) to ozone production is unknown. Utilizing data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China and ChinaCropPhen1km, this paper developed PVOC emission inventories with a resolution of 1 km for the main crops (rice, maize, and wheat) from 2012 to 2019 in China. The results revealed that pesticide application is an important VOC emission source in China. Specially, the PVOC emissions from the major grain-producing regions in June accounted for approximately 30% of the annual total PVOC emissions in the local regions. The simulation with the Weather Research and Forecasting Community Multiscale Air Quality model (WRF-CMAQ) indicated that the PVOC emissions increased the mean maximum daily 8-hour average (MDA8) ozone concentration across China by 2.5 ppb in June 2019. During the same period, PVOCs in the parts of North China Plain contributed 10% of the ozone formation. Under the comprehensive emission reduction scenario, it is anticipated that by 2025, the joint implementation of measures including reducing pesticide application, improving pesticide utilization efficiency and promoting solvent substitution will decrease PVOC emissions by 60% compared with 2019, thereby mitigating ozone pollution.

'Critical time' for new Defra secretary of state.

Steve Barclay is the new secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs following prime minister Rishi Sunak's cabinet reshuffle last month.

Evaluation of the Quality of the Age-Friendly Environment in Liaoning Province

The age friendliness of an environment is significant for improving the quality of life of the elderly. This metric is an important measure used by the international community to address the challenges of population aging. In order to explore effective ways to improve the quality of an age-friendly environment, this study considers the theoretical framework of the World Health Organization and combines China’s demographic and policy conditions to develop an urban-scale indicator system for the evaluation of the age-friendly environment (AFE) by including the dimensions of social and physical environments and municipal services. The entropy method and multiple linear regression were used to study the changes and influencing factors of the quality of AFE in 14 prefecture-level cities in Liaoning Province. The research results are as follows. First, temporally, the comprehensive quality of AFE in the cities in Liaoning Province was at a relatively low level, and the overall trend was decreasing. During the evaluation period, the level of age friendliness in various cities was generally low, with a relatively small number of cities scoring higher. Second, spatially, significant regional differences in the age friendliness of the environment existed, which showed spatial patterns of “high in the middle and low on both sides” and “strong in the south and weak in the north”. Third, the dimensions were in the order of physical environment > municipal services > social environment. The social environment was weak for the construction of AFEs in Liaoning Province, and efforts are required to strengthen it in the future. Fourth, aging rate was negatively correlated with the level of AFE. The positively correlated factors were in the order of expenditure for urban and rural community affairs > per capita GDP > per capita disposable income of urban residents. This study provides insights for cities to improve the quality of AFEs, actively respond to population aging, and help promote WHO initiatives in developing countries.

Using Fermented Astragalus Membranaceus Residue to Produce Functional Feed

The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued Announcement No. 194, stipulating that "starting from January 1, 2020, all growth-promoting drugs except traditional Chinese medicine shall be phased out as feed additives; starting from July 1, 2020, feed production companies shall cease the production of commercial feed containing growth-promoting drug additives (excluding traditional Chinese medicine)". The development of alternative antibiotic feed additives has become a hot topic in the livestock industry. In this study, the residues produced in the production process of Astragalus formula particles was used as raw material, and probiotics for feed additives were selected for solid fermentation, select the best fermentation strains and optimize the fermentation process; detect different analytical methods of fermentation products, nutritional components and safety and health conditions through in vitro experiments. Through the above research, it aims to provide a basis for the research and development of dietary antibiotic substitutes and traditional Chinese medicine residue resources.

PSXII-13 The Design of Equipment That Combines a High-Pressure Jet and a Translational Scraper to Improve the Manure Treatment Efficiency of Pig Barn Cleaning Machine

Abstract Livestock farming generates a significant amount of manure, which must be effectively managed to prevent environmental pollution and ensure the health and well-being of animals. The cleaning machine is a commonly used tool for removing manure from pig barns: however, it often leaves behind residual waste that is difficult to remove. To address this issue, a new equipment design that combines a high-pressure jet and a translational scraper has been proposed. This design aims to improve the efficiency of manure treatment by weakening the adhesion and removing stubborn waste particles, making it easier for the cleaning machine to collect the manure. The high-pressure jet provides a powerful stream of water that can dislodge even the most stubborn waste particles. For high-pressure washing, a DC 10V/10A standard water pump and a 70L water tank are included. The translational scraper, on the other hand, can move left and right across the surface of the slatted floor, effectively scraping away any remaining waste. For this work, an actuator was installed to move the blade part and the hook type work part. These two components work together to improve the efficiency of manure treatment and reduce the amount of waste left behind. By improving the efficiency of manure treatment, this new equipment design can help to reduce environmental pollution and improve the overall health and well-being of pigs. In addition, it can also reduce labor costs and improve the profitability of pig farming operations. In conclusion, the design of equipment that combines a high-pressure jet and a translational scraper has the potential to significantly improve the manure treatment efficiency of a pig barn cleaning machine. This new design can help to address the challenges associated with manure management in pig farming and promote a more sustainable and efficient approach to livestock farming. This achievement was made by the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, R&D project(421044043HD030)

PSXI-4 Study on Semantic Segmentation Technology for Efficient Manure Treatment in Pig Barn By Intelligent Cleaning Machine

Abstract In most pig barns, intensive breeding is being carried out, and social problems such as manure disposal and large-scale infectious diseases have emerged due to this livestock farming method. In particular, organic matter from the manure is decomposed and odorous gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are emitted. The emitted harmful gases cause problems such as causing stress in pig barns, reducing immunity, and causing various diseases. To solve these problems, cleaning robots for handling manure in pig barns have been developed, and algorithms for planning optimal routes for autonomous driving or methods for cost reduction due to efficient cleaning are being studied. Most cleaning robots currently in use, employ a method of treating accumulated manure by spraying high-pressure water from a stored water tank. If water can be sprayed only on areas that need cleaning, water consumption can be reduced, so we propose a technology that can determine this through a camera. If it is possible to determine whether cleaning is necessary by segmenting only manure from the image into objects, it is expected to significantly reduce unnecessary water consumption. The purpose of this study is to determine whether cleaning is necessary by dividing excrement into objects from images taken during autonomous driving with a camera mounted on the front of a cleaning robot. The final goal is to obtain a segmented image capable of recognizing only the manure part requiring cleaning from the captured image. The first step acquires image information using an RGB camera. At the beginning of the study, when the number of images is insufficient, the segmentation performance is checked through semantic segmentation using the difference between manure and other objects or backgrounds using image information. Depending on the segmentation performance and the number of acquired images, we plan to use a deep learning-based algorithm in the future. The ultimate goal of this study is to develop a technology for obtaining segmented images capable of recognizing excreta by utilizing image information from captured images. In addition, if only the manure part can be accurately recognized through this study, we plan to apply the technology of spraying water only to the necessary part by using it as information to determine whether cleaning is necessary from the segmented image. Through this, the company plans to apply the technology to self-driving cleaning robots to develop high-efficiency intelligent cleaning robots capable of efficiently handling manure. This achievement was made by the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, R&D project(421044043HD030)

The health burden of air pollution in the UK: a modelling study using updated exposure-risk associations

BackgroundLong-term exposure to ambient air pollution, in particular fine particles or PM2·5, is a leading global disease burden. PM2·5 in the UK, dominated by agricultural emissions of ammonia (NH3), has been estimated to be responsible for 29 000–34 000 adult early deaths a year. These estimates use models that relate exposure to health risk that predate cohort studies that have identified a supralinear relationship between exposure and risk at relatively low PM2·5 concentrations typical of the UK (5–12 mg m−3). Here we used this new knowledge to estimate adult premature mortality in the UK in 2019. MethodsFor this modelling study, we used the GEOS-Chem model nested over the UK to simulate ambient PM2·5 concentrations, UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) health data provided by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), and a hybrid health-risk assessment model. The hybrid model fuses a well established linear relationship between PM2·5 and risk for PM2·5 exceeding 10 mg m−3 with a supralinear curve at lower concentrations that is constrained with cohort studies conducted in Canada and confirmed with similar relationships from cohort studies in the USA and Europe. FindingsWe estimated that adult premature mortality attributable to exposure to ambient PM2·5 in the UK totalled 48 625 deaths in 2019 (95% CI 45 118–52 595); 15 000–20 000 more deaths than those estimated using outdated health-risk assessment models. Older people (aged 65 years or older) account for most UK deaths (86%). All adult premature mortality (in people aged 25 years and older) in Greater London (4861, 95% CI 4549–5247) exceeded that in Scotland (3673, 3214–4073), Wales (2462, 2270–2660), and Northern Ireland (1052, 934–1156). InterpretationAccording to our findings, PM2·5 is more hazardous to UK adults than previously reported, but a supralinear exposure-response curve also suggests that there are substantial public health gains in targeting dominant source contributors to PM2·5, in particular the unregulated agricultural sector. FundingDepartment for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Assessing Health Risks Associated with Heavy Metals in Food: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Bibliometric analysis is an effective method used to identify research trends based on historical publications that involves combining different frameworks, tools and methods, leading to the creation of different metrics. This study employed bibliometric analysis to investigate the global health risk assessment of heavy metals in food from 2000 to 2022 using Web of Science and VOSviewer. We explore publication trends, affiliations, countries, journals, citations, keywords and author collaborations. Of the 573 publications on this topic, there has been a notable increase in recent years. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (China) and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran) are the most prolific affiliations. Environmental Science and Pollution Research is the top journal. Notably, "heavy metals", "risk assessment", "cadmium", "lead", and "trace elements" are frequently used keywords. A study by Miraglia et al. in 2009 received the most citations. Amin Mousavi Khaneghah (Poland) is the most prolific author, with 24 papers. Articles mainly focus on contamination levels in fish, seafood, cereals, dairy, meat, and fruit/vegetables. Some studies highlight potential risks, necessitating stricter food product controls for consumer safety.

Delineating the spatial drivers of agri-environment scheme adoption at field and farm levels

Agri-environment schemes (AES), introduced by the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), aim to compensate land owners for implementing environmentally-friendly practices. Whilst literature has examined their effectiveness and how farmer characteristics govern AES adoption, there is a lack of knowledge about the spatial drivers of AES, particularly structural, biophysical and landscape factors in the UK. Using the Humber region as a case study, this paper explores how the uptake of Countryside Stewardship options has varied from 2016 to 2021. It also examines 2500 farms from the field- and farm-level data of 2019 to better understand what type of land British farmers are adopting AES on. Logistic regression analysis is used to identify the factors (including farm and landscape characteristics, designated sites and land quality) that best explain overall AES adoption, as well as specific scheme adoption, at the field- and farm-level. Our analysis reveals that ‘buffer strips’, ‘hedgerow management’, ‘permanent grassland’, and ‘winter bird food’ are the most commonly adopted schemes of 2019. AES are generally adopted on larger fields and farms that feature marginalised, unproductive and vulnerable land, except for ‘buffer strips’ which showed a larger tendency to appear on fields with more profitable, higher quality land. This study, therefore, supports the notion that AES are generally placed on lower quality land and that large proportions of agricultural land owners are not effectively targeted. With the expected loss of direct payments to farmers in the UK as a result of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) post-Brexit re-evaluation of rural policy, these results call for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) to be made more accessible and inclusive to a broader diversity of farmers.

İklim Değişikliği İle Mücadelede Kurumsal Karbon Emisyon Farkındalığını Arttırma: Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit Üniversitesi Devrek Meslek Yüksekokulu Örneği

Dünyadaki hızlı nüfus artışı ve sanayileşmenin hızla ilerlemesi doğal kaynakların tüketilmesine, fosil yakıtların kullanılmasına ve çevre kirliliğine neden olmaktadır. Bu durum, atmosfere salınan sera gazı miktarının artmasını ve küresel ısınmayı beraberinde getirmektedir. Bu etkilerin azaltılması için salınan karbon miktarının düşürülmesi gerekmektedir. Bu kapsamda ülkesel, bölgesel, kurumsal ve bireysel farkındalıklar oluşturulmalı ve salınım miktarının düşürülmesi hedeflenmelidir. Bu çalışmada, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit Üniversitesi Devrek Meslek Yüksekokulunun karbon ayak izi İngiltere Çevre Gıda ve Köy İşleri Departmanı (DEFRA) kriterlerine göre hesaplanmıştır. Devrek Kampüsü’nün yakıt tüketimi (kömür ve doğalgaz), elektrik tüketimi, atıklar, personel araçları, öğrenci ve personel servislerinin cinsi, araçlarda kullanılan yatık tipi ve yakıt miktarları hesaplamalara dahil edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, CO2 salınım miktarı 2022 yılı için 427,92 bin tCO2e olarak hesaplanmış ve en yüksek emisyon salınımının ısınma amaçlı kullanılan yakıtlardan (yaklaşık 284 bin tCO2e) ve personelin kullandıkları araçlardan (yaklaşık 77 bin tCO2e) kaynaklandığı, en düşük emisyon salınımının ise atıklardan kaynaklandığı tespit edilmiştir.

An Empirical Test of the Influence of Rural Leadership on the Willingness to Participate in Public Affairs from the Perspective of Leadership Identification

The participation of villagers in rural public affairs is vital for the sustainable development of rural communities and the improvement of villagers’ quality of life. Various factors, including individual characteristics, village environment, social forces, and national policies, influence villagers’ willingness to participate. However, empirical research on the determinants of villagers’ participation in public affairs often overlooks the role of grassroots leadership. To address this gap, this study proposes a theoretical model examining the relationship between transformational leadership and villagers’ willingness to participate in public affairs. Using a sample of 438 villagers from Jiangsu Province in eastern China, structural equation modeling and regression are employed to analyze the data. The findings indicate that moral modeling, leadership charm, and personalized care directly impact villagers’ willingness to participate in public affairs or indirectly influence it through leadership identification, which acts as a mediator. Furthermore, shared vision enhances the positive relationship between leadership identification and villagers’ awareness of public affairs participation. These findings provide valuable insights for village cadres seeking to promote active participation in public affairs among villagers. Specifically, gaining recognition through virtuous conduct, capabilities, and strong cadre–villager relationships serves as a foundation for influencing villagers’ willingness to participate in public affairs, while shared vision plays a strategic role in mobilizing villagers based on their identification with leaders.

Does nutrition knowledge training improve dietary diversity and nutrition intake? Insights from rural China

AbstractImproving dietary diversity and nutrition intake among rural households is essential to promote sustainable rural development. In this study, we examine whether nutrition knowledge training increases rural households' dietary diversity, nutrition intake, and total calorie intake. We consider three macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and three micronutrients (vitamin C, iron, and zinc) to capture nutrition intake. The doubly robust inverse probability weighted regression adjustment estimator is employed to estimate survey data of 765 rural households collected by the Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. The results show that nutrition knowledge training enhances household dietary diversity, improves the intake of macronutrients in terms of proteins and fats and micronutrients in terms of zinc, and increases total calorie intake. In addition, the intake of nutrients and calories of males responds to nutrition knowledge training while that of females does not. The dietary diversity of females increases with nutrition knowledge training, whereas that of males is unaffected. {EconLit Citations: I12, I18, Q12, E24}.

Effects of direct grain subsidies on food consumption of rural residents in China

AbstractThe agricultural subsidy is an important policy instrument that aims to maintain food security and promote agricultural development in several countries. China introduced its first nationwide agricultural subsidy (i.e., the direct grain subsidy) for farmers in 2004. This study examines the impacts of direct grain subsidies on rural residents' food consumption patterns and nutritional intake on an individual basis. Based on a nationally representative sample of rural households from the National Rural Fixed Observation Points Survey data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China between 2003 and 2015, high‐dimensional fixed‐effects estimates show that the direct grain subsidy has boosted rural residents' grain consumption but reduced aquatic products, eggs, and dairy consumption in China. Specifically, an increase of 100 Chinese Yuan in per capita subsidies is associated with a rise of 14.94 g in daily grain consumption but a decrease of 0.57, 0.46, and 0.90 g in aquatic products, eggs, and dairy consumption, respectively. Furthermore, direct grain subsidies intensified rural residents' dietary imbalance and declined their dietary diversity. Observed dietary imbalance can be primarily attributed to the subsidy encouraging households' self‐sufficient grain consumption, leading to excessive cereal consumption and relatively lower consumption of meat, eggs, and milk. Our findings suggest that direct grain subsidies emphasizing the production of staple grains may inadvertently skew farmers' food consumption and nutritional intake, which may require consideration when evaluating the overall costs and benefits of agricultural subsidy policies. [EconLit Citations: D12, H20, I12, Q18].

Management and Reduction Techniques Strategies of Ammonia Emission in Agricultural Sectors in China

Agricultural ammonia (NH3) emissions (including farmland, livestock and poultry) are China’s main sources of NH3 emissions. China’s government has proposed a national strategic goal to reduce NH3 emissions. Excessive protein feeds, unreasonable manure treatments and agricultural fertilizer applications result in large emissions of NH3. Agricultural activities such as the breeding of livestock and fertilization in farmlands are the main sources of atmospheric NH3 emissions. This article discussed the progress and characteristics of typical NH3 emission inventory, calculated the nationwide NH3 emissions and analyzed the NH3 emission control strategy in the past 40 years in China. There was also an integration analysis of national documents on emission reduction technologies (including government reports) in China. The results showed that there existed single calculation methods and insufficient localization of emission factors in the estimation of domestic NH3 emissions. NH3 emission inventories varied greatly influenced by meteorology, planting structure and breeding pattern. The control strategy of NH3 emission in China has transformed from emission standards to technical guidelines to national strategic control, and it involves the coordination and cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs departments. Current domestic NH3 emission management strategy needs scientific emission verification specification, multi-department and inter-provincial regional coordination mechanisms, and suggestions for further improvement have been put forward. It is urgent to evaluate precise NH3 emission inventories at different regional scales, followed by intensive NH3 emission controls in the key regions (such as North China). Government, agriculture, and breeding industries should vigorously promote low-protein feeds, large-scale livestock farming (including poultry), and pilot projects on closed negative pressure farming. Also, agriculture-related NH3 emission reduction measures should be fully implemented by providing technical support for NH3 emission control in domestic agricultural farms.

Modernization of the “Noise Database for Prediction of Noise on Construction and Open Sites.”

The “Noise Database for Prediction of Noise on Construction and Open Sites” was prepared by Hepworth Acoustics Ltd in 2004, distributed by the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and updated in 2005 and 2006. It has been adopted worldwide and provides a degree of standardization of assumptions used for certain projects. With access to thousands of results from sound power testing done in general accordance with ISO methodology, which uses multiple microphone positions to account for directional noise emissions, there is a unique opportunity in Australia to significantly improve the quality of the database. Improvements to the database would include a broader range of equipment and larger sample sizes allowing a better understanding of statistical uncertainty, options for reasonable and feasible attenuation, and low-frequency noise components that the DEFRA database is currently lacking. This could be used as a reference for both acousticians and regulators to improve the quality and consistency of assumptions used in the assessment of noise impact from a wider range of projects.

A dataset of pig feces and urine components in the Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Livestock Equipment Engineering in Southwest of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2018

The Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Livestock Equipment Engineering in Southwest of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is located at the junction of the middle hills of Sichuan Basin and the parallel ridges and valleys in the east of Sichuan Basin, within the geographical coordinates of 105°17'-105°44' E longitude and 29°15'-29°41' N latitude. The Station has been monitoring pig feces and urine components for DLY pigs since October 2017. The monitoring experiment of this dataset began in the summer of 2018 and continued for four consecutive quarters. The experimental animals in each quarter cover nursery pigs (about 20 kg), fatting pigs (about 70 kg) and breeding sows in three growth stages. These pigs were raised in metabolic cages equipped with fecal and urine collection devices to monitor fecal and urine production as well as their composition. Fecal data include water content, organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and heavy metal contents (mainly Cu and Zn). Urine data include pH, COD, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. Sample collection, transportation and testing are strictly in accordance with specifications to eliminate the loss and error, ensuring high levels of repeatability and reproducibility in the tests. Based on the continuous data accumulation and mining, we produced the dynamic change database of pig feces and urine composition to reveal the changing rules and influencing factors of pig feces and urine composition. The dataset is expected to provide basic data with scientific value for the safe treatment and rational utilization of livestock manure and urine, as well as the formulation of related policies.