Châtenay-Malabry (FR - 92290), 20 August 2012


EFITA newsletter / 573 - European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


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Please, contribute to the content of your efita newsletter, and advertise your events, new publications, new products and new project in this newsletter. Without your support, it will not survive!
Contact: Guy WAKSMAN
E-mail: guy.waksman(a)laposte.net

The archives of this newsletter
See: http://www.informatique-agricole.org/category/gazette-efita/


3rd Call of the 9th European Conference on Precision Agriculture 2013
With this 3rd Call of the 9th European Conference on Precision Agriculture 2013 (ECPA2013, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain), we are pleased to announce that the registration is already open and a list of hotels is provided for accommodation.
We kindly remind you that the abstract submission period is still open until September 9th 2012.
See: http://www.ecpa2013.udl.cat/third_call.html


Handling uncertainty in weather and climate prediction, with application to health, agronomy, hydrology, energy and economics
4 - 5 October 2012 - The Royal Society at Chicheley Hall, home of the Kavli Royal Society International Centre, Buckinghamshire - UK
This meeting follows on from the 2010 Anniversary Discussion Meeting on “Handling Uncertainty in Science” but with a focus on weather and climate prediction and downstream applications. How is uncertainty represented in weather and climate prediction? How reliable are representations of uncertainty? How can decision makers in weather and climate sensitive sectors make useful decisions in the light of uncertain input? Are current ensemble weather and climate prediction systems useful for decision making across a variety of application sectors? How should probability forecasts be presented to the public?
See: http://royalsociety.org/events/2012/uncertainty-weather-climate/


Efita 2013 conference
24-27 June 2013 – TURIN
Next summer we have The EFITA conference in Turin, Italy. We are planning the topics, program, social activities, pricing. If you have suggestions please feel free to comment!
You should now put the EFITA conference into your calendar at the 24-27 June 2013!
Contact: Prof. Remigio BERRUTO
E-mail: remigio.berruto(a)unito.it


Info Wanted! Livestock feed additives…
AERU at the University of Hertfordshire, UK are undertaking a study to identify the potential environmental benefits livestock feed additives could deliver e.g. reduced manure ammonia, reduced metabolic gases.
All additives currently available globally will be included – the study is not restricted to Europe. The work will rely heavily on published literature but if anyone has or know of other studies they would like included please contact me.
Contact: Kathy LEWIS
Email: k.a.lewis(a)herts.ac.uk


Discussions proposed by Karel Charvat on the LinkedIn Efita group
> To build a new ICT model for sharing and use of knowledge in rural regions.

> Making rural regions as an attractive place to live, invest and work, promoting knowledge and innovation for growth and creating more and better jobs.

> To accelerate bottom up activities as a driver for local and regional development.

> To support better transfer of RTD results and innovation into everyday life of farmers, food industry and other rural communities

> To find a balance among food safety and security, energy production and environmental production.

> To include ICT and knowledge management for agri-food and rural communities generally as a vital part of the ICT policies and initiatives.

> agriXchanges challenges


The New FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
See: http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/fsma/default.htm


Most Americans are ‘pro-regulation’ on food safety – regardless of politics, study suggests
Most Americans across the political spectrum would like to see more government regulation of food safety and food quality, suggests a new study published in the journal Food Policy.
See: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Most-Americans-are-pro-regulation-on-food-safety-regardless-of-politics-study-suggests


Mapping the Journey from Farm to Fork: Sourcemap
See: http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2012/02/06/mapping-the-journey-from-farm-to-fork-sourcemap/


Dialog Axiata’s “5 Star Partner” programme in Ski Lanka
This exclusive corps of highly trained and carefully selected independent rural entrepreneurs enables Dialog to improve customers’ lives by reducing costs and delays in accessing services, as well as by opening up access to life-enhancing mobile services many currently do not fully utilize.

Dialog Infomediary Initiative (DII) – under the theme of Inclusive Business (IB), Dialog Axiata PLC has developed a robust business case to empower communities at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) and is desirous of establishing a Social Enterprise Retail Network through an initiative known as “Dialog 5 Star Partner” to bridge the last-mile in its downstream value chain. The envisaged 5 Star Network is to build an innovative and non-traditional ‘Infomediary Network’ that relies on social entrepreneurs (information intermediaries) to reach consumers at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP).
See: http://sameeraw.wordpress.com/


Protectionism on the rise (P. LAMY)
“For the first time since the beginning of the crisis in 2008, this report is alarming,” the trade chief said at the informal ‘heads of delegation’ meeting, referring to a recent report of rising trade restrictions in G-20 economies. (See Bridges Weekly, 6 June 2012)

The WTO report found that 124 new trade restrictive measures have been introduced within the grouping over the past seven months, with the total number of measures implemented since 2008 now covering nearly 3 percent of world merchandise trade and almost four percent of G-20 trade.

“This situation is adding to the downside risks to the global economy and what is now a volatile global context,” he added, calling on WTO members to “redouble” efforts toward strengthening multilateral co-operation to resolve the current economic crisis and minimise trade and investment tensions.
See: http://ictsd.org/i/news/bridgesweekly/135355/


Forum Phyto
- Controlling Tuta Absoluta at a global level (FAO/EPPO…)

- 12 reasons to not use the “dirty dozen” list (Safe Fruits and Veggies, USA)

- FAO/UN and plant protection

- Nailing the snail

- To smile : I’m farming and I grow it (Video clip)


The Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Competition, states that the Commission has reached a 'good degree of understanding' with Google.
See: http://www.vieuws.eu/issues/
1-eu-competition/15-eu-competition/394-competition-commissioner-almunia-on-google-antitrust-case/


Exclusive Interview with Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, on Microsoft's lack of compliance with browser choice.
See: http://www.vieuws.eu/issues/1-eu-competition/
15-eu-competition/396-commissioner-almunia-on-microsoft-s-lack-of-compliance-with-browser-choice/


A woman has terrible arthritis through-out her body. Wanting to make a difference, she donates her body to science for research

She dies.

During the autopsy the Pathologist finds that, indeed, she has arthritis in every joint of her body: shoulders, toes, hands, spine, knees.

Every joint, that is, except her left elbow, which is a pure and healthy as a 2 year old.

At seeing this, the doctor declares, "What's a nice joint like you doing in a girl like this?"


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