Construction and stormwater pollution: Policy,violations, and penalties

This study investigated the construction related stormwater pollution violations cases and penalties in Minnesota from 2001 to 2007. The major type of construction stormwater violations was related to the lack of best management practices (BMPs). Twenty-one percent of these violations were committed by public agencies. Forty-six percent of the total number of cases lacked a stormwater construction permit. The increase in the number of these violations coincided with the housing boom in the early-2000s and the change of enforcement of construction sites from five or more acres to one or more acres. Implementing these new expanded rules caused an increase in the responsibility of the enforcing agency of the State. Hence, the agency had to develop creative methods to enforce the laws by involving local government agencies more directly.     

Trust and economic relationships in selected European agrifood chains

The role of trust in eight selected agrifood chains in four EU countries is explored. The empirical analysis is based on a qualitative assessment of 28 expert interviews conducted in summer/autumn 2005. In particular, the connection between perceived trust levels and the prevailing type of vertical economic relationships are explored from the perspectives of farmers, processors and retailers. The findings suggest that trust is more pronounced among SMEs, which are characterized by the existence of personal relationships between business partners. However, as is clear for pork breeders, if a source of distrust exists, trust may not fully develop. Also, if the general economic situation is difficult, the development of trust may be hampered, because all chain participants are struggling to command a share of a diminishing margin within the chain. Finally, if economic power is distributed unevenly, as is the case in Germany, Ireland, Spain and the UK where retailers dominate most chains, trust of the more powerful may be limited.     

甘肃省天水市绿色农业示范区建设的思考

该文总结了甘肃天水绿色农业示范区建设取得的主要成绩和经验,提出了发挥比较优势,突出航天育种示范区和甘肃省优质绿色农产品加工城市建设两大特色,不断优化农产品布局和农业产业结构,着力发展畜牧、果品、蔬菜三大主导产业,积极培育中药材、马铃薯等区域特色优势产业,加快传统农业向现代农业转变的发展思路保障粮食安全、加快特色优势产业基地建设、积极扶持龙头企业发展、营造良好发展环境等发展重点。     

Whose land? The political economy of land titling in transitional economies

During processes of economic reform and transition, decision-makers are facing questions with potential far-reaching consequences, such as what institutions should be established, how to determine the relationship between state and market, and in what time frame and order. Against this background, this special issue has brought together four articles that analyze the type of institutional arrangements that emerge over time in relation to one of the basic means of production: land. The various contributions pay particular attention to an often-contested institutional development, the registration of land holdings. By proceeding with land titling under conditions of low socio-economic development, the state risks creating what is here termed as an “empty institution” rather than a “credible institution.” In other words, the new institution remains nothing more than a paper agreement or a hollow shell with little or even a negative effect on the actions of social actors. It is what might be called the “collective trust” in the system. As land becomes increasingly marketized and commodified, the state should ensure that the emerging land market does not result in a rapid concentration of land in the hands of a mighty few. This implies the control of market forces through the restriction or prohibition of land sales or land rental. In this context, effecting institutional change through land titling should be done with the utmost care.     

河西走廊凉州绿色农业示范区环境质量评价

该研究以绿色农业理念为基础,参照国家绿色食品和无公害食品产地环境质量标准,通过大范围调查取样、测试分析,对河西走廊凉州绿色农业示范区环境质量状况进行了评价,示范区土壤、灌溉水及大气环境质量总体状况良好,处于\"清洁\"水平,达到\"安全\"等级,符合目前国家所规定的绿色食品及无公害产品环境质量的要求。     

Consumer trust, risk and food safety: A review

Consumers' attitudes to trust and risk are key issues in food safety research and attention needs to be focused on clearly defining a framework for analysing consumer behaviour in these terms. In order to achieve this, a detailed review of the recent literature surrounding risk, trust and the relationship between the two must be conducted. This paper aims to collate the current social sciences literature in the fields of food safety, trust and risk. It provides an insight into the economic and other modelling procedures available to measure consumers' attitudes to risk and trust in food safety and specifically notes the need for future research to concentrate on examining risk and trust as inter-related variables rather than two distinct, mutually exclusive concepts. A framework is proposed which it is hoped will assist in devising more effective research to support risk communication to consumers.     

基于灰色—BP神经网络耦合模型的杨凌示范区建设用地规模预测

建设用地是一个地区发展的重要物质载体,合理确定建设用地规模是地区理性发展和土地利用管理的重要依据。以杨凌示范区1997-2008年社会经济数据和建设用地数据为基础,运用Pearson相关分析确定了建设用地规模变化驱动因子,通过GM（1,1）模型预测出各驱动因子2009-2015年的数值。以1997-2008年建设用地规模及驱动因子数据为基础运用误差反向传递学习算法对神经网络进行训练,预测出了杨凌示范区2009-2015年的建设用地规模。     

办绿色奥运 建生态城市 实现首都园林绿化更高水平科学发展

介绍了北京举办绿色奥运、推进奥运绿化的主要做法和体会,总结了奥运绿化美化建设积累的宝贵经验。做好奥运绿化美化工作的重要前提是领导重视、全民参与,根本保障是与时俱进、改革创新,追求目标是以人为本、建设精品,强大动力是奥运精神、过硬作风。坚持以"办绿色奥运、建生态城市"为目标,以"绿色奥运、科技奥运、人文奥运"为理念,圆满完成奥运绿化重点工程,全面提升奥运生态环境水平,奥运花卉布置取得重大突破,首都园林绿化事业实现了新的历史跨越。     

Innovation in Agro-Foods: A Comparative Analysis of Value Chains

ABSTRACT

The innovative activity of firms has been linked to the introduction of a new product or process associated with the development or application of new technological knowledge. New products generally contain innovative techniques that increase the quality of goods. New processes are based on the use of new technologies to increase the efficiency of production. However, the exclusive link between technology and innovation has been criticized for various reasons. It provides a restrictive vision considering innovation as part of the manufacturing and services sectors. Innovation in firms affects not only the development and application of new technologies but also the adoption and the reorganization of business processes, internal organization, external relations, and marketing. The literature in the field of management emphasizes the importance of integrating product, process, and organization to translate new ideas into market success. Thus, to obtain a complete picture of the innovative efforts of firms in the agro-food industry, the concept of innovation has been extended to both technological and nontechnological innovations. This analysis provided evidence of innovations used by agro-food firms. It also identified latent demand for future innovation.     

青岛市农村金融改革创新研究

农村金融是现代农村经济的核心,是推进城乡统筹发展,促进农业现代化的重要支撑。在总结青岛农村金融发展情况、梳理国内外先进经验及实践基础上,针对青岛市农村金融需求潜力未释放、有效供给不足、体系不完善、信用基础薄弱等四方面突出问题,提出了积极建立农村保险和担保体系,争取开展农村抵押融资业务试点,创新发展农业产业链金融,完善农村信用体系建设等创新性对策建议。     

Credibility of institutions: Forestry, social conflict and titling in China

In the reform of a forestry sector governed by centralist, socialist principles towards a sector suited to the challenges of the market economy, the Chinese government needs to establish institutions that can be perceived as credible by social actors. In other words, the creation of institutions that rally sufficient social and political support in order to be effective. Against this backdrop, this article consciously opts to refer to institutional “credibility” instead of the more fashionable concept of institutional “trust”. Whereas scholarly discussions about trust focus more on the relation of trust between social actors, credibility puts more emphasis on the institution itself, and the role of government in its successful creation or failure. Failure to effectively undertake institutional reform might put the social acceptability or credibility of institutions at risk, and can lead to the emergence of “empty institutions” with little, or even, a negative effect on social and political actors. Applying this concept to China's forestry sector, this article identifies three critical areas that call for careful rethinking how to “get institutions right”: the titling of forest holdings; the restructuring of the forest administration; and the design of forest laws and policies with particular reference to lease and ownership.     

基本农田保护机制的创新问题探讨

结合近几年基本农田保护规划实施的情况,从保护指导思想、保护管理体系、保护手段、布局调整、投入机制与农民参与等方面,对基本农田保护机制的创新进行了探讨。     

林业在发展低碳经济中的地位与作用

介绍了低碳经济的概念,总结了关于低碳经济的国际共识,阐述了发展低碳经济对减缓全球气候变暖以及人类生存和发展的重要意义。指出了中国在高度重视发展低碳经济的同时,应充分重视成本低、易操作、综合效益好的林业措施,并把其作为发展低碳经济的重要途径之一。最后,提出了应纳入低碳经济的林业内容和政策建议。