Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, raising plants and domestic animals, as well as preparing and marketing the resulting products. Sustainable agriculture combines three main goals – environmental health, economic profitability and social equity. Looking at the collections of Harvest Festival articles from recent years, they all mention extreme or atypical weather conditions that affected the results of the trials. By accumulating such information, we will be able to find some connections over time and be able to at least partially prevent the negative consequences. In Latvia, research is very closely related to opportunities and the ability to attract financial resources, it mostly takes place in the form of projects. Therefore, scientific institutions must be able to live not only in unpredictable meteorological conditions, but also in financial ones. Reading the chronicle articles of the 2024 collection of articles, we understand that this art of survival has been learned and cultivated by scientific institutions. In Latvia, we can complain about the weather conditions or the lack of money, but when we read the article of Ukrainian colleagues about the effects of the war and also the prospects of raising farm animals in such conditions, we understand that we have been given a lot. We can only wish our Ukrainian colleagues patience. Agricultural production is also under pressure from society, and we are increasingly paying attention to alternative sources of protein. We will also talk about this topic in the scientific seminar. We live in dynamic times, but we know how to survive, live and achieve excellent results!

The scientific workshop “Harvest Festival “Vecauce – 2021”. Harvest in extreme conditionsˮ took place remotely on November 4, 2021. The eight oral presentations (ecosystems, Research Study Farm “Vecauceˮ, soil resources, plum cultivation, self-produced feed for pigs, drug plant cultivation, evaluation of bioeconomy strategy in Latvia and photos on field and laboratory experimentation show) were presented at the workshop and also 29th stand reports. The collection of the seminar includes articles on the results of scientific research on spring barley varieties, soil diagnostics within the SYStem workshop in Slovenia, lactobionic acid in pig feed, tomato diseases observed in central part of Latvia in 2021, preliminary results in an intensive type plum orchard in Vecauce, assessment of soil resources in the context of EU agricultural and environmental strategy, assessment of local spring wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) breeding line, terminology – gyttja or sapropel, essential oil content and composition from aerial parts of wild and cultivated Glechoma hederacea L., inclusion of lactobionic acid in the diet of dairy cows, the losses of the content of essential oil for oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), development of winter wheat tan spot depending on fungicide treatment scheme, humates chemical composition and uniqueness, and influence of soil tillage on soil agrophysical properties within a decade.

All scientific institutions have worked hard in 2022, continuing to implement various scientific projects. In the articles in the Chronicle section, there is occasional echoes uncertainty about the future due to very rapidly rising resource prices, but there is also a sense of determination to find some solution to this situation caused by the war, not to give up, to continue the industry important studies. The newly formed LBTU council has been actively working since the summer, and most likely, various changes await us in the future. At the Faculty of Agriculture we have received colleagues from the Vegetable and Melon Cultivation Institute of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. About individual Ukrainians read the results of colleagues' research and a bit about the institute in this collection.

The strangest year of many generations has passed, for life is a moment in the spring and all activity was interrupted by the government's March 12 decision on the announcement of a state of emergency in Latvia due to a global pandemic. However, neither agricultural education nor science workers had time to think about life, meditate, and think about what was good in the fast run and what it has caused you to lose. There was a quick need to deal with the redeployment of studies in remote mode, on obtaining the results to be achieved in the projects. These articles presented research results of the scientists of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies on animal husbandry (beef cattle, lactating sows and dairy cows), soil science (skeletal soils), deer farming products competitiveness, plant production (caraway, winter wheat, faba beans, soybeans, cucumbers and dill), plant diseases (caraway, faba bean chocolate spot and common bunt in winter wheat) identification and control in organic and conventional farming at the scientific workshop “Harvest Festival “Vecauce – 2020”: Research in the Shadow of COVID-19”.

The results of scientific research in organic and intensive farming incorporating plant production and fertilizers application, plant diseases distribution, monitoring and control, plant genetics, dairy farming and food science are described in this edition of scientific workshop during reorganization of the scientific institutes of Latvia University of Agriculture.

We spent the year celebrating the State (Latvia 100) and Agriculture higher education (155) anniversaries. We reminded ourselves that life would continue. After the celebrations, and much needs to be done to convince international experts that the importance of agricultural sciences has increased, we are internationally better recognizable, large and powerful in place of many small institutions, their own the articles are submitted to scientific journals and are quoted etc., etc., etc. This year we have collecting all the work done and concluding that the reporting period has indeed been done a lot. The number of publications quoted has increased, the authors have appeared or increased Hirsch Index, foreign colleagues involved to research projects or work in an institution who together make Latvian agricultural science and also scientists more internationally recognizable. The workshop reports presents research results in crop (winter wheat, barley, oregano) cultivation, fertilizers application, plant diseases and pests identification and control. Research in forest stand biomass determination and calculation of carbon sequestration has been viewed. Fertility of Latvian Dark-Headed sheep was analysed. Technology of dehydration of sapropel in geotextile bags has been outlined. Research on influence of soil tillage on clay mineral composition and plasticity has been discussed.

Šis – 2013. gads – lauksaimniecības zinātnieku saimei ir pagājis kā lielu jubileju gads: Priekuļu Laukaugu selekcijas institūts un Latvijas Augu aizsardzības pētniecības centrs atskatījās uz simtgadi, bet augstāko lauksaimniecības izglītību Latvijā ir iespējams apgūt jau 150 gadus. Visa gada garumā dažādi pasākumi veltīti nozīmīgajām gadskārtām, bet seminārs „Ražas svētki Vecauce – 2013” ir kā noslēgums augstākās lauksaimniecības izglītības Latvijā jubilejas pasākumu virknē. „Vecauce”, kas jau gadiem ilgi tiek dēvēta par „Agronomu Meku”, kur pils priekšā akmenī kalti uz visu noraugās mūsu dižgari Jānis Bergs un Jānis Apsīts, ir vispiemērotākā vieta šim notikumam. Sagadījies, ka arī lauksaimniecības izglītības un zinātnes pamatlicējiem šogad lielas jubilejas: profesoriem Jānim Bergam – 150, Arnoldam Bušmanim – 140, Pēterim Kulitānam – 135, Paulim Lejiņam un Pēterim Rizgam – 130, Jānim Bērziņam – 120, Edgaram Ozolam – 115, Paulim Freimanim – 105, Anatolijam Burmistrovam un docentam Alfrēdam Seržānam – 100. Beidzot 2013. gadā veikta studiju virzienu akreditācija, t. sk. virziens Lauksaimniecība, mežsaimniecība, zivsaimniecība, veterinārmedicīna un pārtikas higiēna ir akreditēts uz 6 gadiem līdz pat 2019. gadam. Visas zinātniskās institūcijas un arī Lauksaimniecības fakultāte 2013. gadā piedalījās plašajā pasākumā „Lauki ienāk pilsētā” (14.09.2013.), kas prasīja daudz darba, bet deva arī lielu gandarījumu, saliedētības sajūtu un parādīja gan pilsētniekiem, gan pašiem sev, ka mūsu nozarei ir ar ko lepoties. Kā katru gadu ir notikušas lauka izmēģinājumu un zinātnisko laboratoriju apskates, lauka dienas, diskusijas, pieredzes apmaiņas. Esam daudz strādājuši un lielā steigā mēģinājuši ielēkt arī „viedo tehnoloģiju vilcienā...” | This - the 2013th year - agricultural scientists family has gone to great anniversary year: Priekuļi Plant Breeding Institute and the Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre looked at the centennial, but higher education in Latvian agriculture is possible to acquire for 150 years. Throughout the year, various events involving the significant anniversaries, but a seminar on " Harvest Festival Vecauce - 2013 " is like closing higher agricultural education Latvian anniversary in a series. " Vecauce ", which has for years been known as the " Mecca of Agronomy ", where in the front of the castle in stone chisels to all look our gazing giants Jānis Bergs and Jānis Apsīts, is the most appropriate place for this event. So happens that the agricultural education and scientific founders have a big anniversaries this year: Professors Jānis Bergs - 150, Arnolds Bušmanis - 140, Peteris Kulitāns - 135, Paulis Lejiņš and Pēteris Rizga - 130, Jānis Bērziņš - 120, Edgars Ozols - 115, Pauls Freimanis - 105, Anatolijs Burmistrovs and an assistant professor Alfrēds Seržāns - 100th. At last in 2013, the study carried out in the direction of accreditation, int.al. direction Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, veterinary medicine and food hygiene is accredited for 6 years up to the 2019th year. In 2013, all scientific institutions and Faculty of Agriculture participated in a large event "Country comes to town" ( 09.14.2013 . ), which required a lot of work, but also gave great satisfaction, a sense of unity and showed both city dwellers and to ourselves that our industry has to be proud of. As every year, field experimentations and research laboratory visitation, field days, discussion, and exchange of experience have been carried out. We've worked a lot and in a hurry tried to jump in a "smart technology train ... "

During the workshop scientists presented the results of research in the cultivation of crops, plant breeding and disease control, improvement of soil fertility, as well as in livestock husbandry and welfare. Also had been reported (Rivža, B., Rašals, I.) on the results of Latvian Academy of Agriculture and Forest Science (LAAFS) future scientists’ competition in 2023 and the summary of the competition results (2023) of the field trials and laboratory show of scientific institutions organized by the LAAFS Agriculture Department (Alsiņa, I., Rivža, B.). This was followed by a harvest exhibition, tasting of individual exhibits and discussions.