Farm financial distress can be determined by many factors. Farm failure can be the result of macroeconomic environment, unsuccessful farmer’s management decisions, and even natural forces. Different financial distress determinants may have different influence on a farm financial position. This study presents average financial ratios (leverage, return on assets, and return on equity) and single ratio of rental equivalent to gross margin according to farm size, land quality, economic size, farmer’s age and type of farming in Lithuania. The new approach to financial distress diagnosis requires classifying farms into financial positions. Considering average financial ratios and single ratio of rental equivalent to gross margin, farms were classified according to financial positions in order to estimate these methods’ suitability for financial distress diagnoses. Using study results, farmers can identify their position according to the average ratios. This study could be a guide for farmers making the financial management decisions.

Food consumption becomes an increasingly important topic considering global and local environmental problems as well as health issues and wellbeing of nations in general. Also in Latvia people are becoming more aware of importance of food and its direct and indirect impact on their everyday life. Therefore it is very important to evaluate sustainable aspects of food consumption and look for the barriers and drivers in order to form more sustainable consumption patterns which are based on information, knowledge and consciousness. The aim of the study is to investigate the perspective of sustainable food consumption in Latvia. The tasks of the study are: 1. to review present food consumption patterns from sustainability perspective; 2. to elucidate consumers’ understandings, attitudes and behaviour towards sustainable food consumption. The empirical research was based on the online survey with a sample of 82 women in the age group from 19-35. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results of the questionnaire and data obtained from Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. The results of the study indicate the gap between positive attitudes towards sustainable food and stated purchasing behaviour. There is an obvious perspective of growth of sustainable food market if we increase the awareness of consumers regarding sustainable consumption issues.

Entrepreneurial activity in various regions of Latvia is one of the most actual topics for politicians at many levels. The aim of this paper is to characterize entrepreneurial activity in the Kurzeme Region in the context of municipalities analysing the accessible statistical data. The entrepreneurial activity in the Kurzeme Region is analyzed both in general and in the context of municipalities in this paper. Analyzing accessible statistical data, one can draw a conclusion that the entrepreneurial activity in the Kurzeme Region is not even. It testifies that the factors which influence entrepreneurial activity development in some areas are to be searched at the level of municipalities. In addition, the analysis of data specifies various correlations. For example, the smallest number of merchants per 1000 inhabitants in Kurzeme region is in relatively small border municipalities, but higher results are in large cities and local authorities who comprise larger cities or in municipalities which border with larger towns. It is similarly discovered that in Kurzeme region there is a smaller amount of self-employed persons in local authorities with a large number of merchants per 1000 inhabitants and vice versa. There are also exceptions, further research is necessary to justify such correlations.

Research on identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape in Latvia was done during the vegetation season of 2009 and 2010. Field trials were located in the Research and Study Farm ''Peterlauki'', Jelgava municipality, Latvia (56 deg 32 min 17.38N, 23 deg 43 min 17.65E). Four species of brassica stem weevils were identified: cabbage stem weevil Ceutorhynchuspallidactylus Marsh., syn. C. quadridens Pan., rape winter stem weevil C. picitarsis Gyll., blue stem weevil C. sulcicollis Pay., and C. typhae Herb. One of the most common species in winter oilseed rape was cabbage stem weevil C. pallidactylus. Use of a sweep net for identification of particular species cannot be applied, as in practice no specimens have been collected by this method. One of the most appropriate methods for identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape has been yellow sticky traps and water traps that have been used to collect the greatest number of specimens (24) during the vegetation season. First pests appear during the 2nd decade of April, when the plant reaches 33 BBCH. Pest control using systemic insecticide Proteus 110 OD (tiakloprid 100 g LE-1, deltametrin 10 g LE-1) with a dose of 0.75 L haE-1 was applied when the plant reached 39-44 BBHC. Despite the high population density (2 to 10 insects on 40 plants), significant (p is less than 0.05) decrease in pest damage by 43-51%, when compared to untreated area, was recorded during vegetation seasons of 2009 and 2010. Pest control with a systemic insecticide when the plant is in the stem elongation phase provided a significant (p is less than 0.05) yield increase of 0.5 to 0.7 thaE-1.

The yield and quality (1000 kernel weight, protein, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content) of peas was studied in cultivar 'Madonna'. The peas (Pisum Sativum L.) were part of the five-year crop rotation experiment where red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), peas, potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), were following each other. There were two production variants which followed the crop rotation. In one variant mineral fertilizers and pesticides were used, and the other variant was conversion to organic without any synthetic agrochemicals. In mineral fertilizing variants the background in all variants was N20, P25, and K95 kg haE-1. The previous crop was winter wheat which received in fertilized variants mineral fertilizers with the background of P25 and K95 kg haE-1, the N amount varied from 0 to 150 kg haE-1. The aim of this paper was to study a mineral fertilizing after-effect on the peas which followed the winter wheat. Herbicide MCPA 750 was used. In conversion to organic, the pea grains which followed the crop rotation and mineral fertilizing Nl50 after-effect variants had higher yield, protein and nitrogen content compared to the other variants where mineral fertilizing after-effect was investigated. Phosphorus contents were higher in NO, and conversion to organic variants. Potassium content remained lower in Nl00, and Nl50 mineral fertilizing after-effect variants. The 1000 kernel weight was significantly higher in the variant of conversion to organic compared to the other variants.

Renewable energy resources play an important role in energy production both in Latvia and in the world. Bio-ethanol is used as a substitute for oil products in various countries of the world. It is produced from the plants containing starch: cereals, potatoes, beet, maize. The task of the research was to evaluate the suitability of different varieties of winter wheat, triticale and rye for extraction of bio-ethanol in Latvia. The research was carried out at the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute in 2009, and the following varieties and lines of cereals were examined: winter wheat varieties 'Mulan', 'Skalmeje', and the line '99-115', developed at the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute; winter triticale varieties 'SW Valentino', 'Dinaro', and the line '0002-26', developed at the State Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute; winter rye varieties 'Matador', 'Placido' Fp and 'Dankowskie Nowe'. The content of crude protein and starch of grains, the grain yield, and the bio-ethanol yield were determined. The highest bio-ethanol yield was acquired from the winter wheat and triticale varieties that had the highest starch content and the lowest crude protein content of grains. The best results were obtained from winter wheat line '99-115' and variety 'Mulan' (409.4 and 406.8 L tE-1), triticale variety 'Dinaro' (423.3 L tE-1), and winter rye variety 'Matador' (370.1 L tE-1.).

The choice of rootstock is the main precondition for establishing of high yielding and sustainable plum orchards. Therefore influence of rootstock on the plum cultivars wintering in Latvia climatic conditions becomes more and more actual. Investigation was carried out with the aim to clarify influence of rootstock on the wintering and health status of plum cultivar 'Victoria'. Investigation was carried out at Pure Horticultural Research Centre during two different wintering seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, in the orchard planted in 2001. The winter of 2008/2009 was characteristic with sharp temperature fluctuations, but winter of 2009/2010 was snowy with stable low temperatures. Sixteen widely used rootstocks known in Europe were included. Plum general tree health status (scored by 1-5 points) and percentage of dead trees were evaluated. No statistically significant differences among rootstocks were established according to the evaluation of tree health status. Differences in wintering ability among rootstocks were stated between two years of investigation. Trees grafted on Brompton seedlings and St. Julien d' Orleans demonstrated the highest winter hardiness (4.3 points). No one dead tree was registered on these two rootstocks. Rootstock GF8/1 was the least suitable for Pure conditions - with general health status scored at 2.3 points after severe winter of 2009/2010, and only 25% of alive trees.

The treatment of ketosis with glycerol was first introduced in the 1950s. Currently, the availability of glycerol as a feed supplement for dairy cattle has increased due to the rapid expansion of the biodiesel industry. It has been suggested that glycerol can be used as a dietary glucose precursor for dairy cows in a similar way to propylene glycol. This study examined the effect of orally administrated crude glycerol on milk production and composition, and energy-status related blood metabolites of primiparous (n=4) and multiparous (n=4) Holstein dairy cows in the first three weeks of lactation. The treatment group cows were given an oral drench of 500 mL of crude glycerol once a day before the morning feeding. Long-term oral drenching of crude glycerol had no effect on dry matter intake (DMI), but there was a positive effect on milk yield. Most milk composition values were not affected by the treatment, but treatment groups had lower milk protein levels. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations were declined with glycerol administration.

The non-spore forming gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a food pathogen bacterium and a causative agent of listeriosis. The aim of the study was to determine the survival limits of L. monocytogenes inoculated in manufactured vacuum-packed cold smoked pork depending on shelf time, supported by water activity (aw) and pH values. Enumeration of L. monocytogenes colony forming units per gram (cfu gE-1) was done according to ISO standard. Water activity (aw) and pH values in pork samples were more or less constant and supported L. monocytogenes growth. The behaviour of L. monocytogenes in cold-smoked sliced pork by shelf time, when environmental factors changed minimally and supported growth, largely depended on the initial contamination level. A lag-phase of bacterial growing process before exponential growth rate of inoculated L. monocytogenes depended on initial cell concentration and had 10 days step level if storage temperature was approximately 5 deg C. A significant Pearson’s correlation (p is less than 0.01) was established between the microbiological test values of L. monocytogenes count changes in sliced and packed cold-smoked pork during storage time of 60 days. The main parameter which maintained negative polynomial growth rate of L. monocytogenes in cold-smoked pork was the decrease of live cell concentration in samples below lg 2.0. The experiments were done at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Latvia University of Agriculture and at a sausage manufacturer’s laboratory.

Marinating is a simple technological treatment used to improve the tenderness and flavour of meat by soaking it in an aqueous solution which is composed of different ingredients. That also increases water brinding capacity of meat, thus reducing cooking losses and improving meat juiciness. The aim of current research was to investigate a degree of preference of marinated roasted venison meat. The red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat samples were obtained from a local farm “Saulstari 1”. The experiments were carried out in the Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Food Technology. Prepared samples were marinated at 4 ± 2 deg C temperature in the refrigerator for 48 ± 1 h. After marinating, venison meat samples were wrapped in aluminium foil, and cooked on a pre-heated double hotplate grill at 200 ± 2 deg C temperature until ready to eat (45 ± 2 min). The cooked hot meat samples were sensory evaluated. The sensory evaluation was carried out by using the nine point hedonic scale – ISO 4121:2003. The sensory evaluation of meat sample with thyme and juniper berries showed that the degree of preference was not so high (approximately – 6.0 points). For the venison meat preliminary treatment mayonnaise and tomato sauce marinades possibly could be recommended for acquiring better sensory properties of ready to eat product.