Agricultural and food industries constitute a significant part in the economy of European Union (EU), thus providing 15 million jobs and creating 4.4% of the gross domestic product. EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is adopted in all 27 member states and a significant part of budget is allocated to implement it - in 2008 it was 58.8 billion EUR or 44.5% of the total budget. This research performed the analysis of the theoretical, historical and economic aspects of the CAP. Eight main stages of the reform can be distinguished in the CAP development. They have their own characteristics, goals and main support tools. The process of the CAP reform has not been finished yet.

The purpose of this article is to establish the social and/or economic impact of the implemented Cohesion Fund (CF) projects on development of regions of Latvia. Three tasks are addressed to achieve this goal - to study CF projects by regions; analyse distribution of funding by sectors of economy and their compliance with CF objectives; to draft recommendations for improving the absorption of funds and achieving the goals of the European Union (EU) regional policy. The article consists of three chapters, an introduction and conclusions. New scientifically grounded recommendations are developed for improving socio-economic impact of the CF in Latvia. The key recommendation relates to the EU involvement in dealing with problems of increase in costs, namely - by proving that the increase in costs affects several of the new EU member states or Community regions, the EC will have to take part in addressing the problem. Further assessment of the socio-economic impact of the CF on development of regions of Latvia requires additional research.

In the EU funds planning period 2004 - 2006 in total 1141.44 million Euros have been allocated to Latvian national economy. The most part of financing was assigned to the development of infrastructure, development of entrepreneurship and innovation and human resources. Analysing division of the Structural Funds allocation between the regions, most part of the Structural Funds financing of 2004 - 2006 - 49.52% from all the financing has been allocated to the Riga region. That points to unequal division because Riga region has three times bigger Gross Domestic Product then Latgale region. Direct link to the social economic indexes indicating the development of the region and attracted EU funds financing can be surveyed - most developed regions have received most important part of the financing and underdeveloped regions the smallest part. EU funds regional support has to be planned and there should be regional development policy in EU funds distribution. Possible means to endorse the development of the undeveloped regions of the country by support programmes include creating specific support programmes, giving larger aid intensity for projects from regions, consultation work in project development and implementation and other ways.

In the paper, the philosophical and historical evolution of social transfers and their role in Latvia's social security system have been investigated. Definitions of social transfers have been studied, and a classification of social transfers has been made. The most suitable social security system, which, to a great extent, depends on social policies and a socio-economic situation in a country, is elaborated in every country. Latvia's social security system includes state social insurance, state social benefits, social services, and social assistance that are based on financing from both the state basic budget and the state special budget, and municipal budgets. Social transfers have a significant role in the social security system in order to provide protection for the population in social risk situations; they impact the welfare of the population during this period.

Eight-year (2000-2007) field studies on the effectiveness of controlled drainage in loam sandy soil were carried out in the Lowland of Middle Lithuania. The plot, which has existing subsurface water removal systems operated as conventional drainage was readjusted for the water table management. Two separate systems - 4.9 hectares free drainage (FD) and 5.4 hectares controlled drainage (CD) were arranged. A water level control structure with a riser column and hand operated rigid flap door was installed in the outlet of drainage collector in the manhole at the junction of two collectors. The water table level was allowed to rise to the maximum of 68 cm above the drains. Measurements to record the water table depth, drain outflow quantity and quality were performed. It was determined that in the CD system the annual drainage outflow lasted shorter by 40-62%, at the same time it was reduced by 25% and nitrate leaching - by 20-28% lower in comparison with the drainage operating in an ordinary regime. These indicators varied depending on weather conditions. The water table control in single-acting drainage systems is feasible and has a positive hydrological and environmental impact.

The researches were carried out from 2002-2007 in the upper reaches of the Šušvė River, a Nevėžis tributary, at the pig enterprise Limited company (LTD) 'Litpirma' breeding near the township of Šiaulėnai. LTD 'Litpirma' has been operating since 1978 and produces 25 thousand fattening pigs per year, along with an associated 56 thousand m3 organic fertilizers (liquid manure, slurry and solid manure), which are spread on surrounding agricultural fields. This article presents the impact of a large pig breeding company on the river water quality and quantifies the leaching of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). It is based on the water quality research data collected from an 11.6 km section of the Šušvė River, both upstream and downstream of Šiaulėnai, regarding the drainage water outflow from the fertilized fields and from Šiaulėnai domestic wastewater. Drainage water from 728 ha of fields that have been fertilized with organic fertilizers carry an average of 11.4 tons of nitrogen, 0.073 tons of phosphorus and 5.53 tons of potassium. Changes in NPK quantities carried by this section of the Šušvė were calculated as follows: total nitrogen increased by an average of 83 tons yrE–1 (58%), potassium by 51 tons yrE-1 (54%) and the smallest increase, for total phosphorus, by 1.2 tons yrE-1 (48%). All of these pollutants leached into the river during the cold season (to 60% total phosphorus and to 88% total nitrogen) when there was no vegetative growth. A wet year affects the quantities of leached NPK.

The article analyses the seasonal nitrogen variation in drainage water, when the plants in the field crop rotation are fertilized with slurry during different seasons. The investigations were carried out in 2001-2003 in Juodkiškis experimental site of the Lithuanian Water Management Institute. The investigations established that the largest amounts of nitrogen are leached out in spring and in winter. In the autumn fertilized variant 38.8% more of this element was leached out in winter and spring compared with the variant fertilized in spring. During autumn nitrogen leaching was also 21% higher from the variant fertilized in autumn. It was established that the fertilization rate and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) supply in soil have influence on the concentrations of this element. During the cold season nitrogen concentrations in drainage water, when plants had been fertilized with slurry in spring, were more affected by the supply of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in soil more compared with the rate of fertilization; and if fertilization had been performed in autumn - the concentrations were more affected by the fertilization rate. In warm season both the fertilization rate and the supply of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in soil had similar influence on the concentrations of nitrogen in the drainage water in both treatments. Meteorological conditions affect nitrogen leaching a lot. During the cold season a greater amount of nitrogen is leached out when the air temperature is higher and during the warm season - when more precipitation falls.

The traditional way of dealing with manure - storage, transportation, spreading in the fields - is currently applied very successfully, but is economically very expensive. People complain about very unpleasant smells, which are caused by gasses (indole, merkaptanas, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia) being released from the manure. Scientists are searching for other ways of handling manure which try to convert it to less harmful substances, reduce its odour and at the same time make it thicker by extracting its water content. The aim of our work was to evaluate the composition of slurry after processing it mechanically, and to test the effectiveness of the application of new coagulants and flocculants on its clarification. Fresh liquid manure from 'Sajas' pig complex(Kelme district) and the liquid manure treated in biogas reactors from Lekėčiai pig complex (Šakiai district) was used for research (2006-2008). Anionic coagulants such as aluminium chloride (Al2Cl), ferrous chloride (Fe2Cl) and pollycrilamide cationic flocculant 'Magnofloc 1011' were applied to clarify manure. 40-44% of organic pollutants can be removed from the aerated sewage under constant processing by coagulants and flocculants. The best result in pollutant removal from sewage is achieved when it is processed with 1.5 kg mE-3 norm of aluminium saline (AlCl) and 3.0 g mE-3 norm of flocculant 'Magnofloc 1011'.

The aim of the study is to analyse society's attitude towards globalization, increased immigration and multicultural dialogue emphasizing the importance of multicultural education. The investigation is based on the EU Comenius school partnership project 'Richness in Diversity' (No.: 07-LVA 01-CO 06-00167-2) where five EU countries (Latvia, Slovakia, Portugal, the Netherlands and Ireland) are involved. During investigation, a qualitative research has been done. The EU Comenius school partnership project 'Richness in Diversity' coordinators (teachers experts) were interviewed to discover their own experience and attitude towards globalization, migration, intercultural dialogue as well as their observations of their students' (aged 12-15) attitude and knowledge at the beginning of the project and dynamics - how changes their attitude when they have a possibility to visit a particular country and meet its inhabitants. The results show a positive progress of the teachers' and students' knowledge about the EU Comenius school partnership project 'Richness in Diversity' involved countries. During the project, mobilities students live in host families which give them an excellent opportunity to get introduced with the particular EU country's family, their everyday life, traditions and habits. It helps them better understand people from different cultures and learn to appreciate the culture diversity.