This research explores how provincial governments in Canada can foster environmental leadership in business firms, and develops a framework to guide provincial policy and regulatory decisions with respect to environmental leadership. The research question is: How can provincial governments in Canada support environmental leadership in businesses? Environmental leadership is defined as voluntary beyond compliance behaviour. In order to answer the research question, what motivates and challenges environmental leadership must also be explored. Three case studies are used in this research: the electronics extended producer responsibility (EPR), marine and agriculture sectors. Data was collected through surveys and interviews with businesses, officials and organizations in each of the case studies. The focus is on British Columbia, although data was also collected from other Canadian provinces. Results demonstrate that the electronics EPR sector is characterized by compliance and coordination issues: businesses focus on meeting rather than exceeding regulations, and they identified a strong need for improved harmonization and coordination between jurisdictions on EPR regulations. The marine sector is characterized by businesses taking matters into their own hands, due to weak regulations accompanied by strong community pressures. The agriculture sector is characterized as one of contestation and capacity: contestation over what is environmental leadership (whether or not it requires beyond compliance steps such as organic certification), and capacity concerns, due to the high need identified for support, education and training for farmers. Five themes cut across the three case studies. First, environmental leadership is an ongoing process rather than a relatively fixed category in which businesses can be placed. Second, although social licence is important in all three cases, the licence comes from different sectors of society: consumers, community or citizens. In the electronics EPR sector, the social licence pressures come primarily from customers; in the marine sector, from communities; and in the agriculture sector, from citizens as a whole, comprised of both customers of agricultural products and communities that live near farms. Third, corporate culture or visionary leadership is important in driving environmental leadership. Fourth, a need exists for greater leadership by government, by strategic planning, taking advantage of new markets, resolving conflicts, greater harmonization and coordination of regulations. Fifth, continuous learning within a firm is important in environmental leadership, be it through formal training, sharing of expertise and knowledge, or through ongoing reflection on business practices. Key policy implications are that provincial governments use a broader mix of regulatory tools: accompanying stringent standards with training and education; support for transition to greener technologies or processes; and public education on the purpose of regulations, how they work, and the role of all sectors of society in achieving social goals. Cross government cooperation and harmonization of regulations could be improved, especially in the electronics EPR sector. The results of this research should assist in identifying ways for government to foster environmental leadership in businesses, through new approaches to governance and selection of policy instruments. / Graduate

Currently there is no control of bacterial wilt disease, Erwinia tracheiphila, in susceptible cucurbit crops, once infection of the plant occurs. Conventional and organic production systems rely on insecticide applications to kill the vectors, striped and spotted cucumber beetles, Acalymma vittatum and Diabrotica undecimpunctata, respectively, prior to transmission of the pathogen which indirectly controls the disease to some extent. Physical barriers such as row covers are used to exclude the vectors from plants prior to flowering; however, pollination requirements expose plants to potential infection. Experimental field plots were developed to test various enhanced organic production systems in an effort to increase productivity of the "Athena" variety cantaloupe melon crop, Cucumis melo, which is highly susceptible to bacterial wilt infection. The rotations included enhanced duration row cover applications as well as season long covering of the crop and application of bumble bee hives for pollination. The most successful enhanced production method included the removal of row covers and application of organic pesticides during flowering and recovering the crop until the end of the season. In this scenario, reduction in the cost of pesticide application and reduced risk due to less exposure to infection are the key enhancements to the system. During pollination, the melon plants are at risk of infection from bacterial wilt because organic production methods cannot include systemic insecticides. Only shorter residual contact insecticides are available, thus exposing the melon plants to vectors after the contact insecticide becomes ineffective. Application of an off-label biocontrol bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens A506, found in the organically certified product BlightBan®A506, was found to significantly increase control of Erwinia tracheiphila infection in plants, thereby allowing for increased productivity. Additionally, development of a Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, RT-PCR, primer set and probe improve the detection of Erwinia tracheiphila in melon plants. This new primer set was tested against numerous related and associated pathogens to document the specificity of this particular screening test.

Lic.-avh. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003. / Härtill 2 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Alnarp : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003.

Thesis (M.Sc.) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 1 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2009. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

A presente tese propõe uma discussão sobre a agricultura orgânica e suas relações com o mercado. As relações com o mercado, que são estabelecidas pelas organizações de agricultores, atualmente ocupam uma posição central nas discussões do denominado “movimento orgânico” no Brasil, constituindo-se em objeto de análise da própria definição de agricultura orgânica. As principais modificações, na conversão do sistema convencional para o orgânico, se apresentam nas relações técnico-produtivas, e, conseqüentemente, no sentido que é atribuído às atividades práticas da agricultura orgânica, modificando a realidade destes produtores rurais. A realidade dos agricultores é aqui entendida como aquela que é (re)construída no contexto organizacional. A agricultura orgânica pressupõe a possibilidade de os agricultores buscarem, através da sua atividade profissional, a (re)construção de sua identidade socioprofissional. Entretanto, neste contexto, também se destaca a construção de novas relações sociais, que influenciam, entre outros aspectos, a profissionalização dos agricultores. A tese aqui apresentada busca o entendimento das principais influências das relações de mercado sobre o processo de (re)construção desta identidade. Para identificar tais influências, foram analisadas as percepções e significados atribuídos pelos agricultores às diferentes estratégias de comercialização adotadas, bem como estudar as representações que estes fazem sobre as suas atividades, e que são formadoras de sua identidade socioprofissional. A análise foi feita utilizando os discursos dos agricultores sobre a sua atividade profissional, sobre os canais de comercialização utilizados e sobre as relações institucionais estabelecidas. É de tal processo relacional que se depreende a definição de identidade socioprofissional adotada na presente tese. Partiu-se da hipótese de que as relações com mercado, nas organizações de produção orgânica, assumem um papel central na (re)construção da identidade socioprofissional dos agricultores. Para a realização da análise, foram selecionadas cinco organizações de agricultores envolvidas com a produção orgânica, nos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina e Paraná, buscando contemplar, nessa seleção, dois tipos principais de relações com o mercado: as feiras e os supermercados. Para o levantamento das informações, fundamentalmente primárias, junto a estas organizações, foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade, com o auxílio de roteiros semi-estruturados, com agricultores e outros informantes. Para o entendimento das identidades socioprofissionais, no contexto organizacional, foi feita uma análise dos aspectos cognitivos referentes ao processo de institucionalização e de construção da realidade, apoiando-se, para isto, na Teoria Institucional e em algumas noções sobre o processo de construção identitária. Também contribuíram, para a análise, os diferentes enfoques e abordagens em torno da discussão sobre as definições de agricultura orgânica. Os resultados da pesquisa permitiram demonstrar as influências das relações com o mercado sobre a formação da identidade socioprofissional dos agricultores que atuam na agricultura orgânica, confirmando a hipótese da pesquisa. Entretanto, o mercado influencia a profissionalização dos agricultores de forma diferenciada, a partir de referências que são construídas nas relações diretas com os consumidores (feiras) e na legitimidade no mercado (supermercados). / The present thesis proposes a discussion upon organic agriculture, and upon its relationships with market. The market relations, which are established by agriculturist organizations, presently plays a central role in the discussions upon the “organic movement” in Brazil, constituting the analysis object of the organic agriculture definition itself. The main modifications, involved in the conversion from the traditional agricultural system to the organic one, are present on technical-productive relations, and consequently, in the meaning that is attributed to practical activities on organic agriculture, modifying the reality of these agriculturists. The reality, for these agriculturists, is here comprehended as the one that is (re)constructed in the organizational context. Organic agriculture presuppose the possibility that the agriculturists fetch, by means of their professional activity, the (re)construction of their socio-professional identity. Notwithstanding, in this context, it is also important the construction of new social relationships, which influence, among other aspects, the process of professional qualification of agriculturists. The thesis, here presented, searches out for a better comprehension of the main influences of the market relations on this identity (re)construction process. Aiming to identify these influences, were analyzed the percepts and significations attributed by these agriculturists to the different trading strategies adopted, as well as were studied the mental representations that they do about their activities, which are the formers for their socio-professional identity. The effected analysis used the speeches of these agriculturists concerning their professional activity and concerning the institutional relationships established. It is from such process that is inferred the socio-professional identity definition adopted in the present thesis. It was assumed, as an initial hypothesis, that the market relations, in the scope of organic production organizations, play a central role in the process of the agriculturist socio-professional identity (re)construction. In order to make this analysis, were selected five agriculturist organizations, which were involved with organic production, in the following southerner States of Brasil: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, aiming to detect, by means of this selection, two main kinds of market relations: free markets and supermarkets. For collecting the information, chiefly primary data, from these organizations, were done depth interviews, using semi-structured questionnaires, with agriculturists and significant others. And, in order to attain a better comprehension upon socio-professional identities, in the organizational context, it was done an analysis of the cognitive aspects referable to the institutionalization and to the reality construction processes, therefore, supporting this view on the Institutional Theory and on some notions on the identity construction process. Also contributed, for this analysis, the different views and approaches concerning the discussion made upon organic agriculture. The results of the present research allowed the author to demonstrate the influences of the market relations on the socioprofessional identity formation process for the agriculturists that act on organic agriculture, validating the initial research hypothesis. Nevertheless, the market influences the professional qualification of agriculturists in a varied manner, from the different references that are constructed in the direct relationships with consumers (on free markets) and in the market legitimacy (on supermarkets).

Submitted by Socorro Pontes (socorrop@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-10T14:48:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunaVF_DISSERT.pdf: 1429603 bytes, checksum: bfa717968f8ac26a8c67df251a41234a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-18T15:06:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunaVF_DISSERT.pdf: 1429603 bytes, checksum: bfa717968f8ac26a8c67df251a41234a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-18T15:06:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunaVF_DISSERT.pdf: 1429603 bytes, checksum: bfa717968f8ac26a8c67df251a41234a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-18T15:06:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunaVF_DISSERT.pdf: 1429603 bytes, checksum: bfa717968f8ac26a8c67df251a41234a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-23 / Organic agriculture aims to promote the conservation of the environment in the absence of chemical fertilizers and/or agrochemicals. Among the fertilizers used in organic agriculture there is the vermicomposting, rich in organic matter, which replaces the physical and biological structure of the soil that neutralizes the pH, besides increasing the resistance of plants against pests and diseases. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the production of arugula in function of sources and amounts of humus, earthworm and, subsequently, the production of radish in succession to the cultivation of arugula. Two experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm Rafael Fernandes, belonging to the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), located in the district of Lagoinha. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications, with treatments arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme. The first factor was composed of two sources of humus (bovine and goat manure) and the second factor of five humus quantities (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250% of N) incorporated in the soil. The cultivars of arugula used was the “Cultivada” and as for the radish was the “Crimson Gigante”. The characteristics evaluated in the arugula were: plant height, number of leaves per plant and productivity of green and dry mass of the shoot. As for the radish were: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, total, commercial and root rots productivity, fresh and dry mass of the shoot and dry mass of roots. The economic indicators were also evaluated: gross income, net income, rate of return and profitability index. There were no significant interaction between the sources and amounts of humus studied for any of the characteristics evaluated in the arugula and radish. The highest agro-economic efficiency of arugula and radish was obtained for 250% of N. As pertaining to the agro-economy, both of the sources of earthworm humus can be used. Earthworm humus is economically viable for the production of organic vegetables / A agricultura orgânica visa promover a conservação do meio ambiente na ausência de fertilizantes químicos e/ou agrotóxicos. Dentre os adubos utilizados na agricultura orgânica está o vermicomposto, rico em matéria orgânica, reconstituinte da estrutura física e biológica do solo que neutraliza o pH, além de aumentar a resistência das plantas contra pragas e doenças. Diante disso, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a produção de rúcula em função de fontes e quantidades de húmus de minhoca, e, posteriormente, a produção de rabanete em sucessão ao cultivo da rúcula. Dois experimentos foram desenvolvidos na Fazenda Experimental Rafael Fernandes, pertencente à Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), localizada no distrito de Lagoinha. O delineamento experimental usado foi o de blocos completos casualizados com quatro repetições, com os tratamentos arranjados em esquema fatorial 2 x 5. O primeiro fator foi constituído de duas fontes de húmus (à base de esterco bovino e caprino) e o segundo fator de cinco quantidades de húmus incorporadas ao solo (50, 100, 150, 200 e 250% de N). A cultivar de rúcula utilizada foi a “Cultivada” e a de rabanete a “Crimson Gigante”. As características avaliadas na rúcula foram: altura de plantas, número de folhas por planta e rendimento de massa verde e seca da parte aérea. No rabanete foram: altura de plantas, diâmetro de raízes, número de folhas por plantas, produtividade total, comercial e de raízes refugo, massa fresca e seca da parte aérea e massa seca de raízes. Também foram avaliados os indicadores econômicos: renda bruta, renda líquida, taxa de retorno e índice de lucratividade. Não se observou interação significativa entre as fontes e quantidades de húmus estudadas para nenhuma das características avaliadas na rúcula e no rabanete. A maior eficiência agroeconômica da rúcula e do rabanete foi obtida na quantidade de 250% de N. Agroeconomicamente pode-se usar ambas as fontes de húmus de minhoca. O húmus de minhoca é economicamente viável para a produção de hortaliças orgânicas / 2017-07-10

A presente tese propõe uma discussão sobre a agricultura orgânica e suas relações com o mercado. As relações com o mercado, que são estabelecidas pelas organizações de agricultores, atualmente ocupam uma posição central nas discussões do denominado “movimento orgânico” no Brasil, constituindo-se em objeto de análise da própria definição de agricultura orgânica. As principais modificações, na conversão do sistema convencional para o orgânico, se apresentam nas relações técnico-produtivas, e, conseqüentemente, no sentido que é atribuído às atividades práticas da agricultura orgânica, modificando a realidade destes produtores rurais. A realidade dos agricultores é aqui entendida como aquela que é (re)construída no contexto organizacional. A agricultura orgânica pressupõe a possibilidade de os agricultores buscarem, através da sua atividade profissional, a (re)construção de sua identidade socioprofissional. Entretanto, neste contexto, também se destaca a construção de novas relações sociais, que influenciam, entre outros aspectos, a profissionalização dos agricultores. A tese aqui apresentada busca o entendimento das principais influências das relações de mercado sobre o processo de (re)construção desta identidade. Para identificar tais influências, foram analisadas as percepções e significados atribuídos pelos agricultores às diferentes estratégias de comercialização adotadas, bem como estudar as representações que estes fazem sobre as suas atividades, e que são formadoras de sua identidade socioprofissional. A análise foi feita utilizando os discursos dos agricultores sobre a sua atividade profissional, sobre os canais de comercialização utilizados e sobre as relações institucionais estabelecidas. É de tal processo relacional que se depreende a definição de identidade socioprofissional adotada na presente tese. Partiu-se da hipótese de que as relações com mercado, nas organizações de produção orgânica, assumem um papel central na (re)construção da identidade socioprofissional dos agricultores. Para a realização da análise, foram selecionadas cinco organizações de agricultores envolvidas com a produção orgânica, nos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina e Paraná, buscando contemplar, nessa seleção, dois tipos principais de relações com o mercado: as feiras e os supermercados. Para o levantamento das informações, fundamentalmente primárias, junto a estas organizações, foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade, com o auxílio de roteiros semi-estruturados, com agricultores e outros informantes. Para o entendimento das identidades socioprofissionais, no contexto organizacional, foi feita uma análise dos aspectos cognitivos referentes ao processo de institucionalização e de construção da realidade, apoiando-se, para isto, na Teoria Institucional e em algumas noções sobre o processo de construção identitária. Também contribuíram, para a análise, os diferentes enfoques e abordagens em torno da discussão sobre as definições de agricultura orgânica. Os resultados da pesquisa permitiram demonstrar as influências das relações com o mercado sobre a formação da identidade socioprofissional dos agricultores que atuam na agricultura orgânica, confirmando a hipótese da pesquisa. Entretanto, o mercado influencia a profissionalização dos agricultores de forma diferenciada, a partir de referências que são construídas nas relações diretas com os consumidores (feiras) e na legitimidade no mercado (supermercados). / The present thesis proposes a discussion upon organic agriculture, and upon its relationships with market. The market relations, which are established by agriculturist organizations, presently plays a central role in the discussions upon the “organic movement” in Brazil, constituting the analysis object of the organic agriculture definition itself. The main modifications, involved in the conversion from the traditional agricultural system to the organic one, are present on technical-productive relations, and consequently, in the meaning that is attributed to practical activities on organic agriculture, modifying the reality of these agriculturists. The reality, for these agriculturists, is here comprehended as the one that is (re)constructed in the organizational context. Organic agriculture presuppose the possibility that the agriculturists fetch, by means of their professional activity, the (re)construction of their socio-professional identity. Notwithstanding, in this context, it is also important the construction of new social relationships, which influence, among other aspects, the process of professional qualification of agriculturists. The thesis, here presented, searches out for a better comprehension of the main influences of the market relations on this identity (re)construction process. Aiming to identify these influences, were analyzed the percepts and significations attributed by these agriculturists to the different trading strategies adopted, as well as were studied the mental representations that they do about their activities, which are the formers for their socio-professional identity. The effected analysis used the speeches of these agriculturists concerning their professional activity and concerning the institutional relationships established. It is from such process that is inferred the socio-professional identity definition adopted in the present thesis. It was assumed, as an initial hypothesis, that the market relations, in the scope of organic production organizations, play a central role in the process of the agriculturist socio-professional identity (re)construction. In order to make this analysis, were selected five agriculturist organizations, which were involved with organic production, in the following southerner States of Brasil: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, aiming to detect, by means of this selection, two main kinds of market relations: free markets and supermarkets. For collecting the information, chiefly primary data, from these organizations, were done depth interviews, using semi-structured questionnaires, with agriculturists and significant others. And, in order to attain a better comprehension upon socio-professional identities, in the organizational context, it was done an analysis of the cognitive aspects referable to the institutionalization and to the reality construction processes, therefore, supporting this view on the Institutional Theory and on some notions on the identity construction process. Also contributed, for this analysis, the different views and approaches concerning the discussion made upon organic agriculture. The results of the present research allowed the author to demonstrate the influences of the market relations on the socioprofessional identity formation process for the agriculturists that act on organic agriculture, validating the initial research hypothesis. Nevertheless, the market influences the professional qualification of agriculturists in a varied manner, from the different references that are constructed in the direct relationships with consumers (on free markets) and in the market legitimacy (on supermarkets).