Conference excursions to agricultural research centres

On Friday, 29 April 2005 (2 p.m. - 7 p.m.), after the closing session of the conference, three parallel half-day excursions to public and private agricultural research centres will be organised. These excursions will focus on actual agricultural research issues. Attendance to the excursions is free of charge. The number of participants is limited and registrations are considered in the order of their receipt. Please use the online form in the section registration to register for the excursions. 
Special note: For participants with an early flight connection on Friday evening, a shuttle bus from the location of Excursion 1 is organised that arrives at Zurich airport at 5 p.m. Participants of excursions 2 and 3 will return to Zurich City between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
 

Conference Excursion 1: Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture

According to its motto, FAL Reckenholz concentrates its research activities on the coupling of agricultural production and ecology, for the benefit of agricultural practice and extension service, politics, environmental protection and of society. This balancing act is symptomatic for Swiss agricultural research. We will gain insight into research on climate change and agroecosystems, on fodder crops breeding and on GMS risk assessment. There will be a shuttle bus from FAL Reckenholz that arrives at Zurich Airport at 5 p.m for participants with an early flight connection.
 

Conference Excursion 2: Syngenta Crop Protection AG at Stein/AG

Syngenta Crop Protection at Stein focuses on developing new insecticides, fungicides and herbicides and the site's state-of-the-art facilities include custom-designed buildings, glasshouses, growth chambers and laboratories. In total, the site has over 100 growth cabinets, which can be used to recreate the climatic conditions present just about anywhere on earth. Additionally nine large glasshouses allow experiments to be conducted on a bigger scale than is possible in the growth cabinets. The excursion will focus on current issues of Syngenta crop protection research and the screening of substances to be used as insecticides, fungicides and herbicides.
 

Conference Excursion 3: Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in Frick/AG

FiBL Frick is the world's largest research establishment for organic agriculture. The close links between different fields of research and the rapid transfer of knowledge from research to advisory work and agricultural practice are FiBL's strengths. FiBL has long been committed to the international development of organic agriculture. The excursion will give an overview of the world of organic agriculture and will focus on international cooperation in organic agricultural research and development. Special emphasis will be given to market and policy research in Eastern Europe and new EU countries and selected field experiments will be visited.
 

Post - Conference excursions with agricultural focus

On Saturday, 30 April 2005 (8 a.m. - 6 p.m), three parallel full day post-conference excursions that combine agricultural and touristic highlights will be organized. The excursions will direct the participants to beautiful alpine regions of Switzerland and make them familiar with specific themes of alpine or subalpine agriculture. For post-conference excursions a fee of 50 € is charged (except for participants with conference fellowship). The fee has to be paid in cash at the conference registration desk. The number of participants is limited and registrations are considered in the order of their receipt. Please use the online form in the section registration to register for the excursions.
Return to Zurich City is set a 6 p.m. for all post - conference excursions.
 

Post - Conference Excursion 1:
The Grisons: Rural Development in an alpine region

The excursion takes us to the eastern part of Switzerland, the mountain canton of the Grisons. We will visit one of its 150 valleys, the beautiful Lugnez, where traditional mountain life and its adaptation to the general economic development can be observed better than in the famous tourist spots nearby like St. Moritz or Davos. Even in this remote valley, agriculture is no longer the main economic factor, but the driving forces of local initiatives and innovation are enhancing its competitiveness. Furthermore, mountain agriculture has a major impact on the landscape cultivation and therefore a great influence on the touristic development. On the road from Zurich and back we will admire historical and cultural monuments as well as unique landscapes.
 

Post - Conference Excursion 2:
Central Switzerland: From agricultural production systems to tourism

This excursion leads us to the canton of Lucerne, where we will get impressions of agricultural production systems and of the touristic quality of central Switzerland. We will be given an insight into on-farm research on agricultural systems at Burgrain and on a pasture-based production system at a close-by farm. The trip continues to the city of Lucerne for a short lunch and sightseeing tour followed by a visit to Mount Pilatus. The cogwheel, the steepest of its kind in the world, will take us to the summit of Mount Pilatus at 7000 feet (2132 m) above sea level. On the road from Zurich and back we will be able to see the impact of agriculture in shaping a unique landscape that is essential to tourism in Switzerland.
 

Post - Conferene Excursion 3:
Emmental: Stability and change in a rural area

The excursion leads us to the beautiful Emmental region, characterized by soft hills and splendid farmhouses. According to the theme "stability and change in a rural area", several visits will illustrate changing land use patterns and dynamics of rural development typical for this region. The excursion will include a visit in a cheese dairy farm, as well as sightseeing in the town of Burgdorf.