The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer substantially contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to N2O emissions from agricultural soils and energy-intensive fertilizer manufacturing. Thus, a reduction of mineral N fertilizer use can contribute to reduced GHG emissions. Fertilizer tax is a potential instrument to provide incentives to apply less fertilizer and contribute to the mitigation of GHG emissions. This study provides model results based on a production function analysis from field experiments in Brandenburg and Schleswig-Holstein, with respect to risk aversion by calculating certainty equivalents for different levels of risk aversion. The model results were used to identify effective and cost-efficient options considering farmers’ risk aversion to reduce N fertilizer, and to compare the potential and cost of GHG mitigation with different N fertilizer tax schemes. The results show that moderate N tax levels are effective in reducing N fertilizer levels, and thus, in curbing GHG emissions at costs below 100 €/t CO2eq for rye, barley and canola. However, in wheat production, N tax has limited effects on economically optimal N use due to the effects of N fertilizer on crop quality, which affect the sale prices of wheat. The findings indicate that the level of risk aversion does not have a consistent impact on the reduction of N fertilizer with a tax, even though the level of N fertilizer use is generally lower for risk-averse agents. The differences in N fertilizer response might have an impact on the relative advantage of different crops, which should be taken into account for an effective implementation of a tax on N fertilizer.

Work in agriculture is a significant area of research that highlights the problem of the integration of young people in the former, in particular, in the recent period. Work in agriculture is hard and not prestigious, and young people tend to leave rural areas in the search for alternative activities in urban areas. The study addresses the problem of how the youth should be integrated into agricultural workforce by focusing on identification of the reasons behind the (un)willingness to work in agriculture. The aim of the study is to assess the reasons behind the youth's (un)willingness of work in agriculture, using Lithuania as the case study. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire designed to investigate the perception and opinions toward work in agriculture. The Binary Logistic Regression was used to identify the factors affecting the youth's opinion about (un)willingness to work in agriculture. The study analyzed 430 young people 's responses to the questionnaires survey. The BLR has revealed that youth's unwillingness to work in agriculture is mostly affected by gender, area of residence and youths' beliefs that work in agriculture does not provide any opportunities for self-realization. In summary, this paper argues that the major motivation to work in agriculture is associated with having parents who are engaged in agricultural activities, love of animals and natural environment, and the availability of specialized training. The findings have confirmed the need to attract young people to work in agriculture. Its results are necessary for the scientific community, policy makers, farmers, and practitioners exploring the possibilities for integration of the youth into the agricultural workforce.

Yearly almost 15 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being emitted in Lithuania by various industries. To reduce these releases into the air biofiltration, using particular cultures of microorganisms, is one of the most perspective air treatment method. The possibility to implement biofilter packed with reed charge reducing these amounts and cleaning VOCs and odors is being assessed in the article. It was analysed removal efficiency of biofilter packed with reed charge, which measured porosity was equal to 80%. The efficiency of biofilter was measured treating formaldehyde. The results of experiment showed, that the highest overall removal efficiency E=91.68% treating formaldehyde polluted air stream up to 20 mg/m 3 using the upright reed charge decomposition. Therefore, the filter efficiency was tested depending on the number of its charge layers height and on different injected air stream rate.

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