The Unintended Consequences of Tax Policy: How Mississippi's Ad Valorem Tax Structure Led to Environmental Devastation

ABSTRACT This is a story in two parts. The first describes the timber industry and the ad valorem tax structure in Mississippi during the first several decades of the 20th century. The second introduces Ran Batson, an entrepreneur and lumber mill operator, whose history illustrates the adverse consequences of the Mississippi ad valorem tax as it inspired extensive clear-cutting of forests and resulting devastation. Fortunately, the Mississippi tax structure has subsequently changed to a more favorable approach, and in the last several years of his life, Ran Batson learned the benefits possible from managing his land holdings in a more environmentally sensitive manner.

Evaluation of sex hormones state in female workers of mechanical rubber production

Occupational conditions of female workers engaged into main occupations of mechanical rubber production (rubber mixing machine operator, rubber mixture rolling-mill operator) are characterized by hazardous combined influence of chemical and physical factors of occupational environment: acrylonitrile vapors, occupational noise, vibration. Equivalent noise levels exceed maximally allowable level up to 22 dBA (MAL<80 dBA); the work conditions are assigned to hazardous (class 3.1– 3.3). The air at workplace of rubber mixing machine operator and rubber mixture rolling-mill operator demonstrate 5.5 times increased acrylonitrile level, if compared to the one in a reference group. Female workers of the main group demonstrated dysbalance of sex hormones: up to 2.0 times increased serum levels 17-OH-progesterone, prolactin and estradiol and 1.3 times lower serum FSH, when compared to the same serum levels in female workers of the reference group. Higher serum level of 17-OH-progesterone and lower serum FSH appeared to have high (EF=54.12%) and extremely high (EF=78.74%) degree of occupational conditionality.

Penerapan GHP dan GMP Pada Penanganan Pascapanen Padi Di Tingkat Penggilingan (GHP and GMP Implementations in Postharvest Handling of Rice at The Rice Mill Operator Level)

AbstrakPenerapan Good Handling Practices (GHP) dan Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) pada penanganan pascapanen padi di tingkat penggilingan di Indonesia masih rendah, bahkan sebagian besar operator tidak memperhatikan tentang standar mutu beras. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi penerapan GHP dan GMP pada penanganan pascapanen padi di tingkat penggilingan. Survey dilakukan terhadap enam penggilingan padi penyalur beras mitra Toko Tani Indonesia Center dalam kegiatan Pengembangan Usaha Pangan Masyarakat (PUPM), di wilayah Jawa Barat. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara, observasi lapangan, dan pengambilan sampel gabah dan beras sesuai berdasarkan metode SNI 19-0428-1998. Analisis mutu dilakukan berdasarkan metode SNI 01-0224-1987 untuk gabah dan SNI 6128:2015 untuk beras. Penilaian kesesuaian penerapan GHP dan GMP dilakukan berdasarkan praktek yang dilakukan responden, dibandingkan terhadap pedoman GHP dan GMP. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pedoman GHP dan GMP belum sepenuhnya diterapkan oleh penggilingan padi. Tingkat kesesuaian penanganan pascapanen padi adalah 52.9% untuk GHP dan 66.7% untuk GMP. Ketidaksesuaian terhadap pedoman GHP dan GMP dibedakan menurut aspek fasilitas dan penanganan pascapanen padi. Ketidaksesuaian dari aspek fasilitas, yaitu: kondisi bangunan dan gudang penyimpanan tidak dilengkapi pengontrol suhu, tekanan, kelembaban udara, dan perlindungan dari debu, kotoran, binatang pengerat, hama, dan serangga. Ketidaksesuaian pada penanganan pascapanen padi, antara lain: operator penggilingan padi tidak melakukan proses sortasi, pembersihan, dan pemutuan gabah. Selain itu, pengemasan gabah tidak disesuaikan dengan standar kelas mutu. Kondisi tersebut menghasikan beras bermutu rendah berdasarkan persyaratan mutu pada Peraturan Menteri Pertanian Nomor: 31/Permentan/PP.130/8/2017.kata kunci: beras, mutu, pascapanen padi, penggilingan AbstractsIn Indonesia, implementation of Good Handling Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in postharvest handling of rice at the rice mill operator level is categorized low, and even most operators do not care about rice quality standards. This study aims to evaluate the application of GHP and GMP on postharvest handling of rice at the rice mill level. The survey was conducted on six rice mills as milled rice supplier to Toko Tani Indonesia Center in the Food Business Community Development (PUPM) activity, in West Java area. The data were collected through interview, field observation, and sampling of rice and milled rice according to SNI 19-0428-1998 method. Quality analysis was conducted based on SNI 01-0224-1987 method for rice and SNI 6128: 2015 for milled rice. Conformity assessment of GHP and GMP implementation was calculated based on respondents' practice, compared to GHP and GMP guidelines. The results show that GHP and GMP guidelines have not been fully implemented by rice mill operators. The postharvest handling conformity level was 52.9% for GHP and 66.7% for GMP. Non-compliance with GHP and GMP guidelines were grouped into two aspects, facilities and postharvest handling of rice. Non-conformity of the facilities aspect, namely: the condition of the building and storage warehouse was not equipped with temperature control, pressure, humidity, and protection from dust, dirt, rodents, pests, and insects. Non-compliance to postharvest handling of rice, among others are lacks of sorting, cleaning, and rice grading processes. In addition, the rice packaging was not adjusted to the quality standards. These conditions result milled rice with low quality according to the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number: 31/ Permentan/PP.130/8/2017. keywords: milled rice, postharvest handling, quality, rice mill operator

High Quality Logs: Saw or Sell?

The break-even point for sawing or selling veneer class logs is determined to be higher than generalist assumed by foresters and mill owners. The efficiencies of the mill operator and the sale of chips can raise the net return from sawing logs above that ordinarily accepted in selling the same logs for veneering.