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The Internet is a main element of development of the information society, particularly in Europe, where it can help to remove national boundaries, and create a truly European economics and information society. The information society represents the most fundamental change in our life, with huge opportunities for all people. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) allow for new forms of partnership between companies, suppliers and consumers, improving the way they work and the products and services they offer. Electronic Commerce as a general concept covers any form of business transaction that is conducted electronically, using telecommunications and computer networks. Such transactions occur between companies, between companies and their customers, or between companies and public administration.

In the past ten years, meat and meat products consumption has changed dramatically. It has been caused by price and non-price factors. This article gives a brief recapitulation of the development of the consumption of meat and meat products and identifies the key factors which, in the past ten years, have had a major impact on this development. This article presents results of the secondary data analysis and the results of an inquiry into meat and meat products consumer behaviour carried out in the late 2004.

Ninety-three rectal swabs of lambs and young goats from two extensively and two intensively managed herds in Jordanwere taken and examined for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The bacteriological examination included the preenrichment of rectal swabs in EC broth with novobiocin, and a subsequent parallel isolation on enterohemolysin agar and immunomagnetic separation with cultivation on CT-SMAC. The STEC O157:H7 strains were demonstrated in 8 of 32 diarrheic lambs 1- to 3-weeks old in one sheep herd with intensive milk production. In the remaining three herds, serogroups O128, O78, O15 and serotype O128:K85 of STEC strains were the most frequent findings. The presence of stx2, ehlyA and eaeA genes in all STEC O157:H7 isolates was confirmed by PCR. In two untypable STEC isolates, stx2 and ehlyA genes were detected. In other STEC non-O157 isolates, only stx1 a ehlyA genes were found. All STEC O157:H7 isolates were resistant against sulphonamides and chloramphenicol, five were also resistant against ampicillin and streptomycin, one against co-trimoxazole. One isolate was resistant against ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, cephalosporins (cefazolin, cefuroxime), monobactams (aztreonam), sulphonamides, co-trimoxazole, aminoglycosides, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Compared the resistant STEC O157:H7 isolates, the multiresistant isolate had a different RAPD pattern. Of 36 STEC non-O157 isolates, one isolate was resistant against sulphonamides and co-trimoxazole, and another one against ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and co-trimoxazole. STEC isolates resistant against antimicrobial agents were demonstrated only in herds with intensive management.

The article provides an overview of software applications designed and available for Czech farmers according to two criteria: business function within which the decisions are facilitated, and type of decision-making support the application is built on. The survey shows that most of the applications have a rather narrow focus facilitating only one business function, often only part of it, and that the applications are mostly data-driven, while the vast expertise in the field of agriculture is somewhat neglected.

Nine identification RAPD markers (Moravcová et al. 2003) were used to distinguish 24 clones and grapevine cultivars. No polymorphism was detected among all the tested clones of Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Zweigeltrebe from Polešovice. Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Pinot blanc and Pinot Meunier were indistinguishable within clones, they also showed the identical RAPD profile within cultivars (except discussed sample No. 26). On the other hand, Auxerrois as a relative to cultivars of Pinot group showed unique patterns and may be classified as a different cultivar. Some irregularities within the cultivars of Pinot family from Oblekovice were also found, several of them gave different results from those expected: Pinot blanc sample 26 has the RAPD profile typical of Chardonnay. A new abnormal RAPD pattern as a marker of typical Chardonnay and Pinot profiles was observed in two cases. While RAPD banding patterns could not distinguish between the known clones, they were useful for distinguishing between phenotypically similar cultivars and for assessing the origins of cultivars thought to have originated as sports.

Web technology is a major element of the Internet. The various and inexpensive possibilities to use this technology allow for the minimisation of differences between rural and urban areas. This article focuses on the use of www technology for creating web sites. It outlines theoretical starting points for planning web sites, as well as practical methods, which are utilised for setting up the web presentation of a farm.

The accession of the Czech Republic in the European Union has brought a necessity to adopt a range of new legal regulations and to apply them in our conditions. Their application however connects with a highly demanding and complex process of implementation of the individual acts of law, administrative and time requirements. One of laws that had to be adopted is the Act No. 76/2002 Coll. on integrated prevention and pollution control, on the integrated pollution register and on amendment to some Acts (hereinafter the IPPC Act). The Act imposes an obligation for all operators of various industrial and processing plants working at certain production or processing capacities have to obtain a so called integrated license without which their activities will not be permitted to continue in the future. At the beginning of the integrated licensing procedure, each subject concerned by the Act is obliged to file an application for the integrated license at a relevant regional authority. There is an analysis of the present time of the IPPC problems in Czech food industry. At the present time, the procedure of licensing and applications for the integrated license are at various stages of the process in individual enterprises.

The information society represents the most fundamental change in our life, with huge opportunities for all people. Program eEurope has been very successful in extending Internet connectivity and has helped to obtain the adoption of the current legal framework for electronic communications and for e-commerce. The eEurope initiative should also become part of the enlargement process of the European Union. Slovakia and other candidate countries take part in realization of the program eEurope+ to support activities in using new information and communication technologies (ICT). eEurope 2005 carries the ambitious objective of achieving "Information Society for All". This means not only overcoming geographical and social differences, but also ensuring an inclusive digital society that provides opportunities for all.

The article summarizes findings drawn form the research carried on within the European project "Best e-European Practices" with a focus on digital SMEs only. Case studies are used to describe good practices. Cases studies are coded structurally using a set of indicators for each success factor and thus provide for learning of the potential users. Synthesis and generalization has been done on factors explaining motivations for introducing e-practices, the results firms seek to achieve and the benefits from the adoption of digital technologies.

Description of village and landscape sustainable development: ecosystems in the landscape, types of the territory utilisation, protection of natural resources, way of living. As to the sustainable development of country regions, we can consider these priorities: the renewal and development of villages, the protection and the preservation of the heritage of countryside, the development and the improvement of infrastructure, the support of tourism and crafts, services for country economy and finance. The development of multifunctional agriculture and forestry should be concentrated: in the less favourable regions and the regions with worse natural conditions (LFA), necessary agroenvironmental arrangements for zones with ecological restrictions, afforestation projects, the protection of water resources, the improvement of life environment and its protection, the preservation of landscape, the improvement of the care of animals.

The project of the AGRIS WWW portal proposes from its very beginning to establish a platform for providing information from the spheres of agriculture, food industry, forestry and from other areas related to the countryside. The main objective is to provide access to the already existing information sources, to run its own news service and to help with publishing of the information to the subjects that have limited conditions for electronic (Internet) presentation. This leads to creating of a complex block of information from the industry. This block is to serve for improving availability of the respective information for managers, public administration, students, teachers, consultants and other users.

The level of the usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) has a direct influence on the development and competitiveness of individuals, firms, production sectors, regions and even the whole continents. The availability of ICT, including the Internet, to agricultural enterprises in theCzechRepublicis already very satisfactory. Due to the structure of agricultural enterprises the penetration of Internet technologies in theCzechRepublicis more intensive than in most EU countries. Therefore an urgent issue is the level of the usage of these technologies that is not an issue related to finances anymore but it is a problem related to the knowledge and habits of users and availability of information and services. The project of the portal for the agriculture sector and countryside AGRIS has a significant impact on the level of the usage of Internet information and services in the agriculture sector.

The paper deals with the functioning of commodity exchanges in the Czech Republic, and is particularly concerned with exchanges trading in agricultural production commodities. The introductory part of the paper is oriented towards the theory and general structure of commodity exchanges; the other parts subsequently deal (in more detail) with the most problematic areas of their operation in the Czech Republic up to the present time. Within this part of the paper, the method of analytical evaluation is used for examining, above all, the existing legal regulation, the structure and function of these exchanges. Subsequently, using the method of comparative analysis, selected key aspects of their operation are compared with the theoretical requirements of their functioning as well as with the everyday functioning of this kind of exchange in economically developed countries. Findings gathered this way are subsequently utilized in the concluding part of the paper, the subject matter of which is a prediction about the possible variants of the future development of Czech agricultural commodity exchanges, with regard to the assumed admission of the Czech Republic to the European Union.

In 2001, galls were analysed of Pemphigus spyrothecae Pass. taken in one- to three-week intervals from Populus nigra and P. nigra var. italica at 4 localities in Brno. Fundatrices matured in the first half of June and during the first half of summer produced about 50 offsprings. Virgines produced about 10 offsprings which grew up in winged sexuparae. The winged individuals started to occur in galls from the beginning of August. In galls with intact development, on average 500 aphids developed. Galls with intact development on P. nigra var. italica reached larger average dimensions and contained at least by 4% more aphids than galls on P. nigra. About 5% of fundatrices died already in the 1st instar and other 3 to 6% in higher instars by the beginning of reproduction. At localities under investigation, 7.5 to 39.0% of galls on P. nigra and 3.9 to 13.7% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were occupied by the fly Leucopis puncticornis Meig. (Chamaemyiidae). About 24.3 to 32.2% of galls on P. nigra and 23.3 to 49.3% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were occupied by the bug Anthocoris minki Dohrn (Anthocoridae). Hover flies Heringia heringi (Zett.) and Pipiza festiva Meig. (Syrphidae) killing aphids in 3.8 to 30.4% of galls on P. nigra and 6.5 to 6.8% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were an important regulator. In August (i.e. at the beginning of the formation of winged sexuparae), the majority of galls opened through primary slit-shaped or oval emergence holes. A part (7.8 to 19.5%) of galls with so far intact development, however, remained closed and all aphids contained in them died. Diseases (particularly mycoses) often participated in the accelerated dying of aphids. The effect of mortality factors on the gall size differentiation was evaluated in details. The galls do not cause any leaf area reduction. In the case of mass outbreak, they decrease decorativeness of poplars in street alleys. In August and September, liquid excrements fall out from the galls (honeydew) polluting the environment in villages and housing estates.

The benefits arising from adoption of information and communication technology by farming businesses are explored, and the prospect of a digital divide appearing in the UK agricultural sector is discussed, drawing on results of research at the University of Plymouth. It is proposed that countries in Central and Eastern Europe will be subject to the same phenomenon, and that the potential disadvantage suffered by non-adopters of this technology will be sufficiently severe to justify both policy intervention and further research.

Physical, chemical and microbiological properties of soils were studied in black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) stands and compared with those in stands of natural species composition, in mixed stands of black walnut with linden and in pure oak stands. The objectives were to consider a possibility of black walnut planting at floodplain sites in the alluvial area of Southern Moravia. The first results did not show any worsening of soil properties and soil production potential. A positive amelioration effect of soil- improving species was proved in black walnut stands.

The article summarises the main results of the analysis of the perception of selected meat products in theCzechRepublic (i.e. the following types of salami: Gothai, Famer´s, Tourist, Poličan, chicken ham salami, Hunter´s, pork ham salami and turkey roll). Two factors have been defined on the basis of a composition approach, which influence the evaluation of meat products by Czech consumers during their purchase. The first factor was the perceived quality of the product and the second one was the healthiness factor. It has been found out that the perceived quality of the product has a decisive influence on forming of the preferences of Czech consumers in all analysed meat products. This finding has resulted from both direct and indirect acquisition of preference data. The healthiness factor is also important even though it has a relatively higher importance mainly in the meat products made from poultry and lean parts of other slaughter animals. Further, the analysis has confirmed the hypotheses of the influence of the consumers´ perception on forming their preferences.

There are 80% municipalities under one thousand inhabitants in the CzechRepublic. The population trend observed in the region ofSouth Bohemia has proved a long-term and gradated depopulation of such small municipalities. While population has fallen in municipalities under one thousand inhabitants, towns and municipalities with more than one thousand inhabitants show the opposite trend. The possibility of changing this trend seems to lay in the state help for small municipalities parallel with the expected change of the situation after the EU accession because it is very probable, that many young families will be looking for the financially more convenient living in the country.

The contemporary Czech countryside underwent an important change during the last ten years. The political, economic and social system of agriculture and rural areas went through a basic transition. We can say that the transformation of agriculture after 1989 is one of the principal milestones of rural development, as for example the agrarian crisis in the end of the 19th century, the land reform in 1919 and the collectivisation in 1949. The processes of restitution and privatisation changed the ownership structure of land and property. The share of rural population employed in agriculture decreased. Unemployment grew, offer of work opportunities and possibilities decreased in turn. Social, civic and religious life regenerated. There are many new organizations and institutions, open borders cause positive as well as negative events. The Czech countryside comes near to European rural areas in many aspects. However, there is a considerable differentiation of approach to one's own future. Some social groups of rural population were strongly affected by the transformation, especially people with low qualification, poor health, socially handicapped, less adaptable, and incapable of retraining. On the other hand, for other social groups opened so interesting options of employment or enterprise which were not even thinkable of before 1989. The standard of living, life style and attitudes of rural inhabitants differentiate. Results of a nation-wide research, "Trends of Social Change in Agriculture and Rural Areas", predicate main changes in the economic and social spheres. Detailed knowledge of economic and social processes of the Czech countryside is necessary for co-operation within the framework of the European Union.

"Emergency Control of Transboundary Diseases of Livestock in Southern and Eastern Europe", approved in the year 2000 and implemented from September 2001 the CENTAUR is expected to expand significantly. The major objective of this training Regional Project will be to strengthen the national and regional capacities to respond to transboundary animal disease emergencies through technology transfer in the fields of diagnostics, epidemiology and emergency preparedness. The following countries are included in the Project: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina (the Federation and the Serbian Republic), Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey. Southern and Eastern Europe are the strategically important areas especially exposed to Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). The CENTAUR's main task is to facilitate contacts with international centers of excellence and international organizations in order to achieve full compatibility with OIE and EU standards regarding disease control methods. The first CENTAUR Countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have been CENTAUR members since 1997 following the implementation of the previous FAO TCP Project. From the Baltic countries: Lithuania has recently joined the network and Latvia and Estonia have been encouraged to do so. Also the CENTAUR was joined by the Member: Sankt Petersburg Academy of Veterinary Medicine, Russian Federation (2001). It is expected that the Countries and subscribers of the CENTAUR NEWS FLASH INFO published by the Veterinary Research Institute, Brno will play an active role regarding the dissemination of scientific/professional information, regional cooperation and training. Four workshops to be held and other activities proposed in the project are described. Emergency control of transboundary diseases of livestock in Southern and Eastern Europe