This Issue marks a fresh vision, a fresh image for research in the physical sciences and engineering applied to biological systems. The application of engineering to agriculture has produced a vigorous and dynamic discipline. The hybrid vigour of agricultural engineering remains much in evidence, whilst its dynamism has generated technological achievements far beyond the early aspirations.
Heightened public perceptions of global issues affecting the food chain, climate change and major ecosystems are transforming research initiatives. Within the Western World, the percentage contributions of agriculture to National Economies are declining. In consequence, the profile of agricultural engineering is also changing through diversification of product outlets across other land-based industries and in amenity and leisure facilities. Food production from the land is being partially replaced by industrial crops or forestry, and there is much greater emphasis on the synthesis of integrated biological systems.
The Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research has achieved a high international reputation for the scientific quality and standard of presentation of peer-reviewed articles. It has strong author allegiance and dedicated referees. There is an increasingly strong demand for publication space which has been reflected in steady growth in size of the journal. The enhanced frequency with which articles are cited by other researchers also reaffirms the relevance of the publication to current work in its market sector.
Despite these current successes, it is important to seek further improvements which will assist in securing the future status of the journal as a leading international research publication. The source and content of the documentation under review collectively indicate the way forward for the journal. Biological systems are more universal than the subset applied to agriculture. And the Interest Fields indicating the scope of the present journal already extend beyond the constraints of agriculture. The original title of the journal encapsulated the demands for engineering associated with agricultural production in the 1950s and the choice of name has stood the test of time for almost 50 years.
The outlook for the first half of the twentyfirst century is summarized in the revised remit for Biosystems Engineering: research in the physical sciences and engineering to understand, model, process or enhance biological systems for sustainable developments in agriculture, food, land use and the environment.
It is a privilege to be an active participant in promoting this transition from agricultural engineering to biosystems engineering, and to welcome the introduction of colour graphics where it is beneficial to the scientific presentation and comprehension of the research articles.