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Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2021, Leah English, Jennie Popp

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Agriculture and associated agricultural activities are major contributors to the Arkansas economy. Agriculture is defined as the sum of agricultural production and processing activities, unless otherwise specified, and includes crop and animal production and processing, agricultural support industries, forestry and forest products, and textile goods. Agriculture contributes to the economy through direct agricultural production and processing, leading to economic activity in other parts of the economy.

This report is the sixteenth in a series that examines agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. The total economic contribution of agriculture (direct, indirect, and induced effects) on value added, employment, and labor …

Justice Served Fresh: Associations Between Food Insecurity, Community Gardening, And Property Value, Micajah Daniels, Courtney Coughenour Ph.D

McNair Poster Presentations

Numerous stakeholders in Nevada have used a variety of efforts to combat the growth of food insecurity facing Nevadans. The purpose of this research project is to understand the association between food insecurity, community gardens, and property value. Following the wealth of scholarship on these topics and data collected from community garden agencies in Southern Nevada, the research questions for this project include: (1) Where are community gardens located in SNV? (2) What efforts community gardens agencies are doing to address food insecurity (most interested in their efforts using community gardens)? (3) What are the perceptions of supports and barriers …

Organic Versus Conventional Cropping Sustainability: A Comparative System Analysis, Tiffany L. Fess, Vagner Benedito

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

We are at a pivotal time in human history, as the agricultural sector undergoes consolidation coupled with increasing energy costs in the context of declining resource availability. Although organic systems are often thought of as more sustainable than conventional operations, the lack of concise and widely accepted means to measure sustainability makes coming to an agreement on this issue quite challenging. However, an accurate assessment of sustainability can be reached by dissecting the scientific underpinnings of opposing production practices and crop output between cropping systems. The purpose of this review is to provide an in-depth and comprehensive evaluation of modern …

Testing Carbon Farming Opportunities For Salinity Management, Peter Ritson, Mike G. Clarke, Adele Killen, Sarah Jeffery

All other publications

An emerging prospect for farm revenue from revegetation of saline and other lands that are marginal or non-productive for agriculture is the sale of carbon credits. Australian Government schemes for carbon credits include the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) and the proposed Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential for woody vegetation (trees and shrubs) established on and around salt-affected lands in the Northern Agricultural Region (NAR) to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store (sequester) the carbon in new growth. Revegetation plantings on six farms were selected for the study after the landowners expressed …

The Interaction Of Climate Change, Land Cover, And Political Representation In The Usa, Brady W. Allred, Dirac L. Twidwell, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The difficulties in tackling climate change are inherently complex and primarily centered on political and social values. This is evident in the United States where political divisions and polarizations are fundamental barriers to advancing national policies, which in turn hinder international agreements, mitigation, and adaptation. Within the United States, the vast majority of agricultural and natural resource lands are projected to incur significant climate departures and are represented by the Republican Party. The resources and economic sectors that will be directly affected by climate change are represented by national leadership that is unlikely to accept policies to prevent or adapt …

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture, Robert Summers, David Weaver

All other publications

Condition and trend Nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), are essential for profitable agriculture in the south-west of WA; however, excess P – more than is required for optimal production – is stored in many agricultural soils. On average, pasture soils and arable soils contain 1.3 times and 1.6 times respectively, as much P as is required for optimal production. Production in P-enriched soils is more likely to be constrained by soil acidity (50–60% of pasture and arable soils), potassium (K) (50% of pasture soils and less than 10% of arable soils), and sulphur (S) (30% of pasture soils). Management implications …

Final Evaluation Of The North East Agricultural Region (Near) Strategy, Andrew Blake, Don Burnside, Vicki Williams

All other publications

No abstract provided.

The Frying Pan Or The Fire: Public Attitudes About Using Herbicides To Manage Invasive Weeds, Mariah Evans, Kimberly Rollins

Articles

How do we balance risks? This paper assesses hypotheses derived from instrumental rationality and risk society theories about the reasoning strategies that people will use to develop views supportive or oppositional to the use of herbicides to manage cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), an invasive weed. Cheatgrass is well-known in the population of the American West to increase wildfire risks substantially and to harm the environment in other ways. But are the cures worse than the disease? One demonstrably effective method of cheatgrass suppression is the use of herbicides, and the paper explores sources of support for and opposition to …

Land Systems Of The Kimberley Region, Western Australia, A L. Payne, N Schoknecht

Technical Bulletins

The Land Systems of the Kimberley Region Report describes and maps the landscapes, soils and vegetation of the Kimberley region. This report is a consolidation of surveys carried out by different organisations, across different areas of the Kimberley, since the 1940s. The Kimberley region, as defined in this bulletin, covers 330 070km². The report categorises the Kimberley region into 111 land systems. Under each land system, the report identifies the vulnerabilities of those areas, and provides recommendations on how to achieve sustainable use. The report also publishes pasture types for the entire region and the grazing potential for each pasture, …

Pastoral Profits Guide, A Paddock Guide To Achieving Sustainable Livestock Productivity, Mark Alchin, Jim Addison, Valarie Shrubb, Zac Cockerill, Matthew Young, Tim Johnson, Greg Brennan

All other publications

Most pastoralists appreciate the need to deliver an economic, environmental and social 'profit' from their business. Achieving these profits can be a real challenge given the comparatively low productive potential and the substantial seasonal variation in the WA Southern Rangelands region. This guide was written to assist pastoralists to meet their specific livestock production, financial and range condition objectives through the better alignment of feed demand (stocking rate) to feed supply (carrying capacity). We provide nine basic steps that simplify the process of managing the feed supply, equipping pastoralists with the tools to make· decisions and to critically assess the …

Current Status And 25 Year Trends For Soil Acidity, Fertility And Salinity In The Coastal Catchments Of The Peel-Harvey, Robert Summers, David Weaver

All other publications

The current status and trends of soil analyses in the coastal catchment of the Peel Harvey estuary were developed from historical soil data (1982 to 1991) combined with a renewed sampling to greater depth (1 m). This report encompasses the data collected from the first year of the project. Soil phosphorus content was found to be high but has dropped slightly since 1991. Soil pH is very low and is likely to be limiting production but have risen slightly since 1991. Soil potassium content is generally so low that it may be limiting production especially to the west of the …

Lucerne Is It For Me? Participants Notes, Richard O'Donnell

Agriculture reports

Participants will be able to recognise landscape components on their farm, which are at risk of salinity (current, imminent or future) and will be aware of a range of available options available to them to managing this risk. This workshop has been developed as part of the GRDC/NDSP funded ?A Million Hectares for the Future? Project.

Lucerne - Is It For Me? - Workshop Development Guide For Facilitators, Richard O'Donnell

Agriculture reports

This workshop has been developed as part of the GRDC/NDSP-funded ?A Million Hectares for the Future? Project with support and input from key personnel from the Department of Agriculture, Western Australian (DAWA). Thank you also, to the farmers who participated in the pilot workshops, providing valuable feedback on structure and content.

Perennial Grasses - Are They For Me? Workshop Manual For Participants, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Wa, Grains Research And Development Corporation

Agriculture reports

This workshop is part of a series of workshops looking at dryland salinity and options to manage it. These ‘Million hectares’ workshops have the common themes of environmental improvement. They provide information to help participants identify the risks within the catchment and at a farm level, assess both the likelihood of the risk occurring and consequences if the risk is not managed and determine the best course of action for individuals. This perennial grass workshop builds on information and understanding developed from other Million hectares workshops. Participants will determine their course of action based on their specific circumstances and goals. …

Characteristics Of Perrennial Grasses [Poster], T M. Lacey, Geoff Allan Moore

All other publications

Growth Characteristics of perennial C3 grasses: this table presents information on a range of perennial grass species but it is not a recommendation for them. Consider species characteristics in relation to local conditions and then source specific variety information before making decisions. It is suggest you grow trial plots of grasses before planting large areas (see key below for rating system).

Spectacular Recovery In The Ord River Catchment, A L. Payne, I W. Watson, P E. Novelly

Agriculture reports

Regeneration work on severely damaged country in what is now known as the Ord River Regeneration Reserve (ORRR) commenced in 1960. The ORRR is in the East Kimberley area of Western Australia with an associated small area in the Northern Territory. The work included strip contour cultivation and seeding (which proceeded at various levels of intensity during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s), fencing and destocking of cattle by mustering over many years, and the eradication of donkeys.

Pastoral Resources And Their Management In The Pilbara Region Of Western Australia, A M E Van Vreeswyk, Alan Payne, K A. Leighton

Agriculture reports

This report is a product of the rangeland survey of the Pilbara area of Western Australia which was conducted jointly by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Administration ... in 1995-1999. This report is primarily intended to be used to assist pastoralists in station management and to assist others involved with the pastoral industry. The survey area includes all of the De Grey, East Pilbara and Roebourne/Port Hedland Land Conservation Districts, part of the Ashburton Land Conservation District.

Farming Systems To Manage Salinity, Research Results 2003, Richard O'Donnell

Agriculture reports

Covering: Low charge cropping systems project Productive use of saline land project Warm season crops project Farm and forestry revegetation project

Sustainability Issues For Agriculture In Western Australia, Anne Bennett, Ross Kingwell, Ross George

All other publications

Agriculture has been and will continue to be a major component of economic activity in several regions in Western Australia, and agricultural communities will remain an important part of the social fabric and landscape of the State. Promoting the sustainability of agriculture is likely to produce three main outcomes: vibrant rural communities; profitable agricultural systems; and conservation of the natural environment. This paper describes briefly the main challenges to the sustainability of agriculture and outlines some means of responding to the challenges: market-based approaches; agricultural and environmental research and development; accelerated adjustment; and global and national policy initiatives.

National And Regional Assessments Of Crop Yield Trends And Relative Production Efficiency : Theme 5.1. Land Use Change, Productivity And Diversification, David Stephens

Agriculture reports

National and regional assessment in Australia of relative production (yield) efficiency for wheat and other cereals providing estimates of biological production potential based on seasonal climatic conditions, compared with actual production values for selected historical dates between 1982 and 2000.

Management Of Soil Organic Matter And Gypsum For Sustainable Production In The Carnarvon Horticultural District Of Western Australia, R.S.B. Greene, A.J. Lin, D. C. Parr

Agriculture reports

Soil quality is critically important for the long-term production of high quality and high yielding fruit and vegetable crops in the Carnarvon horticultural district of Western Australia. A stable soil structure is essential for good soil quality.

Identifying Areas Of Agricultural Significance, Ian Kininmonth

Agriculture reports

The protection of productive agricultural land and the avoidance of land use conflicts in rural areas are important objectives of the Western Australian Government. They are reflected in the State Planning Strategy, Agriculture Western Australia’s strategic plan, ‘Focus on the Future’ and draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) No. 11 – Agricultural and Rural Land Use Planning Policy. However, agricultural land is required for a variety of purposes and so it is important that agriculture is able to identify those areas which are irreplaceable in terms of existing and future production and those areas which may be used for other …

Vegetation Trend In The Fitzroy Region. An Analysis Of 1995 And 1998 Ground Monitoring Data., Noelene Duckett, Paul Novelly, Ian Watson, National Landcare Program (Australia), Csiro

Research Reports

This document summarises the analyses carried out on the ground monitoring data from the Kimberley region of Western Australia as part of the Natural Heritage Trust project 953024 - ‘'Development of Information Products for Reporting Rangeland Changes.”

This project has been investigating ways of integrating rangeland trend information collated from Landsat satellite data and site-specific ground vegetation data. This has been carried out by extending and refining previous approaches developed by Agriculture Western Australia and CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences (e.g. Wallace et al. 1994). The principal objective of the project is to develop useful information products which …

The Use Of Red Mud/Gypsum To Reduce Water Pollution From Sandy Soils Used For Vegetable Production, Ian Mcpharlin, W. J. Robertson, R. C. Jeffery

Research Reports

An important domestic and export vegetable industry is located on the sands of the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) in Western Australia. The total value of the vegetable industry on the SCP was estimated at $90M in 1996/7 or about 50% of the total value of the industry. This vegetable production has been located on good quality sands such as the Spearwood and yellow Karrakatta sands, close to the coast, since the 1950s. However in recent years competition for this land for urban and industrial use has forced vegetable production onto soils with poorer water and phosphorus retention capacity such as …

Agriculture And The Western Australian Economy : Value Added Contribution Of Agricultural Commodities, Nazrul Islam

All other publications

No abstract provided.

Fire Management Of Spinifex Pastures In The Coastal And West Pilbara, John Stretch

Agriculture reports

Spinifex dominated plant communities are a major natural pasture resource in the Pilbara. Spinifex is noted for its ridged, hard and generally sharp pointed leaf blades, although individual species vary in this respect. Triodia pungens and T. schinzii are often referred to as soft spinifex. Soft spinifex is useful as stock feed in its own right, whereas 'hard' spinifex species are rarely grazed by stock. Soft spinifex dominated pastures are relatively uncommon in eastern parts but important on the western coastal plains of the Pilbara (Figure 1). Information on spinifex management options available to the pastoralist or station manager is …

Forty Years Of Rangeland Research In The Meekatharra And Wiluna Districts (1956-1996), Andrew Thomson, John Morrissey

Agriculture reports

This document is an account of the research undertaken by this Branch over the past 40 years, and it provides a general explanation of the results. It also includes descriptions of many of the Land Conservation District projects at Meekatharra and Wiluna. A number of trials and community based projects from other districts relevant to this publication have also been included as supplementary information.

Remnant Vegetation And Natural Resources Of The Blackwood River Catchment An Atlas, Shaun B. Grein

Agriculture reports

The Blackwood River is one of the longest rivers in the South-West of Western Australia, stretching 300 km from Moordjarrup to August. The catchment covers more than 28,000 square kilometres (2.8 million ha) from the Shire of Kent to the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River. It incorporates 17 shires, more than 30,000 people, 18 Land Conservation District Committees (LCDCs) and 143 sub-catchment groups. Shires within the Blackwood Catchment cover 4.12 million hectares, over half of the total area of the shires that fall within the catchment boundary.

Agenda: Sustainable Use Of The West's Water, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

Conference organizers and/or faculty included University of Colorado School of Law professors David H. Getches, Lawrence J. MacDonnell, Teresa A. Rice, Elizabeth A. Rieke and Charles F. Wilkinson.

Sustainable development is on the policy agenda for the '90s. What does sustainability mean? Is it a realistic concept? Are water rights compatible with sustainable use? The Center's 16th annual summer conference will explore the meaning of sustainability in the context of the West's demands, development, and natural values. Presentations by leading experts will address the broad concept of sustainable development, with a particular look at Arizona's experience. The focus will be …

Proceedings Of The Blackwood Catchment Remnant Vegetation Management Workshop, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

The Remnant Vegetation workshop is the third in a series designed to help the Blackwood Catchment Coordinating Group develop its policies for the Blackwood River System. The next step is the development of draft policies and Codes of practice for Remnant Vegetaiton Management in the Blackwood River Catchment. Be assured that any policy adopted by the Blackwood Catchment Co-ordinating Group will have been developed with maximum community participation.