Agriculture Commons^™

Health Professionals’ Roles In Animal Agriculture, Climate Change, And Human Health, Aysha Z. Akhtar, Michael Greger, Hope Ferdowsian, Erica Frank

Michael Greger, MD, FACLM

What we eat is rapidly becoming an issue of global concern. With food shortages, the rise in chronic disease, and global warming, the impact of our dietary choices seems more relevant today than ever. Globally, a transition is taking place toward greater consumption of foods of animal origin, in lieu of plantbased diets. With this transition comes intensification of animal agriculture that in turn is associated with the emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases, environmental degradation, and the epidemics of chronic disease and obesity. Health professionals should be aware of these trends and consider them as they promote healthier and more …

Fearless Friday: Sean Pethybridge, Christina L. Bassler

SURGE

Talking with Sean Pethybridge ’15, one could easily assume his interest in agriculture and food justice developed at a very young age. Sean confesses that he had very limited knowledge prior to attending Gettysburg. “My grandpa had a garden and the most experience I had with that was picking green beans during the summer time when I was younger,” he jokes. [excerpt]

Flax: Food And Fiber, Madeleine K. Charney

Madeleine K. Charney

Highlights the versatile and nutritious flax plant, now cultivated worldwide.

Biosafety: Evaluation And Regulation Of Genetically Modified (Gm) Crops In The United States, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

This review of the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops is focused primarily on the process and progress in the United States (US). It reviews the development of the safety evaluation process from the Asilomar conference in 1975 considering issues relevant to recombinant DNA technology, to discussions between the US government, academic and industrial scientists between 1984 and 1994 when the first GM crops were being field tested and evaluated commercial release for food and feed production. International guidelines were also reviewed for consistency with the US system. The overall process includes consideration of information relating to history of …

Growing South Dakota (Fall 2014), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Abundant Opportunities: Bright Ag & Bio Career Outlook Fuels Enhancements
[Page] 4 Future Focus: New Institute Supports Efforts In Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
[Page] 7 Grant Funding Updates
[Page] 8 Profiles in Leadership: Engaging Students Utilizing Problem-Based Learning
[Page] 9 Profiles in Leadership: The Value Of Experience-Based Learning
[Page] 10 Campus News
[Page] 12 Steps To Ensure Student Success: Support Fostered In Living-Learning Communities
[Page] 14 New Student Advising Model Gets High Marks
[Page] 15 Student To Student: Ag Bio Ambassadors Relish Role As Front Line Recruiters
[Page] 16 Remembering Dr. Robert Pengra: SDSU Alums Establish Tribute Scholarship …

Quality And Safety Attributes Of Sun-Dried Raisins From Afghanistan, Stacy A. Mccoy

Open Access Theses

Raisins are an important export commodity for Afghanistan, however, Afghan packers are challenged to export to markets seeking high quality products due to limited knowledge regarding their quality and safety. To evaluate this, Afghan raisin samples from pre-, semi-, and post-processed raisins were obtained from a raisin packer in Kabul, Afghanistan. The raisins were analyzed and compared to U.S. standards for processed raisins. The samples tested did not meet U.S. import standards for embedded sand, but the process used to clean the raisins is suitable to maintain food safety standards.

Previous Afghan raisin shipments have been rejected from the U.S. …

African Starchy Foods, Gastric Emptying, And Starch Digestion In Malian Stunted Children, Fatimata Cisse

Open Access Dissertations

Starch serves as the main energy source in cereal and tuber-rich diets, and its glycemic response profile has been associated with health-related conditions. Sorghum and millet are known to have relatively low starch digestibility, a potentially desirable property for controlling blood glucose response and providing sustained energy. Gastric emptying rates of traditional sorghum and millet-based African foods of the Sahelian region (couscous, thick and thin porridges made from millet and/or sorghum) were compared to those of non-traditional "modern" foods that are mostly consumed in urban areas using a non-invasive 13C-labelled octanoic acid breath test in healthy volunteers. The obtained results …

Bridging The Food Gap: Addressing The Feasibility And Applicability Of Three Key Traditionally Western Food Preservation Techniques To Improving Household Food Security And Reducing Malnutrition In Uganda., Eva K. Baguma

Capstone Collection

Food wastage is the leading cause of food insecurity and malnutrition in the world today. A huge amount of food gets wasted along the food supply chain from the time it is harvested to the time it gets to our plates. A significant amount of the food wasted happens in the home as well as on farms, in restaurants and supermarkets across the globe.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many families and communities are facing severe food shortages due to lack of electricity for refrigeration, poor storage facilities and limited access to markets.

However for many centuries, different cultures around the world …

Fermented Food: Putting The Power Of Good Health Back Into The Hands Of The People, Marsha L. Thadison

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Editors’ Note: At the December 2013 Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, several women were invited to share, information about their unique businesses. One such presenter was Marsha L. Thadison, owner of Yesterday’s Kitchen 4 Today, a company that focuses on promoting functional foods. Thadison shared that food is produce and consumed differently from previous generations. Today's food, she argued, involves many more agricultural inputs that aid in food preservation, extension of shelf life, and promotion of animal health. She espoused the benefits of fermented food.

The Trehalose Pathway In Maize: Conservation And Gene Regulation In Response To The Diurnal Cycle And Extended Darkness, Clémence Henry, Samuel W. Bledsoe, Allison Siekman, Alec Kollman, Brian M. Waters, Regina Feil, Mark Stitt, L. Mark Lagrimini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Energy resources in plants are managed in continuously changing environments, such as changes occurring during the day/night cycle. Shading is an environmental disruption that decreases photosynthesis, compromises energy status, and impacts on crop productivity. The trehalose pathway plays a central but not well-defined role in maintaining energy balance. Here, we characterized the maize trehalose pathway genes and deciphered the impacts of the diurnal cycle and disruption of the day/night cycle on trehalose pathway gene expression and sugar metabolism. The maize genome encodes 14 trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes, 11 trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) genes, and one trehalase gene. Transcript abundance of most …

Aquaponics And Basil Plant Density, Danika L. Macmaster, Brook Murphy, Dudley Burton

STAR Program Research Presentations

Aquaponics is the use of water from a fish tank to provide nutrients to plants in a soil-less environment. The rocks cultivate the bacteria that turns the ammonia into nitrates that the plants need, and the plant bed functions as a filter for the fish tank. In this study, with the guidance of Doctor Dudley Burton, Doctor Brook Murphy, we researched the optimal plant density for basil in an Aquaponics system. We attempted to control or measure all the other variables to consider, as to isolate the variable of distance between plants. The water flow was spread through the plant …

Secondary Metabolism Inducing Treatments During In Vitro Development Of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa L.) Rhizomes, Matthew M. Cousins, Jeffrey W. Adelberg, Feng Chen, James Rieck

Jeffrey W Adelberg

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) plants that were grown in vitro for 17 or 22 weeks as a fed-batch culture in 2.5 L vessels yielded 39 to 43 g and 62 to 70 g of fresh rhizomes per vessel, respectively (95 % confidence interval). The MS liquid medium was maintained at 6 % sucrose through media addition twice during the experiment. Various methods were employed in attempts to increase secondary metabolism. Antioxidant and total phenolics assays were employed to characterize phytochemical activity. A first experiment exposed four clones to phenylalanine and/or methyl jasmonate (MeJa) from week 12 to 17 in culture. …

Volume 11, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2014), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2014), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives: SDSU Extension Marks 100-Year Milestone
[Page] 5 Preparing for SDSU Extension’s Future
[Page] 5 SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences Administrative Team [Page] 6 Summer College News
[Page] 7 Profiles In Leadership: Joseph Cassady; Local Leadership Important For Ag’s Future
[Page] 8 Advancing Agriculture: SDSU Precision Ag Program Evolves, Expands [Page] 9 On The Front Line: ADRDL Leads Important Effort For Animal Health Diagnostics
[Page] 10 4-H Philanthropy: Supporters Continue Campaign For New 4-H Exhibit Hall [Page] 11 Growing Global Citizens: AgBio Courses Offer International Learning Opportunities
[Page] 12 Guidance For Gardeners: Several …

Differences In Carbon Dioxide Evolution From Samples Of Shelled Corn Subjected To Various Storage Treatments, Cininta Alp Pertiwi

Open Access Theses

Shelled corn was collected from two sources - commercial grain elevators and corn harvested from Purdue University farms and then frozen until tested. Using a carbon dioxide (CO₂) test kit manufactured by Woods End Laboratories, CO₂ evolution measurements were conducted on shelled corn from both sources, after the samples were re-wetted to approximately 21% moisture content, placed in a 473 ml glass jar, and incubated at room temperature for 72 hours. The CO₂ test kit uses a gel that changes color in response to a change in the level of CO₂ in the surrounding air. …

Characterization Of Water-Solid Interactions In Crystalline Ingredients And Development Of Deliquescence Measurement Recommendations, Matthew C. Allan

Open Access Theses

There are five major mechanisms of water-solid interactions. The primary focus of this thesis was on two of these: deliquescence and hydrate formation. Many crystalline food ingredients are deliquescent compounds (e.g., NaCl, sucrose, and ascorbic acid) and some are both deliquescent and hydrate formers (e.g., glucose, thiamine HCl, citric acid). Deliquescence is the first order phase transformation of a crystalline solid to a solution above a critical relative humidity (RH) known as the deliquescence point (RH0). A crystalline hydrate is a pseudo-polymorph in which water is incorporated into the crystal structure, altering the molecular formula and the physical properties.^ To …

Evolution Of Food Quality Demand In The Food Service Industry In China: The Case Of Duck, Rachel Alison Carnegie

Open Access Theses

Booming economic growth and rising consumer incomes have impacted food preferences and purchasing behavior in China. At the same time, several internationally publicized food safety incidents, particularly in the animal husbandry sector, have heightened awareness of and concern for food safety and quality in meat and dairy. Rising quality demand and safety concerns have been studied at length in the food retail sector, but also appear to be important in the food service industry. This research uses data from a survey of duck restaurant managers and consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou to determine preferences and willingness to pay …

Physical And Chemical Attributes Of A Genetically Modified Fruit Pectin, Carl Patrick Littrell

Open Access Theses

Pectin is an important polymer used in the food industry as a thickening and gelling agent. Though pectin is ubiquitous in plants, chemical and structural differences among pectin molecules prevent most from being viable for industrial use. Enzymes found naturally in fruit cell walls during the ripening process impair many desirable attributes of fruit pectins, rendering them unsuitable for industrial applications. Pectin methylesterase (PME) is one such enzyme whose expression can be altered during ripening through the use of recombinant genetic engineering. Reduction in levels of PME results in increased degree of methylation and molecular size of pectin, greatly increasing …

Fact Or Fiction: Random Mating In Field Populations Of Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte) Emerging On Bt And Refuge Corn Plants, Steven Joel Smith

Open Access Theses

The western corn rootworm, or WCR, (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is the most significant pest of field corn (Zea mays) in the United States, and has recently expanded its range into Europe. Since 2004, hybrid corn containing Bt toxins targeting the corn rootworm complex have been heavily adopted and are now the primary control measure for this pest in North American corn production. ^ The evolution of resistance is an ongoing concern, and to ensure Bt products will retain their usefulness, insect resistance management (IRM) tactics using various refuge structures have been adopted. One of the key …

Crystallization Inhibitor Properties Of Polymers And Effects On The Chemical And Physical Stability Of L-Ascorbic Acid During Preparation And Storage, Belinda Christina

Open Access Theses

Crystalline L-ascorbic acid (VitC) is an essential nutrient solid that is widely used in food applications for fortification, antioxidant, and label claim purposes. VitC is known as one of the most unstable vitamins, and its content must be declared on food labels. Interest has been increasing in creating amorphous solid structures for improving the solubility and/or dissolution rates of crystalline compounds. One of the most promising methods studied to prevent the crystallization of an amorphous solid is the use of polymers in dispersions, although the specific polymer properties that lead to the best physical stability for a particular type of …

High Tunnels For Local Food Systems: Subsidies, Equity, And Profitability, Nathaniel Foust-Meyer, Megan E. O'Rourke

Food Systems Summit 2014

High tunnels (HTs) constitute a growing, local level response to the globalization of our food. As semi-permanent greenhouses, HTs bring practical on-farm solutions to biophysical growing constraints; they extend the growing season and buffer delicate crops from extreme weather events. In 2009, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) began subsidizing the construction of HTs with the documented goals of increasing environmental stewardship and the added benefit of promoting local foods. However, many questions remain about the impacts of HT’s. Who is benefiting from the NRCS HT program? Will farmers continue to adopt HTs in the absence of government subsidies? What …

Saving Seeds: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Native American Seed Savers, And Problems Of Property, Sheryl D. Breen

Food Systems Summit 2014

To put it simply, seeds are the essence of life. Without their varied yields, the earth would have no agriculture, no livestock, no food systems, no ecological stability. In all shapes, sizes, and distributions, seeds are genetic powerhouses that store life's codes; they are as essential a resource as the water and soil at nourish them. Nonetheless, mounting evidence demonstrates steady erosion of the seed biodiversity necessary for viable food systems. Some seed varieties have been unable to adapt as habitats change or shrink, non- commercial seed-saving techniques have disappeared along with community elders, and a relatively small number of …

Economic And Political Implications Of Agricultural Subsidies And Us Farm Policy, Justin Bogardus

Honors Theses

This thesis pertains to agricultural subsidies, their economic and political implications and what would happen to both price and production levels of different crops should those subsidies be removed. The 3 main crops examined are corn, wool and soybeans. Technological advancements made after 1900 had a profound effect on productivity and efficiency, leading to a number of important economic effects. Market integration, economies of scale, market structure, vertical integration and subsidization, all led to government intervention in the form of regulation and subsidy. Farm policy, starting in early 1900s, focused on price stabilization policies and food programs through the different …

The Public Health Impacts Of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations On Local Communities, Michael Greger, Gowri Koneswaran

Michael Greger, MD, FACLM

Large-scale farm animal production facilities, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), release a significant amount of contaminants into the air and water. Adverse health effects related to exposure to these contaminants among CAFO workers have been welldocumented; however, less is known about their impact on the health of residents in nearby communities. Epidemiological research in this area suggests that neighboring residents are at increased risk of developing neurobehavioral symptoms and respiratory illnesses, including asthma. Additional research is needed to better understand community-scale exposures and health outcomes related to the management practices and emissions of CAFOs.

The Human/Animal Interface: Emergence And Resurgence Of Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Michael Greger

Michael Greger, MD, FACLM

Emerging infectious diseases, most of which are considered zoonotic in origin, continue to exact a significant toll on society. The origins of major human infectious diseases are reviewed and the factors underlying disease emergence explored. Anthropogenic changes, largely in land use and agriculture, are implicated in the apparent increased frequency of emergence and reemergence of zoonoses in recent decades. Special emphasis is placed on the pathogen with likely the greatest zoonotic potential, influenzavirus A.

Urban Farm And Community Garden Hybrid Models: A Case Study Of The Huerta Del Valle Community Garden, Leah Hochberg

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examines models of community gardens and urban farms and determined a successful hybrid model for future implementation at the Huerta del Valle Community Garden. This was accomplished through analyzing the unique benefits and drawbacks of community gardens and urban farms as defined by the author, and then determining the components of each model that would maximize Huerta del Valle’s social and economic potential. Community gardens are defined in this thesis as places where community members can grow their own food in individual plots, and these spaces often contribute to community building, hands-on gardening education, and improved food access. …

Case Study Of A Food Safety/Good Agricultural Practices (Gaps) Educational Program For Small And Limited Resource Produce Farmers, Barrett Vaughan, Audrey Zeigler, Gertrude D. Wall, Miles D. Robinson, William A. Hodge, Conrad O. Bonsi, Ntam R. Baharanyi, Walter A. Hill

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This case study examined methods used in a food safety/Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) educational program with small and limited resource produce farmers in Alabama to assist them with obtaining certification. Two methods were used, namely, the identification of challenges to food safety certification and development of strategies to address the challenges, and the enlistment of educational methods to facilitate food safety certification. As a result, there were four challenges to food safety certification identified; needs for motivation, information, clarification, and resources. In addition, the educational methods enlisted included group meetings, instructional material distribution, individual farm instruction, and expert instruction. The …

Alabama's Women In Agriculture: The Road To Gaps Harmonization And Global Addendum - Tuskegee's Walmart Initiative, Gertrude D. Wall, Walter A. Hill, Barrett Vaughan, Barbara Shipman, Assata Maat, Rose Hill, Shirley Tyson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This paper shares challenges faced and overcome by four African American women on their 2013 journey to secure USDA’s Produce Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Harmonized Food Safety Standards with the Global Addendum (Global Markets Primary Production Assessments: GMPPA). Collaboration, consistent training, and technical support from the Tuskegee University Extension and Research staff, and the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative undergirded the preparation of the farms for GAPs Certification. The timely sharing of staff expertise and experience from commercial partners (Walmart, Purivida, C.H. Robinson, W.P. Rawls), and support from the USDA (Strike Force Initiative) were important contributors to the positive outcomes described. …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2014), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue contains the SDSU Extension 2013 Annual Report.

[Page] 2 The New SDSU Extension: Two Years Later, Change Has Brought New Successes
[Page] 4 Your 24-7 Connection: iGrow.org Makes SDSU Extension Easily Accessible, Responsive
[Page] 5 SDSU Regional Extension Centers: Your Front Door To SDSU
[Pages] 6-7 Leading The Challenge: Projects To Address Food Security, Financial Knowledge Underway
[Pages] 8-9 Regional Collaboration: SET Grants & Food Networks Initiated
[Pages] 10-11 Encouraging & Empowering: Native American Program Assists Reservations In Striving For Healthy Food, Healthy Communities & Youth Science Programming
[Page] 12 Evaluating Yields: Crop Performance Testing Provides Important, Unbiased …

Shrinkage Prediction During Pasta Dehydration, Gina Michelle Bressani

Open Access Theses

Shrinkage models from different fields of study were reviewed. Pasta was used as a model to further develop the hypothesis of predicting shrinkage in terms of the rate of relaxation and the rate of moisture loss. An extended literature review of pasta properties, such as isotherms, diffusivity, glass transition, rheological properties, and shrinkage was conducted. Isotherm and glass transition models were developed from the literature data acquired. Creep was tested with a 25 mm-diameter flat plate at 20 to 40°C at varying moisture content. Viscoelastic properties for the Burgers model for creep were determined, where higher moisture content samples resulted …