Agriculture Commons^™

Exploring Germplasm Diversity To Understand The Domestication Process In Cicer Spp. Using Snp And Dart Markers, Manish Roorkiwal, Eric J. Von Wettberg, Hari D. Upadhyaya, Emily Warschefsky, Abhishek Rathore, Rajeev K. Varshney

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

To estimate genetic diversity within and between 10 interfertile Cicer species (94 genotypes) from the primary, secondary and tertiary gene pool, we analysed 5,257 DArT markers and 651 KASPar SNP markers. Based on successful allele calling in the tertiary gene pool, 2,763 DArT and 624 SNP markers that are polymorphic between genotypes from the gene pools were analyzed further. STRUCTURE analyses were consistent with 3 cultivated populations, representing kabuli, desi and pea-shaped seed types, with substantial admixture among these groups, while two wild populations were observed using DArT markers. AMOVA was used to partition variance among hierarchical sets of landraces …

Development Of A Public Education Website: Building Bridges Over Water, Angelina Mckee

Agricultural Education and Communication

Website created by Angelina McKee to educate the public about water resource issues. Water is the basic unit of life, water resources are the basis for what societies and ecosystems are founded upon. Water shortages and droughts are more prevalent in our ever-changing world. It is no shock that there are discrepancies between various stockholders on either sides of the dry riverbed. This senior project resulted in the development of a website that addresses global water resources, water use in California, water conservation, and water allocation. The website informs the public on water resources and related issues and will hopefully …

The Effects Of Radar On Avian Behavior: Implications For Wildlife Management At Airports, Eleanor R. Sheridan

Open Access Theses

Airports are areas with a high availability of resources for wildlife to forage, breed, and roost. Airports also have different types of radars to assist with air traffic control as well as tracking of wildlife that could become a risk for aircraft. The effect of radar electromagnetic radiation on wildlife behavior is not well understood. The goal of this study was to determine if bird behavior is affected by radar in two contexts: static radar (e.g., surveillance radar) and approaching radar (e.g., aircraft weather radar). We used brown-headed cowbirds as a model species. In the static radar context, we performed …

Field To Flight: A Techno-Economic Analysis Of Stover To Aviation Biofuels Supply Chain, Amanda C. Bittner

Open Access Theses

Greenhouse gas emissions have been a growing concern. The transportation sector contributes to one-third of GHG emissions in the United States from fossil fuel burning. The Renewable Fuel Standard set a requirement for 16 billion gallons (ethanol equivalent) of cellulosic biofuels to be used in the market. Aviation biofuels can help to meet both of these problems as well as improve U.S. energy security.

Investment in the biofuel industry carries a lot of risk. The biofuel industry is run by the private sector, but can be incentivized by government. Cellulosic biofuels carry even more risk than first generation biofuels, because …

Affluent Populations And Their Effect On Biological Diversity Through The Consumption Of Meat, Electronics, And Motor Vehicles, Melody Flores

Honors College Theses

The human has caused a far greater impact on the planet's biodiversity than any other species in existence, due to the impact of population, afflluence, and technology. This thesis will argue the importance of biological diversity and how affluent populations are reducing biodiversity through the consumption of meat, electronics, and motor vehicles. Aldo Leopold's "The Land Ethic" and Herman Daly's "The Impossibility Theorem", among others, create a rubric evaluating human activities and provide alternative views on economic impossibilities. Consumption is reviewed from an ecocentric perspective, a holistic outlook placing emphasis on the ecosystem. The reader will become cognizant of their …

University Of Wyoming Wool Laboratory, 1907-2012, David Kruger

David Delbert Kruger

The University of Wyoming Wool Laboratory operated on campus from 1907-2012, in which time the sheep and wool industry experienced great change. For over a century, the faculty of the Wool Lab carefully cataloged research associated with sheep and wool, accumulating a collection of over 1,000 individual titles, 10,000 bound journal articles, correspondence, equipment manuals, and data notebooks, and a set of 872 preserved wool samples dating from 1837. This collection, now housed at the Emmett D. Chisum Special Collections Library at the University of Wyoming, is thought to be one of the most unique and complete collections of sheep …

Extension Programming In Support Of Public Policy For The Management Of Aquaculture In Common Water Bodies, Michael A. Rice

Michael A Rice

Resistance And Innovation In The Evolving Urban Food System Of Monterrey Mexico, Craig K. Harris

Food Systems Summit 2014

Monterrey is the capital city of the state of Nuevo Leon in Mexico. Historically it is the leading industrial city of Mexico, with a strong history of foreign direct investment. Located in the northeastern part of the country, its proximity to Texas has fostered its status as a modern cosmopolitan metropolis. The past couple decades have been characterized by a history of violence, but that is now diminishing as citizens' groups are "taking back our city". The hot and arid climate of the region meant that, as the metropolis developed, it had to rely on some importation of food from …

"La Misma Realidad De Cada Lugar Es Diferente" ("The Same Reality Of Each Place Is Different"): A Case Study Of An Organic Farmers Market In Lima, Peru, Kevin Cody

Food Systems Summit 2014

Alternative food movements in North America and Western Europe have proliferated in recent years as producers and consumers attempt to reform what is perceived as a fatally flawed industrial food system. Meanwhile, agricultural producers in the global South are increasingly dispossessed of land and livelihoods as agro-industrial processes take on increasingly global dimensions. Given that many of the challenges facing small-scale producers in the North and South stem from similar patterns of agro-industrialization, might they also share similar responses to these challenges?

In this article I make a case for broadening the geographic frame of reference for alternative food systems …

Effect Of Monetary Policy On Agricultural Sector In Nigeria, Elias A. Udeaja, Udoh A. Elijah

Economic and Financial Review

The study examinee the effect of monetary policy on agricultural sector in Nigeria, utilizing time series data for the periods spanning from 1970 to 2010. The study captures both monetary and non-monetary policy variables such as lending rate, commercial banks credit to agriculture, exchange rate, government expenditure in agriculture and inflation rate in examining the effect of monetary policy on agricultural output. The methodology adopted is the Auto- Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bound Testing Approach. The results obtained shows that exchange rate and government expenditure had positive and significant effect on agricultural output and, hence agricultural sector in Nigeria. It …

Quantifying The Changes In Landscape Configuration Using Open Source Gis. Case Study: Bistrita Subcarpathian Valley, Dan A. Chelaru, Ana M. Oiste, Florin C. Mihai

Florin C MIHAI

Gradually, the study of the landscape became a core topic of enviromental studies, due to its interdisciplinary research methods, integrating both natural and socio-economic data. The goal of the study is to quantify the structural evolution of Bistrita subcarpathian valley landscape, by using several GIS applications, having an important role in highlighting its functionality. The applications were realized for the extended area limit of Bistrita subcarpathian valley, which presents a complex landscape morphology, with features ranging from forested mountains to densely populated lowlands. The analysis was based on the two land cover maps resulted from the extraction of the spatial …

The 24th Annual Research Conference Abstract Booklet, Nikki Lynn Rogers

University of Gondar Research Conferences

Staff members, postgraduate and senior undergraduate students of the University, invited guests and speakers participated in the conference. The annual conference of the University is meant to share experiences in research activities among juniors and seniors, staff and students, and invited guests. It is also meant to motivate students and young faculty to engage in research and also to initiate and strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations. The findings of the studies and the resulting recommendations are expected to be used in solving the diverse societal problems we have been facing.

Research activities at the University of Gondar are primarily aimed at solving …

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 …

Culturally Responsive 4-H Youth Development In Southeast Alaska, Deb Jones, Linda Skogrand

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Retail Margins Study, David W. Stonesifer, George K. Criner

George K. Criner

Stonesifer, David W. with George K. Criner. "Retail Margins Study," May 22, 2014. Report submitted to the Maine Milk Commission, and posted on the Maine Milk Commission web site in October of 2014.

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.

An Hsi Fact Sheet: Biosecurity Challenges Of Industrial Farm Animal Production, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Industrial farm animal production (IFAP) has become increasingly common throughout the world. Worldwide, industrial systems now account for approximately two-thirds of poultry meat production and half of egg and pig meat production, with developing countries already producing approximately half of the world’s industrial pork and poultry by 2006.

Inherent design and operational requirements of IFAP facilities can create biosecurity problems with both bioexclusion and biocontainment—efforts to prevent the respective influx and efflux of pathogens. These may help explain why large commercial flocks may be up to 10,000 times more likely to report outbreaks with pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian …

Economic Contribution Of Agriculture And Food To Arkansas' Gross Domestic Product 1997-2011, Jacob Manlove, Leah English, Jennie Popp, Wayne Miller

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Agricultural production, processing, and retail industries are major contributors to the Arkansas economy in terms of GDP. Agriculture contributes to the economy through direct agricultural production, value-added processing, and agricultural retail activities, and it also plays an important role through its interactions with other sectors. The use of non-agricultural goods and services as inputs into the agricultural sector promotes diversified growth in Arkansas’ economy; thus agriculture remains a vital part of Arkansas’ economy. Part 1 of the report compares the relative size of the Agriculture and Food Sector in Arkansas with those of neighboring states, the Southeastern region of the …

Spreading The Char: The Importance Of Local Compatibility In The Diffusion Of Biochar Systems To The Smallholder Agriculture Community Context, Laura C. V. Munoz

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis enters the context of smallholder agriculture communities in the developing world. It explores the potentials of biochar and what biochar systems could bring to the smallholder communities while simultaneously bringing environmental benefits. It then acknowledges the challenges of diffusion –the spreading of an unfamiliar innovation. It seeks to answer the question of what will make diffusion of biochar systems more successful in the smallholder context, fixating on the characteristic of compatibility as well as the role local community members can play in making a new biochar system more visible to the rest of the communities.

Bridging Gaps And Building Solidarity, Shannon Brenner

Honors College

Real innovation for a more sustainable and inclusive food system requires collaboration based on resilient relationships between a diverse range of community partners and across socio-economic boundaries. SNAP incentive programs at farmer’s markets are bridging gaps in food access and sovereignty for thousands of individuals across the country, but what are the far reaching implications of these programs in terms of a sustainable food system, especially in an uncertain economic landscape? Using the findings of a quantitative, interdisciplinary and community inclusive research project of the Community Supported Farmers’ Markets (CSFM), a SNAP incentive program organized by Food and Medicine in …

Knowledge, Perceptions, And Outcomes Of Agricultural Communications Curriculum In Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms, Carley Payne Calico

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students' …

Appropriate Strategies For Developing Information Marketing In Iranian Faculties Of Agriculture, Mojtaba Sookhtanlo, Hamid Movahed Mohammadi, Ahmad Rezvanfar, Yousef Hedjazi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The main purpose of this research was to identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with information marketing and appropriate strategies for the development of information marketing in Iranian Faculties of Agriculture. The research population consisted of all staff employed in central libraries of in the selected Faculties of Agriculture (Universities of Tehran, Ferdowsi of Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz and Isfahan technology) (N=107). The respondents selected by census sampling method so that ultimately number of 90 questionnaires obtained (n=90). According to the findings, the majority of respondents (72.3%) has a positive and very positive attitude to applying information marketing factors. …

A Case Study Analysis Of A Regional Food System: The Sustainable Agriculture Consortium For Historically Disadvantaged Farmers Program, Tasha M. Hargrove, Walter A. Hill, John Brown, Miles Robinson, Iris Cole-Crosby, Elizabeth Myles, Billy Lawton, Karla Martin

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The Sustainable Agriculture Consortium for Historically Disadvantaged Farmers Program (SACH) was designed to carry out an experiment by five 1890 Land-Grant Universities in partnership with five farmer based cooperatives in five states to assess marketing fruits and vegetables to Walmart from a regional perspective. Using the Consortium as a case study, this study assessed the Consortium within the framework of implementation evaluation; data were collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study answered questions such as, what did the Consortium do, and what were some of the accomplishments of the Consortium? The farmers were able to: negotiate price points; …

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. …

Fearless: Anastasia Maisel, Anastasia M. Maisel

SURGE

Working to create a meaningful, respectful, and community-minded Day of Service in honor of Gettysburg College student Emily Silverstein ’11, and continually involved in different farming and food initiatives in the Gettysburg area to promote food justice and environmentally friendly farming practices, Anastasia Maisel ’14 fearlessly gives her time, energy, and passion to promoting social justice on and off campus. [excerpt]

French, Richard, 1792-1854 (Sc 2825), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 2825. Letter of U.S. Representative Richard French, 29 December 1844, written from Washington, D.C. to his wife in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. He expresses regret for the time spent away from home, acknowledges the need to consult with her about their future after his return, and discusses apparent tensions between her and a farm manager.

Breakthrough Of Sub-Saharan Africa’S Agricultural Production In The 21st Century: The Role Of Foreign Aid, Jiangyi Qian

Open Access Theses

Sub-Saharan African countries' agricultural production has accelerated in the twenty-first century. This study shows that aggregate African agricultural production exhibits a breakthrough after 2000. More specifically, agricultural production breakthroughs occurred in 24 sub-Saharan African countries after 2000. 15 of them were caused by yield improvement and 8 of them were caused by area expansion. These breakthroughs helped these countries meet their increasing food consumption demands and lower their dependency on agricultural imports. However, we also found these breakthroughs were fragile. In addition to the influences of recent natural disasters and drought, these fertilizer-enabled production accelerations might also have been negatively …

Effects Of River Stages And Barge Rates On Illinois Corn And Soybean Basis, Zachary Gass

Theses and Dissertations

During the drought of 2012 the Midwest suffered one of the worst droughts to date which created adverse effects on multiple sectors of the agriculture economy including river transportation. During the last week of 2012, grain barge movement decreased by 41 percent from the same period in 2011. This thesis identifies the relationship between river stages, barge rates, and Illinois corn and soybean basis. By implementing simple regression techniques, river stages and barge were each used as an independent variable and experimental region basis minus control region basis was used as the dependent variable. Multiple regression techniques combined both river …

Youth Participation In Changing Food Systems: Toward Food Justice Youth Development, Krista Harper, Catherine Sands, Diego Angarita, Molly Totman

Krista M. Harper

We present results from a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project in which young people from Holyoke studied the school food system in order to make positive interventions in their school district. We used the Photovoice research method, placing cameras in the hands of youth so that they themselves could document and discuss their concerns and perspectives (Wang, et al., 1996). The research was designed to gain insight about the students’ knowledge of food, nutrition, and community food systems. The research also illuminated students’ impressions of public policy, active citizenship, and community building that have arisen out of food justice …