Agriculture Commons^™

Crops, Livestock, And Covid-19, Oh My: An Overview Of Potential Covid-19 Liability In Agricultural Operations, Paul Goeringer, Julie Walker

Texas A&M Law Review

The year 2020 presented a new potential risk of which many business owners, including agricultural operators, were unaware: a global pandemic related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also known as COVID-19. Starting in March 2020, the United States worked to contain this virus, while businesses sought to protect their workers (who had to continue working to work) as well as their customers. At the same time, a number of businesses had concerns about how to limit liability from customers arguing later that the business had spread the virus.

This Article explores the potential liability agricultural operations face and ways to manage …

Tree Establishment On Post-Mining Waste Soils: Species, Density, And Mixture Effects, Degi Harja Asmara, Suzanne Allaire, Meine Van Noordwijk, Damase P. Khasa

Aspen Bibliography

Tree establishment to restore degraded boreal post-mining lands is challenged by low soil productivity, a harsh microclimate, and potentially high contaminant levels. The use of mixed vegetation can facilitate the microclimate but increase competition for soil resources. A statistical accounting of plant–plant interactions and adaptation to multispecies conditions is hard to achieve in field experiments; trials under controlled conditions can distinguish effects of planting density and species interactions in the early stages of plant establishment. A greenhouse trial was established in containers (“mesocosms”) with waste rock or fine tailings from gold mines. Pregerminated (1-week-old) seedlings (Alnus viridis subsp. crispa …

Critical Time For Weed Removal In Corn As Influenced By Planting Pattern And Pre Herbicides, Dejan Nedeljkovic, Stevan Knezevic, Dragana Bozic, Sava Vrbnicanin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Determining the critical time for weed removal (CTWR) is essential for the development of an integrated weed management plan. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of two planting patterns (standard and twin-row) with and without PRE-applied herbicides on CTWR in corn. Experiments were laid out in a split-plot arrangement with two main plots: (i) standard row planting (SRP) that is 70 cm wide, and (ii) twin-row planting (TRP) with 50 cm distance between each set of double rows. Each main plot was divided into two sub-plots (with and without PRE herbicides). The sub-sub-plots consisted of seven weed …

2020 Nebraska Income Averages, Tina N. Barrett

Cornhusker Economics

Each year the numbers gathered by Nebraska Farm Business, Inc tell a story. Sometimes that story is subtle like a drought or storm that affects a small region of the state. Sometimes it is obvious like the drought in 2012, the run-up of commodity prices from 2008-2013, or the impact of the worldwide pandemic of 2020. The one thing that was unique about the story of 2020 was that the sub-stories are not necessarily what you would expect.

Can Improved Canopy Light Transmission Ameliorate Loss Of Photosynthetic Efficiency In The Shade An Investigation Of Natural Variation In Sorghum Bicolor, Nikhil S. Jaikumar, Samantha S. Stutz, Samuel B. Fernandes, Andrew D.B. Leakey, Carl J. Bernacchi, Patrick J. Brown, Stephen P. Long

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Previous studies have found that maximum quantum yield of CO2 assimilation (φCO2,max,app) declines in lower canopies of maize and miscanthus, a maladaptive response to self-shading. These observations were limited to single genotypes, leaving it unclear whether the maladaptive shade response is a general property of this C4 grass tribe, the Andropogoneae. We explored the generality of this maladaptation by testing the hypothesis that erect leaf forms (erectophiles), which allow more light into the lower canopy, suffer less of a decline in photosynthetic efficiency than drooping leaf (planophile) forms. On average, φCO2,max,app declined 27% in lower canopy leaves across 35 accessions, …

Soil Quality Assessment Of An Agroforestry System Following Long-Term Management In The Ozark Highlands, Shane Ylagan, Helen C.S. Amorim, Amanda J. Ashworth, Tom Sauer, Brian J. Wienhold, Phillip R. Owens, Yuri L. Zinn, Kristofor R. Brye

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) is a quantitative soil quality (SQ) evaluation tool that is widely applied to assess soil response to specific agricultural management practices over time. Considering the reported SQ benefits of agroforestry (AF) systems and the potential usefulness of SMAF, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tree species (pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] and northern red oak [Quercus rubra L.]), soil fertility source (poultry litter [PL] and inorganic N fertilizer [control]), and soil depth (0–15 and 15–30 cm) on SMAF-derived SQ indices after 17 yr of management at an AF …

Sweet Sorghum Genotypes Tolerant And Sensitive To Nitrogen Stress Select Distinct Root Endosphere And Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities, Lucas Dantas Lopes, Yen Ning Chai, Ellen L. Marsh, John F. Rajewski, Ismail Dweikat, Daniel P. Schachtman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The belowground microbiomes have many beneficial functions that assist plant growth, including nutrient cycling, acquisition and transport, as well as alleviation of stresses caused by nutrient limitations such as nitrogen (N). Here we analyzed the root endosphere, rhizosphere and soil bacterial communities of seven sweet sorghum genotypes differing in sensitivity to N-stress. Sorghum genotypes were grown in fields with no (low-N) or sufficient (high-N) N. The dry shoot weight ratio (low-N/high-N) was used to determine N-stress sensitivity. Our hypothesis was that genotypes tolerant and sensitive to N-stress select distinct bacterial communities. The endosphere and rhizosphere bacterial community structure were significantly …

Identification And Management Of Scotch Thistle (Onopordum Acanthium L.) In Pastures, Rangelands, And Non-Crop Settings, Cody Zesiger, Jacob Hadfield, Kalen Taylor, Corey Ransom

All Current Publications

Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium) is an invasive species native to Eurasia. It was likely introduced into North America during the late 19th century (Young & Evans, 1969). Due to the plant’s size and prickles, a stand can damage pasture productivity, ruin campsites, or make trails nearly impassable. The thistle also outcompetes desirable plants and greatly reduces forage use by large animals. Since not all thistles are related or alike, it is essential to correctly identify Scotch thistle before making management decisions. This fact sheet provides information about identification, lifecycle and distribution, and management.

Identifying And Managing Dyer's Woad (Isatis Tinctoria) In Pastures, Rangelands, And Non-Crop Settings, Cody Zesiger, Jacob Hadfield, Corey Ransom

All Current Publications

Dyer's woad (Isatis tinctoria) was introduced into Utah during the mid-nineteenth century as a source of indigo dye. The plant escaped cultivation and has spread across rangelands, foothills, and other sites throughout the Intermountain West. This fact sheet provides information about identifying dyer's woad and its lifecycle, distribution, and management in pastures, rangelands, and non-crop settings. It includes information about using appropriate herbicides to control dyer's woad and how to apply them.

Spatial And Temporal Variation Of Epigaeic Beetle Assemblages (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Staphylinidae) In Aspen-Dominated Mixedwood Forests Across North-Central Alberta, H. E. James Hammond, Sergio García-Tejero, Greg R. Pohl, David W. Langor, John R. Spence

Aspen Bibliography

Epigaeic beetle assemblages were surveyed using continuous pitfall trapping during the summers of 1992 and 1993 in six widely geographically distributed locations in Alberta’s aspen-mixedwood forests prior to initial forest harvest. Species composition and turnover (β-diversity) were evaluated on several spatial scales ranging from Natural Regions (distance between samples 120–420 km) to pitfall traps (40–60 m). A total of 19,885 ground beetles (Carabidae) representing 40 species and 12,669 rove beetles (non-Aleocharinae Staphylinidae) representing 78 species was collected. Beetle catch, species richness, and diversity differed significantly among the six locations, as did the identity of dominant species. Beetle species composition differed …

What Do Higher Commodity Prices Mean For Cash Rent?, Allan Vyhnalek

Cornhusker Economics

Anyone watching the corn and soybean prices of the last six months or so must be amazed at how fast and how high prices have gone. Just a year ago, cash prices for 2020 corn were bouncing around the $3.00 per bushel area. Now the cash price for 2020 corn delivered to an ethanol plant is nearly $7.00+ per bushel. What do, or what should, these change in prices do to cash rent?

What Makes A Small Farm Successful? A Review Of Success Factors, Needs, And Challenges, Katie Tritsch, Ken Mix, Michelle L. Edwards, Manuel Piña Jr.

Journal of Extension

Small-scale farmers face unique challenges. In this review, we conceptualize small farm success by aggregating and categorizing results from recent (post-2000) literature on small farm success factors and producer needs assessments. Our findings suggest that small farm success is multifaceted and not limited to profitability. We find that small farms have a diverse range of needs, though little has been done to rank their importance. We conclude that future research would benefit from increased methodological transparency and a systematic approach to needs evaluation. We consider the role of Extension professionals regarding the continued success of small farms.

Sources Of Variation In Bourbon Whiskey Barrels: A Review, Jarrad Gollihue, Victoria G. Pook, Seth Debolt

Horticulture Faculty Publications

Oak barrels serve two purposes in the production of distilled spirits: storage containers and reaction vessels. It is the latter function which bestows barrel aged spirits with their unique and highly sought after flavour profiles. However, achieving consistent flavour profiles between barrels is notoriously difficult as no two barrels are comprised of the same source of oak. Source variation is due to a range of factors, beginning with the genetic and topographical background of the oak tree from which the barrel staves originate, the spatial region of the tree from which the stave was taken and continuing through each step …

Farmers Feeding Utah: Increasing Healthy Food Access And Supporting Local Agriculture, Heidi Leblanc, Casey Coombs

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The need for food assistance increased by 300% among Utah families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers and ranchers were also adversely impacted by market losses and processing shortages. In response, Farmers Feeding Utah was developed to facilitate access to fresh agricultural produce for families in need.

Digital Urban Agriculture As Disparate Development: The Future Of Food In Three U.S. Cities Through The Lens Of Stakeholder Perceptions, Networks, And Resource Flows, Michael Carolan

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Urban agriculture takes many forms. Often, the term elicits images of raised beds, hoop houses, and, in those instances where topsoil is both present and non-contaminated, in-ground gardens—what I call traditional urban agriculture (“TUA”). But that imagery is changing, especially in some parts of the country where vacant space is scarce and land prices dear. In those instances, cities are seeing growth in digital urban agriculture (“DUA”). DUA, as defined here, refers to farming within urban and peri-urban areas that incorporates elements of automation, software, and/or silicon-based hardware into their operations. While this definition is not meant to draw a …

Can Agricultural Management Induced Changes In Soil Organic Carbon Be Detected Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy?, Jonathan Sanderman, Kathleen Savage, Shree R.S. Dangal, Gabriel Duran, Charlotte Rivard, Michel A. Cavigelli, Hero T. Gollany, Virginia L. Jin, Mark A. Liebig, Emmanuel Chiwo Omondi, Yichao Rui, Catherine Stewart

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

A major limitation to building credible soil carbon sequestration programs is the cost of measuring soil carbon change. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is considered a viable low-cost alternative to traditional laboratory analysis of soil organic carbon (SOC). While numerous studies have shown that DRS can produce accurate and precise estimates of SOC across landscapes, whether DRS can detect subtle management induced changes in SOC at a given site has not been resolved. Here, we leverage archived soil samples from seven long-term research trials in the U.S. to test this question using mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy coupled with the USDA-NRCS Kellogg …

American Rescue Plan Act For Local Communities, Marilyn R. Schlake

Cornhusker Economics

On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law by President Biden. ARPA provides direct relief to all 19,000 cities, towns and villages across the United States affected by COVID-19. The purpose of ARPA is to support pandemic recovery efforts, replace public sector lost revenue, spur job growth, jump start economic growth through household and business stabilization and ad-dress systemic public health and economic challenges.

Weather And Climate Summary And Forecast: June 2021 Report, Gregory V. Jones

Linfield University Wine Studies Reports

This report provides a summary of the weather and climate forecast for June 2021. It includes forecast information specific to the Pacific Northwest and the western United States, as well as forecast information for other portions of the United States and abroad.

Cattle Producer Motivations And Willingness To Participate In Industry Animal Welfare Program Verification, Chase Decoite

Master's Theses

As consumers have become increasingly interested in where their food comes from and how it is grown, the cattle and beef industry is without exception. Many consumers are beginning to question traditional animal husbandry practices and on-farm animal welfare protocol. It is essential that the food system meets new demands and understands consumer views. In order to address these concerns, the industry has rallied around the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program to set the standard for cattle welfare and beef quality, with the explicit goal of improving consumer confidence. The goal of this research is to determine if cattle producers …

Wrack Lines Volume 21, Number 1, Born Out Of Crises: Responses, Research And Reflections On A Better Future, Lynn Bonner, Robert J. Klee, Robert Pomeroy, Judy A. Benson

Wrack Lines

Articles in this issue explore various actions taken in response to different crises: lessons about the environment from the COVID-19 pandemic; how seafood sellers in the CT and Southeast Asia responded to the challenges of the pandemic; how the challenges of rising seas and developed coasts are being dealt with through managed retreat, buyouts and other actions in NC and CT; and research on the long-term effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on dolphins led by CTSG Director Sylvain De Guise.

Understanding Producers’ Perspectives On Rotational Grazing Benefits Across Us Great Plains, Tong Wang, Hailong Jin, Urs Kreuter, Richard Teague

Economics Faculty Publications

Experimental findings on rotational grazing (RG) trials have generally differed from producer observations of RG outcomes on commercial scale ranches. Factors such as small plot size, short duration trials and relatively rigid grazing management that lacks responsiveness to the dynamic and complex social-ecological systems in grazing trials could all contribute to this disparity in outcomes. These differences call for a better understanding of producer perceptions of RG benefits. To fill this knowledge gap, we surveyed 4500 producers from the Northern and Southern Great Plains of the USA. Among the 875 respondents, 40.5% reported that they used continuous grazing (CG), 52.7% …

Determining Crop Available Nutrients From Manure, Charles Shapiro, Leslie J. Johnson, Amy Schmidt, Richard Koelsch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide discusses the availability and use of manure nutrients for field crop production. When managed correctly, nutrients in livestock manure can be a valuable resource. When managed improperly, however, these same nutrients represent a potential environmental pollutant. Accurate crediting of manure nutrients within a total crop nutrient program is fundamental to utilizing manure as a resource. This NebGuide illustrates how to estimate the crop available manure nutrients (part c, Figure 1) and calculate an agronomically based manure application rate. There are other tools available that do the calculations for you. This NebGuide will explain each step of the process. …

Towards Consumer-Oriented Mushroom-Based Product Development: An Exploratory Study In Rice-Based Farming Communities In Central Luzon, Philippines, Josefina F. Ballesteros, Rosaly V. Manaois, Amelia V. Morales, Riza Abilgos-Ramos

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

This study determined consumers’ awareness and interest towards mushroom and mushroom-based product ideas. A survey of 222 adults was conducted in rice-based farming communities in selected provinces, namely, Aurora,
Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. Results showed that taste, nutritional, and health benefits were the top attributes considered by both sexes whenever they buy food for household consumption. Most of the respondents (99%) liked eating mushroom because of its palatability (71%) and perceived healthiness (26%). However, the majority (76%) consumed mushrooms only once a month or seldom in a year due to its limited availability. Food supplements, coffee-like beverages, and snacks …

Nebline, June 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Choosing Quality Child Care: Guidance For Parents

Eastern Carpenter Bees

Eating for Brain Health

Recipe of the Month

Naturally Occurring Contaminants, Part 4 of a Series — Arsenic

Efficiency Is Key To Profit On Stocker Cattle

Common Grub Control Questions

Garden Guide: Things to do This Month

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Jen & Jesse Metcalf

4th Graders Learn About “Farm to Fork” During Virtual Ag Festival

Statewide 4-H Companion Animal Challenge Results

Extension News

Extension Calendar

STEM Zoom Workshops in June

Seeking Lancaster County Fair Historic Memorabilia and Stories

Turlock Chamber Of Commerce Agribusiness Committee - Community Outreach Project, Taylor Ann Doo

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

The Turlock Chamber of Commerce Community Outreach project is a website and podcast to connect with community and local agricultural businesses. The goal is to give access to a reliable source of information about agriculture and facilitate a safe environment through podcast to discuss agriculture literacy. As the podcast continues to grow over time, it will become a pertinent platform for agriculture education and agriculture advocacy. As students, general public and local communities become more aware of the surrounding agricultural businesses and industries, so will their exposure to agriculture literacy. Accurate, clear, and concise communication is key to facilitating an …

Virtual Great Agventure- Internship With Slo Ag Ed Committee, Julia Page

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

The “Vitrual Great AGventure” is a program presented by the SLO County Agriculture Education Committee that utilizes education virtual presentation videos to connect students and teachers to the agriculture industry. The videos in this project cover topics on cattle by-products, equine industry, swine industry, and luffa plant production. This report provides details on the program, video content, filming and editing processes, teacher resource materials, and future use of the content.

2021 South Dakota Producer Resurvey Descriptive Results, Tong Wang, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Stephen Cheye, Ness School Of Management And Economics

South Dakota Farm Survey

From January to March 2021, researchers from South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Utah State University (USU) conducted a resurvey of South Dakota of commodity crop producers in the eastern part of the state to study their attitudes and usage of soil and water conservation practices including cover crops, diversified crop rotations, conservation tillage, and integrated crop and livestock management. These same producers completed a similar survey in 2018 (see Wang et al. 2021a, b; Saak et al. 2021; Kolady et al. 2020; Avemegah et al. 2020).1 In the 2018 surveys, farming operations in 34 South Dakota counties east of …

Rhizosphere Microbiomes In A Historical Maize-Soybean Rotation System Respond To Host Species And Nitrogen Fertilization At The Genus And Subgenus Levels, Michael A. Meier, Martha G. Lopez-Guerrero, Ming Guo, Marty Schmer, Josh Herr, James Schnable, James R. Alfano, Jinliang Yang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Root-associated microbes are key players in plant health, disease resistance, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency. It remains largely unclear how the interplay of biological and environmental factors affects rhizobiome dynamics in agricultural systems. In this study, we quantified the composition of rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial communities associated with maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) in a long-term crop rotation study under conventional fertilization and low-N regimes. Over two growing seasons, we evaluated the effects of environmental conditions and several treatment factors on the abundance of rhizosphere- and soil-colonizing microbial taxa. Time of sampling, host plant species, …

Effects Of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria And Fungi On Strawberry Plant Health, Fruit Yield, And Disease Susceptibility, Mary Maher

Master's Theses

Studies on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and fungi (PGPF) as biostimulants have shown significant positive effects on plant health, fruit yield, or pest management. However, very few published studies to date have been specific regarding their effects on strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa), particularly on soilborne disease prevalence in organically grown strawberries. Empirical data on the results of using these products in commercial growing applications under various conditions would be highly valuable, especially for organic growers who have limited synthetic chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers registered for use. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of …

Using Thermal Imaging To Measure Water Stress In Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens, Joseph G. Foral Jr.

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Thermal imaging is a developing tool that can help turf managers reduce water consumption and improve irrigation scheduling, but in-depth studies are needed to maximize this potential. This study evaluated the ability of thermal imaging to identify water stress in a creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera ‘007’) putting green. Water use and canopy temperature (T_c) were measured for plots subjected to three levels of measured water replacement (full, half, and none) to evaluate changes over a range of soil water potentials (SWP). Water use was consistent across the irrigation treatments up to several days before observed wilt …