Agriculture Commons^™

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter Newsletter, Issue #69 Spring 2026

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President's message, Dustin Loy

Undergraduate Scholarship Awards

2026 Chapter Officers and Committees

Faculty Awards

Membership info and dues form

Grad Student Scholarship

Award of Merit

NU Foundation Fund

New Initiates

Save the Date

In Memoriam:
Kara Daye Heideman (March 31, 1980-December 11, 2025)
L. Dale Van Vleck (June 11, 1933-December 23, 2025)
James (Jim) Eugene Specht (September 12, 1945-February 13, 2026)
Irvin Thomas Omtvedt (June 12, 1935-April 6, 2026)
Fayrene L. Hamouz (June 6, 1946-April 8, 2026)
Robert L. Raun (April 22, 1928-April 22, 2026)

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2026), College Of Agriculture, Food, And Environmental Sciences

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

[Page] 2 National heritage, statewide research, local impact
[Page] 7 About the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Stations
[Page] 14 Managing the mooo-ment: How SDSU researchers are looking to improve cow health during the Transition Period
[Page] 18 Discovering strength in science: How education through undergraduate research prepares students for the future
[Page] 20 From India to Brookings: One grad student’s path to make a world of difference in virology
[Page] 22 Solving a billion-dollar problem: Identifying disease-resistent wheat genes
[Page] 24 Unlocking manure’s potential: SDSU leads multistate study on the power of swine manure in growing better crops
[Page] 28 …

Developing 'A Guide To Agricultural Education Advisory Committees: Development, Uses, And Transitions', Christine Schuler

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project developed a practical guide to support agricultural education advisory committees in their development, use, and long-term sustainability. Strong school-community partnerships are essential to effective agricultural education programs, particularly in small, rural communities where programs serve as connections between the school and local industry. Advisory committees play a critical role in maintaining these relationships, yet many agricultural educators lack clear, accessible resources to guide this work. This project addressed that need by creating a comprehensive, practice-based guide established from research and professional experience.

This guide started from a review of literature on school-community partnerships, advisory committees, and agricultural education …

Security & Solutions: How Iceland’S Agricultural Media Understands Climate Change, Kathryn Busko

Iceland: Climate Change and The Arctic

This study aims to examine how Icelandic farming media discusses climate change, what solutions they propose, and what impacts they anticipate. This is significant because understanding specialized media can help illuminate the feelings of the community, and farmers are key stakeholders in climate change debates. They have the power to implement adaptation measures, but will also be impacted by climate change in the future. Icelandic farmers may feel both positive and negative impacts. This study employs thematic analysis of Bændablaðið (the Farmer’s Newspaper) to understand how climate change was discussed during the year 2024. This study found that livestock farming …

Risk Factors Of Leptospirosis Among Agricultural Workers In Southeast Asia: Literature Review, Ronggo Adi Wibowo, Wawa Najwa Nurzakia, Meirany Sasitha Kirana, Yulia Arthemisia Wijaya, Jasmine Ayumaharani Sekaryudha, Dwi Sarwani Sri Rejeki, Rosita Dwi Jayanti

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

The agricultural sector is the primary source of livelihood for communities in Southeast Asia; however, these activities increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic diseases, particularly leptospirosis. Southeast Asia is one of the regions with the highest incidence of leptospirosis in the world. This literature review aims to identify risk factors for leptospirosis among agricultural workers in Southeast Asia. The search for research articles utilized three databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect) using a descriptive approach based on literature review and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 9,800 articles were screened for …

Organic Management Of Pillbugs And Sowbugs In Strawberries And Other Fruits, Briger Carey, Marion Murray, Emilie Demard, Jennifer R. Reeve

All Current Publications

Pillbugs and sowbugs are collectively known as isopods that typically feed on soil organic matter, but under certain conditions, they can be a pest of many young plants and berries. This fact sheet reviews identification, life cycle, damage, and organic management strategies for pillbugs and sowbugs.

Challenges Of Selected Philippine Higher Educational Institutions In Facilitating Extension Services: Application Of The Best-Fit Framework, Kay Guiriba-Losabia, Allan G. Dalo, Calyd T. Cerio

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

This paper deals with a case study that uses the best-fit framework to analyze the challenges faced by the HEIs in facilitating the effective delivery of extension services. Specifically, it seeks to identify the factors that influence the HEI in identifying its thrusts and directions and developing extension programs. It also aims to assess the factors that facilitate and limit the implementation of extension programs. The study used a qualitative case study. Participants in the study include HEI Extension Unit Heads and project or program leaders. Key informant interview, survey, and secondary data review were conducted to collect data. Content …

New Distributional Record Of Dacus Persicus (Diptera: Tephritidae), A Biocontrol Agent Of Calotropis Procera (Apocynaceae), From Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Adnan Bodlah, Imran Bodlah, Aleena Kanwal, Alishbah Mohsin, Ayesha Younas, Muhammad Tariq Siddique, Hafiz Muhammad Zia Ullah Ghazali, Muhammad Salman Yousafzai

Journal of Bioresource Management

The tephritid species Dacus persicus Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) exhibits strict host specificity to Calotropis species and is known as a destructive seed feeder of Calotropis procera. During field surveys, D. persicus larval stages were obtained from infested fruits of C. procera whereas adults were collected through sweep net sampling. This study documents the occurrence of D. persicus from southern district of Punjab, thereby extending its known distribution within the province beyond previous records from northern Punjab. Adult’s specimens were reared from field collected fruits and net-sweeping. Adults were identified based on detailed morphological examination of external characters and female …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Creative Ways To Store Seeds, Aurora Hughes Villa, Kaitlin U. Campbell, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Seed saving, the practice of collecting and preserving seeds from plants (e.g., vegetables, herbs, and flowers), allows them to be planted in future seasons. It’s commonly used by home gardeners, farmers, and seed stewards. This fact sheet provides information on seed storage, cultural and historical connections, seed rematriation, creative ways to store seeds, and creative uses for seeds. Many resources are included.

Is Precision Agriculture Technology Adoption Persistently Overestimated?, Trey Malone, Chad Fiechter, Zanliang Meng, James Lowenberg‐Deboer, Bruce Erickson, Jay Akridge

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Precision agriculture is sometimes assumed to diffuse steadily over time, and industry planning frequently extrapolates early adoption trends forward. This study evaluates the accuracy of such expectations by comparing agricultural input dealers' forecasts of future service offerings with the actual levels of offerings that dealerships eventually provided. Using 21 waves of the CropLife-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey from 2000 to 2025, we examine expected and realized precision agriculture offerings across 26 technologies. We document systematic and persistent overestimation of adoption: for most technologies, expected diffusion exceeds realized outcomes, with forecast errors becoming especially pronounced as adoption flattened or declined in …

Broccoli Yield Following Varying Ratios Of Barley And Pea Cover Crop Mixtures, Jesen Hosch, Charlie Rohwer

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

While cover crops can provide a variety of services to farmers, there is debate about the benefit of cover crop mixtures compared to monocultures. A barley monoculture, a pea monoculture, and varying ratios of a barley-pea cover crop mixture were planted in spring before broccoli and under-fertilized with nitrogen. Though both broccoli yield and head weight had a positive relationship with the percent peas in a mixture, a fallow control was similar to all treatments but the barley monoculture, which resulted in the lowest yield and head size.

Nexus Of Food Security Versus Armed Conflict In The Context Of Climate Change In Mali, Moussa Macalou, Youssouf Diabate, Abdoulaye Nientao, Adama B. Coulibaly

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The nexus between food security and armed conflict, with particular focus on developing countries, has been analyzed by a few studies in the literature. Every country under armed conflict is obligated to solve related food security issues. Therefore, the overall objective of this study was to analyze the nexus between households’ food security and armed conflicts in the context of climate change in Mali. To achieve this objective, first, the study used an ordinary least squares model to determine the factors influencing households’ food security. Second, it used an ordered logit model to determine the factors influencing armed conflict. Apart …

Advancing The Alabama Black Belt Food Corridor: A Stakeholder-Driven Approach Through The Alabama Black Belt Food Systems Alliance, Kristin Woods, Tana Shealey

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

A convergence of factors led to the need to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to empower small-scale farmers in the Alabama Black Belt Region to safely scale up operations and access new markets. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is renewed interest from government, producers, and consumers in strengthening local and regional food systems. This has led to a greater number of wholesale and retail market opportunities for farmers in the region. A newly formed Alabama Black Belt Food Systems Alliance (ABBFSA) endeavored to gather stakeholders to advance the Black Belt Food Corridor (BBFC) food system. …

Environmental Inequities In Conservation Policies And Practices: A Brief Overview, Monyai Chavers

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Conservation science and practice mirror racist notions of colonialism, prolonging a cycle in which policies and programs disregard land access. Many conservation leaders operate from a culture of land exclusion, focusing on nature to generate wealth, deeming the number of individuals removed from the commons as progress. By the turn of the 21^st Century, government conservation policies compensated private actors and groups for voluntarily adopting market-based mechanisms aimed at land conservation. Despite the emergence of various conservation programs, the data show that White Americans primarily benefit from federal conservation payments. However, the fragmentation of Black land ownership allows the …

Comparison Of Heavy Metal Accumulation In Soil And Wood Core Within Tallassee And Tuskegee, Alabama, Alicia R. Wilson, Brianna Smith, Latricia Miller, Rashidah Farid

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Heavy metals are natural components of the environment and can be relatively non-impactful in low concentrations. However, high concentrations of heavy metal toxicity can result in air, water, and soil contamination that adversely impacts environmental, human, and wildlife health. This study focuses on detecting the presence of heavy metals in soil, Loblolly Pine tree bark, and wood core samples from sites near a landfill in the Tallassee, Alabama, community and a post-agricultural site in Tuskegee, Alabama. It has been hypothesized that heavy metals are present in soil, tree bark, and the tree’s wood core from sampling sites. Samples were taken …

Impact Of In-Depth Adoption Of System Of Rice Intensification On Food Security Of Smallholder Farm Households In Mali, Moussa Macalou, John Baptist D. Jatoe

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The system of rice intensification (SRI) was implemented in Mali to boost rice productivity. The objectives of this paper are to identify the constraints faced by SRI adopters, estimate the food security index, and assess the impact of in-depth adoption of SRI on smallholder farm households’ food security. The study uses Kendall’s ranking to rank the six main constraints identified from the literature. The study uses the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale to estimate households’ food security index. Using primary data collected on rice farm households, the study combines the multivalued treatment effect inverse probability weighted regression adjustment and the …

Evaluation Of Two Varieties Of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus (L. Moench) Growth In A Wiregrass Tunnel House And Field, James E. Currington Sr, Victor Khan, Billie Grant, George X. Hunter, Raymon Shange, Cassandra Searight, Edward Sparks, Jeffery Moore, James E. Currington Iii

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

“Clemson Spineless” and “Jambalaya” okra were grown in a Tunnel House and field to compare yield and other growth parameters. A split-plot design with three replications/treatment was used; the Tunnel House and field were main plots, and varieties split plot. Plant height was significantly taller, and pod harvesting began two weeks earlier in the Tunnel House. Yield showed no significant differences between varieties, and Tunnel House vs. field-produced okra. However, “Clemson Spineless” produced 9% higher pod yield in the Tunnel House than “Jambalaya,” which had 23% higher field yield than “Clemson Spineless.” An enterprise budget analysis showed that Tunnel House …

Abridged Submission Guidelines

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Michi-No-Eki (Roadside Stations) On The Regional Economy: An Input–Output Analysis Of Minamiboso City In Chiba Prefecture, Ryusaku Matsuo, Takeru Aizawa, Gon Jan, Wei Yuanxin, Masaharu Uchiyama, Gento Tagami

Japanese Society and Culture

This study quantitatively examines the economic impact of Michi-no-Eki (Roadside Stations) in Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture, using an input–output analysis based on the Chiba Prefectural Interindustry Table. Eight Michi-no-Eki were evaluated in terms of direct, indirect, and induced effects, including employment creation. The results show that the total production-inducing effect generated by the stations amounts to ¥7.02 billion per year, and the employment-inducing effect reaches 108.7 persons annually, indicating that Michi-no-Eki function as a central engine of the local economy. Moreover, thematic diversity among stations—such as loquat, flowers, and seafood—enhances multiplier effects through inter-sectoral linkages. These findings demonstrate that Michi-no-Eki …

Heavy Metal Contamination In Agricultural Soils And Potential Human Health Risks, Debora Michael Mwenda, Leonard Masesa Jumanne, Daudi Salvius Mgaya, Amos Vincent Ntarisa

Tanzania Journal of Science

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils is a growing concern due to potential human health risks via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. However, data on fertiliser-related contamination in rural Tanzanian settings remain limited. This study assessed contamination levels and associated health risks in Kibwabwa village, Iringa, Tanzania. A total of 48 soil samples were collected from eight farms at a depth of 0–15 cm. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, and Pb were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Health risks were evaluated using chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) models …