Agriculture Commons^™

Food Security And State: Policy Considerations For The Contemporary Food Crisis, Mangala Subramaniam, Christopher Bunka

Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) Policy Briefs

In 1996, The World Food Summit (WFS) set a target to eradicate hunger in all countries and an immediate goal to half the number of undernourished people by 2015. Backed by the United Nations (UN), international organizations launched a global effort with the intent of achieving food security for all people. A variety of approaches were employed, including the distribution of food aid and farming supplies, skills training in agricultural development, funding for country-specific research, and legal counsel for states. Despite international efforts, over a decade later the number of undernourished was calculated to have risen by nearly 60 million …

Measuring The Impacts Of Agricultural Input Subsidies In Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence From Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Program, Gerald E. Shively, Jacob Ricker-Gilbert

Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) Policy Briefs

Malawi, a small, land-locked country in south Eastern Africa has been at the forefront of the recent push to reestablish subsidies as a way of boosting agricultural production and improving food security, especially among the poor. Its programs have been widely observed, scrutinized, and emulated. This policy brief examines Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) and distills a set of key research findings drawn from research conducted recently at Purdue University.

U.S. Drought Monitor, June 18, 2013, Mark D. Svoboda

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for June 18, 2013 (6/18/13) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

Levels And Chemodynamics Of Pesticides In Soil And Sediments At Kilombero Sugarcane Plantations And Environs, Morogoro Region, Tanzania, James T. Zacharia

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

metabolites in soil and sediment samples from Kilombero sugarcane plantations and environs, Morogoro Region, Tanzania. The samples were screened for 56 different pesticide residues and their metabolites using GC-ECD and GC-NPD and the results were confirmed by GC-MS. A total of 31 soil samples and 19 sediment samples were analysed in this study and a total of 16 different pesticides/metabolites were detected in soil samples; and 12 different pesticides/metabolites were detected in sediment samples. o,p’-DDT was shown to have the highest concentration of all the detected pesticides/metabolites in soil samples with a mean concentration of 21.04µg/kg d.w whereas the highest …

The Dilemma Of Members Of Farmers’ Cooperatives After Liberalisation Of Domestic Coffee Marketing: The Case Of Moshi And Rombo Districts, Tanzania, David Gongwe Mhando Dgm, Shigela K. Ganja, Eliza Monyo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current economic and marketing reforms in Tanzania have not led to expected improvement in the productivity, incomes and overall livelihoods of coffee growers. Consequently, farmer’s cooperatives have been unable to satisfactorily provide the essential services to their members. This paper analyses the impact of market liberalisation to members of cooperatives. Data was collected by household surveys, FGD and interviews, whereby structured questionnaires and checklists were employed. The study found out that following market liberalisation, Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) are disorganised and lack strong management. There is no substantial welfare improvement to AMCOS members due to the unpredictable pricing …

U.S. Drought Monitor, June 11, 2013, David Simeral

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for June 11, 2013 (6/11/13) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

U.S. Drought Monitor, June 4, 2013, David Simeral

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for June 4, 2013 (6/4/13) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

The Effect Of Mulch Type And Thickness On The Soil Surface Evaporation Rate, Michael Mcmillen

Horticulture and Crop Science

There is a continual drive to conserve water and improve irrigation efficiency in agriculture, especially in regions where water resources are limited and regulated. Mulching is one cultural practice which can be used to reduce water needs. Using certain agricultural byproducts as mulch is a sustainable practice which can provide other benefits as well such as improving soil. Wheat straw, grass clippings, and leaf debris are fairly abundant byproducts which can be used as mulch. An experiment was conducted to determine which of these readily available mulching materials would be best at conserving soil moisture, and at which thicknesses, 5, …

Lower San Luis Obispo Creek Stewardship Plan, Raven Lukehart, Daniel Bohlman

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Pesticide Regulation Differences Of The U.S., Chile, And Mexico On Imported Berries, Kayla Felicia Gardener

Agribusiness

Growing consumer demand for knowledge in the area of food safety and producer accountability on what is applied to fresh produce is resulting in a greater need for transparency in the industry. Additionally, the demand for safe, fresh produce year round has led to extensive international trade and consumers to wonder if imported produce is of the same quality of that in produced in the U.S. The study analyzes the differences and similarities between pesticide application tolerance standards, and labels for applied use on berries produced in the U.S., Mexico, and Chile. This is done by reviewing tolerance information and …

Humboldt County Agriculture Education: Forestry, Nursery, And Dairy Production, Alayna Renner

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create middle school agriculture curriculum for the top three agriculture commodities in Humboldt County. It was designed and created specifically for Humboldt County to educate the upcoming generations about the unique and diverse agriculture industry Humboldt County provides. It is hoped that this easy and ready to use curriculum will get the students interested and involved in the agriculture industry in the future years. It includes a teacher’s aide outline, student handouts, a Power Point, and an activity handout.

Effects Of Chelating Agents On Texture Of Lowfat Cheddar Cheese, Mariela Fernanda Poveda

Master's Theses

Effects of two types of chelating agents on proteolysis and texture properties of low fat Cheddar cheese (LFC) were analyzed and compared to full fat Cheddar (FFC) control during ripening for 120 days at 8°C. We hypothesized that chelating agents would bind calcium ions from cheese matrix to give a softer curd due to a decrease of protein-protein interactions and simultaneously increasing moisture content. Cheese milk containing (0.59% fat) was divided into three lots (A, B & C). Sodium citrate (3Na) and disodium EDTA (EDTA) were added to A & B at the rate of (0.02% and 0.2% respectively. C …

Evaluation Of The Brock Center For Agricultural Communication, Jennifer Ray

Agricultural Education and Communication

The author of this project currently serves as one of the Student Associates of the Brock Center for Agricultural Communication and the Editor-in-Chief of both Ag Circle and PolyCulture magazines. This past year, she served as the student representative on the Advisory Council for the Agricultural Education and Communication Department. Additionally the author has served as the Cal Poly Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) Chapter President and currently serves as the National Second Vice President of the organization. The author’s experience with all of these aspects of the Cal Poly Agricultural Communication program has guided in producing this report. The …

Mycobacterium Bovis (Bovine Tuberculosis) Infection In North American Wildlife: Current Status And Opportunities For Mitigation Of Risks Of Further Infection In Wildlife Populations, Ryan S. Miller, Steven J. Sweeney

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, has been identified in nine geographically distinct wildlife populations in North America and Hawaii and is endemic in at least three populations, including members of the Bovidae, Cervidae, and Suidae families. The emergence of M. bovis in North American wildlife poses a serious and growing risk for livestock and human health and for the recreational hunting industry. Experience in many countries, including the USA and Canada, has shown that while M. bovis can be controlled when restricted to livestock species, it is almost impossible to eradicate …

Nebline, June 2013

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Smart Family Finances

Farm Views

Urban Agriculture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Environmental Focus

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Diseases At The Livestock–Wildlife Interface: Status, Challenges, And Opportunities In The United States, Ryan S. Miller, Mathew L. Farnsworth, Jennifer L. Malmberg

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

In the last half century, significant attention has been given to animal diseases; however, our understanding of disease processes and how to manage them at the livestock–wildlife interface remains limited. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature to evaluate the status of diseases at the livestock–wildlife interface in the United States. Specifically, the goals of the literature review were three fold: first to evaluate domestic animal diseases currently found in the United States where wildlife may play a role; second to identify critical issues faced in managing these diseases at the livestock–wildlife interface; and third …

Patch Burning: Integrating Fire And Grazing To Promote Heterogeneity, John R. Weir, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, David M. Engle, Terrence G. Bidwell, D. Chad Cummings, R. Dwayne Elmore, Ryan F. Limb, Brady W. Allred, J. Derek Scasta, Stephen L. Winter

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Heterogeneity refers to the differences in habitats across the landscape, and it is required for diverse plant and wildlife communities. Some heterogeneity is inherent, caused by differences in soils, while most heterogeneity is disturbance driven. Climate, fire, and grazing are the main three disturbance factors that have historically shaped the landscape. All three are still very important to the continued diversity and health of the plants and animals associated with our prairies, shrublands, and forestlands across the Great Plains. While we cannot control the climate, we can manage grazing by stocking rate, season of use, and kind and type of …

Strategies To Improve Recycling In Natural Areas: Examples From Zion National Park, Matthew Poirier, Roslynn Brain, Emily Barajas

All Current Publications

The next life of a product, either a landfill or recycling center, is largely dependent on which bin products are placed in. As important as this may be, many people throw recyclable commodities in the trash, wasting valuable resources. ecause it is difficult to encourage sustainable behavior, this fact sheet outlines tips to increase the ease and accuracy of recycling in high traffic areas, using Zion National Park as a case study.

Marek's Disease (Md, Range Paralysis, Gray Eye), David D. Frame, Sarah Tilley, Mark C. Bland

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases of backyard chickens. The clinical signs of Marek's Disease are descriptively illustrated, and an objective plan for diagnosis and control are discussed in a format understandable to the general small flock and/or backyard chicken owner.

Planting Vegetables Midsummer For A Fall Harvest, Dennis Worwood

All Current Publications

Cool season vegetables are traditionally planted in the spring, but most can also be planted in midsummer for a fall harvest. This fact sheet lists vegetables adapted to midsummer planting in Utah and describes planting techniques and cultural practices.