Intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to pathogen infection in wild small mammals in intensive milk cattle and swine production systems.

PubMed

Lovera, Rosario; Fernández, María Soledad; Jacob, Jens; Lucero, Nidia; Morici, Gabriel; Brihuega, Bibiana; Farace, María Isabel; Caracostantogolo, Jorge; Cavia, Regino

2017-06-01

Understanding the ecological processes that are involved in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens by small mammals may aid adequate and effective management measures. Few attempts have been made to analyze the ecological aspects that influence pathogen infection in small mammals in livestock production systems. We describe the infection of small mammals with Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., Trichinella spp. and Cysticercus fasciolaris and assess the related intrinsic and extrinsic factors in livestock production systems in central Argentina at the small mammal community, population and individual levels. Ten pig farms and eight dairy farms were studied by removal trapping of small mammals from 2008 to 2011. Each farm was sampled seasonally over the course of one year with cage and Sherman live traps. The 505 small mammals captured (14,359 trap-nights) included three introduced murine rodents, four native rodents and two opossums. Leptospira spp., anti-Brucella spp. antibodies and Trichinella spp. were found in the three murine rodents and both opossums. Rattus norvegicus was also infected with C. fasciolaris; Akodon azarae and Oligoryzomys flavescens with Leptospira spp.; anti-Brucella spp. antibodies were found in A. azarae. Two or more pathogens occurred simultaneously on 89% of the farms, and each pathogen was found on at least 50% of the farms. Pathogen infections increased with host abundance. Infection by Leptospira spp. also increased with precipitation and during warm seasons. The occurrence of anti-Brucella spp. antibodies was higher on dairy farms and during the winter and summer. The host abundances limit values, from which farms are expected to be free of the studied pathogens, are reported. Murine rodents maintain pathogens within farms, whereas other native species are likely dispersing pathogens among farms. Hence, we recommend preventing and controlling murines in farm dwellings and isolating farms from their surroundings to avoid contact with other wild mammals.

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to pathogen infection in wild small mammals in intensive milk cattle and swine production systems

PubMed Central

Lovera, Rosario; Fernández, María Soledad; Jacob, Jens; Caracostantogolo, Jorge

2017-01-01

Background Understanding the ecological processes that are involved in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens by small mammals may aid adequate and effective management measures. Few attempts have been made to analyze the ecological aspects that influence pathogen infection in small mammals in livestock production systems. We describe the infection of small mammals with Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., Trichinella spp. and Cysticercus fasciolaris and assess the related intrinsic and extrinsic factors in livestock production systems in central Argentina at the small mammal community, population and individual levels. Methodology/Principal findings Ten pig farms and eight dairy farms were studied by removal trapping of small mammals from 2008 to 2011. Each farm was sampled seasonally over the course of one year with cage and Sherman live traps. The 505 small mammals captured (14,359 trap-nights) included three introduced murine rodents, four native rodents and two opossums. Leptospira spp., anti-Brucella spp. antibodies and Trichinella spp. were found in the three murine rodents and both opossums. Rattus norvegicus was also infected with C. fasciolaris; Akodon azarae and Oligoryzomys flavescens with Leptospira spp.; anti-Brucella spp. antibodies were found in A. azarae. Two or more pathogens occurred simultaneously on 89% of the farms, and each pathogen was found on at least 50% of the farms. Pathogen infections increased with host abundance. Infection by Leptospira spp. also increased with precipitation and during warm seasons. The occurrence of anti-Brucella spp. antibodies was higher on dairy farms and during the winter and summer. The host abundances limit values, from which farms are expected to be free of the studied pathogens, are reported. Conclusions/Significance Murine rodents maintain pathogens within farms, whereas other native species are likely dispersing pathogens among farms. Hence, we recommend preventing and controlling murines in farm dwellings and isolating farms from their surroundings to avoid contact with other wild mammals. PMID:28665952

76 FR 62806 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board Approval Under Delegated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-11

.... Reporting Requirements, assessment area delineation, 2 hours; small business and small farm loan data, 8.... Reporting Requirements, assessment area delineation, 72; small business and small farm loan data, 72... 62807

Security region-based small signal stability analysis of power systems with FSIG based wind farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Chao; Zeng, Yuan; Yang, Yang; Cui, Xiaodan; Xu, Xialing; Li, Yong

2018-02-01

Based on the Security Region approach, the impact of fixed-speed induction generator based wind farm on the small signal stability of power systems is analyzed. Firstly, the key factors of wind farm on the small signal stability of power systems are analyzed and the parameter space for small signal stability region is formed. Secondly, the small signal stability region of power systems with wind power is established. Thirdly, the corresponding relation between the boundary of SSSR and the dominant oscillation mode is further studied. Results show that the integration of fixed-speed induction generator based wind farm will cause the low frequency oscillation stability of the power system deteriorate. When the output of wind power is high, the oscillation stability of the power system is mainly concerned with the inter-area oscillation mode caused by the integration of the wind farm. Both the active power output and the capacity of reactive power compensation of the wind farm have a significant influence on the SSSR. To improve the oscillation stability of power systems with wind power, it is suggested to reasonably set the reactive power compensation capacity for the wind farm through SSSR.

12 CFR 345.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and community development... following criteria: (1) Lending activity. The number and amount of the bank's home mortgage, small business... distribution. The geographic distribution of the bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer...

12 CFR 345.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and community development... following criteria: (1) Lending activity. The number and amount of the bank's home mortgage, small business... distribution. The geographic distribution of the bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer...

House and stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) seasonal abundance, larval development substrates, and natural parasitism on small equine farms in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This 1-year study was designed to determine adult fly population levels and development substrates on four small equine farms. Results showed that pest flies were present year-round, but differences existed in population levels among farms and seasons. Fly larvae were not found on two of the farms, ...

Initiative for Future Agricultural Food Systems (IFAFS) From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School Meals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kish, Stacy

2008-01-01

Improving the nutritional value of school meals is a growing priority among school systems across the United States. To assist in this effort, the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) funded a coalition, which developed a new program called "From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School…

China’s new-age small farms and their vertical integration: agribusiness or co-ops?

PubMed

Huang, Philip C C

2011-01-01

The future of Chinese agriculture lies not with large mechanized farms but with small capital-labor dual intensifying family farms for livestock-poultry-fish raising and vegetable-fruit cultivation. Chinese food consumption patterns have been changing from the old 8:1:1 pattern of 8 parts grain, 1 part meat, and 1 part vegetables to a 4:3:3 pattern, with a corresponding transformation in agricultural structure. Small family-farming is better suited for the new-age agriculture, including organic farming, than large-scale mechanized farming, because of the intensive, incremental, and variegated hand labor involved, not readily open to economies of scale, though compatible with economies of scope. It is also better suited to the realities of severe population pressure on land. But it requires vertical integration from cultivation to processing to marketing, albeit without horizontal integration for farming. It is against such a background that co-ops have arisen spontaneously for integrating small farms with processing and marketing. The Chinese government, however, has been supporting aggressively capitalistic agribusinesses as the preferred mode of vertical integration. At present, Chinese agriculture is poised at a crossroads, with the future organizational mode for vertical integration as yet uncertain.

The Uplands after Neoliberalism?--The Role of the Small Farm in Rural Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shucksmith, Mark; Ronningen, Katrina

2011-01-01

The modernist project foresaw no role for small farms, but this can no longer be regarded as axiomatic as neoliberalism enters what Peck et al. call its "zombie phase". This paper asks what contribution small farms in the uplands can make to societies' goals, what role they might play in the sustainability of rural communities in such…

Occurrence of Eimeria Species Parasites on Small-Scale Commercial Chicken Farms in Africa and Indication of Economic Profitability

PubMed Central

Fornace, Kimberly M.; Clark, Emily L.; Macdonald, Sarah E.; Namangala, Boniface; Karimuribo, Esron; Awuni, Joseph A.; Thieme, Olaf; Blake, Damer P.; Rushton, Jonathan

2013-01-01

Small-scale commercial poultry production is emerging as an important form of livestock production in Africa, providing sources of income and animal protein to many poor households, yet the occurrence and impact of coccidiosis on this relatively new production system remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to examine Eimeria parasite occurrence on small-scale commercial poultry farms in Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. Additionally, farm economic viability was measured by calculating the farm gross margin and enterprise budget. Using these economic measures as global assessments of farm productivity, encompassing the diversity present in regional husbandry systems with a measure of fundamental local relevance, we investigated the detection of specific Eimeria species as indicators of farm profitability. Faecal samples and data on production parameters were collected from small-scale (less than 2,000 birds per batch) intensive broiler and layer farms in peri-urban Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. All seven Eimeria species recognised to infect the chicken were detected in each country. Furthermore, two of the three genetic variants (operational taxonomic units) identified previously in Australia have been described outside of Australia for the first time. Detection of the most pathogenic Eimeria species associated with decreased farm profitability and may be considered as an indicator of likely farm performance. While a causal link remains to be demonstrated, the presence of highly pathogenic enteric parasites may pose a threat to profitable, sustainable small-scale poultry enterprises in Africa. PMID:24391923

Occurrence of Eimeria species parasites on small-scale commercial chicken farms in Africa and indication of economic profitability.

PubMed

Fornace, Kimberly M; Clark, Emily L; Macdonald, Sarah E; Namangala, Boniface; Karimuribo, Esron; Awuni, Joseph A; Thieme, Olaf; Blake, Damer P; Rushton, Jonathan

2013-01-01

Small-scale commercial poultry production is emerging as an important form of livestock production in Africa, providing sources of income and animal protein to many poor households, yet the occurrence and impact of coccidiosis on this relatively new production system remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to examine Eimeria parasite occurrence on small-scale commercial poultry farms in Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. Additionally, farm economic viability was measured by calculating the farm gross margin and enterprise budget. Using these economic measures as global assessments of farm productivity, encompassing the diversity present in regional husbandry systems with a measure of fundamental local relevance, we investigated the detection of specific Eimeria species as indicators of farm profitability. Faecal samples and data on production parameters were collected from small-scale (less than 2,000 birds per batch) intensive broiler and layer farms in peri-urban Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. All seven Eimeria species recognised to infect the chicken were detected in each country. Furthermore, two of the three genetic variants (operational taxonomic units) identified previously in Australia have been described outside of Australia for the first time. Detection of the most pathogenic Eimeria species associated with decreased farm profitability and may be considered as an indicator of likely farm performance. While a causal link remains to be demonstrated, the presence of highly pathogenic enteric parasites may pose a threat to profitable, sustainable small-scale poultry enterprises in Africa.

12 CFR 228.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assessment area(s) through its lending activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business... and amount of the bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable... bank's home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, based on the loan...

Opportunities of energy supply of farm holdings on the basis of small-scale renewable energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efendiev, A. M.; Nikolaev, Yu. E.; Evstaf'ev, D. P.

2016-02-01

One of the major national economic problems of Russia is raising of agricultural production, which will provide strategic security and sustainable supply of the population with provisions. Creation of subsidiary small holdings, farm holdings, and peasant farm holdings will require addressing issues of energy supply. At considerable distance of small farms from centralized energy systems (by fuel, electricity and thermal energy) it is proposed to create a system of local energy networks on the basis of low-powered power plants using renewable energy sources (RES). There is economic unreasonableness of use of imported components of small power plants. Creation of new combined small power plants on renewable energy sources produced by domestic manufacturers is recommended. Schemes of arrangements of small power plants based on renewable energy sources are proposed, variants and characteristics of a basic source are provided—biogas plants developed by the authors. Calculations revealed that heat and power supply of self-contained farms distant from small power plants based on renewable energy sources is 2.5-2.6 times cheaper than from centralized networks. Production of biogas through anaerobic fermentation of organic waste of cattle complexes is considered as the basis. The analysis of biowaste output in various cattle farms is carried out, and the volume of biogas is determined to meet the requirements of these farms in electrical and thermal energy. The objective of the present article is to study the possibility of creating small combined power plants in Russia based on renewable sources of energy for independent consumers.

Not Your Family Farm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tenopir, Carol; Baker, Gayle; Grogg, Jill E.

2007-01-01

The information industry continues to consolidate, just as agribusiness has consolidated and now dominates farming. Both the family farm and the small information company still exist but are becoming rarer in an age of mergers, acquisitions, and increased economies of scale. Small companies distinguish themselves by high quality, special themes,…

Improving Environmental Management on Small-scale Farms: Perspectives of Extension Educators and Horse Farm Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebecca, Perry-Hill; Linda, Prokopy

2015-01-01

Although the number of small-scale farms is increasing in North America and Europe, few studies have been conducted to better understand environmental management in this sector. We investigate this issue by examining environmental management on horse farms from both the perspective of the "expert" extension educator and horse farm operator. We conducted a Delphi survey and follow-up interviews with extension educators in Indiana and Kentucky. We also conducted interviews and farm assessments with 15 horse farm operators in the two states. Our results suggest a disconnection between the perceptions of extension educators and horse farm operators. Extension educators believed that operators of small horse farms are unfamiliar with conservation practices and their environmental benefits and they found it difficult to target outreach to this audience. In the interviews with horse farm operators, we found that the majority were somewhat familiar with conservation practices like rotational grazing, soil testing, heavy use area protection, and manure composting. It was not common, however, for practices to be implemented to generally recognized standards. The horse farm respondents perceived these practices as interrelated parts of a system of farm management that has developed over time to best deal with the physical features of the property, needs of the horses, and available resources. Because conservation practices must be incorporated into a complex farm management system, traditional models of extension (i.e., diffusion of innovations) may be inappropriate for promoting better environmental management on horse farms.

Improving environmental management on small-scale farms: perspectives of extension educators and horse farm operators.

PubMed

Rebecca, Perry-Hill; Linda, Prokopy

2015-01-01

Although the number of small-scale farms is increasing in North America and Europe, few studies have been conducted to better understand environmental management in this sector. We investigate this issue by examining environmental management on horse farms from both the perspective of the "expert" extension educator and horse farm operator. We conducted a Delphi survey and follow-up interviews with extension educators in Indiana and Kentucky. We also conducted interviews and farm assessments with 15 horse farm operators in the two states. Our results suggest a disconnection between the perceptions of extension educators and horse farm operators. Extension educators believed that operators of small horse farms are unfamiliar with conservation practices and their environmental benefits and they found it difficult to target outreach to this audience. In the interviews with horse farm operators, we found that the majority were somewhat familiar with conservation practices like rotational grazing, soil testing, heavy use area protection, and manure composting. It was not common, however, for practices to be implemented to generally recognized standards. The horse farm respondents perceived these practices as interrelated parts of a system of farm management that has developed over time to best deal with the physical features of the property, needs of the horses, and available resources. Because conservation practices must be incorporated into a complex farm management system, traditional models of extension (i.e., diffusion of innovations) may be inappropriate for promoting better environmental management on horse farms.

Risk for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus infection in chickens in small-scale commercial farms, in a high-risk area, Bangladesh, 2008.

PubMed

Biswas, P K; Rahman, M H; Das, A; Ahmed, S S U; Giasuddin, M; Christensen, J P

2011-12-01

Small-scale commercial chicken farms (FAO-defined system 3) with poor biosecurity predominate in developing countries including Bangladesh. By enroling fifteen highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases occurring in such farms - (February - April 2008) and 45 control farms (March-May 2008) with similar set up, we conducted a case-control study to evaluate the risk factors associated with HPAI H5N1 virus infections in chickens reared in small-scale commercial farms in a spatially high-risk area in Bangladesh. Data collected by a questionnaire from the selected farms were analysed by univariable analysis and multivariable conditional logistic regression. The risk factors independently associated were 'dead crow seen at or near farm' [odds ratio (OR) 47.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.7-480.3, P = 0.001], 'exchanging eggtrays with market vendors' (OR 20.4, 95% CI 1.9-225.5, P = 0.014) and 'mortality seen in backyard chicken reared nearby' (OR 19.4, 95% CI 2.8-131.9, P = 0.002). These observations suggest that improved biosecurity might reduce the occurrence of HPAI outbreaks in small-scale commercial farms in Bangladesh. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 563e - Ratings

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in its assessment area(s); (B) A... area(s), of loans among individuals of different income levels and businesses (including farms) of... individuals, or businesses (including farms) with gross annual revenues of $1 million or less, consistent with...

FARM WASTE TO ENERGY: A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR SMALL-SCALE FARMS

EPA Science Inventory

Through this project, it was determined that the utilization of anaerobic digestion on small farms for the purpose of managing varying waste streams and odor issues and decreasing fossil fuel consumption and cost was feasible. The feedstocks necessary to run the digester are r...

12 CFR 32.7 - Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small farm loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small farm loans. 32.7 Section 32.7 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LENDING LIMITS § 32.7 Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small...

12 CFR 32.7 - Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small farm loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small farm loans. 32.7 Section 32.7 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LENDING LIMITS § 32.7 Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small...

The Implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and the Strength of the Sustainable Agriculture Movement.

PubMed

Wiseman, Samuel R

2015-01-01

In the wake of growing public concerns over salmonella outbreaks and other highly publicized food safety issues, Congress passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act in 2011, which placed more stringent standards on food growing and packaging operations. In negotiations preceding the Act's passage, farmers of local, sustainable food argued that these rules would unduly burden local agricultural operations or, at the extreme, drive them out of business by creating overly burdensome rules. These objections culminated in the addition of the Tester-Hagan Amendment to the Food Safety Modernization Act, which created certain exemptions for small farms. Proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules to implement the Act threatened to weaken this victory for small farm groups, however, prompting a loud response from small farmers and local food proponents. The FDA's second set of proposed rules, issued in September 2014 in response to these and other complaints, were, perhaps surprisingly, responsive to small farmers' concerns. Using comments submitted to the FDA, this article explores the responses of the agriculture industry and public health organizations, as well as small farm groups, consumers of local food, and sustainable agriculture interests (which, for simplicity, I alternately describe as comprising the "sustainable agriculture" or "small farm" movement), to three aspects of the FDA's proposed rules--involving manure application, on-farm packing activities, and exemptions for very small farms--to assess the strength of the sustainable agriculture movement. The rules involving manure application and on-farm packing, it turns out, reveal little about the independent political strength of the local food movement, as large industry groups also objected to these provisions. But for the third issue discussed here--exemptions for very small farms--the interests of sustainable agriculture groups were directly opposed to both industry and public health organizations, and yet prevailed. This suggests that the high salience of locavore and "slow food" issues might have allowed relatively small, dispersed interests to overcome traditional obstacles to political organization, and that the sustainable agriculture movement has indeed become an effective political force.

12 CFR 345.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... by the FDIC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 228.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... prescribed by the Board) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 25.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated or... prescribed by the OCC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 228.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... prescribed by the Board) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 25.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated or... prescribed by the OCC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 25.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated or... prescribed by the OCC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 25.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated or... prescribed by the OCC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 345.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... by the FDIC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 345.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... by the FDIC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

12 CFR 345.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the bank originated... by the FDIC) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the bank: (1) A unique number or alpha-numeric...

Dissemination of parasites by animal movements in small ruminant farms.

PubMed

Vasileiou, N G C; Fthenakis, G C; Papadopoulos, E

2015-09-30

The present paper discusses the spread of parasites by animal movements in small ruminant farms; it focuses in dissemination of parasitic forms that would lead to subsequent infection of sheep or goats. Systems of small ruminant production involve a component of animal movement (e.g., grazing) as part of routine husbandry, which favors spread of parasitic forms; that refers mainly to parasites of the digestive system (nematodes, trematodes, cestodes, protozoa), as well as helminthes of the respiratory system, although dissemination of the various parasitic forms in the environment would not always result to subsequent infection; external parasites may also be disseminated during movements, e.g., to inhabit wooden poles used in fencing. New livestock into a farm constitutes a biosecurity hazard and the most common means to introducing new parasitic pathogens into a farm; in contemporary small ruminant health management, this contributes in dissemination of anthelmintic resistant parasitic strains; other parasitic disease agents (e.g., mange mites, ticks) may also be spread into a farm that way. Often, especially in small scale farming, visits of rams or bucks take place from one farm to another during the mating season; in such cases, ectoparasites (e.g., mange mites) can be disseminated through direct contact of animals, as well other pathogens (e.g., Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum) via the semen. During transportation of sheep/goats, parasitic forms can also spread, as well as during movement of sheep or goats to slaughterhouses, in which case dogs present in these places would contribute to their dissemination. Spread of life forms of various parasites can also occur from animal species present in the environment of sheep or goats; these include animals present within a farm, stray dogs roaming around a farm (e.g., for spread of Multiceps multiceps, Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia hydatigena, N. caninum), cats commanding the environment of a farm (e.g., for spread of T. gondii), cats or rats responsible for dissemination of fleas, which may also be spread by humans as well, and, finally, wildlife animals. Finally, life forms of parasites of small ruminants may be also spread indirectly, by material associated with sheep or goats (e.g., materials of humans visiting farms, animal feeds) that had been contaminated by faecal material of animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team-A Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McIntosh, Jane; Schumacher, Leon

The Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team-A Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO) program brought together a team of representatives from government, academia, and private industry to enhance the availability of energy efficiency services for small livestock producers in the State of Missouri. The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) managed the project via a subcontract with the University of Missouri (MU), College of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources, MU Extension, the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, the MU College of Engineering, and the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA). MU teamed with EnSave, Inc, a nationally-recognized expert in agricultural energy efficiencymore » to assist with marketing, outreach, provision of farm energy audits and customer service. MU also teamed with independent home contractors to facilitate energy audits of the farm buildings and homes of these livestock producers. The goals of the project were to: (1) improve the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions and reducing the total energy used on small animal farms; (2) stimulate the economy of local and regional communities by creating or retaining jobs; and (3) improve the profitability of Missouri livestock producers by reducing their energy expenditures. Historically, Missouri scientists/engineers conducted programs on energy use in agriculture, such as in equipment, grain handling and tillage practices. The MAESTRO program was the first to focus strictly on energy efficiency associated with livestock production systems in Missouri and to investigate the applicability and potential of addressing energy efficiency in animal production from a building efficiency perspective. A. Project Objectives The goal of the MAESTRO program was to strengthen the financial viability and environmental soundness of Missouri's small animal farms by helping them implement energy efficient technologies for the production facility, farm buildings, and the homes on these farms. The expected measurable outcomes of the project were to improve the environment and stimulate the economy by: • Reducing annual fossil fuel emissions by 1,942 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, reducing the total annual energy use on at least 323 small animal farms and 100 farm homes by at least 8,000 kWh and 2,343 therms per farm. • Stimulating the economy by creating or retaining at least 69 jobs, and saving small animal farmers an average of $2,071 per farm in annual energy expenditures. B. Project Scope The MAESTRO team chose the target population of small farms because while all agriculture is traditionally underserved in energy efficiency programs, small farms were particularly underserved because they lack the financial resources and access to energy efficiency technologies that larger farms deploy. The MAESTRO team reasoned that energy conservation, financial and educational programs developed while serving the agricultural community could serve as a national model for other states and their agricultural sectors. The target population was approximately 2,365 small animal farm operations in Missouri, specifically those farms that were not by definition a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO). The program was designed to create jobs by training Missouri contractors and Missouri University Extension staff how to conduct farm audits. The local economy would be stimulated by an increase in construction activity and an increasing demand for energy efficient farm equipment. Additionally, the energy savings were deemed critical in keeping Missouri farms in business. This project leveraged funds using a combination of funds from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Missouri Energy Center and its Soil and Water Conservation Program, from the state's Linked Deposits, MASBDA's agricultural loan guarantee programs, and through the in-kind contribution of faculty and staff time to the project from these agencies and MU. Several hundred Missouri livestock producers were contacted during the MAESTRO project. Of the livestock producers, 254 invited the team to conduct a farm energy assessment which complied with ASABE 612. A total of 147 livestock farm upgrades were implemented, representing 57.5 percent of the farms for which a farm energy assessment was completed. This represented a statewide average annual savings of 1,088,324 kWh and 75,516 therms. The team also reviewed the condition of the livestock producer’s home(s). A total of 106 home energy assessments were completed and 48 individual homes implemented their recommended upgrades, representing 45 percent of the farm homes for which an energy assessment was completed. This represented a statewide average annual savings of 323,029 kWh, and 769.4 therms. More of these farmers likely would have updated their homes but the funding to incentivize them fell short. In spite of the shortfall in incentive funds, some farmers still updated their homes as they saw the value in making these changes to their home.« less

77 FR 31549 - Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation; Child Labor Violations-Civil...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-29

... perform on a farm and thereby limit their opportunity to learn about farming through hands-on experience and discourage them from entering the field of farming. The Department also received comments from... small family-owned farms and farming traditions, the Department stated that ``[t]he Obama administration...

Linking Roles of Education Assistants in the Missouri Small Farm Family Program at the University Resource Subsystem Client Social System Interface.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lionberger, Herbert F.; Wong, Tso Sang

Growing concern that the Cooperative Extension Service was failing to adequately reach small farmers with education materials through regular extension channels led to the implementation of Missouri's Small Farm Family Program. In this program, education assistants, many of whom are small farmers themselves, link the educational resources of the…

Impacts of Small-Scale Industrialized Swine Farming on Local Soil, Water and Crop Qualities in a Hilly Red Soil Region of Subtropical China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Di; Wang, Xingxiang; Zhou, Zhigao

2017-01-01

Industrialized small-scale pig farming has been rapidly developed in developing regions such as China and Southeast Asia, but the environmental problems accompanying pig farming have not been fully recognized. This study investigated 168 small-scale pig farms and 29 example pig farms in Yujiang County of China to examine current and potential impacts of pig wastes on soil, water and crop qualities in the hilly red soil region, China. The results indicated that the small-scale pig farms produced considerable annual yields of wastes, with medians of 216, 333 and 773 ton yr−1 per pig farm for manure, urine and washing wastewater, respectively, which has had significant impact on surface water quality. Taking NH4+-N, total nitrogen (TN) or total phosphorus (TP) as a criterion to judge water quality, the proportions of Class III and below Class III waters in the local surface waters were 66.2%, 78.7% and 72.5%. The well water (shallow groundwater) quality near these pig farms met the water quality standards by a wide margin. The annual output of pollutants from pig farms was the most important factor correlated with the nutrients and heavy metals in soils, and the relationship can be described by a linear equation. The impact on croplands was marked by the excessive accumulation of available phosphorus and heavy metals such as Cu and Zn. For crop safety, the over-limit ratio of Zn in vegetable samples reached 60%, other heavy metals in vegetable and rice samples tested met the food safety standard at present. PMID:29211053

Impacts of Small-Scale Industrialized Swine Farming on Local Soil, Water and Crop Qualities in a Hilly Red Soil Region of Subtropical China.

PubMed

Zhang, Di; Wang, Xingxiang; Zhou, Zhigao

2017-12-06

Industrialized small-scale pig farming has been rapidly developed in developing regions such as China and Southeast Asia, but the environmental problems accompanying pig farming have not been fully recognized. This study investigated 168 small-scale pig farms and 29 example pig farms in Yujiang County of China to examine current and potential impacts of pig wastes on soil, water and crop qualities in the hilly red soil region, China. The results indicated that the small-scale pig farms produced considerable annual yields of wastes, with medians of 216, 333 and 773 ton yr -1 per pig farm for manure, urine and washing wastewater, respectively, which has had significant impact on surface water quality. Taking NH₄⁺-N, total nitrogen (TN) or total phosphorus (TP) as a criterion to judge water quality, the proportions of Class III and below Class III waters in the local surface waters were 66.2%, 78.7% and 72.5%. The well water (shallow groundwater) quality near these pig farms met the water quality standards by a wide margin. The annual output of pollutants from pig farms was the most important factor correlated with the nutrients and heavy metals in soils, and the relationship can be described by a linear equation. The impact on croplands was marked by the excessive accumulation of available phosphorus and heavy metals such as Cu and Zn. For crop safety, the over-limit ratio of Zn in vegetable samples reached 60%, other heavy metals in vegetable and rice samples tested met the food safety standard at present.

The U.S. Farm Sector in the Mid-1980's. Agricultural Economic Report Number 548.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimund, Donn A.; And Others

This report compares several farm characteristics of the mid-1980s with those of a decade earlier to document the real amount of change in the farm sector. Farms are stratified into five groups based on their farm income: rural residence, small family, family, large family, and very large. Sources and levels of farm operator income and wealth are…

Attitudes of Small Farmers As 1995 Farm Bill Stakeholders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockett, Benny L.

To design public issues education programs to meet the needs of small farmers, the Cooperative Extension programs at Prairie View A&M University (Texas) and nine other 1890 land grant institutions surveyed small farmers' opinions concerning the 1995 farm bill. Responses were received from 644 farmers in the states in which these institutions…

A questionnaire survey on diseases and problems affecting sheep and goats in communal farming regions of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa.

PubMed

Bath, Gareth F; Penrith, Mary-Louise; Leask, Rhoda

2016-08-31

A questionnaire of 15 questions was completed by four categories of respondents with the aim of establishing the experience and opinions of these groups on the constraints including animal health problems for communal, small-scale sheep and goat farming in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The questionnaires were completed independently and categories were representative of the areas investigated. Analysis of responses was done by means, ranges, votes and clusters of responses. Comparisons between the responses of the four categories were made to identify similarities or contrasts. The results revealed that of non-veterinary concerns, stock theft was the major problem for these farms. Nutrition was a further major constraint. A third area of significant concern was the provision or availability of facilities like fences, water troughs, dips and sheds. Lack of marketing and business skills were also seen as important deficiencies to be rectified so as to promote profitable farming. Of the most important veterinary problems identified, the provision, availability, cost and care of drugs and vaccines were seen as major stumbling blocks to effective disease control, as well as lack of access to veterinary services. The most important diseases that constrain small-ruminant livestock farming in the farming systems investigated were sheep scab and other ectoparasites, heart water, enterotoxaemia, internal parasites and bluetongue. A lack of knowledge in key areas of small-stock farming was revealed and should be rectified by an effective training and support programme to improve the contribution of small-ruminant farming to livelihoods in these communities.

Paratuberculosis on small ruminant dairy farms in Ontario, Canada: A survey of management practices.

PubMed

Bauman, Cathy A; Jones-Bitton, Andria; Menzies, Paula; Jansen, Jocelyn; Kelton, David

2016-05-01

A cross-sectional study was undertaken (October 2010 to August 2011) to determine the risk factors for dairy goat herds and dairy sheep flocks testing positive for paratuberculosis (PTB) in Ontario, Canada. A questionnaire was administered to 50 producers during a farm visit in which concurrently, 20 randomly selected, lactating animals over the age of 2 years underwent sampling for paratuberculosis testing. Only 1 of 50 farms (2.0%) was closed to animal movement, whereas 96.6% of dairy goat farms and 94.1% of sheep farms purchased livestock from other producers. Only 10.3% of dairy goat, and no dairy sheep farms used artificial insemination. Manure was spread on grazing pastures by 65.5% and 70.6% of dairy goat and dairy sheep farms, respectively. Because of the high true-prevalence of paratuberculosis infection detected, no risk factor analysis could be performed. This study demonstrates that biosecurity practices conducive to transmission of PTB are highly prevalent in Ontario small ruminant dairy farms.

Paratuberculosis on small ruminant dairy farms in Ontario, Canada: A survey of management practices

PubMed Central

Bauman, Cathy A.; Jones-Bitton, Andria; Menzies, Paula; Jansen, Jocelyn; Kelton, David

2016-01-01

A cross-sectional study was undertaken (October 2010 to August 2011) to determine the risk factors for dairy goat herds and dairy sheep flocks testing positive for paratuberculosis (PTB) in Ontario, Canada. A questionnaire was administered to 50 producers during a farm visit in which concurrently, 20 randomly selected, lactating animals over the age of 2 years underwent sampling for paratuberculosis testing. Only 1 of 50 farms (2.0%) was closed to animal movement, whereas 96.6% of dairy goat farms and 94.1% of sheep farms purchased livestock from other producers. Only 10.3% of dairy goat, and no dairy sheep farms used artificial insemination. Manure was spread on grazing pastures by 65.5% and 70.6% of dairy goat and dairy sheep farms, respectively. Because of the high true-prevalence of paratuberculosis infection detected, no risk factor analysis could be performed. This study demonstrates that biosecurity practices conducive to transmission of PTB are highly prevalent in Ontario small ruminant dairy farms. PMID:27152042

Assessment of interbreeding and introgression of farm genes into a small Scottish Atlantic salmon Salmo salar stock: ad hoc samples - ad hoc results?

PubMed

Verspoor, E; Knox, D; Marshall, S

2016-12-01

An eclectic set of tissues and existing data, including purposely collected samples, spanning 1997-2006, was used in an ad hoc assessment of hybridization and introgression of farmed wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in the small Loch na Thull (LnT) catchment in north-west Scotland. The catchment is in an area of marine farm production and contains freshwater smolt rearing cages. The LnT S. salar stock was found to be genetically distinctive from stocks in neighbouring rivers and, despite regular reports of feral farm S. salar, there was no evidence of physical or genetic mixing. This cannot be completely ruled out, however, and low level mixing with other local wild stocks has been suggested. The LnT population appeared underpinned by relatively smaller effective number of breeders (N eb ) and showed relatively low levels of genetic diversity, consistent with a small effective population size. Small sample sizes, an incomplete farm baseline and the use of non-diagnostic molecular markers, constrain the power of the analysis but the findings strongly support the LnT catchment having a genetically distinct wild S. salar population little affected by interbreeding with feral farm escapes. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Antimicrobial resistance in generic Escherichia coli isolates from wild small mammals living in swine farm, residential, landfill, and natural environments in southern Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Allen, Samantha E; Boerlin, Patrick; Janecko, Nicol; Lumsden, John S; Barker, Ian K; Pearl, David L; Reid-Smith, Richard J; Jardine, Claire

2011-02-01

To assess the impacts of different types of human activity on the development of resistant bacteria in the feces of wild small mammals, we compared the prevalences and patterns of antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes in generic Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica isolates from fecal samples collected from wild small mammals living in four environments: swine farms, residential areas, landfills, and natural habitats. Resistance to antimicrobials was observed in E. coli isolates from animals in all environments: 25/52 (48%) animals trapped at swine farms, 6/69 (9%) animals trapped in residential areas, 3/20 (15%) animals trapped at landfills, and 1/22 (5%) animals trapped in natural habitats. Animals trapped on farms were significantly more likely to carry E. coli isolates with resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, sulfisoxazole, and streptomycin than animals trapped in residential areas. The resistance genes sul2, aadA, and tet(A) were significantly more likely to be detected in E. coli isolates from animals trapped on farms than from those trapped in residential areas. Three S. enterica serotypes (Give, Typhimurium, and Newport) were recovered from the feces of 4/302 (1%) wild small mammals. All Salmonella isolates were pansusceptible. Our results show that swine farm origin is significantly associated with the presence of resistant bacteria and resistance genes in wild small mammals in southern Ontario, Canada. However, resistant fecal bacteria were found in small mammals living in all environments studied, indicating that environmental exposure to antimicrobials, antimicrobial residues, resistant bacteria, or resistance genes is widespread.

Benefit-Cost Analysis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination at the Farm-Level in South Vietnam.

PubMed

Truong, Dinh Bao; Goutard, Flavie Luce; Bertagnoli, Stéphane; Delabouglise, Alexis; Grosbois, Vladimir; Peyre, Marisa

2018-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the financial impact of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in cattle at the farm-level and the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of biannual vaccination strategy to prevent and eradicate FMD for cattle in South Vietnam. Production data were collected from 49 small-scale dairy farms, 15 large-scale dairy farms, and 249 beef farms of Long An and Tay Ninh province using a questionaire. Financial data of FMD impacts were collected using participatory tools in 37 villages of Long An province. The net present value, i.e., the difference between the benefits (additional revenue and saved costs) and costs (additional costs and revenue foregone), of FMD vaccination in large-scale dairy farms was 2.8 times higher than in small-scale dairy farms and 20 times higher than in beef farms. The BCR of FMD vaccination over 1 year in large-scale dairy farms, small-scale dairy farms, and beef farms were 11.6 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 6.42-16.45], 9.93 (95% CI 3.45-16.47), and 3.02 (95% CI 0.76-7.19), respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that varying the vaccination cost had more effect on the BCR of cattle vaccination than varying the market price. This benefit-cost analysis of biannual vaccination strategy showed that investment in FMD prevention can be financially profitable, and therefore sustainable, for dairy farmers. For beef cattle, it is less certain that vaccination is profitable. Additional benefit-cost analysis study of vaccination strategies at the national-level would be required to evaluate and adapt the national strategy to achieve eradication of this disease in Vietnam.

Silvopasture: Small ruminants for establishment, management and usage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Small farm pastures, hayfields, and woodlots are very productive in terms of forage, animal and wood products. Inherent livestock production capability can be improved through better herbage and animal management. Woodlot management can increase economic return, species diversity, and farm aesthetic...

Altitude effects on technology and productivity of small bovine farms (milk meat) in Veracruz (Gulf of Mexico).

PubMed

Ruíz-Guevara, C; De León-González, F; Soriano-Robles, R; Pérez-Carrera, A L; García-Hernández, L A

2018-03-01

The dual-purpose bovine system represents 98.4% of the bovine livestock of Veracruz, the main cattle-producing state of Mexico. This system supplies calves to meat companies, a sector in which Veracruz has been the national leader in the last decade. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of the altitudinal zonation of farms on livestock technology and productivity in a microbasin of the Gulf of Mexico where small farms predominate. Structured interviews were applied to producers located in three altitudinal zones (at average altitudes of 50, 140, and 450 m, respectively, for lower, middle, and upper zones). Sample size was 135 farms having similar land surface (within a range of 15-22 ha). The results indicated multiple differences among farms located in the three zones. Farms in the middle and lower zones presented higher productive indicators than those in the upper zone. Differences in herd structure and management resulted in important differences in productivity, income, and profits in milk and calf production. We concluded from this study that altitudinal zonation in Veracruz had a clear effect on the differentiation of small farms, which are representative of dual-purpose cattle. The upper zone performs cattle activity under conditions with greater disadvantages in the analyzed region.

Influence of grazing and land use on stream-channel characteristics among small dairy farms in the Eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brand, Genevieve; Vondracek, Bruce C.; Jordan, Nicholas R.

2015-01-01

Rotational grazing (RG) is a livestock management practice that rotates grazing cattle on a scale of hours to days among small pastures termed paddocks. It may beneficially affect stream channels, relative to other livestock management practices. Such effects and other beneficial effects on hydrology are important to RG's potential to provide a highly multifunctional mode of livestock farming. Previous comparisons of effects of RG and confinement dairy (CD) on adjoining streams have been restricted in scale and scope. We examined 11 stream-channel characteristics on a representative sample of 37 small dairy farms that used either RG or CD production methods. Our objectives were: (1) to compare channel characteristics on RG and CD farms, as these production methods are implemented in practice, in New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, USA; and (2) to examine land use on these farms that may affect stream-channel characteristics. To help interpret channel characteristic findings, we examined on-farm land use in riparian areas 50 m in width along both sides of stream reaches and whole-farm land use. In all states, stream-channel characteristics on RG and CD farms did not differ. Whole-farm land use differed significantly between farm types; CD farms allocated more land to annual row crops, whereas RG farms allocated more land to pasture and grassland. However, land cover in 50 m riparian areas was not different between farm types within states; in particular, many RG and CD farms had continuously grazed pastures in riparian areas, typically occupied by juvenile and non-lactating cows, which may have contributed sediment and nutrients to streams. This similarity in riparian management practices may explain the observed similarity of farm types with respect to stream-channel characteristics. To realize the potential benefits of RG on streams, best management practices that affect stream-channel characteristics, such as protection of riparian areas, may improve aggregate effects of RG on stream quality and also enhance other environment, economic and social benefits of RG.

Status and determinants of small farming households' food security and role of market access in enhancing food security in rural Pakistan

PubMed Central

Ying, Liu; Bashir, Muhammad Khalid; Abid, Muhammad; Zulfiqar, Farhad

2017-01-01

In most of the developing countries, lack of resources and little market accessibility are among the major factors that affect small farming household food security. This study aims to investigate the status of small farming households’ food security, and its determinants including the role of market accessibility factors in enhancing food security at household level. In addition, this study also determines the households’ perception about different kinds of livelihoods risks. This study is based on a household survey of 576 households conducted through face-to-face interviews using structured interviews in Punjab, Pakistan. Food security status is calculated using dietary intake method. The study findings show that one-fourth of the households are food insecure. The study findings reveal that farm households perceive increase in food prices, crop diseases, lack of irrigation water and increase in health expenses as major livelihood risks. Further, the results of logistic regression show that family size, monthly income, food prices, health expenses and debt are main factors influencing the food security status of rural households. Furthermore, the market accessibility factors (road distance and transportation cost) do significantly affect the small farming household food security. The results suggest that local food security can be enhanced by creating off-farm employment opportunities, improved transportation facilities and road infrastructure. PMID:29077719

Status and determinants of small farming households' food security and role of market access in enhancing food security in rural Pakistan.

PubMed

Ahmed, Umar Ijaz; Ying, Liu; Bashir, Muhammad Khalid; Abid, Muhammad; Zulfiqar, Farhad

2017-01-01

In most of the developing countries, lack of resources and little market accessibility are among the major factors that affect small farming household food security. This study aims to investigate the status of small farming households' food security, and its determinants including the role of market accessibility factors in enhancing food security at household level. In addition, this study also determines the households' perception about different kinds of livelihoods risks. This study is based on a household survey of 576 households conducted through face-to-face interviews using structured interviews in Punjab, Pakistan. Food security status is calculated using dietary intake method. The study findings show that one-fourth of the households are food insecure. The study findings reveal that farm households perceive increase in food prices, crop diseases, lack of irrigation water and increase in health expenses as major livelihood risks. Further, the results of logistic regression show that family size, monthly income, food prices, health expenses and debt are main factors influencing the food security status of rural households. Furthermore, the market accessibility factors (road distance and transportation cost) do significantly affect the small farming household food security. The results suggest that local food security can be enhanced by creating off-farm employment opportunities, improved transportation facilities and road infrastructure.

75 FR 56914 - Removal of the List of Ports of Embarkation and Export Inspection Facilities from the Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... farming operations, dairy cattle and milk production operations, hog and pig farming operations, sheep and goat farming operations, and cattle feedlots. The Small Business Administration has established...

Field tests demonstrating reduced activity of ivermectin and moxidectin against small strongyles in horses on 14 farms in Central Kentucky in 2007-2009.

PubMed

Lyons, Eugene T; Tolliver, Sharon C; Collins, Sandra S; Ionita, Mariana; Kuzmina, Tetiana A; Rossano, Mary

2011-02-01

Efficacy of ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) against small strongyles was evaluated in horses (n=363) in field tests on 14 farms in Central Kentucky between 2007 and 2009. Most of the horses were yearlings but a few were weanlings and mares. The number of horses treated with IVM was 255 and those treated with MOX was 108. Horses on six farms were allotted into two groups. One group was treated with each of the two drugs, whereas horses on the other eight farms were treated with only one of the two drugs--IVM on six farms and MOX on two farms. Strongyle eggs per gram of feces (EPGs) compared to initial use of IVM and MOX returned almost twice as quickly after treatment of horses on all of the farms. IVM has been used much more extensively in this geographical area than MOX. Reduced activity of MOX was evident even on farms with rare or no apparent previous use of MOX but with probable extensive use of IVM.

Use of Chemical Pesticides in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Farmers and Farm Workers in Three Farming Systems.

PubMed

Negatu, Beyene; Kromhout, Hans; Mekonnen, Yalemtshay; Vermeulen, Roel

2016-06-01

Chemical pesticides, regardless of their inherent hazard, are used intensively in the fast changing agricultural sector of Ethiopia. We conducted a cross-sectional pesticide Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey among 601 farmers and farm workers (applicators and re-entry workers) in three farming systems [large-scale closed greenhouses (LSGH), large-scale open farms (LSOF), and small-scale irrigated farms (SSIF)]. Main observations were that 85% of workers did not attain any pesticide-related training, 81% were not aware of modern alternatives for chemical pesticides, 10% used a full set of personal protective equipment, and 62% did not usually bath or shower after work. Among applicators pesticide training attendance was highest in LSGH (35%) and was lowest in SSIF (4%). None of the female re-entry farm workers had received pesticide-related training. Personal protective equipment use was twice as high among pesticide applicators as among re-entry workers (13 versus 7%), while none of the small-scale farm workers used personal protection equipment. Stockpiling and burial of empty pesticide containers and discarding empty pesticide containers in farming fields were reported in both LSOF and by 75% of the farm workers in SSIF. Considerable increment in chemical pesticide usage intensity, illegitimate usages of DDT and Endosulfan on food crops and direct import of pesticides without the formal Ethiopian registration process were also indicated. These results point out a general lack of training and knowledge regarding the safe use of pesticides in all farming systems but especially among small-scale farmers. This in combination with the increase in chemical pesticide usage in the past decade likely results in occupational and environmental health risks. Improved KAP that account for institutional difference among various farming systems and enforcement of regulatory measures including the available occupational and environmental proclamations in Ethiopia are urgently needed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Farming systems and sanitary problems in mountain cattle farms.

PubMed

Bernúes, A; Manrique, E; Maza, M T

1994-01-01

On the basis of concepts established by ecopathology and the systems theory, certain aspects of the 'Ecosanitary System', which forms part of the 'Farming System', were studied. Multivariant statistical methods were used to analyze and classify 69 mountain cattle farms into different types and to establish relationships between variables relating to pathological problems and others relating to aspects of production and farm structure. Stable mastitis characterized farms with a higher milk production, more intensive farming and greater hygiene measures. The pattern of diarrhoea in the calves was similar. Problems relating to reproduction and calving were more characteristic of traditional, small farms.

Efficacy of Commercial Mosquito Traps in Capturing Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Egypt

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

forDiseaseControl andPrevention (CDC) light trap for efÞcacy in collecting phlebotomine sand ßies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a small farming village in the...Prevention (CDC) light trap for ef?acy in collecting phlebotomine sand ?es (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a small farming village in the Nile River Valley 10 km...Testing was conducted in June, August, and September 2007, in Bahrif village, a farming com- munity of 500 people 10 km north of Aswan on the east

29 CFR 780.136 - Employment in practices on a farm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... activity (§§ 780.104 through 780.144). Even though an employee may work on several farms during a workweek... an employee occurs off the farm will not affect this conclusion. Thus, an employee may spend a small amount of time within the workweek in transporting necessary equipment for work to be done on farms...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 228 - Ratings

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... number and amount of home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in its..., particularly in its assessment area(s), of loans among individuals of different income levels and businesses... individuals, or businesses (including farms) with gross annual revenues of $1 million or less, consistent with...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 345 - Ratings

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... number and amount of home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in its..., particularly in its assessment area(s), of loans among individuals of different income levels and businesses... individuals, or businesses (including farms) with gross annual revenues of $1 million or less, consistent with...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 25 - Ratings

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... number and amount of home mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in its..., particularly in its assessment area(s), of loans among individuals of different income levels and businesses... individuals, or businesses (including farms) with gross annual revenues of $1 million or less, consistent with...

Seven-year results in managing a small woodlot in southern Maryland

Treesearch

Richard H. Fenton; Ralph P. Broomall

1963-01-01

In the five Maryland counties south of Baltimore, there are 825,000 acres of commercial forest land. About half of this area is estimated to be in true farm woodlands; that is, in small tracts of 40 acres or so that are part of working farms.

Differential recovery of habitat use by birds after wind farm installation: A multi-year comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farfán, M.A., E-mail: mafarfanaguilar@hotmail.com; Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos, 29071, Málaga; Duarte, J., E-mail: jddofitecma@gmail.com

Onshore wind farms remain one of the most widely used technologies for the production of renewable energy. These are known to affect birds through disturbance or collision. Most research focus on the impact of wind farms on raptors or other large bird species, especially those of conservation concern. However, limited information exists on the effect of wind farms on small birds. Recovery of large versus small bird populations impacted by wind farms is also largely unstudied. A reason for this is the lack of long-term datasets based on standardized, systematic assessments. We monitored birds in the vicinity of a windmore » farm in an upland habitat in southern Spain (Malaga province), immediately after installation and 6.5 years post-construction. During both study periods, we observed 11 raptor and 38 non-raptor species (including 30 passerines). We found differences in recovery rates between raptors and non-raptors. Raptors showed an upturn in numbers but non-raptor abundance fell significantly. Greater attention should be paid to the recovery of wildlife after initial impact assessments than at present. This study confirms that regulatory authorities and developers should consider the likely impacts of wind farms on small bird populations. Mitigation measures focused particularly on non-raptor species should be considered and implemented as a means to reduce these negative effects.« less

The former Iron Curtain still drives biodiversity-profit trade-offs in German agriculture.

PubMed

Batáry, Péter; Gallé, Róbert; Riesch, Friederike; Fischer, Christina; Dormann, Carsten F; Mußhoff, Oliver; Császár, Péter; Fusaro, Silvia; Gayer, Christoph; Happe, Anne-Kathrin; Kurucz, Kornélia; Molnár, Dorottya; Rösch, Verena; Wietzke, Alexander; Tscharntke, Teja

2017-09-01

Agricultural intensification drives biodiversity loss and shapes farmers' profit, but the role of legacy effects and detailed quantification of ecological-economic trade-offs are largely unknown. In Europe during the 1950s, the Eastern communist bloc switched to large-scale farming by forced collectivization of small farms, while the West kept small-scale private farming. Here we show that large-scale agriculture in East Germany reduced biodiversity, which has been maintained in West Germany due to >70% longer field edges than those in the East. In contrast, profit per farmland area in the East was 50% higher than that in the West, despite similar yield levels. In both regions, switching from conventional to organic farming increased biodiversity and halved yield levels, but doubled farmers' profits. In conclusion, European Union policy should acknowledge the surprisingly high biodiversity benefits of small-scale agriculture, which are on a par with conversion to organic agriculture.

Estimation of the Use of Antibiotics in the Small Ruminant Industry in the Netherlands in 2011 and 2012

PubMed Central

Santman-Berends, Inge; Luttikholt, Saskia; den Brom, René Van; Schaik, Gerdien Van; Gonggrijp, Maaike; Hage, Han; Vellema, Piet

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the quantity of antibiotics and classes of antibiotics used in the small ruminant industry in the Netherlands in 2011 and 2012. Twelve large veterinary practices, located throughout the Netherlands were selected for this study. All small ruminant farms associated with these practices that had complete records on the quantity of antibiotics prescribed were included. The veterinary practices provided data on all antibiotics prescribed, and the estimated animal used daily dose of antibiotics per year (AUDD/Y) was calculated for each farm. The median AUDD/Y in small ruminant farms was zero in both years (mean 0.60 in 2011, and 0.62 in 2012). The largest quantity of antibiotic use was observed in the professional goat industry (herds of ≥32 goats) with a median AUDD/Y of 1.22 in 2011 and 0.73 in 2012. In the professional sheep industry (flocks of ≥32 sheep), the median AUDD/Y was 0 in 2011 and 0.10 in 2012. In the small scale industry (flocks or herds of <32 sheep or goats), the median AUDD/Y never exceeded 0. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics in the small scale industry and professional sheep farms belonged to the penicillin class. In professional goat farms, antibiotics of the aminoglycoside class were most frequently prescribed. This study provides the first assessment on the quantity of antibiotic use in the small ruminant industry. Given a comparable attitude towards antibiotic use, these results might be valid for small ruminant populations in other north-western European countries as well. The antibiotic use in the small ruminant industry appeared to be low, and is expected to play a minor role in the development of antibiotic resistance. Nevertheless, several major zoonotic bacterial pathogens are associated with the small ruminant industry, and it remains important that antibiotics are used in a prudent way. PMID:25115998

Stress assessment in small ruminants kept on city farms in southern Germany.

PubMed

Schilling, Anna-Katarina; Reese, Sven; Palme, Rupert; Erhard, Michael; Wöhr, Anna-Caroline

2015-01-01

Sheep and goats are frequently used in nonhuman animal-assisted activities on city farms. There are few data available on this type of usage of small ruminants. Health evaluations, behavioral observations (feeding, resting, comfort, explorative and social behaviors), behavioral tests (human approach tests and touch test), and measurements of fecal cortisol metabolites and heart rate were performed to assess stress levels in 25 sheep and 32 goats on 7 city farms and 2 activity playgrounds in Germany. No evidence was found that the animals suffered from major distress. Health evaluations, behavioral observations, and behavioral tests proved to be the methods of stress assessment most suitable for routine on-farm checks in these settings.

On-Farm Forest Income in the United States, 2003-2012: Thoughts for Extension Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, T. Eric

2016-01-01

Forest-based production on U.S. farms totaled $653.2 million in 2012, admittedly a small portion of total farm wealth. However, despite the effects of the recent economic downturn, on-farm forest product revenues still approached the gate value of North Carolina timber in 2012, which was $730.6 million. Providing the research-based information,…

Value-Added Dairy Products from Grass-Based Dairy Farms: A Case Study in Vermont

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qingbin; Parsons, Robert; Colby, Jennifer; Castle, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

On-farm processing of value-added dairy products can be a way for small dairy farms to diversify production and increase revenue. This article examines characteristics of three groups of Vermont farmers who have grass-based dairy farms--those producing value-added dairy products, those interested in such products, and those not interested in such…

Modeling small-scale dairy farms in central Mexico using multi-criteria programming.

PubMed

Val-Arreola, D; Kebreab, E; France, J

2006-05-01

Milk supply from Mexican dairy farms does not meet demand and small-scale farms can contribute toward closing the gap. Two multi-criteria programming techniques, goal programming and compromise programming, were used in a study of small-scale dairy farms in central Mexico. To build the goal and compromise programming models, 4 ordinary linear programming models were also developed, which had objective functions to maximize metabolizable energy for milk production, to maximize margin of income over feed costs, to maximize metabolizable protein for milk production, and to minimize purchased feedstuffs. Neither multi-criteria approach was significantly better than the other; however, by applying both models it was possible to perform a more comprehensive analysis of these small-scale dairy systems. The multi-criteria programming models affirm findings from previous work and suggest that a forage strategy based on alfalfa, ryegrass, and corn silage would meet nutrient requirements of the herd. Both models suggested that there is an economic advantage in rescheduling the calving season to the second and third calendar quarters to better synchronize higher demand for nutrients with the period of high forage availability.

What We're about Out Here: The Resilience and Relevance of School Farms in Rural Tasmania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbett, Michael; Brett, Peter; Hawkins, Cherie-Lynn

2017-01-01

School farms were established in Tasmania in the 1930s following a visit of an Australian eduation official to the United States and the United Kingdom. There are still more than 30 school farm operations functioning in some capacity throughout the state, unlike in the rest of Australia where similar small school farms are not common. In this…

Identifying, monitoring and implementing "sustainable" agricultural practices for smallholder farmers over large geographic areas in India and Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kritee, K.; Ahuja, R.; Nair, D.; Esteves, T.; Rudek, J.; Thu Ha, T.

2015-12-01

Industrial agriculture systems, mostly in developed and some emerging economies, are far different from the small-holder farms (size <1 acre) in Asia and Africa. Along with our partners from non-governmental, corporate, academic and government sectors and tens of thousands of farming families, we have worked actively in five states in India and two provinces in Vietnam for the last five years to understand how sustainable and climate smart farming practices can be monitored at small-holder farms. Here, any approach to monitor farming must begin by accounting for the tremendous management variability from farm to farm and also the current inability to ground-truth remote sensing data due to lack of relaible basic parameters (e.g., yields, N use, farm boundaries) which are necessary for calibrating empirical/biogeochemical models. While we continue to learn from new research, we have found that it is crucial to follow some steps if sustainable farming programs are to succeed at small-holder farms Demographic data collection and GPS plot demarcation to establish farm size and ownership Baseline nutrient, water & energy use and crop yield determination via surveys and self-reporting which are verifiable through farmer networks given the importance of peer to peer learning in the dissemination of new techniques in such landscapes "Sustainable" practice determination in consultation with local universities/NGO experts Measurements on representative plots for 3-4 years to help calibrate biogeochemical models and/or empirical equations and establish which practices are truly "sustainable" (e.g., GHG emission reduction varies from 0-7 tCO2e/acre for different sustainable practices). Propagation of sustainable practices across the landscape via local NGOs/governments after analyzing the replicability of identified farming practices in the light of local financial, cultural or socio-political barriers. We will present results from representative plots (including soil and weather parameters, GHG emissions, yields, inputs, economic and environmental savings), farmer surveys and diary data; and discuss our key conclusions based on our approach and the analysis of the collected data which was enabled by use of a commercially available comprehensive agricultural data collection software.

The Vulnerability of U.S. Agriculture to Foot and Mouth Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

farms present vulnerable centers of gravity. At these locations, the entry of FMD would cause heavy stress to the U.S. agricultural industry. We...each. The operation that grows or raises the organism is a farm. The farm can be a small family farm that keeps fewer than one hundred milking cows ...or a huge corporation that keeps over five thousand milking cows .27 The USDA defines a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural

An Inventory and Use Analysis of Information Systems on Small Farms in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Jean S.

2007-01-01

Across the United States, today's farm operators face continuing challenges from global competition, increasing production costs, changing technology, increased regulations, scarce resources, and lower profit margins. To face these challenges, farm operators need to gather and utilize information allowing them to make informed decisions. Several…

Healing and Building Soil on Prairie Birthday Farm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Native tallgrass prairie was restored as an integral part of a small, food-producing farm called Prairie Birthday Farm in Clay County, Missouri. Reconstruction of native prairie was essential to the farm’s goal of producing high quality food for the family, area residents and restaurant chefs. Impro...

DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRACTICES IN TABASCO, MEXICO USING NOVEL RIAA TECHNOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

We anticipate that several of the indigenous farmers will adopt fish farming in the context of their small irrigated farms. Fish farming is a non-consumptive use of water and irrigation will transfer the wastes from the fish into the fertilizers needed for crop production. W...

Entrepreneurial Checklist Tool for Beginning Farm and Home-Based Businesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafie, A. R.; Nartea, Theresa

2012-01-01

Extension educators entertain frequent questions on beginning a farm or starting a home-based business. Retired, unemployed, and displaced workers consider starting a small farm or home-based business. Determining educational needs or individual business aptitude is time consuming. Lengthy and comprehensive skill-based checklists exist for…

Assessing the Educational and Financial Needs of Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in Socopo, Venezuela. Summary of Research 64.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nieto, Ruben D.; Henderson, Janet L.

The process of transferring agricultural technology in many countries was studied to determine the perceived educational and financial needs of small-scale dairy farmers in Socopo, Venezuela. The following data were collected: (1) demographic characteristics--age, educational level, farm size, number of lactating cows, dairy farming experience,…

Fuel From Farms: A Guide to Small-Scale Ethanol Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO.

Ethanol and blends of ethanol and gasoline (such as gasohol) offer a near-term fuel alternative to oil. The focus of this handbook is upon the small-scale production of ethanol using farm crops as the source of raw materials. Provided are chapters on ethanol production procedures, feedstocks, plant design, and financial planning. Also presented…

The role of veterinarians and feed-store vendors in the prescription and use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in rural Peru

PubMed Central

Redding, L. E.; Barg, F. K.; Smith, G.; Galligan, D. T.; Levy, M. Z.; Hennessy, S.

2014-01-01

This study aimed to describe and compare the role of veterinarians and feed-store vendors in the use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in Cajamarca, Peru, a major dairy-producing center characterized by small, rural farms with poor, mostly uneducated farmers. We used a purposive sampling strategy to recruit 12 veterinarians into 2 focus group discussions and supplemented these data with 8 semi-structured interviews with feed-store vendors. Participants reported that inappropriate antibiotic usage was widespread among their clients, which may prevent the efficient use of drugs on farms where animal disease can be devastating to the livelihood of the farmer. Participants also identified many barriers to appropriate prescribing and use, including availability of drugs, competition from other prescribers, economic constraints and habits of farmers, and limited farmer knowledge of drugs and disease. Veterinarians expressed mistrust toward nonprofessional prescribers, whereas feed-store vendors felt that veterinarians were important partners in promoting the health of their clients’ animals. PMID:24054290

High Bee and Wasp Diversity in a Heterogeneous Tropical Farming System Compared to Protected Forest

PubMed Central

Schüepp, Christof; Rittiner, Sarah; Entling, Martin H.

2012-01-01

It is a globally important challenge to meet increasing demands for resources and, at the same time, protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Farming is usually regarded as a major threat to biodiversity due to its expansion into natural areas. We compared biodiversity of bees and wasps between heterogeneous small-scale farming areas and protected forest in northern coastal Belize, Central America. Malaise traps operated for three months during the transition from wet to dry season. Farming areas consisted of a mosaic of mixed crop types, open habitat, secondary forest, and agroforestry. Mean species richness per site (alpha diversity), as well as spatial and temporal community variation (beta diversity) of bees and wasps were equal or higher in farming areas compared to protected forest. The higher species richness and community variation in farmland was due to additional species that did not occur in the forest, whereas most species trapped in forest were also found in farming areas. The overall regional species richness (gamma diversity) increased by 70% with the inclusion of farming areas. Our results suggest that small-scale farming systems adjacent to protected forest may not only conserve, but even favour, biodiversity of some taxonomic groups. We can, however, not exclude possible declines of bee and wasp diversity in more intensified farmland or in landscapes completely covered by heterogeneous farming systems. PMID:23300598

Designing Agricultural Development Projects for the Small Scale Farmers: Some Lessons from the World Bank Assistance Small Holder Oil Palm Development Scheme in Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orewa, S. I.

The study was carried out to investigate farmers reasons for intercropping their oil palm farms with food and other cash crops rather than the sole oil palm planting arrangement specified for participation in the World Bank Assistance Smallholder Oil Palm development project financed during the 1975-83 period. The study was conducted at the Ekuku-Agbor Tree Crop Unit Zone (to the East) and Mosogar Tree Crop Unit Zone (to the Southwest) of the old Bendel State of Nigeria. A total of 35 oil palm farmers were randomly selected from each zone for the study. The study tried to identify the size of oil palm cultivated, types of food and cash crops planted and the proportion consumed and sold and the sufficiency of labour for various farm activities. The study showed that the average oil palm farm size at Ekuku-Agbor zone was smaller (about 1.57 ha) and more fragmented while for Mosogar zone it was 2.28 ha. However a greater percentage (over 65%) of the farms at both locations were within 0.01-2.00 ha farm size range which could be said to be relatively small. The study revealed that among other factors the farmers desire to ensure adequate family food needs which equates to food security and some cash to meet regular family financial needs necessitated their intercropping of the oil palm farms. Others include the need to maximize the returns from the use of labour which they considered a major limiting factor in farm maintenance and to take advantage of the relative high unit price of cassava and its products that prevailed then by cultivating on any available land space including the palm plantations and thereby increasing their farm income.

Changes in leptospirosis etiology in animals and humans.

PubMed

Vasylieva, Natalia; Andreychyn, Mykhaylo; Kravchuk, Yulia; Chervinska, Оlena; Iosyk, Iaryna

2017-12-23

Leptospirosis is endemic in Ternopil region. In Ukraine, the disease is registered in almost all regions, including the Ternopil region. The aim of the research is to study the regularities of epidemic and epizootic processes of leptospirosis, and the circulation of its pathogens among different sources (small mammals, animals) and humans. Etiologic spectrum of leptospirosis registered in Ternopil region in 1972-2016 among small mammals, farm animals and sick people was studied. Due to the analysis of pathogens circulation among different sources (small mammals, animals), as well as the annual morbidity in humans, it was proved that new leptospira serovars are endemic and brought into the regions mostly by farm animals. Farm animals introduce the infection to humans through the environment, sometimes within 3-5-years. The spread was observed of pathogen serovars, which are new in certain areas, among all types of mouse-like small mammals and rats. It was established that livestock and small mammals are parallel reservoirs. In the regions with endemic species, the structural modification in the etiology of leptospirosis in humans is caused by additional reservoirs among animals, as well as the circulation of other pathogen serovars that were absent in the main natural reservoir, i.e. mouse-like small mammals and rats. The constant monitoring of the population, contamination and carrier state of mouse-like small mammals, rats and farm animals, is required In order to predict the future epidemiological situation on leptospirosis among the population and to improve leptospirosis diagnosis.

Intensive grazing and maize silage to enhance the sustainability of small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of Mexico.

PubMed

Prospero-Bernal, Fernando; Martínez-García, Carlos Galdino; Olea-Pérez, Rafael; López-González, Felipe; Arriaga-Jordán, Carlos Manuel

2017-10-01

The effects of two innovative feeding strategies-intensive grazing (GR) and maize silage (MS)-on the sustainability of small-scale dairy systems (SSDS) were assessed in the highlands of central Mexico. On a total of 24 farms, four innovations were adopted between 2011 and 2014. Five farms continued their conventional feeding strategy (CC) of cut-and-carry pasture supplemented with commercial concentrate and ground corn grain, as well as straws (maize, oat, and wheat) in the dry season of feed scarcity; six farms implemented MS in the dry season; six farms GR of pastures; and seven farms implemented both GR and MS. Assessment in 2015 showed that farms which implemented both GR and MS had a higher local diversity score (P ≤ 0.001), higher scores for ethics and human development, and a higher score in economic independence (P ≤ 0.05) than farms that implemented only one of the innovations. The overall sustainability score (with range 0-100) was 46 for CC, 47 for MS, 52 for GR, and 55 for GR + MS. The innovations reduced feeding costs and enhanced sustainability, particularly when GR + MS were both implemented.

Characterization and typification of small ruminant farms providing fuelbreak grazing services for wildfire prevention in Andalusia (Spain).

PubMed

Mena, Y; Ruiz-Mirazo, J; Ruiz, F A; Castel, J M

2016-02-15

Several wildfire prevention programs in Spain are using grazing livestock to maintain fuelbreaks with low levels of biomass. Even though shepherds are remunerated for these services, many of their farms are hardly viable in the current socio-economic context. By analyzing 54 small ruminant farms participating in the Grazed Fuelbreak Network in Andalusia (southern Spain), this research aimed to identify the main types and characteristics of such farms and, considering the challenges they are facing, propose strategies to improve both their economic viability and their effectiveness in fuelbreak grazing. Based on data collected through a survey on key farm management aspects, a multivariate analysis was performed and four main types of farm were identified: two clusters of dairy goat farms and two composed mostly of meat-purpose sheep farms. Farms in all clusters could benefit from improvements in the feeding and reproductive management of livestock, either to enhance their productivity or to make better use of the pasture resources available. Dairy goat farms remain more dependent on external animal feed to ensure a better lactation, therefore they should either diminish their workforce costs per animal or sell transformed products directly to consumers to improve their economic viability. Best fuelbreak grazing results were related to larger flocks combining sheep and goats, lower ratios of fuelbreak surface area per animal, and longer (year-long) grazing periods on fuelbreaks. Therefore, such farm features and adjusted fuelbreak assignments should be favored in wildfire prevention programs using grazing services. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Navajo Agricultural Projects Industry: Subsistence Farming to Corporate Agribusiness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Tom

1979-01-01

Originally designed to create small farms for individual Navajos, the irrigation project has grown into a single 110,000-acre corporate agribusiness, the land's management has fallen out of the grasp of individual Navajos, and the idea of subsistence farming has been plowed under for the planting of major money-making crops. (NQ)

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Salad Tag: A Farmer Goes to School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summers, William

2013-01-01

Will Summers has been farming since 2007 when he interned for a small community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm in Austin, Texas. His agricultural experience since then has primarily been with nonprofit organizations where he has cultivated vegetables, kept chickens, milked goats, and introduced young people to the wonders of farming and…

Fishing Farmers or Farming Fishers? Fishing Typology of Inland Small-Scale Fishing Households and Fisheries Management in Singkarak Lake, West Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuerlita; Perret, Sylvain Roger; Shivakoti, Ganesh P.

2013-07-01

Technical and socio-economic characteristics are known to determine different types of fishers and their livelihood strategies. Faced with declining fish and water resources, small-scale fisheries engage into transformations in livelihood and fishing practices. The paper is an attempt to understand these changes and their socio-economic patterns, in the case of Singkarak Lake in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Based upon the hypothesis that riparian communities have diverse, complex yet structured and dynamic livelihood systems, the paper's main objective is to study, document and model the actual diversity in livelihood, practices and performance of inland small-scale fisheries along the Singkarak Lake, to picture how households are adapted to the situation, and propose an updated, workable model (typology) of those for policy. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to develop a typology of fishing households. The results show that small-scale fishers can be classified into different types characterized by distinct livelihood strategies. Three household types are identified, namely "farming fishers" households (type I, 30 %), "fishing farmers" households (type II, 30 %), and "mainly fishers" households (type III, 40 %). There are significant differences among these groups in the number of boats owned, annual fishing income, agriculture income and farming experience. Type I consists of farming fishers, well equipped, with high fishing costs and income, yet with the lowest return on fishing assets. They are also landowners with farming income, showing the lowest return on land capital. Type II includes poor fishing farmers, landowners with higher farming income; they show the highest return on land asset. They have less fishing equipment, costs and income. Type III (mainly fishers) consists of poorer, younger fishers, with highest return on fishing assets and on fishing costs. They have little land, low farming income, and diversified livelihood sources. The nature of their livelihood strategies is discussed for each identified group. This helps to understand the complexity and diversity of small-scale fishers, particularly in the study area which is still poorly known. This paper concludes with policy implication and possible management initiatives for environmentally prudent policy aiming at improvement of fishers' livelihood.

Fishing farmers or farming fishers? Fishing typology of inland small-scale fishing households and fisheries management in singkarak lake, west sumatra, indonesia.

PubMed

Yuerlita; Perret, Sylvain Roger; Shivakoti, Ganesh P

2013-07-01

Technical and socio-economic characteristics are known to determine different types of fishers and their livelihood strategies. Faced with declining fish and water resources, small-scale fisheries engage into transformations in livelihood and fishing practices. The paper is an attempt to understand these changes and their socio-economic patterns, in the case of Singkarak Lake in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Based upon the hypothesis that riparian communities have diverse, complex yet structured and dynamic livelihood systems, the paper's main objective is to study, document and model the actual diversity in livelihood, practices and performance of inland small-scale fisheries along the Singkarak Lake, to picture how households are adapted to the situation, and propose an updated, workable model (typology) of those for policy. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to develop a typology of fishing households. The results show that small-scale fishers can be classified into different types characterized by distinct livelihood strategies. Three household types are identified, namely "farming fishers" households (type I, 30 %), "fishing farmers" households (type II, 30 %), and "mainly fishers" households (type III, 40 %). There are significant differences among these groups in the number of boats owned, annual fishing income, agriculture income and farming experience. Type I consists of farming fishers, well equipped, with high fishing costs and income, yet with the lowest return on fishing assets. They are also landowners with farming income, showing the lowest return on land capital. Type II includes poor fishing farmers, landowners with higher farming income; they show the highest return on land asset. They have less fishing equipment, costs and income. Type III (mainly fishers) consists of poorer, younger fishers, with highest return on fishing assets and on fishing costs. They have little land, low farming income, and diversified livelihood sources. The nature of their livelihood strategies is discussed for each identified group. This helps to understand the complexity and diversity of small-scale fishers, particularly in the study area which is still poorly known. This paper concludes with policy implication and possible management initiatives for environmentally prudent policy aiming at improvement of fishers' livelihood.

Energy balance in olive oil farms: comparison of organic and conventional farming systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Marta M.; Meco, Ramón; Moreno, Carmen

2013-04-01

The viability of an agricultural production system not only depends on the crop yields, but especially on the efficient use of available resources. However, the current agricultural systems depend heavily on non-renewable energy consumption in the form of fertilizers, fossil fuels, pesticides and machinery. In developed countries, the economic profitability of different productive systems is dependent on the granting of subsidies of diverse origin that affect both production factors (or inputs) and the final product (or output). Leaving such external aids, energy balance analysis reveals the real and most efficient form of management for each agroclimatic region, and is also directly related to the economic activity and the environmental state. In this work we compare the energy balance resulting from organic and conventional olive oil farms under the semi-arid conditions of Central Spain. The results indicate that the mean energy supplied to the organic farms was sensitively lower (about 30%) in comparison with the conventional management, and these differences were more pronounced for the biggest farms (> 15 ha). Mean energy outputs were about 20% lower in the organic system, although organic small farms (< 15 ha) resulted more productive than the conventional small ones. However, these lower outputs were compensated by the major market value obtained from the organic products. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides reached about 60% of the total energy inputs in conventional farming; in the organic farms, however, this ratio scarcely reached 25%. Human labor item only represented a very small amount of the total energy input in both cases (less than 1%). As conclusions, both management systems were efficient from an energy point of view. The value of the organic production should be focused on the environmental benefits it provides, which are not usually considered in the conventional management on not valuing the damage it produces to the environment. Organic farming would improve the energy efficiency in these environmental conditions, offering a sustainable production with minimal inputs.

Seropositivity and risk factors for Brucella in dairy cows in urban and peri-urban small-scale farming in Tajikistan.

PubMed

Lindahl, Elisabeth; Sattorov, Nosirjon; Boqvist, Sofia; Sattori, Izzatullo; Magnusson, Ulf

2014-03-01

In this cross-sectional study, we assessed and mapped the seroprevalence of brucellosis in small-scale dairy farming in an urban and peri-urban area of Tajikistan and investigated factors associated with seropositivity. As urban and peri-urban farming is both an opportunity to improve the livelihood for small-scale farmers and a potential public health hazard, studies are warranted to reveal possible peculiarities in the epidemiology of brucellosis in this type of dairy farming. In total, 904 cows of breeding age belonging to 443 herds in 32 villages were serologically tested with indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and positive samples confirmed with competitive ELISA. Two logistic regression models were used to investigate an association between seropositivity and risk factors at herd and individual level. The herd and individual seroprevalences were 4.1 and 2.0 %, respectively. Herds with a history of abortions were found to be associated with seropositivity [odds ratio (OR) = 5.3; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.3-21.3]. Large herds with more than eight cattle were more likely to be seropositive compared to smaller herds with one to two cattle (OR = 13.9; 95 % CI, 1.6-119). The number of calves produced per cow (indicating age) was found to be associated with seropositivity. Younger cows with one to two produced calves were less likely to be seropositive compared to older cows with more than six produced calves (OR = 0.24; 95 % CI, 0.06-1.0). Neither introduction of new cattle to the herd nor communal grazing was associated with seropositivity. This study shows that infection with Brucella (1) is present in small-scale urban and peri-urban dairy farming in Tajikistan and (2) has significant negative effects on reproductive performance in this farming system and (3) that some previously known risk factors for seropositivity in rural farming system were absent here.

Metabolic Profile and Inflammatory Responses in Dairy Cows with Left Displaced Abomasum Kept under Small-Scaled Farm Conditions

PubMed Central

Klevenhusen, Fenja; Humer, Elke; Metzler-Zebeli, Barbara; Podstatzky-Lichtenstein, Leopold; Wittek, Thomas; Zebeli, Qendrim

2015-01-01

Simple Summary This research established an association between lactation number and milk production and metabolic and inflammatory responses in high-producing dairy cows affected by left abomasal displacement in small-scaled dairy farms. The study showed metabolic alterations, liver damage, and inflammation in the sick cows, which were further exacerbated with increasing lactation number and milk yield of the cows. Abstract Left displaced abomasum (LDA) is a severe metabolic disease of cattle with a strong negative impact on production efficiency of dairy farms. Metabolic and inflammatory alterations associated with this disease have been reported in earlier studies, conducted mostly in large dairy farms. This research aimed to: (1) evaluate metabolic and inflammatory responses in dairy cows affected by LDA in small-scaled dairy farms; and (2) establish an association between lactation number and milk production with the outcome of metabolic variables. The cows with LDA had lower serum calcium (Ca), but greater concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta-hydroxy-butyrate (BHBA), in particular when lactation number was >2. Cows with LDA showed elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and serum amyloid A (SAA), regardless of lactation number. In addition, this study revealed strong associations between milk yield and the alteration of metabolic profile but not with inflammation in the sick cows. Results indicate metabolic alterations, liver damage, and inflammation in LDA cows kept under small-scale farm conditions. Furthermore, the data suggest exacerbation of metabolic profile and Ca metabolism but not of inflammation and liver health with increasing lactation number and milk yield in cows affected by LDA. PMID:26479481

Zoonotic Agents in Small Ruminants Kept on City Farms in Southern Germany

PubMed Central

Schilling, Anna-Katarina; Hotzel, Helmut; Methner, Ulrich; Sprague, Lisa D.; Schmoock, Gernot; El-Adawy, Hosny; Ehricht, Ralf; Wöhr, Anna-Caroline; Erhard, Michael

2012-01-01

Sheep and goats are popular examples of livestock kept on city farms. In these settings, close contacts between humans and animals frequently occur. Although it is widely accepted that small ruminants can carry numerous zoonotic agents, it is unknown which of these agents actually occur in sheep and goats on city farms in Germany. We sampled feces and nasal liquid of 48 animals (28 goats, 20 sheep) distributed in 7 city farms and on one activity playground in southern Germany. We found that 100% of the sampled sheep and 89.3% of the goats carried Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The presence of Staphylococcus spp. in 75% of both sheep and goats could be demonstrated. Campylobacter spp. were detected in 25% and 14.3% of the sheep and goats, respectively. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Coxiella burnetii was found. On the basis of these data, we propose a reasonable hygiene scheme to prevent transmission of zoonotic agents during city farm visits. PMID:22447607

The Condition of Farm Workers and Small Farmers in 1970. Report to the National Board of National Sharecroppers Fund.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, James M.

In 1970, many Americans are examining anew the costs of achieving efficiency in agriculture through bigness. The exodus of small farmers continues--more than 2.7 million farmers have abandoned farming or sold out to bigger competitors since 1950--while Government agricultural policy remains attuned to the interests of large farmers. All small…

The role of veterinarians and feed-store vendors in the prescription and use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in rural Peru.

PubMed

Redding, L E; Barg, F K; Smith, G; Galligan, D T; Levy, M Z; Hennessy, S

2013-01-01

This study aimed to describe and compare the role of veterinarians and feed-store vendors in the use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in Cajamarca, Peru, a major dairy-producing center characterized by small, rural farms with poor, mostly uneducated farmers. We used a purposive sampling strategy to recruit 12 veterinarians into 2 focus group discussions and supplemented these data with 8 semi-structured interviews with feed-store vendors. Participants reported that inappropriate antibiotic usage was widespread among their clients, which may prevent the efficient use of drugs on farms where animal disease can be devastating to the livelihood of the farmer. Participants also identified many barriers to appropriate prescribing and use, including availability of drugs, competition from other prescribers, economic constraints and habits of farmers, and limited farmer knowledge of drugs and disease. Veterinarians expressed mistrust toward nonprofessional prescribers, whereas feed-store vendors felt that veterinarians were important partners in promoting the health of their clients' animals. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extension Strategies for Poverty Alleviation: Lessons from China and India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Burton E.

2006-01-01

This paper discusses the transition from a national focus on food security during the last half of the 20th century to an emerging strategy on helping small-scale farm households increase farm income to reduce rural poverty. The basic proposition is that if extension is going to help increase farm incomes and rural employment, then it must shift…

The impact of wild birds and farm management on Campylobacter and Salmonella in small ruminants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was designed to evaluate the potential pathways and control of foodborne pathogen transmission between wild-birds and farm animals. At two farms, a total of 14 one-acre pastures were fenced to each host 12 sheep and 12 goats. For the control group, pastures were set-up with open water tub...

Respiratory Protection Behavior and Respiratory Indices among Poultry House Workers on Small, Family-Owned Farms in North Carolina: A Pilot Project.

PubMed

Kearney, Gregory D; Gallagher, Barbara; Shaw, Robert

2016-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate respiratory behavior and respiratory indices of poultry workers on family-owned, poultry farms with 10 or less employees in North Carolina. A field study was conducted to collect data on participants (N = 24) using spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The majority of workers (76%) ranked respiratory protection as being important, yet 48% reported never or rarely wearing respiratory protection when working in dusty conditions. A large percent of workers reported eye (55%) and nasal (50%) irritation and dry cough (50%). On average, pulmonary lung function and Feno tests were normal among nonsmokers. In bivariate analysis, significant associations were identified between working 7 days on the farm (P = .01), with eye irritation, and working 5 or fewer years in poultry farming (P = .01). Poultry workers on family-owned farms spend a considerable amount of work time in poultry houses and report acute respiratory-related health symptoms. Administrative controls among small, family-owned poultry farms are necessary to improve and promote safety and health to its employees.

Farm- and flock-level risk factors associated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks on small holder duck and chicken farms in the Mekong Delta of Viet Nam.

PubMed

Henning, Kate A; Henning, Joerg; Morton, John; Long, Ngo Thanh; Ha, Nguyen Truc; Meers, Joanne

2009-10-01

After 11 consecutive months of control, the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam experienced a wave of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks on small holder poultry farms from December 2006 to January 2007. We conducted a retrospective matched case-control study to investigate farm- and flock-level risk factors for outbreak occurrence during this period. Twenty-two case farms were selected from those where clinical signs consistent with HPAI H5N1 had been present and HPAI H5N1 had been confirmed with a positive real-time PCR test from samples obtained from affected birds. For every case farm enrolled, two control farms were selected matched on time of outbreak occurrence, farm location and species. Veterinarians conducted interviews with farmers, to collect information on household demographics, farm characteristics, husbandry practices, trading practices, poultry health, vaccination and biosecurity. Exact stratified logistic regression models were used to assess putative risk factors associated with a flock having or not having a HPAI outbreak. Nested analyses were also performed, restricted to subsets of farms using scavenging, confinement or supplementary feeding practices. Risk of an outbreak of HPAI H5N1 was increased in flocks that had received no vaccination (odds ratio (OR)=20.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, +infinity) or only one vaccination (OR=85.2; 95% CI: 6.5, +infinity) of flocks compared to two vaccinations, and in flocks on farms that had family and friends visiting (OR=8.2; 95% CI: 1.0, +infinity) and geese present (OR=11.5; 95% CI: 1.1, +infinity). The subset analysis using only flocks that scavenged showed that sharing of scavenging areas with flocks from other farms was associated with increased risk of an outbreak (OR=10.9; 95% CI: 1.4, 492.9). We conclude that none or only one vaccination, visitors to farms, the presence of geese on farms and sharing of scavenging areas with ducks from other farms increase the risk of HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in poultry flocks in Viet Nam.

A socio-hydrologic model of coupled water-agriculture dynamics with emphasis on farm size.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brugger, D. R.; Maneta, M. P.

2015-12-01

Agricultural land cover dynamics in the U.S. are dominated by two trends: 1) total agricultural land is decreasing and 2) average farm size is increasing. These trends have important implications for the future of water resources because 1) growing more food on less land is due in large part to increased groundwater withdrawal and 2) larger farms can better afford both more efficient irrigation and more groundwater access. However, these large-scale trends are due to individual farm operators responding to many factors including climate, economics, and policy. It is therefore difficult to incorporate the trends into watershed-scale hydrologic models. Traditional scenario-based approaches are valuable for many applications, but there is typically no feedback between the hydrologic model and the agricultural dynamics and so limited insight is gained into the how agriculture co-evolves with water resources. We present a socio-hydrologic model that couples simplified hydrologic and agricultural economic dynamics, accounting for many factors that depend on farm size such as irrigation efficiency and returns to scale. We introduce an "economic memory" (EM) state variable that is driven by agricultural revenue and affects whether farms are sold when land market values exceed expected returns from agriculture. The model uses a Generalized Mixture Model of Gaussians to approximate the distribution of farm sizes in a study area, effectively lumping farms into "small," "medium," and "large" groups that have independent parameterizations. We apply the model in a semi-arid watershed in the upper Columbia River Basin, calibrating to data on streamflow, total agricultural land cover, and farm size distribution. The model is used to investigate the sensitivity of the coupled system to various hydrologic and economic scenarios such as increasing market value of land, reduced surface water availability, and increased irrigation efficiency in small farms.

Assessment of gastrointestinal nematode infection, anthelmintic usage and husbandry practices on two small-scale goat farms in Malaysia.

PubMed

Wong, Flora; Sargison, Neil

2018-03-01

Haemonchosis is a common problem on goat farms in tropical countries such as Malaysia. Prevention of production losses generally depends on the use of anthelmintic drugs, but is threatened by the emergence of anthelmintic resistance. This study investigates anthelmintic efficacy on small-scale Malaysian goat farms and describes putative risk factors. Adult goats had moderate to high pre-treatment faecal trichostrongyle egg counts, despite being housed on slatted floors and fed on cut-and-carry forage, raising questions about the source of nematode infection. Our results show multiple resistance to benzimidazole and macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic drugs and allow us to discuss the genetic origins of resistance with reference to farm husbandry and management. We conclude that improvement in Malaysian goat production efficiency will require the development of sustainable helminth control strategies, underpinned by a better understanding of the origins and population genetics of anthelmintic resistance.

Living at the farm, innovative nursing home care for people with dementia - study protocol of an observational longitudinal study.

PubMed

de Boer, B; Hamers, J P H; Beerens, H C; Zwakhalen, S M G; Tan, F E S; Verbeek, H

2015-11-02

In nursing home care, new care environments directed towards small-scale and homelike environments are developing. The green care farm, which provides 24-h nursing home care for people with dementia, is one such new care environment. Knowledge is needed on the relation between environmental features of green care farms such as nature, domesticity and offering care in small groups and the influence on the daily lives of residents. The aim of this study is to explore (1) the daily lives of residents, (2) the quality of care and (3) the experiences of caregivers on green care farms compared with other nursing home care environments. An observational longitudinal study including a baseline and a six-month follow-up measurement is carried out. Four types of nursing home care environments are included: (1) large scale nursing home ward, (2) small scale living facility on the terrain of a larger nursing home (3) stand-alone small scale living facility and (4) green care farm. Quality of care is examined through structure, process and outcome indicators. The primary outcome measure is the daily life of residents, assessed by ecological momentary assessments. Aspects of daily life include (1) activity (activity performed by the resident, the engagement in this activity and the degree of physical effort); (2) physical environment (the location of the resident and the interaction with the physical environment); (3) social environment (the level and type of social interaction, and with whom this social interaction took place) and (4) psychological well-being (mood and agitation). In addition, social engagement, quality of life, behavioral symptoms and agitation are evaluated through questionnaires. Furthermore, demographics, cognitive impairment, functional dependence and the severity of dementia are assessed. Semi-structured interviews are performed with caregivers regarding their experiences with the different nursing home care environments. This is the first study investigating green care farms providing 24-h nursing home care for people with dementia. The study provides valuable insight into the daily lives of residents, the quality of care, and the experiences of caregivers at green care farms in comparison with other nursing home care environments including small-scale care environments and large scale nursing home wards.

Defining "Sector 3" Poultry Layer Farms in Relation to H5N1-HPAI-An Example from Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Durr, Peter A; Wibowo, Michael Haryadi; Tarigan, Simson; Artanto, Sidna; Rosyid, Murni Nurhasanah; Ignjatovic, Jagoda

2016-05-01

To help guide surveillance and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 (H5N1-HPAI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2004 devised a poultry farm classification system based on a combination of production and biosecurity practices. Four "Sectors" were defined, and this scheme has been widely adopted within Indonesia to guide national surveillance and control strategies. Nevertheless, little detailed research into the robustness of this classification system has been conducted, particularly as it relates to independent, small to medium-sized commercial poultry farms (Sector 3). Through an analysis of questionnaire data collected as part of a survey of layer farms in western and central Java, all of which were classified as Sector 3 by local veterinarians, we provide benchmark data on what defines this sector. A multivariate analysis of the dataset, using hierarchical cluster analysis, identified three groupings of the farms, which were defined by a combination of production-and biosecurity-related variables, particularly those related to farm size and (the lack of) washing and disinfection practices. Nevertheless, the relationship between production-related variables and positive biosecurity practices was poor, and larger farms did not have an overall higher total biosecurity score than small or medium-sized ones. Further research is required to define the properties of poultry farms in Indonesia that are most closely related to effective biosecurity and the prevention of H5N1-HPAI.

Evaluating the impact of farm scale innovation at catchment scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Breda, Phelia; De Clercq, Willem; Vlok, Pieter; Querner, Erik

2014-05-01

Hydrological modelling lends itself to other disciplines very well, normally as a process based system that acts as a catalogue of events taking place. These hydrological models are spatial-temporal in their design and are generally well suited for what-if situations in other disciplines. Scaling should therefore be a function of the purpose of the modelling. Process is always linked with scale or support but the temporal resolution can affect the results if the spatial scale is not suitable. The use of hydrological response units tends to lump area around physical features but disregards farm boundaries. Farm boundaries are often the more crucial uppermost resolution needed to gain more value from hydrological modelling. In the Letaba Catchment of South Africa, we find a generous portion of landuses, different models of ownership, different farming systems ranging from large commercial farms to small subsistence farming. All of these have the same basic right to water but water distribution in the catchment is somewhat of a problem. Since water quantity is also a problem, the water supply systems need to take into account that valuable production areas not be left without water. Clearly hydrological modelling should therefore be sensitive to specific landuse. As a measure of productivity, a system of small farmer production evaluation was designed. This activity presents a dynamic system outside hydrological modelling that is generally not being considered inside hydrological modelling but depends on hydrological modelling. For sustainable development, a number of important concepts needed to be aligned with activities in this region, and the regulatory actions also need to be adhered to. This study aimed at aligning the activities in a region to the vision and objectives of the regulatory authorities. South Africa's system of socio-economic development planning is complex and mostly ineffective. There are many regulatory authorities involved, often with unclear responsibilities and inadequate procedures of implementing objectives. Planning for development in South Africa needs to take various factors into account. Economic and green economic growth is pursued, while social imbalances are addressed and the environment is protected against unreasonable exploitation. The term Sustainable Development is a neutral concept in the vision of many of the regulating authorities; however, the implementation of sustainability is difficult. This study considers an approach which aligns activities in a specified region to the vision and objectives of the applicable regulatory authorities, as an alternative to achieving objectives strictly through enforcing regulations. It was determined whether objectives of development planning were realistic in terms of water availability. It was established that the position of a farm in the landscape is a determining factor of the impact it has on the catchment area's water supply. For this purpose, hydrological modelling (SWAT and SIMGRO) was done for the Letaba catchment of the Limpopo Province, on two scales to also accommodate small-scale farming communities more accurately. Parallel to the modelling, the National Development Plan (NDP), the National Framework for Sustainable Development (NFSD), the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS) and the principles of Water Allocation Reform (WAR) were regarded. For regional categorisation, the relevant municipal Integrated Development Plan (IDP), Spatial Development Framework (SDF), Local Economic Development (LED) plan and the applicable Catchment Management Strategy (CMS) were considered. The developed Integrated Evaluation Model combined all the visions and objectives of the mentioned strategic documents to specifically assess the contribution a small-scale farm makes. The evaluation results provided insight into the alignment of activities to the ideals of a region and can be useful when formulating actions to reach a common vision. Small-scale farms are well-aligned to the objectives of WAR, the CMS and ISRDS. The farms have a limited contribution to the ideals of the NDP and NFSD and results against the IDP, the SDF and the LED differ considerably for each farm. Furthermore, the results of the farms' alignment with regional objectives do not correspond to the hydrologically ideal locations. Therefore, the development of small-scale farming should take hydrological information into consideration. The Integrated Evaluation Model proves to be valuable, understandable and applicable to evaluate the alignment of small-scale farms to the visions of regulatory authorities. It is also foreseen that the Evaluation model be linked to the hydrological model. The work was also kindly supported and executed in the framework of the EU project EAU4Food.

Mutually beneficial pollinator diversity and crop yield outcomes in small and large farms.

PubMed

Garibaldi, Lucas A; Carvalheiro, Luísa G; Vaissière, Bernard E; Gemmill-Herren, Barbara; Hipólito, Juliana; Freitas, Breno M; Ngo, Hien T; Azzu, Nadine; Sáez, Agustín; Åström, Jens; An, Jiandong; Blochtein, Betina; Buchori, Damayanti; Chamorro García, Fermín J; Oliveira da Silva, Fabiana; Devkota, Kedar; Ribeiro, Márcia de Fátima; Freitas, Leandro; Gaglianone, Maria C; Goss, Maria; Irshad, Mohammad; Kasina, Muo; Pacheco Filho, Alípio J S; Kiill, Lucia H Piedade; Kwapong, Peter; Parra, Guiomar Nates; Pires, Carmen; Pires, Viviane; Rawal, Ranbeer S; Rizali, Akhmad; Saraiva, Antonio M; Veldtman, Ruan; Viana, Blandina F; Witter, Sidia; Zhang, Hong

2016-01-22

Ecological intensification, or the improvement of crop yield through enhancement of biodiversity, may be a sustainable pathway toward greater food supplies. Such sustainable increases may be especially important for the 2 billion people reliant on small farms, many of which are undernourished, yet we know little about the efficacy of this approach. Using a coordinated protocol across regions and crops, we quantify to what degree enhancing pollinator density and richness can improve yields on 344 fields from 33 pollinator-dependent crop systems in small and large farms from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. For fields less than 2 hectares, we found that yield gaps could be closed by a median of 24% through higher flower-visitor density. For larger fields, such benefits only occurred at high flower-visitor richness. Worldwide, our study demonstrates that ecological intensification can create synchronous biodiversity and yield outcomes. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Analysis of factors associated with hesitation to restart farming after depopulation of animals due to 2010 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in Japan.

PubMed

Kadowaki, Hazumu; Kayano, Taishi; Tobinaga, Takaharu; Tsutsumi, Atsuro; Watari, Michiko; Makita, Kohei

2016-09-01

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occurred in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, in 2010. This epidemic was controlled with culling and vaccination, and resulted in the death of nearly 290,000 animals. This paper describes the factors associated with hesitation to restart farming after the epidemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the mental health of farmers one year after the end of the FMD epidemic in affected areas, and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed. Of 773 farms which had answered the question about restart farming, 55.4% (428/773) had resumed or were planning to resume operation. The farms hesitated restarting were characterized by small scale (P=0.06) and having multiple sources of income (P<0.01). Personal attributes associated with hesitation to restart were advanced age of the owner (P<0.01), with someone with bad physical conditions (P=0.04) and small family size (P<0.01). Factors related to disease control during the epidemic that were associated with hesitation to restart were vaccination of animals (P<0.01), not assisting with culling on other farms (P<0.01), and higher satisfaction with information provided by the government (P=0.02). We found that farmers hesitated to resume farming because they had a limited labor force, had an alternative business or were mentally distressed during disease control.

Patterns of ecosystem services supply across farm properties: Implications for ecosystem services-based policy incentives.

PubMed

Nahuelhual, Laura; Benra, Felipe; Laterra, Pedro; Marin, Sandra; Arriagada, Rodrigo; Jullian, Cristobal

2018-09-01

In developing countries, the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) rests on the hands of millions of small landowners that coexist with large properties, in a reality of highly unequal land distribution. Guiding the effective allocation of ES-based incentives in such contexts requires researchers and practitioners to tackle a largely overlooked question: for a given targeted area, will single large farms or several small ones provide the most ES supply? The answer to this question has important implications for conservation planning and rural development alike, which transcend efficiency to involve equity issues. We address this question by proposing and testing ES supply-area relations (ESSARs) around three basic hypothesized models, characterized by constant (model 1), increasing (model 2), and decreasing increments (model 3) of ES supply per unit of area or ES "productivity". Data to explore ESSARs came from 3384 private landholdings located in southern Chile ranging from 0.5ha to over 30,000ha and indicators of four ES (forage, timber, recreation opportunities, and water supply). Forage provision best fit model 3, which suggests that targeting several small farms to provide this ES should be a preferred choice, as compared to a single large farm. Timber provision best fit model 2, suggesting that in this case targeting a single large farm would be a more effective choice. Recreation opportunities best fit model 1, which indicates that several small or a single large farm of a comparable size would be equally effective in delivering this ES. Water provision fit model 1 or model 2 depending on the study site. The results corroborate that ES provision is not independent from property area and therefore understanding ESSARs is a necessary condition for setting conservation incentives that are both efficient (deliver the highest conservation outcome at the least cost) and fair for landowners. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Economic performance of small ruminants in mixed-farming systems of Southern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Legesse, Getahun; Siegmund-Schultze, Marianna; Abebe, Girma; Zárate, Anne Valle

2010-10-01

This study evaluates the household income contribution and the profitability of traditional small ruminant enterprises in two mixed-farming systems of southern Ethiopia (viz. Adilo and Kofele). Small ruminant production is an integral part of mixed systems in the Ethiopian highlands. The assessment of the current economic performance of small ruminants indicates production-related opportunities and constraints and provides baseline data against which the success of future interventions can be measured. Detailed information on economic parameters was gathered through a 1-year period of flock and household monitoring (155 households) between September 2005 and August 2006. Structured surveys were conducted with the participating households to elicit information on income-expense details of small ruminant and other agricultural enterprises. Small ruminants contributed considerably to cash income and to a limited extent to human nutrition especially when other sources were in short supply. The annual profit per animal ranged from 20 to 37 Ethiopian Birr. The return to capital was 17% in Kofele and 29% in Adilo, with both values vastly exceeding the national interest rate. The sale of small ruminants contributed to 39% and 23% of total farm cash income among small ruminant keepers in Adilo and Kofele, respectively. Sale prices are highest before holidays. Researches should target at how to use available feed resources in a timely and cost-effective fashion to make use of the seasonal market opportunities.

Greenhouse gas balance of mountain dairy farms as affected by grassland carbon sequestration.

PubMed

Salvador, Sara; Corazzin, Mirco; Romanzin, Alberto; Bovolenta, Stefano

2017-07-01

Recent studies on milk production have often focused on environmental impacts analysed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. In grassland-based livestock systems, soil carbon sequestration might be a potential sink to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. Nevertheless, there is no commonly shared methodology. In this work, the GHG emissions of small-scale mountain dairy farms were assessed using the LCA approach. Two functional units, kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM) and Utilizable Agricultural Land (UAL), and two different emissions allocations methods, no allocation and physical allocation, which accounts for the co-product beef, were considered. Two groups of small-scale dairy farms were identified based on the Livestock Units (LU) reared: <30 LU (LLU) and >30 LU (HLU). Before considering soil carbon sequestration in LCA, performing no allocation methods, LLU farms tended to have higher GHG emission than HLU farms per kg of FPCM (1.94 vs. 1.59 kg CO 2 -eq/kg FPCM, P ≤ 0.10), whereas the situation was reversed upon considering the m 2 of UAL as a functional unit (0.29 vs. 0.89 kg CO 2 -eq/m 2 , P ≤ 0.05). Conversely, considering physical allocation, the difference between the two groups became less noticeable. When the contribution from soil carbon sequestration was included in the LCA and no allocation method was performed, LLU farms registered higher values of GHG emission per kg of FPCM than HLU farms (1.38 vs. 1.10 kg CO 2 -eq/kg FPCM, P ≤ 0.05), and the situation was likewise reversed in this case upon considering the m 2 of UAL as a functional unit (0.22 vs. 0.73 kg CO 2 -eq/m 2 , P ≤ 0.05). To highlight how the presence of grasslands is crucial for the carbon footprint of small-scale farms, this study also applied a simulation for increasing the forage self-sufficiency of farms to 100%. In this case, an average reduction of GHG emission per kg of FPCM of farms was estimated both with no allocation and with physical allocation, reaching 27.0% and 28.8%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring economically and environmentally viable northeastern US dairy farm strategies for coping with rising corn grain prices.

PubMed

Ghebremichael, L T; Veith, T L; Cerosaletti, P E; Dewing, D E; Rotz, C A

2009-08-01

In 2008, corn grain prices rose $115/t of DM above the 2005 average. Such an increase creates tight marginal profits for small (<100) and medium-sized (100 to 199) dairy farms in the northeastern United States importing corn grain as animal feed supplement. Particularly in New York State, dairy farmers are attempting to avoid or minimize profit losses by growing more corn silage and reducing corn grain purchases. This study applies the Integrated Farm Systems Model to 1 small and 1 medium-sized New York State dairy farm to predict 1) sediment and P loss impacts from expanding corn fields, 2) benefits of no-till or cover cropping on corn fields, and 3) alternatives to the economic challenge of the current farming system as the price ratio of milk to corn grain continues to decline. Based on the simulation results, expanding corn silage production by 3% of the cultivated farm area increased sediment and sediment-bound P losses by 41 and 18%, respectively. Implementing no-till controlled about 84% of the erosion and about 75% of the sediment-bound P that would have occurred from the conventionally tilled, expanded corn production scenario. Implementing a conventionally tilled cover crop with the conventionally tilled, expanded corn production scenario controlled both erosion and sediment-bound P, but to a lesser extent than no-till corn with no cover crop. However, annual farm net return using cover crops was slightly less than when using no-till. Increasing on-farm grass productivity while feeding cows a high-quality, high-forage diet and precise dietary P levels offered dual benefits: 1) improved farm profitability from reduced purchases of dietary protein and P supplements, and 2) decreased runoff P losses from reduced P-levels in applied manure. Moreover, alternatives such as growing additional small grains on marginal lands and increasing milk production levels demonstrated great potential in increasing farm profitability. Overall, it is crucial that conservation measures such as no-till and cover cropping be implemented on new or existing corn lands as these areas often pose the highest threat for P losses through runoff. Although alternatives that would likely provide the largest net profit were evaluated one at a time to better quantify their individual impacts, combinations of these strategies, such as no-till corn plus a minimum-till cover crop, are recommended whenever feasible.

Optimal management of on-farm resources in small-scale dairy systems of Central Mexico: model development and evaluation.

PubMed

Castelán-Ortega, Octavio Alonso; Martínez-García, Carlos Galdino; Mould, Fergus L; Dorward, Peter; Rehman, Tahir; Rayas-Amor, Adolfo Armando

2016-06-01

This study evaluates the available on-farm resources of five case studies typified as small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico. A comprehensive mixed-integer linear programming model was developed and applied to two case studies. The optimal plan suggested the following: (1) instruction and utilization of maize silage, (2) alfalfa hay making that added US$140/ha/cut to the total net income, (3) allocation of land to cultivated pastures in a ratio of 27:41(cultivated pastures/maize crop) rather than at the current 14:69, and dairy cattle should graze 12 h/day, (4) to avoid grazing of communal pastures because this activity represented an opportunity cost of family labor that reduced the farm net income, and (5) that the highest farm net income was obtained when liquid milk and yogurt sales were included in the optimal plan. In the context of small-scale dairy systems of central Mexico, the optimal plan would need to be implemented gradually to enable farmers to develop required skills and to change management strategies from reliance on forage and purchased concentrate to pasture-based and conserved forage systems.

Applying Customized Climate Advisory Information to Translate Extreme Rainfall Events into Farming Options in the Sudan-Sahel of West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salack, S.; Worou, N. O.; Sanfo, S.; Nikiema, M. P.; Boubacar, I.; Paturel, J. E.; Tondoh, E. J.

2017-12-01

In West Africa, the risk of food insecurity linked to the low productivity of small holder farming increases as a result of rainfall extremes. In its recent evolution, the rainy season in the Sudan-Sahel zone presents mixed patterns of extreme climatic events. In addition to intense rain events, the distribution of events is associated with pockets of intra-seasonal long dry spells. The negative consequences of these mixed patterns are obvious on the farm: soil water logging, erosion of arable land, dwartness and dessication of crops, and loss in production. The capacity of local farming communities to respond accordingly to rainfall extreme events is often constrained by lack of access to climate information and advisory on smart crop management practices that can help translate extreme rainfall events into farming options. The objective of this work is to expose the framework and the pre-liminary results of a scheme that customizes climate-advisory information package delivery to subsistence farmers in Bakel (Senegal), Ouahigouya & Dano (Burkina Faso) and Bolgatanga (Ghana) for sustainable family agriculture. The package is based on the provision of timely climate information (48-hours, dekadal & seasonal) embedded with smart crop management practices to explore and exploite the potential advantage of intense rainfall and extreme dry spells in millet, maize, sorghum and cowpea farming communities. It is sent via mobile phones and used on selected farms (i.e agro-climatic farm schools) on which some small on-farm infrastructure were built to alleviate negative impacts of weather. Results provide prominent insight on how co-production of weather/climate information, customized access and guidiance on its use can induce fast learning (capacity building of actors), motivation for adaptation, sustainability, potential changes in cropping system, yields and family income in the face of a rainfall extremes at local scales of Sudan-Sahel of West Africa. Keywords: Climate Information, Smart Practices, Farming Options, Agro-Climatic Farm Schools, Sudan-Sahel

"An Equal Interest in the Soil": Creek Small-Scale Farming and the Work of Nationhood, 1866-1889

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, David A.

2009-01-01

After the war in 1866, slaves became the owners of the lands they once farmed for their masters. The land they farmed became their own because of the nature of Creek citizenship and land tenure. The 1866 treaty of peace between the United States federal government and the Creek Nation (also known as the Muskogee Nation) declared that freed slaves…

New Perspectives on the Rural Economy. Hearing on New Perspectives on the Rural Economy before the Subcommittee on Rural Economy and Family Farming of the Committee on Small Business. United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, First Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Small Business.

Testimony and prepared statements presented at a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Rural Economy and Family Farming focused on the concerns of rural small business. Witnesses included Senators from Montana, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, and nine representatives of business, state government,…

Biosecurity Conditions in Small Commercial Chicken Farms, Bangladesh 2011–2012

PubMed Central

Rimi, N. A.; Sultana, R.; Muhsina, M.; Uddin, B.; Haider, N.; Nahar, N.; Zeidner, N.; Sturm-Ramirez, K.; Luby, S. P.

2018-01-01

In Bangladesh, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 is endemic in poultry. This study aimed to understand the biosecurity conditions and farmers’ perception of avian influenza biosecurity in Bangladeshi small commercial chicken farms. During 2011–2012, we conducted observations, in-depth interviews and group discussions with poultry farmers in 16 farms and in-depth interviews with seven local feed vendors from two districts. None of the farms were completely segregated from people, backyard poultry, other animals, households, other poultry farms or large trees. Wild birds and rodents accessed the farms for poultry feed. Farmers usually did not allow the buyers to bring egg trays inside their sheds. Spraying disinfectant in the shed and removing feces were the only regular cleaning and disinfection activities observed. All farmers sold or used untreated feces as fish feed or fertilizer. Farmers were more concerned about Newcastle disease and infectious bursal disease than about avian influenza. Farmers’ understanding about biosecurity and avian influenza was influenced by local vendors. While we seldom observed flock segregation, some farmers used measures that involved additional cost or effort to protect their flocks. These farmers could be motivated by interventions to protect their investment from diseases they consider harmful. Future interventions could explore the feasibility and effectiveness of low-cost alternative biosecurity measures. PMID:28289988

Biosecurity Conditions in Small Commercial Chicken Farms, Bangladesh 2011-2012.

PubMed

Rimi, N A; Sultana, R; Muhsina, M; Uddin, B; Haider, N; Nahar, N; Zeidner, N; Sturm-Ramirez, K; Luby, S P

2017-06-01

In Bangladesh, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 is endemic in poultry. This study aimed to understand the biosecurity conditions and farmers' perception of avian influenza biosecurity in Bangladeshi small commercial chicken farms. During 2011-2012, we conducted observations, in-depth interviews and group discussions with poultry farmers in 16 farms and in-depth interviews with seven local feed vendors from two districts. None of the farms were completely segregated from people, backyard poultry, other animals, households, other poultry farms or large trees. Wild birds and rodents accessed the farms for poultry feed. Farmers usually did not allow the buyers to bring egg trays inside their sheds. Spraying disinfectant in the shed and removing feces were the only regular cleaning and disinfection activities observed. All farmers sold or used untreated feces as fish feed or fertilizer. Farmers were more concerned about Newcastle disease and infectious bursal disease than about avian influenza. Farmers' understanding about biosecurity and avian influenza was influenced by local vendors. While we seldom observed flock segregation, some farmers used measures that involved additional cost or effort to protect their flocks. These farmers could be motivated by interventions to protect their investment from diseases they consider harmful. Future interventions could explore the feasibility and effectiveness of low-cost alternative biosecurity measures.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: breeding programmes.

PubMed

Rydhmer, L; Gourdine, J L; de Greef, K; Bonneau, M

2014-12-01

The sustainability of breeding activities in 15 pig farming systems in five European countries was evaluated. One conventional and two differentiated systems per country were studied. The Conventional systems were the standard systems in their countries. The differentiated systems were of three categories: Adapted Conventional with focus on animal welfare, meat quality or environment (five systems); Traditional with local breeds in small-scale production (three systems) and Organic (two systems). Data were collected with a questionnaire from nine breeding organisations providing animals and semen to the studied farming systems and from, on average, five farmers per farming system. The sustainability assessment of breeding activities was performed in four dimensions. The first dimension described whether the market for the product was well defined, and whether the breeding goal reflected the farming system and the farmers' demands. The second dimension described recording and selection procedures, together with genetic change in traits that were important in the system. The third dimension described genetic variation, both within and between pig breeds. The fourth dimension described the management of the breeding organisation, including communication, transparency, and technical and human resources. The results show substantial differences in the sustainability of breeding activities, both between farming systems within the same category and between different categories of farming systems. The breeding activities are assessed to be more sustainable for conventional systems than for differentiated systems in three of the four dimensions. In most differentiated farming systems, breeding goals are not related to the system, as these systems use the same genetic material as conventional systems. The breeds used in Traditional farming systems are important for genetic biodiversity, but the small scale of these systems renders them vulnerable. It is hoped that, by reflecting on different aspects of sustainability, this study will encourage sustainable developments in pig production.

Factors associated with farm-level infection of porcine epidemic diarrhea during the early phase of the epidemic in Japan in 2013 and 2014.

PubMed

Toyomaki, Haruya; Sekiguchi, Satoshi; Sasaki, Yosuke; Sueyoshi, Masuo; Makita, Kohei

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to investigate factors that caused rapid spread during the early phase of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) epidemic in Japan in 2013 and 2014. Anonymized datasets from all pig farms were provided by Kagoshima (709 farms) and Miyazaki Prefectures (506 farms). Semi-parametric survival analysis was conducted using the first 180 days from the first case on December 3, 2013 in Kagoshima Prefecture. To compare the hazard between different farm management types, univariable survival analysis was conducted. As farm sizes varied among different farm types, bivariable survival analysis was conducted for farm size categories and farm density per km 2 for each management type. A case-control study using a postal questionnaire survey was conducted in September 2014, and risk factor analysis was performed using generalized linear models with binomial errors. The hazard was significantly higher in farrow-to-finish farms than fattening farms [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.6, p < 0.01], but was not significantly different between reproduction and fattening farms (HR = 1.3, p = 0.16). In separate bivariable survival analyses for each farm type, large- and middle-scale farms had higher hazard than small-scale farms in fattening (HR = 5.8 and 2.6, respectively, both p < 0.01) and reproduction farms (HR = 4.0 and 3.6, respectively, both p < 0.01). In farrow-to-finish farms, large-scale farms had higher hazard than small-scale farms (HR = 2.8, p < 0.01), and higher farm density per km 2 was also a risk factor (HR = 7.6, p < 0.01). In the case-control study, questionnaires were returned from 78 PED virus-infected and 91 non-infected farms. The overall response rate was 34%. Risk factors of the final model were occurrence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in the past 5 years [odds ratio (OR) = 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.97-4.00, p = 0.054], use of a common compost station (OR = 2.51, 95%CI: 1.08-5.83, p = 0.03), and use of a pig excrement disposal service (OR = 2.64, 95%CI: 1.05-6.63, p = 0.04). High hazard in farrow-to-finish farms suggested transmission from slaughterhouses to susceptible suckling piglets. Hazard associated with large-scale farms and high density might be due to frequent vehicle entrance and transmission by roads. Improvement of farm hygiene management and avoidance of risky practices associated with contact with pig excrement were keys in preventing invasion of PED virus to a farm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water resources of the Wild Rice River watershed, northwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter, Thomas C.; Bidwell, L.E.; Maclay, Robert W.

1970-01-01

The area of the watershed is about 2,600 square miles and includes most of Mahnomen and Norman Counties and parts of Becker, Clay, Clearwater, and Polk Counties. The population of the area is about 37,000 people of which about 70 percent live on farms. The economy is based principally on farming. The area of lake clay and silt is used mostly for raising sugar beets and wheat; and potatoes are grown largely on the sandy soils. In the western part of the morainal area small grain, dairy, and cattle farming is the most common. The eastern part of the morainal area is important for forest products and recreation. Industries in the area are small and are based on agricultural processing and service.

Farming and the geography of nutrient production for human use: a transdisciplinary analysis.

PubMed

Herrero, Mario; Thornton, Philip K; Power, Brendan; Bogard, Jessica R; Remans, Roseline; Fritz, Steffen; Gerber, James S; Nelson, Gerald; See, Linda; Waha, Katharina; Watson, Reg A; West, Paul C; Samberg, Leah H; van de Steeg, Jeannette; Stephenson, Eloise; van Wijk, Mark; Havlík, Petr

2017-04-01

Information about the global structure of agriculture and nutrient production and its diversity is essential to improve present understanding of national food production patterns, agricultural livelihoods, and food chains, and their linkages to land use and their associated ecosystems services. Here we provide a plausible breakdown of global agricultural and nutrient production by farm size, and also study the associations between farm size, agricultural diversity, and nutrient production. This analysis is crucial to design interventions that might be appropriately targeted to promote healthy diets and ecosystems in the face of population growth, urbanisation, and climate change. We used existing spatially-explicit global datasets to estimate the production levels of 41 major crops, seven livestock, and 14 aquaculture and fish products. From overall production estimates, we estimated the production of vitamin A, vitamin B 12 , folate, iron, zinc, calcium, calories, and protein. We also estimated the relative contribution of farms of different sizes to the production of different agricultural commodities and associated nutrients, as well as how the diversity of food production based on the number of different products grown per geographic pixel and distribution of products within this pixel (Shannon diversity index [ H ]) changes with different farm sizes. Globally, small and medium farms (≤50 ha) produce 51-77% of nearly all commodities and nutrients examined here. However, important regional differences exist. Large farms (>50 ha) dominate production in North America, South America, and Australia and New Zealand. In these regions, large farms contribute between 75% and 100% of all cereal, livestock, and fruit production, and the pattern is similar for other commodity groups. By contrast, small farms (≤20 ha) produce more than 75% of most food commodities in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia, south Asia, and China. In Europe, west Asia and north Africa, and central America, medium-size farms (20-50 ha) also contribute substantially to the production of most food commodities. Very small farms (≤2 ha) are important and have local significance in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia, and south Asia, where they contribute to about 30% of most food commodities. The majority of vegetables (81%), roots and tubers (72%), pulses (67%), fruits (66%), fish and livestock products (60%), and cereals (56%) are produced in diverse landscapes ( H >1·5). Similarly, the majority of global micronutrients (53-81%) and protein (57%) are also produced in more diverse agricultural landscapes ( H >1·5). By contrast, the majority of sugar (73%) and oil crops (57%) are produced in less diverse ones ( H ≤1·5), which also account for the majority of global calorie production (56%). The diversity of agricultural and nutrient production diminishes as farm size increases. However, areas of the world with higher agricultural diversity produce more nutrients, irrespective of farm size. Our results show that farm size and diversity of agricultural production vary substantially across regions and are key structural determinants of food and nutrient production that need to be considered in plans to meet social, economic, and environmental targets. At the global level, both small and large farms have key roles in food and nutrition security. Efforts to maintain production diversity as farm sizes increase seem to be necessary to maintain the production of diverse nutrients and viable, multifunctional, sustainable landscapes. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security and on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health funded by the CGIAR Fund Council, Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation, European Union, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Australian Research Council, National Science Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change-Belmont Forum.

Agricultural and Ranching area, Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This agricultural and Ranching area, Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil (13.0S, 43.5W) has been under study for several years. See scene STS-31-92-045 for comparison. This area has many small single family subsistence farms, large square and rectangular commercial farms and pastures for livestock grazing. Over the several years of observation, the number and size of farms has increased and center-pivot, swing-arm irrigation systems have been installed.

3. General view of Fort Hill Farm, view looking west ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. General view of Fort Hill Farm, view looking west from (B) two-story hall-and-parlor house. Buildings visible, from left to right, are (B) parlor house porch; (E) one-room cabin; (D) center chimney four-room cabin; (J) hay barn; (I) log tobacco barn; (A) mansion, obscured by trees; (M) stable; (K) small barn. - Fort Hill Farm, West of Staunton (Roanoke) River between Turkey & Caesar's Runs, Clover, Halifax County, VA

Analysis of factors associated with hesitation to restart farming after depopulation of animals due to 2010 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in Japan

PubMed Central

KADOWAKI, Hazumu; KAYANO, Taishi; TOBINAGA, Takaharu; TSUTSUMI, Atsuro; WATARI, Michiko; MAKITA, Kohei

2016-01-01

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occurred in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, in 2010. This epidemic was controlled with culling and vaccination, and resulted in the death of nearly 290,000 animals. This paper describes the factors associated with hesitation to restart farming after the epidemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the mental health of farmers one year after the end of the FMD epidemic in affected areas, and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed. Of 773 farms which had answered the question about restart farming, 55.4% (428/773) had resumed or were planning to resume operation. The farms hesitated restarting were characterized by small scale (P=0.06) and having multiple sources of income (P<0.01). Personal attributes associated with hesitation to restart were advanced age of the owner (P<0.01), with someone with bad physical conditions (P=0.04) and small family size (P<0.01). Factors related to disease control during the epidemic that were associated with hesitation to restart were vaccination of animals (P<0.01), not assisting with culling on other farms (P<0.01), and higher satisfaction with information provided by the government (P=0.02). We found that farmers hesitated to resume farming because they had a limited labor force, had an alternative business or were mentally distressed during disease control. PMID:27149890

Technical- and environmental-efficiency analysis of irrigated cotton-cropping systems in Punjab, Pakistan using data envelopment analysis.

PubMed

Ullah, Asmat; Perret, Sylvain R

2014-08-01

Cotton cropping in Pakistan uses substantial quantities of resources and adversely affects the environment with pollutants from the inputs, particularly pesticides. A question remains regarding to what extent the reduction of such environmental impact is possible without compromising the farmers' income. This paper investigates the environmental, technical, and economic performances of selected irrigated cotton-cropping systems in Punjab to quantify the sustainability of cotton farming and reveal options for improvement. Using mostly primary data, our study quantifies the technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies of different farm sizes. A set of indicators has been computed to reflect these three domains of efficiency using the data envelopment analysis technique. The results indicate that farmers are broadly environmentally inefficient; which primarily results from poor technical inefficiency. Based on an improved input mix, the average potential environmental impact reduction for small, medium, and large farms is 9, 13, and 11 %, respectively, without compromising the economic return. Moreover, the differences in technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies between small and medium and small and large farm sizes were statistically significant. The second-stage regression analysis identifies that the entire farm size significantly affects the efficiencies, whereas exposure to extension and training has positive effects, and the sowing methods significantly affect the technical and environmental efficiencies. Paradoxically, the formal education level is determined to affect the efficiencies negatively. This paper discusses policy interventions that can improve the technical efficiency to ultimately increase the environmental efficiency and reduce the farmers' operating costs.

Sustainable Agriculture as a Recruitment Tool for Geoscience Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enright, K. P.; Gilbert, L. A.; McGillis, A.

2014-12-01

Small-scale agriculture has exploded with popularity in recent years, as teenagers and college students gain interest in local food sources. Outdoor experiences, including gardening and farming, are often among the motivations for students to take their first geoscience courses in college. The methods and theories of small agriculture translate well into geologic research questions, especially in the unique setting of college campus farms and gardens. We propose an activity or assignment to engage student-farmers in thinking about geosciences, and connect them with geoscience departments as a gateway to the major and career field. Furthermore, the activity will encourage a new generation of passionate young farmers to integrate the principles of earth science into their design and implementation of more sustainable food systems. The activity includes mapping, soil sampling, and interviewing professionals in agriculture and geology, and results in the students writing a series of recommendations for their campus or other farm. The activity includes assessment tools for instructors and can be used to give credit for a summer farming internship or as part of a regular course. We believe reaching out to students interested in farming could be an important recruitment tool for geosciences and helps build interdisciplinary and community partnerships.

Demonstration of a Small Modular Biopower System Using Poultry Litter-Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John Reardon; Art Lilley

2004-06-15

On-farm conversion of poultry litter into energy is a unique market connected opportunity for commercialization of small modular bioenergy systems. The United States Department of Energy recognized the need in the poultry industry for alternative litter management as an opportunity for bioenergy. The DOE created a relevant topic in the December 2000 release of the small business innovative research (SBIR) grant solicitation. Community Power Corporation responded to this solicitation by proposing the development of a small modular gasification and gas cleanup system to produce separate value streams of clean producer gas and mineral rich solids. This phase II report describesmore » our progress in the development of an on-farm litter to energy system.« less

12 CFR 25.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assessment area(s) through its lending activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business... mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in the bank's assessment area(s); (2) Geographic distribution. The geographic distribution of the bank's home mortgage, small business...

12 CFR 25.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... assessment area(s) through its lending activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business... mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in the bank's assessment area(s); (2) Geographic distribution. The geographic distribution of the bank's home mortgage, small business...

12 CFR 25.22 - Lending test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... assessment area(s) through its lending activities by considering a bank's home mortgage, small business... mortgage, small business, small farm, and consumer loans, if applicable, in the bank's assessment area(s); (2) Geographic distribution. The geographic distribution of the bank's home mortgage, small business...

Green Care Farms as Innovative Nursing Homes, Promoting Activities and Social Interaction for People With Dementia.

PubMed

de Boer, Bram; Hamers, Jan P H; Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Tan, Frans E S; Beerens, Hanneke C; Verbeek, Hilde

2017-01-01

Innovative care environments are developed for people with dementia to encourage person-centered care. This study aims to investigate whether residents of green care farms that provide 24-hour nursing care participate more in (physical) activities and social interaction compared with residents of other nursing homes. Longitudinal observation study. Nursing homes in the Netherlands (green care farms, traditional nursing homes, and regular small-scale living facilities). A total of 115 nursing home residents at baseline, 100 at follow-up. Ecological momentary assessments (n = 16,860) were conducted using the Maastricht Electronic Daily Life Observation Tool. Residents living at green care farms were compared with residents living in traditional nursing homes and regular small-scale living facilities. The following aspects were collected for this study: the activity performed by the participant or occurring in his or her vicinity, the engagement in the activity, the level of physical activity during the activity, the physical environment (location where the activity occurred), and the level of social interaction during the activity. In total, 9660 baseline observations and 7200 follow-up observations were conducted. Analyses showed that residents of green care farms significantly more often participated in domestic activities (P = .004, SE = 1.6) and outdoor/nature-related activities (P = .003, SE = 0.9), and significantly less often engaged in passive/purposeless activities (P < .001, SE = 1.7) compared with residents of traditional nursing homes. Furthermore, residents of green care farms had significantly more active engagement (P = .014, SE = 0.9), more social interaction (P = .006, SE = 1.1), and came outside significantly more (P = .010, SE = 1.1) than residents of traditional nursing homes. Residents of green care farms were significantly more physically active (P = .013, SE = 0.8) than were residents of regular small-scale living facilities. No other significant differences were found. Green care farms can be a valuable alternative to traditional nursing homes. They provide an attractive, homelike environment and activities that positively influence engagement and social interaction. Research is needed to study how successful elements of green care farms can be implemented in existing nursing homes. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and risk factors for Maedi-Visna in sheep farms in Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania.

PubMed

Hüttner, Klim; Seelmann, Matthias; Feldhusen, Frerk

2010-01-01

Despite indications of a considerable spread of Maedi-Visna among sheep flocks in Germany, prevalence studies of this important infection are hardly available. Prior to any health schemes and guidelines, knowledge about regional disease distribution is essential. Depending upon herd size, 70 farms were randomly selected, of which 41 cooperated. A total of 2229 blood samples were taken at random and serologically examined. For assessment of selected farm characteristics a questionnaire exercise was conducted at all farms involved. The average herd prevalence is 51.2%, the within-herd prevalence is 28,8%. In the unvariate analysis of risk factors, small (10-100 sheep) and large (> 250 sheep) farms are more MVV-affected than medium sized farms. The average stable and pasture space per sheep is larger at non-infected- compared to infected farms. Owners judgement on general herd health turns out to be better at non-infected compared to infected farms. Taking infected farms only, the risk of within-herd prevalence above 20% is significant higher in crossbred than in purebred flocks.

Cold chain food distribution from the Driftless Area : keys to attaining self-reliance in the circle city.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

In recent years, small- to mid-scale farms have increasingly emphasized the importance of branding and establishing : the appropriate identity to enter the value-added market. Farms in the Driftless Area (mostly Southwest Wisconsin) are : slowly deve...

The Condition of Farmworkers and Small Farmers in 1975. A Report to the National Board of the National Sharecroppers Fund and Rural Advancement Fund.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, James M.

Due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's definition of a farm as an "economic unit which produces at least $1,000 worth of agricultural products a year", more than 570,000 farms were eliminated from the 1975 agricultural census. In addition, over 12,000 farms went out of business, continuing a trend begun in 1940. Although American food prices…

1. General view of Fort Hill Farm, view looking southsoutheast. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. General view of Fort Hill Farm, view looking south-southeast. From left to right, buildings visible are (B) two-story hall-and-parlor house; (k) small barn; (A) mansion' (G( shed; (H) shed; (I) log tobacco barn; (H and D) shed and center chimney four-room cabin; (E and (A) one-room cabin in front of mansion; (J) hay barn. - Fort Hill Farm, West of Staunton (Roanoke) River between Turkey & Caesar's Runs, Clover, Halifax County, VA

Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths and anthelmintic resistance on small-scale farms in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

PubMed

Tsotetsi, Ana Mbokeleng; Njiro, Stephen; Katsande, Tendai Charles; Moyo, Gugulethu; Baloyi, Faculty; Mpofu, Jaison

2013-03-01

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal helminths, to detect the presence of anthelmintic resistance in livestock from small-scale farms and to determine the level of helminthosis awareness among small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Blood and faecal samples were collected from cattle (n = 314), sheep (n = 256) and goats (n = 311). Faecal egg counts and cultures were done, helminth genera identified and packed cell volume was assessed to detect anaemia. A faecal egg count reduction test was used to determine anthelmintic resistance against albendazole (7.5 mg/kg), levamisole (5 mg/kg) and ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) on five small ruminant farms. A high prevalence of both nematodes and trematodes was observed; however, only 1 % of cattle had high nematode egg counts compared to goats (30 %) and sheep (32 %). Only 5 % of the animals were anaemic. Haemonchus and Calicophoron were the most dominant helminth genera in the studied ruminants. Anthelmintic resistance was detected against the three tested drugs on all the screened farms, except against albendazole and levamisole in sheep from Hammanskraal and Nigel, respectively. About 88 % of interviewed farmers were aware of veterinary helminthosis, 67 % treated against helminths and 83 % provided their livestock with nutritional supplements. This study showed that a high prevalence of helminthosis and anthelmintic resistance does occur in the study area, thus relevant strategic interventions are recommended.

Active Power Control of Waked Wind Farms: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleming, Paul A; van Wingerden, Jan-Willem; Pao, Lucy

Active power control can be used to balance the total power generated by wind farms with the power consumed on the electricity grid. With the increasing penetration levels of wind energy, there is an increasing need for this ancillary service. In this paper, we show that the tracking of a certain power reference signal provided by the transmission system operator can be significantly improved by using feedback control at the wind farm level. We propose a simple feedback control law that significantly improves the tracking behavior of the total power output of the farm, resulting in higher performance scores. Themore » effectiveness of the proposed feedback controller is demonstrated using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations of a small wind farm.« less

Farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. parr may reduce early survival of wild fish.

PubMed

Sundt-Hansen, L; Huisman, J; Skoglund, H; Hindar, K

2015-06-01

The study examined the density-mediated effects on growth, survival and dispersal of wild and farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar offspring in the period immediately following emergence, using a substitutive design. In small confined stream channels, wild parr coexisting with farmed parr had a significantly poorer survival, than wild parr alone. Density did not affect this relationship. In larger unconfined stream channels, wild parr coexisting with farmed parr entered a downstream trap in higher numbers than wild parr in allopatry. The results suggests that during the earliest life stages, farmed S. salar can outcompete wild S. salar, resulting in a reduced survival of wild S. salar. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Compatibility between livestock databases used for quantitative biosecurity response in New Zealand.

PubMed

Jewell, C P; van Andel, M; Vink, W D; McFadden, A M J

2016-05-01

To characterise New Zealand's livestock biosecurity databases, and investigate their compatibility and capacity to provide a single integrated data source for quantitative outbreak analysis. Contemporary snapshots of the data in three national livestock biosecurity databases, AgriBase, FarmsOnLine (FOL) and the National Animal Identification and Tracing Scheme (NAIT), were obtained on 16 September, 1 September and 30 April 2014, respectively, and loaded into a relational database. A frequency table of animal numbers per farm was calculated for the AgriBase and FOL datasets. A two dimensional kernel density estimate was calculated for farms reporting the presence of cattle, pigs, deer, and small ruminants in each database and the ratio of farm densities for AgriBase versus FOL calculated. The extent to which records in the three databases could be matched and linked was quantified, and the level of agreement amongst them for the presence of different species on properties assessed using Cohen's kappa statistic. AgriBase contained fewer records than FOL, but recorded animal numbers present on each farm, whereas FOL contained more records, but captured only presence/absence of animals. The ratio of farm densities in AgriBase relative to FOL for pigs and deer was reasonably homogeneous across New Zealand, with AgriBase having a farm density approximately 80% of FOL. For cattle and small ruminants, there was considerable heterogeneity, with AgriBase showing a density of cattle farms in the Central Otago region that was 20% of FOL, and a density of small ruminant farms in the central West Coast area that was twice that of FOL. Only 37% of records in FOL could be linked to AgriBase, but the level of agreement for the presence of different species between these databases was substantial (kappa>0.6). Both NAIT and FOL shared common farm identifiers which could be used to georeference animal movements, and there was a fair to substantial agreement (kappa 0.32-0.69) between these databases for the presence of cattle and deer on properties. The three databases broadly agreed with each other, but important differences existed in both species composition and spatial coverage which raises concern over their accuracy. Importantly, they cannot be reliably linked together to provide a single picture of New Zealand's livestock industry, limiting the ability to use advanced quantitative techniques to provide effective decision support during disease outbreaks. We recommend that a single integrated database be developed, with alignment of resources and legislation for its upkeep.

Antibiotic Resistance in Animal and Environmental Samples Associated with Small-Scale Poultry Farming in Northwestern Ecuador.

PubMed

Braykov, Nikolay P; Eisenberg, Joseph N S; Grossman, Marissa; Zhang, Lixin; Vasco, Karla; Cevallos, William; Muñoz, Diana; Acevedo, Andrés; Moser, Kara A; Marrs, Carl F; Foxman, Betsy; Trostle, James; Trueba, Gabriel; Levy, Karen

2016-01-01

The effects of animal agriculture on the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR) are cross-cutting and thus require a multidisciplinary perspective. Here we use ecological, epidemiological, and ethnographic methods to examine populations of Escherichia coli circulating in the production poultry farming environment versus the domestic environment in rural Ecuador, where small-scale poultry production employing nontherapeutic antibiotics is increasingly common. We sampled 262 "production birds" (commercially raised broiler chickens and laying hens) and 455 "household birds" (raised for domestic use) and household and coop environmental samples from 17 villages between 2010 and 2013. We analyzed data on zones of inhibition from Kirby-Bauer tests, rather than established clinical breakpoints for AR, to distinguish between populations of organisms. We saw significantly higher levels of AR in bacteria from production versus household birds; resistance to either amoxicillin-clavulanate, cephalothin, cefotaxime, and gentamicin was found in 52.8% of production bird isolates and 16% of household ones. A strain jointly resistant to the 4 drugs was exclusive to a subset of isolates from production birds (7.6%) and coop surfaces (6.5%) and was associated with a particular purchase site. The prevalence of AR in production birds declined with bird age (P < 0.01 for all antibiotics tested except tetracycline, sulfisoxazole, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole). Farming status did not impact AR in domestic environments at the household or village level. Our results suggest that AR associated with small-scale poultry farming is present in the immediate production environment and likely originates from sources outside the study area. These outside sources might be a better place to target control efforts than local management practices. IMPORTANCE In developing countries, small-scale poultry farming employing antibiotics as growth promoters is being advanced as an inexpensive source of protein and income. Here, we present the results of a large ecoepidemiological study examining patterns of antibiotic resistance (AR) in E. coli isolates from small-scale poultry production environments versus domestic environments in rural Ecuador, where such backyard poultry operations have become established over the past decade. Our previous research in the region suggests that introduction of AR bacteria through travel and commerce may be an important source of AR in villages of this region. This report extends the prior analysis by examining small-scale production chicken farming as a potential source of resistant strains. Our results suggest that AR strains associated with poultry production likely originate from sources outside the study area and that these outside sources might be a better place to target control efforts than local management practices.

Farms, Families, and Markets: New Evidence on Completeness of Markets in Agricultural Settings

PubMed Central

LaFave, Daniel; Thomas, Duncan

2016-01-01

The farm household model has played a central role in improving the understanding of small-scale agricultural households and non-farm enterprises. Under the assumptions that all current and future markets exist and that farmers treat all prices as given, the model simplifies households’ simultaneous production and consumption decisions into a recursive form in which production can be treated as independent of preferences of household members. These assumptions, which are the foundation of a large literature in labor and development, have been tested and not rejected in several important studies including Benjamin (1992). Using multiple waves of longitudinal survey data from Central Java, Indonesia, this paper tests a key prediction of the recursive model: demand for farm labor is unrelated to the demographic composition of the farm household. The prediction is unambiguously rejected. The rejection cannot be explained by contamination due to unobserved heterogeneity that is fixed at the farm level, local area shocks or farm-specific shocks that affect changes in household composition and farm labor demand. We conclude that the recursive form of the farm household model is not consistent with the data. Developing empirically tractable models of farm households when markets are incomplete remains an important challenge. PMID:27688430

The Technical Efficiency of Specialised Milk Farms: A Regional View

PubMed Central

Špička, Jindřich; Smutka, Luboš

2014-01-01

The aim of the article is to evaluate production efficiency and its determinants of specialised dairy farming among the EU regions. In the most of European regions, there is a relatively high significance of small specialised farms including dairy farms. The DEAVRS method (data envelopment analysis with variable returns to scale) reveals efficient and inefficient regions including the scale efficiency. In the next step, the two-sample t-test determines differences of economic and structural indicators between efficient and inefficient regions. The research reveals that substitution of labour by capital/contract work explains the variability of the farm net value added per AWU (annual work unit) income indicator by more than 30%. The significant economic determinants of production efficiency in specialised dairy farming are farm size, herd size, crop output per hectare, productivity of energy, and capital (at α = 0.01). Specialised dairy farms in efficient regions have significantly higher farm net value added per AWU than inefficient regions. Agricultural enterprises in inefficient regions have a more extensive structure and produce more noncommodity output (public goods). Specialised dairy farms in efficient regions have a slightly higher milk yield, specific livestock costs of feed, bedding, and veterinary services per livestock unit. PMID:25050408

Poultry Farm Vulnerability and Risk of Avian Influenza Re-Emergence in Thailand

PubMed Central

Souris, Marc; Selenic, Dubravka; Khaklang, Supaluk; Ninphanomchai, Suwannapa; Minet, Guy; Gonzalez, Jean-Paul; Kittayapong, Pattamaporn

2014-01-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) remains of concern as a major potential global threat. This article evaluates and discusses the level of vulnerability of medium and small-scale commercial poultry production systems in Thailand related to avian influenza virus re-emergence. We developed a survey on 173 farms in Nakhon Pathom province to identify the global level of vulnerability of farms, and to determine which type of farms appears to be more vulnerable. We used official regulations (the Good Agricultural Practices and Livestock Farm Standards regulations) as a reference to check whether these regulations are respected. The results show that numerous vulnerability factors subsist and could represent, in case of HPAI re-emergence, a significant risk for a large spread of the disease. Bio-security, farm management and agro-commercial practices are particularly significant on that matter: results show that these practices still need a thorough improvement on a majority of farms. Farms producing eggs (especially duck eggs) are more vulnerable than farms producing meat. Those results are consistent with the type of farms that were mostly affected during the 2004–2008 outbreaks in Thailand. PMID:24413705

Field application of farm-food safety risk assessment (FRAMp) tool for small and medium fresh produce farms.

PubMed

Soon, J M; Davies, W P; Chadd, S A; Baines, R N

2013-02-15

The objective of this study was to develop a farm food safety-risk assessment tool (FRAMp) which serves as a self-assessment and educational tool for fresh produce farms. FRAMp was developed in Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet software using standard mathematical and logical functions and utilised a qualitative risk assessment approach for farmers to evaluate their food safety practices. The FRAMp tool has since been tested on 12 fresh produce farms throughout UK. All the farms determined that FRAMp was interesting but 17% found it too long while 25% of the farms felt the tool was too complicated. The instructions on FRAMp usage were revised and farmers were given the options to skip and select specific steps in the farm risk assessment. The end users (farmers/farm managers) determined that developing their own action plans and using it as proof of assessment for future third-party audits were most useful to them. FRAMp tool can be described as an illustrative risk ranking tool to facilitate farms to identify potential risk factors during their crop production. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small Farm Insurance Act of 2013

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large

2013-04-16

House - 05/03/2013 Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. (All Actions) Notes: For further action, see H.R.2642, which became Public Law 113-79 on 2/7/2014. Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Green and profitable farming systems for the southeastern USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although most of the farms of the southeastern USA are relatively small, they often have profit centers of livestock or high value crops. Thus, agribusiness (livestock, timber, and high value crops) is critical to the region’s economy. The region has temperatures that allow plant growth for the enti...

An estimate of the U.S. government's undercount of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in agriculture.

PubMed

Leigh, J Paul; Du, Juan; McCurdy, Stephen A

2014-04-01

Debate surrounds the accuracy of U.S. government's estimates of job-related injuries and illnesses in agriculture. Whereas studies have attempted to estimate the undercount for all industries combined, none have specifically addressed agriculture. Data were drawn from the U.S. government's premier sources for workplace injuries and illnesses and employment: the Bureau of Labor Statistics databanks for the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, and the Current Population Survey. Estimates were constructed using transparent assumptions; for example, that the rate (cases-per-employee) of injuries and illnesses on small farms was the same as on large farms (an assumption we altered in sensitivity analysis). We estimated 74,932 injuries and illnesses for crop farms and 68,504 for animal farms, totaling 143,436 cases in 2011. We estimated that SOII missed 73.7% of crop farm cases and 81.9% of animal farm cases for an average of 77.6% for all agriculture. Sensitivity analyses suggested that the percent missed ranged from 61.5% to 88.3% for all agriculture. We estimate considerable undercounting of nonfatal injuries and illnesses in agriculture and believe the undercounting is larger than any other industry. Reasons include: SOII's explicit exclusion of employees on small farms and of farmers and family members and Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages's undercounts of employment. Undercounting limits our ability to identify and address occupational health problems in agriculture, affecting both workers and society. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of a geographic information system to identify a dairy goat farm as the most likely source of an urban Q-fever outbreak.

PubMed

Schimmer, Barbara; Ter Schegget, Ronald; Wegdam, Marjolijn; Züchner, Lothar; de Bruin, Arnout; Schneeberger, Peter M; Veenstra, Thijs; Vellema, Piet; van der Hoek, Wim

2010-03-16

A Q-fever outbreak occurred in an urban area in the south of the Netherlands in May 2008. The distribution and timing of cases suggested a common source. We studied the spatial relationship between the residence locations of human cases and nearby small ruminant farms, of which one dairy goat farm had experienced abortions due to Q-fever since mid April 2008. A generic geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a method for source detection in the still evolving major epidemic of Q-fever in the Netherlands. All notified Q-fever cases in the area were interviewed. Postal codes of cases and of small ruminant farms (size >40 animals) located within 5 kilometres of the cluster area were geo-referenced as point locations in a GIS-model. For each farm, attack rates and relative risks were calculated for 5 concentric zones adding 1 kilometre at a time, using the 5-10 kilometres zone as reference. These data were linked to the results of veterinary investigations. Persons living within 2 kilometres of an affected dairy goat farm (>400 animals) had a much higher risk for Q-fever than those living more than 5 kilometres away (Relative risk 31.1 [95% CI 16.4-59.1]). The study supported the hypothesis that a single dairy goat farm was the source of the human outbreak. GIS-based attack rate analysis is a promising tool for source detection in outbreaks of human Q-fever.

A Preliminary Assessment of HTST Processing on Donkey Milk

PubMed Central

Antoniazzi, Sara; Gariglio, Gian Marco; Coscia, Alessandra; Bertino, Enrico; Cavallarin, Laura

2017-01-01

Due to increasing attention from consumers on non-bovine milk types, and to the increase in the number of small dairy donkey farms in Italy, farmers require more advanced and reliable processing devices, in order to guarantee a safe product of high quality. To this aim, a new small-scale High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurizer (72 °C for 15 s), prototyped by the authors, was tested on donkey milk. The efficacy of the HTST device was tested on raw donkey milk microflora by enumeration of total aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and Bacillus cereus. The biochemical quality was assessed by determining the protein profile by monodimensional electrophoresis and by measuring lysozyme activity. The HTST apparatus was able to reduce the total bacteria count, and to completely eradicate Enterobacteriaceae. Bacillus cereus, when present, was decreased with low efficiency. Changes in the protein profile were observed in milk pasteurized in accordance with both processes, although HTST seemed to limit casein degradation. Lysozyme activity was not substantially affected in comparison to raw donkey milk. In conclusion, a tailored small-volume HTST device could be safely applied to pasteurize donkey milk in on-farm pasteurization processes on small dairy donkey farms. PMID:29056708

A Preliminary Assessment of HTST Processing on Donkey Milk.

PubMed

Giribaldi, Marzia; Antoniazzi, Sara; Gariglio, Gian Marco; Coscia, Alessandra; Bertino, Enrico; Cavallarin, Laura

2017-10-09

Due to increasing attention from consumers on non-bovine milk types, and to the increase in the number of small dairy donkey farms in Italy, farmers require more advanced and reliable processing devices, in order to guarantee a safe product of high quality. To this aim, a new small-scale High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurizer (72 °C for 15 s), prototyped by the authors, was tested on donkey milk. The efficacy of the HTST device was tested on raw donkey milk microflora by enumeration of total aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and Bacillus cereus. The biochemical quality was assessed by determining the protein profile by monodimensional electrophoresis and by measuring lysozyme activity. The HTST apparatus was able to reduce the total bacteria count, and to completely eradicate Enterobacteriaceae. Bacillus cereus, when present, was decreased with low efficiency. Changes in the protein profile were observed in milk pasteurized in accordance with both processes, although HTST seemed to limit casein degradation. Lysozyme activity was not substantially affected in comparison to raw donkey milk. In conclusion, a tailored small-volume HTST device could be safely applied to pasteurize donkey milk in on-farm pasteurization processes on small dairy donkey farms.

Agricultural and Ranching area, Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-12-10

STS035-73-082 (2-10 Dec 1990) --- This agricultural and ranching area, Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil (13.0S, 43.5W) has been under study for several years. See scene STS-31-92-045 for comparison. This area has many small single family subsistence farms, large square and rectangular commercial farms and pastures for livestock grazing. Over the several years of observation, the number and size of farms has increased and center-pivot, swing-arm irrigation systems have been installed.

Conditions for Adopting an Irregular Defense Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

in Indochina or in Algeria, when insurgents burned a farm , other farms and village requested protection.66 Since occupying 64 Von der Heydte, Modern...troop withdrawal from Lebanese lands in 2000. It also made a fresh demand for Israeli-occupied farms on the Golan Heights. That did not really help a...days to water a hundred sheep and goats in small groups, and the wells had to be dug by day and by night to yield water.”100 Additionally, to this

Reindeer habitat use in relation to two small wind farms, during preconstruction, construction, and operation.

PubMed

Skarin, Anna; Alam, Moudud

2017-06-01

Worldwide there is a rush toward wind power development and its associated infrastructure. In Fennoscandia, large-scale wind farms comprising several hundred windmills are currently built in important grazing ranges used for Sámi reindeer husbandry. In this study, reindeer habitat use was assessed using reindeer fecal pellet group counts in relation to two relatively small wind farms, with 8 and 10 turbines, respectively. In 2009, 1,315 15-m 2 plots were established and pellet groups were counted and cleaned from the plots. This was repeated once a year in May, during preconstruction, construction, and operation of the wind farms, covering 6 years (2009-2014) of reindeer habitat use in the area. We modeled the presence/absence of any pellets in a plot at both the local (wind farm site) and regional (reindeer calving to autumn range) scale with a hierarchical logistic regression, where spatial correlation was accounted for via random effects, using vegetation type, and the interaction between distance to wind turbine and time period as predictor variables. Our results revealed an absolute reduction in pellet groups by 66% and 86% around each wind farm, respectively, at local scale and by 61% at regional scale during the operation phase compared to the preconstruction phase. At the regional, scale habitat use declined close to the turbines in the same comparison. However, at the local scale, we observed increased habitat use close to the wind turbines at one of the wind farms during the operation phase. This may be explained by continued use of an important migration route close to the wind farm. The reduced use at the regional scale nevertheless suggests that there may be an overall avoidance of both wind farms during operation, but further studies of reindeer movement and behavior are needed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms behind this suggested avoidance.

Aesthetics at the Impasse: The Unresolved Property of Dale Farm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Lynne

2015-01-01

"Soil Depositions" was an art activist project that responded to the 2011 Irish Traveller eviction at Dale Farm in Essex when three resident women donated small amounts of soil from the site of their former home. The soil was subsequently deposited, framed and documented in various national and international locations. This article…

Not Your Family Farm: Apiculture in South-Central Montana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Miles

2012-01-01

For having such a short history within North America, the honeybee has had an unprecedented impact on American agriculture and on localized ecosystems and economies. As a form of sustainable agriculture, apiculture extends into the realms of rural economies, farm culture, and society in the Great Plains. Because it enhances crops and small-town…

NAICS Impact on Small Business Set-Asides

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

APPENDIX C. AIRFIELD DEMOLITION SOLICITATION ...............................83 APPENDIX D. HAZARDOUS AND TOXIC WASTE REMOVAL SOLICITATION...Suitability for Transfer GPE government-wide point of entry GSA General Services Administration HTW hazardous and toxic waste HUBZone...Oilseed (except Soybean) Farming $0.75 111130 Dry Pea and Bean Farming $0.75 Subsector 112 – Animal Production 112111 Beef Cattle

Longitudinal environmental sampling of small organic farms for foodborne pathogens and indicator bacteria as part of the HARVEST Initiative

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The HARVEST Initiative (Healthy Affordable Renewable Variety: Enabling Sustainable Trade) seeks to analyze farming techniques and address food security in Northeast Georgia and beyond. The popularity of farmers’ markets has increased in recent years because of an increased interest in local foods an...

Community Change and the Farm Sector: Impacts of Rural Development on Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaulieu, Lionel J.; Molnar, Joseph J.

Findings from current literature form the basis for this examination of five critical elements of change and development within the local community setting which impact on agriculture: population, employment, land, water, and environment. Renewed rural population growth during the 1970's has reversed small farm trends but placed strains on local…

76 FR 33969 - Marketing Order Regulating the Handling of Spearmint Oil Produced in the Far West; Revision of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... small entities. The Far West spearmint oil industry is characterized by producers whose farming operations generally involve more than one commodity, and whose income from farming operations is not... cultural practice in the production of spearmint oil for weed, insect, and disease control. To remain...

Strategies for implementing Climate Smart Agriculture and creating marketable Greenhouse emission reduction credits, for small scale rice farmers in Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahuja, R.; Kritee, K.; Rudek, J.; Van Sanh, N.; Thu Ha, T.

2014-12-01

Industrial agriculture systems, mostly in developed and some emerging economies, are far different from the small holder farms that dot the landscapes in Asia and Africa. At Environmental Defense Fund, along with our partners from non-governmental, corporate, academic and government sectors and farmers, we have worked actively in India and Vietnam for the last four years to better understand how small scale farmers working on rice paddy (and other upland crops) cultivation can best deal with climate change. Some of the questions we have tried to answer are: What types of implementable best practices, both old and new, on small farm systems lend themselves to improved yields, farm incomes, climate resilience and mitigation? Can these practices be replicated everywhere or is the change more landscape and people driven? What are the institutional, cultural, financial and risk-perception related barriers that prevent scaling up of these practices? How do we innovate and overcome these barriers? The research community needs to work more closely together and leverage multiple scientific, economic and policy disciplines to fully answer these questions. In the case of small farm systems, we find that it helps to follow certain steps if the climate-smart (or low carbon) farming programs are to succeed and the greenhouse credits generated are to be marketed: Demographic data collection and plot demarcation Farmer networks and diaries Rigorous baseline determination via surveys Alternative practice determination via consultation with local universities/experts Measurements on representative plots for 3-4 years (including GHG emissions, yields, inputs, economic and environmental savings) to help calibrate biogeochemical models and/or calculate regional emission factors. Propagation of alternative practices across the landscape via local NGOs/governments Recording of parameters necessary to extrapolate representative plot GHG emission reductions to all farmers in a given landscape under several existing and new carbon offset methodologies. In this presentation, we will discuss our initial encouraging results on the basis of which our wider team now seeks to identify and recommend policies that the local governments to be able to scale up climate smart agriculture to larger jurisdictional levels.

Prevalence and risk factors for foot and mouth disease infection in small ruminants in Israel.

PubMed

Elnekave, Ehud; van Maanen, Kees; Shilo, Hila; Gelman, Boris; Storm, Nick; Berdenstain, Svetlane; Berke, Olaf; Klement, Eyal

2016-03-01

During the last decade, 27% of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in Israel affected small ruminant (SR) farms. FMD outbreaks reoccur in Israel despite vaccination of all livestock and application of control measures. We performed a cross-sectional serological study, aimed at estimating the prevalence of FMD infection in SR in Israel and the possible risk factors for infection. Overall, 2305 samples of adult sheep (n=1948) and goats (n=357) were collected during 2011-14 in two separate surveys. One survey was based on random sampling of intensive management system farms and the other was originally aimed at the detection of Brucella melitensis at extensive and semi-intensive management system farms. Sera were tested by NS blocking ELISA (PrioCHECK(®)). The serological prevalence of antibodies against non structural proteins (NSP) of FMD virus was estimated at 3.7% (95% confidence interval (CI95%)=3.0% -4.5%). Additionally, a significantly lower infection prevalence (p value=0.049) of 1.0% (CI95%=0.1%-3.6%) was found in a small sample (197 sera) of young SR, collected during 2012. The positive samples from adult SR were scattered all over Israel, though two significant infection clusters were found by the spatial scan statistic. Occurrence of an outbreak on a non-SR farm within 5km distance was associated with a fifteen times increase in the risk of FMD infection of SR in the univariable analysis. Yet, this variable was not included in the multivariable analysis due to collinearities with the other independent variables. Multivariable logistic regression modeling found significantly negative associations (P value<0.05) of grazing and being in a herd larger than 500 animals with risk of infection. Grazing herds and herds larger than 500 animals, both represent farms that are intensively or semi-intensively managed. Higher maintenance of bio-safety, fewer introductions of new animals and higher vaccination compliance in these farms may explain their lower risk of infection by FMD virus. We conclude that despite the wide distribution of infection among SR farms, low farm level prevalence indicates that in Israel SR pose only limited role in the transmission and dissemination of FMD. This conclusion may be applicable for other endemic countries in which, similar to Israel, all livestock are vaccinated against FMD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Local infestation or long-distance migration? The seasonal recolonization of dairy farms by Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) in south central Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Beresford, D V; Sutcliffe, J F

2009-04-01

Stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) populations in south central Ontario, Canada, first occur on dairy farms in late spring, grow exponentially throughout the summer, and are frozen back each autumn. We examined the extent of overwinter persistence on 22 dairy farms in a 55- by 60-km region north of Lake Ontario that spans four climatic zones. Our overwintering sampling of larval habitat identified three farms located in the southern section of the study region as potential overwintering refugia. Using sticky trap catches to identify the timing of first spring appearance at each farm, we then tested two models of how local farm populations are reestablished annually: 1) stable flies disperse from local climatic refuges and colonize neighboring farms (the local source model); and 2) stable flies are carried into the study region by frontal weather systems (the distant source model). The timing of when stable flies first occurred at these farms supported a local source of dispersing colonists from a small proportion of local refuge farms. We discuss our results in terms of how yearly fluctuation in climate would affect refuge farm density in the region and how this, in turn, would shift the recolonization dynamic. Implications for controlling stable flies also are discussed.

Agricultural Incentives: Implications for Small-Scale and Subsistence Farming in the US Caribbean Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez-Berrios, N.; Parés-Ramos, I.; Gould, W. A.

2017-12-01

The effects of climate change threaten the world's most sensitive agroecosystems and our potential to reach agricultural productivity levels needed to feed a projected global population of 9.7 billion people by 2050. The US Caribbean agriculture is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, due to the region's frequent exposure to extreme weather events, its geographic and economic scale, shortage of labor force, and rapid urban expansion. Currently, agriculture contributes less than 1% of the island's GDP, and over 80% of the food consumed in the region is imported. Despite low production levels, there is widespread interest in reinvigorating the agricultural sector's contribution to the economy. Local and federal institutions play a major role strengthening the agricultural sector by providing access to incentives, loans, and education for best management practices. However, many of these efforts conform to agricultural systems of larger scale of production and temperate environments. In this study, we explore agricultural incentives programs and their implication for highly diverse, small-scale, and subsistence operations that characterize agricultural systems in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. We analyze records and maps from the USDA Farm Service Agency, to typify participating farms, and to track changes in land cover, farm size, crop diversity, practices, and production levels resulting from their enrollment in such programs. Preliminary results indicate that many incentives programs are not tailored to agricultural tropical systems and prescribe alternatives that exclude traditional farming methods employed in small-scale and subsistence farms (e.g. crop insurance that benefit monoculture over intercropped systems). Moreover, many of the incentives are contradictory in their recommendations (e.g., crop insurance benefit sun-grown coffee production, while best agricultural practices recommend agroforestry with shade-grown coffee). Understanding the characteristics that underlie the resilience of traditional agriculture is an urgent matter, as they can serve as the basis for the design of agricultural systems that mitigate projected climate changes.

Economic impacts of avian influenza outbreaks in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Govindaraj, G; Sridevi, R; Nandakumar, S N; Vineet, R; Rajeev, P; Binu, M K; Balamurugan, V; Rahman, H

2018-04-01

This study assessed the short-run impact to poultry farmers, duck hatcheries, control costs, compensation paid to stakeholders (transfer payments) and market reactions on own and substitute product prices and backwater tourism (boat operators) due to avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in Kuttanad region of Kerala, India, during 2014. The primary data from 91 poultry farms (duck farms, broiler chicken and backyard poultry), four hatcheries and 90 backwater boat owners were collected through pre-tested schedules. The secondary data on transfer payments and expenditure incurred to control AI were collected from developmental departments and were analysed. The estimated loss (culling live birds, eggs and feed destruction) per duck farm was USD 9,181, USD 3,889 and USD 156 in case of commercial farms reared for meat, dual-purpose and backyard farms, respectively. The loss incurred by small-scale broiler and backyard poultry farms was USD 453 and USD 40, respectively. The loss incurred by large and small duck hatcheries was USD 11,963 and USD 5,790, respectively, due to culling of hatchlings, young birds and destroying eggs. The government invested USD 744,890 to contain the disease spread through massive culling, surveillance and monitoring of poultry and humans due to zoonotic nature of the disease. A sharp market reaction on own and substitute product prices and eight weeks' time lag in price recovery was observed. The consequential impact on tourism especially for the backwater boat operators amounted to a loss of USD 2,280/boat due to fall in tourist inflow. Since, control measures are post-incidence, it is necessary to adopt appropriate preventive bio-security measures at the farm level besides periodical screening of domestic birds in migratory birds' flyway locations like Kuttanad to reduce the AI burden on various stakeholders including government. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Risk analysis of tractor overturns on catfish farms.

PubMed

Stephens, Walter B; Ibendahl, Gregory A; Myers, Melvin L; Cole, Henry P

2010-10-01

Fatal and nonfatal injuries occur on catfish farms as a result of tractor overturns, but these injuries can be greatly mitigated when a tractor is equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) and seatbelt. This study analyzed the proportion of tractors on catfish farms in Mississippi not equipped with ROPS and the cost of retrofitting those tractors with a ROPS and seatbelt as compared to the expected benefits gained from adding the protection. To determine if farmers have the financial incentive to retrofit older tractors, a net present value framework was used because the expected benefits occur over a number of years. The ROPS retrofit is a one-time cost that occurs immediately, and thus the present value does not need to be calculated, i.e., time period 0. According to this study adding ROPS will provide a net benefit of $22,877 in the event of an overturn. When dealing with small farms (<125 acres) where an average tractor is used for approximately twice as many hours compared to an average tractor on large farms, the extra hours worked by a single tractor resulted in total benefits of retrofitting ROPS of $9.45 per year, whereas for large farms the net benefit is $4.70 (=125 acres). Given that the least expensive retrofit is $147, it would take 15.5 years of tractor use on the small farms for the expected benefits to outweigh the cost. Given the large range of costs that could occur due to an overturn, there could be a significant premium for not having ROPS protection. In other words, there likely is a smaller range of costs from an overturn with ROPS than without ROPS because ROPS reduces the more serious incidents.

Assessment of biosecurity level in small-scale broiler farms in the Western highlands of Cameroon (Central Africa).

PubMed

Kouam, Marc K; Jacouba, Manjeli; Nsangou, Inouss N; Teguia, Alexis

2018-04-23

The recent outbreak of avian influenza in the poultry sector of Cameroon has raised a concern about the level of implementation of biosecurity measures (BM) on poultry farms. Therefore, a study using a questionnaire on 102 randomly selected poultry farms was undertaken. Some measures with high adoption levels (> 90%) included "protection of airing openings of poultry barns by a wire mesh," "no external animal allowed to enter the farm," "respect of all-in all-out principle," "functional footbath," "rodent control," and "feedstuff protection from access to rodents." The least implemented measures (less than 20%) were "wearing of dedicated clothing (clean coveralls and boots) by workers," "disinfection of visitors," and "presence of storage room for dead animals." Only for "isolation" component of biosecurity, compliance with biosecurity measures was good, with more than 50% of farms having an adoption rate greater than 75%. The mean biosecurity score for the assessed farms was 19.29 ± 1.89 for a maximum score of 38 points. The score was significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.05) with the number of chicken and the geographic location of farms. The other results showed that the mean number of broiler per cycle was 550.82 ± 76 for a stocking density of 27.20 ± 6.64 birds per m 2 . In conclusion, broiler production in the Western highland is dominated by small-scale units with low level of biosecurity practices positively and significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by some production characteristics. To improve biosecurity practices in the area, efforts must focus on measures concerning "sanitation" and "traffic control" components of biosecurity.

The productivity of small animal species in small-scale mixed farming systems in subtropical Bolivia.

PubMed

Paterson, R T; Joaquín, N; Chamón, K; Palomino, E

2001-02-01

The productivity of the scavenging, small animal species (chickens, ducks, pigs, hair sheep and guinea-pigs) commonly found on small-scale farms at the forest margin in subtropical Bolivia was monitored over a full year. Chickens and guinea-pigs were kept mainly for home consumption, while ducks and pigs were kept mainly for sale. Sheep served both purposes, depending upon the family requirements. In the absence of veterinary treatment, the productivity varied greatly between farms. Pigs gave the greatest gross return, but received the largest amount of supplementary feed. Under the existing system, chickens, ducks and sheep all gave similar gross returns per breeding female, although chickens produced good returns and made a large contribution to the family diet where the reproductive efficiency was high and the chick mortality was low. Mortality resulting from disease was a major problem in poultry, while internal parasites appeared to be important limiting factors in pigs and sheep. Guinea-pigs showed no major problems apart from theft, and were an important dietary component for immigrant families from the highlands of the country. Small animal species have largely been ignored by agricultural research and development activities in Bolivia and elsewhere. They currently make significant contributions to the livelihoods of poor people in terms of both income and food security, and this could be greatly increased by simple improvements in animal husbandry.

Biosecurity on Finnish cattle, pig and sheep farms - results from a questionnaire.

PubMed

Sahlström, Leena; Virtanen, Terhi; Kyyrö, Jonna; Lyytikäinen, Tapani

2014-11-01

Biosecurity is important in order to prevent disease transmission between animals on farms as well as from farm to farm. Personal biosecurity routines such as hand washing and the use of protective clothing and footwear are measures that should be used at all farms. Other measures are for example related to purchasing new animals to the farm. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken to study the frequency of use of different biosecurity measures on cattle, pig and sheep farms in Finland. Information about which biosecurity measures are in use is needed for contingency planning of emerging diseases or when combating endemic diseases. Knowledge about the level of biosecurity of a farm is also needed in order to assess if and where improvement is needed. Information regarding biosecurity levels may benefit future animal disease risk assessments. A total of 2242 farmers responded to the questionnaire resulting in a response rate of 45%. The implementation frequencies of different biosecurity measures are reported. The results revealed differences between species: large pig farms had a better biosecurity level than small cattle farms. There were also differences between production types such as dairy farming versus beef cattle farming, but these were not as remarkable. Sheep farming in Finland is sparse and the large number of hobby farmers keeps the biosecurity level low on sheep farms. This might represent a risk for the entire sheep farming industry. The Finnish farmers were satisfied with their on-farm biosecurity. Eighty percent of the farmers report that they were satisfied even though the biosecurity level was not particularly high. The implementation of biosecurity measures could be further improved. Even though the disease situation in Finland is good today, one must be prepared for possible epidemics of threatening diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 563e.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... prescribed by the OTS) the following data for the prior calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the savings association originated or purchased a small business or... by the OTS) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small...

12 CFR 563e.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... prescribed by the OTS) the following data for the prior calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the savings association originated or purchased a small business or... by the OTS) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small...

12 CFR 563e.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... prescribed by the OTS) the following data for the prior calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the savings association originated or purchased a small business or... by the OTS) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small...

12 CFR 563e.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... prescribed by the OTS) the following data for the prior calendar year: (1) Small business and small farm loan data. For each geography in which the savings association originated or purchased a small business or... by the OTS) until the completion of its next CRA examination, the following data for each small...

How best to geo-reference farms? A case study from Cornwall, England.

PubMed

Durr, P A; Froggatt, A E A

2002-11-29

The commonest way of geo-referencing farms as single points is using the location of the farmhouse as either read off a map or approximated by its postcode. While these two methods may be adequate for small farms, they are unlikely to be satisfactory for large ones, or alternatively when they are comprised of several discrete units or holdings. In order to investigate the best representation of the total farm polygon(s) by a single point, we undertook a study using nearly 500 actual farm boundaries in the county of Cornwall, England. For each farm, the farm boundaries were digitised, and its area and centroid determined using ArcView 3.2. A variety of point geo-referencing systems were tested to find the best single point location for a farm, as judged by the proportion of farm area captured. Whilst the centroid was found to capture the largest area, the main farm building was judged to be the best geo-referencing method for practical purposes. In contrast, the various systems of geo-coding using the farm postal address performed relatively poorly. Where there are separate parcels of land managed together in a single parish, they may be identified as a single unit, but if there are separate parcels in different parishes they should be identified as separate units.The implications of these results for Great Britain's national animal health information system (VETNET) are discussed.

Prospects for generating electricity by large onshore and offshore wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volker, Patrick J. H.; Hahmann, Andrea N.; Badger, Jake; Jørgensen, Hans E.

2017-03-01

The decarbonisation of energy sources requires additional investments in renewable technologies, including the installation of onshore and offshore wind farms. For wind energy to remain competitive, wind farms must continue to provide low-cost power even when covering larger areas. Inside very large wind farms, winds can decrease considerably from their free-stream values to a point where an equilibrium wind speed is reached. The magnitude of this equilibrium wind speed is primarily dependent on the balance between turbine drag force and the downward momentum influx from above the wind farm. We have simulated for neutral atmospheric conditions, the wind speed field inside different wind farms that range from small (25 km2) to very large (105 km2) in three regions with distinct wind speed and roughness conditions. Our results show that the power density of very large wind farms depends on the local free-stream wind speed, the surface characteristics, and the turbine density. In onshore regions with moderate winds the power density of very large wind farms reaches 1 W m-2, whereas in offshore regions with very strong winds it exceeds 3 W m-2. Despite a relatively low power density, onshore regions with moderate winds offer potential locations for very large wind farms. In offshore regions, clusters of smaller wind farms are generally preferable; under very strong winds also very large offshore wind farms become efficient.

High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and probability of detecting tissue cysts in backyard laying hens compared with hens from large free-range farms.

PubMed

Schares, G; Bangoura, B; Randau, F; Goroll, T; Ludewig, M; Maksimov, P; Matzkeit, B; Sens, M; Bärwald, A; Conraths, F J; Opsteegh, M; Van der Giessen, J

2017-10-01

Serological assays are commonly used to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in livestock, but the predictive value of seropositivity with respect to the presence of infective tissue cysts is less clear. The present study aimed at the identification of seropositive and seronegative free-range laying hens from organic and backyard farms, and the relationship with the presence of viable tissue cysts. In addition, potential risk and protective factors on the selected farms were investigated. An in-house T. gondii surface antigen (TgSAG1, p30, SRS29B) ELISA was validated with sera from experimentally infected chickens and used to examine 470 serum samples collected from laying hens from large organic and small backyard farms at the end of their laying period. A total of 11.7% (55/470) of all chickens tested positive, and another 18.9% (89/470) of test results were inconclusive. The highest seroprevalences were observed on small backyard farms with 47.7% (41/86) of chickens being seropositive while another 20.9% (18/86) of test results were inconclusive. Twenty-nine seropositive, 20 seronegative and 12 laying hens which yielded inconclusive ELISA results, were selected for further examination. Hearts and limb muscles of these hens were examined for T. gondii tissue cysts in a bioassay with IFNɣ-knockout or IFNɣ-receptor-knockout mice. Viable T. gondii was isolated from 75.9% (22/29) of the seropositive, 25.0% (3/12) of the inconclusive, and 5.0% (1/20) of the seronegative chickens. All 26 chickens tested positive in heart samples, while drumstick muscles (i.e. limb muscles) tested positive only in three. Data on putative risk and protective factors were collected on the farms using a standard questionnaire. Generalised multilevel modelling revealed farm size, cat related factors ('cats on the premise', 'cats used for rodent control'), hen house/hall related factors ('size category of hen house/hall', 'frequency category of cleaning hen house/hall', 'service period') as significantly associated with seropositivity to T. gondii in hens. The final model, which included the age of the birds as an effect modifier and farm as a random effect variable, revealed that the use of cats for rodent control and an area available per hen in the chicken run of ≥10sqm were statistically significant risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity. Overall this study showed that exposure to T. gondii is common in small backyard farms but is rare on large organic farms with a high density of free-range hens, even when cats were present on the premises. Copyright © 2017 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimal feeding systems for small-scale dairy herds in the North West Province, South Africa.

PubMed

Manzana, N Patience; McCrindle, Cheryl M E; Sebei, P Julius; Prozesky, Leon

2014-07-09

Land redistribution was legislated in 1994; it was designed to resolve historical imbalances inland ownership in South Africa. Between 2002 and 2006, a longitudinal observational studywas conducted with 15 purposively selected small-scale dairy farmers in a land redistributionproject in Central North West Province. Four farmers left the project over the period. For thepurposes of this study, a small-scale dairy farm was defined as a farm that produces less than500 L of milk a day, irrespective of the number of cows or size of the farm. The study wasconducted in three phases. In the first phase, situational analysis using participatory ruralappraisal (PRA) and observation was used to outline the extent of the constraints and designappropriate interventions. Feeds that were used were tested and evaluated. In the secondphase, three different feeding systems were designed from the data obtained from PRA. Thesewere: (1) A semi-intensive farm-based ration using available crops, pastures and crop residueswith minimal rations purchased. (2) An intensive, zero-grazing dairy system using a totalmixed ration. (3) A traditional, extensive or dual-purpose system, where the calf drank fromthe cow until weaning and milking was done only once a day. In the third phase, adoptionwas monitored. By July 2006, all remaining farmers had changed to commercially formulatedrations or licks and the body condition score of the cows had improved. It was concluded thatveterinary extension based on PRA and a holistic systems approach was a good option forsuch complex problems. Mentoring by commercial dairy farmers, veterinary and extensionservices appeared to be viable. Further research should be done to optimise the traditionalmodel of dairy farming, as this was relatively profitable, had a lower risk and was less labourintensive.

Adoption of radio-frequency identification to establish traceability in Taiwanese eel exported to the Japanese market.

PubMed

Jeng, Shu-Ching; Wu, Chun-Lung; Yang, I-Da

2013-01-01

Eel culture and export to the Japanese market is an important industry in Taiwan; however, the average amount produced by each farm is small. Eels from different farms might be mixed before export, making it difficult to determine which farm is responsible for eels containing drug residues. Therefore, the Taiwanese government uses a two-stage procedure of inspection and accreditation for validating the use of good practice in aquaculture farming. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to trace any farm that has produced eels containing drug residues. Radio-frequency identification has the potential to establish traceability in eel products. Here we suggest that Japanese eel importers should insist on the use of radio-frequency identification by Taiwanese eel exporters to enable verification of the safety of eel products being exported to the Japanese market.

Will the Family Farm Survive in America? Part 2: Impact of Environmental Regulations on Small Farms. Joint Hearings Before the Select Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Public Works and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, U.S. Senate, 94th Congress; 1st Session (October 21 and 22, 1975).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act provides that each and every point source of pollution be under treatment with the best available technology by July 1983. The Act mandates that: every point source of pollution be issued a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit and comply with effluent guidelines, and the 1983 best…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winter, W.L.

The American family farm is threatened by the combination of low, unstable commodity prices and high costs of machine and chemical technology. Overplanting, erosion, excessive taxation, and non-farm development diminish the best cropland. Government and corporate business policy have encouraged overproduction and soil abuse. To survive, the small farmer takes a second job or joins the urban industrial proletariat. No single national organization protects agriculture or equals the effective lobbying of business and unions for their own interests. Modern technology often produces less per land unit than traditional labor-intensive cultivation and costs more in terms of energy, capital, and depletedmore » soil and natural resources. Usurious interest, archaic tax laws, and rapid rise of current technological production costs force insolvency of the small farm while facilitating expansion of giant agribusiness corporations, but technological innovation many have reached the point of diminishing returns. Meanwhile disruption of rural society continues, aggravating metropolitan overpopulation, unemployment, and social disorganization. 39 references.« less

Antibiotic Resistance in Animal and Environmental Samples Associated with Small-Scale Poultry Farming in Northwestern Ecuador

PubMed Central

Braykov, Nikolay P.; Eisenberg, Joseph N. S.; Grossman, Marissa; Zhang, Lixin; Vasco, Karla; Cevallos, William; Muñoz, Diana; Acevedo, Andrés; Moser, Kara A.; Marrs, Carl F.; Trostle, James; Trueba, Gabriel

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The effects of animal agriculture on the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR) are cross-cutting and thus require a multidisciplinary perspective. Here we use ecological, epidemiological, and ethnographic methods to examine populations of Escherichia coli circulating in the production poultry farming environment versus the domestic environment in rural Ecuador, where small-scale poultry production employing nontherapeutic antibiotics is increasingly common. We sampled 262 “production birds” (commercially raised broiler chickens and laying hens) and 455 “household birds” (raised for domestic use) and household and coop environmental samples from 17 villages between 2010 and 2013. We analyzed data on zones of inhibition from Kirby-Bauer tests, rather than established clinical breakpoints for AR, to distinguish between populations of organisms. We saw significantly higher levels of AR in bacteria from production versus household birds; resistance to either amoxicillin-clavulanate, cephalothin, cefotaxime, and gentamicin was found in 52.8% of production bird isolates and 16% of household ones. A strain jointly resistant to the 4 drugs was exclusive to a subset of isolates from production birds (7.6%) and coop surfaces (6.5%) and was associated with a particular purchase site. The prevalence of AR in production birds declined with bird age (P < 0.01 for all antibiotics tested except tetracycline, sulfisoxazole, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole). Farming status did not impact AR in domestic environments at the household or village level. Our results suggest that AR associated with small-scale poultry farming is present in the immediate production environment and likely originates from sources outside the study area. These outside sources might be a better place to target control efforts than local management practices. IMPORTANCE In developing countries, small-scale poultry farming employing antibiotics as growth promoters is being advanced as an inexpensive source of protein and income. Here, we present the results of a large ecoepidemiological study examining patterns of antibiotic resistance (AR) in E. coli isolates from small-scale poultry production environments versus domestic environments in rural Ecuador, where such backyard poultry operations have become established over the past decade. Our previous research in the region suggests that introduction of AR bacteria through travel and commerce may be an important source of AR in villages of this region. This report extends the prior analysis by examining small-scale production chicken farming as a potential source of resistant strains. Our results suggest that AR strains associated with poultry production likely originate from sources outside the study area and that these outside sources might be a better place to target control efforts than local management practices. PMID:27303705

Water use for aquaculture in Minnesota, 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trotta, L.C.

1988-01-01

Little change in the number of licensees since 1980 -indicates that aquaculture is a viable segment of the Minnesota economy. Trout farming has grown from 10 farms in 1978, to 23 in 1984; most use dug ponds sustained by ground-water inflow. Withdrawals for aquaculture are nonconsumptive and are small compared to other water-use categories in Minnesota.

Chickens across the Curriculum: An Experiment in Experiential Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulsen, Kristin; And Others

This paper describes: (1) the experiences of a class of 6- and 7-year-old students as they designed and built a small farm on the Laboratory School grounds at Berry College (Georgia); (2) the understanding that comes with the relevant and meaningful experience of building a farm and raising animals; (3) the infusion of Friedrich Froebel's…

Castolon: A Meeting Place of Two Cultures. Teaching with Historic Places.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sperling, Carol E.

Castolon, a small trading and farming community in far southwest Texas has a history that includes harmonious mixing of the people along the United States-Mexico border. The first inhabitants were American Indians who hunted and farmed. By 1900, the area began to attract U.S. and Mexican farmers and ranchers interested in establishing homesteads.…

Prevalence of anthelmintic resistance on sheep and goat farms in the mid-Atlantic region and comparison of in vivo and in vitro detection methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Despite strong economic opportunities and incentives for small ruminant production, their health and productivity are often severely affected by parasitic disease. To combat these effects, most farms administer anthelmintics to their animals at frequent intervals, and without consideration to princ...

Powering the Women in Agriculture: Lessons on Women Led Farm Mechanisation in South India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alex, Jiju P.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This article analyses how an initiative on farm mechanisation by a local government in Kerala in South India evolved into a formal organisation that provides sustainable livelihood options to women and small and marginal farmers and revived the rice production system. Design/methodology/approach: The study followed the case analysis…

Salmon Farming and Salmon People: Identity and Environment in the Leggatt Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schreiber, Dorothee

2003-01-01

In October of 2001, the Leggatt Inquiry into salmon farming traveled to four small communities (Port Hardy, Tofino, Alert Bay, and Campbell River) close to the centers of operation for the finfish aquaculture industry in British Columbia. In doing so, it gave local people, particularly First Nations people, an opportunity to speak about salmon…

Assessment of Early Postpartum Reproductive Performance in Two High Producing Estonian Dairy Herds

PubMed Central

Kask, K; Kurykin, J; Lindjärv, R; Kask, A; Kindahl, H

2003-01-01

Early postpartum (6 weeks) ovarian activity, hormonal profiles, uterine involution, uterine infections, serum electrolytes, glucose, milk acetoacetate and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were studied in 2 Estonian high producing dairy herd with annual milk production of 7688 (Farm A) and 9425 (Farm B). From each farm 10 cows, with normal calving performance were used. Blood samples for the hormonal (PGF2α-metabolite, progesterone) analyses were withdrawn. On day 25 PP blood serum samples were taken for the evaluation of metabolic/electrolyte status. On the same day estimation of milk acetoacetate values was done. The ultrasound (US) was started on day 7 PP and was performed every 3rd day until the end of experiment. Uterine content, follicular activity and sizes of the largest follicle and corpus luteum were monitored and measured. Vaginal discharge and uterine tone were recorded during the rectal palpation. Each animal in the study was sampled for bacteriological examination using endometrial biopsies once a week. Two types of PGF2α-metabolite patterns were detected: elevated levels during 14 days PP, then decline to the basal level and then a second small elevation at the time of final elimination of the bacteria from the uterus; or elevated levels during first 7 days PP, then decline to the basal level and a second small elevation before the final elimination of bacteria. Endometritis was diagnosed in 5 cows in farm A and in 3 cows in farm B respectively. In farm A, 5 cows out of 10 ovulated during experimental period and in 1 cow cystic ovaries were found. In farm B, 3 cows out of 10 ovulated. In 3 cows cystic ovaries were found. Altogether 40% of cows had their first ovulation during the experimental period. Three cows in farm A and 5 cows in farm B were totally bacteria negative during the experimental period. The most frequent bacteria found were A. pyogenes, Streptococcus spp., E. coli., F. necrophorum and Bacteroides spp. The highest incidence of bacteriological species was found during the first 3 weeks in both farms. All animals were free from bacteria after 5th week PP in farm A and after 4th week in farm B respectively. Serum electrolytes and glucose levels were found to be within the reference limits for the cows in both farms. No significant difference was found between farms (p > 0.05). Low phosphorus levels were found in both farms. Significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in BUN levels between farms. In both farms milk acetoacetate values were staying within the reference range given for the used test (<100 μmol/l). The uterine involution and bacterial elimination in the investigated cows could consider as normal but more profound metabolic studies could be needed to find reasons for later resumption of ovarian activity. Some recommendations to changing feeding regimes and strategies should also be given. PMID:15074626

On-farm characteristics and biosecurity protocols for small-scale swine producers in eastern Australia.

PubMed

Schembri, N; Hernandez-Jover, M; Toribio, J-A L M L; Holyoake, P K

2015-01-01

Pigs are considered high risk for the introduction and spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Australia. Facilities where animals from different origins are commingled, such as saleyards, pose a high risk for disease spread. Sound on-farm management practices and biosecurity protocols are the first line of defence against a potential on-farm disease outbreak. This study evaluated the practices of 104 producers (vendors who sold pigs and purchasers of live pigs for grow-out) who traded pigs at 6 peri-urban and rural saleyards in eastern Australia. Specifically, management and on-farm biosecurity practices were assessed using an in-depth questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate (1) producer associations: producer type, State, motivation to keep pigs, farm type, gender, years having owned pigs, and the acquisition of formal livestock qualifications; and (2) pig associations: herd size, housing, management (husbandry and feeding) practices and biosecurity (including pig movement) practices. Backyard operations (<20 sows) were undertaken by 60.6% of participants, followed by small-scale pig operations (28.8%; 21-100 sows). Few producers (16.3%) reported residing in close proximity (<5 km) to commercial operations; however, less rural producers had neighbouring hobby pig operations within 5 km of their property (P=0.033). Motivation for keeping pigs was significantly associated with a number of biosecurity practices. Producers who kept pigs for primary income were more likely to provide footwear precautions (P=0.007) and ask visitors about prior pig contacts (P=0.004). Approximately 40% of backyard and small-scale producers reported not having any quarantine practices in place for incoming pigs, compared to only 9.1% among larger producers. The main reasons cited for not adopting on-farm biosecurity practices in this study included having no need on their property (43.1%) and a lack of information and support (by the industry and/or authorities; 18.5%). Up to three-quarters of all producers maintained an open breeding herd, regularly introducing new pigs to the main herd. Saleyards are an important source of income for backyard and small-scale producers as well as an important risk factor for the introduction and dissemination of endemic and emerging animal diseases. Differing management and biosecurity practices as well as the motivations of these producers keeping pigs in small numbers and trading pigs at saleyards need to be taken into account in the development of successful biosecurity extension programmes for this sector of the Australian pork industry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brazilian Soybean Yields and Yield Gaps Vary with Farm Size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.; Griffin, T. S.; Bragança, A.

2017-12-01

Understanding the farm size-specific characteristics of crop yields and yield gaps may help to improve yields by enabling better targeting of technical assistance and agricultural development programs. Linking remote sensing-based yield estimates with property boundaries provides a novel view of the relationship between farm size and yield structure (yield magnitude, gaps, and stability over time). A growing literature documents variations in yield gaps, but largely ignores the role of farm size as a factor shaping yield structure. Research on the inverse farm size-productivity relationship (IR) theory - that small farms are more productive than large ones all else equal - has documented that yield magnitude may vary by farm size, but has not considered other yield structure characteristics. We examined farm size - yield structure relationships for soybeans in Brazil for years 2001-2015. Using out-of-sample soybean yield predictions from a statistical model, we documented 1) gaps between the 95th percentile of attained yields and mean yields within counties and individual fields, and 2) yield stability defined as the standard deviation of time-detrended yields at given locations. We found a direct relationship between soy yields and farm size at the national level, while the strength and the sign of the relationship varied by region. Soybean yield gaps were found to be inversely related to farm size metrics, even when yields were only compared to farms of similar size. The relationship between farm size and yield stability was nonlinear, with mid-sized farms having the most stable yields. The work suggests that farm size is an important factor in understanding yield structure and that opportunities for improving soy yields in Brazil are greatest among smaller farms.

The evolution of the School Food and Farm to School Movement in the United States: connecting childhood health, farms, and communities.

PubMed

Feenstra, Gail; Ohmart, Jeri

2012-08-01

This article provides an historical review of the evolution of the Farm to School movement within the larger context of school food in the United States. The Farm to School movement emerged amidst the growing public concern about childhood health and obesity, as well as increasing awareness about environmental and economic challenges in our food and agricultural system. It offered America’s small and midsized farmers an alternative market while potentially improving student health and public awareness of healthy eating. We discuss the role of key stakeholders in contributing to innovative strategies, programs, and policies related to School Food and Farm to School. The growing involvement of larger school districts has helped focus attention and efforts on the persistent challenges related to procurement and distribution. As the Farm to School movement has matured and moved onto the national arena, policy, research, and evaluation have helped define and shape new directions. Finally, we reflect on what it will take to strengthen Farm to School so that it can better contribute to human and community health.

Capital Strategy in Diversification Farming Efforts Using SWOT Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damanhuri; Setyohadi, D. P. S.; Utami, M. M. D.; Kurnianto, M. F.; Hariono, B.

2018-01-01

Wetland farm diversification program in the district of Bojonegoro, Tulungagung, and Ponorogo can not provide an optimal contribution to the income of farmers caused because farmers are not able to cultivate high value-added commodities due to limited capital. This study aims to identify the characteristics of farming, capital pattern, stakeholder role, to analyze farming to know the pattern of planting suggestions and prospects, and to formulate capital facilitation strategy. Farming capital is obtained through loans in financial institutions with different patterns. Small farmers tend to utilize savings and credit cooperatives, microcredit, and loan sharks, while farmers with large wetland holdings tend to utilize commercial banks. P enelitian using descriptive method of farming profit analysis, and SWOT. The government through the banking institutions have provided much facilitation in the form of low-interest loans with flexible payment method. The generic strategy of selected capital facilitation is to empower farmers through farmer groups who have the capability in managing the capital needs of their members.

Detection of Coxiella burnetii DNA on Small-Ruminant Farms during a Q Fever Outbreak in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

van der Plaats, R. Q. J.; de Heer, L.; Paauwe, R.; Schimmer, B.; Vellema, P.; van Rotterdam, B. J.; van Duynhoven, Y. T. H. P.

2012-01-01

During large Q fever outbreaks in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2010, dairy goat farms were implicated as the primary source of human Q fever. The transmission of Coxiella burnetii to humans is thought to occur primarily via aerosols, although available data on C. burnetii in aerosols and other environmental matrices are limited. During the outbreak of 2009, 19 dairy goat farms and one dairy sheep farm were selected nationwide to investigate the presence of C. burnetii DNA in vaginal swabs, manure, surface area swabs, milk unit filters, and aerosols. Four of these farms had a positive status during the Coxiella burnetii bulk milk monitoring program in 2009 and additionally reported abortion waves in 2008 or 2009. Eleven farms were reported as having positive bulk milk only, and five selected (control) farms had a bulk milk-negative status in 2009 and no reported Q fever history. Screening by quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed that on farms with a history of abortions related to C. burnetii and, to a lesser extent, on farms positive by bulk milk monitoring, generally higher proportions of positive samples and higher levels of C. burnetii DNA within positive samples were observed than on the control farms. The relatively high levels of C. burnetii DNA in surface area swabs and aerosols sampled in stables of bulk milk-positive farms, including farms with a Q fever-related abortion history, support the hypothesis that these farms can pose a risk for the transmission of C. burnetii to humans. PMID:22247143

Animal Well-Being in Small Poultry Flocks: Improving bird health and product quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consumer interest in farm animal welfare is increasing and, while there is little legislation, voluntary welfare assurance programs exist; however, most small poultry producers do not participate in these programs. Raising birds in small flocks has some inherent welfare advantages, such as ample sp...

Determining the economic liability of implementing irrigation on small-scale farming systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Small, limited resource farmers are often the primary providers of fresh foods for rural communities. However, they face often insurmountable economic challenges to staying in business. The small and limited resource farmer has declined at an alarming rate. The reasons for the decline or disappearan...

SSU rRNA gene sequence reveals two genotypes of Spironucleus barkhanus (Diplomonadida) from farmed and wild Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Anders; Sterud, Erik

2004-11-23

Spironucleus barkhanus isolated from the blood of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus from a marine fish farm were genetically compared with S. barkhanus isolated from the gall bladder of wild Arctic charr. The wild Arctic charr were caught in the lake used as the water source for the hatchery from which the farmed fish originated. Sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) from these 2 populations showed that the isolates obtained from farmed and wild Arctic charr were only 92.7 % similar. Based on the sequence differences between these isolates, it is concluded that the parasites isolated from the farmed fish have not been transmitted from wild Arctic charr in the hatchery's fresh water source. It is therefore most likely that the farmed fish were infected by S. barkhanus after they were transferred to seawater. S. barkhanus isolated from diseased farmed Arctic charr were 99.7% similar to the isolates obtained from diseased farmed Chinook (Canada) and Atlantic salmon (Norway). The high degree of sequence similarity between S. barkhanus from farmed Arctic charr, Chinook and Atlantic salmon indicates that systemic spironucleosis may be caused by specific strains/variants of this parasite. The genetic differences between the isolates of farmed and wild fish are of such magnitude that their conspecificity should be questioned.

A small-scale land-sparing approach to conserving biological diversity in tropical agricultural landscapes.

PubMed

Chandler, Richard B; King, David I; Raudales, Raul; Trubey, Richard; Chandler, Carlin; Chávez, Víctor Julio Arce

2013-08-01

Two contrasting strategies have been proposed for conserving biological diversity while meeting the increasing demand for agricultural products: land sparing and land sharing production systems. Land sparing involves increasing yield to reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture, whereas land-sharing agricultural practices incorporate elements of native ecosystems into the production system itself. Although the conservation value of these systems has been extensively debated, empirical studies are lacking. We compared bird communities in shade coffee, a widely practiced land-sharing system in which shade trees are maintained within the coffee plantation, with bird communities in a novel, small-scale, land-sparing coffee-production system (integrated open canopy or IOC coffee) in which farmers obtain higher yields under little or no shade while conserving an area of forest equal to the area under cultivation. Species richness and diversity of forest-dependent birds were higher in the IOC coffee farms than in the shade coffee farms, and community composition was more similar between IOC coffee and primary forest than between shade coffee and primary forest. Our study represents the first empirical comparison of well-defined land sparing and land sharing production systems. Because IOC coffee farms can be established by allowing forest to regenerate on degraded land, widespread adoption of this system could lead to substantial increases in forest cover and carbon sequestration without compromising agricultural yield or threatening the livelihoods of traditional small farmers. However, we studied small farms (<5 ha); thus, our results may not generalize to large-scale land-sharing systems. Furthermore, rather than concluding that land sparing is generally superior to land sharing, we suggest that the optimal approach depends on the crop, local climate, and existing land-use patterns. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Working with Farmers to Reduce Phosphorus in Lake Champlain

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA researchers are working with Vermont small dairy farmers to explore whether pasture-based rotational grazing can be a viable, cost-effective, option for small farms to help to reduce phosphorus loadings to the lake.

Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Larval Odonate Assemblages in Temperate Neotropical Farm Ponds

PubMed Central

Pires, Mateus Marques; Kotzian, Carla Bender; Spies, Marcia Regina

2014-01-01

Abstract Farm ponds help maintain diversity in altered landscapes. However, studies on the features that drive this type of property in the Neotropics are still lacking, especially for the insect fauna. We analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of odonate larval assemblages in farm ponds. Odonates were sampled monthly at four farm ponds from March 2008 to February 2009 in a temperate montane region of southern Brazil. A small number of genera were frequent and accounted for most of the dominant fauna. The dominant genera composition differed among ponds. Local spatial drivers such as area, hydroperiod, and margin vegetation structure likely explain these results more than spatial predictors due to the small size of the study area. Circular analysis detected seasonal effect on assemblage abundance but not on richness. Seasonality in abundance was related to the life cycles of a few dominant genera. This result was explained by temperature and not rainfall due to the temperate climate of the region studied. The persistence of dominant genera and the sparse occurrence of many taxa over time probably led to a lack in a seasonal pattern in assemblage richness. PMID:25527585

The occurrence of zoonotic parasites in rural dog populations from northern Portugal.

PubMed

Cardoso, A S; Costa, I M H; Figueiredo, C; Castro, A; Conceição, M A P

2014-06-01

A survey of intestinal parasites in dogs was carried out in a rural region around Cantanhede, in northern Portugal, where 301 dog faecal samples were collected from small-ruminant farms. Saturated salt flotation and formol-ether sedimentation techniques were used. An enquiry was conducted in 234 farms and a risk factor evaluation for zoonotic helminths was determined among the 195 farmers who owned dogs. The overall parasite prevalence in faecal samples of dogs was 58.8%, with specific prevalences for Ancylostomidae being 40.9% followed by species of Trichuris (29.9%), Toxocara (8%), Isospora (4%), Capillaria (0.7%) and Spirometra (0.3%). Taeniidae eggs were present in five samples (1.7%) which were analysed with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and revealed to be from Taenia sp., and not Echinococcus granulosus. This rural region has a traditional small-farm system, in which farm products are mainly for in-house consumption and home slaughtering is a current practice (57%). Analysis showed home slaughtering to be a statistically significant risk factor for the presence of Ancylostomidae (P= 0.007) and Toxocara sp. (P= 0.049). Owning cattle was found to be a significant risk factor for Taenia sp. (P= 0.031).

Effect of porcine parvovirus serostatus on the reproductive performance of mated gilts in an infected herd.

PubMed

Cutler, R S; Molitor, T W; Leman, A D; Sauber, T E

1982-06-01

Gifts from 2 commercial swine operations (farm A and farm B) that were bred each week were tested for porcine parvovirus antibody. On farm A, 21.9% (weekly, 2% to 35%) of the 657 gilts tested over a 16-week period were seronegative within 1 week of mating. On farm B, 17.7% (weekly, o to 40%) of the 164 gilts tested over a 10 week period were seronegative within 1 week of mating. Eighty-one gilts from farm A which were seronegative at time of mating were retested at the end of the gestation. Of the 81 gilts, 4 1 had developed antibody titers. The litter size decreased by 1.3 live pigs/litter. The percentage of small litters (less than or equal to 6 born alive) in the group that seroconverted was 36.6% compared with 10% in the gilts that remained seronegative throughout gestation.

Farm level risk factors for fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli and thermophilic Campylobacter spp. on poultry farms.

PubMed

Taylor, N M; Wales, A D; Ridley, A M; Davies, R H

2016-10-01

Data on husbandry practices, performance, disease and drug use were collected during a cross-sectional survey of 89 poultry meat farms in England and Wales to provide information on possible risk factors for the occurrence of fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant bacteria. Faeces samples were used to classify farms as "affected" or "not affected" by FQ-resistant (FQr) Escherichia coli or Campylobacter spp. Risk factor analysis identified the use of FQ on the farms as having by far the strongest association, among the factors considered, with the occurrence of FQr bacteria. Resistant E. coli and/or Campylobacter spp. were found on 86% of the farms with a history of FQ use. However, a substantial proportion of farms with no history of FQ use also yielded FQr organisms, suggesting that resistant bacteria may transfer between farms. Further analysis suggested that for Campylobacter spp., on-farm hygiene, cleaning and disinfection between batches of birds and wildlife control were of most significance. By contrast, for E. coli biosecurity from external contamination was of particular importance, although the modelling indicated that other factors were likely to be involved. Detailed studies on a small number of sites showed that FQr E. coli can survive routine cleaning and disinfection. It appears difficult to avoid the occurrence of resistant bacteria when FQ are used on a farm, but the present findings provide evidence to support recommendations to reduce the substantial risk of the incidental acquisition of such resistance by farms where FQ are not used.

Design Improvements in Underground Watering System for Small Local Farming Industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, T. F.; Tukiman, N. H. A.; Bahar, R.

2016-02-01

The implementation of underground watering system is basically to supply crops with enough quantities of water. In Malaysia, most farming industries use sprinkler irrigation system. The water is only distributed over the surface whilst the roots actually need water the most. Thus, this research is conducted to design the improvements of watering system for small local farming industries by using underground watering system. Design improvements of the watering system had been done using CATIA software. The design had been fabricated using rapid prototyping/3D printer, tested and evaluated by conducting experiments. Four different plants were prepared and labelled as Plant A, Plant B, Plant C, and Plant D. Plant A and Plant C were not be equipped with the underground watering device while Plant B and Plant D were equipped with the device. The growth of every plant is measured in terms of height, number of newly grown leaves, number of flowers and number of fruits for the duration of 60 days. The plant equipped with the device has the quickest growth measurement (59.68%), continued to produce new leaves rapidly (89.20%), and produced the most number of flowers (19 flowers) and fruits (15 fruits) when compared with the plants without the underground watering device. The difference in growth development is very significant. Therefore, the underground watering system does have a positive impact in nourishing the plant from the root efficiently and can be used productively in small local farming industries.

Risk of soil-transmitted helminth infections on agritourism farms in central and eastern Poland.

PubMed

Gawor, Jakub; Borecka, Anna

2015-12-01

Agritourism provides ecological tourist services for urban dwellers in rural areas. Agritourism farms offer space and attractive scenery for people seeking to rest in quiet place and wanting healthy, outdoor recreational activities. The high epidemiological standard of agritourism farms is beneficial for the health of the farm owners and the guests. Upgraded level of the farm sanitation, also from parasitological point of view is of great importance, especially that among agritourism farms guests predominate families with small children. A field survey was carried out in 57 farms in central-eastern Poland to evaluate the environmental risk factors for geohelminth infections on agritourism farms offering tourist services for urban dwellers. Samples of soil were collected from 76 sites, i.e. yards surrounding houses, vegetable, fruit and flower gardens, playgrounds and sandpits. In addition, samples were taken from 27 public places of recreation (playgrounds at forest clearing) visited by agritourism farm guests. During visits the farms were inspected and the owners were questioned about their awareness of the threat of parasitic infections. Soil contamination with geohelminth eggs was found in 4 examined farms (7.0%), in one locality on each farm. The eggs of Toxocara spp. and Ascaris spp. were detected in single samples from 3 backyards (6.4%) and one sandpit (10.0%). In the soil samples from places of recreation outside the farms eggs of human or animal helminths were not identified. The results of this study showed that the risk of helminth infections on agritourism farms is low, since geohelminth eggs (1-3 per sample) were detected only in four samples (0.5%) among 760 collected from farms households. The farm owners must be aware of the importance of preventive measures to eliminate the environmental contamination with eggs of zoonotic soiltransmitted helminths. Special attention should be paid to the risk of intestinal parasites of cats of semi domestic behaviour migrating from neighbouring yards as well as of red foxes frequently observed in the vicinity of agritourism farms.

Are large farms more efficient? Tenure security, farm size and farm efficiency: evidence from northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuepeng; Ma, Xianlei; Shi, Xiaoping

2017-04-01

How to increase production efficiency, guarantee grain security, and increase farmers' income using the limited farmland is a great challenge that China is facing. Although theory predicts that secure property rights and moderate scale management of farmland can increase land productivity, reduce farm-related costs, and raise farmer's income, empirical studies on the size and magnitude of these effects are scarce. A number of studies have examined the impacts of land tenure or farm size on productivity or efficiency, respectively. There are also a few studies linking farm size, land tenure and efficiency together. However, to our best knowledge, there are no studies considering tenure security and farm efficiency together for different farm scales in China. In addition, there is little study analyzing the profit frontier. In this study, we particularly focus on the impacts of land tenure security and farm size on farm profit efficiency, using farm level data collected from 23 villages, 811 households in Liaoning in 2015. 7 different farm scales have been identified to further represent small farms, median farms, moderate-scale farms, and large farms. Technical efficiency is analyzed with stochastic frontier production function. The profit efficiency is regressed on a set of explanatory variables which includes farm size dummies, land tenure security indexes, and household characteristics. We found that: 1) The technical efficiency scores for production efficiency (average score = 0.998) indicate that it is already very close to the production frontier, and thus there is little room to improve production efficiency. However, there is larger space to raise profit efficiency (average score = 0.768) by investing more on farm size expansion, seed, hired labor, pesticide, and irrigation. 2) Farms between 50-80 mu are most efficient from the viewpoint of profit efficiency. The so-called moderate-scale farms (100-150 mu) according to the governmental guideline show no advantage in efficiency. 3) Formal land certificates and farmer's participation in land rental market are found to be important determinants of the profit efficiency across different scale of farms. 4) Fertilizer use has been excessive in Liaoning and could lead to the decline of crop profit.

An array effect of wave energy farm buoys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kweon, Hyuck-Min; Lee, Jung-Lyul

2012-12-01

An ocean buoy energy farm is considered for Green energy generation and delivery to small towns along the Korean coast. The present studypresents that the floating buoy-type energy farm appears to be sufficiently feasible fortrapping more energy compared to afixed cylinder duck array. It is also seen from the numerical resultsthat the resonated waves between spaced buoys are further trapped by floating buoy motion.Our numerical study is analyzed by a plane-wave approximation, in which evanescent mode effects are included in a modified mild-slope equation based on the scattering characteristics for a single buoy.

Will the Family Farm Survive in America? Part 1: Federal Reclamation Policy (Westlands Water District). Joint Hearings Before the Select Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, U.S. Senate, 94th Congress, 1st Session (July 17 and 22, 1975).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

The national reclamation program was to encourage people to settle on the land, to enable them to own the land they farmed, and to spread the benefit of subsidized irrigation water to as many independent farm families as possible. The San Luis Unit of the Central Valley Project, the largest pumped water diversion and water storage project, was…

A longitudinal survey of African swine fever in Uganda reveals high apparent disease incidence rates in domestic pigs, but absence of detectable persistent virus infections in blood and serum.

PubMed

Muhangi, Denis; Masembe, Charles; Emanuelson, Ulf; Boqvist, Sofia; Mayega, Lawrence; Ademun, Rose Okurut; Bishop, Richard P; Ocaido, Michael; Berg, Mikael; Ståhl, Karl

2015-05-13

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal, haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, that poses a serious threat to pig farmers and is currently endemic in domestic pigs in most of sub-Saharan Africa. To obtain insight into the factors related to ASF outbreaks at the farm-level, a longitudinal study was performed in one of the major pig producing areas in central Uganda. Potential risk factors associated with outbreaks of ASF were investigated including the possible presence of apparently healthy ASF-virus (ASFV) infected pigs, which could act as long-term carriers of the virus. Blood and serum were sampled from 715 pigs (241 farms) and 649 pigs (233 farms) to investigate presence of ASFV and antibodies, during the periods of June-October 2010 and March-June 2011, respectively. To determine the potential contribution of different risks to ASF spread, a questionnaire-based survey was administered to farmers to assess the association between ASF outbreaks during the study period and the risk factors. Fifty-one (21 %) and 13 (5.6 %) farms reported an ASF outbreak on their farms in the previous one to two years and during the study period, respectively. The incidence rate for ASF prior to the study period was estimated at 14.1 per 100 pig farm-years and 5.6 per 100 pig farm-years during the study. Three pigs tested positive for ASFV using real-time PCR, but none tested positive for ASFV specific antibodies using two different commercial ELISA tests. There was no evidence for existence of pigs that were long-term carriers for the virus based on the analysis of blood and serum as there were no seropositive pigs and the only three ASFV DNA positive pigs were acutely infected and were linked to outbreaks reported by farmers during the study. Potential ASF risk factors were present on both small and medium-scale pig farms, although small scale farms exhibited a higher proportion with multiple potential risk factors (like borrowing boars for sows mating, buying replacement from neighboring farms without ascertaining health status, etc) and did not implement any biosecurity measures. However, no risk factors were significantly associated with ASF reports during the study.

Quality of care and quality of life of people with dementia living at green care farms: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

de Boer, Bram; Hamers, Jan P H; Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Tan, Frans E S; Verbeek, Hilde

2017-07-19

Many countries are introducing smaller, more home-like care facilities that represent a radically new approach to nursing home care for people with dementia. The green care farm is a new type of nursing home developed in the Netherlands. The goal of this study was to compare quality of care, quality of life and related outcomes in green care farms, regular small-scale living facilities and traditional nursing homes for people with dementia. A cross-sectional design was used. Three types of nursing homes were included: (1) green care farms; (2) regular small-scale living facilities; (3) traditional nursing homes. All participating nursing homes were non-profit, collectively funded nursing homes in the south of the Netherlands. One hundred and fifteen residents with a formal diagnosis of dementia were included in the study. Data on quality of care was gathered and consisted of outcome indicators (e.g. falling incidents, pressure ulcers), structure indicators (e.g. hours per resident per day), and process indicators (e.g. presence, accessibility and content of protocols on care delivery). Furthermore, questionnaires on cognition, dependence in activities of daily living, quality of life, social engagement, neuropsychiatric symptoms, agitation, and depression were used. Data showed that quality of care was comparable across settings. No large differences were found on clinical outcome measures, hours per resident per day, or process indicators. Higher quality of life scores were reported for residents of green care farms in comparison with residents of traditional nursing homes. They scored significantly higher on the Quality of Life - Alzheimer's disease Scale (p < 0.05, ES = 0.8) indicating a better quality of life. In addition, residents of green care farms scored higher on three quality of life domains of the Qualidem: positive affect, social relations and having something to do (p < 0.05, ES > 0.7). No differences with regular small-scale living facilities were found. Green care farms seem to be a valuable alternative to existing nursing homes. This is important as people with dementia are a heterogeneous group with varying needs. In order to provide tailored care there also is a need for a variety of living environments.

Use of Bayesian networks in predicting contamination of drinking water with E. coli in rural Vietnam.

PubMed

Hall, David C; Le, Quynh B

2017-06-01

More than 70 million Vietnamese rely on small-scale farming for some form of household income. Water on many of those farms is contaminated with waste, including animal manure, partly due to non-sustainable waste management. This increases the risk of water-related zoonotic disease transmission. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of various demographic and management factors on the likelihood of finding Escherichia coli in drinking water sourced from wells and rainwater on farms in Vietnam. A Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) was designed to describe association between various deterministic and probabilistic variables gathered from 600 small-scale integrated (SSI) farmers in Vietnam. The variables relate to E. coli content of their drinking water sourced on-farm from wells and rainwater, and stored in on-farm large vessels, including concrete water tanks. The BBN was developed using the Netica software tool; the model was calibrated and goodness of fit examined using concordance of predictability. Sensitivity analysis of the model revealed that choice variables, including engagement in mitigation of water contamination and livestock management activities, were particularly likely to influence endpoint values, reflecting the highly variable and impactful nature of preferences, attitudes and beliefs relating to mitigation strategies. Quantitative variables including numbers of livestock (particularly chickens) and income also had a high impact. The highest concordance (62%) was achieved with the BBN reported in this paper. This BBN model of SSI farming in Vietnam is helpful in understanding the complexity of small-scale agriculture and how various factors work in concert to influence contamination of on-farm drinking water as indicated by the presence of E. coli. The model will also be useful for identifying and estimating the impact of policy options such as improved delivery of clean water management training for rural areas, particularly where such analysis is combined with other analytical and policy tools. With appropriate knowledge translation, the model results will be particularly useful in helping SSI farmers understand their options for engaging in public health mitigation strategies addressing clean water that do not significantly disrupt their agriculture-based livelihoods. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

12 CFR 950.3 - Purpose of long-term advances; Proxy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... fund new or existing residential housing finance assets, which include, for CFI members, small business loans, small farm loans and small agri-business loans. (b)(1) Prior to approving an application for a....3 Section 950.3 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK ASSETS AND...

The Benefits of the E-Learning Agricultural Project Kissankerala to Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy V., Manoj; Ghosh, Chimoy Kumar

2013-01-01

In recent times Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been able to make inroads into the ways information is disseminated among those involved in direct farming and farming related enterprises. This paper arose from a two-year study of the KissanKerala, the e-learning project underway in Kerala, a small state in India. It is more…

58. View of the big meadow at the Billings Farm ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

58. View of the big meadow at the Billings Farm & Museum, looking west toward Mount Tom. The view illustrates the relation of the forested hillside lands to the agicultural fields in the valley, and includes the east facade of the mansion, visible as a small gap in the distant trees at center. - Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, 54 Elm Street, Woodstock, Windsor County, VT

OTSEGO COUNTY EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM FOR TESTING METHODS OF FORMING FARM MANAGEMENT STUDY GROUPS, A PROGRESS REPORT. EXTENSION STUDY, NUMBER 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LONGEST, JAMES W.; GENGENBACK, WILLIAM H.

THE MOST FREQUENT METHOD OF GROUP FORMATION FOR INTENSIVE FARM MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK STATE HAS BEEN TO COMBINE ALL INTERESTED FARMERS IN LARGE GROUPS AT THE COUNTY EXTENSION HEADQUARTERS. THIS EXPERIMENT WAS SET UP TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO METHODS OF FORMING SMALL GROUPS--BY SOCIOMETRIC CHOICE OR SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS. ALL…

Impact of gender participation in non-farming activities on household income and poverty levels in Pakistan.

PubMed

Ali, Akhter; Erenstein, Olaf; Rahut, Dil Bahadur

2015-01-01

In the rural areas of Pakistan, the majority of farm households have small landholdings of less than 2 hectares. Both male and females are engaged in farming and non-farming activities. However, in Pakistan the gender-wise participation in farming activities is not much documented. The main objective of the current study is to estimate the impact of male and female participation in non-farming activities on a household's income level and poverty status in Pakistan. The current study is based on a cross-sectional data set collected from 325 households through a purposive random sampling technique. A detailed comprehensive questionnaire was prepared for data collection. The data were analyzed by employing the propensity score matching approach. The empirical results indicate that both male and female participation in non-farming activities has a positive impact on household welfare in Pakistan by raising income levels and thus contributing to poverty reduction. However, the impact is greater when the males of a household take part in these activities rather than the females. In the past only a few studies have focused on gender-based participation in non-farming activities. The non-farming sector is an important one in rural areas, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. More opportunities need to be created for both men and women in rural areas of Pakistan to find off-farm work, in order to increase household income and reduce poverty levels.

Differential Response of Fish Assemblages to Coral Reef-Based Seaweed Farming

PubMed Central

Hehre, E. James; Meeuwig, J. J.

2015-01-01

As the global demand for seaweed-derived products drives the expansion of seaweed farming onto shallow coral ecosystems, the effects of farms on fish assemblages remain largely unexplored. Shallow coral reefs provide food and shelter for highly diverse fish assemblages but are increasingly modified by anthropogenic activities. We hypothesized that the introduction of seaweed farms into degraded shallow coral reefs had potential to generate ecological benefits for fish by adding structural complexity and a possible food source. We conducted 210 transects at 14 locations, with sampling stratified across seaweed farms and sites adjacent to and distant from farms. At a seascape scale, locations were classified by their level of exposure to human disturbance. We compared sites where (1) marine protected areas (MPAs) were established, (2) neither MPAs nor blast fishing was present (hence “unprotected”), and (3) blast fishing occurred. We observed 80,186 fish representing 148 species from 38 families. The negative effects of seaweed farms on fish assemblages appeared stronger in the absence of blast fishing and were strongest when MPAs were present, likely reflecting the positive influence of the MPAs on fish within them. Species differentiating fish assemblages with respect to seaweed farming and disturbance were typically small but also included two key target species. The propensity for seaweed farms to increase fish diversity, abundance, and biomass is limited and may reduce MPA benefits. We suggest that careful consideration be given to the placement of seaweed farms relative to MPAs. PMID:25822342

Differential response of fish assemblages to coral reef-based seaweed farming.

PubMed

Hehre, E James; Meeuwig, J J

2015-01-01

As the global demand for seaweed-derived products drives the expansion of seaweed farming onto shallow coral ecosystems, the effects of farms on fish assemblages remain largely unexplored. Shallow coral reefs provide food and shelter for highly diverse fish assemblages but are increasingly modified by anthropogenic activities. We hypothesized that the introduction of seaweed farms into degraded shallow coral reefs had potential to generate ecological benefits for fish by adding structural complexity and a possible food source. We conducted 210 transects at 14 locations, with sampling stratified across seaweed farms and sites adjacent to and distant from farms. At a seascape scale, locations were classified by their level of exposure to human disturbance. We compared sites where (1) marine protected areas (MPAs) were established, (2) neither MPAs nor blast fishing was present (hence "unprotected"), and (3) blast fishing occurred. We observed 80,186 fish representing 148 species from 38 families. The negative effects of seaweed farms on fish assemblages appeared stronger in the absence of blast fishing and were strongest when MPAs were present, likely reflecting the positive influence of the MPAs on fish within them. Species differentiating fish assemblages with respect to seaweed farming and disturbance were typically small but also included two key target species. The propensity for seaweed farms to increase fish diversity, abundance, and biomass is limited and may reduce MPA benefits. We suggest that careful consideration be given to the placement of seaweed farms relative to MPAs.

Is farm-related job title an adequate surrogate for pesticide exposure in occupational cancer epidemiology?

PubMed

MacFarlane, E; Glass, D; Fritschi, L

2009-08-01

Accurate assessment of exposure is a key factor in occupational epidemiology but can be problematic, particularly where exposures of interest may be many decades removed from relevant health outcomes. Studies have traditionally relied on crude surrogates of exposure based on job title only, for instance farm-related job title as a surrogate for pesticide exposure. This analysis was based on data collected in Western Australia in 2000-2001. Using a multivariate regression model, we compared expert-assessed likelihood of pesticide exposure based on detailed, individual-specific questionnaire and job specific module interview information with reported farm-related job titles as a surrogate for pesticide exposure. Most (68.8%) jobs with likely pesticide exposure were farm jobs, but 78.3% of farm jobs were assessed as having no likelihood of pesticide exposure. Likely pesticide exposure was more frequent among jobs on crop farms than on livestock farms. Likely pesticide exposure was also more frequent among jobs commenced in more recent decades and jobs of longer duration. Our results suggest that very little misclassification would have resulted from the inverse assumption that all non-farming jobs are not pesticide exposed since only a very small fraction of non-agricultural jobs were likely to have had pesticide exposure. Classification of all farm jobs as pesticide exposed is likely to substantially over-estimate the number of individuals exposed. Our results also suggest that researchers should pay special attention to farm type, length of service and historical period of employment when assessing the likelihood of pesticide exposure in farming jobs.

Assessment of swine farms in Greece in relation to the risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella.

PubMed

Theodoropoulos, Georgios; Theodoropoulou, Helen; Skopelitis, Georgios; Benardis, Konstantinos

2009-06-01

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2075/2005 of 5 December 2005 lays down detailed conditions for Trichinella-free farms. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to assess the current state of swine farms in Greece in relation to the risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella as a first step towards certification of Trichinella-free farms in Greece and (2) to identify a profile and characteristics of swine farms and farmers which can be used to formulate appropriate measures to promote good production practices for reducing risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella. A total of 70 swine farms were inspected using audit components similar to those used by the U.S. Trichinae Certification Programme. Only four farms (6%) complied with all the criteria used for assessing the good production practices for reducing risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella. A common characteristic of these four farms was that they had a large size (>300 sows) and produced their own feed. The most common issues among the farms that did not meet audit criteria in the present study were related to proper rodent control and accessibility of other animals in the feed storage area and the facility. In addition, the predominant significant differentiating characteristic for the farms not meeting the criteria was their small (<150 sows) size, while for the farmers it was their low educational level. These characteristics, which are linked to poor infrastructure and reluctance for improvements, respectively, will be difficulties that must be dealt with in the promotion of good production practices for Trichinella-free farms in Greece.

Wind tunnel measurements of the power output variability and unsteady loading in a micro wind farm model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossuyt, Juliaan; Howland, Michael; Meneveau, Charles; Meyers, Johan

2015-11-01

To optimize wind farm layouts for a maximum power output and wind turbine lifetime, mean power output measurements in wind tunnel studies are not sufficient. Instead, detailed temporal information about the power output and unsteady loading from every single wind turbine in the wind farm is needed. A very small porous disc model with a realistic thrust coefficient of 0.75 - 0.85, was designed. The model is instrumented with a strain gage, allowing measurements of the thrust force, incoming velocity and power output with a frequency response up to the natural frequency of the model. This is shown by reproducing the -5/3 spectrum from the incoming flow. Thanks to its small size and compact instrumentation, the model allows wind tunnel studies of large wind turbine arrays with detailed temporal information from every wind turbine. Translating to field conditions with a length-scale ratio of 1:3,000 the frequencies studied from the data reach from 10-4 Hz up to about 6 .10-2 Hz. The model's capabilities are demonstrated with a large wind farm measurement consisting of close to 100 instrumented models. A high correlation is found between the power outputs of stream wise aligned wind turbines, which is in good agreement with results from prior LES simulations. Work supported by ERC (ActiveWindFarms, grant no. 306471) and by NSF (grants CBET-113380 and IIA-1243482, the WINDINSPIRE project).

Potential wildlife sources of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis for farmed deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Mackintosh, C G; Henderson, T

1984-12-01

During 1982 and 1983 15 serotype I, 6 serotype II, 1 serotype III and 3 untyped strains of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis were isolated from 675 apparently normal small mammals and birds from the Invermay farm and nearby rubbish tip with the following prevalence rates: feral cats 27.8%, Norway rats 8.6%, mice 5.5%, hares 3.8% rabbits 1.9% ducks 5.3%, sparrows 2.3%, seagulls 2.3% and starlings 1.7%. For rabbits a significantly higher prevalence of infection was found in the autumn/winter period (4.8%) than the spring/summer period (0%). Insufficient numbers of other mammals were obtained to demonstrate any seasonal difference in prevalence. All bird isolations were obtained between March and July (8/158) compared with none from August to October (0/144). It appears that a number of free-living species of small mammal and birds may be reservoir hosts for Y. pseudotuberculosis and potential sources of infection for red deer on the Invermay farm.

Smallholder farms as stepping stone corridors for crop-raiding elephant in northern Tanzania: integration of Bayesian expert system and network simulator.

PubMed

Pittiglio, Claudia; Skidmore, Andrew K; van Gils, Hein A M J; McCall, Michael K; Prins, Herbert H T

2014-03-01

Crop-raiding elephants affect local livelihoods, undermining conservation efforts. Yet, crop-raiding patterns are poorly understood, making prediction and protection difficult. We hypothesized that raiding elephants use corridors between daytime refuges and farmland. Elephant counts, crop-raiding records, household surveys, Bayesian expert system, and least-cost path simulation were used to predict four alternative categories of daily corridors: (1) footpaths, (2) dry river beds, (3) stepping stones along scattered small farms, and (4) trajectories of shortest distance to refuges. The corridor alignments were compared in terms of their minimum cumulative resistance to elephant movement and related to crop-raiding zones quantified by a kernel density function. The "stepping stone" corridors predicted the crop-raiding patterns. Elephant presence was confirmed along these corridors, demonstrating that small farms located between refuges and contiguous farmland increase habitat connectivity for elephant. Our analysis successfully predicted elephant occurrence in farmland where daytime counts failed to detect nocturnal presence. These results have conservation management implications.

Real-time measurement of dust in the workplace using video exposure monitoring: Farming to pharmaceuticals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, P. T.; Forth, A. R.; Clark, R. D. R.; Dowker, K. P.; Thorpe, A.

2009-02-01

Real-time, photometric, portable dust monitors have been employed for video exposure monitoring (VEM) to measure and highlight dust levels generated by work activities, illustrate dust control techniques, and demonstrate good practice. Two workplaces, presenting different challenges for measurement, were used to illustrate the capabilities of VEM: (a) poultry farming activities and (b) powder transfer operations in a pharmaceutical company. For the poultry farm work, the real-time monitors were calibrated with respect to the respirable and inhalable dust concentrations using cyclone and IOM reference samplers respectively. Different rankings of exposure for typical activities were found on the small farm studied here compared to previous exposure measurements at larger poultry farms: these were mainly attributed to the different scales of operation. Large variations in the ratios of respirable, inhalable and real-time monitor TWA concentrations of poultry farm dust for various activities were found. This has implications for the calibration of light-scattering dust monitors with respect to inhalable dust concentration. In the pharmaceutical application, the effectiveness of a curtain barrier for dust control when dispensing powder in a downflow booth was rapidly demonstrated.

Risk factors for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome outbreaks in Vietnamese small stock farms.

PubMed

Truong, V M; Gummow, B

2014-07-01

To examine risk factors that could have played a role in the 2010 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) outbreak in Yenhung district, Quangninh province, North-Vietnam, with the purpose of establishing why existing control measures implemented after previous outbreaks had failed to prevent further outbreaks. A case-control study was carried out in Yenhung district. Data were obtained by an interview-based questionnaire survey. The sampling unit was households, which equated to small-scale pig farms. A total of 150 case and 150 control households were selected at communes affected by the 2010 PRRS epidemic during April to June. Risk factors were analysed using binary logistic regression and unconditional multiple logistic regression. Households infected with PRRS were significantly associated with multiple variables belonging to three main groups: (1) location of the farms: i.e. farms positioned <1,000 m from a pig abattoir or within 500 m of local markets or 100 m of main roads; (2) farm management: i.e. where there was non-application of weekly farm disinfection, feeding uncooked swill, new introduction of purchased pigs without isolation, or usage of water from irrigation systems for raising pigs; (3) people and animal contact: i.e. where households kept animals with either no confinement or partial confinement, had visits by family members to other affected farms or had frequent visits by neighbours. The use of water from irrigation systems was found to be the risk factor most strongly associated with infected households in the 2010 outbreak (OR=22; 95% CI=12-42). The results show that the epidemiology of PRRS in Quangninh province was linked to sociological and cultural practices, and that effective PRRS control needs an integrated approach coupled with behavioural changes in the pig raising practices of the general public. Failure to recognise this could explain why further outbreaks have occurred.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Q fever in goats on commercial dairy goat farms in the Netherlands, 2009-2010.

PubMed

Schimmer, Barbara; Luttikholt, Saskia; Hautvast, Jeannine L A; Graat, Elisabeth A M; Vellema, Piet; Duynhoven, Yvonne T H P van

2011-12-30

The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy goat farms in the Netherlands and to identify risk factors for farm and goat seropositivity before mandatory vaccination started. We approached 334 eligible farms with more than 100 goats for serum sampling and a farm questionnaire. Per farm, median 21 goats were sampled. A farm was considered positive when at least one goat tested ELISA positive. In total, 2,828 goat serum samples from 123 farms were available. Farm prevalence was 43.1% (95%CI: 34.3%-51.8%). Overall goat seroprevalence was 21.4% (95%CI: 19.9%-22.9%) and among the 53 positive farms 46.6% (95%CI: 43.8%-49.3%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis included 96 farms and showed that farm location within 8 kilometres proximity from a bulk milk PCR positive farm, location in a municipality with high cattle density (≥ 100 cattle per square kilometre), controlling nuisance animals through covering airspaces, presence of cats or dogs in the goat stable, straw imported from abroad or unknown origin and a herd size above 800 goats were independent risk factors associated with Q fever on farm level. At animal level almost identical risk factors were found, with use of windbreak curtain and artificial insemination as additional risk factors. In 2009-2010, the seroprevalence in dairy goats in the Netherlands increased on animal and farm level compared to a previous study in 2008. Risk factors suggest spread from relatively closely located bulk milk-infected small ruminant farms, next to introduction and spread from companion animals, imported straw and use of artificial insemination. In-depth studies investigating the role of artificial insemination and bedding material are needed, while simultaneously general biosecurity measures should be updated, such as avoiding companion animals and vermin entering the stables, next to advice on farm stable constructions on how to prevent introduction and minimize airborne transmission from affected dairy goat farms to prevent further spread to the near environment.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Q fever in goats on commercial dairy goat farms in the Netherlands, 2009-2010

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy goat farms in the Netherlands and to identify risk factors for farm and goat seropositivity before mandatory vaccination started. We approached 334 eligible farms with more than 100 goats for serum sampling and a farm questionnaire. Per farm, median 21 goats were sampled. A farm was considered positive when at least one goat tested ELISA positive. Results In total, 2,828 goat serum samples from 123 farms were available. Farm prevalence was 43.1% (95%CI: 34.3%-51.8%). Overall goat seroprevalence was 21.4% (95%CI: 19.9%-22.9%) and among the 53 positive farms 46.6% (95%CI: 43.8%-49.3%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis included 96 farms and showed that farm location within 8 kilometres proximity from a bulk milk PCR positive farm, location in a municipality with high cattle density (≥ 100 cattle per square kilometre), controlling nuisance animals through covering airspaces, presence of cats or dogs in the goat stable, straw imported from abroad or unknown origin and a herd size above 800 goats were independent risk factors associated with Q fever on farm level. At animal level almost identical risk factors were found, with use of windbreak curtain and artificial insemination as additional risk factors. Conclusion In 2009-2010, the seroprevalence in dairy goats in the Netherlands increased on animal and farm level compared to a previous study in 2008. Risk factors suggest spread from relatively closely located bulk milk-infected small ruminant farms, next to introduction and spread from companion animals, imported straw and use of artificial insemination. In-depth studies investigating the role of artificial insemination and bedding material are needed, while simultaneously general biosecurity measures should be updated, such as avoiding companion animals and vermin entering the stables, next to advice on farm stable constructions on how to prevent introduction and minimize airborne transmission from affected dairy goat farms to prevent further spread to the near environment. PMID:22208798

12 CFR 917.5 - Strategic business plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ongoing market research and consultations with members, associates and public and private organizations... quantitative performance goals for Bank products related to multi-family housing, small business, small farm... existing activities; and (5) Be supported by appropriate and timely research and analysis of relevant...

12 CFR 917.5 - Strategic business plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ongoing market research and consultations with members, associates and public and private organizations... quantitative performance goals for Bank products related to multi-family housing, small business, small farm... existing activities; and (5) Be supported by appropriate and timely research and analysis of relevant...

12 CFR 917.5 - Strategic business plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ongoing market research and consultations with members, associates and public and private organizations... quantitative performance goals for Bank products related to multi-family housing, small business, small farm... existing activities; and (5) Be supported by appropriate and timely research and analysis of relevant...

12 CFR 917.5 - Strategic business plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ongoing market research and consultations with members, associates and public and private organizations... quantitative performance goals for Bank products related to multi-family housing, small business, small farm... existing activities; and (5) Be supported by appropriate and timely research and analysis of relevant...

12 CFR 917.5 - Strategic business plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ongoing market research and consultations with members, associates and public and private organizations... quantitative performance goals for Bank products related to multi-family housing, small business, small farm... existing activities; and (5) Be supported by appropriate and timely research and analysis of relevant...

Soil quality and soil degradation in agricultural loess soils in Central Europe - impacts of traditional small-scale and modernized large-scale agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Christian

2017-04-01

The study analyzes the impact of different farming systems on soil quality and soil degradation in European loess landscapes. The analyses are based on geo-chemical soil properties, landscape metrics and geomorphological indicators. The German Middle Saxonian Loess Region represents loess landscapes whose ecological functions were shaped by land consolidation measures resulting in large-scale high-input farming systems. The Polish Proszowice Plateau is still characterized by a traditional small-scale peasant agriculture. The research areas were analyzed on different scale levels combining GIS, field, and laboratory methods. A digital terrain classification was used to identify representative catchment basins for detailed pedological studies which were focused on soil properties that responded to soil management within several years, like pH-value, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), inorganic carbon (IC), soil organic carbon (TOC=TC-IC), hot-water extractable carbon (HWC), hot-water extractable nitrogen (HWN), total phosphorus, plant-available phosphorus (P), plant-available potassium (K) and the potential cation exchange capacity (CEC). The study has shown that significant differences in major soil properties can be observed because of different fertilizer inputs and partly because of different cultivation techniques. Also the traditional system increases soil heterogeneity. Contrary to expectations the study has shown that the small-scale peasant farming system resulted in similar mean soil organic carbon and phosphorus contents like the industrialized high-input farming system. A further study could include investigations of the effects of soil amendments like herbicides and pesticide on soil degradation.

Serological evidence for the presence of influenza D virus in small ruminants.

PubMed

Quast, Megan; Sreenivasan, Chithra; Sexton, Gabriel; Nedland, Hunter; Singrey, Aaron; Fawcett, Linda; Miller, Grant; Lauer, Dale; Voss, Shauna; Pollock, Stacy; Cunha, Cristina W; Christopher-Hennings, Jane; Nelson, Eric; Li, Feng

2015-11-18

Influenza D virus (FLUDV) was isolated from diseased pigs with respiratory disease symptoms in 2011, and since then the new virus has also been spread to cattle. Little is known about the susceptibility of other agricultural animals and poultry to FLUDV. This study was designed to determine if other farm animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, and turkey are possible hosts to this newly emerging influenza virus. 648 goat and sheep serum samples and 250 chicken and turkey serum samples were collected from 141 small ruminant and 25 poultry farms from different geographical locations in the United States and Canada. Serum samples were examined using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and the sheep and goat samples were further analyzed using the serum neutralization assay. Results of this study showed FLUDV antibodies were detected in 13.5% (17/126) of the sampled sheep farms, and 5.2% (29/557) of tested sheep serum samples were positive for FLUDV antibodies. For the goat results, the FLUDV antibodies were detected in 13.3% (2/15) of the sampled farms, and 8.8% (8/91) of the tested goat serum samples were positive for FLUDV antibodies. Furthermore, all tested poultry serum samples were negative for FLUDV antibodies. Our data demonstrated that sheep and goat are susceptible to FLUDV virus and multiple states in U.S. have this virus infection already in these two species. This new finding highlights a need for future surveillance of FLUDV virus in small ruminants toward better understanding both the origin and natural reservoir of this new virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxoplasma gondii in sheep and goats: seroprevalence and potential risk factors under dairy husbandry practices.

PubMed

Tzanidakis, Nikolaos; Maksimov, Pavlo; Conraths, Franz J; Kiossis, Evaggelos; Brozos, Christos; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Schares, Gereon

2012-12-21

Sheep and goats are highly susceptible for infections with Toxoplasma gondii and may play a major role in the transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. The aim of this study was to obtain up-to-date data on T. gondii infection in small ruminants and to identify putative risk factors in sheep and goats reared under dairy husbandry systems most commonly applied in Greece. To this end, ELISA tests were established for the examination of sheep and goat sera based on the use of TgSAG1, a major surface antigen of T. gondii tachyzoites. Serum samples from 2-4 years old small ruminants, 1501 from sheep and 541 from goats were examined. These samples had been collected on 69 farms in a mountainous and in a costal environment of Northern Greece from September 2008 to January 2009. In addition to farms containing only sheep (n=28) and farms containing only goats (n=9) also mixed farms with both animal species (n=32) were sampled. A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain information on putative risk factors. Sheep showed a higher seroprevalence (48.6% [729/1501]) for T. gondii than goats (30.7% [166/541]). Univariate multi-level modelling assuming random effects by the factor "farm" revealed that goats were statistically significantly less often seropositive than sheep (OR 0.475 [95% CI: 0.318-0.707]). No statistically significant regional differences in seroprevalence were observed. Risk factor analysis using univariate multi-level modelling revealed that sheep and goats that were kept under intensive (OR 4.30 [95% CI: 1.39-13.27]) or semi-intensive (OR 5.35 [95% CI: 2.33-12.28]) conditions had significantly higher odds of being seropositive. Further significant risk factors were "feeding concentrate" (OR 3.88 [95% CI: 1.81-8.29]) and providing "water from the public supply" (OR 1.67 [95% CI: 4.56-12.39]) to small ruminants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterobacteriaceae in Shell Eggs from Small-Scale Poultry Farms and Farmers' Markets.

PubMed

Kilonzo-Nthenge, A; Nahashon, S N; Godwin, S; Liu, S; Long, D

2016-12-01

Public health concerns over the emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria have increased recently. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Enterobacteriaceae in shell eggs purchased from small poultry farms and farmers' markets. A total of 504 eggs were pooled to make 252 composite samples, consisting of 2 eggs per composite. The microbial quality of shell eggs was determined by standard quantitative, biochemical, and PCR techniques. Susceptibility to 13 antimicrobial agents was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique, and results were interpreted based on Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute values. Shell eggs and egg contents were positive for Escherichia coli (11.9 and 5.2%, respectively), Enterobacter (9.1 and 7.9%), and Serratia (11.5 and 4.8%). Salmonella was isolated from 3.6% of egg shells but not from egg contents. Mean (±SD) Enterobacteriaceae levels (4.4 ± 2.0 log CFU per eggshell) on shell eggs from poultry farms was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) than that on shell eggs from farmers' markets (2.1 ± 1.3 log CFU per eggshell). Of the 134 isolates recovered, resistance among isolates from farm and market shell eggs to erythromycin was most common (48.5 and 32.8%, respectively) followed by ampicillin (44.8 and 17.2%), and tetracycline (29.9 and 17.2%). The multiple antibiotic resistance index value for E. coli and Pantoea was 0.62, and that for Salmonella and Klebsiella terrigena was 0.08, indicating that Enterobacteriaceae in shell eggs can be resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents. These data reveal that shell eggs from small poultry farms and farmers' markets can harbor antimicrobial resistant pathogenic and commensal bacteria. Thus, failure to properly handle shell eggs poses a potential health hazard to consumers.

Survey of food safety practices on small to medium-sized farms and in farmers markets.

PubMed

Harrison, Judy A; Gaskin, Julia W; Harrison, Mark A; Cannon, Jennifer L; Boyer, Renee R; Zehnder, Geoffrey W

2013-11-01

As produce consumption has increased, so have foodborne disease outbreaks associated with fresh produce. Little research has addressed food safety practices used on small to medium-sized farms selling locally or in farmers markets. This study evaluated current food safety practices used by farmers on small to medium-sized farms and managers of farmers markets in Georgia, Virginia, and South Carolina based on responses to surveys. Surveys were developed, pretested, and revised before implementation with target audiences and were implemented via mail and the Web to maximize participation, with reminders sent to nonrespondents. Data were collected from 226 farmers and 45 market managers. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for all response variables. Responses from farmers indicated that more than 56% of them use manures. Of those who use manures, 34% use raw or mixtures of raw and composted manure, and over 26% wait fewer than 90 days between application of raw manure and harvest. Over 27% use water sources that have not been tested for safety for irrigation, and 16% use such water sources for washing produce. Over 43% do not sanitize surfaces that touch produce at the farm. Only 33% of farmers always clean transport containers between uses. Responses from market managers indicated that over 42% have no food safety standards in place for the market. Only 2 to 11% ask farmers specific questions about conditions on the farm that could affect product safety. Less than 25% of managers sanitize market surfaces. Only 11% always clean market containers between uses. Over 75% of markets offer no sanitation training to workers or vendors. While farmers and market managers are using many good practices, the results indicate that some practices being used may put consumers at risk of foodborne illness. Consequently, there is a need for training for both farmers and market managers.

Some Implications of Farm Practice Diffusion--Adoption Research for Extension Program Development. A Research Summary of a Graduate Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jalihal, Krishna A.; Dotson, Robert S.

The study was made to consider cultural factors related to the acceptance or nonacceptance of farm practices. Some major conclusions were: (1) demonstrators should be in the age group 30-45, (2) reading material should be at the seventh or eighth grade level, (3) meetings should be convenient for small or disadvantaged farmers to attend, (4)…

Mathematical formulation and numerical simulation of bird flu infection process within a poultry farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, Arrival Rince; Nova, Tertia Delia; Watanabe, M.

2016-02-01

Bird flu infection processes within a poultry farm are formulated mathematically. A spatial effect is taken into account for the virus concentration with a diffusive term. An infection process is represented in terms of a traveling wave solutions. For a small removal rate, a singular perturbation analysis lead to existence of traveling wave solutions, that correspond to progressive infection in one direction.

35. View of the big meadow at the Billings Farm ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

35. View of the big meadow at the Billings Farm & Museum, looking west toward Mount Tom (more distant view). The view illustrates the relation of the forested hillside lands to the agricultural fields in the valley, and includes the east facade of the mansion, visible as a small gap in the distant trees at center. - Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, 54 Elm Street, Woodstock, Windsor County, VT

Soil Conservation Techniques for Hillside Farms. A Guide for Peace Corps Volunteers. Appropriate Technologies for Development. Peace Corps Information Collection & Exchange Reprint Series No. R-62.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crozier, Carl

This guide provides agricultural extensionists with basic information that will help them design plans for the conservation of soils and the management of water runoff in specific agricultural plots. It is based on experiences with small hillside farms in Honduras and takes into account the resources and constraints commonly encountered there.…

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases from Scoparia dulcis and Croton sublyratus. cDNA cloning, functional expression, and conversion to a farnesyl diphosphate synthase.

PubMed

Kojima, N; Sitthithaworn, W; Viroonchatapan, E; Suh, D Y; Iwanami, N; Hayashi, T; Sankaw, U

2000-07-01

cDNAs encoding geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS) of two diterpene producing plants, Scoparia dulcis and Croton sublyratus, were isolated using the homology-based polymerase chain reaction method. Both cloned genes showed high amino acid sequence homology (60-70%) to other plant GGPPSs and contained highly conserved aspartate-rich motifs. The obtained clones were functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and showed sufficient GGPPS activity to catalyze the condensation of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and isopentenyl diphosphate to form geranylgeranyl diphosphate. To investigate the factor determining the product chain length of plant GGPPSs, S. dulcis GGPPS mutants in which either the small amino acids at the fourth and fifth positions before the first aspartate-rich motif (FARM) were replaced with aromatic amino acids or in which two additional amino acids in FARM were deleted were constructed. Both mutants behaved like FPPS-like enzymes and almost exclusively produced FPP when dimethylallyl diphosphate was used as a primer substrate, and failed to accept FPP as a primer substrate. These results indicate that both small amino acids at the fourth and fifth positions before FARM and the amino acid insertion in FARM play essential roles in product length determination in plant GGPPSs.

Drivers of land use change and household determinants of sustainability in smallholder farming systems of Eastern Uganda.

PubMed

Ebanyat, Peter; de Ridder, Nico; de Jager, Andre; Delve, Robert J; Bekunda, Mateete A; Giller, Ken E

2010-07-01

Smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone changes in land use, productivity and sustainability. Understanding of the drivers that have led to changes in land use in these systems and factors that influence the systems' sustainability is useful to guide appropriate targeting of intervention strategies for improvement. We studied low input Teso farming systems in eastern Uganda from 1960 to 2001 in a place-based analysis combined with a comparative analysis of similar low input systems in southern Mali. This study showed that policy-institutional factors next to population growth have driven land use changes in the Teso systems, and that nutrient balances of farm households are useful indicators to identify their sustainability. During the period of analysis, the fraction of land under cultivation increased from 46 to 78%, and communal grazing lands nearly completely disappeared. Cropping diversified over time; cassava overtook cotton and millet in importance, and rice emerged as an alternative cash crop. Impacts of political instability, such as the collapse of cotton marketing and land management institutions, of communal labour arrangements and aggravation of cattle rustling were linked to the changes. Crop productivity in the farming systems is poor and nutrient balances differed between farm types. Balances of N, P and K were all positive for larger farms (LF) that had more cattle and derived a larger proportion of their income from off-farm activities, whereas on the medium farms (MF), small farms with cattle (SF1) and without cattle (SF2) balances were mostly negative. Sustainability of the farming system is driven by livestock, crop production, labour and access to off-farm income. Building private public partnerships around market-oriented crops can be an entry point for encouraging investment in use of external nutrient inputs to boost productivity in such African farming systems. However, intervention strategies should recognise the diversity and heterogeneity between farms to ensure efficient use of these external inputs.

Drivers of land use change and household determinants of sustainability in smallholder farming systems of Eastern Uganda

PubMed Central

de Ridder, Nico; de Jager, Andre; Delve, Robert J.; Bekunda, Mateete A.; Giller, Ken E.

2010-01-01

Smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone changes in land use, productivity and sustainability. Understanding of the drivers that have led to changes in land use in these systems and factors that influence the systems’ sustainability is useful to guide appropriate targeting of intervention strategies for improvement. We studied low input Teso farming systems in eastern Uganda from 1960 to 2001 in a place-based analysis combined with a comparative analysis of similar low input systems in southern Mali. This study showed that policy-institutional factors next to population growth have driven land use changes in the Teso systems, and that nutrient balances of farm households are useful indicators to identify their sustainability. During the period of analysis, the fraction of land under cultivation increased from 46 to 78%, and communal grazing lands nearly completely disappeared. Cropping diversified over time; cassava overtook cotton and millet in importance, and rice emerged as an alternative cash crop. Impacts of political instability, such as the collapse of cotton marketing and land management institutions, of communal labour arrangements and aggravation of cattle rustling were linked to the changes. Crop productivity in the farming systems is poor and nutrient balances differed between farm types. Balances of N, P and K were all positive for larger farms (LF) that had more cattle and derived a larger proportion of their income from off-farm activities, whereas on the medium farms (MF), small farms with cattle (SF1) and without cattle (SF2) balances were mostly negative. Sustainability of the farming system is driven by livestock, crop production, labour and access to off-farm income. Building private public partnerships around market-oriented crops can be an entry point for encouraging investment in use of external nutrient inputs to boost productivity in such African farming systems. However, intervention strategies should recognise the diversity and heterogeneity between farms to ensure efficient use of these external inputs. PMID:20628448

Drivers and risk factors for circulating African swine fever virus in Uganda, 2012-2013.

PubMed

Kabuuka, T; Kasaija, P D; Mulindwa, H; Shittu, A; Bastos, A D S; Fasina, F O

2014-10-01

We explored observed risk factors and drivers of infection possibly associated with African swine fever (ASF) epidemiology in Uganda. Representative sub-populations of pig farms and statistics were used in a case-control model. Indiscriminate disposal of pig viscera and waste materials after slaughter, including on open refuse dumps, farm-gate buyers collecting pigs and pig products from within a farm, and retention of survivor pigs were plausible risk factors. Wire mesh-protected windows in pig houses were found to be protective against ASF infection. Sighting engorged ticks on pigs, the presence of a lock for each pig pen and/or a gate at the farm entrance were significantly associated with infection/non-infection; possible explanations were offered. Strict adherence to planned within-farm and community-based biosecurity, and avoidance of identified risk factors is recommended to reduce infection. Training for small-scale and emerging farmers should involve multidimensional and multidisciplinary approaches to reduce human-related risky behaviours driving infection. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Temporal Genetic Variance and Propagule-Driven Genetic Structure Characterize Naturalized Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from a Patagonian Lake Impacted by Trout Farming

PubMed Central

Seeb, Lisa W.; Seeb, James E.; Arismendi, Ivan; Hernández, Cristián E.; Gajardo, Gonzalo; Galleguillos, Ricardo; Cádiz, Maria I.; Musleh, Selim S.

2015-01-01

Knowledge about the genetic underpinnings of invasions—a theme addressed by invasion genetics as a discipline—is still scarce amid well documented ecological impacts of non-native species on ecosystems of Patagonia in South America. One of the most invasive species in Patagonia’s freshwater systems and elsewhere is rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). This species was introduced to Chile during the early twentieth century for stocking and promoting recreational fishing; during the late twentieth century was reintroduced for farming purposes and is now naturalized. We used population- and individual-based inference from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to illuminate three objectives related to the establishment and naturalization of Rainbow Trout in Lake Llanquihue. This lake has been intensively used for trout farming during the last three decades. Our results emanate from samples collected from five inlet streams over two seasons, winter and spring. First, we found that significant intra- population (temporal) genetic variance was greater than inter-population (spatial) genetic variance, downplaying the importance of spatial divergence during the process of naturalization. Allele frequency differences between cohorts, consistent with variation in fish length between spring and winter collections, might explain temporal genetic differences. Second, individual-based Bayesian clustering suggested that genetic structure within Lake Llanquihue was largely driven by putative farm propagules found at one single stream during spring, but not in winter. This suggests that farm broodstock might migrate upstream to breed during spring at that particular stream. It is unclear whether interbreeding has occurred between “pure” naturalized and farm trout in this and other streams. Third, estimates of the annual number of breeders (N b) were below 73 in half of the collections, suggestive of genetically small and recently founded populations that might experience substantial genetic drift. Our results reinforce the notion that naturalized trout originated recently from a small yet genetically diverse source and that farm propagules might have played a significant role in the invasion of Rainbow Trout within a single lake with intensive trout farming. Our results also argue for proficient mitigation measures that include management of escapes and strategies to minimize unintentional releases from farm facilities. PMID:26544983

Evaluation of parasiticidal activity of fenbendazole, ivermectin, oxibendazole, and pyrantel pamoate in horse foals with emphasis on ascarids (Parascaris equorum) in field studies on five farms in Central Kentucky in 2007.

PubMed

Lyons, E T; Tolliver, S C; Ionita, M; Collins, S S

2008-07-01

Horse foals on five farms in Central Kentucky were used in field studies in 2007 evaluating activity of paste formulations of four compounds (fenbendazole-FBZ, ivermectin-IVM, oxibendazole-OBZ, and pyrantel pamoate-PRT) against internal parasites with emphasis on ascarids (Parascaris equorum). It has been well established the last few years that there is widespread resistance of P. equorum to ivermectin. The main purpose of the present research was to obtain current data on ascaridicidal activity of FBZ, OBZ, and PRT; also, to acquire further information on ascarid resistance to ivermectin. Additionally, data were documented on drug activity on small strongyles. Detection of ascarid and strongyle eggs in feces of foals was by a qualitative method (presence or absence) or a quantitative method (eggs per gram of feces). Strongyle eggs all were assumed to be from small strongyles. This is based on fecal cultures from horses on one farm and historic records from horses in this area on excellent deworming programs. A girth tape was used to estimate the body weight of each foal so that the appropriate dose rate of each drug could be given. Many of the foals were used in more than one cycle of treatments. Efficacy of the drugs, administered intraorally, was determined by calculating the average percentage reduction (% red.) of the number of foals passing eggs after vs. before treatment: (1) FBZ at 10 mg/kg was tested on four farms; 76 foals were examined, 50 with ascarid eggs (84% red.) and 62 with strongyle eggs (0% red.); (2) IVM at 200 microg/kg was tested on three farms; 58 foals were examined, 18 with ascarid eggs (0% red.) and 48 with strongyle eggs (100% red.); (3) OBZ at 10 mg/kg was tested on three farms; 181 foals were examined, 78 with ascarid eggs (94% red.) and 79 with strongyle eggs (0% red.); (4) PRT was tested on two farms, one farm at 1x (6.6 mg base/kg); 42 were foals examined, 16 with ascarid eggs (0% red.) and 33 with strongyle eggs (12% red.) and one farm at 2x (13.2 mg base/kg); 18 foals were examined, 13 with ascarid eggs (23% red.) and 15 with strongyle eggs (27% red.).

Small-scale pig farmers' behavior, silent release of African swine fever virus and consequences for disease spread.

PubMed

Costard, Solenne; Zagmutt, Francisco J; Porphyre, Thibaud; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo

2015-11-27

The expanding distribution of African swine fever (ASF) is threatening the pig industry worldwide. Most outbreaks occur in backyard and small-scale herds, where poor farmers often attempt to limit the disease's economic consequences by the emergency sale of their pigs. The risk of African swine fever virus (ASFV) release via this emergency sale was investigated. Simulation modeling was used to study ASFV transmission in backyard and small-scale farms as well as the emergency sale of pigs, and the potential impact of improving farmers and traders' clinical diagnosis ability-its timeliness and/or accuracy-was assessed. The risk of ASFV release was shown to be high, and improving farmers' clinical diagnosis ability does not appear sufficient to effectively reduce this risk. Estimates obtained also showed that the distribution of herd size within the backyard and small-scale sectors influences the relative contribution of these farms to the risk of release of infected pigs. These findings can inform surveillance and control programs.

Review of problems in the small-scale farm production of ethanol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, H.M.

1983-07-01

This report reviews the current status of small, farmer-operated ethanol production facilities. The characteristics and operating problems associated with present plants are reviewed with respect to technical, economic, and institutional issues. Information was obtained from recent publications and numerous telephone calls to state and federal officials and the producers themselves. It is concluded that, in most parts of the country, small-scale alcohol production has been reduced to relatively few farm plants, due primarily to several unfavorable economic factors. While both large and small facilities have been squeezed by rising feedstock costs and lower alcohol selling prices, the farmer-producer is burdenedmore » by additional constraints because of the small scale of his operations. It is not usually profitable for him to recover all the valuable by-products from the feedstock, such as gluten, corn oil, and carbon dioxide from corn conversion. He may not be able to use or market the wet alcohol and stillage he produces. Other difficulties often include high fuel costs, lack of financial and technical assistance, and excessive labor requirements.« less

Farm-level feasibility of bioenergy depends on variations across multiple sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myhre, Mitchell; Barford, Carol

2013-03-01

The potential supply of bioenergy from farm-grown biomass is uncertain due to several poorly understood or volatile factors, including land availability, yield variability, and energy prices. Although biomass production for liquid fuel has received more attention, here we present a case study of biomass production for renewable heat and power in the state of Wisconsin (US), where heating constitutes at least 30% of total energy demand. Using three bioenergy systems (50 kW, 8.8 MW and 50 MW) and Wisconsin farm-level data, we determined the net farm income effect of producing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a feedstock, either for on-farm use (50 kW system) or for sale to an off-farm energy system operator (8.8 and 50 MW systems). In southern counties, where switchgrass yields approach 10 Mg ha-1 yr-1, the main determinants of economic feasibility were the available land area per farm, the ability to utilize bioheat, and opportunity cost assumptions. Switchgrass yield temporal variability was less important. For the state median farm size and switchgrass yield, at least 25% (50 kW system) or 50% (8.8 MW system) bioheat utilization was required to economically offset propane or natural gas heat, respectively, and purchased electricity. Offsetting electricity only (50 MW system) did not generate enough revenue to meet switchgrass production expenses. Although the opportunity cost of small-scale (50 kW) on-farm bioenergy generation was higher, it also held greater opportunity for increasing farm net income, especially by replacing propane-based heat.

Production and feeding strategies for phosphorus management on dairy farms.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Sharpley, A N; Satter, L D; Gburek, W J; Sanderson, M A

2002-11-01

Long-term accumulation of soil phosphorus (P) is becoming a concern on some watersheds heavily populated with animal feeding facilities, including dairy farms. Management changes in crop production and feeding may help reduce the accumulation of excess P, but farm profitability must be maintained or improved to assure adoption of such changes. Whole-farm simulation was used to evaluate the long-term effects of changes in feeding, cropping, and other production strategies on P loading and the economics of 100-cow and 800-cow dairy farms in southeastern New York. Simulated farms maintained a long-term P balance if the following occurred: 1) animals were fed to meet recommended minimum amounts of dietary P, 2) the cropping strategy and land base supplied all of the forage needed, 3) all animals were fed a high forage diet, and 4) replacement heifers were produced on the farm to utilize more forage. The most easily implemented change was to reduce the supplemental mineral P fed to that required to meet current NRC recommended amounts, and this provided an annual increase in farm profit of about $22/cow. Intensifying the use of grassland and improving grazing practices increased profit along with a small reduction in excess P. Conversion from dairy production to heifer raising or expansion from 100 cows to a 250-cow "state-of-the-art" confinement facility (with a 70% increase in land area) were also profitable options. These options provided a long-term P balance for the farm as long as the production and use of forage was maximized and minimum dietary P amounts were those recommended by the NRC. Thus, management changes can be made to prevent the long-term accumulation of soil P on dairy farms while improving farm profitability.

Survey of Salmonella contamination in chicken layer farms in three Caribbean countries.

PubMed

Adesiyun, Abiodun; Webb, Lloyd; Musai, Lisa; Louison, Bowen; Joseph, George; Stewart-Johnson, Alva; Samlal, Sannandan; Rodrigo, Shelly

2014-09-01

This study was conducted to investigate the demography, management, and production practices on layer chicken farms in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia and the frequency of risk factors for Salmonella infection. The frequency of isolation of Salmonella from the layer farm environment, eggs, feeds, hatchery, and imported day-old chicks was determined using standard methods. Of the eight risk factors (farm size, age group of layers, source of day-old chicks, vaccination, sanitation practices, biosecurity measures, presence of pests, and previous disease outbreaks) for Salmonella infection investigated, farm size was the only risk factor significantly associated (P = 0.031) with the prevalence of Salmonella; 77.8% of large farms were positive for this pathogen compared with 33.3 and 26.1% of medium and small farms, respectively. The overall isolation rate of Salmonella from 35 layer farms was 40.0%. Salmonella was isolated at a significantly higher rate (P < 0.05) from farm environments than from the cloacae. Only in Trinidad and Tobago did feeds (6.5% of samples) and pooled egg contents (12.5% of samples) yield Salmonella; however, all egg samples from hotels, hatcheries, and airports in this country were negative. Salmonella Anatum, Salmonella group C, and Salmonella Kentucky were the predominant serotypes in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia, respectively. Although Salmonella infections were found in layer birds sampled, table eggs appear to pose minimal risk to consumers. However, the detection of Salmonella -contaminated farm environments and feeds cannot be ignored. Only 2.9% of the isolates belonged to Salmonella Enteritidis, a finding that may reflect the impact of changes in farm management and poultry production in the region.

Labour time required for piglet castration with isoflurane-anaesthesia using shared and stationary inhaler devices.

PubMed

Weber, Sabrina; Das, Gürbüz; Waldmann, Karl-Heinz; Gauly, Matthias

2014-01-01

Isoflurane-anaesthesia combined with an analgesic represents a welfare-friendly method of pain mitigation for castration of piglets. However, it requires an inhaler device, which is uneconomic for small farms. Sharing a device among farms may be an economical option if the shared use does not increase labour time and the resulting costs. This study aimed to investigate the amount and components of labour time required for piglet castration with isoflurane anaesthesia performed with stationary and shared devices. Piglets (N = 1579) were anaesthetised with isoflurane (using either stationary or shared devices) and castrated.The stationary devices were used in a group (n = 5) of larger farms (84 sows/farm on an average), whereas smaller farms (n = 7; 32 sows/farm on an average) shared one device. Each farm was visited four times and labour time for each process-step was recorded. The complete process included machine set-up, anaesthesia and castration by a practitioner, and preparation, collection and transport of piglets by a farmer. Labour time of the complete process was increased (P = 0.012) on farms sharing a device (266 s/piglet) compared to farms using stationary devices (177 s/ piglet), due to increased time for preparation (P = 0.055), castration (P = 0.026) and packing (P = 0.010) when sharing a device. However, components of the time budget of farms using stationary or shared devices did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Cost arising from time spent by farmers did not differ considerably between the use of stationary (0.28 Euro per piglet) and shared (0.26 Euro) devices. It is concluded that costs arising from the increased labour time due to sharing a device can be considered marginal, since the high expenses originating from purchasing an inhaler device are shared among several farms.

Small Business Management Volume IV: Final Report. An Adult Education Program. Development, Demonstration and Evaluation of Management Education Programs for Small Business Entrepreneurs, Including Minorities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Persons, Edgar A.; Swanson, Gordon I.

The purpose of the small business management program is to help families improve the effectiveness of their business operation and enable them to reach family and business goals. Similar to a successful program in farm management education operational in Minnesota since 1952, the program includes classroom instruction, small group instruction,…

Pollen-mediated gene flow and seed exchange in small-scale Zambian maize farming, implications for biosafety assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bøhn, Thomas; Aheto, Denis W.; Mwangala, Felix S.; Fischer, Klara; Bones, Inger Louise; Simoloka, Christopher; Mbeule, Ireen; Schmidt, Gunther; Breckling, Broder

2016-10-01

Gene flow in agricultural crops is important for risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly in countries with a large informal agricultural sector of subsistence cultivation. We present a pollen flow model for maize (Zea mays), a major staple crop in Africa. We use spatial properties of fields (size, position) in three small-scale maize farming communities in Zambia and estimate rates of cross-fertilisation between fields sown with different maize varieties (e.g. conventional and transgene). As an additional factor contributing to gene flow, we present data on seed saving and sharing among farmers that live in the same communities. Our results show that: i) maize fields were small and located in immediate vicinity of neighboring fields; ii) a majority of farmers saved and shared seed; iii) modeled rates of pollen-mediated gene flow showed extensive mixing of germplasm between fields and farms and iv) as a result, segregation of GM and non-GM varieties is not likely to be an option in these systems. We conclude that the overall genetic composition of maize, in this and similar agricultural contexts, will be strongly influenced both by self-organised ecological factors (pollen flow), and by socially mediated intervention (seed recycling and sharing).

Pollen-mediated gene flow and seed exchange in small-scale Zambian maize farming, implications for biosafety assessment

PubMed Central

Bøhn, Thomas; Aheto, Denis W.; Mwangala, Felix S.; Fischer, Klara; Bones, Inger Louise; Simoloka, Christopher; Mbeule, Ireen; Schmidt, Gunther; Breckling, Broder

2016-01-01

Gene flow in agricultural crops is important for risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly in countries with a large informal agricultural sector of subsistence cultivation. We present a pollen flow model for maize (Zea mays), a major staple crop in Africa. We use spatial properties of fields (size, position) in three small-scale maize farming communities in Zambia and estimate rates of cross-fertilisation between fields sown with different maize varieties (e.g. conventional and transgene). As an additional factor contributing to gene flow, we present data on seed saving and sharing among farmers that live in the same communities. Our results show that: i) maize fields were small and located in immediate vicinity of neighboring fields; ii) a majority of farmers saved and shared seed; iii) modeled rates of pollen-mediated gene flow showed extensive mixing of germplasm between fields and farms and iv) as a result, segregation of GM and non-GM varieties is not likely to be an option in these systems. We conclude that the overall genetic composition of maize, in this and similar agricultural contexts, will be strongly influenced both by self-organised ecological factors (pollen flow), and by socially mediated intervention (seed recycling and sharing). PMID:27694819

Pollen-mediated gene flow and seed exchange in small-scale Zambian maize farming, implications for biosafety assessment.

PubMed

Bøhn, Thomas; Aheto, Denis W; Mwangala, Felix S; Fischer, Klara; Bones, Inger Louise; Simoloka, Christopher; Mbeule, Ireen; Schmidt, Gunther; Breckling, Broder

2016-10-03

Gene flow in agricultural crops is important for risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly in countries with a large informal agricultural sector of subsistence cultivation. We present a pollen flow model for maize (Zea mays), a major staple crop in Africa. We use spatial properties of fields (size, position) in three small-scale maize farming communities in Zambia and estimate rates of cross-fertilisation between fields sown with different maize varieties (e.g. conventional and transgene). As an additional factor contributing to gene flow, we present data on seed saving and sharing among farmers that live in the same communities. Our results show that: i) maize fields were small and located in immediate vicinity of neighboring fields; ii) a majority of farmers saved and shared seed; iii) modeled rates of pollen-mediated gene flow showed extensive mixing of germplasm between fields and farms and iv) as a result, segregation of GM and non-GM varieties is not likely to be an option in these systems. We conclude that the overall genetic composition of maize, in this and similar agricultural contexts, will be strongly influenced both by self-organised ecological factors (pollen flow), and by socially mediated intervention (seed recycling and sharing).

Invited review: Current production trends, farm structures, and economics of the dairy sheep and goat sectors.

PubMed

Pulina, G; Milán, M J; Lavín, M P; Theodoridis, A; Morin, E; Capote, J; Thomas, D L; Francesconi, A H D; Caja, G

2018-05-30

Dairy small ruminants account for approximately 21% of all sheep and goats in the world, produce around 3.5% of the world's milk, and are mainly located in subtropical-temperate areas of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Dairy sheep are concentrated around the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, where their dairy products are typical ingredients of the human diet. Dairy goats are concentrated in low-income, food-deficit countries of the Indian subcontinent, where their products are a key food source, but are also present in high-income, technologically developed countries. This review evaluates the status of the dairy sheep and goat sectors in the world, with special focus on the commercially and technically developed industries in France, Greece, Italy, and Spain (FGIS). Dairy small ruminants account for a minor part of the total agricultural output in France, Italy, and Spain (0.9 to 1.8%) and a larger part in Greece (8.8%). In FGIS, the dairy sheep industry is based on local breeds and crossbreeds raised under semi-intensive and intensive systems and is concentrated in a few regions in these countries. Average flock size varies from small to medium (140 to 333 ewes/farm), and milk yield from low to medium (85 to 216 L/ewe), showing substantial room for improvement. Most sheep milk is sold to industries and processed into traditional cheese types, many of which are Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheeses for gourmet and export markets (e.g., Pecorino, Manchego, and Roquefort). By comparing break-even milk price among FGIS countries, we observed the following: (1) most Greek and French dairy sheep farms were unprofitable, with the exception of the intensive Chios farms of Greece; (2) milk price was aligned with cost of production in Italy; and (3) profitable farms coexisted with unprofitable farms in Spain. In FGIS, dairy goat production is based on local breeds raised under more extensive systems than sheep. Compared with sheep, average dairy goat herds are smaller (36 to 190 does/farm) but milk yield is greater (153 to 589 L/doe), showing room for improvement. Goat milk is mainly processed on-farm into dairy products for national markets, but some PDO goat milk cheeses (e.g., Murcia al Vino) are exported. Processed goat milk is sold for local human consumption or dehydrated for export. Mixed sheep-goat (e.g., Feta) and cow-sheep-goat milk cheeses are common in many countries. Strategies to improve the dairy sheep and goat sectors in these 4 countries are proposed and discussed. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Results of an online questionnaire to survey calf management practices on dairy cattle breeding farms in Austria and to estimate differences in disease incidences depending on farm structure and management practices.

PubMed

Klein-Jöbstl, Daniela; Arnholdt, Tim; Sturmlechner, Franz; Iwersen, Michael; Drillich, Marc

2015-08-19

Calf disease may result in great economic losses. To implement prevention strategies it is important to gain information on management and to point out risk factors. The objective of this internet based survey was to describe calf management practices on registered dairy breeding farms in Austria and to estimate differences in calf disease incidences depending on farm structure and management practices. A total of 1287 questionnaires were finally analysed (response rate 12.2 %). Herd characteristics and regional distribution of farms indicated that this survey gives a good overview on calf management practices on registered dairy farms in Austria. The median number of cows per farm was 20 (interquartile range 13-30). Significant differences regarding farm characteristics and calf management between small and large farms (≤20 vs >20 cows) were present. Only 2.8 % of farmers tested first colostrum quality by use of a hydrometer. Storing frozen colostrum was more prevalent on large farms (80.8 vs 64.2 %). On 85.1 % of the farms, whole milk, including waste milk, was fed to the calves. Milk replacer and waste milk were more often used on large farms. In accordance with similar studies from other countries, calf diarrhoea was indicated as the most prevalent disease. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that herd size was associated with calf diarrhoea and calf respiratory tract disease, with higher risk of disease on large farms. Furthermore, feeding waste milk to the calves was associated with increasing calf diarrhoea incidence on farm. In the final model with calf respiratory tract disease as outcome, respondents from organic farms reported less often a respiratory tract disease incidence of over 10 % compared with conventional farms [odds ratio (OR) 0.40, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.75] and farmers that housed calves individually or in groups after birth significantly reported more often to have an incidence of respiratory tract disease >10 % compared with farms where all calves were housed individually (OR 2.28, 95 % CI 1.16-4.48). The results obtained in this study provide an overview on calf management on dairy breeding farms in Austria and may help to further point out areas to be improved on farm.

12 CFR 35.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA..., home-improvement, small business, small farm, community development, and consumer lending, as described... the case of an insured depository institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any...

12 CFR 533.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF..., home-improvement, small business, small farm, community development, and consumer lending, as described... the case of an insured depository institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any...

Thirty years of management on a small longleaf pine forest

Treesearch

William D. Boyer

1981-01-01

Results from 30 years of management of this demonstration farm forty should interest any landowner with a small tract of longleaf pine forest.In this case, the starting point for management was a poorly-stocked stand of second-growth longleaf pine on an average Coastal Plain site.Despite no capital outlays and relativcly small expenses, principally for prescribed...

The Pattern of Complaints about Australian Wind Farms Does Not Match the Establishment and Distribution of Turbines: Support for the Psychogenic, ‘Communicated Disease’ Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Chapman, Simon; St. George, Alexis; Waller, Karen; Cakic, Vince

2013-01-01

Background and Objectives With often florid allegations about health problems arising from wind turbine exposure now widespread, nocebo effects potentially confound any future investigation of turbine health impact. Historical audits of health complaints are therefore important. We test 4 hypotheses relevant to psychogenic explanations of the variable timing and distribution of health and noise complaints about wind farms in Australia. Setting All Australian wind farms (51 with 1634 turbines) operating 1993–2012. Methods Records of complaints about noise or health from residents living near 51 Australian wind farms were obtained from all wind farm companies, and corroborated with complaints in submissions to 3 government public enquiries and news media records and court affidavits. These are expressed as proportions of estimated populations residing within 5 km of wind farms. Results There are large historical and geographical variations in wind farm complaints. 33/51 (64.7%) of Australian wind farms including 18/34 (52.9%) with turbine size >1 MW have never been subject to noise or health complaints. These 33 farms have an estimated 21,633 residents within 5 km and have operated complaint-free for a cumulative 267 years. Western Australia and Tasmania have seen no complaints. 129 individuals across Australia (1 in 254 residents) appear to have ever complained, with 94 (73%) being residents near 6 wind farms targeted by anti wind farm groups. The large majority 116/129(90%) of complainants made their first complaint after 2009 when anti wind farm groups began to add health concerns to their wider opposition. In the preceding years, health or noise complaints were rare despite large and small-turbine wind farms having operated for many years. Conclusions The reported historical and geographical variations in complaints are consistent with psychogenic hypotheses that expressed health problems are “communicated diseases” with nocebo effects likely to play an important role in the aetiology of complaints. PMID:24146893

The pattern of complaints about Australian wind farms does not match the establishment and distribution of turbines: support for the psychogenic, 'communicated disease' hypothesis.

PubMed

Chapman, Simon; St George, Alexis; Waller, Karen; Cakic, Vince

2013-01-01

With often florid allegations about health problems arising from wind turbine exposure now widespread, nocebo effects potentially confound any future investigation of turbine health impact. Historical audits of health complaints are therefore important. We test 4 hypotheses relevant to psychogenic explanations of the variable timing and distribution of health and noise complaints about wind farms in Australia. All Australian wind farms (51 with 1634 turbines) operating 1993-2012. Records of complaints about noise or health from residents living near 51 Australian wind farms were obtained from all wind farm companies, and corroborated with complaints in submissions to 3 government public enquiries and news media records and court affidavits. These are expressed as proportions of estimated populations residing within 5 km of wind farms. There are large historical and geographical variations in wind farm complaints. 33/51 (64.7%) of Australian wind farms including 18/34 (52.9%) with turbine size >1 MW have never been subject to noise or health complaints. These 33 farms have an estimated 21,633 residents within 5 km and have operated complaint-free for a cumulative 267 years. Western Australia and Tasmania have seen no complaints. 129 individuals across Australia (1 in 254 residents) appear to have ever complained, with 94 (73%) being residents near 6 wind farms targeted by anti wind farm groups. The large majority 116/129(90%) of complainants made their first complaint after 2009 when anti wind farm groups began to add health concerns to their wider opposition. In the preceding years, health or noise complaints were rare despite large and small-turbine wind farms having operated for many years. The reported historical and geographical variations in complaints are consistent with psychogenic hypotheses that expressed health problems are "communicated diseases" with nocebo effects likely to play an important role in the aetiology of complaints.

Longitudinal monitoring of Cryptosporidium species in pre-weaned dairy calves on five farms in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Cai, Min; Guo, Yaqiong; Pan, Baoliang; Li, Na; Wang, Xiaolan; Tang, Chuanxiang; Feng, Yaoyu; Xiao, Lihua

2017-07-15

In pre-weaned dairy calves, the zoonotic and pathogenic species Cryptosporidium parvum is the dominant Cryptosporidium species in most industrialized nations. In several studies in China, however, C. bovis has been the dominant one. To further examine the distribution of Cryptosporidium species in pre-weaned dairy calves in China, 818 fecal specimens were collected from five farms in Shanghai, with repeated samplings (up to five times) on each farm. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene was used to detect and genotype Cryptosporidium spp. Cryptosporidium parvum was subtyped by sequence analysis of the 60kDa glycoprotein gene. Cryptosporidium occurrence on farms varied between 25.0% (Farm 2) and 55.0% (Farm 4), with a mean infection rate of 37.0%. Three Cryptosporidium species were detected, including C. bovis (193/303 or 63.7%), C. parvum (72/303 or 23.8%) and C. ryanae (32/303 or 10.6%). Concurrent infection of C. bovis and C. ryanae was detected in six (1.9%) animals. During the first two samplings, C. bovis was the dominant species on four farms and C. parvum was detected on only one farm (Farm 1). One of the study farms (Farm 3) started to have C. parvum at the third sampling. C. parvum was associated with the occurrence of moderate or watery diarrhea, while C. bovis was not. All C. parvum were subtype IIdA19G1, which is dominant in China but rare elsewhere. Genotyping and subtyping results indicated that the introduction of C. parvum to Farm 3 was caused by brief housing of several bull calves from another farm. Data from the study suggest that C. parvum is still uncommon in pre-weaned dairy calves in China and measures should be developed to prevent its spread in the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interspecies Interactions and Potential Influenza A Virus Risk in Small Swine Farms in Peru

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-15

or ducks was observed in 36% of all farms. Human-avian interactions were less frequent overall. Use of adequate biosecurity and hygiene practices by...Wild, aquatic birds—especially ducks and geese—are widely recognized to be reservoirs of IAVs [1]. Numerous avian influenza strains have been...combination of avian and human influenza strains [22,23]. Increased human consumption of meat , more efficient animal husbandry practices and the

Family Farmers and Major Retail Chains in the Brazilian Organic Sector: Assessing New Development Pathways. A Case Study in a Peri-Urban District of Sao Paulo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanc, Julien

2009-01-01

The expansion of the organic sector in Brazil is seen as a leverage for the social emancipation of the small family farmers. Next to the traditional alternatives circuits of organic food and farming, new powerful capitalistic actors, such as supermarket chains, are rapidly entering the Brazilian organic arena. Can family farming benefit from the…

Hurricane Impacts on Small Island Communities: Case study of Hurricane Matthew on Great Exuma, The Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan Sealey, Kathleen; Bowleg, John

2017-04-01

Great Exuma has been a UNESCO Eco-hydrology Project Site with a focus on coastal restoration and flood management. Great Exuma and its largest settlement, George Town, support a population of just over 8.000 people on an island dominated by extensive coastal wetlands. The Victoria Pond Eco-Hydrology project restored flow and drainage to highly-altered coastal wetlands to reduce flooding of the built environment as well as regain ecological function. The project was designed to show the value of a protected wetland and coastal environment within a populated settlement; demonstrating that people can live alongside mangroves and value "green" infrastructure for flood protection. The restoration project was initiated after severe storm flooding in 2007 with Tropical Storm Noel. In 2016, the passing of Hurricane Matthew had unprecedented impacts on the coastal communities of Great Exuma, challenging past practices in restoration and flood prevention. This talk reviews the loss of natural capital (for example, fish populations, mangroves, salt water inundation) from Hurricane Matthew based on a rapid response survey of Great Exuma. The surprisingly find was the impact of storm surge on low-lying areas used primarily for personal farms and small-scale agriculture. Although women made up the overwhelming majority of people who attended Coastal Restoration workshops, women were most adversely impacted by the recent hurricane flooding with the loss of their small low-lying farms and gardens. Although increasing culverts in mangrove creeks in two areas did reduce building flood damage, the low-lying areas adjacent to mangroves, mostly ephemeral freshwater wetlands, were inundated with saltwater, and seasonal crops in these areas were destroyed. These ephemeral wetlands were designed as part of the wetland flooding system, it was not known how important these small areas were to artisanal farming on Great Exuma. The size and scope of Hurricane Matthew passing through the entire country presents a unique opportunity use a rapid response method to document coastal impacts to better understand how to plan coastal restoration. Small farms managed primarily by women accounted for about 35% of the fresh produce eaten by local Bahamians (not tourists), and the loss of local production may be permanent.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in sheep and goats reared under dairy husbandry systems in Greece☆

PubMed Central

Tzanidakis, Nikolaos; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Claerebout, Edwin; Ehsan, Amimul; Voutzourakis, Nikolaos; Kostopoulou, Despoina; Stijn, Casaert; Vercruysse, Jozef; Geurden, Thomas

2014-01-01

Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are gastro-intestinal protozoa known to infect small ruminants. Both protozoa are also considered as a potential public health concern. The objective of this study was to determine their prevalence in lambs and goat kids kept under common Mediterranean dairy husbandry systems and to identify the species and genotypes infecting these small ruminants. In total, 684 faecal samples (429 from lambs and 255 from goat kids) were collected on 21 farms in Greece and examined using a quantitative immunofluorescence assay. G. duodenalis was detected in 37.3% of the lambs and 40.4% of the goat kids. On all but one of the farms G. duodenalis was detected. Most samples were typed as a mono-infection with G. duodenalis assemblage E, both on the β-giardin gene and the triose phosphate isomerase gene. Only 10% of samples were typed as mixed assemblage A and E infections. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 5.1% in lambs and 7.1% in goat kids. In total, 8 out of the 14 farms with a sheep flock and 7 out of the 14 farms with a goat flock were positive. Cryptosporidium parvum (subtype IId), C. ubiquitum and C. xiaoi were identified, the latter especially in goat kids. In conclusion, the results of the present study illustrate that G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. occur frequently on both sheep and goats farms. The prevalence of zoonotic genotypes or species was low, indicating a limited but existing risk for zoonotic infections. PMID:25187088

Safety and Health Hazard Observations in Hmong Farming Operations

PubMed Central

Neitzel, R. L.; Krenz, J.; de Castro, A. B.

2014-01-01

Agricultural workers have a high risk of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. However, there are very few standardized tools available to assess safety and health in agricultural operations. Additionally, there are a number of groups of agricultural workers, including Hmong refugees and immigrants, for which virtually no information on safety and health conditions is available. This study developed an observation-based methodology for systematically evaluating occupational health and safety hazards in agriculture, and pilot-tested this on several small-scale Hmong farming operations. Each observation assessed of range of safety and health hazards (e.g., musculoskeletal hazards, dust and pollen, noise, and mechanical hazards), as well as on factors such as type of work area, presence of personal protective equipment, and weather conditions. Thirty-six observations were collected on nine farms. The most common hazards observed were bending at the back and lifting <50 pounds. Use of sharp tools without adequate guarding mechanisms, awkward postures, repetitive hand motions, and lifting >50 pounds were also common. The farming activities observed involved almost no power equipment, and no pesticide or chemical handling was observed. The use of personal protective equipment was uncommon. The results of this assessment agreed well with a parallel study of perceived safety and health hazards among Hmong agricultural workers. This study suggests that small-scale Hmong farming operations involve a variety of hazards, and that occupational health interventions may be warranted in this community. The study also demonstrates the utility of standardized assessment tools and mixed-method approaches to hazard evaluation. PMID:24911689

Transforming ex-small scale mining land as farming areas for sustainable development and poverty alleviation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nampa, I. W.; Markus, J. E. R.; Mudita, I. W.; Natonis, R. L.; Bunga, W.; Kaho, N. R.

2018-03-01

When the price of manganese ores in 2012, mining activities declined or even terminated. Ex-miners lose an important source of income, but they did not have any other alternative except going back to slash and burn cultivation, producing enough only for their own food. Their hope for a better live was gone and at the same time they faced stigmatisation as causing environmental degradation from the rest of the community. We carried out this case study to followex-miners in the Tubuhue village who organised themselves to do post-mining rehabilitation by turning the former mining site into an area of productive farming. In-depth interview, field observation and focus group discussion were conducted from 2015 to 2017. We found that during the period of mining boom, slash and burn cultivation decrease significantly but began to increase after no mining activities. Various social transformations took place along with this land use change, but the most important was the miners’ decision to do mining as an organised activity. A strong leader of this organization played a pivotal role in turning the former mining site into an area of productive sedentary farming. This was carried out by organizing the ex-miners into farmers groups and together, constructing drip and sprinkler irrigation networks to water their crops using rain water collected in the mining holes that they had turned into small check-dams. The leader expected that this farming could provide an alternative for ex-miners to obtain cash income to limit them going back doing swidden farming.

Short communication: survey of fresh cow management practices of dairy cattle on small and large commercial farms.

PubMed

Heuwieser, W; Iwersen, M; Gossellin, J; Drillich, M

2010-03-01

The objective was to conduct a survey of current fresh cow management practices that have an effect on health and diseases postpartum considering different herd sizes of commercial dairy farms. A mail survey regarding aspects of the fresh cow program including general management issues, calving, diseases, and veterinary service was conducted utilizing a convenience sample. A total of 429 survey forms were returned (12.0% response rate) and could be used for final analysis. Only 21.6% of the farms had a designated fresh cow pen. Almost every farm executed some type of fresh cow examination. Only 18.5% of farm managers documented the observations. Most of the dairy managers used more or less subjective criteria such as general appearance (97.0%) and appetite (69.7%). Only a minority of the responding dairy managers monitored their fresh cows using objective (fever 33.6%) or semiquantitative measures (subclinical ketosis 2.8%; body condition score 36.4%). On most farms, the veterinarian visited the herd only if needed (72.6%). Most cases of retained fetal membranes were treated by manual removal (72.3%) and antibiotic pills (89.5%). Several challenges and opportunities were identified to improve cow management practices.

Emergence of highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (HP-PRRS) in medium-scale swine farms in southeastern Cambodia.

PubMed

Tornimbene, B; Frossard, J-P; Chhim, V; Sorn, S; Guitian, J; Drew, T W

2015-01-01

Since 2006, reports from China and Viet Nam have alerted of an emergent highly pathogenic variant of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) in that region. The frequent occurrence of outbreaks in these countries puts Cambodian pig farms at high risk of infection, but no study had been conducted to investigate the presence of HP-PRRS in Cambodian farms. We investigated the presence of HP-PRRS in medium-scale (semi-commercial) swine farms in the Cambodian southeastern region. Specifically, one province bordering Viet Nam (Takeo) was selected due to the concentration of most semi-commercial farms in that province. A cross-sectional study was carried out, between July and September 2010 to assess whether the prevalence of infection in these farms was indicative of recent spread of PPRSV and to identify risk factors for infection. The number of farms to be sampled was established using methods for Lot Quality Assurance Surveys (LQAS), in order to achieve a pre-established ability to discriminate between two different prevalence settings. The target population comprised all semi-commercial farms in Takeo province from which a random sample of 35 farms was selected. Selected farms were visited and questionnaires administered to gather information on farm characteristics and husbandry practices. Blood samples from individual pigs were collected in each of the study farms and tested for PRRSV, along with a number of other swine respiratory pathogens in order to investigate potential interactions. Our results showed that the virus was already present in Takeo semi-commercial pig population (LQAS herd prevalence ≥85%) at the time of sampling. The presence of sows in the farm and farm density were significantly associated (P<0.05) with the introduction and the presence of PRRS - but this was an unadjusted association as small sample size precluded multivariate analysis. Spatiotemporal description of the supposed pattern of infection revealed that the 1st farms infected were closely located to major national and provincial roads, connecting the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to Viet Nam. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 207.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS (REGULATION G) § 207.4 Fulfillment of the CRA. (a) List of factors that... party to the agreement— (i) Home-purchase, home-improvement, small business, small farm, community... institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any element of the strategic plan, as...

12 CFR 346.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 346.4 Fulfillment of the CRA. (a) List of factors that... party to the agreement— (i) Home-purchase, home-improvement, small business, small farm, community... depository institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any element of the strategic plan...

Underseeding clovers in small grains to suppress weeds in organic farming

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Organic producers are seeking alternative tactics for weed control so that they can reduce their need for tillage. In this study, we examined the impact of underseeding clovers into small grains to control weeds after harvest. Also, if the clovers winterkill, then control actions would not be need...

Innovative Marketing Opportunities for Small Farmers: Local Schools as Customers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schofer, Daniel P.; Holmes, Glyen; Richardson, Vonda; Connerly, Charles

A group of limited-resource small farmers in northern Florida's Jackson County, the USDA, the West Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council, Florida A&M University, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives organized the New North Florida Cooperative to increase farm income by introducing improved methods of marketing…

Surface geophysical investigation of the areal and vertical extent of metallic waste at the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Missouri, Spring 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, Lyndsay B.; Kress, Wade H.; Anderson, Eric D.; Teeple, Andrew; Ferguson, James W.; Colbert, Charles R.

2004-01-01

The former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Missouri, was used primarily as a storage facility for the production of small arms ammunition during 1941?47 and 1951?61. A secondary use of the site was for munitions testing and disposal. Surface exposures of small arms waste, characterized by brass shell casings and fragments, as well as other miscellaneous scrap metal are remnants of disposal practices that took place during U.S. Army operation and can be found throughout the site. Little historical information exists describing disposal practices, and more debris is believed to be buried in the subsurface. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has identified several areas of concern throughout the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm. A surface-geophysical investigation was performed by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to evaluate the areal and vertical extent of metallic debris in the subsurface within three of these areas of concern. Electromagnetic and magnetic methods were used to locate anomalies indicating relatively large concentrations of buried metallic debris within the selected areas of concern. Maps were created identifying twelve anomalous zones in the three areas of concern, and three of these zones were selected for further investigation. The extent and depth of the anomalies within these zones were explored using two-dimensional direct-current resistivity methods. Resistivity and time-domain induced polarization data were compared to the anomalous locations of the electromagnetic and magnetic surveys. The geophysical methods selected for this study were useful in determining the areal and vertical extent of metallic waste within the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm. However, electromagnetic and magnetic methods were not able to differentiate magnetic scrap metal from non-magnetic metallic small arms waste, most likely due to the small size and scattered distribution of the small arms waste, in addition to the mixing of both types of debris in the subsurface. Electromagnetic and magnetic data showed some zones of concentrated anomalies, while there was a general scattering of small anomalies throughout the site. Inverted resistivity sections, as well as induced polarization sections, showed the debris to have a maximum depth of approximately 1 to 2 meters below the surface.

Development of web-based GIS services for sustainable soil resource management at farm level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, Antonis; Kolovos, Chronis; Troyanos, Yerasimos; Doula, Maria

2017-09-01

Modern farms situated in urban or suburban areas, include various and in most cases diverse land covers. Land uses in such farms may serve residential, structured, aesthetic and agricultural purposes, usually delimited inside the boundaries of a single property. The environmental conditions across a farm, especially if it is situated on an irregular terrain, can be highly differentiated. Managing soil resources in a small scale diverse farm environment in a holistic and sustainable way should have spatial and temporal reference and take advantage of cut-edge geospatial technologies. In present study, an 8 hectare farm with various land uses in the southern suburbs of Attica Prefecture, Greece was systematically monitored regarding its soil, water and plant resources. Almost 80% of the farm's area is covered with trees, shrubs and low vegetation planted in a mosaic of parterres. Farm data collected concerned soil and water physicochemical characteristics, plant species, topographical features, irrigation network, valves and infrastructure. All data were imported and developed in a GIS geodatabase. Furthermore, web GIS services and a mobile GIS app were developed in order to monitor, update and synchronize present status and future changes performed in the farm. Through the web services and using the mobile GIS app, the user has access to all data stored in the geodatabase and according to access rights he can view or edit the spatial entities. The user can easily make query to specific features, combine their properties with other overlaying spatial data and reach accurate decisions. The app can be downloaded and implemented in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets for extending its functionality. As proven in this study, web GIS services and mobile GIS apps constitute an attractive suite of methodologies for effective and user friendly management of natural resources at farm level.

Farm-by-farm analysis of microsatellite, mtDNA and SNP genotype data reveals inbreeding and crossbreeding as threats to the survival of a native Spanish pig breed.

PubMed

Herrero-Medrano, J M; Megens, H J; Crooijmans, R P; Abellaneda, J M; Ramis, G

2013-06-01

The Chato Murciano (CM), a pig breed from the Murcia region in the southeastern region of Spain, is a good model for endangered livestock populations. The remaining populations are bred on approximately 15 small farms, and no herdbook exists. To assess the genetic threats to the integrity and survival of the CM breed, and to aid in designing a conservation program, three genetic marker systems - microsatellites, SNPs and mtDNA - were applied across the majority of the total breeding stock. In addition, mtDNA and SNPs were genotyped in breeds that likely contributed genetically to the current CM gene pool. The analyses revealed the levels of genetic diversity within the range of other European local breeds (H(e) = 0.53). However, when the eight farms that rear at least 10 CM pigs were independently analyzed, high levels of inbreeding were found in some. Despite the evidence for recent crossbreeding with commercial breeds on a few farms, the entire breeding stock remains readily identifiable as CM, facilitating the design of traceability assays. The genetic management of the breed is consistent with farm size, farm owner and presence of other pig breeds on the farm, demonstrating the highly ad hoc nature of current CM breeding. The results of genetic diversity and substructure of the entire breed, as well as admixture and crossbreeding obtained in the present study, provide a benchmark to develop future conservation strategies. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that identifying farm-based practices and farm-based breeding stocks can aid in the design of a sustainable breeding program for minority breeds. © 2012 The Authors, Animal Genetics © 2012 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Turbulent flow and scalar transport in a large wind farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porte-Agel, F.; Markfort, C. D.; Zhang, W.

2012-12-01

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy world-wide, and it is expected that many more large-scale wind farms will be built and cover a significant portion of land and ocean surfaces. By extracting kinetic energy from the atmospheric boundary layer and converting it to electricity, wind farms may affect the transport of momentum, heat, moisture and trace gases (e.g. CO_2) between the atmosphere and the land surface locally and globally. Understanding wind farm-atmosphere interaction is complicated by the effects of turbine array configuration, wind farm size, land-surface characteristics, and atmospheric thermal stability. A wind farm of finite length may be modeled as an added roughness or as a canopy in large-scale weather and climate models. However, it is not clear which analogy is physically more appropriate. Also, surface scalar flux is affected by wind farms and needs to be properly parameterized in meso-scale and/or high-resolution numerical models. Experiments involving model wind farms, with perfectly aligned and staggered configurations, having the same turbine distribution density, were conducted in a thermally-controlled boundary-layer wind tunnel. A neutrally stratified turbulent boundary layer was developed with a surface heat source. Measurements of the turbulent flow and fluxes over and through the wind farm were made using a custom x-wire/cold-wire anemometer; and surface scalar flux was measured with an array of surface-mounted heat flux sensors far within the quasi-developed region of the wind-farm. The turbulence statistics exhibit similar properties to those of canopy-type flows, but retain some characteristics of surface-layer flows in a limited region above the wind farms as well. The flow equilibrates faster and the overall momentum absorption is higher for the staggered compared to the aligned farm, which is consistent with canopy scaling and leads to a larger effective roughness. Although the overall surface heat flux change produced by the wind farms is found to be small, with a net reduction of 4% for the staggered wind farm and nearly zero change for the aligned wind farm, the highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of the surface heat flux, dependent on wind farm layout, is significant. This comprehensive first wind-tunnel dataset on turbulent flow and scalar transport in wind farms will be further used to develop and validate new parameterizations of surface fluxes in numerical models.

Experimental study of the impact of large-scale wind farms on land-atmosphere exchanges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, wei; Markfort, Corey; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2013-04-01

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy world-wide, and it is expected that many more large-scale wind farms will be built and cover a significant portion of land and ocean surfaces. By extracting kinetic energy from the atmospheric boundary layer and converting it to electricity, wind farms may affect the transport of momentum, heat, moisture and trace gases (e.g. CO2) between the atmosphere and the land surface locally and globally. Understanding wind farm-atmosphere interactions and subsequent environmental impacts are complicated by the effects of turbine array configuration, wind farm size, land-surface characteristics and atmospheric thermal stability. In particular, surface scalar flux is influenced by wind farms and needs to be appropriately parameterized in meso-scale and/or high-resolution numerical models. Wind-tunnel experiments of model wind farms with perfectly aligned and staggered configurations, having the same turbine distribution density, were conducted in a neutral turbulent boundary layer with a surface heat source. Turbulent flow and fluxes over and through the wind farm were measured using a custom x-wire/cold-wire anemometer; and surface scalar flux was measured with an array of surface-mounted heat flux sensors within the quasi-developed flow regime. Although the overall surface heat flux change produced by the wind farms was found to be small, with a net reduction of 4% for the staggered wind farm and nearly zero for the aligned wind farm, the highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of the surface heat flux, dependent on wind farm layout, is significant. The difference between the minimum and maximum surface heat fluxes could be up to 12% and 7% in aligned and staggered wind farms, respectively. This finding is important for planning intensive agriculture practices and optimizing agricultural land use with regard to wind energy project development. The well-controlled wind-tunnel experiments presented here also provide a first comprehensive dataset on turbulent flow and scalar transport in wind farms, which can be further used to develop and validate new parameterizations for surface scalar fluxes in numerical models.

Assessment of farm soil, biochar, compost and weathered pine mulch to mitigate methane emissions.

PubMed

Syed, Rashad; Saggar, Surinder; Tate, Kevin; Rehm, Bernd H A

2016-11-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the effective utility of volcanic pumice soil to mitigate both high and low levels of methane (CH 4 ) emissions through the activity of both γ-proteobacterial (type I) and α-proteobacterial (type II) aerobic methanotrophs. However, the limited availability of volcanic pumice soil necessitates the assessment of other farm soils and potentially suitable, economical and widely available biofilter materials. The potential biofilter materials, viz. farm soil (isolated from a dairy farm effluent pond bank area), pine biochar, garden waste compost and weathered pine bark mulch, were inoculated with a small amount of volcanic pumice soil. Simultaneously, a similar set-up of potential biofilter materials without inoculum was studied to understand the effect of the inoculum on the ability of these materials to oxidise CH 4 and their effect on methanotroph growth and activity. These materials were incubated at 25 °C with periodic feeding of CH 4 , and flasks were aerated with air (O 2 ) to support methanotroph growth and activity by maintaining aerobic conditions. The efficiency of CH 4 removal was monitored over 6 months. All materials supported the growth and activity of methanotrophs. However, the efficiency of CH 4 removal by all the materials tested fluctuated between no or low removal (0-40 %) and high removal phases (>90 %), indicating biological disturbances rather than physico-chemical changes. Among all the treatments, CH 4 removal was consistently high (>80 %) in the inoculated farm soil and inoculated biochar, and these were more resilient to changes in the methanotroph community. The CH 4 removal from inoculated farm soil and inoculated biochar was further enhanced (up to 99 %) by the addition of a nutrient solution. Our results showed that (i) farm soil and biochar can be used as a biofilter material by inoculating with an active methanotroph community, (ii) an abundant population of α-proteobacterial methanotrophs is essential for effective and stable CH 4 removal and (iii) addition of nutrients enhances the growth and activity of methanotrophs in the biofilter materials. Further studies are underway to assess the feasibility of these materials at small plot and field scales.

Antimicrobials in small-scale urban pig farming in a lower middle-income country - arbitrary use and high resistance levels.

PubMed

Ström, G; Boqvist, S; Albihn, A; Fernström, L-L; Andersson Djurfeldt, A; Sokerya, S; Sothyra, T; Magnusson, U

2018-01-01

Administration of antimicrobials to food-producing animals is regarded as a major contributor to the overall emergence of resistance in bacteria worldwide. However, few data are available on global antimicrobial use and resistance (AMR) in livestock, especially from low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a structured survey of 91 small-scale pig farms in the urban and peri-urban areas of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to assess the farmers' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to antimicrobial use in their pig production. Commensal Escherichia coli was isolated from three healthy pigs from each farm ( n  = 261) and susceptibility testing was performed against 14 antimicrobials, using broth microdilution. Univariable logistic regression and generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate potential associations between farm characteristics, management factors and resistance to different types of antimicrobials. We found a widespread and arbitrary use of antimicrobials, often based on the farmer's own judgment. Around 66% of the farmers reported frequently self-adjusting treatment duration and dosage, and 45% had not heard about the term 'antimicrobial resistance'. The antimicrobials most commonly mentioned or kept by the farmers were amoxicillin, tylosin, gentamicin and colistin. Around 37% used a feed concentrate that contained antimicrobials, while antimicrobials for humans were used as a last-line treatment by 10% of the farmers. Commensal E. coli exhibited high prevalence of resistance to several antimicrobials considered to be of critical importance for human medicine, including ampicillin, ciprofloxacin and colistin, and multidrug-resistance was found in 79% of the samples. Higher prevalence of resistance was observed on farms that administered prophylactic antimicrobials and on farms that treated the entire group or herd in the event of disease. The widespread and arbitrary use of antimicrobials in pig farming in Cambodia is highly worrisome. Overall, farmers had a low awareness of the risks and consequences related to antimicrobial use and AMR. The results presented in this study confirm the hypothesis that non-rational use of antimicrobials results in higher prevalence of AMR and highlight the need for professional animal health systems that involve medically rational use of antimicrobials in emerging economies such as Cambodia.

Trees, soils, and food security

PubMed Central

Sanchez, P. A.; Buresh, R. J.; Leakey, R. R. B.

1997-01-01

Trees have a different impact on soil properties than annual crops, because of their longer residence time, larger biomass accumulation, and longer-lasting, more extensive root systems. In natural forests nutrients are efficiently cycled with very small inputs and outputs from the system. In most agricultural systems the opposite happens. Agroforestry encompasses the continuum between these extremes, and emerging hard data is showing that successful agroforestry systems increase nutrient inputs, enhance internal flows, decrease nutrient losses and provide environmental benefits: when the competition for growth resources between the tree and the crop component is well managed. The three main determinants for overcoming rural poverty in Africa are (i) reversing soil fertility depletion, (ii) intensifying and diversifying land use with high-value products, and (iii) providing an enabling policy environment for the smallholder farming sector. Agroforestry practices can improve food production in a sustainable way through their contribution to soil fertility replenishment. The use of organic inputs as a source of biologically-fixed nitrogen, together with deep nitrate that is captured by trees, plays a major role in nitrogen replenishment. The combination of commercial phosphorus fertilizers with available organic resources may be the key to increasing and sustaining phosphorus capital. High-value trees, 'Cinderella' species, can fit in specific niches on farms, thereby making the system ecologically stable and more rewarding economically, in addition to diversifying and increasing rural incomes and improving food security. In the most heavily populated areas of East Africa, where farm size is extremely small, the number of trees on farms is increasing as farmers seek to reduce labour demands, compatible with the drift of some members of the family into the towns to earn off-farm income. Contrary to the concept that population pressure promotes deforestation, there is evidence that demonstrates that there are conditions under which increasing tree planting is occurring on farms in the tropics through successful agroforestry as human population density increases.

Neurobehavioral effects of exposure to organophosphates and pyrethroid pesticides among Thai children

PubMed Central

Fiedler, Nancy; Rohitrattana, Juthasiri; Siriwong, Wattasit; Suttiwan, Panrapee; Strickland, Pam Ohman; Ryan, P. Barry; Rohlman, Diane S.; Panuwet, Parinya; Barr, Dana Boyd; Robson, Mark G.

2015-01-01

The use of pesticides for crop production has grown rapidly in Thailand during the last decade, resulting in significantly greater potential for exposure among children living on farms. Although some previous studies assessed exposures to pesticides in this population, no studies have been conducted to evaluate corresponding health effects. Twenty-four children from a rice farming community (exposed) and 29 from an aquaculture (shrimp) community (control) completed the study. Participants completed a neurobehavioral test battery three times at 6 month intervals: Session I: preliminary orientation; Session II: high pesticide use season; Session III: low pesticide-use season. Only sessions II and III were used in the analyses. High and low pesticide use seasons were determined by pesticide use on rice farms. Urinary metabolites of organophosphates (OPs) and pyrethroids (PYR) were analyzed from first morning void samples collected the day of neurobehavioral testing. Rice farm participants had significantly higher concentrations of dialkylphosphates (DAPs) (common metabolites of OPs) and TCPy (a specific metabolite of chlorpyrifos) than aquaculture farm children regardless of season. But, TCPy was significantly higher during the low rather than the high pesticide use season for both participant groups. Rice farm children had significantly higher DCCA, a metabolite of PYR, than aquaculture participants only during the high exposure season. Otherwise, no significant differences in PYR metabolites were noted between the participant groups or seasons. No significant adverse neurobehavioral effects were observed between participant groups during either the high or low pesticide use season. After controlling for differences in age and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) scores, DAPs, TCPy, and PYR were not significant predictors of adverse neurobehavioral performance during either season. Increasing DAP and PYR metabolites predicted some relatively small improvement in latency of response. However, due to the small sample size and inability to characterize chronic exposure, any significant differences observed should be regarded with caution. PMID:25721160

Impact of raw pig slurry and pig farming practices on physicochemical parameters and on atmospheric N2O and CH 4 emissions of tropical soils, Uvéa Island (South Pacific).

PubMed

Roth, E; Gunkel-Grillon, P; Joly, L; Thomas, X; Decarpenterie, T; Mappe-Fogaing, I; Laporte-Magoni, C; Dumelié, N; Durry, G

2014-09-01

Emissions of CH4 and N2O related to private pig farming under a tropical climate in Uvéa Island were studied in this paper. Physicochemical soil parameters such as nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, Kjeldahl nitrogen, total organic carbon, pH and moisture were measured. Gaseous soil emissions as well as physicochemical parameters were compared in two private pig farming strategies encountered on this island on two different soils (calcareous and ferralitic) in order to determine the best pig farming management: in small concrete pens or in large land pens. Ammonium levels were higher in control areas while nitrate and nitrite levels were higher in soils with pig slurry inputs, indicating that nitrification was the predominant process related to N2O emissions. Nitrate contents in soils near concrete pens were important (≥ 55 μg N/g) and can thus be a threat for the groundwater. For both pig farming strategies, N2O and CH4 fluxes can reach high levels up to 1 mg N/m(2)/h and 1 mg C/m(2)/h, respectively. CH4 emissions near concrete pens were very high (≥ 10.4 mg C/m(2)/h). Former land pens converted into agricultural land recover low N2O emission rates (≤ 0.03 mg N/m(2)/h), and methane uptake dominates. N2O emissions were related to nitrate content whereas CH4 emissions were found to be moisture dependent. As a result relating to the physicochemical parameters as well as to the gaseous emissions, we demonstrate that pig farming in large land pens is the best strategy for sustainable family pig breeding in Uvéa Islands and therefore in similar small tropical islands.

Feeding strategy, nitrogen cycling, and profitability of dairy farms.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Satter, L D; Mertens, D R; Muck, R E

1999-12-01

On a typical dairy farm today, large amounts of N are imported as feed supplements and fertilizer. If this N is not recycled through crop growth, it can lead to large losses to the atmosphere and ground water. More efficient use of protein feed supplements can potentially reduce the import of N in feeds, excretion of N in manure, and losses to the environment. A simulation study with a dairy farm model (DAFOSYM) illustrated that more efficient feeding and use of protein supplements increased farm profit and reduced N loss from the farm. Compared to soybean meal as the sole protein supplement, use of soybean meal along with a less rumen degradable protein feed reduced volatile N loss by 13 to 34 kg/ha of cropland with a small reduction in N leaching loss (about 1 kg/ha). Using the more expensive but less degradable protein supplement along with soybean meal improved net return by $46 to $69/cow per year, dependent on other management strategies of the farm. Environmental and economic benefits from more efficient supplementation of protein were generally greater with more animals per unit of land, higher milk production, more sandy soils, or a daily manure hauling strategy. Relatively less benefit was obtained when either alfalfa or corn silage was the sole forage on the farm or when relatively high amounts of forage were used in animal rations.

Transition to farming more likely for small, conservative groups with property rights, but increased productivity is not essential

PubMed Central

Gallagher, Elizabeth M.; Shennan, Stephen J.; Thomas, Mark G.

2015-01-01

Theories for the origins of agriculture are still debated, with a range of different explanations offered. Computational models can be used to test these theories and explore new hypotheses; Bowles and Choi [Bowles S, Choi J-K (2013) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110(22):8830–8835] have developed one such model. Their model shows the coevolution of farming and farming-friendly property rights, and by including climate variability, replicates the timings for the emergence of these events seen in the archaeological record. Because the processes modeled occurred a long time ago, it can be difficult to justify exact parameter values; hence, we propose a fitting to idealized outcomes (FIO) method to explore the model’s parameter space in more detail. We have replicated the model of Bowles and Choi, and used the FIO method to identify complexities and interactions of the model previously unidentified. Our results indicate that the key parameters for the emergence of farming are group structuring, group size, conservatism, and farming-friendly property rights (lending further support to Bowles and Choi’s original proposal). We also find that although advantageous, it is not essential that farming productivity be greater than foraging productivity for farming to emerge. In addition, we highlight how model behaviors can be missed when gauging parameter sensitivity via a fix-all-but-one variation approach. PMID:26578766

Frequency of removal reasons of sows in Southeastern Mexico.

PubMed

Segura-Correa, José C; Ek-Mex, Enrique; Alzina-López, Alejandro; Segura-Correa, Victor M

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to describe the reasons for removal in three pig farms under the tropical conditions of Mexico. Data were obtained from the records from 2003 to 2009, including a total of 7,236 commercial culled sows. Farms 1 and 3 were full-cycle farms with 3,500 and 550 sows. Farm 2 was a two-cycle farm with 450 sows. The specific reasons for removal were grouped into six general categories. The descriptive statistics of the reasons for removal were obtained using cross tabulation tables. Chi-square was used to test between farm differences. Reproductive reasons accounted for the largest proportion of all removals (26.9%) of which anestrous and repeated estrous contributed with 34.2% and 20.8%, respectively. Locomotor problems were responsible for 15.5% of all removals, of which lameness was the main concern (56.3%) followed by "sow downer" syndrome (23.9%). Low production accounted for 12.8% of all removals of which 62.2% were due to small litter sizes and 37.8% due to disgalactia. Diseases were responsible for 13.0% of all removals of which respiratory problems was the most important (73.6%). Age as a cause of removal comprised 24.1% and the category "miscellaneous" 7.7% of all removals. Poor body condition and death reasons represented 2.6% and 1.6%, respectively. Differences between removal reasons were found between farms.

Insecticide-Treated Rodent Baits for Sand Fly Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-28

Agricul- tural Research Institute study area (KARI; lat 0.47, long 36.00) was comprised of land used for small-scale farming and for forage by goats ...study area. The sites at the KARI and Bogoria study areas had large numbers of a variety of non-reservoir ani- mals, including other small mammals, goats

Ten-year earnings from two small woodlands

Treesearch

Wilfred C. Mitchell; Henry H. Webster

1961-01-01

Ten years ago, management was started on two 30-acre demonstration woodlots on the Fernow Experimental Forest near Parsons, West Virginia. These were designated as Farm Woodlots, on the assumption that there was something significantly different between management incentives and opportunities for small holdings owned by farmers and for those owned by non-farmers.

Improving nitrogen management via a regional management plan for Chinese rice production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Liang; Chen, Xinping; Cui, Zhenling; Wang, Guiliang; Zhang, Weifeng

2015-09-01

A lack of basic information on optimal nitrogen (N) management often results in over- or under-application of N fertilizer in small-scale intensive rice farming. Here, we present a new database of N input from a survey of 6611 small-scale rice farmers and rice yield in response to added N in 1177 experimental on-farm tests across eight agroecological subregions of China. This database enables us to evaluate N management by farmers and develop an optimal approach to regional N management. We also investigated grain yield, N application rate, and estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in comparison to N application and farming practices. Across all farmers, the average N application rate, weighted by the area of rice production in each subregion, was 210 kg ha-1 and ranged from 30 to 744 kg ha-1 across fields and from 131 to 316 kg ha-1 across regions. The regionally optimal N rate (RONR) determined from the experiments averaged 167 kg ha-1 and varied from 114 to 224 kg N ha-1 for the different regions. If these RONR were widely adopted in China, approximately 56% of farms would reduce their use of N fertilizer, and approximately 33% would increase their use of N fertilizer. As a result, grain yield would increase by 7.4% from 7.14 to 7.67 Mg ha-1, and the estimated GHG emissions would be reduced by 11.1% from 1390 to 1236 kg carbon dioxide (CO2) eq Mg-1 grain. These results suggest that to achieve the goals of improvement in regional yield and sustainable environmental development, regional N use should be optimized among N-poor and N-rich farms and regions in China.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in sheep and goats reared under dairy husbandry systems in Greece.

PubMed

Tzanidakis, Nikolaos; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Claerebout, Edwin; Ehsan, Amimul; Voutzourakis, Nikolaos; Kostopoulou, Despoina; Stijn, Casaert; Vercruysse, Jozef; Geurden, Thomas

2014-01-01

Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are gastro-intestinal protozoa known to infect small ruminants. Both protozoa are also considered as a potential public health concern. The objective of this study was to determine their prevalence in lambs and goat kids kept under common Mediterranean dairy husbandry systems and to identify the species and genotypes infecting these small ruminants. In total, 684 faecal samples (429 from lambs and 255 from goat kids) were collected on 21 farms in Greece and examined using a quantitative immunofluorescence assay. G. duodenalis was detected in 37.3% of the lambs and 40.4% of the goat kids. On all but one of the farms G. duodenalis was detected. Most samples were typed as a mono-infection with G. duodenalis assemblage E, both on the β-giardin gene and the triose phosphate isomerase gene. Only 10% of samples were typed as mixed assemblage A and E infections. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 5.1% in lambs and 7.1% in goat kids. In total, 8 out of the 14 farms with a sheep flock and 7 out of the 14 farms with a goat flock were positive. Cryptosporidium parvum (subtype IId), C. ubiquitum and C. xiaoi were identified, the latter especially in goat kids. In conclusion, the results of the present study illustrate that G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. occur frequently on both sheep and goats farms. The prevalence of zoonotic genotypes or species was low, indicating a limited but existing risk for zoonotic infections. N. Tzanidakis et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2014

Socio-economic impacts of avian influenza outbreaks on small-scale producers in Indonesia.

PubMed

Basuno, E; Yusdja, Y; Ilham, N

2010-04-01

Since its first introduction in 2003 until January 2009 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was reported in 31 of 33 provinces of Indonesia. In addition, 115 fatal human cases have been reported in the same period and about 11 million chickens had died or been culled. In 2005 alone, about 60% of farms stopped their operations. The objective of this paper is to describe the socio-economic impact of HPAI on small producers in Indonesia. Simultaneous surveys were conducted in three provinces representing low, medium and high incidence areas, with total respondents of 720 farms. Socio-economic information before, during and after the HPAI outbreak were collected. Results indicated that poultry-raising decreased due to HPAI by 25-80% for broiler, 7-93% for layer and 48% for ducks. Overall, the number of farms stopping operations was 30% and in the high incidence area nearly 70%. The proportion of income from poultry for daily household expenditure decreased from 75-91% before to 38-82% after the HPAI outbreak. We observed more loan requests and less saving in the HPAI-infected farms. Direct impact of HPAI was also seen by decrease in expenditures for education and daily consumption in particular in the high incidence farms. The high proportion of income in pre-HPAI infection indicated the poultry enterprise as the main source of income. HPAI caused significant losses in all study areas through high mortality, lower production and lower demand for poultry products. However, levels of social relationship, social networking, social trust, social organization and decision making remained unchanged. To re-establish the poultry enterprise, the best target are low incidence areas that are less densely populated with humans and poultry.

Scavenger removal: Bird and bat carcass persistence in a tropical wind farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villegas-Patraca, Rafael; Macías-Sánchez, Samuel; MacGregor-Fors, Ian; Muñoz-Robles, Carlos

2012-08-01

Energy produced by wind farms has diverse positive environmental effects, but can also be related to negative impacts, including wildlife mortality through collisions with wind turbines. Bird and bat mortality caused by collisions with wind turbines can be estimated indirectly by counting carcasses within wind farms. However, carcass removal by scavengers often biases such measurements. In this study, we identified the main scavengers removing bird and bat carcasses in a tropical wind farm. A known fate analysis was done to assess the effect of carcass type (i.e., small bird, large bird, bat), vegetation type (i.e., secondary vegetation, croplands) and season (dry and rainy seasons of 2009) on carcass persistence rates. We identified three main scavenger groups, with mammals being the most abundant group. Our results show high rates of carcass removal relative to previous studies, especially for bats; there were fewer remaining carcasses after 20 days in our tropical site than in non-tropical environments reported elsewhere. We found a higher carcass persistence rate during the rainy season than in the dry season, possibly due to a greater abundance of food resources for scavenger organisms in the rainy season. Although we found some evidence for higher persistence rates for large bird carcasses than for small bird and bat carcasses during the rainy season, overall carcass type was not a strong predictor of persistence rates. Similarly, we did not find a strong effect of vegetation type on carcass persistence rates. Results suggest that in order to estimate accurate bird and bat mortality in tropical wind farm areas, seasonality should be incorporated to correction factors of carcass removal rates.

Rural culture and the conservation of Mackinders eagle owls (Bubo capensis mackinderi) in Kenya.

PubMed

Ogada, Darcy L

2008-06-01

The author describes her fieldwork studying a population of Mackinders eagle owls that live adjacent to small-scale farms in rural Kenya. Her study investigated the effects of farming practices on the diet and breeding ecology of the owls. She documented local people's attitudes toward owls since owls are taboo throughout Africa. She describes a typical day in the field, the community aspect of her project, her unique experiences studying owls in Kenya, and promotion of owl tourism.

Subnational distribution of average farm size and smallholder contributions to global food production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samberg, Leah H.; Gerber, James S.; Ramankutty, Navin; Herrero, Mario; West, Paul C.

2016-12-01

Smallholder farming is the most prevalent form of agriculture in the world, supports many of the planet’s most vulnerable populations, and coexists with some of its most diverse and threatened landscapes. However, there is little information about the location of small farms, making it difficult both to estimate their numbers and to implement effective agricultural, development, and land use policies. Here, we present a map of mean agricultural area, classified by the amount of land per farming household, at subnational resolutions across three key global regions using a novel integration of household microdata and agricultural landscape data. This approach provides a subnational estimate of the number, average size, and contribution of farms across much of the developing world. By our estimates, 918 subnational units in 83 countries in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South and East Asia average less than five hectares of agricultural land per farming household. These smallholder-dominated systems are home to more than 380 million farming households, make up roughly 30% of the agricultural land and produce more than 70% of the food calories produced in these regions, and are responsible for more than half of the food calories produced globally, as well as more than half of global production of several major food crops. Smallholder systems in these three regions direct a greater percentage of calories produced toward direct human consumption, with 70% of calories produced in these units consumed as food, compared to 55% globally. Our approach provides the ability to disaggregate farming populations from non-farming populations, providing a more accurate picture of farming households on the landscape than has previously been available. These data meet a critical need, as improved understanding of the prevalence and distribution of smallholder farming is essential for effective policy development for food security, poverty reduction, and conservation agendas.

Housing system, milk production, and zero-grazing effects on lameness and leg injury in dairy cows.

PubMed

Haskell, M J; Rennie, L J; Bowell, V A; Bell, M J; Lawrence, A B

2006-11-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of grazing (G) vs. zero-grazing (ZG), level of milk production, and quality and type of housing system [free stalls (FS) and straw yards (SY)] on the prevalence of lameness and leg injuries in dairy cows. Observations were made on 37 commercial dairy farms across Great Britain. A single visit of 5 d duration was made to each farm. During this visit, lameness scores and the incidence of swellings, rubs, and injuries to hocks and knees were recorded on all the peak- or mid-lactation cows. Aspects of the quality of housing and management that were likely to affect foot and leg health were recorded. There were more lame cows on ZG farms (39 +/- 0.02%) than on grazing (G) farms (15 +/- 0.01%), and lameness scores were higher on FS farms compared with SY farms (0.25 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.05 +/- 0.01). Cows on SY farms had fewer hock and knee injuries compared with FS farms. The frequency of knee swellings was higher on ZG farms (0.31 +/- 0.02) than on G farms (0.15 +/- 0.01). Aspects of the free-stall design affected foot and leg health. The number of hock swellings increased with increasing stall gradient (0.16 +/- 0.01 with no slope vs. 0.39 +/- 0.02 at a 0 to 1.5% slope). There was an interaction between the length of the free-stall lunging space and the hip width of the cow, indicating that the incidence of lameness is generally highest on farms with small free stalls and heavy cows. High levels of milk production did not affect lameness or leg injury. The results indicate that housing cows throughout the year potentially has a detrimental effect on foot and leg health. However, good free-stall design may reduce lameness and leg lesions.

Attitudes of farm consultants in the South Island of New Zealand towards the role of veterinarians in farm businesses.

PubMed

Bates, A J; Wapenaar, W; Campbell, A C; Eggleton, R G

2016-09-01

To assess the attitude of dairy farm consultants to the role of veterinarians on dairy farms and whether they viewed veterinary advice as impartial, free from commercial bias and central to farm productivity and profitability. A telephone survey was commissioned in September 2014 of 36 full-time farm consultants in the Canterbury and Otago region of New Zealand using a pre-prepared questionnaire to explore their attitudes towards the veterinary profession. Of those approached, 25 completed the survey. The consultants surveyed agreed or strongly agreed (21/23) that they were the custodians of animal health expenditure on farms, which was seen as an expense to be controlled (19/25 agreed or strongly agreed). This view was held more strongly (9/9 agreed or strongly agreed) by consultants with >5 years' professional experience, compared to 10/16 consultants with ≤5 years' experience. Most consultants (24/25) disagreed that they did not respect veterinary advice, but agreed (24/25) that veterinarians almost always had a vested interest in the advice that they gave. The role of veterinarians was seen by respondents to be mainly treatment of sick animals (22/25) and provision of animal health products (24/25), but not in maximising farm profitability (selected by 8/25 respondents). Consultants viewed their own roles as providing advice on the influence of animal health on farm profitability (21/25), nutrition (22/25) and reproduction (20/25). Most respondents (21/25) stated that reducing disease and animal health issues was important, but they (21/25) also identified a reduction in farm animal health expenditure as a measure of success. Only 7/25 consultants felt that they should work in partnership with veterinarians. This was a small scale study from one region of New Zealand but it indicates that consultants are ambivalent about the role and value of working more closely with veterinarians, and about the benefit that veterinary intervention may bring to a farm's profitability. More successful veterinary involvement on dairy farms will follow from a better understanding of how other rural professionals are involved in the farm's management and in meeting the individual farmer's goals and motivations.

Self sufficient world

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Lynn

1974-01-01

Described the efforts of Sietze Leeflang, a Dutch scientific journalist, and his group of young scientists to take a practical stand on environmental pollution by working their small farm in innovative fashion. (RK)

Construction Office in Farm House at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

1941-11-21

The construction offices for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ (NACA) new Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory were originally opened in a small Radio House on the adjacent airport property. By July 1941, the staff had expanded to the point that a new shelter was needed. The NACA took possession of what was thereafter referred to as the “Farm House.” It was the only residential structure at the site. The Farm House served as the NACA’s main office until the Administration Building was opened in December 1942. The Farm House was built in 1827 and purchased by J.B. Perkins in 1849. Perkins did not reside in the house but hired caretakers to maintain the house and property and raise horses. The disposition of the land in the years leading up to the NACA’s takeover is not clear. After World War II, NACA management did not want visitors’ first impression to be an old farm house. The building was significantly modified to improve its size, appearance, shape, and added many modern conveniences. In the early 1950s the entire structure was relocated to the lot directly behind the Administration Building. It contained personnel and administrative offices for the lab. The Farm House was eventually demolished in 1973 due to deterioration of the wooden structure.

Habitat use and demography of Mus musculus in a rural landscape of Argentina.

PubMed

León, Vanina A; Fraschina, Jimena; Guidobono, Juan S; Busch, Maria

2013-04-01

The main goal of the paper was to determine the habitat distribution of the house mouse (Mus musculus) within a rural landscape of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We also studied the seasonal variation in abundance and reproductive activity. The habitats studied were poultry farms, human houses in a small village, cropfields, pastures, cropfield and pasture edges, riparian habitats (streams), railway embankments and woodlots. We captured 817 M. musculus and 690 individuals of 5 native rodent species. M. musculus was captured in poultry farms, houses, riparian habitats, cropfield and borders, but it showed a significantly higher abundance in poultry farms compared to the other habitats. Its presence outside poultry farms was significantly related to the distance to streams and poultry farms. The mean trapping success index of M. musculus did not show significant variations between periods, but the proportion of active males was significantly higher in the spring-summer period than in the autumn-winter period. All captures of M. musculus in cropfields, borders and riparian habitats occurred in the spring-summer period. The capture of M. musculus in many types of habitats suggests that it can disperse outside poultry farms, and streams may be used as corridors. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Short communication: planning considerations for on-farm dairy processing enterprises.

PubMed

Smith, S M; Chaney, E A; Bewley, J M

2013-07-01

Across the world, more dairy producers are considering on-farm dairy processing to add value to the milk produced on their farms. Dairy producers may bottle milk or process their milk into cheese, ice cream, butter, yogurt, or cream. The primary objective of this research was to establish a series of sound factors or indicators of success for those considering on-farm processing. A survey was employed to collect opinions and advice from managers of on-farm processing enterprises. Surveys were distributed online (n=120), with 31 surveys returned, accounting for a 25.8% response rate. Most (64%) respondents had been involved in on-farm dairy processing for less than 10 yr. Sixty-one percent of respondents attained a positive cash flow in 1 to 3 yr. The primary products manufactured were cheese (69%), milk (59%), ice cream (31%), yogurt (25%), and butter (21%). Factors influencing the decision to start an on-farm dairy processing enterprise included commodity milk prices (61%), desire to work with the public (41%), an opportunity to promote the dairy industry (39%), a desire to maintain or expand a small family operation (29%), and product differentiation (16%). Respondents cited dealing with regulations (26%), product marketing (19%), manufacturing technicalities (19%), and securing funding (17%) as the most difficult parts of starting the business. Open-ended responses provided by the respondents of this survey were also documented to give future dairy producers advice. The most common advice to future on-farm processors was to work on realistic business plans, develop and follow realistic budgets, and observe and use market surveys within the industry. These results provide a useful array of information for future on-farm dairy processing enterprises. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Local Knowledge Use in Agroforestry Management with Cognitive Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaac, Marney E.; Dawoe, Evans; Sieciechowicz, Krystyna

2009-06-01

Small-holder farmers often develop adaptable agroforestry management techniques to improve and diversify crop production. In the cocoa growing region of Ghana, local knowledge on such farm management holds a noteworthy role in the overall farm development. The documentation and analysis of such knowledge use in cocoa agroforests may afford an applicable framework to determine mechanisms driving farmer preference and indicators in farm management. This study employed 12 in-depth farmer interviews regarding variables in farm management as a unit of analysis and utilized cognitive mapping as a qualitative method of analysis. Our objectives were (1) to illustrate and describe agroforestry management variables and associated farm practices, (2) to determine the scope of decision making of individual farmers, and (3) to investigate the suitability of cognitive mapping as a tool for assessing local knowledge use. Results from the cognitive maps revealed an average of 16 ± 3 variables and 19 ± 3 links between management variables in the farmer cognitive maps. Farmer use of advantageous ecological processes was highly central to farm management (48% of all variables), particularly manipulation of organic matter, shade and food crop establishment, and maintenance of a tree stratum as the most common, highly linked variables. Over 85% of variables included bidirectional arrows, interpreted as farm management practices dominated by controllable factors, insofar as farmers indicated an ability to alter most farm characteristics. Local knowledge use on cocoa production revealed detailed indicators for site evaluation, thus affecting farm preparation and management. Our findings suggest that amid multisourced information under conditions of uncertainty, strategies for adaptable agroforestry management should integrate existing and localized management frameworks and that cognitive mapping provides a tool-based approach to advance such a management support system.

Assessing local knowledge use in agroforestry management with cognitive maps.

PubMed

Isaac, Marney E; Dawoe, Evans; Sieciechowicz, Krystyna

2009-06-01

Small-holder farmers often develop adaptable agroforestry management techniques to improve and diversify crop production. In the cocoa growing region of Ghana, local knowledge on such farm management holds a noteworthy role in the overall farm development. The documentation and analysis of such knowledge use in cocoa agroforests may afford an applicable framework to determine mechanisms driving farmer preference and indicators in farm management. This study employed 12 in-depth farmer interviews regarding variables in farm management as a unit of analysis and utilized cognitive mapping as a qualitative method of analysis. Our objectives were (1) to illustrate and describe agroforestry management variables and associated farm practices, (2) to determine the scope of decision making of individual farmers, and (3) to investigate the suitability of cognitive mapping as a tool for assessing local knowledge use. Results from the cognitive maps revealed an average of 16 +/- 3 variables and 19 +/- 3 links between management variables in the farmer cognitive maps. Farmer use of advantageous ecological processes was highly central to farm management (48% of all variables), particularly manipulation of organic matter, shade and food crop establishment, and maintenance of a tree stratum as the most common, highly linked variables. Over 85% of variables included bidirectional arrows, interpreted as farm management practices dominated by controllable factors, insofar as farmers indicated an ability to alter most farm characteristics. Local knowledge use on cocoa production revealed detailed indicators for site evaluation, thus affecting farm preparation and management. Our findings suggest that amid multisourced information under conditions of uncertainty, strategies for adaptable agroforestry management should integrate existing and localized management frameworks and that cognitive mapping provides a tool-based approach to advance such a management support system.

Non-farmed fish contribute to greater micronutrient intakes than farmed fish: results from an intra-household survey in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Bogard, Jessica R; Marks, Geoffrey C; Mamun, Abdullah; Thilsted, Shakuntala H

2017-03-01

Fish is the most important animal-source food (ASF) in Bangladesh, produced from capture fisheries (non-farmed) and aquaculture (farmed) sub-sectors. Large differences in micronutrient content of fish species from these sub-sectors exist. The importance of fish in diets of vulnerable groups compared with other ASF; contribution from non-farmed and farmed species to nutrient intakes; and differences in fish consumption among age, gender, wealth groups and geographic regions were analysed, using quantitative intra-household fish consumption data, focusing on the first 1000 d of life. Two-stage stratified sample. Nationally representative of rural Bangladesh. Households (n 5503) and individuals (n 24 198). Fish consumption in poor households was almost half that in wealthiest households; and lower in females than males in all groups, except the wealthiest, and for those aged ≥15 years (P<0·01). In infants of complementary feeding age, 56 % did not consume ASF on the survey day, despite 78 % of mothers knowing this was recommended. Non-farmed fish made a larger contribution to Fe, Zn, Ca, vitamin A and vitamin B12 intakes than farmed fish (P<0·0001). Policies and programmes aimed to increase fish consumption as a means to improve nutrition in rural Bangladesh should focus on women and young children, and on the poorest households. Aquaculture plays an important role in increasing availability and affordability of fish; however, non-farmed fish species are better placed to contribute to greater micronutrient intakes. This presents an opportunity for aquaculture to contribute to improved nutrition, utilising diverse production technologies and fish species, including small fish.

Description and typology of intensive Chios dairy sheep farms in Greece.

PubMed

Gelasakis, A I; Valergakis, G E; Arsenos, G; Banos, G

2012-06-01

The aim was to assess the intensified dairy sheep farming systems of the Chios breed in Greece, establishing a typology that may properly describe and characterize them. The study included the total of the 66 farms of the Chios sheep breeders' cooperative Macedonia. Data were collected using a structured direct questionnaire for in-depth interviews, including questions properly selected to obtain a general description of farm characteristics and overall management practices. A multivariate statistical analysis was used on the data to obtain the most appropriate typology. Initially, principal component analysis was used to produce uncorrelated variables (principal components), which would be used for the consecutive cluster analysis. The number of clusters was decided using hierarchical cluster analysis, whereas, the farms were allocated in 4 clusters using k-means cluster analysis. The identified clusters were described and afterward compared using one-way ANOVA or a chi-squared test. The main differences were evident on land availability and use, facility and equipment availability and type, expansion rates, and application of preventive flock health programs. In general, cluster 1 included newly established, intensive, well-equipped, specialized farms and cluster 2 included well-established farms with balanced sheep and feed/crop production. In cluster 3 were assigned small flock farms focusing more on arable crops than on sheep farming with a tendency to evolve toward cluster 2, whereas cluster 4 included farms representing a rather conservative form of Chios sheep breeding with low/intermediate inputs and choosing not to focus on feed/crop production. In the studied set of farms, 4 different farmer attitudes were evident: 1) farming disrupts sheep breeding; feed should be purchased and economies of scale will decrease costs (mainly cluster 1), 2) only exercise/pasture land is necessary; at least part of the feed (pasture) must be home-grown to decrease costs (clusters 1 and 4), 3) providing pasture to sheep is essential; on-farm feed production decreases costs (mainly cluster 3), and 4) large-scale farming (feed production and cash crops) does not disrupt sheep breeding; all feed must be produced on-farm to decrease costs (mainly cluster 3). Conducting a profitability analysis among different clusters, exploring and discovering the most beneficial levels of intensified management and capital investment should now be considered. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heilongjiang Province, China

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-12-07

Acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft, this image shows Heilongjiang, a province of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Farms are small and long skinny rectangles in shape, surrounding regularly spaced villages.

Small Business Credit Availability Act

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4

2013-05-23

House - 06/03/2013 Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Economic and financial viability of small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico: economic scenario 2010-2018.

PubMed

Posadas-Domínguez, R R; Callejas-Juárez, N; Arriaga-Jordán, C M; Martínez-Castañeda, F E

2016-12-01

A simulation Monte Carlo model was used to assess the economic and financial viability of 130 small-scale dairy farms in central Mexico, through a Representative Small-Scale Dairy Farm. Net yields were calculated for a 9-year planning horizon by means of simulated values for the distribution of input and product prices taking 2010 as base year and considering four scenarios which were compared against the scenario of actual production. The other scenarios were (1) total hiring in of needed labour; (2) external purchase of 100 % of inputs and (3) withdrawal of subsidies to production. A stochastic modelling approach was followed to determine the scenario with the highest economic and financial viability. Results show a viable economic and financial situation for the real production scenario, as well as the scenarios for total hiring of labour and of withdrawal of subsidies, but the scenario when 100 % of feed inputs for the herd are bought-in was not viable.

Farming suicides during the Victorian drought: 2001-2007.

PubMed

Guiney, Robyn

2012-02-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether farming suicides increased in Victoria during the prolonged drought in south eastern Australia and gain an understanding of Victorian farming suicides during the period. Intentional self-harm deaths of farmers and primary producers notified to the Victorian State Coroner from 2001 to 2007 were examined to identify characteristics and determine whether the annual number of farming suicides increased. Farming suicides accounted for just over 3% of Victorian suicides. The total number of farming suicides was 110 for the period and ranged between 11 and 19 deaths per year, rising and falling inconsistently from year to year. Males accounted for nearly 95% of farming suicides, with firearms and hanging the most frequently used methods, and most deaths occurring between 30 and 59 years of age. The small number of relevant cases and fluctuations in the annual number of deaths provides no evidence of a pattern of increasing farming suicides during the drought years, when there was approximately one suicide every 3 weeks. Given the elevated suicide risk in male farmers and association with multiple psychosocial and environmental factors, it cannot be concluded, however, that suicide risk itself did not increase during this period of heightened uncertainty and stress. Drought should not be dismissed among the many risk factors, and it is possible that increased mental health awareness and community support programs targeting drought-affected areas contributed to improved management of stress and suicide risk in regional and rural Victoria over the past decade. © 2012 The Author. Australian Journal of Rural Health © National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

12 CFR 32.7 - Residential real estate loans, small business loans, and small farm loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... total outstanding amount of a national bank's loans and extensions of credit to one borrower made under... surplus. (5) The total outstanding amount of a national bank's loans and extensions of credit to all of... concerns about credit quality, undue concentrations in the bank's portfolio of residential real estate...

The Use of Rainfall Forecasts as a Decision Guide for Small-Scale Farming in Limpopo Province, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeletsi, M. E.; Mellaart, E. A. R.; Mpandeli, N. S.; Hamandawana, H.

2013-01-01

Purpose: New innovative ways of communicating agrometeorological information are needed to help farmers, especially subsistence/small-scale farmers, to cope with the high climate variability experienced in most parts of southern Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The article introduces an early warning system for farmers. It utilizes short…

Status and Prospects of Small Farmers in the South.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Ray; Thompson, Allen

The large scale displacement of small farmers in the South is an important concern to all persons interested in the problems of low-income people. Despite a decline in the numerical significance of farming, a large part of the South remains rural, and agriculture continues to significantly influence the rural economy and rural labor markets. The…

75 FR 15492 - Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as Amended by Public Law 104-13; Proposed Collection, Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-29

.... James W. Sample, Director of CyberSecurity. [FR Doc. 2010-6904 Filed 3-26-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8120...: Individuals or households, state or local governments, farms, businesses, or other for-profit Federal agencies or employees, non-profit institutions, small businesses or organizations. Small Businesses or...

75 FR 34534 - Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as Amended by Public Law 104-13; Proposed Collection, Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... published in 18 CFR part 1304. James W. Sample, Director of CyberSecurity. [FR Doc. 2010-14560 Filed 6-16-10... Affected Public: Individuals or households, state or local governments, farms, businesses, or other for-profit Federal agencies or employees, non-profit institutions, small businesses or organizations. Small...

An Approach to Cluster EU Member States into Groups According to Pathways of Salmonella in the Farm-to-Consumption Chain for Pork Products.

PubMed

Vigre, Håkan; Domingues, Ana Rita Coutinho Calado; Pedersen, Ulrik Bo; Hald, Tine

2016-03-01

The aim of the project as the cluster analysis was to in part to develop a generic structured quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) model of human salmonellosis due to pork consumption in EU member states (MSs), and the objective of the cluster analysis was to group the EU MSs according to the relative contribution of different pathways of Salmonella in the farm-to-consumption chain of pork products. In the development of the model, by selecting a case study MS from each cluster the model was developed to represent different aspects of pig production, pork production, and consumption of pork products across EU states. The objective of the cluster analysis was to aggregate MSs into groups of countries with similar importance of different pathways of Salmonella in the farm-to-consumption chain using available, and where possible, universal register data related to the pork production and consumption in each country. Based on MS-specific information about distribution of (i) small and large farms, (ii) small and large slaughterhouses, (iii) amount of pork meat consumed, and (iv) amount of sausages consumed we used nonhierarchical and hierarchical cluster analysis to group the MSs. The cluster solutions were validated internally using statistic measures and externally by comparing the clustered MSs with an estimated human incidence of salmonellosis due to pork products in the MSs. Finally, each cluster was characterized qualitatively using the centroids of the clusters. © 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.

An ecohealth assessment of poultry production clusters (PPCs) for the livelihood and biosecurity improvement of small poultry producers in Asia.

PubMed

Wang, Libin; Basuno, Edi; Nguyen, Tuan; Aengwanich, Worapol; Ilham, Nyak; Li, Xiaoyun

2015-01-01

Poultry production cluster (PPC) programs are key strategies in many Asian countries to engage small commercial poultry producers in high-value production chains and to control infectious poultry diseases. This study assessed the multiple impacts of PPCs through a transdisciplinary ecohealth approach in four Asian countries, and drew the implications for small producers to improve their livelihoods and reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases in the poultry sector. The data collection combined both quantitative and qualitative methods. It comprised: formal structured household survey questionnaires, measuring the biosecurity level of poultry farms with a biosecurity score card; and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to process the quantitative data and a content analysis was used to process the qualitative data. This research found that poultry farms in clusters do not necessarily have better economic performance than those outside PPCs. Many farmers in PPCs only consider them to be an advantage for expanding the scale of their poultry operations and improving household incomes, and they are less concerned about-and have limited capacities to-enhancing biosecurity and environmental management. We measured the biosecurity level of farms in PPCs through a 14-item checklist and found that biosecurity is generally very low across all sample sites. The increased flies, mosquitoes, rats, and smells in and around PPCs not only pollute the environment, but also cause social conflicts with the surrounding communities. This research concluded that a poultry cluster, mainly driven by economic objectives, is not necessarily a superior model for the control of infectious diseases. The level of biosecurity in PPCs was found to be low. Given the intensity of poultry operations in PPCs (farms are densely packed into clusters), and the close proximity to residential areas of some PPCs, the risk of spreading infectious diseases, in fact, increases. Good management and collective action for implementing biosecurity measures are key for small producers in PPCs to address common challenges and pursue health-based animal production practices.

The BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceseracciu, A

2005-04-20

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity and very large volume of data produced and stored, with increasing computing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a Control System has been designed and developed for the offline distributed data reconstruction system. The control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of OO design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system ismore » distributed in a hierarchical way: the top-level system is organized in farms, farms in services, and services in subservices or code modules. It provides a powerful Finite State Machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes the design and evolution of this control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on {approx}450 CPUs organized in 9 farms.« less

The BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceseracciu, A.; Piemontese, M.; Tehrani, F. S.; Pulliam, T. M.; Galeazzi, F.

2005-08-01

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity and very large volume of data produced and stored, with increasing computing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a control system has been designed and developed for the offline distributed data reconstruction system. The control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of object oriented (OO) design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system is distributed in a hierarchical way: the top-level system is organized in farms, farms in services, and services in subservices or code modules. It provides a powerful finite state machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes the design and evolution of this control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on /spl sim/450 CPUs organized in nine farms.

No Evidence of Trade-Off between Farm Efficiency and Resilience: Dependence of Resource-Use Efficiency on Land-Use Diversity

PubMed Central

Kahiluoto, Helena; Kaseva, Janne

2016-01-01

Efficiency in the use of resources stream-lined for expected conditions could lead to reduced system diversity and consequently endanger resilience. We tested the hypothesis of a trade-off between farm resource-use efficiency and land-use diversity. We applied stochastic frontier production models to assess the dependence of resource-use-efficiency on land-use diversity as illustrated by the Shannon-Weaver index. Total revenue in relation to use of capital, land and labour on the farms in Southern Finland with a size exceeding 30 ha was studied. The data were extracted from the Finnish Profitability Bookkeeping data. Our results indicate that there is either no trade-off or a negligible trade-off of no economic importance. The small dependence of resource-use efficiency on land-use diversity can be positive as well as negative. We conclude that diversification as a strategy to enhance farm resilience does not necessarily constrain resource-use efficiency. PMID:27662475

The Origin of Large-Bodied Shrimp that Dominate Modern Global Aquaculture

PubMed Central

Wilkins, Blake; Bracken-Grissom, Heather D.; Chan, Tin-Yam; O’Leary, Maureen A.

2016-01-01

Several shrimp species from the clade Penaeidae are farmed industrially for human consumption, and this farming has turned shrimp into the largest seafood commodity in the world. The species that are in demand for farming are an anomaly within their clade because they grow to much larger sizes than other members of Penaeidae. Here we trace the evolutionary history of the anomalous farmed shrimp using combined data phylogenetic analysis of living and fossil species. We show that exquisitely preserved fossils of †Antrimpos speciosus from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen limestone belong to the same clade as the species that dominate modern farming, dating the origin of this clade to at least 145 mya. This finding contradicts a much younger Late Cretaceous age (ca. 95 mya) previously estimated for this clade using molecular clocks. The species in the farmed shrimp clade defy a widespread tendency, by reaching relatively large body sizes despite their warm water lifestyles. Small body sizes have been shown to be physiologically favored in warm aquatic environments because satisfying oxygen demands is difficult for large organisms breathing in warm water. Our analysis shows that large-bodied, farmed shrimp have more gills than their smaller-bodied shallow-water relatives, suggesting that extra gills may have been key to the clade’s ability to meet oxygen demands at a large size. Our combined data phylogenetic tree also suggests that, during penaeid evolution, the adoption of mangrove forests as habitats for young shrimp occurred multiple times independently. PMID:27415002

Changes in nutrient mass balances over time and related drivers for 54 New York State dairy farms.

PubMed

Soberon, Melanie A; Cela, Sebastian; Ketterings, Quirine M; Rasmussen, Caroline N; Czymmek, Karl J

2015-08-01

Whole-farm nutrient mass balances (NMB) can assist producers in evaluation and monitoring the nutrient status of dairy farms over time. Most of the previous studies that report NMB for dairy farms were conducted over 1 to 3 yr. In this study, annual N, P, and K mass balances were assessed on 54 dairy farms in New York State for 4 to 6 yr between 2005 and 2010 with the objectives to (1) document changes in NMB over time and drivers for change, and (2) identify nutrient use efficiency parameters that predicted the potential for improvement in NMB. The study farms varied in size (42 small, 12 medium and large) and management practices. Phosphorus, K, and 2 N balances (N1 without N2 fixation, and N2 including N2 fixation) were calculated. In general, farms with high initial NMB levels reduced them over time whereas farms with negative NMB tended to increase their NMB, demonstrating a tendency across all farms to move toward more optimal NMB levels over time. Sixty-three to 76% of farms (depending on the nutrient) reduced their NMB per hectare over the 4 to 6 yr, and 55 to 61% of these farms were able to do so while increasing milk production per cow. Across all farms, the overall reduction in NMB per hectare averaged -22kg of N/ha for N1 (29% reduction), -16kg of N/ha for N2 (15% reduction), -4kg of P/ha (36% reduction), and -10kg of K/ha (29% reduction). Change in feed imports was the most important driver for change in N and P balances across farms, whereas adjustments in both feed and fertilizer imports affected the K balances. Key predictors of potential areas for improvement in NMB over time include total nutrient imports, feed imports, animal density, percentage of farm-produced feed and nutrients, and feed nutrient use efficiency. Overall, this study highlights the opportunities of an adaptive management approach that includes NMB assessments to evaluate and monitor changes in nutrient use efficiency and cost-efficiency over time. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of swine movements in a province in Northern Vietnam and application in the design of surveillance strategies for infectious diseases

PubMed Central

Baudon, Eugénie; Fournié, Guillaume; Hiep, Dao Thi; Pham, Thi Thanh Hoa; Duboz, Raphael; Gély, Marie; Peiris, Malik; Cowling, Benjamin J.; Ton, Vu Dinh; Peyre, Marisa

2015-01-01

Summary While swine production is rapidly growing in South-East Asia, the structure of the swine industry and the dynamic of pig movements have not been well-studied. However, this knowledge is a pre-requisite for understanding the dynamic of disease transmission in swine populations and designing cost-effective surveillance strategies for infectious diseases. In this study, we assessed the farming and trading practices in the Vietnamese swine familial farming sector, which accounts for most pigs in Vietnam, and for which disease surveillance is a major challenge. Farmers from two communes of a Red River Delta province (Northern Vietnam) were interviewed, along with traders involved in pig transactions. Major differences in the trade structure were observed between the two communes. One commune had mainly transversal trades, i.e. between farms of equivalent sizes, whereas the other had pyramidal trades, i.e. from larger to smaller farms. Companies and large familial farrow-to-finish farms were likely to act as major sources of disease spread through pig sales, demonstrating their importance for disease control. Familial fattening farms with high pig purchases were at greater risk of disease introduction and should be targeted for disease detection as part of a risk-based surveillance. In contrast, many other familial farms were isolated or weakly connected to the swine trade network limiting their relevance for surveillance activities. However, some of these farms used boar hiring for breeding, increasing the risk of disease spread. Most familial farms were slaughtering pigs at the farm or in small local slaughterhouses, making the surveillance at the slaughterhouse inefficient. In terms of spatial distribution of the trades, the results suggested that Northern provinces were highly connected and showed some connection with Central and Southern provinces. These results are useful to develop risk-based surveillance protocols for disease detection in the swine familial sector, and to make recommendations for disease control. PMID:26040303

Analysis of Swine Movements in a Province in Northern Vietnam and Application in the Design of Surveillance Strategies for Infectious Diseases.

PubMed

Baudon, E; Fournié, G; Hiep, D T; Pham, T T H; Duboz, R; Gély, M; Peiris, M; Cowling, B J; Ton, V D; Peyre, M

2017-04-01

While swine production is rapidly growing in South-East Asia, the structure of the swine industry and the dynamic of pig movements have not been well-studied. However, this knowledge is a prerequisite for understanding the dynamic of disease transmission in swine populations and designing cost-effective surveillance strategies for infectious diseases. In this study, we assessed the farming and trading practices in the Vietnamese swine familial farming sector, which accounts for most pigs in Vietnam, and for which disease surveillance is a major challenge. Farmers from two communes of a Red River Delta Province (northern Vietnam) were interviewed, along with traders involved in pig transactions. Major differences in the trade structure were observed between the two communes. One commune had mainly transversal trades, that is between farms of equivalent sizes, whereas the other had pyramidal trades, that is from larger to smaller farms. Companies and large familial farrow-to-finish farms were likely to act as major sources of disease spread through pig sales, demonstrating their importance for disease control. Familial fattening farms with high pig purchases were at greater risk of disease introduction and should be targeted for disease detection as part of a risk-based surveillance. In contrast, many other familial farms were isolated or weakly connected to the swine trade network limiting their relevance for surveillance activities. However, some of these farms used boar hiring for breeding, increasing the risk of disease spread. Most familial farms were slaughtering pigs at the farm or in small local slaughterhouses, making the surveillance at the slaughterhouse inefficient. In terms of spatial distribution of the trades, the results suggested that northern provinces were highly connected and showed some connection with central and southern provinces. These results are useful to develop risk-based surveillance protocols for disease detection in the swine familial sector and to make recommendations for disease control. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Foraging and farming as niche construction: stable and unstable adaptations

PubMed Central

Rowley-Conwy, Peter; Layton, Robert

2011-01-01

All forager (or hunter–gatherer) societies construct niches, many of them actively by the concentration of wild plants into useful stands, small-scale cultivation, burning of natural vegetation to encourage useful species, and various forms of hunting, collectively termed ‘low-level food production’. Many such niches are stable and can continue indefinitely, because forager populations are usually stable. Some are unstable, but these usually transform into other foraging niches, not geographically expansive farming niches. The Epipalaeolithic (final hunter–gatherer) niche in the Near East was complex but stable, with a relatively high population density, until destabilized by an abrupt climatic change. The niche was unintentionally transformed into an agricultural one, due to chance genetic and behavioural attributes of some wild plant and animal species. The agricultural niche could be exported with modifications over much of the Old World. This was driven by massive population increase and had huge impacts on local people, animals and plants wherever the farming niche was carried. Farming niches in some areas may temporarily come close to stability, but the history of the last 11 000 years does not suggest that agriculture is an effective strategy for achieving demographic and political stability in the world's farming populations. PMID:21320899

Alternative approaches to the construction of a composite indicator of agricultural sustainability: An application to irrigated agriculture in the Duero basin in Spain.

PubMed

Gómez-Limón, José A; Riesgo, Laura

2009-08-01

This paper describes a comparative analysis of alternative methods of constructing composite indicators to measure the sustainability of the agricultural sector. The three methods employed were Principal Component Analysis, the Analytic Hierarchy Process and a Multi-Criteria technique. The comparison focused on the irrigated agriculture of the Duero basin in Spain as a case study, using a dataset of indicators previously calculated for various farm types and policy scenarios. The results enabled us to establish a hierarchy of preferred policy scenarios on the basis of the level of sustainability achieved, and show that the most recent CAP reform is the most sustainable agricultural policy scenario. By analyzing the heterogeneity of different farms types in each scenario, we can also determine the main features of the most sustainable farms in each case. The analysis demonstrates that full-time farmers with small to medium-sized farms and sowing profitable crops are the most sustainable farm types in all the policy scenarios. All of this information is useful for the support of agricultural policy design and its implementation, as we attempt to improve the sustainability of this sector.

Dispersive stresses in wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segalini, Antonio; Braunbehrens, Robert; Hyvarinen, Ann

2017-11-01

One of the most famous models of wind farms is provided by the assumption that the farm can be approximated as a horizontally-homogeneous forest canopy with vertically-varying force intensity. By means of this approximation, the flow-motion equations become drastically simpler, as many of the three-dimensional effects are gone. However, the application of the horizontal average operator to the RANS equations leads to the appearance of new transport terms (called dispersive stresses) originating from the horizontal (small-scale) variation of the mean velocity field. Since these terms are related to the individual turbine signature, they are expected to vanish outside the roughness sublayer, providing a definition for the latter. In the present work, an assessment of the dispersive stresses is performed by means of a wake-model approach and through the linearised code ORFEUS developed at KTH. Both approaches are very fast and enable the characterization of a large number of wind-farm layouts. The dispersive stress tensor and its effect on the turbulence closure models are investigated, providing guidelines for those simulations where it is impossible to resolve the farm at a turbine scale due to grid requirements (as, for instance, mesoscale simulations).

Kd Values for Agricultural and Surface Soils for Use in Hanford Site Farm, Residential, and River Shoreline Scenarios

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serne, R. Jeffrey

This report provides best estimate Kd values and a minimum and maximum range of Kd values to be used for agricultural soils and Columbia River bank sediments that exist today or would exist in the future when portions of the Hanford Site are released for farming, residential, and recreational use after the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) completes clean up of defense waste on the site. The Kd values should be used to determine the fate and transport rates of contaminants and their availability for plant and animal uptake in selected non-groundwater scenarios included in Hanford Site environmental impactmore » statements, risk assessments and specific facility performance assessments. This report describes scenarios such as a small farm where drilling of a well inadvertently goes through buried waste and brings waste to the surface, allowing the tailings to become available for direct human exposure or incorporation into garden crops and farm animals used for food by the farm family. The Kd values recommended in this report can also be used to calculate sediment-water partitioning factors used to predict plant and animal uptake from interaction with the contaminated soil.« less

Protecting Small Businesses From Costly Regulations Act of 2010

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6

2010-09-29

House - 11/16/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Role of probiotics in nutrition and health of small ruminants.

PubMed

Abd El-Tawab, M M; Youssef, I M I; Bakr, H A; Fthenakis, G C; Giadinis, N D

2016-12-01

Small ruminants represent an important economic source in small farm systems and agriculture. Feed is the main component of livestock farming, which has gained special attention to improve animal performance. Many studies have been done to improve feed utilisation through addition of feed additives. For a long period, antibiotics have been widely used as growth promoters in livestock diets. Due to their ban in many countries, search for alternative feed additives has been intensified. Probiotics are one of these alternatives recognised to be safe to the animals. Use of probiotics in small ruminant nutrition has been confirmed to improve animal health, productivity and immunity. Probiotics improved growth performance through enhancing of rumen microbial ecosystem, nutrient digestibility and feed conversion rate. Moreover, probiotics have been reported to stabilise rumen pH, increase volatile fatty acids production and to stimulate lactic acid utilising protozoa, resulting in a highly efficient rumen function. Furthermore, use of probiotics has been found to increase milk production and can reduce incidence of neonatal diarrhea and mortality. However, actual mechanisms through which probiotics exert these functions are not known. Since research on application of probiotics in small ruminants is scarce, the present review attempts to discuss the potential roles of this class of feed additives on productive performance and health status of these animals.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jannik, Tim; Hartman, Larry

During the operational history of Savannah River Site, many different radionuclides have been released from site facilities. However, as shown in this analysis, only a relatively small number of the released radionuclides have been significant contributors to doses to the offsite public. This report is an update to the 2011 analysis, Critical Radionuclide and Pathway Analysis for the Savannah River Site. SRS-based Performance Assessments for E-Area, Saltstone, F-Tank Farm, H-Tank Farm, and a Comprehensive SRS Composite Analysis have been completed. The critical radionuclides and pathways identified in those extensive reports are also detailed and included in this analysis.

Assessment of the costs, risks and benefits of selected integrated policy options to adapt to flood and drought in the water and agricultural sectors of the Warta River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sendzimir, Jan; Dubel, Anna; Linnerooth-Bayer, Joanne; Damurski, Jakub; Schroeter, Dagmar

2014-05-01

Historically large reservoirs have been the dominant strategy to counter flood and drought risk in Europe. However, a number of smaller-scale approaches have emerged as alternative strategies. To compare the cost effectiveness of reservoirs and these alternatives, we calculated the Investment & maintenance costs in terms of (euros) /m3 water stored or annual runoff reduced for five different strategies: large reservoirs (1.68 euros), large on-farm ponds (5.88 euros), small on-farm ponds (558.00 euros), shelterbelts (6.86 euros), switching to conservation tillage (-9.20 euros). The most cost effective measure for reducing runoff is switching to conservation tillage practices because this switch reduces machinery and labor costs in addition to reducing water runoff. Although shelterbelts that reduce annual runoff cannot be directly compared to ponds and reservoirs that store water, our estimates show that they likely compare favorably as a natural water retention measure, especially when taking account of their co-benefits in terms of erosion control, biodiversity and pollination. Another useful result is our demonstration of the economies of scale among reservoirs and ponds for storing water. Small ponds are two orders of magnitude more costly to construct and maintain as a flood and drought prevention measure than large reservoirs. Here, again, there are large co-benefits that should be factored into the cost-benefit equation, including especially the value of small ponds in promoting corridors for migration. This analysis shows the importance of carrying out more extensive cost-benefit estimates across on-farm and off-farm measures for tackling drought and flood risk in the context of a changing climate. While concrete recommendations for supporting water retention measures will depend on a more detailed investigation of their costs and benefits, this research highlights the potential of natural water retention measures as a complement to conventional investments in large reservoirs.

Impact of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis on profit efficiency in semi-extensive dairy sheep and goat farms of Apulia, southern Italy.

PubMed

Sardaro, Ruggiero; Pieragostini, Elisa; Rubino, Giuseppe; Petazzi, Ferruccio

2017-01-01

A recent study on paratubercolosis in semi-extensive dairy sheep and goat farms in Apulia revealed a flock positivity of 60.5% and a seroprevalence of 3.0% for sheep and 14.5% for goat, with peaks of 50%. In such a context, providing detailed economic information is crucial for the implementation of a suitable control plan. In this paper we investigated the impact of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) on profit efficiency of the Apulian dairy sheep and goat farms. Empirical results through a stochastic frontier model showed that the uninfected farms had a mean level of profit efficiency of 84%, which dropped to 64% in the presence of paratubercolosis as it negatively affected the productivity of feeding, veterinary and labour factors. Structural, managerial and production aspects were involved in the greater inefficiency of the infected farms compared to the uninfected ones: lower experience and schooling of farmers, no access to credit, fewer family members (women in particular) participating in the farming activities, high density of animals per hectare, small flocks, high number of goats in mixed flocks, no confinement practices for young and purchased animals and no pasture rotation. Hence, targeted interventions on these factors by decision makers can ensure effectiveness and efficiency to veterinary and economic action plans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microplastic Ingestion by Wild and Cultured Manila Clams (Venerupis philippinarum) from Baynes Sound, British Columbia.

PubMed

Davidson, Katie; Dudas, Sarah E

2016-08-01

Microplastics, plastic particles <5 mm, are an emerging concern in aquatic ecosystems. Because microplastics are small, they are available to many filter-feeding organisms, which can then be consumed by higher trophic level organisms, including humans. This study documents the quantity of microplastics present in wild and cultured Manila clams (Venerupis philippinarum). Three active shellfish farms and three reference beaches (i.e., non-shellfish farm sites) in Baynes Sound, British Columbia were chosen to examine the microplastic concentrations in wild and cultured Manila clams. Microplastics were isolated using a nitric acid digestion technique and enumerated from 54 clams (27 farmed and 27 non-farmed). Qualitative attributes, such as colour and microplastic type (fiber, fragment, or film) also were recorded. There was no significant difference (F = 1.29; df = 1,4; P = 0.289) between microplastic concentrations in cultured and wild clams. Microplastic concentrations ranged from 0.07 to 5.47 particles/g (from reference beach and shellfish farm clams, respectively). Fibers were the dominant microplastic (90 %); colourless and dark gray fibers were the most common colours observed (36 and 26 %, respectively). Although this indicates that microplastics are definitely present in seafood consumed by humans, shellfish aquaculture operations do not appear to be increasing microplastic concentrations in farmed clams in this region.

The Growing Season, but Not the Farming System, Is a Food Safety Risk Determinant for Leafy Greens in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States

PubMed Central

Marine, Sasha C.; Pagadala, Sivaranjani; Wang, Fei; Pahl, Donna M.; Melendez, Meredith V.; Kline, Wesley L.; Oni, Ruth A.; Walsh, Christopher S.; Everts, Kathryne L.; Buchanan, Robert L.

2015-01-01

Small- and medium-size farms in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States use varied agricultural practices to produce leafy greens during spring and fall, but the impact of preharvest practices on food safety risk remains unclear. To assess farm-level risk factors, bacterial indicators, Salmonella enterica, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from 32 organic and conventional farms were analyzed. A total of 577 leafy greens, irrigation water, compost, field soil, and pond sediment samples were collected. Salmonella was recovered from 2.2% of leafy greens (n = 369) and 7.7% of sediment (n = 13) samples. There was an association between Salmonella recovery and growing season (fall versus spring) (P = 0.006) but not farming system (organic or conventional) (P = 0.920) or region (P = 0.991). No STEC was isolated. In all, 10% of samples were positive for E. coli: 6% of leafy greens, 18% of irrigation water, 10% of soil, 38% of sediment, and 27% of compost samples. Farming system was not a significant factor for levels of E. coli or aerobic mesophiles on leafy greens but was a significant factor for total coliforms (TC) (P < 0.001), with higher counts from organic farm samples. Growing season was a factor for aerobic mesophiles on leafy greens (P = 0.004), with higher levels in fall than in spring. Water source was a factor for all indicator bacteria (P < 0.001), and end-of-line groundwater had marginally higher TC counts than source samples (P = 0.059). Overall, the data suggest that seasonal events, weather conditions, and proximity of compost piles might be important factors contributing to microbial contamination on farms growing leafy greens. PMID:25616798

Tourism in New England towns: a threat to the rural fabric

Treesearch

Robert S. Bristow

2007-01-01

A traditional tourist attraction in New England is the classic rural New England town. These small communities have a small-town feel bounded by family farms and wooded lands. These towns are heavily visited during the fall foliage season and during spring maple sugaring operations. The rural character of many New England communities is threatened by a growing...

Wooded strips in Iowa

Treesearch

A.L. Hartong; K.E. Moessner

1956-01-01

The recent Forest Survey of Iowa reported as forest land only those areas larger than 1 acre in size and more than 120 feet wide. In farming states like Iowa, however, such small patches and narrow strips of wooded land take on greater significance than in more heavily forested states. Reasons for this are that small woodlands, especially in the form of narrow strips,...

Application of a small-scale equipment system for biomass harvesting

Treesearch

Aihua Yu; Tom Gallagher; Dana Mitchell; Brandon O' Neal

2016-01-01

The small-scale harvesting equipment system has been and continues to grow in use in forestry operations in some regions in the world. This harvest system can include a range of equipment types, such as feller-bunchers or chainsaws, skidders or farm tractors, and chippers. These machines are generally smaller, lower cost and less productive than larger, more advanced...

Longitudinal study on the temporal and micro-spatial distribution of Galba truncatula in four farms in Belgium as a base for small-scale risk mapping of Fasciola hepatica.

PubMed

Charlier, Johannes; Soenen, Karen; De Roeck, Els; Hantson, Wouter; Ducheyne, Els; Van Coillie, Frieke; De Wulf, Robert; Hendrickx, Guy; Vercruysse, Jozef

2014-11-26

The trematode parasite Fasciola hepatica causes important economic losses in ruminants worldwide. Current spatial distribution models do not provide sufficient detail to support farm-specific control strategies. A technology to reliably assess the spatial distribution of intermediate host snail habitats on farms would be a major step forward to this respect. The aim of this study was to conduct a longitudinal field survey in Flanders (Belgium) to (i) characterise suitable small water bodies (SWB) for Galba truncatula and (ii) describe the population dynamics of G. truncatula. Four F. hepatica-infected farms from two distinct agricultural regions were examined for the abundance of G. truncatula from the beginning (April 2012) until the end (November 2012) of the grazing season. Per farm, 12 to 18 SWB were selected for monthly examination, using a 10 m transect analysis. Observations on G. truncatula abundance were coupled with meteorological and (micro-)environmental factors and the within-herd prevalence of F. hepatica using simple comparison or negative binomial regression models. A total of 54 examined SWB were classified as a pond, ditch, trench, furrow or moist area. G. truncatula abundance was significantly associated with SWB-type, region and total monthly precipitation, but not with monthly temperature. The clear differences in G. truncatula abundance between the 2 studied regions did not result in comparable differences in F. hepatica prevalence in the cattle. Exploration of the relationship of G. truncatula abundance with (micro)-environmental variables revealed a positive association with soil and water pH and the occurrence of Ranunculus sp. and a negative association with mowed pastures, water temperature and presence of reed-like plant species. Farm-level predictions of G. truncatula risk and subsequent risk for F. hepatica occurrence would require a rainfall, soil type (representing the agricultural region) and SWB layer in a geographic information system. While rainfall and soil type information is easily accessible, the recent advances in very high spatial resolution cameras carried on board of satellites, planes or drones should allow the delineation of SWBs in the future.

Effect of cattle management practices on raw milk quality on farms operating in a two-stage dairy chain.

PubMed

Sraïri, M T; Benhouda, H; Kuper, M; Le Gal, P Y

2009-02-01

In many developing countries, milk production varies greatly according to farm size, cattle breed, and milking practices. However, production systems often are dominated by smallholder farms. Therefore, relatively small volumes of milk are delivered daily from numerous farms to intermediate cooperatives which supply industrial units. This paper argues that in such two-stage dairy chains, milk quality could be improved by focusing on farming practices rather than on the testing of individual deliveries. Indeed, it is difficult to analyze their quality due to technical, economic, and logistic limitations. The objective of this study is to link on-farm practices with milk chemical quality parameters (fat and protein) and hygienic quality criteria (Aerobic Plate Count, APC and Coliforms). Cattle management practices were monitored monthly over one year on 23 farms located on an irrigation scheme in Morocco. 276 milk samples were analyzed. The monthly variability of milk quality parameters was then characterized. Results show that average cow milk chemical parameters vary within a normal range. They remain primarily linked to the genetic type of cows, the lactation stage, and the conversion of feed concentrates' net energy into milk. Overall milk hygienic quality was poor (APC and Coliforms counts were 100 fold international norms), due essentially to a lack of hygiene and inadequate milking conditions (hands, udder, and teat washing, type of bucket used, dirtiness of cows...). It is suggested that a close monitoring of herd management practices may allow the indirect control of milk quality parameters, thereby avoiding costly analyses of numerous smallholder milk deliveries.

Long-term effect of rice-based farming systems on soil health.

PubMed

Bihari, Priyanka; Nayak, A K; Gautam, Priyanka; Lal, B; Shahid, M; Raja, R; Tripathi, R; Bhattacharyya, P; Panda, B B; Mohanty, S; Rao, K S

2015-05-01

Integrated rice-fish culture, an age-old farming system, is a technology which could produce rice and fish sustainably at a time by optimizing scarce resource use through complementary use of land and water. An understanding of microbial processes is important for the management of farming systems as soil microbes are the living part of soil organic matter and play critical roles in soil C and N cycling and ecosystem functioning of farming system. Rice-based integrated farming system model for small and marginal farmers was established in 2001 at Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha. The different enterprises of farming system were rice-fish, fish-fingerlings, fruits, vegetables, rice-fish refuge, and agroforestry. This study was conducted with the objective to assess the soil physicochemical properties, microbial population, carbon and nitrogen fractions, soil enzymatic activity, and productivity of different enterprises. The effect of enterprises induced significant changes in the chemical composition and organic matter which in turn influenced the activities of enzymes (urease, acid, and alkaline phosphatase) involved in the C, N, and P cycles. The different enterprises of long-term rice-based farming system caused significant variations in nutrient content of soil, which was higher in rice-fish refuge followed by rice-fish enterprise. Highest microbial populations and enzymatic properties were recorded in rice-fish refuge system because of waterlogging and reduced condition prolonged in this system leading to less decomposition of organic matter. The maximum alkaline phosphatase, urease, and FDA were observed in rice-fish enterprise. However, highest acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase activity were obtained in vegetable enterprise and fish-fingerlings enterprise, respectively.

Fracture trauma in a medieval British farming village.

PubMed

Judd, M A; Roberts, C A

1999-06-01

Farming is among the three most hazardous occupations in modern society and perhaps also held a similar position during the medieval period. The goal of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in frequencies and patterns of longbone fracture trauma observed between rural and urban activity bases that distinguish farming as a particularly dangerous occupation during the medieval period. The longbones of 170 individuals excavated from Raunds, a rural medieval British site (10th-12th centuries AD) were examined for fractures and compared to data collected from four contemporary British medieval sites, one rural and three urban. The fracture frequency for the Raunds individuals (19.4%) was significantly different from the urban sites (4.7-5.5%). Female fractures were characterized by injury to the forearm, while the males were predisposed to diverse fracture locations. Clinical research provided a source of documented farm-related trauma from North America and Europe where the crops and animals raised, the manual chores performed, and the equipment used in traditional or small-scale farms have changed little in form or function since the medieval period. Nonmechanized causes of injury contribute to approximately 40% of all modern farm-related injuries and are attributed to falls from lofts and ladders, animal assaults and bites, and falls from moving vehicles. These hazardous situations were also present in the medieval period and may explain some of the fracture trauma from the rural sites. A high fracture frequency for both medieval males and females is significantly associated with farming subsistence when compared to craft-orientated urban dwellers.

The Fecal Virome of Pigs on a High-Density Farm ▿ †

PubMed Central

Shan, Tongling; Li, Linlin; Simmonds, Peter; Wang, Chunlin; Moeser, Adam; Delwart, Eric

2011-01-01

Swine are an important source of proteins worldwide but are subject to frequent viral outbreaks and numerous infections capable of infecting humans. Modern farming conditions may also increase viral transmission and potential zoonotic spread. We describe here the metagenomics-derived virome in the feces of 24 healthy and 12 diarrheic piglets on a high-density farm. An average of 4.2 different mammalian viruses were shed by healthy piglets, reflecting a high level of asymptomatic infections. Diarrheic pigs shed an average of 5.4 different mammalian viruses. Ninety-nine percent of the viral sequences were related to the RNA virus families Picornaviridae, Astroviridae, Coronaviridae, and Caliciviridae, while 1% were related to the small DNA virus families Circoviridae, and Parvoviridae. Porcine RNA viruses identified, in order of decreasing number of sequence reads, consisted of kobuviruses, astroviruses, enteroviruses, sapoviruses, sapeloviruses, coronaviruses, bocaviruses, and teschoviruses. The near-full genomes of multiple novel species of porcine astroviruses and bocaviruses were generated and phylogenetically analyzed. Multiple small circular DNA genomes encoding replicase proteins plus two highly divergent members of the Picornavirales order were also characterized. The possible origin of these viral genomes from pig-infecting protozoans and nematodes, based on closest sequence similarities, is discussed. In summary, an unbiased survey of viruses in the feces of intensely farmed animals revealed frequent coinfections with a highly diverse set of viruses providing favorable conditions for viral recombination. Viral surveys of animals can readily document the circulation of known and new viruses, facilitating the detection of emerging viruses and prospective evaluation of their pathogenic and zoonotic potentials. PMID:21900163

Redistributive land and tenancy reform in Bangladesh agriculture.

PubMed

Taslim, M A

1993-04-01

Land is scarce and population dense in Bangladesh. Accordingly, there is great need to maximize agricultural production with intensive cultivation and the diffusion of modern technology. The realization of this goal, however, is impeded by the prevailing inequitable and inefficient structure of agricultural land tenure in which a few rural households hold the bulk of cultivatable land. Cropsharing and the system of land tenancy perpetuates low productivity and stagnation throughout the country. Development professionals, ruling politicians, and general populations in many countries under similar circumstances often suggest that share tenancy be abolished and tenants given ownership of tenanted plots, with large farms broken into smaller ones with an ultimate ceiling on farm size. The political and undertaken by new governments coming to power after violent social upheavals. Careful review reveals that such reform has hardly ever led to the establishment of prosperous and independent peasantries. Small family farms have instead become more dependent on the state and on off-farm employment. The rural elite is destroyed and a small peasant proprietorship dependent on the state is established which is ultimately controlled by the urban elite of the country; control over rural populations is reinforced. The dubious historical motivation for and results of land reform suggest that Bangladesh abandon its consideration in favor of promoting vocational training and education; providing research and extension services to agriculture for more rapid diffusion of high-yield innovations; mobilizing domestic resources to build up the infrastructure; fostering the development of private initiatives; and informing and advising about sustainable development practices to encourage their adoption so that an ecological balance may be maintained.

Operational challenges and opportunities in pastured poultry operations in the United States.

PubMed

Elkhoraibi, C; Pitesky, M; Dailey, N; Niemeier, D

2017-06-01

As pastured poultry production has gained increased popularity in the United States in recent years, there is a growing need for research and outreach efforts aimed at this sector of poultry production. In order to get familiarized with American pastured poultry producers, we conducted an online questionnaire aimed primarily at evaluating what operational challenges are faced by producers and what educational opportunities should be initiated by researchers. Results showed that pastured poultry farms largely vary in total number of acres farmed and total number of birds kept. The vast majority of farms (96%) rotate their flocks on pasture and include livestock species (78%) in their rotation systems. Mobile coops are the preferred housing option provided by producers (88%). The most common source of mortality listed by respondents was predation (52%), followed by "other" (32%). However, predation was not selected as the most important challenge by the majority of respondents. Sixty-four percent of participants instead mentioned providing adequate feed at reasonable cost as the major challenge in raising poultry on pasture, followed again by "other" (52%) and lack of processing facilities for small numbers of birds (40%). Finally, the topics considered by respondents as the most helpful to learn more about were how to improve egg production rate and/or feed conversion ratio (67%), followed by how to improve pasture condition and optimum vegetative cover all year round (62%). Despite its small sample size, this study's results provide some valuable insights of challenges encountered and information needed on pastured poultry farms. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Life cycle energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emission of broiler farms in different production systems in Iran-a case study of Alborz province.

PubMed

Pishgar-Komleh, Seyyed Hassan; Akram, Asadollah; Keyhani, Alireza; van Zelm, Rosalie

2017-07-01

In order to achieve sustainable development in agriculture, it is necessary to quantify and compare the energy, economic, and environmental aspects of products. This paper studied the energy, economic, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission patterns in broiler chicken farms in the Alborz province of Iran. We studied the effect of the broiler farm size as different production systems on the energy, economic, and environmental indices. Energy use efficiency (EUE) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) were 0.16 and 1.11, respectively. Diesel fuel and feed contributed the most in total energy inputs, while feed and chicks were the most important inputs in economic analysis. GHG emission calculations showed that production of 1000 birds produces 19.13 t CO 2-eq and feed had the highest share in total GHG emission. Total GHG emissions based on different functional units were 8.5 t CO 2-eq per t of carcass and 6.83 kg CO 2-eq per kg live weight. Results of farm size effect on EUE revealed that large farms had better energy management. For BCR, there was no significant difference between farms. Lower total GHG emissions were reported for large farms, caused by better management of inputs and fewer bird losses. Large farms with more investment had more efficient equipment, resulting in a decrease of the input consumption. In view of our study, it is recommended to support the small-scale broiler industry by providing subsidies to promote the use of high-efficiency equipment. To decrease the amount of energy usage and GHG emissions, replacing heaters (which use diesel fuel) with natural gas heaters can be considered. In addition to the above recommendations, the use of energy saving light bulbs may reduce broiler farm electricity consumption.

Impact of water allocation strategies to manage groundwater resources in Western Australia: Equity and efficiency considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iftekhar, Md Sayed; Fogarty, James

2017-05-01

In many parts of the world groundwater is being depleting at an alarming rate. Where groundwater extraction is licenced, regulators often respond to resource depletion by reducing all individual licences by a fixed proportion. This approach can be effective in achieving a reduction in the volume of water extracted, but the approach is not efficient. In water resource management the issue of the equity-efficiency trade-off has been explored in a number of contexts, but not in the context of allocation from a groundwater system. To contribute to this knowledge gap we conduct an empirical case study for Western Australia's most important groundwater system: the Gnangara Groundwater System (GGS). Resource depletion is a serious issue for the GGS, and substantial reductions in groundwater extraction are required to stabilise the system. Using an individual-based farm optimization model we study both the overall impact and the distributional impact of a fixed percentage water allocation cut to horticulture sector licence holders. The model is parameterised using water licence specific data on farm area and water allocation. The modelling shows that much of the impact of water allocation reductions can be mitigated through changing the cropping mix and the irrigation technology used. The modelling also shows that the scope for gains through the aggregation of holdings into larger farms is much greater than the potential losses due to water allocation reductions. The impact of water allocation cuts is also shown to impact large farms more than small farms. For example, the expected loss in net revenue per ha for a 10-ha farm is around three times the expected loss per ha for a 1-ha farm; and the expected loss per ha for a 25-ha farm is around five times the expected loss per ha for a 1-ha farm.

High Levels of Antimicrobial Resistance among Escherichia coli Isolates from Livestock Farms and Synanthropic Rats and Shrews in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

PubMed Central

Nhung, N. T.; Cuong, N. V.; Campbell, J.; Hoa, N. T.; Bryant, J. E.; Truc, V. N. T.; Kiet, B. T.; Jombart, T.; Trung, N. V.; Hien, V. B.; Thwaites, G.; Baker, S.

2014-01-01

In Mekong Delta farms (Vietnam), antimicrobials are extensively used, but limited data are available on levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Escherichia coli isolates. We performed a structured survey of AMR in E. coli isolates (n = 434) from 90 pig, chicken, and duck farms. The results were compared with AMR among E. coli isolates (n = 234) from 66 small wild animals (rats and shrews) trapped on farms and in forests and rice fields. The isolates were susceptibility tested against eight antimicrobials. E. coli isolates from farmed animals were resistant to a median of 4 (interquartile range [IQR], 3 to 6) antimicrobials versus 1 (IQR, 1 to 2) among wild mammal isolates (P < 0.001). The prevalences of AMR among farmed species isolates (versus wild animals) were as follows: tetracycline, 84.7% (versus 25.6%); ampicillin, 78.9% (versus 85.9%); trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 52.1% (versus 18.8%); chloramphenicol, 39.9% (versus 22.5%); amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, 36.6% (versus 34.5%); and ciprofloxacin, 24.9% (versus 7.3%). The prevalence of multidrug resistance (MDR) (resistance against three or more antimicrobial classes) among pig isolates was 86.7% compared to 66.9 to 72.7% among poultry isolates. After adjusting for host species, MDR was ∼8 times greater among isolates from wild mammals trapped on farms than among those trapped in forests/rice fields (P < 0.001). Isolates were assigned to unique profiles representing their combinations of susceptibility results. Multivariable analysis of variance indicated that AMR profiles from wild mammals trapped on farms and those from domestic animals were more alike (R2 range, 0.14 to 0.30) than E. coli isolates from domestic animals and mammals trapped in the wild (R2 range, 0.25 to 0.45). The results strongly suggest that AMR on farms is a key driver of environmental AMR in the Mekong Delta. PMID:25398864

Assessing conservation opportunity on private land: socio-economic, behavioral, and spatial dimensions.

PubMed

Raymond, Christopher M; Brown, Gregory

2011-10-01

This study presents a method for assessing conservation opportunity on private land based on landholders' socio-economic, behavioral, and farm characteristics. These characteristics include age, gender, education, level of off-farm income, farm size, proportion of remnant native vegetation on-farm, and ecological value of native vegetation on-farm. A sample of landholders who own greater than 2 ha of land in the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin region were sent a mail-based survey about their values and preferences for environmental management (N = 659, 52% response). Cross-tabulations and ANOVA statistical analysis techniques were used to compare the socio-economic attributes across three landholder classes: disengaged, moderately engaged, and highly engaged in native vegetation planting. Results indicate that highly engaged landholders were more likely to be female, formally educated, hobby farmers who managed small parcels of land and have high off-farm incomes, whereas disengaged landholders held significantly stronger farming connections (more farming experience, family have lived on the farm for more generations). Spatial analysis revealed area-specific differences in conservation opportunity and conservation priority. In some areas, properties of high ecological value were managed by highly engaged landholders, but nearby properties of high value were managed by moderately engaged or disengaged landholders. Environmental managers therefore cannot assume areas of high conservation priority will be areas of high conservation opportunity. At the regional scale, the potential for revegetation seems most promising within the moderately engaged landholder group considering the vast amount of land managed by this group in areas of high ecological value, particularly within the less represented Mallee and Coorong and Rangelands sub-regions. We suggest that incentive schemes which purchase conservation need to be targeted at disengaged landholders; mentoring schemes led by commercial farmers highly engaged in native vegetation planting should be directed at moderately engaged landholders, and; awards programs which acknowledge conservation successes should be targeted at highly engaged landholders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Descriptive survey and Salmonella surveillance of pastured poultry layer farms in California.

PubMed

Dailey, Naomi; Niemeier, Deb; Elkhoraibi, Carine; Sentíes-Cué, C Gabriel; Pitesky, Maurice

2017-04-01

While pasture-raised poultry comprises a small portion of the commercial poultry industry in North America, these alternative rearing systems have become increasingly popular. As such, it is critical to improve our understanding of husbandry practices and prevalence of zoonotic and epizoonotic diseases in these systems. This research reviews the results of a survey sent to 82 commercial pastured poultry farms in California. While the survey response was low (13.4%), it was enhanced by detailed in-person interviews and farm visits. In addition, we conducted drag swabs for Salmonella Enteritidis. On average, farms utilized 12.3% of their total farmland for pastured poultry operations, which often coexisted with other livestock (45%), touch crops (27%), and non-touch crops (45%). While the mean (44.6 sq. ft./hen) and median (22.2 sq. ft./hen) pasture stocking densities were within auditing guidelines, the mean (1.2 sq. ft./hen) and median (0.5 sq. ft./hen) coop stocking densities were below the pending USDA (2016) guidelines recommended in 7 CFR Part 205. Drag swab results showed the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in the environment of one of the 11 farms (9.1%). In addition, Salmonella Pullorum (SP) whole blood agglutination tests were used to understand the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in laying hens within the studied farms. Results showed the presence of antibodies in flocks at six of the seven non-SE vaccinated farms, with a mean on-farm prevalence of 25.6% in laying hens. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for Group D Salmonella exposure in non-vaccinated flocks, using the SP blood agglutination data as the dependent variable and the survey questions as the independent variables. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) risk factors included exposed wire floors and flock size. These results improve our understanding of Salmonella prevalence and husbandry practices on commercial pastured poultry farms in California. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Impact of Small Holder Dairy Farm on the Air Quality in Gunungpati District, Semarang Municipality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiastuti, E.; Kustono; Adiarto; Nurliyani; Sugiharto, S.

2018-02-01

The study aimed to investigate the impact of small holder dairy farm on the air quality in the farm and surrounding area. The study was conducted in three farmer groups in the District of Gunungpati, including the farmer groups in the villages of Nangkasawit, Plalangan and Sumurejo. Samplings of air quality were conducted in four points (locations), i.e., inside the barn, 100 m, 200 m and 300 m from the area of farm. Parameters observed were emission of NH3 CO2, H2S and CH4. Results showed that the levels of NH3 in the barn, 100 m, 200 m and 300 m from the farm area in Nangkasawit village were 0.211, 0.107, 0.104 and 0,035 ppm, respectively. The levels of NH3 in Plalangan village were 0.289, 0.231, 0.13 and 0.108 ppm, respectively, and in Sumurejo village were 0.109, 0.110, 0.082 and 0.046 ppm, respectively. The levels of H2S in Nangkasawit, Plalangan and Sumurejo villages at the entire points of observations were <0,002 ppm, with the acceptable standard level of H2S was 0.02 ppm. In four locations of observations, the levels of CH4 in Nangkasawit village were 809, 603, 599 and 521 ppb, in Plalangan village 999, 720, 645 and 582 ppb and in Sumurejo village 932, 824, 526 and 521 ppb. The levels of CO2 in Nangkasawit village were 26.55, 28.35, 28.44 and 30.05 ppm, in Plalangan village 24.65, 25.10, 23.44, 21.05 ppm and in Sumurejo village 28.50, 27.35, 30.68, 31.50 ppm, with the standard level of CO2 should be 30.000 ppm. In conclusion, the air quality was better (lower contamination) with the farther distance of locations from the barn.

Quantifying Human Appropriated Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) in a Ghanaian Cocoa System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morel, A.; Adu-Bredu, S.; Adu Sasu, M.; Ashley Asare, R.; Boyd, E.; Hirons, M. A.; Malhi, Y.; Mason, J.; Norris, K.; Robinson, E. J. Z.; McDermott, C. L.

2015-12-01

Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa (Theobroma cacoa), exporting approximately 18 percent of global volumes. These cocoa farms are predominantly small-scale, ranging in size from 2-4 hectares (ha). Traditionally, the model of cocoa expansion in Ghana relied on clearing new areas of forest and establishing a farm under remnant forest trees. This is increasingly less practical due to few unprotected forest areas remaining and management practices favoring close to full sun cocoa to maximize short-term yields. This study is part of a larger project, ECOLMITS, which is an interdisciplinary, ESPA-funded[1] initiative exploring the ecological limits of ecosystem system services (ESS) for alleviating poverty in small-scale agroforestry systems. The ecological study plots are situated within and around the Kakum National Forest, a well-protected, moist-evergreen forest of the Lower Guinea Forest region. Net primary productivity (NPP) is a measure of the rate at which carbon dioxide (CO2) is incorporated into plant tissues (e.g. canopy, stem and root). For this study, NPP was monitored in situ using methods developed by the Global Environmental Monitoring Network (GEM, http://gem.tropicalforests.ox.ac.uk/). By comparing NPP measured in intact forest and farms, the human appropriated NPP (HANPP) of this system can be estimated. The forest measures provide the "potential" NPP of the region, and then the reduction in NPP for farm plots is calculated for both land-cover change (HANPPLUC) and cocoa harvesting (HANPPHARV). The results presented are of the first year of NPP measurements across the cocoa landscape, including measurements from intact forest, logged forest and cocoa farms across a shade gradient and located at varying distances from the forest edge (e.g. 100 m, 500 m, 1 km and 5 km). These measures will have implications for carbon sequestration potential over the region and long-term sustainability of the Ghanaian cocoa sector. [1] Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation grant program, http://www.espa.ac.uk/

Conserving the Birds of Uganda’s Banana-Coffee Arc: Land Sparing and Land Sharing Compared

PubMed Central

Hulme, Mark F.; Vickery, Juliet A.; Green, Rhys E.; Phalan, Ben; Chamberlain, Dan E.; Pomeroy, Derek E.; Nalwanga, Dianah; Mushabe, David; Katebaka, Raymond; Bolwig, Simon; Atkinson, Philip W.

2013-01-01

Reconciling the aims of feeding an ever more demanding human population and conserving biodiversity is a difficult challenge. Here, we explore potential solutions by assessing whether land sparing (farming for high yield, potentially enabling the protection of non-farmland habitat), land sharing (lower yielding farming with more biodiversity within farmland) or a mixed strategy would result in better bird conservation outcomes for a specified level of agricultural production. We surveyed forest and farmland study areas in southern Uganda, measuring the population density of 256 bird species and agricultural yield: food energy and gross income. Parametric non-linear functions relating density to yield were fitted. Species were identified as “winners” (total population size always at least as great with agriculture present as without it) or “losers” (total population sometimes or always reduced with agriculture present) for a range of targets for total agricultural production. For each target we determined whether each species would be predicted to have a higher total population with land sparing, land sharing or with any intermediate level of sparing at an intermediate yield. We found that most species were expected to have their highest total populations with land sparing, particularly loser species and species with small global range sizes. Hence, more species would benefit from high-yield farming if used as part of a strategy to reduce forest loss than from low-yield farming and land sharing, as has been found in Ghana and India in a previous study. We caution against advocacy for high-yield farming alone as a means to deliver land sparing if it is done without strong protection for natural habitats, other ecosystem services and social welfare. Instead, we suggest that conservationists explore how conservation and agricultural policies can be better integrated to deliver land sparing by, for example, combining land-use planning and agronomic support for small farmers. PMID:23390501

Sustainability assessment of greenhouse vegetable farming practices from environmental, economic, and socio-institutional perspectives in China.

PubMed

Yang, Lanqin; Huang, Biao; Mao, Mingcui; Yao, Lipeng; Niedermann, Silvana; Hu, Wenyou; Chen, Yong

2016-09-01

To provide growing population with sufficient food, greenhouse vegetable production has expanded rapidly in recent years in China and sustainability of its farming practices is a major concern. Therefore, this study assessed the sustainability of greenhouse vegetable farming practices from environmental, economic, and socio-institutional perspectives in China based on selected indicators. The empirical data were collected through a survey of 91 farm households from six typical greenhouse vegetable production bases and analysis of environmental material samples. The results showed that heavy fertilization in greenhouse vegetable bases of China resulted in an accumulation of N, P, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil, nutrient eutrophication in irrigation water, and high Cd in some leaf vegetables cultivated in acidic soil. Economic factors including decreased crop yield in conventional farming bases, limited and site-dependent farmers' income, and lack of complete implementation of subsidy policies contributed a lot to adoption of heavy fertilization by farmers. Also, socio-institutional factors such as lack of unified management of agricultural supplies in the bases operated in cooperative and small family business models and low agricultural extension service efficiency intensified the unreasonable fertilization. The selection of cultivated vegetables was mainly based on farmers' own experience rather than site-dependent soil conditions. Thus, for sustainable development of greenhouse vegetable production systems in China, there are two key aspects. First, it is imperative to reduce environmental pollution and subsequent health risks through integrated nutrient management and the planting strategy of selected low metal accumulation vegetable species especially in acidic soil. Second, a conversion of cooperative and small family business models of greenhouse vegetable bases to enterprises should be extensively advocated in future for the unified agricultural supplies management and improved agricultural extension service efficiency, which in turn can stabilize vegetable yields and increase farmers' benefits.

Economic benefit of crop pollination by bees: a case of Kakamega small-holder farming in western Kenya.

PubMed

Kasina, J M; Mburu, J; Kraemer, M; Holm-Mueller, K

2009-04-01

In most developing countries, crop production is by small scale farmers, who mainly produce for their own consumption and the extra for market. Pollination in such systems is unmanaged and is usually incidental, supported by nearby ecosystems. One of the reasons of not managing pollination is the lack of understanding of its economic value. The "public-good" nature of pollination in these systems also discourages individual initiatives intended to conserve pollinators. We evaluate the economic returns from bee pollination in small-holder farming systems. To do this we apply the factor of production method, a form of revealed preferences methods available for valuing ecosystem services. Our analyses show that bee pollination enhances the yield of most crops grown in the farmland and improves immensely the quality of produce. Almost 40% of the annual value of crops under consideration represented the net returns derived from bee pollination. More than 99% of this benefit is attributed to pollination by feral bees. We provide in-depth valuation of pollination service and discuss applicability and limitations of the factor of production method in developing countries.

The Condition of Farmworkers and Small Farmers in 1973. Report to the National Board of the National Sharecroppers Fund/Rural Advancement Fund.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, James M.

Little of the profits produced by American agriculture stays in rural America. During 1973, the farmer received less than 46 cents of every food dollar spent at the supermarket even though food prices continued to soar. Farm subsidy payments, originally designed to protect the small farmer's income, were diverted to corporate giants, large…

Sixty years of management on a small longleaf pine forest: a technical note

Treesearch

R.J. Barlow; J.S. Kush; William D. Boyer

2011-01-01

In 1948, the US Forest Service set aside a 40-ac tract on the Escambia Experimental Forest in South Alabama to demonstrate longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) management for the small landowner. At that time, the management goal for this "Farm 40" was to produce high-quality poles and logs on a 60-year rotation. The goal was to be accomplished entirely...

Common occurrence of zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium meleagridis in broiler chickens and turkeys in Algeria.

PubMed

Baroudi, Djamel; Khelef, Djamel; Goucem, Rachid; Adjou, Karim T; Adamu, Haileeyesus; Zhang, Hongwei; Xiao, Lihua

2013-09-23

Only a small number of birds have been identified by molecular techniques as having Cryptosporidium meleagridis, the third most important species for human cryptosporidiosis. In this study, using PCR-RFLP analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, we examined the ileum of 90 dead chickens from 23 farms and 57 dead turkeys from 16 farms in Algeria for Cryptosporidium spp. C. meleagridis-positive specimens were subtyped by sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene. Cryptosporidium infection rates were 34% and 44% in chickens and turkeys, respectively, with all positive turkeys (25) and most positive chickens (26/31) having C. meleagridis. All C. meleagridis specimens belonged to a new subtype family. The frequent occurrence of C. meleagridis in chickens and turkeys illustrates the potential for zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis in Algeria. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Method for Semi-quantitative Assessment of Exposure to Pesticides of Applicators and Re-entry Workers: An Application in Three Farming Systems in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Negatu, Beyene; Vermeulen, Roel; Mekonnen, Yalemtshay; Kromhout, Hans

2016-07-01

To develop an inexpensive and easily adaptable semi-quantitative exposure assessment method to characterize exposure to pesticide in applicators and re-entry farmers and farm workers in Ethiopia. Two specific semi-quantitative exposure algorithms for pesticides applicators and re-entry workers were developed and applied to 601 farm workers employed in 3 distinctly different farming systems [small-scale irrigated, large-scale greenhouses (LSGH), and large-scale open (LSO)] in Ethiopia. The algorithm for applicators was based on exposure-modifying factors including application methods, farm layout (open or closed), pesticide mixing conditions, cleaning of spraying equipment, intensity of pesticide application per day, utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE), personal hygienic behavior, annual frequency of application, and duration of employment at the farm. The algorithm for re-entry work was based on an expert-based re-entry exposure intensity score, utilization of PPE, personal hygienic behavior, annual frequency of re-entry work, and duration of employment at the farm. The algorithms allowed estimation of daily, annual and cumulative lifetime exposure for applicators, and re-entry workers by farming system, by gender, and by age group. For all metrics, highest exposures occurred in LSGH for both applicators and female re-entry workers. For male re-entry workers, highest cumulative exposure occurred in LSO farms. Female re-entry workers appeared to be higher exposed on a daily or annual basis than male re-entry workers, but their cumulative exposures were similar due to the fact that on average males had longer tenure. Factors related to intensity of exposure (like application method and farm layout) were indicated as the main driving factors for estimated potential exposure. Use of personal protection, hygienic behavior, and duration of employment in surveyed farm workers contributed less to the contrast in exposure estimates. This study indicated that farmers' and farm workers' exposure to pesticides can be inexpensively characterized, ranked, and classified. Our method could be extended to assess exposure to specific active ingredients provided that detailed information on pesticides used is available. The resulting exposure estimates will consequently be used in occupational epidemiology studies in Ethiopia and other similar countries with few resources. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Minimization of bovine tuberculosis control costs in US dairy herds

PubMed Central

Smith, Rebecca L.; Tauer, Loren W.; Schukken, Ynte H.; Lu, Zhao; Grohn, Yrjo T.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to minimize the cost of controlling an isolated bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreak in a US dairy herd, using a stochastic simulation model of bTB with economic and biological layers. A model optimizer produced a control program that required 2-month testing intervals (TI) with 2 negative whole-herd tests to leave quarantine. This control program minimized both farm and government costs. In all cases, test-and-removal costs were lower than depopulation costs, although the variability in costs increased for farms with high holding costs or small herd sizes. Increasing herd size significantly increased costs for both the farm and the government, while increasing indemnity payments significantly decreased farm costs and increasing testing costs significantly increased government costs. Based on the results of this model, we recommend 2-month testing intervals for herds after an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis, with 2 negative whole herd tests being sufficient to lift quarantine. A prolonged test and cull program may cause a state to lose its bTB-free status during the testing period. When the cost of losing the bTB-free status is greater than $1.4 million then depopulation of farms could be preferred over a test and cull program. PMID:23953679

Higher perceived risk of antimicrobials is related to lower antimicrobial usage among pig farmers in four European countries.

PubMed

Visschers, V H M; Postma, M; Sjölund, M; Backhans, A; Collineau, L; Loesken, S; Belloc, C; Dewulf, J; Emanuelson, U; Grosse Beilage, E; Siegrist, M; Stärk, K D C

2016-11-12

The prudent use of antimicrobials (AMs) should be widened in pig farming to reduce the risk of AM resistance (AMR) in human and veterinary medicine. It is therefore important to understand pig farmers' motivators and the barriers to AM usage (AMU) on their farms. The authors investigated pig farmers' self-estimated levels of AMU, their perceived benefits and risks and the need for AMs in a cross-sectional survey in Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden. The authors also compared these perceptions between the four countries and related them to pig farmers' actual AMU. The results showed that farmers who used more AMs also estimated their own usage as higher. Farmers perceived many benefits but relatively few risks of AMU in pig farming. Some significant cross-country differences in farmers' perceptions were found, but they were relatively small. After controlling for country differences and farm differences, only perceived risks had a significant association with AMU. The authors therefore conclude that in order to promote prudent AMU, it seems most promising to focus on the structural differences in pig farming and veterinary medicine (e.g. legislation, role of the veterinarian) among countries. In addition, interventions which aim at reducing AMU should increase farmers' awareness of the risks of extensive AMU. British Veterinary Association.

Relationship between the {sup 137}Cs whole-body counting results and soil and food contamination in farms near Chernobyl

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takatsuji, Toshihiro; Sato, Hitoshi; Takada, Jun

The authors measured the radioactivity in the soil and child food samples from farms near Mogilev (56--270 GBq km{sup {minus}2} {sup 137}Cs), Gomel (36--810 GBq km{sup {minus}2} {sup 137}Cs), and Klincy (59--270 GBq km{sup {minus}2} {sup 137}Cs), who had whole-body {sup 137}Cs counting results measured as part of a health examination in the Chernobyl Sasakawa Health and Medical Cooperation Project. Soil contamination on the family farm seems to be the main source of human contamination because most of the people in the area live on small farms and they and their domestic animals eat crops from the farms. A clearmore » correlation was found between the children's whole-body {sup 137}Cs counting results and the radioactivity in their food (correlation coefficient: 0.76; confidence level of correlation: 3.2 x 10{sup {minus}9}). There were also significant correlations between the whole-body {sup 137}Cs counting results and both the radioactivity of the soil samples (correlation coefficient: 0.22; confidence level of correlation: 0.0107) and the average contamination level of their current residence (correlation coefficient: 0.20; confidence level of correlation: 0.0174).« less

Family vs Village-Based: Intangible View on the Sustainable of Seaweed Farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teniwut, Wellem A.; Teniwut, Yuliana K.; Teniwut, Roberto M. K.; Hasyim, Cawalinya L.

2017-10-01

Compare to other fishery activities for instance fish mariculture and catching fisheries, seaweed farming is considered easier. Also, the market for seaweed is wider and will keep growing. Thus, makes seaweed farming as one of the fastest commodity to improve the welfare of a coastal community. There are technical and non-technical factors in seaweed farming management, for non-technical on this intangible factors vary between family-based and village-based management, therefore aimed of this study was to simulate farmers decision to choose between family-based and village-based on seaweed managing system trigger by intangible factors. We conducted our study in Southeast Maluku, data collecting conducted from October to December 2016 by depth interview and questionnaires on seaweed farmers. We used logistic regression to compare each intangible factors on family and village-based seaweed farming management. The result showed that for family-based management farmers were willing to transfer their knowledge among each member in the household. For village-based revealed that farmers with higher education background tend to work on village-based, also, the result also stated that in village-based management member were those who have better capability and skill, at the same time village-based management had a small probability for conflict to occur compared to family-based.

Drivers of household food availability in sub-Saharan Africa based on big data from small farms

PubMed Central

Frelat, Romain; Lopez-Ridaura, Santiago; Herrero, Mario; Douxchamps, Sabine; Djurfeldt, Agnes Andersson; Erenstein, Olaf; Henderson, Ben; Kassie, Menale; Paul, Birthe K.; Rigolot, Cyrille; Ritzema, Randall S.; Rodriguez, Daniel; van Asten, Piet J. A.; van Wijk, Mark T.

2016-01-01

We calculated a simple indicator of food availability using data from 93 sites in 17 countries across contrasted agroecologies in sub-Saharan Africa (>13,000 farm households) and analyzed the drivers of variations in food availability. Crop production was the major source of energy, contributing 60% of food availability. The off-farm income contribution to food availability ranged from 12% for households without enough food available (18% of the total sample) to 27% for the 58% of households with sufficient food available. Using only three explanatory variables (household size, number of livestock, and land area), we were able to predict correctly the agricultural determined status of food availability for 72% of the households, but the relationships were strongly influenced by the degree of market access. Our analyses suggest that targeting poverty through improving market access and off-farm opportunities is a better strategy to increase food security than focusing on agricultural production and closing yield gaps. This calls for multisectoral policy harmonization, incentives, and diversification of employment sources rather than a singular focus on agricultural development. Recognizing and understanding diversity among smallholder farm households in sub-Saharan Africa is key for the design of policies that aim to improve food security. PMID:26712016

Drivers of household food availability in sub-Saharan Africa based on big data from small farms.

PubMed

Frelat, Romain; Lopez-Ridaura, Santiago; Giller, Ken E; Herrero, Mario; Douxchamps, Sabine; Andersson Djurfeldt, Agnes; Erenstein, Olaf; Henderson, Ben; Kassie, Menale; Paul, Birthe K; Rigolot, Cyrille; Ritzema, Randall S; Rodriguez, Daniel; van Asten, Piet J A; van Wijk, Mark T

2016-01-12

We calculated a simple indicator of food availability using data from 93 sites in 17 countries across contrasted agroecologies in sub-Saharan Africa (>13,000 farm households) and analyzed the drivers of variations in food availability. Crop production was the major source of energy, contributing 60% of food availability. The off-farm income contribution to food availability ranged from 12% for households without enough food available (18% of the total sample) to 27% for the 58% of households with sufficient food available. Using only three explanatory variables (household size, number of livestock, and land area), we were able to predict correctly the agricultural determined status of food availability for 72% of the households, but the relationships were strongly influenced by the degree of market access. Our analyses suggest that targeting poverty through improving market access and off-farm opportunities is a better strategy to increase food security than focusing on agricultural production and closing yield gaps. This calls for multisectoral policy harmonization, incentives, and diversification of employment sources rather than a singular focus on agricultural development. Recognizing and understanding diversity among smallholder farm households in sub-Saharan Africa is key for the design of policies that aim to improve food security.

The Impact of Input and Output Prices on The Household Economic Behavior of Rice-Livestock Integrated Farming System (Rlifs) and Non Rlifs Farmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindawati, L.; Kusnadi, N.; Kuntjoro, S. U.; Swastika, D. K. S.

2018-02-01

Integrated farming system is a system that emphasized linkages and synergism of farming units waste utilization. The objective of the study was to analyze the impact of input and output prices on both Rice Livestock Integrated Farming System (RLIFS) and non RLIFS farmers. The study used econometric model in the form of a simultaneous equations system consisted of 36 equations (18 behavior and 18 identity equations). The impact of changes in some variables was obtained through simulation of input and output prices on simultaneous equations. The results showed that the price increasing of the seed, SP-36, urea, medication/vitamins, manure, bran, straw had negative impact on production of the rice, cow, manure, bran, straw and household income. The decrease in the rice and cow production, production input usage, allocation of family labor, rice and cow business income was greater in RLIFS than non RLIFS farmers. The impact of rising rice and cow cattle prices in the two groups of farmers was not too much different because (1) farming waste wasn’t used effectively (2) manure and straw had small proportion of production costs. The increase of input and output price didn’t have impact on production costs and household expenditures on RLIFS.

Porcine circovirus type 2 antibody detection in backyard pigs from Mexico City.

PubMed

Ramírez-Mendoza, H; Martínez, C; Mercado, C; Castillo-Juárez, H; Hernández, J; Segalés, J

2007-08-01

PCV2 antibodies have been found in pigs from all continents. However, this finding has been mainly studied in domestic swine reared under intensive production conditions. Mexico City, with a human population over 19 million in 2005, has both urban and rural areas. The pig production in its rural area is based on small family backyard farms. Taking into account this rather unique form of rearing pigs, the objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence in backyard pigs from the rural area of Mexico City. A total of 695 backyard pig serum samples from 108 small family farms belonging to seven municipal areas were studied by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay technique. One hundred six out of the 108 family farms (98.14%) had at least one positive serum sample. On the other hand, 136 (19.57%), 264 (37.99%) and 248 (34.82%) pigs had low, intermediate and high titres to PCV2, respectively. Only 53 samples (7.63%) were negative for PCV2 antibodies. No apparent differences in antibody titre groups were observed among backyard pigs from the different municipal areas. In conclusion, the present study, the first one performed in this kind of extensively produced pigs, indicates that PCV2 is ubiquitous in backyard pigs from Mexico City.

Using social network analysis to inform disease control interventions.

PubMed

Marquetoux, Nelly; Stevenson, Mark A; Wilson, Peter; Ridler, Anne; Heuer, Cord

2016-04-01

Contact patterns between individuals are an important determinant for the spread of infectious diseases in populations. Social network analysis (SNA) describes contact patterns and thus indicates how infectious pathogens may be transmitted. Here we explore network characteristics that may inform the development of disease control programes. This study applies SNA methods to describe a livestock movement network of 180 farms in New Zealand from 2006 to 2010. We found that the number of contacts was overall consistent from year to year, while the choice of trading partners tended to vary. This livestock movement network illustrated how a small number of farms central to the network could play a potentially dominant role for the spread of infection in this population. However, fragmentation of the network could easily be achieved by "removing" a small proportion of farms serving as bridges between otherwise isolated clusters, thus decreasing the probability of large epidemics. This is the first example of a comprehensive analysis of pastoral livestock movements in New Zealand. We conclude that, for our system, recording and exploiting livestock movements can contribute towards risk-based control strategies to prevent and monitor the introduction and the spread of infectious diseases in animal populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical Properties Influencing Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Soil from Small Ruminant Farms in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Panchadcharam, Chandrawathani; Zakaria, Zunita; Abdul Aziz, Saleha

2016-01-01

Soil is considered to be a major reservoir of Burkholderia pseudomallei in the environment. This paper investigates soil physicochemical properties that may influence presence of B. pseudomallei in soil samples from small ruminant farms in Peninsular Malaysia. Soil samples were collected from the farms and cultured for B. pseudomallei. The texture, organic matter and water contents, pH, elemental contents, cation exchange capacities, carbon, sulfur and nitrogen contents were determined. Analysis of soil samples that were positive and negative for B. pseudomallei using multivariable logistic regression found that the odds of bacterial isolation from soil was significantly higher for samples with higher contents of iron (OR = 1.01, 95%CI = 1.00–1.02, p = 0.03), water (OR = 1.28, 95%CI = 1.05–1.55, p = 0.01) and clay (OR = 1.54, 95%CI = 1.15–2.06, p = 0.004) compared to the odds of isolation in samples with lower contents of the above variables. These three factors may have favored the survival of B. pseudomallei because iron regulates expression of respiratory enzymes, while water is essential for soil ecology and agent’s biological processes and clay retains water and nutrients. PMID:27635652

Environmental management framework for wind farm siting: methodology and case study.

PubMed

Tegou, Leda-Ioanna; Polatidis, Heracles; Haralambopoulos, Dias A

2010-11-01

This paper develops an integrated framework to evaluate land suitability for wind farm siting that combines multi-criteria analysis (MCA) with geographical information systems (GIS); an application of the proposed framework for the island of Lesvos, Greece, is further illustrated. A set of environmental, economic, social, and technical constraints, based on recent Greek legislation, identifies the potential sites for wind power installation. Furthermore, the area under consideration is evaluated by a variety of criteria, such as wind power potential, land cover type, electricity demand, visual impact, land value, and distance from the electricity grid. The pair-wise comparison method in the context of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to estimate the criteria weights in order to establish their relative importance in site evaluation. The overall suitability of the study region for wind farm siting is appraised through the weighted summation rule. Results showed that only a very small percentage of the total area of Lesvos could be suitable for wind farm installation, although favourable wind potential exists in many more areas of the island. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling velocity space-time correlations in wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukassen, Laura J.; Stevens, Richard J. A. M.; Meneveau, Charles; Wilczek, Michael

2016-11-01

Turbulent fluctuations of wind velocities cause power-output fluctuations in wind farms. The statistics of velocity fluctuations can be described by velocity space-time correlations in the atmospheric boundary layer. In this context, it is important to derive simple physics-based models. The so-called Tennekes-Kraichnan random sweeping hypothesis states that small-scale velocity fluctuations are passively advected by large-scale velocity perturbations in a random fashion. In the present work, this hypothesis is used with an additional mean wind velocity to derive a model for the spatial and temporal decorrelation of velocities in wind farms. It turns out that in the framework of this model, space-time correlations are a convolution of the spatial correlation function with a temporal decorrelation kernel. In this presentation, first results on the comparison to large eddy simulations will be presented and the potential of the approach to characterize power output fluctuations of wind farms will be discussed. Acknowledgements: 'Fellowships for Young Energy Scientists' (YES!) of FOM, the US National Science Foundation Grant IIA 1243482, and support by the Max Planck Society.

An automated microfluidic chip system for detection of piscine nodavirus and characterization of its potential carrier in grouper farms.

PubMed

Kuo, Hsiao-Che; Wang, Ting-Yu; Hsu, Hao-Hsuan; Lee, Szu-Hsien; Chen, Young-Mao; Tsai, Tieh-Jung; Ou, Ming-Chang; Ku, Hsiao-Tung; Lee, Gwo-Bin; Chen, Tzong-Yueh

2012-01-01

Groupers of the Epinephelus spp. are an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia Pacific region. They are susceptible to piscine nodavirus infection, which results in viral nervous necrosis disease. In this study, a rapid and sensitive automated microfluidic chip system was implemented for the detection of piscine nodavirus; this technology has the advantage of requiring small amounts of sample and has been developed and applied for managing grouper fish farms. Epidemiological investigations revealed an extremely high detection rate of piscine nodavirus (89% of fish samples) from 5 different locations in southern Taiwan. In addition, positive samples from the feces of fish-feeding birds indicated that the birds could be carrying the virus between fish farms. In the present study, we successfully introduced this advanced technology that combines engineering and biological approaches to aquaculture. In the future, we believe that this approach will improve fish farm management and aid in reducing the economic loss experienced by fish farmers due to widespread disease outbreaks.

Occurrence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in ducks and duck eggs in Selangor, Malaysia.

PubMed

Nor Faiza, S; Saleha, A A; Jalila, A; Fauziah, N

2013-03-01

The importance of Campylobacter and Salmonella as foodborne pathogens is well recognised globally. A recent work in Penang found ducks in commercial farms were infected with these organisms. The aim of the study was to detect the presence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in ducks and Salmonella in duck eggs in farms in a small part of Selangor. Cloacal swabs were obtained from 75 ducks and 30 duck eggs from three farms. The isolation and identification of Campylobacter and Salmonella were done using conventional methods. Twelve percent of Campylobacter and 16.0% of Salmonella were isolated from the ducks sampled. Salmonella was absent on and in eggs. Campylobacter isolates consisted of 22% Campylobacter jejuni and the remaining was Campylobacter coli. Three Salmonella serovars identified were Salmonella Agona, S. Braenderup and S. Corvallis. The presence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in ducks may cause contamination of the meat during processing and handling which can constitute public health hazard. Moreover, the farm workers may be exposed to the organisms through contact with the infected animals.

An Automated Microfluidic Chip System for Detection of Piscine Nodavirus and Characterization of Its Potential Carrier in Grouper Farms

PubMed Central

Hsu, Hao-Hsuan; Lee, Szu-Hsien; Chen, Young-Mao; Tsai, Tieh-Jung; Ou, Ming-Chang; Ku, Hsiao-Tung; Lee, Gwo-Bin; Chen, Tzong-Yueh

2012-01-01

Groupers of the Epinephelus spp. are an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia Pacific region. They are susceptible to piscine nodavirus infection, which results in viral nervous necrosis disease. In this study, a rapid and sensitive automated microfluidic chip system was implemented for the detection of piscine nodavirus; this technology has the advantage of requiring small amounts of sample and has been developed and applied for managing grouper fish farms. Epidemiological investigations revealed an extremely high detection rate of piscine nodavirus (89% of fish samples) from 5 different locations in southern Taiwan. In addition, positive samples from the feces of fish-feeding birds indicated that the birds could be carrying the virus between fish farms. In the present study, we successfully introduced this advanced technology that combines engineering and biological approaches to aquaculture. In the future, we believe that this approach will improve fish farm management and aid in reducing the economic loss experienced by fish farmers due to widespread disease outbreaks. PMID:22912690

Participatory approach: from problem identification to setting strategies for increased productivity and sustainability in small scale irrigated agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habtu, Solomon; Ludi, Eva; Jamin, Jean Yves; Oates, Naomi; Fissahaye Yohannes, Degol

2014-05-01

Practicing various innovations pertinent to irrigated farming at local field scale is instrumental to increase productivity and yield for small holder farmers in Africa. However the translation of innovations from local scale to the scale of a jointly operated irrigation scheme is far from trivial. It requires insight on the drivers for adoption of local innovations within the wider farmer communities. Participatory methods are expected to improve not only the acceptance of locally developed innovations within the wider farmer communities, but to allow also an estimation to which extend changes will occur within the entire irrigation scheme. On such a base, more realistic scenarios of future water productivity within an irrigation scheme, which is operated by small holder farmers, can be estimated. Initial participatory problem and innovation appraisal was conducted in Gumselassa small scale irrigation scheme, Ethiopia, from Feb 27 to March 3, 2012 as part of the EAU4FOOD project funded by EC. The objective was to identify and appraise problems which hinder sustainable water management to enhance production and productivity and to identify future research strategies. Workshops were conducted both at local (Community of Practices) and regional (Learning Practice Alliance) level. At local levels, intensive collaboration with farmers using participatory methods produced problem trees and a "Photo Safari" documented a range of problems that negatively impact on productive irrigated farming. A range of participatory methods were also used to identify local innovations. At regional level a Learning Platform was established that includes a wide range of stakeholders (technical experts from various government ministries, policy makers, farmers, extension agents, researchers). This stakeholder group did a range of exercise as well to identify major problems related to irrigated smallholder farming and already identified innovations. Both groups identified similar problems to productive smallholder irrigation: soil nutrient depletion, salinization, disease and pest resulting from inefficient irrigation practices, infrastructure problems leading to a reduction of the size of the command area and decrease in reservoir volume. The major causes have been poor irrigation infrastructure, poor on-farm soil and water management, prevalence of various crop pests and diseases, lack of inputs and reservoir siltation. On-farm participatory research focusing on soil, crop and water management issues, including technical, institutional and managerial aspects, to identify best performing innovations while taking care of the environment was recommended. Currently, a range of interlinked activities are implemented a multiple scales, combining participatory and scientific approaches towards innovation development and up-scaling of promising technologies and institutional and managerial approaches from local to regional scales. ____________________________ Key words: Irrigation scheme, productivity, innovation, participatory method, Gumselassa, Ethiopia

Offshore wind farm layout optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkinton, Christopher Neil

Offshore wind energy technology is maturing in Europe and is poised to make a significant contribution to the U.S. energy production portfolio. Building on the knowledge the wind industry has gained to date, this dissertation investigates the influences of different site conditions on offshore wind farm micrositing---the layout of individual turbines within the boundaries of a wind farm. For offshore wind farms, these conditions include, among others, the wind and wave climates, water depths, and soil conditions at the site. An analysis tool has been developed that is capable of estimating the cost of energy (COE) from offshore wind farms. For this analysis, the COE has been divided into several modeled components: major costs (e.g. turbines, electrical interconnection, maintenance, etc.), energy production, and energy losses. By treating these component models as functions of site-dependent parameters, the analysis tool can investigate the influence of these parameters on the COE. Some parameters result in simultaneous increases of both energy and cost. In these cases, the analysis tool was used to determine the value of the parameter that yielded the lowest COE and, thus, the best balance of cost and energy. The models have been validated and generally compare favorably with existing offshore wind farm data. The analysis technique was then paired with optimization algorithms to form a tool with which to design offshore wind farm layouts for which the COE was minimized. Greedy heuristic and genetic optimization algorithms have been tuned and implemented. The use of these two algorithms in series has been shown to produce the best, most consistent solutions. The influences of site conditions on the COE have been studied further by applying the analysis and optimization tools to the initial design of a small offshore wind farm near the town of Hull, Massachusetts. The results of an initial full-site analysis and optimization were used to constrain the boundaries of the farm. A more thorough optimization highlighted the features of the area that would result in a minimized COE. The results showed reasonable layout designs and COE estimates that are consistent with existing offshore wind farms.

Farm, household, and farmer characteristics associated with changes in management practices and technology adoption among dairy smallholders.

PubMed

Martínez-García, Carlos Galdino; Ugoretz, Sarah Janes; Arriaga-Jordán, Carlos Manuel; Wattiaux, Michel André

2015-02-01

This study explored whether technology adoption and changes in management practices were associated with farm structure, household, and farmer characteristics and to identify processes that may foster productivity and sustainability of small-scale dairy farming in the central highlands of Mexico. Factor analysis of survey data from 44 smallholders identified three factors-related to farm size, farmer's engagement, and household structure-that explained 70 % of cumulative variance. The subsequent hierarchical cluster analysis yielded three clusters. Cluster 1 included the most senior farmers with fewest years of education but greatest years of experience. Cluster 2 included farmers who reported access to extension, cooperative services, and more management changes. Cluster 2 obtained 25 and 35 % more milk than farmers in clusters 1 and 3, respectively. Cluster 3 included the youngest farmers, with most years of education and greatest availability of family labor. Access to a network and membership in a community of peers appeared as important contributors to success. Smallholders gravitated towards easy to implement technologies that have immediate benefits. Nonusers of high investment technologies found them unaffordable because of cost, insufficient farm size, and lack of knowledge or reliable electricity. Multivariate analysis may be a useful tool in planning extension activities and organizing channels of communication to effectively target farmers with varying needs, constraints, and motivations for change and in identifying farmers who may exemplify models of change for others who manage farms that are structurally similar but performing at a lower level.

A global perspective of the richness and evenness of traditional crop-variety diversity maintained by farming communities

PubMed Central

Jarvis, Devra I.; Brown, Anthony H. D.; Cuong, Pham Hung; Collado-Panduro, Luis; Latournerie-Moreno, Luis; Gyawali, Sanjaya; Tanto, Tesema; Sawadogo, Mahamadou; Mar, Istvan; Sadiki, Mohammed; Hue, Nguyen Thi-Ngoc; Arias-Reyes, Luis; Balma, Didier; Bajracharya, Jwala; Castillo, Fernando; Rijal, Deepak; Belqadi, Loubna; Rana, Ram; Saidi, Seddik; Ouedraogo, Jeremy; Zangre, Roger; Rhrib, Keltoum; Chavez, Jose Luis; Schoen, Daniel; Sthapit, Bhuwon; De Santis, Paola; Fadda, Carlo; Hodgkin, Toby

2008-01-01

Varietal data from 27 crop species from five continents were drawn together to determine overall trends in crop varietal diversity on farm. Measurements of richness, evenness, and divergence showed that considerable crop genetic diversity continues to be maintained on farm, in the form of traditional crop varieties. Major staples had higher richness and evenness than nonstaples. Variety richness for clonal species was much higher than that of other breeding systems. A close linear relationship between traditional variety richness and evenness (both transformed), empirically derived from data spanning a wide range of crops and countries, was found both at household and community levels. Fitting a neutral “function” to traditional variety diversity relationships, comparable to a species abundance distribution of “neutral ecology,” provided a benchmark to assess the standing diversity on farm. In some cases, high dominance occurred, with much of the variety richness held at low frequencies. This suggested that diversity may be maintained as an insurance to meet future environmental changes or social and economic needs. In other cases, a more even frequency distribution of varieties was found, possibly implying that farmers are selecting varieties to service a diversity of current needs and purposes. Divergence estimates, measured as the proportion of community evenness displayed among farmers, underscore the importance of a large number of small farms adopting distinctly diverse varietal strategies as a major force that maintains crop genetic diversity on farm. PMID:18362337

Interrill Erodibility of P and C on conventially and organically farmed Devon soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhn, N. J.

2012-04-01

Soil erosion can have significant off-site effects on water quality and thus human and habitat health. Apart from sedimentation, the transfer of nutrients, both dissolved and particulate, is a major concern. The particulate transfer of nutrients from agricultural land can occur either by rill or interrill erosion. Rill erosion is non-selective and affects only a limited extent of agricultural land. Interrill processes such as crusting, splash and raindrop-impacted wash, on the other hand, act on all cropland and affect the quality of the water from all areas generating runoff. A significant amount of phosphorus (P) is contained in the surface soil layer transformed by interrill processes annually. In the EU, the P content of a crusted (2 mm) surface layer corresponds to 4 to 40 kg ha-1 of P on arable land (1.094 mil km2). Therefore, the role of interrill processes and erosion for regional nutrient cycling requires close attention. Interrill erosion is a complex phenomenon, involving the detachment, transport and deposition of soil particles by raindrop impacted flow. Resistance to interrill erosion varies between soils depending on their physical, chemical and mineralogical properties. In addition, significant changes in soil resistance to interrill erosion occur during storms as a result of changes in surface roughness, cohesion and particle size. As a consequence, erosion on interrill areas is selective, moving the most easily detached small and/or light soil particles which are often enriched in clay, P and organic C. Commonly, the risk of erosion associated with organically farmed soils is lower than those farmed in a conventional way. This is attributed to greater aggregate stability and thus greater infiltration and lower erodibility. Erosion of nutrients on organically farmed soils is therefore considered to be reduced by the same order of magnitude than the amount of eroded soil compared to conventionally farmed soils. However, the selective nature of interrill erosion potentially counteracts this effect by the preferential removal of fine particles enriched in nutrients and soil organic matter. In this study, an experiment comparing the erodibility of P and C on organically and conventially farmed soils from Devon is presented. The results show a disproportional increase of P in sediment from the organically farmed soil, reducing the perceived benefit of organic farming on nutrient erosion by 80%. The pronounced P enrichment in the organically farmed soil is attributed to the higher concentrations of C and P as well as lower densities of the small particle fraction. The results, while very preliminary, indicate that the impact of soil management on off-site effects of erosion such as water quality can only be fully assessed when we understand the relevant erosion processes. They also indicate that some less than expected positive effects of changing soil management to improve water quality might be caused by the preferential erosion of P-bearing soil particles.

Flea market finds and global exports: Four multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to small turtles, United States-2015.

PubMed

Gambino-Shirley, K; Stevenson, L; Concepción-Acevedo, J; Trees, E; Wagner, D; Whitlock, L; Roberts, J; Garrett, N; Van Duyne, S; McAllister, G; Schick, B; Schlater, L; Peralta, V; Reporter, R; Li, L; Waechter, H; Gomez, T; Fernández Ordenes, J; Ulloa, S; Ragimbeau, C; Mossong, J; Nichols, M

2018-03-25

Zoonotic transmission of Salmonella infections causes an estimated 11% of salmonellosis annually in the United States. This report describes the epidemiologic, traceback and laboratory investigations conducted in the United States as part of four multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to small turtles. Salmonella isolates indistinguishable from the outbreak strains were isolated from a total of 143 ill people in the United States, pet turtles, and pond water samples collected from turtle farm A, as well as ill people from Chile and Luxembourg. Almost half (45%) of infections occurred in children aged <5 years, underscoring the importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to keep pet turtles and other reptiles out of homes and childcare settings with young children. Although only 43% of the ill people who reported turtle exposure provided purchase information, most small turtles were purchased from flea markets or street vendors, which made it difficult to locate the vendor, trace the turtles to a farm of origin, provide education and enforce the United States federal ban on the sale and distribution of small turtles. These outbreaks highlight the importance of improving public awareness and education about the risk of Salmonella from small turtles not only in the United States but also worldwide. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Peste des Petits Ruminants virus: an emerging threat to goat farming in Pakistan.

PubMed

Abubakar, M; Munir, M

2014-08-01

Pakistan at present is having more than 60 million head of goats, which consist of about 37 well-recognized breeds found in different regions of the country. Although the goat farming on commercial level is escalating in Pakistan, there are threats, which result this initiative into a loss. Among these threats, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) outbreaks are causing huge economic damages. In this study, three outbreaks of PPR were confirmed at three different commercial farms in various regions of Punjab province and their economic impact on small ruminants farming was calculated. The disease started after 1-2 months of the establishment of these farms as the animals were purchased from different livestock markets. Disease started with sudden onset of respiratory and enteric clinical signs and spreads quickly. Disease caused mortality and morbidity of 10-15% and 20-40%, respectively, within a time period of 01-03 weeks. At these three farms, 116 of 365 animals exhibited the clinical disease, with an overall morbidity rate of 31.78%. A total of 43 animals died with mortality rate of 11.78% (43/365) causing a direct financial loss of $4300 (Pakistan Rupees 430,000/-), while the indirect cost due to treatment, loss of animal body condition, reduction in market value, increase veterinary services and labour was $7911 (Pak Rs. 791,100/-). Taken together, the results demonstrate that there is an urgent need to assess the economic impact of the disease throughout the country and to give proper emphasis for controlling PPR in sensitive regions where it is discouraging the investment in goat farming. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Prevalence and Characterization of Motile Salmonella in Commercial Layer Poultry Farms in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Barua, Himel; Biswas, Paritosh K.; Olsen, Katharina E. P.; Christensen, Jens P.

2012-01-01

Salmonella is a globally widespread food-borne pathogen having major impact on public health. All motile serovars of Salmonella enterica of poultry origin are zoonotic, and contaminated meat and raw eggs are an important source to human infections. Information on the prevalence of Salmonella at farm/holding level, and the zoonotic serovars circulating in layer poultry in the South and South-East Asian countries including Bangladesh, where small-scale commercial farms are predominant, is limited. To investigate the prevalence of Salmonella at layer farm level, and to identify the prevalent serovars we conducted a cross-sectional survey by randomly selecting 500 commercial layer poultry farms in Bangladesh. Faecal samples from the selected farms were collected following standard procedure, and examined for the presence of Salmonella using conventional bacteriological procedures. Thirty isolates were randomly selected, from the ninety obtained from the survey, for serotyping and characterized further by plasmid profiling and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results of the survey showed that the prevalence of motile Salmonella at layer farm level was 18% (95% confidence interval 15–21%), and Salmonella Kentucky was identified to be the only serovar circulating in the study population. Plasmid analysis of the S. Kentucky and non-serotyped isolates revealed two distinct profiles with a variation of two different sizes (2.7 and 4.8 kb). PFGE of the 30 S. Kentucky and 30 non-serotyped isolates showed that all of them were clonally related because only one genotype and three subtypes were determined based on the variation in two or three bands. This is also the first report on the presence of any specific serovar of Salmonella enterica in poultry in Bangladesh. PMID:22558269

A Diagnosis of Biophysical and Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Farmers' Choice to Adopt Organic or Conventional Farming Systems for Cotton Production.

PubMed

Riar, Amritbir; Mandloi, Lokendra S; Poswal, Randhir S; Messmer, Monika M; Bhullar, Gurbir S

2017-01-01

Organic agriculture is one of the most widely known alternative production systems advocated for its benefits to soil, environment, health and economic well-being of farming communities. Rapid increase in the market demand for organic products presents a remarkable opportunity for expansion of organic agriculture. A thorough understanding of the context specific motivations of farmers for adoption of organic farming systems is important so that appropriate policy measures are put in place. With an aim of understanding the social and biophysical motivations of organic and conventional cotton farmers for following their respective farming practices, a detailed farm survey was conducted in Nimar valley of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The study area was chosen for being an important region for cotton production, where established organic and conventional farms operate under comparable circumstances. We found considerable variation among organic and conventional farmers for their social and biophysical motivations. Organic farmers were motivated by the sustainability of cotton production and growing safer food without pesticides, whereas conventional farmers were sensitive about their reputation in community. Organic farmers with larger holdings were more concerned about closed nutrient cycles and reducing their dependence on external inputs, whereas medium and small holding organic farmers were clearly motivated by the premium price of organic cotton. Higher productivity was the only important motivation for conventional farmers with larger land holdings. We also found considerable yield gaps among different farms, both under conventional and organic management, that need to be addressed through extension and training. Our findings suggest that research and policy measures need to be directed toward strengthening of extension services, local capacity building, enhancing availability of suitable inputs and market access for organic farmers.

Cystic echinococcosis in cattle dairy farms: spatial distribution and epidemiological dynamics.

PubMed

Scala, Antonio; Bosco, Antonio; Pipia, Anna Paola; Tamponi, Claudia; Musella, Vincenzo; Costanzo, Nicola; Testoni, Francesco; Montisci, Antonio; Mocci, Giovanni; Longhi, Alessandro; Tilocca, Laura; Rinaldi, Laura; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Varcasia, Antonio

2017-05-29

A study monitoring cystic echinococcosis (CE) in adult dairy cattle from intensive livestock farms located in the municipality of Arborea (Sardinia, Italy) was carried out between 2012 and 2015. A retrospective study of veterinary reporting forms of post-mortem inspections in 10 different Italian slaughterhouses was also performed. In addition, data on viability and molecular characterisation of hydatid cysts removed from parasitised organs in cattle was carried out. A geographical information system (GIS) with data layers of the study area and the geo-referenced points of 160 cattle farms was constructed. CE was found in 21.9% (35/160) of the surveyed farms. The retrospective study revealed that 0.05% (13/23,656) of adult slaughtered animals (over one year of age) from Arborea had tested positive to CE. The results stratified per year showed the following CE prevalences: 0.09% (5/5673) in 2012; 0.02% (1/5682) in 2013; 0.08% (5/6261) in 2014; and 0.03% (2/6040) in 2015 (χ2 with 3 degrees of freedom=3.81; P=0.282). The E. granulosus sensu stricto (formerly called G1 or sheep strain) was detected in all cysts subjected to molecular analysis. The GIS analysis showed that CE is fairly resilient in the Arborea territory where most of cattle farms are located, while a small cluster of cases was found located in the southeastern part of Arborea, close to districts where sheep farms are situated. The present survey reports the presence of CE in Sardinian dairy cattle intensive farms and suggests that the parasitic pressure of CE in the island continues to be very strong.

Prevalence and characterization of motile Salmonella in commercial layer poultry farms in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Barua, Himel; Biswas, Paritosh K; Olsen, Katharina E P; Christensen, Jens P

2012-01-01

Salmonella is a globally widespread food-borne pathogen having major impact on public health. All motile serovars of Salmonella enterica of poultry origin are zoonotic, and contaminated meat and raw eggs are an important source to human infections. Information on the prevalence of Salmonella at farm/holding level, and the zoonotic serovars circulating in layer poultry in the South and South-East Asian countries including Bangladesh, where small-scale commercial farms are predominant, is limited. To investigate the prevalence of Salmonella at layer farm level, and to identify the prevalent serovars we conducted a cross-sectional survey by randomly selecting 500 commercial layer poultry farms in Bangladesh. Faecal samples from the selected farms were collected following standard procedure, and examined for the presence of Salmonella using conventional bacteriological procedures. Thirty isolates were randomly selected, from the ninety obtained from the survey, for serotyping and characterized further by plasmid profiling and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results of the survey showed that the prevalence of motile Salmonella at layer farm level was 18% (95% confidence interval 15-21%), and Salmonella Kentucky was identified to be the only serovar circulating in the study population. Plasmid analysis of the S. Kentucky and non-serotyped isolates revealed two distinct profiles with a variation of two different sizes (2.7 and 4.8 kb). PFGE of the 30 S. Kentucky and 30 non-serotyped isolates showed that all of them were clonally related because only one genotype and three subtypes were determined based on the variation in two or three bands. This is also the first report on the presence of any specific serovar of Salmonella enterica in poultry in Bangladesh.

A Diagnosis of Biophysical and Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Farmers’ Choice to Adopt Organic or Conventional Farming Systems for Cotton Production

PubMed Central

Riar, Amritbir; Mandloi, Lokendra S.; Poswal, Randhir S.; Messmer, Monika M.; Bhullar, Gurbir S.

2017-01-01

Organic agriculture is one of the most widely known alternative production systems advocated for its benefits to soil, environment, health and economic well-being of farming communities. Rapid increase in the market demand for organic products presents a remarkable opportunity for expansion of organic agriculture. A thorough understanding of the context specific motivations of farmers for adoption of organic farming systems is important so that appropriate policy measures are put in place. With an aim of understanding the social and biophysical motivations of organic and conventional cotton farmers for following their respective farming practices, a detailed farm survey was conducted in Nimar valley of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The study area was chosen for being an important region for cotton production, where established organic and conventional farms operate under comparable circumstances. We found considerable variation among organic and conventional farmers for their social and biophysical motivations. Organic farmers were motivated by the sustainability of cotton production and growing safer food without pesticides, whereas conventional farmers were sensitive about their reputation in community. Organic farmers with larger holdings were more concerned about closed nutrient cycles and reducing their dependence on external inputs, whereas medium and small holding organic farmers were clearly motivated by the premium price of organic cotton. Higher productivity was the only important motivation for conventional farmers with larger land holdings. We also found considerable yield gaps among different farms, both under conventional and organic management, that need to be addressed through extension and training. Our findings suggest that research and policy measures need to be directed toward strengthening of extension services, local capacity building, enhancing availability of suitable inputs and market access for organic farmers. PMID:28769975

Integrating gene flow, crop biology, and farm management in on-farm conservation of avocado (Persea americana, Lauraceae).

PubMed

Birnbaum, Kenneth; Desalle, Rob; Peters, Charles M; Benfey, Philip N

2003-11-01

Maintaining crop diversity on farms where cultivars can evolve is a conservation goal, but few tools are available to assess the long-term maintenance of genetic diversity on farms. One important issue for on-farm conservation is gene flow from crops with a narrow genetic base into related populations that are genetically diverse. In a case study of avocado (Persea americana var. americana) in one of its centers of diversity (San Jerónimo, Costa Rica), we used 10 DNA microsatellite markers in a parentage analysis to estimate gene flow from commercialized varieties into a traditional crop population. Five commercialized genotypes comprised nearly 40% of orchard trees, but they contributed only about 14.5% of the gametes to the youngest cohort of trees. Although commercialized varieties and the diverse population were often planted on the same farm, planting patterns appeared to keep the two types of trees separated on small scales, possibly explaining the limited gene flow. In a simulation that combined gene flow estimates, crop biology, and graft tree management, loss of allelic diversity was less than 10% over 150 yr, and selection was effective in retaining desirable alleles in the diverse subpopulation. Simulations also showed that, in addition to gene flow, managing the genetic makeup and life history traits of the invasive commercialized varieties could have a significant impact on genetic diversity in the target population. The results support the feasibility of on-farm crop conservation, but simulations also showed that higher levels of gene flow could lead to severe losses of genetic diversity even if farmers continue to plant diverse varieties.

Network analysis of swine shipments in Ontario, Canada, to support disease spread modelling and risk-based disease management.

PubMed

Dorjee, S; Revie, C W; Poljak, Z; McNab, W B; Sanchez, J

2013-10-01

Understanding contact networks are important for modelling and managing the spread and control of communicable diseases in populations. This study characterizes the swine shipment network of a multi-site production system in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Data were extracted from a company's database listing swine shipments among 251 swine farms, including 20 sow, 69 nursery and 162 finishing farms, for the 2-year period of 2006 to 2007. Several network metrics were generated. The number of shipments per week between pairs of farms ranged from 1 to 6. The medians (and ranges) of out-degree were: sow 6 (1-21), nursery 8 (0-25), and finishing 0 (0-4), over the entire 2-year study period. Corresponding estimates for in-degree of nursery and finishing farms were 3 (0-9) and 3 (0-12) respectively. Outgoing and incoming infection chains (OIC and IIC), were also measured. The medians (ranges) of the monthly OIC and IIC were 0 (0-8) and 0 (0-6), respectively, with very similar measures observed for 2-week intervals. Nursery farms exhibited high measures of centrality. This indicates that they pose greater risks of disease spread in the network. Therefore, they should be given a high priority for disease prevention and control measures affecting all age groups alike. The network demonstrated scale-free and small-world topologies as observed in other livestock shipment studies. This heterogeneity in contacts among farm types and network topologies should be incorporated in simulation models to improve their validity. In conclusion, this study provided useful epidemiological information and parameters for the control and modelling of disease spread among swine farms, for the first time from Ontario, Canada. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of buffer strips and stream-side grazing on small mammals in southwestern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapman, Erik W.; Ribic, C.A.

2002-01-01

The practice of continuously grazing cattle along streams has caused extensive degradation of riparian habitats. Buffer strips and managed intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) have been proposed to protect and restore stream ecosystems in Wisconsin. However, the ecological implications of a switch from traditional livestock management to MIRG or buffer strip establishment have not been investigated. Differences in small mammal communities associated with riparian areas on continuously grazed and MIRG pastures, as well as vegetative buffer strips adjacent to row crops, were investigated in southwestern Wisconsin during May-September 1997 and 1998. More species (mean of 6-7) were found on the buffer sites than on the pasture sites (mean of 2-5). Total small mammal abundance on buffer sites was greater than on the pastures as well: there were 3-5 times as many animals on the buffer sites compared to the pasture sites, depending on year. There were no differences in species richness or total abundance between MIRG and continuously grazed pastures in either year. Total small mammal abundance was greater near the stream than away from the stream, regardless of farm management practice but there were no differences in species richness. Buffer strips appear to support a particularly rich and abundant small mammal community. Although results did not detect a difference in small mammal use between pasture types, farm-wide implications of a conversion from continuous to MIRG styles of grazing may benefit small mammals indirectly by causing an increase in the prevalence of pasture in the agricultural landscape.

Microclimatic temperatures at Danish cattle farms, 2000-2016: quantifying the temporal and spatial variation in the transmission potential of Schmallenberg virus.

PubMed

Haider, Najmul; Cuellar, Ana Carolina; Kjær, Lene Jung; Sørensen, Jens Havskov; Bødker, Rene

2018-03-05

Microclimatic temperatures provide better estimates of vector-borne disease transmission parameters than standard meteorological temperatures, as the microclimate represent the actual temperatures to which the vectors are exposed. The objectives of this study were to quantify farm-level geographic variations and temporal patterns in the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) of Schmallenberg virus transmitted by Culicoides in Denmark through generation of microclimatic temperatures surrounding all Danish cattle farms. We calculated the hourly microclimatic temperatures at potential vector-resting sites within a 500 m radius of 22,004 Danish cattle farms for the months April to November from 2000 to 2016. We then modeled the daily EIP of Schmallenberg virus at each farm, assuming vectors choose resting sites either randomly or based on temperatures (warmest or coolest available) every hour. The results of the model output are presented as 17-year averages. The difference between the warmest and coolest microhabitats at the same farm was on average 3.7 °C (5th and 95th percentiles: 1.0 °C to 7.8 °C). The mean EIP of Schmallenberg virus (5th and 95th percentiles) for all cattle farms during spring, summer, and autumn was: 23 (18-33), 14 (12-18) and 51 (48-55) days, respectively, assuming Culicoides select resting sites randomly. These estimated EIP values were considerably shorter than those estimated using standard meteorological temperatures obtained from a numerical weather prediction model for the same periods: 43 (39-52), 21 (17-24) and 57 (55-58) days, respectively. When assuming that vectors actively select the coolest resting sites at a farm, the EIP was 2.3 (range: 1.1 to 4.1) times longer compared to that of the warmest sites at the same farm. We estimated a wide range of EIP in different microclimatic habitats surrounding Danish cattle farms, stressing the importance of identifying the specific resting sites of vectors when modeling vector-borne disease transmission. We found a large variation in the EIP among different farms, suggesting disease transmission may vary substantially between regions, even within a small country. Our findings could be useful for designing risk-based surveillance, and in the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases.

Research trends in outdoor pig production — A review

PubMed Central

Park, Hyun-Suk; Min, Byungrok; Oh, Sang-Hyon

2017-01-01

Since the industrialization of swine production in the late 1900s, swine farms in the United States, as well as in Europe, have largely become consolidated. Pig farms became larger in size but fewer in number, with 91% of market pigs being produced by large operations with 5,000 or more pigs on-site in the US, and only 3% of the total utilized agricultural land representing organic farming. Such change in the market made it difficult for small farmers to stay competitive, forcing them to find alternative ways to reduce the cost of production and increase profit using the outdoor production system. In contrast to the indoor confinement system, outdoor production system uses pasture-based units and/or deep-bedded hoop structures that promote animal welfare and environmental sustainability with a lower capital investment. In accord with the growing concern for animal and environmental welfare and food safety by the consumers, small farmers practicing an outdoor production system are seeing increased opportunities for marketing their products in the pork niche market. Unlike the general belief that the reproductive and growth performance measures of the outdoor sows and piglets are poorer in comparison with the animals reared indoors, studies showed that there was no significant difference in the performance measures, and some traits were even better in outdoor animals. Improved reproductive and production traits can increase the sustainability of outdoor farming. Present study reviewed the recent studies comparing the performance measures, meat quality and health of indoor and outdoor animals, as well as the efforts to improve the outdoor production system through changes in management such as hut types and breed of animals. PMID:28728401

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST9 in pigs and related personnel in Taiwan.

PubMed

Fang, Hsin-Wei; Chiang, Po-Hsing; Huang, Yhu-Chering

2014-01-01

A livestock-associated (LA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain sequence type 398 (ST398) is found related to animals and humans in Europe and North America. To evaluate the nasal carriage of MRSA among pigs and related workers in Taiwan, we conducted this study. From June 25 to October 1 2012, a total of 641 and 100 nasal swabs were obtained from pigs and related workers, respectively, from 22 pig farms nationwide and 2 pig auction markets in Taiwan. All MRSA isolates were molecularly characterized. Overall, the nasal carriage rate of MRSA was 14.4% for pigs and 13% for humans. The carriage rate for pigs younger than 3 months was significantly higher than those older than 3 months (25.4% vs. 5.8%, p<.001). Percentage of MRSA-positive pig farms was 59.1% (13/22). The carriage rate for pigs in large-scale herds (≥ 10000 pigs) was significantly higher than that in small-scale (34.3% vs. 7.0%, p<.001) and that in auction markets (3.8%). The carriage rate was 19.2% (10/52) for pig farm workers, and the rate in large-scale farms was significantly higher than that in small-scale (36.8% vs. 9.1%, p = .014). Except for 3 isolates from humans, the other 99 isolates belonged to sequence type (ST) 9. 83 of 89 isolates from pigs shared a common pulsotype, which was also shared by 6 isolates from humans. More than 10% of pigs and related workers in Taiwan carried LA-MRSA ST9 in nares and cross-species transmission of LA-MRSA was documented by molecular methods.

Long-term studies of land degradation in the Sneeuberg uplands, eastern Karoo, South Africa: A synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boardman, J.; Foster, I. D. L.; Rowntree, K. M.; Favis-Mortlock, D. T.; Mol, L.; Suich, H.; Gaynor, D.

2017-05-01

For the past 15 yr, the Sneeuberg uplands in the eastern Karoo, South Africa, have been a focus for research on land degradation by the above authors and other colleagues. Earlier work in the Karoo emphasised vegetation change whereas we concentrate on physical changes to the landscape at the small catchment scale, e.g., bare, degraded areas (badlands) and gully (donga) systems. Analysis of sedimentation in farm dams allows for reconstruction of environmental histories using 210Pb, 137Cs, geochemical and mineral magnetic properties of the sediments. Erosion rates on badlands are monitored using arrays of erosion pins. Sediment source tracing within small catchments points to the importance of hillslope sources and the relative erosional inactivity of gully systems in recent decades. Sediment supply from hillslope and colluvial sources is maintained by high rates of weathering on mudstones and sandstones. Current degradation should be viewed in the context of a c. 200 yr history of overgrazing by European-style stock farming and limited areas of former cultivation in the valleys. Grazing pressures are now much reduced but the loss of soils and vegetation suggests that landscape recovery will require several decades. Additional drivers of past degradation are likely to have been periods of drought and fire (natural and managed) and a gradual increase in both rainfall intensity and the frequency of extreme rainfall events. The future of the degraded Sneeuberg landscape will depend on future farming practices. Desirable options include more sustainable livestock practices, adoption of wildlife farming and other more benign regimes involving mixes of agriculture, tourism, and wildlife protection together with landscape rehabilitation measures.

Assessing manure management strategies through small-plot research and whole-farm modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, A.M.; Veith, T.L.; Kleinman, P.J.A.; Rotz, C.A.; Saporito, L.S.

2008-01-01

Plot-scale experimentation can provide valuable insight into the effects of manure management practices on phosphorus (P) runoff, but whole-farm evaluation is needed for complete assessment of potential trade offs. Artificially-applied rainfall experimentation on small field plots and event-based and long-term simulation modeling were used to compare P loss in runoff related to two dairy manure application methods (surface application with and without incorporation by tillage) on contrasting Pennsylvania soils previously under no-till management. Results of single-event rainfall experiments indicated that average dissolved reactive P losses in runoff from manured plots decreased by up to 90% with manure incorporation while total P losses did not change significantly. Longer-term whole farm simulation modeling indicated that average dissolved reactive P losses would decrease by 8% with manure incorporation while total P losses would increase by 77% due to greater erosion from fields previously under no-till. Differences in the two methods of inference point to the need for caution in extrapolating research findings. Single-event rainfall experiments conducted shortly after manure application simulate incidental transfers of dissolved P in manure to runoff, resulting in greater losses of dissolved reactive P. However, the transfer of dissolved P in applied manure diminishes with time. Over the annual time frame simulated by whole farm modeling, erosion processes become more important to runoff P losses. Results of this study highlight the need to consider the potential for increased erosion and total P losses caused by soil disturbance during incorporation. This study emphasizes the ability of modeling to estimate management practice effectiveness at the larger scales when experimental data is not available.

Genetic Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolates from Different Leafy Green Production Systems.

PubMed

Jongman, Mosimanegape; Korsten, Lise

2016-11-01

Foodborne disease outbreaks linked to contaminated irrigation water and fresh produce are a public health concern. The presence of Escherichia coli isolates from irrigation water and leafy green vegetables in different food production systems (large commercial farms, small-scale farms, and homestead gardens) was investigated. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance and virulence in these isolates was further assessed, and links between water source and irrigated crops were identified using antimicrobial and genotypic analyses. Presumptive E. coli isolates were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, and identities were confirmed by PCR using the uidA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated with the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion test; the presence of virulence genes was determined with enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR assays. Of the 130 E. coli isolates from water (n =60) and leafy green vegetables (n =70), 19 (14.6%) were resistant to one antibiotic (tetracycline) and 92 (70.7%) were resistant to various antibiotics (including ampicillin, cefoxitin, and nalidixic acid). All E. coli isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone and gentamicin. The virulence gene stx 2 was detected in E. coli isolates from irrigation water (8 [13.3%] of 60 isolates) and cabbages (3 [7.5%] of 40), but the virulence genes eae and stx 1 were not detected in any tested isolates from irrigation water and fresh produce samples. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli was lower in isolates from GLOBALG.A.P.-certified farms than in isolates from noncertified commercial and small-scale farms and homestead gardens. A link between the E. coli isolates from irrigation water sources and leafy green vegetables was established with phenotypic (antimicrobial) and genotypic (DNA fingerprinting) analyses. However, a link between virulence genes and the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance could not be established.

Analysis of cattle movements in Argentina, 2005.

PubMed

Aznar, M N; Stevenson, M A; Zarich, L; León, E A

2011-02-01

We describe the movement of cattle throughout Argentina in 2005. Details of farm-to-farm and farm-to-slaughter movements of cattle were obtained from the Sanitary Management System database (Sistema de Gestión Sanitaria, SGS), maintained by the National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (SENASA). Movements were described at the regional and district level in terms of frequency, the number of stock transported, the district of origin and destination and Euclidean distance traveled. Social network analysis was used to characterize the connections made between regions and districts as a result of cattle movement transactions, and to show how these characteristics might influence disease spread. Throughout 2005 a total of 1.3 million movement events involving 32 million head of cattle (equivalent to approximately 57% of the national herd) were recorded in the SGS database. The greatest number of farm-to-farm movements occurred from April to June whereas numbers of farm-to-slaughter movement events were relatively constant throughout the year. Throughout 2005 there was a 1.1-1.6-fold increase in the number of farm-to-farm movements of cattle during April-June, compared with other times of the year. District in-degree and out-degree scores varied by season, with higher maximum scores during the autumn and winter compared with summer and spring. Districts with high in-degree scores were concentrated in the Finishing region of the country whereas districts with high out-degree scores were concentrated not only in the Finishing region but also in Mesopotamia, eastern Border and southern Central regions. Although movements of cattle from the Border region tended not to be mediated via markets, the small number of districts in this area with relatively high out-degree scores is a cause for concern as they have the potential to distribute infectious disease widely, in the event of an incursion. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Driving forces behind the evolution of the Aleutian mink disease parvovirus in the context of intensive farming.

PubMed

Canuti, Marta; O'Leary, Kimberly E; Hunter, Bruce D; Spearman, Grant; Ojkic, Davor; Whitney, Hugh G; Lang, Andrew S

2016-01-01

Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes plasmacytosis, an immune complex-associated syndrome that affects wild and farmed mink. The virus can also infect other small mammals (e.g., ferrets, skunks, ermines, and raccoons), but the disease in these hosts has been studied less. In 2007, a mink plasmacytosis outbreak began on the Island of Newfoundland, and the virus has been endemic in farms since then. In this study, we evaluated the molecular epidemiology of AMDV in farmed and wild animals of Newfoundland since before the beginning of the outbreak and investigated the epidemic in a global context by studying AMDV worldwide, thereby examining its diffusion and phylogeography. Furthermore, AMDV evolution was examined in the context of intensive farming, where host population dynamics strongly influence viral evolution. Partial NS1 sequences and several complete genomes were obtained from Newfoundland viruses and analyzed along with numerous sequences from other locations worldwide that were either obtained as part of this study or from public databases. We observed very high viral diversity within Newfoundland and within single farms, where high rates of co-infection, recombinant viruses and polymorphisms were observed within single infected individuals. Worldwide, we documented a partial geographic distribution of strains, where viruses from different countries co-exist within clades but form country-specific subclades. Finally, we observed the occurrence of recombination and the predominance of negative selection pressure on AMDV proteins. A surprisingly low number of immunoepitopic sites were under diversifying pressure, possibly because AMDV gains no benefit by escaping the immune response as viral entry into target cells is mediated through interactions with antibodies, which therefore contribute to cell infection. In conclusion, the high prevalence of AMDV in farms facilitates the establishment of co-infections that can favor the occurrence of recombination and enhance viral diversity. Viruses are then exchanged between different farms and countries and can be introduced into the wild, with the rapidly evolving viruses producing many parallel lineages.

Promoting small towns for rural development: a view from Nepal.

PubMed

Bajracharya, B N

1995-06-01

Two small villages in Nepal are the subjects of case studies that illustrate the role of small towns in provision of services, employment, and market operations. Some general findings are that small towns act as service centers for distribution of basic essential goods such as food grains, salt, kerosene, and fabric for hill and mountain areas. The role of small towns as market centers and in the provision of employment is limited. In resource-poor areas small towns are less diversified. Towns with agricultural surpluses are more developed. Small hill towns satisfy consumption rather than production needs. The growth of rural areas and towns in rural areas in Nepal is dependent on arable land and levels of production in hill areas. Limited land and low levels of production have an adverse impact. Movement of people, goods, and services is limited by difficult terrain and lack of access to good roads. Variability in access to off-farm jobs and services available in small towns varies with ethnicity and place of residence. The best development strategy for small towns in Nepal is market-oriented territorial development, which retains surpluses in the local area and integrates markets in the larger economy. The strategy would decentralize planning into small territorial units that include both small towns and groups of villages, provide institutional support for the rural poor, expand off-farm employment, and include investment in region-serving functions. Subsistence agriculture needs to include diversification of high value cash crops based on local comparative advantage suitable for hill climate and terrain. Small farmers must produce both cash and subsistence crops. Government should provide market space and paved areas, weighing facilities, and overnight storage facilities. Products would be processed at the village level. Subdistricts must be established according to spatial and social linkages between villages and the service center and coordinated at the district level. Group marketing, transport to large urban centers, and agricultural technical services are needed.

An economic analysis of communal goat production.

PubMed

Sebel, P J; McCrindle, C M E; Webb, E C

2004-03-01

The economic impact of different extension messages used was calculated using enterprise budgeting (gross margin analysis). Input data were gleaned from the literature, from participatory appraisals, as well as a field study, spanning 12 months, of small-scale communal goat farming systems in Jericho in the Odi District of North West Province. The number of offspring weaned per annum, as a proportion of does owned, was selected as the desired output for analysis. This study has shown that small-scale communal goat farmers are not adopting or implementing extension messages to improve production capacity. In South Africa the majority of goats are slaughtered in the informal sector. If the informal sector is to be persuaded to market goats commercially through formal channels, then knowledge of the economics of goat farming on communal lands should be provided. The economic aspects of extension messages are probably an important factor in determining acceptance and sustainability yet appear to be seldom investigated. The probable reason for lack of adoption of standard extension messages, which promote improved nutrition, parasite control, vaccination and treatment of goats, was economic. In other words, the so-called 'poor management practices' used by communal farmers appeared to be economically more profitable than the 'good management practices' suggested to increase production. The price of communal goats was not related to their mass. A higher level of inputs would probably have resulted in a heavier kid, however it was established that this would not have influenced the price received as a majority of the goats were slaughtered for ritual purposes where age, colour and sex were more important to the purchaser than body mass. It is standard practice in commercial farming systems to evaluate the economic benefits of all management practices before they are implemented. Production animal veterinarians use veterinary economics to compare different scenarios to control diseases or select management practices in commercial herds. It is suggested that the inputs and outputs of small-scale farming systems should be carefully analysed and that veterinary economics should also be used to evaluate the probable impact of extension messages formulated by veterinarians and animal health technicians.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merrick, Dale E

A small community in Northern California is attempting to use a local geothermal resource to generate electrical power and cascade residual energy to an existing geothermal district heating system, greenhouse, and future fish farm and subsequent reinjection into the geothermal aquifer, creating a net-zero energy community, not including transportation.

Education: Designed for the Rural Poor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgs, John; Moore, David

1980-01-01

This is a discussion of the educational opportunities for the economically disadvantaged rural populations of Third World Nations. Emphasized is the need for broadening the educational base for the small farm in order to involve members of rural communities in rural progress. (Author/SA)

Youth Opportunity: A Private Sector Investment in Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tice, Carol H.

1989-01-01

Describes the Youth Opportunity Project, which was designed to allow youth to experience the world of work and hands-on learning in the framework of preventing substance abuse and school dropout. Six youths aged 12-14 worked on a small diversified farm. (RJC)

State-wide Conservation Forum to Facilitate Cooperative Conservation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

leaf pine ecosystem that is home to the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW), an endangered species. After significant train- ing restrictions were imposed...ranking). Caroline and Essex counties were rural, sparsely populated areas, dominated by forestland and small farms. Both counties are experiencing

Insecticide exposure and farm history in relation to risk of lymphomas and leukemias in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) observational study cohort

PubMed Central

Schinasi, L; De Roos, AJ; Ray, RM; Edlefsen, KL; Parks, CG; Howard, BV; Meliker; Bonner, MR; Wallace, RB; LaCroix, AZ

2017-01-01

Purpose Relationships of farm history and insecticide exposure at home or work with lymphohematopoietic (LH) neoplasm risk were investigated in a large prospective cohort of United States women. Methods In questionnaires, women self-reported history living or working on a farm, personally mixing or applying insecticides, insecticide application in the home or workplace by a commercial service, and treating pets with insecticides. Relationships with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, plasma cell neoplasms, and myeloid leukemia were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Age and farming history were explored as effect modifiers. Results The analysis included 76,493 women and 822 NHL cases. Women who ever lived or worked on a farm had 1.12 times the risk of NHL (95% CI: 0.95–1.32) compared to those who did not. Women who reported that a commercial service ever applied insecticides in their immediate surroundings had 65% higher risk of CLL/SLL (95% CI: 1.15–2.38). Women younger than 65 who ever applied insecticides had 87% higher risk of DLBCL (95% CI: 1.13–3.09). Conclusions Insecticide exposures may contribute to risk of CLL/SLL and DLBCL. Future studies should examine relationships of LH subtypes with specific types of household insecticides. PMID:26365305

Biological diversity of yeasts in the gastrointestinal tract of weaned piglets kept under different farm conditions.

PubMed

Urubschurov, Vladimir; Janczyk, Pawel; Pieper, Robert; Souffrant, Wolfgang B

2008-12-01

The study was conducted to determine yeasts present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of piglets kept under experimental farm (EF) and commercial farm (CF) conditions. Ninety five German Landrace full- and half-sibling piglets were sacrificed at 39 days of age. Sixty eight piglets were weaned at 28th day of life, when they were offered one diet ad libitum. Twenty seven piglets remained unweaned by their dams. None of the piglets received any creep feed before weaning. Digesta samples were collected from 1/3 distal small intestine (SI), caecum and proximal colon. One hundred seventy three colonies of isolated yeasts were characterized by sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene with following alignment of the recovered sequences to GenBank entries. From the 17 phylotypes found, isolates most closely related to Galactomyces geotrichum, Kazachstania slooffiae and Candida catenulata dominated in the GIT of CF piglets. Kazachstania slooffiae and Candida glabrata dominated in GIT of EF piglets. Sørenson and Morisita-Horn similarity indices between farms were low (0.44 and 0.54 respectively) and the Simpson diversity index was higher for EF (7.58) than for CF (4.34). The study brings new data on yeasts composition in the pig GIT and shows differences in yeasts biodiversity between farms operated at different hygiene conditions.

The Characteristic and Impact of the Change in Consumption of Roughage for China in Recent Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, R.

2016-12-01

Food security is of great importance to national economy and the people's livelihood, and the method to ensure which has always been an issue paid close attention to by both Chinese government and people. Among all the fodders, the change in consumption of roughage is highly relative to the amount and growing status of the livestock including pig, goat, cattle and dairy cattle which makes it a vital factor of food security and worth studying. Apart from reading considerable amount of both domestic and international materials and conducting data selection, this research focuses on the change in roughage consumption of domestic livestock industry and the impact of intensive farming raise on the consumption. And we came up with two conclusions. First, in recent years, roughage consumption has been experiencing a dramatic decrease caused mainly by the decrease of roughage consumption of pigs. Second, with the increasing trend of pig intensive farming, its main fodder has transformed from roughage to concentrated feed and inevitably leads to roughage as well as total fodder consumption decline and concentrated feed consumption increase. And the profit of intensive farming raise outweighs that of extensive farming and small-scale farming. The study firstly calculates the roughage consumption of domestic livestock industry. It also states the important role roughage plays in the development of livestock industry from the perspective of food security.

Distributed Offline Data Reconstruction in BaBar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pulliam, Teela M

The BaBar experiment at SLAC is in its fourth year of running. The data processing system has been continuously evolving to meet the challenges of higher luminosity running and the increasing bulk of data to re-process each year. To meet these goals a two-pass processing architecture has been adopted, where 'rolling calibrations' are quickly calculated on a small fraction of the events in the first pass and the bulk data reconstruction done in the second. This allows for quick detector feedback in the first pass and allows for the parallelization of the second pass over two or more separate farms.more » This two-pass system allows also for distribution of processing farms off-site. The first such site has been setup at INFN Padova. The challenges met here were many. The software was ported to a full Linux-based, commodity hardware system. The raw dataset, 90 TB, was imported from SLAC utilizing a 155 Mbps network link. A system for quality control and export of the processed data back to SLAC was developed. Between SLAC and Padova we are currently running three pass-one farms, with 32 CPUs each, and nine pass-two farms with 64 to 80 CPUs each. The pass-two farms can process between 2 and 4 million events per day. Details about the implementation and performance of the system will be presented.« less

The influence of wind farm development on the hydrochemistry and ecology of an upland stream.

PubMed

Millidine, K J; Malcolm, I A; McCartney, A; Laughton, R; Gibbins, C N; Fryer, R J

2015-08-01

Despite perceptions of pristine condition, upland environments are increasingly subject to a range of anthropogenic pressures including air pollution, climate change, land-use change and evolving land management strategies. Although they have received little attention to date, the large-scale development of upland wind farms also has the potential to disturb vegetation and soils, alter hydrology and water quality and, thus, impact freshwater ecosystems. This paper presents the findings of a 5-year study of the impacts of wind farm construction on the freshwater environment. Data on water quality, invertebrate and fish populations were collected for 2 years before construction and for the following 3 years covering the construction period and the initial period of the farm's operation. In contrast to previous studies, the impacts of the wind farm development were assessed for a suite of potentially affected hydrochemical variables using a before-after-control-impact (BACI) analysis that allowed separation of construction effects from spatial and temporal variability in hydroclimatological conditions, thereby providing an improved, more robust evidence base. There was a small but significant negative effect of construction on pH, alkalinity (Alk) and acid neutralising capacity (ANC) in the upper part of the treatment catchment, which was where the wind farm was situated. The effects were more marked under higher flow conditions. It is hypothesised that this reflects changes in hydrological processes with increased near-surface runoff or organic acid mobilisation. There was no indication that either invertebrate community structure or fish densities were impacted by construction and the resulting effects on water quality.

Toxocara cati larva migrans in domestic pigs--detected at slaughterhouse control in Norway.

PubMed

Davidson, Rebecca K; Mermer, Anna; Øines, Øivind

2012-11-21

Routine Trichinella meat inspection at the slaughterhouse detected one larva in a pooled batch of 100 pig samples. The larva was sent to the Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI) for species identification.Morphological examination revealed that the larva was not Trichinella spp. Molecular analysis was performed. PCR and sequencing of 5S/ITS identified the larva as Toxocara cati. A second round of digests was carried out at the meat inspection laboratory, in smaller batches to try to identify the infected animal. No further larvae were detected and it was not possible to identify which of the 100 animals the larva had come from. This is the first time that Toxocara cati has been reported in slaughterhouse pigs in Norway.Although the infected individual could not be identified, the meat originated from one of six potential farms. A small survey regarding rodent control and cats was sent to each of these farms. Cats had restricted access to food storage areas (two farms reported that cats had access) whilst none of the farms allowed cats into the production housing. Cats were, however, present on all the farms (mostly stray cats of unknown health status). Half of the farms also reported seeing rodents in the pig housing during the previous six months and half reported finding rodents in the feed and straw storage areas. We were unable to narrow down the source of infection - however contamination of food or bedding material, with cat faeces or infected rodents, in addition to the presence of infected rodents in pig housing remain potential routes of infection.

Toxocara cati larva migrans in domestic pigs - detected at slaughterhouse control in Norway

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Routine Trichinella meat inspection at the slaughterhouse detected one larva in a pooled batch of 100 pig samples. The larva was sent to the Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI) for species identification. Morphological examination revealed that the larva was not Trichinella spp. Molecular analysis was performed. PCR and sequencing of 5S/ITS identified the larva as Toxocara cati. A second round of digests was carried out at the meat inspection laboratory, in smaller batches to try to identify the infected animal. No further larvae were detected and it was not possible to identify which of the 100 animals the larva had come from. This is the first time that Toxocara cati has been reported in slaughterhouse pigs in Norway. Although the infected individual could not be identified, the meat originated from one of six potential farms. A small survey regarding rodent control and cats was sent to each of these farms. Cats had restricted access to food storage areas (two farms reported that cats had access) whilst none of the farms allowed cats into the production housing. Cats were, however, present on all the farms (mostly stray cats of unknown health status). Half of the farms also reported seeing rodents in the pig housing during the previous six months and half reported finding rodents in the feed and straw storage areas. We were unable to narrow down the source of infection – however contamination of food or bedding material, with cat faeces or infected rodents, in addition to the presence of infected rodents in pig housing remain potential routes of infection. PMID:23171732

Readily available sources of long-chain omega-3 oils: is farmed Australian seafood a better source of the good oil than wild-caught seafood?

PubMed

Nichols, Peter D; Glencross, Brett; Petrie, James R; Singh, Surinder P

2014-03-11

Seafood consumption enhances intake of omega-3 long-chain (≥C₂₀) polyunsaturated fatty acids (termed LC omega-3 oils). Humans biosynthesize only small amounts of LC-omega-3, so they are considered semi-essential nutrients in our diet. Concern has been raised that farmed fish now contain lower LC omega-3 content than wild-harvested seafood due to the use of oil blending in diets fed to farmed fish. However, we observed that two major Australian farmed finfish species, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and barramundi (Lates calcifer), have higher oil and LC omega-3 content than the same or other species from the wild, and remain an excellent means to achieve substantial intake of LC omega-3 oils. Notwithstanding, LC omega-3 oil content has decreased in these two farmed species, due largely to replacing dietary fish oil with poultry oil. For Atlantic salmon, LC omega-3 content decreased ~30%-50% between 2002 and 2013, and the omega-3/omega-6 ratio also decreased (>5:1 to <1:1). Australian consumers increasingly seek their LC omega-3 from supplements, therefore a range of supplement products were compared. The development and future application of oilseeds containing LC omega-3 oils and their incorporation in aquafeeds would allow these health-benefitting oils to be maximized in farmed Australian seafood. Such advances can assist with preventative health care, fisheries management, aquaculture nutrition, an innovative feed/food industry and ultimately towards improved consumer health.

Readily Available Sources of Long-Chain Omega-3 Oils: Is Farmed Australian Seafood a Better Source of the Good Oil than Wild-Caught Seafood?

PubMed Central

Nichols, Peter D.; Glencross, Brett; Petrie, James R.; Singh, Surinder P.

2014-01-01

Seafood consumption enhances intake of omega-3 long-chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (termed LC omega-3 oils). Humans biosynthesize only small amounts of LC-omega-3, so they are considered semi-essential nutrients in our diet. Concern has been raised that farmed fish now contain lower LC omega-3 content than wild-harvested seafood due to the use of oil blending in diets fed to farmed fish. However, we observed that two major Australian farmed finfish species, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and barramundi (Lates calcifer), have higher oil and LC omega-3 content than the same or other species from the wild, and remain an excellent means to achieve substantial intake of LC omega-3 oils. Notwithstanding, LC omega-3 oil content has decreased in these two farmed species, due largely to replacing dietary fish oil with poultry oil. For Atlantic salmon, LC omega-3 content decreased ~30%–50% between 2002 and 2013, and the omega-3/omega-6 ratio also decreased (>5:1 to <1:1). Australian consumers increasingly seek their LC omega-3 from supplements, therefore a range of supplement products were compared. The development and future application of oilseeds containing LC omega-3 oils and their incorporation in aquafeeds would allow these health-benefitting oils to be maximized in farmed Australian seafood. Such advances can assist with preventative health care, fisheries management, aquaculture nutrition, an innovative feed/food industry and ultimately towards improved consumer health. PMID:24618601

GC13I-0857: Designing a Frost Forecasting Service for Small Scale Tea Farmers in East Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Emily C.; Wanjohi, James Nyaga; Ellenburg, Walter Lee; Limaye, Ashutosh S.; Mugo, Robinson M.; Flores Cordova, Africa Ixmucane; Irwin, Daniel; Case, Jonathan; Malaso, Susan; Sedah, Absae

2017-01-01

Kenya is the third largest tea exporter in the world, producing 10% of the world's black tea. Sixty percent of this production occurs largely by small scale tea holders, with an average farm size of 1.04 acres, and an annual net income of $1,075. According to a recent evaluation, a typical frost event in the tea growing region causes about $200 dollars in losses which can be catastrophic for a small holder farm. A 72-hour frost forecast would provide these small-scale tea farmers with enough notice to reduce losses by approximately 80 USD annually. With this knowledge, SERVIR, a joint NASA-USAID initiative that brings Earth observations for improved decision making in developing countries, sought to design a frost monitoring and forecasting service that would provide farmers with enough lead time to react to and protect against a forecasted frost occurrence on their farm. SERVIR Eastern and Southern Africa, through its implementing partner, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), designed a service that included multiple stakeholder engagement events whereby stakeholders from the tea industry value chain were invited to share their experiences so that the exact needs and flow of information could be identified. This unique event allowed enabled the design of a service that fit the specifications of the stakeholders. The monitoring service component uses the MODIS Land Surface Temperature product to identify frost occurrences in near-real time. The prediction component, currently under testing, uses the 2-m air temperature, relative humidity, and 10-m wind speed from a series of high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical weather prediction model runs over eastern Kenya as inputs into a frost prediction algorithm. Accuracy and sensitivity of the algorithm is being assessed with observations collected from the farmers using a smart phone app developed specifically to report frost occurrences, and from data shared through our partner network developed at the stakeholder engagement meeting. This presentation will illustrate the efficacy of our frost forecasting algorithm, and a way forward for incorporating these forecasts in a meaningful way to the key decision makers - the small-scale farmers of East Africa.

Designing a Frost Forecasting Service for Small Scale Tea Farmers in East Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, E. C.; Nyaga, J. W.; Ellenburg, W. L.; Limaye, A. S.; Mugo, R. M.; Flores Cordova, A. I.; Irwin, D.; Case, J.; Malaso, S.; Sedah, A.

2017-12-01

Kenya is the third largest tea exporter in the world, producing 10% of the world's black tea. Sixty percent of this production occurs largely by small scale tea holders, with an average farm size of 1.04 acres, and an annual net income of 1,075. According to a recent evaluation, a typical frost event in the tea growing region causes about 200 dollars in losses which can be catastrophic for a small holder farm. A 72-hour frost forecast would provide these small-scale tea farmers with enough notice to reduce losses by approximately $80 annually. With this knowledge, SERVIR, a joint NASA-USAID initiative that brings Earth observations for improved decision making in developing countries, sought to design a frost monitoring and forecasting service that would provide farmers with enough lead time to react to and protect against a forecasted frost occurrence on their farm. SERVIR Eastern and Southern Africa, through its implementing partner, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), designed a service that included multiple stakeholder engagement events whereby stakeholders from the tea industry value chain were invited to share their experiences so that the exact needs and flow of information could be identified. This unique event allowed enabled the design of a service that fit the specifications of the stakeholders. The monitoring service component uses the MODIS Land Surface Temperature product to identify frost occurrences in near-real time. The prediction component, currently under testing, uses the 2-m air temperature, relative humidity, and 10-m wind speed from a series of high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical weather prediction model runs over eastern Kenya as inputs into a frost prediction algorithm. Accuracy and sensitivity of the algorithm is being assessed with observations collected from the farmers using a smart phone app developed specifically to report frost occurrences, and from data shared through our partner network developed at the stakeholder engagement meeting. This presentation will illustrate the efficacy of our frost forecasting algorithm, and a way forward for incorporating these forecasts in a meaningful way to the key decision makers - the small-scale farmers of East Africa.

Small wind systems application analysis. Executive summary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-06-01

The potential market for SWECS, or wind machines smaller than 100 kW for five selected applications was estimated. The goals of the study were to aid manufacturers in attaining financing by convincing venture capital investors of the potential of SWECS and to aid government planners in allocating R and D expenditures that will effectively advance SWECS commercialization. The five applications were selected through an initial screening and priority-ranking analysis. The year of analysis was 1985, but all dollar amounts, such as fuel costs, are expressed in 1980 dollars. The five SWECS applications investigated were farm residences, non-farm residences rural electric cooperatives, feed grinders, and remote communities.

Fine-scale mapping of vector habitats using very high resolution satellite imagery: a liver fluke case-study.

PubMed

De Roeck, Els; Van Coillie, Frieke; De Wulf, Robert; Soenen, Karen; Charlier, Johannes; Vercruysse, Jozef; Hantson, Wouter; Ducheyne, Els; Hendrickx, Guy

2014-12-01

The visualization of vector occurrence in space and time is an important aspect of studying vector-borne diseases. Detailed maps of possible vector habitats provide valuable information for the prediction of infection risk zones but are currently lacking for most parts of the world. Nonetheless, monitoring vector habitats from the finest scales up to farm level is of key importance to refine currently existing broad-scale infection risk models. Using Fasciola hepatica, a parasite liver fluke, as a case in point, this study illustrates the potential of very high resolution (VHR) optical satellite imagery to efficiently and semi-automatically detect detailed vector habitats. A WorldView2 satellite image capable of <5m resolution was acquired in the spring of 2013 for the area around Bruges, Belgium, a region where dairy farms suffer from liver fluke infections transmitted by freshwater snails. The vector thrives in small water bodies (SWBs), such as ponds, ditches and other humid areas consisting of open water, aquatic vegetation and/or inundated grass. These water bodies can be as small as a few m2 and are most often not present on existing land cover maps because of their small size. We present a classification procedure based on object-based image analysis (OBIA) that proved valuable to detect SWBs at a fine scale in an operational and semi-automated way. The classification results were compared to field and other reference data such as existing broad-scale maps and expert knowledge. Overall, the SWB detection accuracy reached up to 87%. The resulting fine-scale SWB map can be used as input for spatial distribution modelling of the liver fluke snail vector to enable development of improved infection risk mapping and management advice adapted to specific, local farm situations.

A Feasibility Study of a Field-specific Weather Service for Small-scale Farms in a Topographically Complex Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. O.; Shim, K. M.; Shin, Y. S.; Yun, J. I.

2015-12-01

Adequate downscaling of synoptic forecasts is a prerequisite for improved agrometeorological service to rural areas in South Korea where complex terrain and small farms are common. Geospatial schemes based on topoclimatology were used to scale down the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) temperature forecasts to the local scale (~30 m) across a rural catchment. Local temperatures were estimated at 14 validation sites at 0600 and 1500 LST in 2013/2014 using these schemes and were compared with observations. A substantial reduction in the estimation error was found for both 0600 and 1500 temperatures compared with uncorrected KMA products. Improvement was most remarkable at low lying locations for the 0600 temperature and at the locations on west- and south-facing slopes for the 1500 temperature. Using the downscaled real-time temperature data, a pilot service has started to provide field-specific weather information tailored to meet the requirements of small-scale farms. For example, the service system makes a daily outlook on the phenology of crop species grown in a given field using the field-specific temperature data. When the temperature forecast is given for tomorrow morning, a frost risk index is calculated according to a known phenology-frost injury relationship. If the calculated index is higher than a pre-defined threshold, a warning is issued and delivered to the grower's cellular phone with relevant countermeasures to help protect crops against frost damage. The system was implemented for a topographically complex catchment of 350km2with diverse agricultural activities, and more than 400 volunteer farmers are participating in this pilot service to access user-specific weather information.

Development of a decision support system for small reservoir irrigation systems in rainfed and drought prone areas.

PubMed

Balderama, Orlando F

2010-01-01

An integrated computer program called Cropping System and Water Management Model (CSWM) with a three-step feature (expert system-simulation-optimization) was developed to address a range of decision support for rainfed farming, i.e. crop selection, scheduling and optimisation. The system was used for agricultural planning with emphasis on sustainable agriculture in the rainfed areas through the use of small farm reservoirs for increased production and resource conservation and management. The application of the model was carried out using crop, soil, and climate and water resource data from the Philippines. Primarily, four sets of data representing the different rainfall classification of the country were collected, analysed, and used as input in the model. Simulations were also done on date of planting, probabilities of wet and dry period and with various capacities of the water reservoir used for supplemental irrigation. Through the analysis, useful information was obtained to determine suitable crops in the region, cropping schedule and pattern appropriate to the specific climate conditions. In addition, optimisation of the use of the land and water resources can be achieved in areas partly irrigated by small reservoirs.

Fomenting Sickness: Nocebo Priming of Residents about Expected Wind Turbine Health Harms

PubMed Central

Chapman, Simon; Joshi, Ketan; Fry, Luke

2014-01-01

A nocebo effect hypothesis has been proposed to explain variations in where small minorities of exposed residents complain about noise and health effects said to be caused by wind farm turbines. The hypothesis requires that those complaining have been exposed to negative, potentially frightening information about the impact of proposed wind farms on nearby residents, and that this information conditions both expectations about future health impacts or the etiology of current health problems where wind farms are already operational. This hypothesis has been confirmed experimentally under laboratory conditions, but case studies of how this process can operate in local communities are lacking. In this paper, we present a case study of the apparent impact of an anti-wind farm public meeting on the generation of negative news media and the subsequent expression of concerns about anticipated health and noise impacts to a planning authority approval hearing in Victoria, Australia. We present a content analysis of the negative claims disseminated about health and noise in the news media and available on the internet prior to the hearing, and another content analysis of all submissions made to the planning authority by those opposing the development application. PMID:25566521

Economic opportunity survey of small scale dairy farms of the north west province of Cameroon.

PubMed

Bayemi, P H; Webb, E C; Manjeli, Y; Naoussi, P

2007-12-01

An Economic Opportunity Survey was conducted on dairy farms in the North West Province of Cameroon. Results showed that median (range) number of cows in milk per farm was zero point six (0-4) and six (3-12) in the zero grazing and transhumance systems, respectively. Medians (range) of three (0-24) and four (3-10) litres of milk were sold per farm per day, corresponding to 30% and 60% of milk produced. 24% and 13% of total cattle per herd were milking cows in the zero grazing and transhumance systems respectively. Median milk production per cow on one day was two (0-25) and two (1-3) litres. Median calf production interval was 14.5 (12-25) and. 21.5 (14-29) months. More milk produced per day represented the best economic opportunity in both systems while reduced age at first calving and longer lactation length were the next in both. Wastage of milk through spoilage from poor hygiene and lack of cooling was a major problem. Holstein cows, which were in the zero grazing system, had unexpectedly short lactations. Constraints identified led to the setting up of interventions of training and advice for farmers and of better nutrition.

Managing aquatic parasites for reduced drug resistance: lessons from the land.

PubMed

McEwan, Gregor F; Groner, Maya L; Burnett, Danielle L; Fast, Mark D; Revie, Crawford W

2016-12-01

Atlantic salmon farming is one of the largest aquaculture industries in the world. A major problem in salmon farms is the sea louse ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis, which can cause stress, secondary infection and sometimes mortality in the salmon host. Sea lice have substantial impacts on farm economics and potentially nearby wild salmonid populations. The most common method of controlling sea louse infestations is application of chemicals. However, most farming regions worldwide have observed resistance to the small set of treatment chemicals that are available. Despite this, there has been little investigation of treatment strategies for managing resistance in aquaculture. In this article, we compare four archetypical treatment strategies inspired by agriculture, where the topic has a rich history of study, and add a fifth strategy common in aquaculture. We use an agent-based model (ABM) to simulate these strategies and their varying applications of chemicals over time and space. We analyse the ABM output to compare how the strategies perform in controlling louse abundance, number of treatments required and levels of resistance in the sea louse population. Our results indicated that among the approaches considered applying chemicals in combination was the most effective over the long term. © 2016 The Author(s).

Fomenting Sickness: Nocebo Priming of Residents about Expected Wind Turbine Health Harms.

PubMed

Chapman, Simon; Joshi, Ketan; Fry, Luke

2014-01-01

A nocebo effect hypothesis has been proposed to explain variations in where small minorities of exposed residents complain about noise and health effects said to be caused by wind farm turbines. The hypothesis requires that those complaining have been exposed to negative, potentially frightening information about the impact of proposed wind farms on nearby residents, and that this information conditions both expectations about future health impacts or the etiology of current health problems where wind farms are already operational. This hypothesis has been confirmed experimentally under laboratory conditions, but case studies of how this process can operate in local communities are lacking. In this paper, we present a case study of the apparent impact of an anti-wind farm public meeting on the generation of negative news media and the subsequent expression of concerns about anticipated health and noise impacts to a planning authority approval hearing in Victoria, Australia. We present a content analysis of the negative claims disseminated about health and noise in the news media and available on the internet prior to the hearing, and another content analysis of all submissions made to the planning authority by those opposing the development application.

A tight upper bound for quadratic knapsack problems in grid-based wind farm layout optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Ning; Kim, Harrison M.

2018-03-01

The 0-1 quadratic knapsack problem (QKP) in wind farm layout optimization models possible turbine locations as nodes, and power loss due to wake effects between pairs of turbines as edges in a complete graph. The goal is to select up to a certain number of turbine locations such that the sum of selected node and edge coefficients is maximized. Finding the optimal solution to the QKP is difficult in general, but it is possible to obtain a tight upper bound on the QKP's optimal value which facilitates the use of heuristics to solve QKPs by giving a good estimate of the optimality gap of any feasible solution. This article applies an upper bound method that is especially well-suited to QKPs in wind farm layout optimization due to certain features of the formulation that reduce the computational complexity of calculating the upper bound. The usefulness of the upper bound was demonstrated by assessing the performance of the greedy algorithm for solving QKPs in wind farm layout optimization. The results show that the greedy algorithm produces good solutions within 4% of the optimal value for small to medium sized problems considered in this article.

Economic Performance and Sustainability of a Novel Intercropping System on the North China Plain

PubMed Central

Huang, Chengdong; Liu, Quanqing; Heerink, Nico; Stomph, TjeerdJan; Li, Baoshen; Liu, Ruili; Zhang, Hongyan; Wang, Chong; Li, Xiaolin; Zhang, Chaochun; van der Werf, Wopke; Zhang, Fusuo

2015-01-01

Double cropping of wheat and maize is common on the North China Plain, but it provides limited income to rural households due to the small farm sizes in the region. Local farmers in Quzhou County have therefore innovated their production system by integration of watermelon as a companion cash crop into the system. We examine the economic performance and sustainability of this novel intercropping system using crop yield data from 2010 to 2012 and farm household survey data collected in 2012. Our results show that the gross margin of the intercropping system exceeded that of the double cropping system by more than 50% in 2012. Labor use in the intercropping system was more than three times that in double cropping. The lower returns per labor hour in intercropping, however, exceeded the average off-farm wage in the region by a significant margin. Nutrient surpluses and irrigation water use are significant larger under the intercropping system. We conclude that the novel wheat-maize/watermelon intercropping system contributes to rural poverty alleviation and household-level food security, by raising farm incomes and generating more employment, but needs further improvement to enhance its sustainability. PMID:26275297

The Spectrum of Wind Power Fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandi, Mahesh

2016-11-01

Wind is a variable energy source whose fluctuations threaten electrical grid stability and complicate dynamical load balancing. The power generated by a wind turbine fluctuates due to the variable wind speed that blows past the turbine. Indeed, the spectrum of wind power fluctuations is widely believed to reflect the Kolmogorov spectrum; both vary with frequency f as f - 5 / 3. This variability decreases when aggregate power fluctuations from geographically distributed wind farms are averaged at the grid via a mechanism known as geographic smoothing. Neither the f - 5 / 3 wind power fluctuation spectrum nor the mechanism of geographic smoothing are understood. In this work, we explain the wind power fluctuation spectrum from the turbine through grid scales. The f - 5 / 3 wind power fluctuation spectrum results from the largest length scales of atmospheric turbulence of order 200 km influencing the small scales where individual turbines operate. This long-range influence spatially couples geographically distributed wind farms and synchronizes farm outputs over a range of frequencies and decreases with increasing inter-farm distance. Consequently, aggregate grid-scale power fluctuations remain correlated, and are smoothed until they reach a limiting f - 7 / 3 spectrum. This work was funded by the Collective Interactions Unit, OIST Graduate University, Japan.

Economic Performance and Sustainability of a Novel Intercropping System on the North China Plain.

PubMed

Huang, Chengdong; Liu, Quanqing; Heerink, Nico; Stomph, TjeerdJan; Li, Baoshen; Liu, Ruili; Zhang, Hongyan; Wang, Chong; Li, Xiaolin; Zhang, Chaochun; van der Werf, Wopke; Zhang, Fusuo

2015-01-01

Double cropping of wheat and maize is common on the North China Plain, but it provides limited income to rural households due to the small farm sizes in the region. Local farmers in Quzhou County have therefore innovated their production system by integration of watermelon as a companion cash crop into the system. We examine the economic performance and sustainability of this novel intercropping system using crop yield data from 2010 to 2012 and farm household survey data collected in 2012. Our results show that the gross margin of the intercropping system exceeded that of the double cropping system by more than 50% in 2012. Labor use in the intercropping system was more than three times that in double cropping. The lower returns per labor hour in intercropping, however, exceeded the average off-farm wage in the region by a significant margin. Nutrient surpluses and irrigation water use are significant larger under the intercropping system. We conclude that the novel wheat-maize/watermelon intercropping system contributes to rural poverty alleviation and household-level food security, by raising farm incomes and generating more employment, but needs further improvement to enhance its sustainability.

Coxiella burnetii infections in sheep or goats: an opinionated review.

PubMed

Van den Brom, R; van Engelen, E; Roest, H I J; van der Hoek, W; Vellema, P

2015-12-14

Q fever is an almost ubiquitous zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, which is able to infect several animal species, as well as humans. Cattle, sheep and goats are the primary animal reservoirs. In small ruminants, infections are mostly without clinical symptoms, however, abortions and stillbirths can occur, mainly during late pregnancy. Shedding of C. burnetii occurs in feces, milk and, mostly, in placental membranes and birth fluids. During parturition of infected small ruminants, bacteria from birth products become aerosolized. Transmission to humans mainly happens through inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In the last decade, there have been several, sometimes large, human Q fever outbreaks related to sheep and goats. In this review, we describe C. burnetii infections in sheep and goats, including both advantages and disadvantages of available laboratory techniques, as pathology, different serological tests, PCR and culture to detect C. burnetii. Moreover, worldwide prevalences of C. burnetii in small ruminants are described, as well as possibilities for treatment and prevention. Prevention of shedding and subsequent environmental contamination by vaccination of sheep and goats with a phase I vaccine are possible. In addition, compulsory surveillance of C. burnetii in small ruminant farms raises awareness and hygiene measures in farms help to decrease exposure of people to the organism. Finally, this review challenges how to contain an infection of C. burnetii in small ruminants, bearing in mind possible consequences for the human population and probable interference of veterinary strategies, human risk perception and political considerations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 6775 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-08

... Services Corporation; Fowler Ridge II Wind Farm LLC. Description: Notice of Non-Material Change in Status... Open Access Transmission Tariff, a Small Generator Interconnection Agreement Facilities Maintenance..., Inc.; Atlantic Renewable Projects II LLC; Barton Windpower LLC; Big Horn Wind Project LLC; Big Horn II...

Economics: A Resource Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, Austin. Div. of Curriculum Development.

The guide, designed for teachers, supervisors, and resource center directors, identifies sources of classroom materials in economics for elementary and secondary grades. Section I lists 87 pamphlets and periodicals published by the 12 federal reserve districts in the United States. Topics include water use, small farm economics, business…

Terminology Revisited: Effective Communications for the Agricultural Community

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pasture-based finishing systems for meat goats, sheep and cattle are growing rapidly in the eastern USA, particularly on small farms. Increasing demand for pasture-raised meat and dairy products requires renewed efforts to communicate the best practical information as effectively as possible. Many...

Methyl Bromide alternatives for vegetable production in Georgia: On-farm trials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Three fumigant alternatives, methyl iodide plus chloropicirn (MIDAS), dimethyl disulfide plus chloropicrin (DMDS), and Telone II plus chloropicrin plus Vapam (3-Way) have exhibited promising results in small plot trials for the control of pests (weeds, pathogens, nematodes) in plasticulture producti...

Fluvial dissolved organic carbon composition varies spatially and seasonally in a small catchment draining a wind farm and felled forestry.

PubMed

Zheng, Ying; Waldron, Susan; Flowers, Hugh

2018-06-01

Assessing whether land use, from activities such as wind farm construction and tree-felling, impacts on terrestrial C delivery to rivers has focused on quantifying the loss of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and not the composition changes. Here we explore how land use influences DOC composition by considering fluvial DOC concentration, [DOC], and spectrophotometric composition of a river draining a peat-rich catchment. We find that in this 5.7km 2 catchment differences occur in both the concentration and composition of the DOC in its sub-catchments. This is attributed to differences in how land was used: one tributary (D-WF) drains an area with wind farm construction and forestry in the headwaters, and one tributary (D-FF) drains an area with felled plantation trees. Generally, [DOC] in both streams showed similar seasonal variation, and autumn maxima. However, the felled catchment had greater mean [DOC] than the wind farm catchment. The SUVA 254 and E 4 /E 6 indicated DOC in both streams had similar aromaticity and fulvic:humic acid for most of the time, but SUVA 410 and E 2 /E 4 indicated less DOC humification in the felled catchment. This may be due to young DOC from the breakdown of residual branches and roots, or more humification in soils in the wind farm area. During the dry months, DOC composition showed more spatial variation: the D-WF DOC had smaller SUVA 254 (less total aromatic material) and SUVA 410 (fewer humic substances). The decreased E 2 /E 4 in both streams indicated the total aromatic carbon decreased more than humic substances content. Moreover, the larger E 4 /E 6 for D-WF in summer indicated that the humic substances were richer in fulvic acids than humic acids. Soil disturbance associated with forestry-felling likely contributed to the higher [DOC] and release of less-humified material in D-FF. This research indicates drivers of different DOC concentration and composition can exist even in small catchments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental, Economic and Social Efficiencies of Irrigated Farming Systems: Using Water Footprint Indicators to Compare Farm Income and Labor Generated per Volume of Water Available in Irrigated Farming Systems in Campania, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altobelli, F.; Meybeck, A.; Gitz, V.; Dalla Marta, A.; Cimino, O.

2014-12-01

Agriculture is not only producing food and other products. It is also a major economic sector, representing, especially in developing countries, an important part of GDP; and a major employer, with often more than half of the total workforce in many low income countries. In many of these countries irrigation plays a key role to increase and stabilize income, and it is likely to increase with climate change and increased variability of rain patterns. It is also a crucial mean to increase productivity of small holdings. In many countries, where holdings are small and even in some cases decreasing it is essential to enable farmers to ensure their food security and a decent income. In some countries, including India and many African countries, the workforce is expected to grow, with an important part of it to be employed in agriculture. At the same time many of the regions where agriculture is the most important from an economical and social point of view, are experiencing increasing water scarcity. In many cases, as has been noted for instance for the Mediterranean area, water availability is the main limiting factor to agricultural development. Increasingly agriculture is also in competition for water use with other economic activities. This calls for means to assess and compare agricultural productions systems and irrigation projects not only in terms of physical production of agricultural products but also in terms of income and jobs generated by the activity. In this study, we propose a methodology based on the blue water footprint for assessing and comparing different agricultural productions and farming systems in terms of economic and social outcomes for a given volume of blue water. Examples are drawn from the Campania region of Italy and based on data extracted from the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). This database contains, among other, data on crop production, irrigation management (irrigated surface, length of irrigation season, volumes of water, etc.), as well as on income and labor.

Abortion and various associated risk factors in small ruminants in Algeria.

PubMed

Kardjadj, Moustafa; Kouidri, Brahim; Metref, Djamil; Luka, Pam Dachung; Ben-Mahdi, Meriem Hind

2016-01-01

Identification of the causes of abortion among the huge population of small ruminants in Algeria (≈31 millions heads), is an important task for the control of livestock productivity and viability scourges to the small ruminants industry. Optimal production and utilization is constrained by a number of factors: disease, poor feeding and low management skills. Therefore, in the present study the prevalence of abortion in Algerian small ruminant's flocks was estimated and its possible association was correlated with infectious (PPR, BT and Brucellosis seropositivity) and managerial (flock size, grazing system, type of farming, and contact with other flocks) risk factors. The present study showed an overall flock prevalence of small ruminant's abortion as 75.33% (113/150) [95% CI 71.72-78.94%]. The risk factor analysis using multivariable logistic regression recognized the north-western and the steppe region as well as PPR positivity as a risk factor for abortion in Algerian small ruminant's flocks. The odds of flock abortion was 11.47 [95% CI 2.39-54.88; P=0.002] and 10.31 [95% CI 1.28-82.88; P=0.028] times higher in north-western and steppe regions respectively compared to other region. Also the presence of PPRV infection in small ruminant flocks amplified the odds by 6 times [95% CI 2.221-17.427; P=0.001].Surprisingly, the univariate analysis for the other risk factors associated with abortions in Algerian small ruminant flocks indicated no statistically significant links with bluetongue (P=1.000) and brucellosis seropositivity (P=0.334). Flock size (P=0.574), type of farming (P=0.443), grazing system (P=0.117) and contact with other flocks (P=0.245) was also not statistically significant. Our results revealed that abortion in small ruminants is a challenge to farmers and PPR was chiefly linked to it. Therefore an effective vaccination and control programme is advocated for small ruminants in Algeria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable settlement in the Brazilian Amazon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Almeida, A.L.O.; Campari, J.S.

1996-02-01

Presents and analyzes the largest and most complete data set ever produced on the economic variables that influence deforestation by small farmers in the Amazon. This landmark study presents the largest and most analytically complete data set ever produced on the economic variables that influence deforestation by small farmers in the Amazon. The authors examine the changing character of the Amazon frontier based on field surveys conducted during twenty years of settlement experience. By observing the economic behavior of small farmers from colonization during the 1970s until the chaotic aftermath of the early 1990s, the authors are able to pinpointmore » a central paradox: unsuccessful farmers tend to be unstable, moving on to new frontiers where they will again destroy forests. Successful farmers tend to increase deforestation in the places where they remain. The findings reveal that much of the Amazonian frontier land cleared by pioneers in the 1970s is becoming agriculturally unproductive. Small farmers should be rewarded for staying where they are and for pursuing sustainable farming. Good farming methods must be promoted, and deforestation must be penalized. The authors recommend the implementation of innovative economic policies and new forms of cooperation between environmental and economic agencies, including the World Bank, at both local and international levels. The aim of these policies should be to raise agricultural incomes and reduce environmental aggression.« less

Monitoring, modeling and mitigating impacts of wind farms on local meteorology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidya Roy, Somnath; Traiteur, Justin; Kelley, Neil

2010-05-01

Wind power is one of the fastest growing sources of energy. Most of the growth is in the industrial sector comprising of large utility-scale wind farms. Recent modeling studies have suggested that such wind farms can significantly affect local and regional weather and climate. In this work, we present observational evidence of the impact of wind farms on near-surface air temperatures. Data from perhaps the only meteorological field campaign in an operational wind farm shows that downwind temperatures are lower during the daytime and higher at night compared to the upwind environment. Corresponding radiosonde profiles at the nearby Edwards Air Force Base WMO meteorological station show that the diurnal environment is unstable while the nocturnal environment is stable during the field campaign. This behavior is consistent with the hypothesis proposed by Baidya Roy et al. (JGR 2004) that states that turbulence generated in the wake of rotors enhance vertical mixing leading to a warming/cooling under positive/negative potential temperature lapse rates. We conducted a set of 306 simulations with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) to test if regional climate models can capture the thermal effects of wind farms. We represented wind turbines with a subgrid parameterization that assumes rotors to be sinks of momentum and sources of turbulence. The simulated wind farms consistently generated a localized warming/cooling under positive/negative lapse rates as hypothesized. We found that these impacts are inversely correlated with background atmospheric boundary layer turbulence. Thus, if the background turbulence is high due to natural processes, the effects of additional turbulence generated by wind turbine rotors are likely to be small. We propose the following strategies to minimize impacts of wind farms: • Engineering solution: design rotors that generate less turbulence in their wakes. Sensitivity simulations show that these turbines also increase the productivity of wind farms and reduce damages to downwind rotors. • Siting solution: develop wind farms in regions where ABL turbulence is naturally high. Since, turbulence data is not widely recorded, we use surface KE dissipation rate as a proxy for ABL turbulence. Indeed, in our simulations, these 2 parameters are strongly positively correlated (P<0.99). Using the JRA25 dataset, comprising of 25-year long 6-hourly global meteorological data, we identify such regions in the world. These regions that include the Midwest and Great Plains as well as large parts of northern Europe and western China are appropriate sites for low-impact wind farms.

BANNOCK CREEK, POWER COUNTY, IDAHO - WATER QUALITY STATUS REPORT, 1980 - 1981

EPA Science Inventory

Bannock Creek, Idaho (17040206) is a small agricultural watershed. The basin is partially on the Fort Hall Reservation. Several large farms and leases of reservation land are active in the watershed. Bannock Creek and its tributaries were sampled for suspended sediment load an...

Breeding Energy Cane Cultivars as a Biomass Feedstock for Coal Replacement

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Research and advanced breeding have demonstrated that energy cane possesses all of the attributes desirable in a biofuel feedstock: extremely good biomass yield in a small farming footprint; negative/neutral carbon footprint; maximum outputs from minimum inputs; well-established growing model for fa...

Research update: finishing lambs and meat goat kids on pasture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Traditional sheep (Ovis aries), hair sheep and meat goat (Capra hircus) industries are growing rapidly in the Appalachian Region to help produce meats for ethnic markets. This niche market offers an economic opportunity for owners of small farms. Control of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites in goats...

12 CFR 559.4 - What activities are preapproved for service corporations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... personnel; (12) Research studies and surveys; (13) Software development and systems integration; and (14..., marketing research and other marketing; (3) Clerical; (4) Consulting; (5) Courier; (6) Data processing; (7... housing, small farms, or businesses that are local in character; (2) Investments designed primarily to...

12 CFR 559.4 - What activities are preapproved for service corporations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... personnel; (12) Research studies and surveys; (13) Software development and systems integration; and (14..., marketing research and other marketing; (3) Clerical; (4) Consulting; (5) Courier; (6) Data processing; (7... housing, small farms, or businesses that are local in character; (2) Investments designed primarily to...

12 CFR 559.4 - What activities are preapproved for service corporations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... personnel; (12) Research studies and surveys; (13) Software development and systems integration; and (14..., marketing research and other marketing; (3) Clerical; (4) Consulting; (5) Courier; (6) Data processing; (7... housing, small farms, or businesses that are local in character; (2) Investments designed primarily to...

12 CFR 559.4 - What activities are preapproved for service corporations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... personnel; (12) Research studies and surveys; (13) Software development and systems integration; and (14..., marketing research and other marketing; (3) Clerical; (4) Consulting; (5) Courier; (6) Data processing; (7... housing, small farms, or businesses that are local in character; (2) Investments designed primarily to...

12 CFR 559.4 - What activities are preapproved for service corporations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... personnel; (12) Research studies and surveys; (13) Software development and systems integration; and (14..., marketing research and other marketing; (3) Clerical; (4) Consulting; (5) Courier; (6) Data processing; (7... housing, small farms, or businesses that are local in character; (2) Investments designed primarily to...

Obituary: Louise May Russell, 1905-2009

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This tribute is presented in recognition of a truly remarkable woman scientist– Miss Louise May Russell. She transformed herself from a farm girl in a small town in upstate New York to a world renowned entomologist who studied aphids, psyllids, scale insects, and whiteflies. She started her scient...

Let's put this in perspective: using dynamic simulation modelling to assess the impacts of farm-scale land management change on catchment-scale water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivers, Mark; Clarendon, Simon; Coles, Neil

2013-04-01

Natural Resource Management and Agri-industry development groups in Australia have invested considerable resources into the investigation of the economic, social and, particularly, environmental impacts of varying farming activities in a "catchment context". This research has resulted in the development of a much-improved understanding of the likely impacts of changed management practices at the farm-scale as well as the development of a number of conceptual models which place farming within this broader catchment context. The project discussed in this paper transformed a conceptual model of dairy farm phosphorus (P) management and transport processes into a more temporally and spatially dynamic model. This was then loaded with catchment-specific data and used as a "policy support tool" to allow the Australian dairy industry to examine the potential farm and catchment-scale impacts of varying dairy farm management practices within some key dairy farming regions. Models were developed, validated and calibrated using "STELLA©" dynamic modelling software for three catchments in which dairy is perceived as a significant land use. The models describe P movement and cycling within and through dairy farms in great detail and also estimate P transport through major source, sink and flow sectors of the catchments. A series of scenarios were executed for all three catchments which examined three main "groups" of tests: changes to farm P input rates; implementation of perceived environmental "Best Management Practices" (BMPs), and; changes to land use mosaics. Modifications to actual P input rates into dairy farms (not surprisingly) had a major effect on nutrient transport within and from the farms with a significant rise in nutrient loss rates at all scales with increasing fertiliser use. More surprisingly, however, even extensive environmental BMP implementation did not have marked effects on off-farm nutrient loss rates. On and off-farm riparian management implemented over entire catchments, for example, only reduced P losses by approximately 20%. Most importantly, changes to land use mosaics within the catchments provided great insight into the relative roles within the catchment P system of the various land uses. While dairying uses large amounts of P, the effects that dairy farm management can have at the catchment scale when these farms represent only a small proportion of the landscape are limited. The most important conclusions from the research are that: • While State and regional environmental management and regulatory agencies continue to set optimistic goals for water quality protection, this research shows that these targets are not achievable within current landscape paradigms even after broadscale BMP implementation, and that either these targets must be re-considered or that significant land use change (rather than simply improved management within current systems) must occur to meet the targets. • Catchment-scale effects of P losses at the farm scale are a complex function of P-use efficiency, landscape position and landscape footprint. Simply targetting those landuses perceived to have high nutrient loss rates does not adequately address the problem. • Catchment P management must be considered in a more inclusive and holistic way, and these assessments should be used to inform future planning policies and development plans if environmental goals as well as community expectations about the productive use of agricultural land are to be met.

Changes in fish communities on a small spatial scale, an effect of increased habitat complexity by an offshore wind farm.

PubMed

van Hal, R; Griffioen, A B; van Keeken, O A

2017-05-01

The number of offshore wind farms (OWF) is increasing to meet the demands for renewable energy. The piles and hard substrate surrounding these piles creates new habitat for species with preference to hard substrates. We studied the impact of this hard substrate on the fish community in a Dutch OWF in the sandy southern North Sea, which had been in operation for five years. Multi-mesh gillnets were placed near the OWF structures on the hard substrate protection revetments and on the sandy bottom in the middle of the farm. The catches indicated attraction of cod, pouting, bullrout and edible and velvet crab, while attraction to the sandy habitat was shown for flatfish and whiting. Further, two species previously not caught in this area, goldsinny wrasse and grey trigger fish, were caught on the hard substrate. In addition a Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) was used to record transects through the farm to observe individual fish in the water column throughout the farm and very near the OWF structures. High abundances of fish near the structure were observed during some days, while during other days equal distribution of fish in the area was observed. The area around the structures is thus only used temporarily for shelter or feeding. The DIDSON also allowed looking at the aggregation level of the fish. Seasonally the aggregation level differed most likely due to different species occurring in the area. In April, most fish were aggregated in schools, while in summer most observations were individual fish or loose aggregations. The wind farm structures had limited effect on the aggregation level compared to season or weather conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety and Quality Assessment of Smallholder Farmers' Maize in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.

PubMed

Mendoza, José Rodrigo; Rodas, Ana; Oliva, Ana; Sabillón, Luis; Colmenares, Ana; Clarke, Jennifer; Hallen-Adams, Heather E; Campabadal, Carlos; Bianchini, Andréia

2018-05-01

Maize ( Zea mays) is a staple in many developing countries but is known to be prone to pest (insects, birds, and rodents) and fungal infestation. In Guatemala, mycotoxin contamination of cultivated products may occur owing to such factors as environmental conditions and the use of traditional agriculture operations. To assess the current maize conditions in Guatemala, a small-scale study was performed. Mold and insect counts and mycotoxin (aflatoxin and fumonisin) concentrations were determined on 25 farms in two townships (Chiantla and Todos Santos) of the Huehuetenango Department. Total fungal counts were 3.6 to 6.83 log CFU/g with no significant differences ( P > 0.05) across farms at different altitudes. Farms where maize was not produced but was purchased were at higher risk of fumonisin contamination, whereas local producers were mostly affected by aflatoxins. Aflatoxin was present in maize from 100% of farms at 1.0 to 85.3 ppb, and fumonisin was detected on 52% of farms at 0.4 to 31.0 ppm. Average mycotoxin consumption amounts were above the recommended maximum intake for aflatoxin in both produced and purchased maize and above the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake for fumonisin in purchased maize. Estimated daily intake was 0.01 to 0.85 μg/kg of body weight per day for aflatoxin and 2.9 to 310.0 μg/kg of body weight per day for fumonisin. An entomological analysis revealed overall 32% prevalence of Ephestia kuehniella (flour moth), 16% prevalence of Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil), and 8% prevalence of Tribolium sp. (flour beetle) on the analyzed farms. This study highlighted poor agricultural practices used in the highlands of Guatemala. Current practices should be revised for the production of maize that is safe for consumption by the population in this region.

Food safety issues associated with products from aquaculture. Report of a Joint FAO/NACA/WHO Study Group.

PubMed

1999-01-01

The past decade has seen rapid expansion in aquaculture production. In the fisheries sector, as in animal production, farming is replacing hunting as the primary food production strategy. In future, farmed fish will be an even more important source of protein foods than they are today, and the safety for human consumption of products from aquaculture is of public health significance. This is the report of a Study Group that considered food safety issues associated with farmed finfish and crustaceans. The principal conclusion was that an integrated approach--involving close collaboration between the aquaculture, agriculture, food safety, health and education sectors--is needed to identify and control hazards associated with products from aquaculture. Food safety assurance should be included in fish farm management and form an integral part of the farm-to-table food safety continuum. Where appropriate, measures should be based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) methods; however, difficulties in applying HACCP principles to small-scale farming systems were recognized. Food safety hazards associated with products from aquaculture differ according to region, habitat and environmental conditions, as well as methods of production and management. Lack of awareness of hazards can hinder risk assessment and the application of risk management strategies to aquaculture production, and education is therefore needed. Chemical and biological hazards that should to be taken into account in public health policies concerning products from aquaculture are discussed in this report, which should be of use to policy-makers and public health officials. The report will also assist fish farmers to identify hazards and develop appropriate hazard-control strategies.

Hygiene, atopy and wheeze-eczema-rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren from urban and rural Ecuador.

PubMed

Cooper, Philip J; Vaca, Maritza; Rodriguez, Alejandro; Chico, Martha E; Santos, Darci N; Rodrigues, Laura C; Barreto, Mauricio L

2014-03-01

Rural residence is protective against atopy and wheeze-rhinitis-eczema symptoms in developed countries, an effect attributed to farming and poor hygiene exposures. There are few data from developing countries addressing this question. We compared atopy and wheeze-rhinitis-eczema symptoms between urban and rural Ecuador, and explored the effects of farming and poor hygiene exposures. We performed cross sectional studies of schoolchildren living in rural and urban Ecuador. Data on symptoms and farming/hygiene exposures were collected by parental questionnaire, atopy by allergen skin prick test reactivity and geohelminth infections by stool examinations. Among 2526 urban and 4295 rural schoolchildren, prevalence was: atopy (10.0% vs 12.5%, p=0.06), wheeze (9.4% vs 10.1%, p=0.05), rhinitis (8.1% vs 6.4%, p=0.02) and eczema (5.9% vs 4.7%, p=0.06). A small proportion of symptoms were attributable to atopy (range 3.9-10.7%) with greater attributable fractions for respiratory symptoms observed in urban schoolchildren. Respiratory symptoms were associated with poor hygiene/farming exposures: wheeze with lack of access to potable water; and rhinitis with household pets, no bathroom facilities and contact with large farm animals. Birth order was inversely associated with respiratory symptoms. Area of residence and atopy had few effects on these associations. Urban schoolchildren living in Ecuador have a similar prevalence of atopy, eczema and wheeze but a higher prevalence of rhinitis compared with rural children. Some farming and poor hygiene exposures were associated with an increase in the prevalence of wheeze or rhinitis while birth order was inversely associated with these symptoms.

Hygiene, atopy and wheeze–eczema–rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren from urban and rural Ecuador

PubMed Central

Cooper, Philip J; Vaca, Maritza; Rodriguez, Alejandro; Chico, Martha E; Santos, Darci N; Rodrigues, Laura C; Barreto, Mauricio L

2014-01-01

Background Rural residence is protective against atopy and wheeze–rhinitis–eczema symptoms in developed countries, an effect attributed to farming and poor hygiene exposures. There are few data from developing countries addressing this question. We compared atopy and wheeze–rhinitis–eczema symptoms between urban and rural Ecuador, and explored the effects of farming and poor hygiene exposures. Methods We performed cross sectional studies of schoolchildren living in rural and urban Ecuador. Data on symptoms and farming/hygiene exposures were collected by parental questionnaire, atopy by allergen skin prick test reactivity and geohelminth infections by stool examinations. Results Among 2526 urban and 4295 rural schoolchildren, prevalence was: atopy (10.0% vs 12.5%, p=0.06), wheeze (9.4% vs 10.1%, p=0.05), rhinitis (8.1% vs 6.4%, p=0.02) and eczema (5.9% vs 4.7%, p=0.06). A small proportion of symptoms were attributable to atopy (range 3.9–10.7%) with greater attributable fractions for respiratory symptoms observed in urban schoolchildren. Respiratory symptoms were associated with poor hygiene/farming exposures: wheeze with lack of access to potable water; and rhinitis with household pets, no bathroom facilities and contact with large farm animals. Birth order was inversely associated with respiratory symptoms. Area of residence and atopy had few effects on these associations. Conclusions Urban schoolchildren living in Ecuador have a similar prevalence of atopy, eczema and wheeze but a higher prevalence of rhinitis compared with rural children. Some farming and poor hygiene exposures were associated with an increase in the prevalence of wheeze or rhinitis while birth order was inversely associated with these symptoms. PMID:24105783

Changes provoked by boiling, steaming and sous-vide cooking in the lipid and volatile profile of European sea bass.

PubMed

Nieva-Echevarría, Bárbara; Manzanos, María J; Goicoechea, Encarnación; Guillén, María D

2017-09-01

This study aims to shed light on the changes provoked by boiling, steaming and sous-vide cooking on the lipids and volatile profile of farmed and wild European sea bass meat. None of the cooking techniques provoked changes due to hydrolytic or oxidation processes detectable by 1 H NMR on sea bass lipids. The lipid profile of main and minor lipidic components was maintained after cooking. However, study by SPME-GC/MS evidenced that steaming and sous-vide cooking modified the volatile profile of sea bass meat, especially in farmed specimens. The compounds generated came from the occurrence, to a very small extent, of lipid and protein degradation. By contrast, boiling scarcely modified the initial characteristics of raw sea bass. Thus, from a sensory point of view and considering the odour-active compounds generated, steaming and sous-vide cooking provoked more noticeable changes than boiling, especially in farmed sea bass meat. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Environmental potentials of policy instruments to mitigate nutrient emissions in Chinese livestock production.

PubMed

Zheng, Chaohui; Liu, Yi; Bluemling, Bettina; Mol, Arthur P J; Chen, Jining

2015-01-01

To minimize negative environmental impact of livestock production, policy-makers face a challenge to design and implement more effective policy instruments for livestock farmers at different scales. This research builds an assessment framework on the basis of an agent-based model, named ANEM, to explore nutrient mitigation potentials of five policy instruments, using pig production in Zhongjiang county, southwest China, as the empirical filling. The effects of different policy scenarios are simulated and compared using four indicators and differentiating between small, medium and large scale pig farms. Technology standards, biogas subsidies and information provisioning prove to be the most effective policies, while pollution fees and manure markets fail to environmentally improve manure management in pig livestock farming. Medium-scale farms are the more relevant scale category for a more environmentally sound development of Chinese livestock production. A number of policy recommendations are formulated as conclusion, as well as some limitations and prospects of the simulations are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of environmental production conditions on productivity and efficiency: a case study of wheat farmers in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Rahman, Sanzidur; Hasan, M Kamrul

2008-09-01

Environmental conditions significantly affect production, but are often ignored in studies analysing productivity and efficiency leading to biased results. In this study, we examine the influence of selected environmental factors on productivity and efficiency in wheat farming in Bangladesh. Results reveal that environmental production conditions significantly affect the parameters of the production function and technical efficiency, as well as correlates of inefficiency. Controlling for environmental production conditions improves technical efficiency by 4 points (p<0.01) from 86% to 90%. Large farms are more efficient relative to small and medium sized farms (p<0.01 and 0.05), with no variation among regions. Policy implications include soil fertility improvement through soil conservation and crop rotation, improvement in managerial practices through extension services and adoption of modern technologies, promotion of education, strengthening the research-extension link, and development of new varieties that have higher yield potential and are also suitable for marginal areas.

Economic efficiency analysis of different strategies to control post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection in 3-weekly batch system farms

PubMed Central

Alarcon, Pablo; Rushton, Jonathan; Nathues, Heiko; Wieland, Barbara

2013-01-01

The study assessed the economic efficiency of different strategies for the control of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection (PCV2SI), which have a major economic impact on the pig farming industry worldwide. The control strategies investigated consisted on the combination of up to 5 different control measures. The control measures considered were: (1) PCV2 vaccination of piglets (vac); (2) ensuring age adjusted diet for growers (diets); (3) reduction of stocking density (stock); (4) improvement of biosecurity measures (bios); and (5) total depopulation and repopulation of the farm for the elimination of other major pathogens (DPRP). A model was developed to simulate 5 years production of a pig farm with a 3-weekly batch system and with 100 sows. A PMWS/PCV2SI disease and economic model, based on PMWS severity scores, was linked to the production model in order to assess disease losses. This PMWS severity scores depends on the combination post-weaning mortality, PMWS morbidity in younger pigs and proportion of PCV2 infected pigs observed on farms. The economic analysis investigated eleven different farm scenarios, depending on the number of risk factors present before the intervention. For each strategy, an investment appraisal assessed the extra costs and benefits of reducing a given PMWS severity score to the average score of a slightly affected farm. The net present value obtained for each strategy was then multiplied by the corresponding probability of success to obtain an expected value. A stochastic simulation was performed to account for uncertainty and variability. For moderately affected farms PCV2 vaccination alone was the most cost-efficient strategy, but for highly affected farms it was either PCV2 vaccination alone or in combination with biosecurity measures, with the marginal profitability between ‘vac’ and ‘vac + bios’ being small. Other strategies such as ‘diets’, ‘vac + diets’ and ‘bios + diets’ were frequently identified as the second or third best strategy. The mean expected values of the best strategy for a moderately and a highly affected farm were £14,739 and £57,648 after 5 years, respectively. This is the first study to compare economic efficiency of control strategies for PMWS and PCV2SI. The results demonstrate the economic value of PCV2 vaccination, and highlight that on highly affected farms biosecurity measures are required to achieve optimal profitability. The model developed has potential as a farm-level decision support tool for the control of this economically important syndrome. PMID:23375866

Farm Fairs and Petting Zoos: A Review of Animal Contact as a Source of Zoonotic Enteric Disease.

PubMed

Conrad, Cheyenne C; Stanford, Kim; Narvaez-Bravo, Claudia; Callaway, Todd; McAllister, Tim

2017-02-01

Many public venues such as farms, fairs, and petting zoos encourage animal contact for both educational and entertainment purposes. However, healthy farm animals, including cattle, small ruminants, and poultry, can be reservoirs for enteric zoonotic pathogens, with human infections resulting in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in some cases, severe complications that can lead to death. As animals shed these organisms in their feces, contamination of themselves and their surroundings is unavoidable. The majority of North Americans reside in urban and suburban settings, and the general public often possess limited knowledge of agricultural practices and minimal contact with farm animals. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding of zoonotic pathogens, particularly how these pathogens are spread and the human behaviors that may increase the risk of infection. Human risk behaviors include hand-to-mouth contact immediately after physical contact with animals and their environments, a practice that facilitates the ingestion of pathogens. It is often young children who become ill due to their under-developed immune systems and poorer hygienic practices compared with adults, such as more frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors, and infrequent or improper hand washing. These illnesses are often preventable, simply through adequate hygiene and hand washing. Our objective was to use a structured approach to review the main causal organisms responsible for human illnesses acquired in petting zoo and open farm environments, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, nontyphoidal Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium. Notable outbreaks involving direct contact with farm animals and farm, fair, or petting zoo environments are discussed and recommendations for how public venues can increase safety and hand hygiene compliance among visitors are proposed. The most effective protective measures against enteric illnesses include education of the public, increasing overall awareness of the risks and the importance of hand hygiene, as well as access to hand-washing facilities.

Insecticide exposure and farm history in relation to risk of lymphomas and leukemias in the Women's Health Initiative observational study cohort.

PubMed

Schinasi, Leah H; De Roos, Anneclaire J; Ray, Roberta M; Edlefsen, Kerstin L; Parks, Christine G; Howard, Barbara V; Meliker, Jaymie R; Bonner, Matthew R; Wallace, Robert B; LaCroix, Andrea Z

2015-11-01

Relationships of farm history and insecticide exposure at home or work with lymphohematopoietic (LH) neoplasm risk were investigated in a large prospective cohort of US women. In questionnaires, women self-reported history living or working on a farm, personally mixing or applying insecticides, insecticide application in the home or workplace by a commercial service, and treating pets with insecticides. Relationships with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, plasma cell neoplasms, and myeloid leukemia were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Age and farming history were explored as effect modifiers. The analysis included 76,493 women and 822 NHL cases. Women who ever lived or worked on a farm had 1.12 times the risk of NHL (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95-1.32) compared to those who did not. Women who reported that a commercial service ever applied insecticides in their immediate surroundings had 65% higher risk of CLL/SLL (95% CI = 1.15-2.38). Women aged less than 65 years who ever applied insecticides had 87% higher risk of DLBCL (95% CI = 1.13-3.09). Insecticide exposures may contribute to risk of CLL/SLL and DLBCL. Future studies should examine relationships of LH subtypes with specific types of household insecticides. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrition education, farm production diversity, and commercialization on household and individual dietary diversity in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Murendo, Conrad; Nhau, Brighton; Mazvimavi, Kizito; Khanye, Thamsanqa; Gwara, Simon

2018-01-01

Nutrition education is crucial for improved nutrition outcomes. However, there are no studies to the best of our knowledge that have jointly analysed the roles of nutrition education, farm production diversity and commercialization on household, women and child dietary diversity. This article jointly analyses the role of nutrition education, farm production diversity and commercialization on household, women and children dietary diversity in Zimbabwe. In addition, we analyze separately the roles of crop and livestock diversity and individual agricultural practices on dietary diversity. Data were collected from 2,815 households randomly selected in eight districts. Negative binomial regression was used for model estimations. Nutrition education increased household, women, and child dietary diversity by 3, 9 and 24%, respectively. Farm production diversity had a strong and positive association with household and women dietary diversity. Crop diversification led to a 4 and 5% increase in household and women dietary diversity, respectively. Furthermore, livestock diversification and market participation were positively associated with household, women, and children dietary diversity. The cultivation of pulses and fruits increased household, women, and children dietary diversity. Vegetable production and goat rearing increased household and women dietary diversity. Nutrition education and improving access to markets are promising strategies to improve dietary diversity at both household and individual level. Results demonstrate the value of promoting nutrition education; farm production diversity; small livestock; pulses, vegetables and fruits; crop-livestock integration; and market access for improved nutrition.

Assessment of area spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in three clusters of swine farms.

PubMed

Arruda, A G; Sanhueza, J; Corzo, C; Vilalta, C

2018-04-14

Despite decades of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) research, outbreaks with emerging and re-emerging PRRS virus (PRRSV) strains are not uncommon in North America. The role of area spread, commonly referred but not limited to airborne transmission, in originating such outbreaks is currently unknown. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of area spread on the occurrence of new PRRSV cases by combining information on genetic similarity among recovered PRRSV isolate's open-reading frame (ORF) 5 sequences and publicly available weather data. Three small regions were enrolled in the study for which high farm-level participation rate was achieved, and swine sites within those regions were readily sampled after reporting of an outbreak in a sow farm. Oral fluid PCR testing was used to determine PRRSV status of farms, and wind roses were generated for assessment of prevailing wind directions during 2-14 days preceding the outbreak. Under the conditions of this study, the data did not support the area spread theory as the main cause for these outbreaks. We suggest that for future studies, analysis of animal movement and other links between farms such as personnel, equipment and sharing of service providers should be incorporated for better insights on source of the virus. Furthermore, the development of rapid and easy diagnostic methods for ruling out resident PRRSV is urgently needed. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Prevalence and significance of gastrointestinal helminths and protozoa in South American Camelids in Switzerland.

PubMed

Hertzberg, Hubertus; Kohler, Lucia

2006-01-01

A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and significance of endoparasitic infections in South American Camelids (SAC) in Switzerland. Qualitative and quantitative coproscopic examinations were performed in 38 farms during the grazing period. Management practices with possible interference with parasitic infections were analyzed. On the farm level prevalences of endoparasitic infections were: trichostrongyles 87%; Trichuris sp. 74%; Capillaria sp. 68%; Nematodirus battus 63%; Nematodirus sp. 53%; Dicrocoelium dendriticum 34%; Moniezia sp. 8%; Fasciola hepatica 5%; protostrongylids 5%; Eimeria macusaniensis 68%. The level of helminth egg excretion was generally low. The highest values were recorded for trichostrongyles with an average of all investigated farms of 53 eggs per gram of faeces. The mean trichostrongyle egg output was approximately three-fold in SAC on farms that also kept sheep and/or goats, although this difference was not significant (P = 0.11). Clinical trichostrongylidosis was not reported from any of the farms. The low infection level with gastrointestinal nematodes is attributed to the defaecation behaviour of the SAC depositing their faeces focally on small spots on pasture. As a consequence, pasture infectivity is largely restricted to the area adjacent to the dung piles. Dicrocoeliosis is regarded as the most relevant parasitic infection of llamas and alpacas in Switzerland causing severe clinical symptoms and death in untreated animals. Sixteen per cent of the owners regularily treated their herds against dicrocoeliosis using praziquantel at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight orally.

[Seroprevalence of Leptospira spp in population groups of Villavicencio, Colombia].

PubMed

Góngora, Agustín; Parra, Jorge; Aponte, Luz; Gómez, Luz

2008-01-01

Determining Leptospira spp . antibody seroprevalence in an apparently healthy population and in groups at risk plus their associated factors in the town of Villavicencio in the Meta department of Colombia A cross-sectional epidemiological model was used (subjects being selected by convenience sampling). Blood-samples were obtained by cubital puncture from (n: 503) people, consisting of 230 first semester students from different programmes at the Universidad de los Llanos and 273 people corresponding to 8 groups at risk. Information regarding risk factor was obtained from interviewing the 503 people. A commercial indirect ELISA kit (Pambio) was used for determining IgM antibodies. Seroprevalence was 5,2 % in the low risk group. There was 19 % seroprevalence for groups at risk, 7 % for the group of people working in slaughterhouses, 17 % for vets and small animal clinic assistants, 17 % for students in their last year of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnia, 21 % for people milking cows on dual-purpose farms, 23 % for people working in rice-fields, 35 % for people working on pig-farms and 48 % for those working on fish-farms. Three factors were found to be associated: rural social level, having a pet dog and coming into contact with rodents in the workplace. A high seroprevalence for Leptospira spp was found in the groups at risk, people working on pig-farms and fish-farms being those most affected. There was a 1,86 relative risk in both groups indicated as having a greater risk of contagion amongst the population suffering occupational exposure.

Nutrition education, farm production diversity, and commercialization on household and individual dietary diversity in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Murendo, Conrad; Nhau, Brighton; Mazvimavi, Kizito; Khanye, Thamsanqa; Gwara, Simon

2018-01-01

Background Nutrition education is crucial for improved nutrition outcomes. However, there are no studies to the best of our knowledge that have jointly analysed the roles of nutrition education, farm production diversity and commercialization on household, women and child dietary diversity. Objective This article jointly analyses the role of nutrition education, farm production diversity and commercialization on household, women and children dietary diversity in Zimbabwe. In addition, we analyze separately the roles of crop and livestock diversity and individual agricultural practices on dietary diversity. Design Data were collected from 2,815 households randomly selected in eight districts. Negative binomial regression was used for model estimations. Results Nutrition education increased household, women, and child dietary diversity by 3, 9 and 24%, respectively. Farm production diversity had a strong and positive association with household and women dietary diversity. Crop diversification led to a 4 and 5% increase in household and women dietary diversity, respectively. Furthermore, livestock diversification and market participation were positively associated with household, women, and children dietary diversity. The cultivation of pulses and fruits increased household, women, and children dietary diversity. Vegetable production and goat rearing increased household and women dietary diversity. Conclusions Nutrition education and improving access to markets are promising strategies to improve dietary diversity at both household and individual level. Results demonstrate the value of promoting nutrition education; farm production diversity; small livestock; pulses, vegetables and fruits; crop-livestock integration; and market access for improved nutrition.

39 CFR 777.23 - Moving expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... an outdoor advertising display business, or a non-profit organization, is eligible for a fixed... small business, farm or non-profit organization may be eligible to receive a payment, not to exceed $10... displaced persons are entitled to benefits under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (2) Business and...

39 CFR 777.23 - Moving expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... an outdoor advertising display business, or a non-profit organization, is eligible for a fixed... small business, farm or non-profit organization may be eligible to receive a payment, not to exceed $10... displaced persons are entitled to benefits under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (2) Business and...

39 CFR 777.23 - Moving expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... an outdoor advertising display business, or a non-profit organization, is eligible for a fixed... small business, farm or non-profit organization may be eligible to receive a payment, not to exceed $10... displaced persons are entitled to benefits under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (2) Business and...

39 CFR 777.23 - Moving expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... an outdoor advertising display business, or a non-profit organization, is eligible for a fixed... small business, farm or non-profit organization may be eligible to receive a payment, not to exceed $10... displaced persons are entitled to benefits under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (2) Business and...

39 CFR 777.23 - Moving expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... an outdoor advertising display business, or a non-profit organization, is eligible for a fixed... small business, farm or non-profit organization may be eligible to receive a payment, not to exceed $10... displaced persons are entitled to benefits under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (2) Business and...

12 CFR 563e.42 - Data collection, reporting, and disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Data collection, reporting, and disclosure... COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT Records, Reporting, and Disclosure Requirements § 563e.42 Data collection, reporting... business or small farm loan originated or purchased by the savings association: (1) A unique number or...

[The occurrence of trichinelliasis outbreaks among the population of Kherson Province in 1986-1988].

PubMed

Dmitriev, S N; Nabatov, M S; Pankratov, S M; Koval', A A; Gorbachevskiĭ, G I; Sosnovskaia, E I; Kholodnaia, A N; Danilova, G L

1991-01-01

Three outbreaks of trichinellosis have been reviewed in Kherson Province, which has so far been safe as regards this infection. The source of infection in two cases was pork from small private farms and in one case it was meat of a wild boar.

Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender simulation of three adjacent row-crop watersheds in the claypan region

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model can simulate crop yields, and pollutant loadings in whole farms or small watersheds with variety of management practices. The study objectives were to identify sensitive parameters and parameterize, calibrate and validate the APEX model fo...

Modeling the fate and transport of bacteria in agricultural and pasture lands using APEX

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model is a whole farm to small watershed scale continuous simulation model developed for evaluating various land management strategies. The current version, APEX0806, does not have the modeling capacity for fecal indicator bacteria fate and trans...

APEX simulation of runoff and total phosphorous for three adjacent row-crop watersheds with claypan soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model can simulate crop yields, runoff, and the transport of sediment and nutrients in small watersheds that have combinations of farm level landscapes, cropping systems and/or management practices. The objectives of the study were to parameteri...

75 FR 54961 - Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Plant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... facility, a wind farm, a methane- gas cofiring facility, and several small solar photovoltaic facilities... maintenance of select plant systems and other regulatory compliance activities. Major buildings and plant... the plant cooling towers and the reactor, auxiliary, control, turbine, office, and service buildings...

Meeting Stakeholder Energy Technology Education Needs Using a Mobile Demonstration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Koff, Jason P.; Ricketts, John C.; Robbins, Chris; Illukpitiya, Prabodh; Wade, Alvin

2017-01-01

Understanding the impact of workshops that include mobile demonstrations for describing technical applications can be useful when planning an Extension program on new energy technologies. We used a mobile demonstration in a workshop that provided information on small-scale on-farm biodiesel production. Evaluation of the workshop outcomes…

Northwest forest practices regulation and forest management certification

Treesearch

Steverson O. Moffat; Frederick W. Cubbage

2001-01-01

In the United States, sustainable forestry certification programs and sustainable forestry proof-of-performance programs have now enrolled nearly 36 percent of the nation's timberlands. However, only the American Tree Farm System and the National Woodland Association's Green Tag Forestry program are targeted specifically for small woodland owners. We were...

Persistence of Ethnicity: The Japanese of Colorado.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endo, Russell

This paper presents an overview of the history of Japanese in Colorado. Japanese immigrants first came to Colorado between 1900 and 1910 as railroad laborers. Some became coal miners in southern Colorado; most others became farm laborers. Although the Japanese population during this period was small, communities developed in several locales. The…

To and From the Field: Communications and Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Development Communication Report, 1978

1978-01-01

Information on current research and projects, as well as general suggestions and conceptual material, is presented in 11 articles related to communication in rural areas of developing nations. These articles deal with (1) how information flows to small Nepalese farms; (2) an overview of communication in agricultural development projects, with…

Collaboration: The Driving Force for Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rourke, James; Boone, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

Nestled in the mountains and surrounded by Christmas tree farms, Ashe County Middle School is a small, rural school in the far northwest corner of North Carolina. Recognized nationally for its fine academic and co-curricular programs, the school prepares students for high school and real-life situations by teaching important concepts, essential…

Finishing Lambs and Goat Kids on Pasture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Producing goats and lambs for ethnic markets offers an economic opportunity for small farm producers in the Appalachian Region of the U.S. There are a variety of forages used in goat and sheep production systems. Overall, nutrients available to ruminants depend upon the types and combinations of p...

Field scale lysimeters to assess nutrient management impacts on runoff

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most empirical studies on the impact of field management on runoff water quality rely on edge-of-field monitoring, which is generally unreplicated and prone to high variances, or small plots, which constrain the use of conventional farm equipment and can hinder insight into landscape processes drivi...

Life cycle environmental and economic tradeoffs of using fast pyrolysis products for power generation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bio-oils produced from small-scale pyrolysis technology may have economic and environmental benefits for both densifying agricultural biomass and supplying local bio-energy markets (e.g., Renewable Portfolio Standards). This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a farm-scale bio-oil produ...

Ground-water resources of Coke County, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Clyde A.

1973-01-01

Coke County, located in semiarid west-central Texas, where large ranches, small farms, and oil production are the main bases of the economy, has a small supply of ground and surface water. Of the approximately 1,900 acre-feet of fresh to moderately saline ground water used in 1968, industry used 880 acre-feet, irrigation used 210 acre-feet, and domestic supply and livestock used 820 acre-feet. All of the water for municipal supply and some of the water for industry is obtained from surface-water reservoirs.