7 pages, The application of balanced fertilizers is essential to produce highquality broccoli. A field experiment was conducted to find an appropriate fertilizer management practice for broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. ‘Italica’) that can generate higher yield and quality. The experiment comprised 24 treatment combinations with six fertilizer management practices, i.e., T1: control. T2: cow dung at 10 t ha-1. T3: chicken manure at 10 t ha-1. T4: recommended NPK dose. T5: cow dung at 5 t ha-1 + 50% of the recommended NPK dose. T6: chicken manure at 5 t ha-1 + 50% of the recommended NPK dose. The highest plant height (60.00 cm) occurred in response to T6, the highest stem length (22.25 cm) in T4, and the maximum number of leaves per plant (22.00) in T4 and T6 treatments. Maximum fresh leaf weight per plant (609 g), stem diameter (3.98 cm), curd diameter (16.63 cm), and individual curd weight (494.50 g) occurred in response to the T5 treatment. The optimum yield (25.78 t ha-1) of broccoli can be obtained by application of cow dung (5 t ha-1) with a recommended dose of 50% inorganic fertilizer NPK (T5). Maximum TSS value (10.54%) occurred in response to T3, which was statistically similar to the effect of T6 (10.52%). Vitamin C content (80.77 mg 100 g-1) became significantly high in response to the T4 treatment (100% recommended dose of NPK). Minimum vitamin C content (53.84 mg 100 g-1) occurred in the control treatment (T1). Applying cow dung at 5 t ha-1 in addition to the 50% recommended dose of NPK fertilizers (T5) led to superior yield values in broccoli.
5 pages, Farmers face unique occupational and interpersonal stressors that increase risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes. To educate farmers and their families about these risks, one state’s Family and Consumer Sciences faculty partnered with Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty with input from county agents to develop a series of online educational programs that were delivered as part of the state Agricultural Enhancement Program. Twenty-eight participants completed the pilot project and feedback surveys. Lessons learned include the need to have speakers from farming backgrounds, incorporate health topics that emphasize the connection with farming, and to include engaging visuals.
8 pages, This study examined the impact of replacing soybean meal (SBM) for treated and untreated sesame meal (SM) with varying amounts of crude protein (CP) on nutrient intake and digestibility, milk composition, and ruminal parameters in lactating goats. Forty mid-lactation Murciano-Granadina goats were randomly allocated to four diets including (1) SBM (16.5% CP; CON); (2) untreated SM (USM; 16.5% CP). (3) formaldehyde-treated SM (FTSM; 16.5% CP), and (4) FTSM containing 14.5% CP (LPFT). FTSM goats had higher dry matter (DM) and nutrient intake than CON and LPFT, as observed for milk fat (P<0.001) and total solids (TS; P=0.001) yield. Milk fat content was higher with USM than LPFT (P<0.05). In general, the sum of milk saturated fatty acids (SFA) decreased, and milk unsaturated FA (UFA), monounsaturated FA (MUFA), polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), and long-chain FA (LCFA) increased by the inclusion of USM, and FTSM in the diet. Incorporation of FTSM in the diet decreased ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen, and acetate molar proportion compared to CON and USM as observed with LPFT. Also, this inclusion increased total volatile FAs production and propionate proportion compared to CON and USM (P<0.001). In conclusion, substitution of SBM for FTSM in the diet of dairy goats can improve milk and milk component yield as well as health-promoting alterations in milk FAs profile. Furthermore, reducing dietary CP level along with FTSM inclusion in the diet may be considered as a proper tool in compensating the adverse effects of dietary CP deficiency and optimizing the productive performance of dairy goats utilizing lower amounts of nitrogen sources.
30 pages, While Georgia is one of the top producers of cotton and peanuts in the Unites States, much attention has been centered on ensuring sustainability in the production of these crops. The need to understand what drives farmers’ decision to utilize voluntary best management practices is critical for the improvement of strategies focused on increasing farmers’ adoption of these practices. Empirical evidence that identifies influential factors in farmers’ decision to adopt best management practices have yet to produce consistent predictors of adoption behavior. This has led to increased calls for unique approaches examining how farmers’ views and motivations impact their adoption decisions regarding these practices. This study builds on previous research using Q methodology to provide an in-depth investigation of the differences in farmers’ views on best management practices for cotton and peanut production in southwest Georgia. A purposive sample of 21 participants completed the Q sorting exercise and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data revealed three primary viewpoints that were identified and labeled as the: (1) land preservers, (2) ambitious self-starters, and (3) principled go-getters. These perspectives show the differences in motivations for adoption behavior and denote the range of influential factors on farm management decisions. The findings of this study reveal key viewpoints held by Georgia cotton and peanut farmers toward best management practices, which can inform the development of strategically tailored educational resources and opportunities. These targeted educational approaches must account for the specific needs and preferences of farmers found in this study to potentially increase adoption.
27 pages, Precision farming is becoming crucial in the ongoing agricultural revolution due to its enhanced economic and ecological sustainability in food production compared to conventional farming. However, only a limited number of studies have focused on consumer acceptance of food produced through precision farming. To address this gap, an online experiment (n = 276) was conducted to investigate how production method information influences consumer beliefs of food quality (i.e., health, sustainability, and safety values), ultimately affecting consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward precision-grown food. The findings suggest consumers exhibit higher quality beliefs, leading to more favorable attitudes and purchase intentions, toward precision-grown food compared to conventional food. This trend was observed when participants were presented with detailed information about the production methods employed in each farming system. In addition, according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model, our study reveals consumer innovativeness has the potential to amplify positive responses in terms of quality beliefs, attitudes, and purchase intentions toward precision-grown food compared to conventional food. Furthermore, our findings suggest that when detailed production methods are presented, precision-grown food may receive favorable quality beliefs, attitudes, and purchase intentions comparable to those for organic food, regardless of consumer innovativeness.
18 pages, The donation of unharvested or unsold crops to rescue organizations has been promoted as a strategy to improve healthy food access for food insecure households while reducing production-level food loss and waste (FLW). In this study, we aimed to assess the motivations, barriers, and facilitators for crop donation as a FLW reduction strategy among Maryland farmers. We interviewed 18 Maryland-based food producers (nine frequent crop donors and nine infrequent, by self-report) in 2016 – 2017, soliciting their perspectives on crop donation motivators, process feasibility, and interventions aimed at increasing crop donation. The interviews were thematically coded. All respondents were aware of crop donation as an option, and most expressed interest in reducing FLW by diverting crop surpluses for human consumption. While financial barriers represented one aspect influencing donation decisions, respondents also cited convenience, process knowledge, and liability as key considerations. In contrast to frequent donors, many of whom considered donation a moral imperative, some infrequent donors questioned the expectation that they would donate crops without compensation. Both frequent and infrequent donors were aware of pro-donation tax incentives, and infrequent donors reported being unlikely to use them. This research demonstrates that crop donation motivations, barriers, and facilitators can be diverse. Given the existence of crop surpluses and their potential benefits as emergency food, our results suggest that multiple interventions and policies may contribute to incentivizing and facilitating crop donation (or enabling the purchase of surplus crops) rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. Our findings also highlight a need to prioritize crop recovery methods that enhance growers’ financial stability.
Cooke, Andrew (author), Mullan, Siobhan (author), Morten, Charlie (author), Hockenhull, Joanna (author), Le-Grice, Phil (author), Le Cocq, Kate (author), Lee, Michael R. F. (author), Cardenas, Laura M. (author), and Rivero, M. Jordana (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2023-06-29
Published:
United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12951
14 pages, Animal welfare encompasses all aspects of an animal’s life and the interactions between animals. Consequently, welfare must be measured across a variety of factors that consider aspects
such as health, behaviour and mental state. Decisions regarding housing and grazing are central to farm management. In this study, two beef cattle systems and their herds were compared
from weaning to slaughter across numerous indicators. One herd (‘HH’) were continuously
housed, the other (‘HG’) were housed only during winter. Inspections of animals were conducted to assess body condition, cleanliness, diarrhoea, hairlessness, nasal discharge and ocular discharge. Hair and nasal mucus samples were taken for quantification of cortisol and
serotonin. Qualitative behaviour assessments (QBA) were also conducted and performance
monitored. Physical health indicators were similar between herds with the exception of
nasal discharge which was more prevalent in HH (P < 0.001). During winter, QBA yielded differences between herds over PC1 (arousal) (P = 0.032), but not PC2 (mood) (P = 0.139).
Through summer, there was a strong difference across both PC1 (P < 0.001) and PC2 (P =
0.002), with HG exhibiting more positive behaviour. A difference was found in hair cortisol
levels, with the greatest concentrations observed in HG (P = 0.011), however such a pattern
was not seen for nasal mucus cortisol or for serotonin. Overall, providing summer grazing
(HG) appeared to afford welfare benefits to the cattle as shown with more positive QBA
assessments, but also slightly better health indicators, notwithstanding the higher levels of cortisol in that group.
11 pages, The world population is increasing in a disquieting rate while the quantity of food to gratify this snowballing human population is an annoyance to agrarian scientists and policymakers around the globe. Today's population is snatching natural resources from the future which can endanger the future generation's right to have nutritious food and clean air. The causes for this challenge can be enumerated and listed out, but singled out as lack of and/or poor implementation of novel approaches and practices for sustainable agriculture. Some of the novel approaches are but not limited to climate smart agriculture (CSA), organic farming, biodynamic agriculture, sustainable intensification and regenerative agriculture; and novel practices as integrated farming system (IFS), precision agriculture, integrated nutrient management (INM) and integrated pest management (IPM). The adoption of these approaches and practices has been proven to safeguard agricultural sustainability.
10 pages, This research endeavor, conducted in year 2019-20, explores farmers’ perception regarding
climate change and the impacts of socioeconomic indicators affecting these perceptions in
district Mardan, KP-Pakistan. For this purpose, total of 140 sampled respondents, seventy
from each village were selected for primary data collection. Ordered probit model was used to
quantify the determinants of climate change perception. Demographic characteristics revealed
that average age of the respondents was 44.42 years, with average schooling, household size,
farming experience and farm size of 7.73 years, about 9.96 members, 27.90 years and 3.1
acres, respectively. The study findings indicated that age, education, household size, farming
experience, total income and nature of land significantly (p < 0.05) affect farmers’ perception
of climate change specifying that younger farmers perceive climate change impacts more as
compared to older farmers, while experienced were more likely to perceive than inexperienced.
Educated farmers perceived changes in climate more than less educated or uneducated. Small
holders perceived more than big landlords, rain-fed farm holders perceived more than irrigated
farm holders, high income farmers perceived more than low income farmers, owners perceived
more than owner-cum tenants and tenants and small families perceived more than big families.
The study recommended climate change awareness programs through government and nongovernment organizations, i.e. education programs, farmer field schools (FFS), agricultural
extension agencies to bridge the farmer- research gap, government role in realistic land reforms,
establishment of farm services centers (FSCs), climate information centers and diversify farm
income opportunities.
14 pages, Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the U.S. and other countries around the world saw a dramatic increase in the number of people starting pandemic gardens. In this article, the authors use rhetorical framing analysis to explore how news coverage of this gardening boom presented the illusion of control framed around the themes of economics, food sovereignty, physical and mental health, and community and connection. It concludes with a discussion of how these four themes offer an overly-optimistic view of gardening that deemphasizes sustainability, focuses on processes over harvests, and ignores food chain inequities.
18pgs, Can the power of digital communications create opportunities for overcoming generational renewal problems on farms? This interdisciplinary review explores the reported impacts of digital communication on career initiation into farming from a global perspective via the lens of career theories. Seventy-three papers were synthesized into two domains: (1) the impact of digital communication interactions on farming career initiation, and (2) the dynamics of digital communication initiatives that create opportunities to inspire youth into farming. The finding shows that the mainstream literature primarily aims to support the continuity of farming careers but pay little attention to the potential of digital communication to attract youth into farming. This review argues that career communications for farming receives insufficient attention, and could be better integrated into agricultural communications strategies by using the potential of digital communications. Study concludes that while economic and geographic factors, as well as societal and cultural norms, lead to negative perceptions on farming careers, there are three pathways that may contribute to breaking down these negative perceptions. Firstly, taking the changing nature of career motivations, such as the trend towards sustainable farming linked to self-fulfillment, among today’s youth into consideration is essential. Secondly, highlighting technological advances in digital agriculture practices, like geographical flexibility or innovation capacity of farming, for example, is important to increase awareness about new opportunities in the profession. Lastly, communication campaigns with targeted groups (e.g., young females) play a role to change the negative perceptions of the rural way of life and the farming profession.
