Convenience Sample of On-Farm Research Cooperators Representative of Wisconsin Farmers

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward C. Luschei ◽  
Clarissa M. Hammond ◽  
Chris M. Boerboom ◽  
Pete J. Nowak
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Unknown Bias ◽  
Management Behaviors

Researchers interested in describing or understanding agroecological systems have many reasons to consider on-farm research. Yet, despite the inherent realism and pedagogical value of on-farm studies, recruiting cooperators can be difficult and this difficulty can result in so-called “convenience samples” containing a potentially large and unknown bias. There is often no formal justification for claiming that on-farm research results can be extrapolated to farms beyond those participating in the study. In some sufficiently well-understood research areas, models may be able to correct for potential bias; however, no theoretical argument is as persuasive as a direct comparison between a randomized and a convenience sample. In a 30-cooperator on-farm study investigating weed community dynamics across the state of Wisconsin, we distributed a written survey probing farmer weed management behaviors and attitudes. The survey contained 59 questions that overlapped a large, randomized survey of farmer corn pest management behavior. We compared 187 respondents from the larger survey with the 18 respondents from our on-farm study. For dichotomous response questions, we found no difference in response rate for 80% of the questions (α = 0.2, β > 0.5). Differences between the two groups were logically connected to the selection criteria used to recruit cooperators in the on-farm study. Similarly, comparisons of nondichotomous response questions did not differ for 80% of the questions (α = 0.05, β > 0.9). Exploratory multivariate analyses failed to reveal differences that might have been hidden from the marginal analyses. We argue that our findings support the notion that the convenience samples often associated with on-farm research may be representative of the more general class of farms, despite lack of bias protection provided by truly randomized designs.

Community dynamics in highland watersheds

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Jacobsen ◽  
Olivier Dangles
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Community Organization ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Central Process ◽  
Spatial Variables ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Local Extinctions ◽  
Metacommunity Dynamics ◽  
Natural Communities

Chapter 6 presents the interaction between space and time in determining the organization of natural communities in high altitude heterogeneous waterscapes. After explaining why high altitude waters represent suitable models for examining metacommunity organization, the chapter focuses on dispersal—a central process to allow colonization and establishment of populations in remote localities and to counter local extinctions. Community organization patterns are then described for a variety of organisms living in high altitude waters, from microbes to invertebrates to fish and birds. These patterns reveal that both environmental and spatial variables are generally involved in species assembling. Examples of studies on directional spatial processes (e.g. through wind and water flow), waterscape genetics, and temporal variability (synchrony/asynchrony) are highlighted as promising research areas to increase the current knowledge on high altitude metacommunity dynamics.

scholarly journals Profile of Volatile Compounds of On-Farm Fermented and Dried Cocoa Beans Inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae KY794742 and Pichia kudriavzevii KY794725

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
Gilson Celso Albuquerque Chagas Junior ◽  
Nelson Rosa Ferreira ◽  
Eloisa Helena de Aguiar Andrade ◽  
Lidiane Diniz do Nascimento ◽  
Francilia Campos de Siqueira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Volatile Compounds ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Starter Cultures ◽  
Cocoa Beans ◽  
Pichia Kudriavzevii ◽  
Fermentative Capacity ◽  
Product Identity ◽  
On Farm

This study aimed to identify the volatile compounds in the fermented and dried cocoa beans conducted with three distinct inoculants of yeast species due to their high fermentative capacity: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, the mixture in equal proportions 1:1 of both species, and a control fermentation (with no inoculum application). Three starter cultures of yeasts, previously isolated and identified in cocoa fermentation in the municipality of Tomé-Açu, Pará state, Brazil. The seeds with pulp were removed manually and placed in wooden boxes for the fermentation process that lasted from 6 to 7 days. On the last day of fermentation, the almonds were packaged properly and placed to dry (36 °C), followed by preparation for the analysis of volatile compounds by GC-MS technique. In addition to the control fermentation, a high capacity for the formation of desirable compounds in chocolate by the inoculants with P. kudriavzevii was observed, which was confirmed through multivariate analyses, classifying these almonds with the highest content of aldehydes, esters, ketones and alcohols and low concentration of off-flavours. We conclude that the addition of mixed culture starter can be an excellent alternative for cocoa producers, suggesting obtaining cocoa beans with desirable characteristics for chocolate production, as well as creating a product identity for the producing region.

Factors That Influence On-Farm Decision-Making: Evidence from Weed Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Raymond A. Jussaume ◽  
Katherine Dentzman ◽  
George Frisvold ◽  
David Ervin ◽  
Micheal Owen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
On Farm

Myocardial infarction mortality in the hospital: an exploration of time of death and age

1994 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-69
Author(s):  
FL Cole ◽  
EM Slocumb
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Death Certificate ◽  
Time Of Death ◽  
Death Certificates ◽  
Common Complication ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Log Linear ◽  
Expected Mortality

BACKGROUND: Death is a common complication from myocardial infarction, although little information exists about the pattern of mortality from myocardial infarction and factors associated with this pattern. OBJECTIVES: To identify the periods of greater-than-expected mortality from myocardial infarction in hospitalized patients and to determine whether an association exists between time of death and age of the patient. METHODS: A convenience sample of 1045 death certificates that met selection criteria was reviewed. Time of death and age were documented as they appeared on the death certificate. Data were analyzed by log-linear analysis. RESULTS: Frequency of mortality was determined to be greater than expected between 6 and 6:59 AM, 9 and 9:59 AM and 7 and 7:59 PM. The interaction between time of death and age was statistically significant. DISCUSSION: The periods of greater-than-expected mortality coincide with periods when nurses are occupied with other functions and also coincide with temporal patterns of physiologic events. CONCLUSIONS: A temporal pattern of mortality from myocardial infarction existed for this study. Age was found to be associated with time of death.

An online decision support tool to evaluate ecological weed management strategies

Weed Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-473
Author(s):  
Douglas Bessette ◽  
Robyn Wilson ◽  
Christian Beaudrie ◽  
Clayton Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
The United States ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Organic Farmers ◽  
Ecological Weed Management ◽  
On Farm

AbstractWeeds remain the most commonly cited concern of organic farmers. Without the benefit of synthetic herbicides, organic farmers must rely on a host of ecological weed management (EWM) practices to control weeds. Despite EWM’s ability to improve soil quality, the perceived rate of integrated EWM strategy adoption remains low. This low adoption is likely a result of the complexity in designing and evaluating EWM strategies, the tendency for outreach to focus on the risks of EWM strategies rather than their benefits, and a lack of quantitative measures linking the performance of EWM strategies to farmers’ on-farm objectives and practices. Here we report on the development and deployment of an easy-to-use online decision support tool (DST) that aids organic farmers in identifying their on-farm objectives, characterizing the performance of their practices, and evaluating EWM strategies recommended by an expert advisory panel. Informed by the principles of structured decision making, the DST uses multiple choice tasks to help farmers evaluate the short- and long-term trade-offs of EWM strategies, while also focusing their attention on their most important objectives. We then invited organic farmers across the United States, in particular those whose email addresses were registered on the USDA’s Organic Research Integrity Database, to engage the DST online. Results show considerable movement in participants’ (n = 45) preferences from practices focused on reducing weeding costs and labor in the short term to EWM strategies focused on improving soil quality in the long term. Indeed, nearly half of those farmers (48%) who initially ranked a strategy composed of their current practices highest ultimately preferred a better-performing EWM strategy focused on eliminating the weed seedbank over 5 yr.

Current Grain Storage and Safety Practices of Ohio Cash Grain Operators

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Geng ◽  
S. Dee Jepsen
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Grain Storage ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Engineering Controls ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Agricultural Injuries ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Storage Facilities

Abstract. Hazards associated with grain storage facilities are a contributing factor to agricultural injuries and are a perpetual problem for Ohio farmers, especially as on-farm grain storage facilities continue to grow in popularity with producers. To establish effective injury prevention programs, safety professionals must first understand how the industry operates, the culture of the workers, and the current practices used to avoid injuries. This research project was designed to bridge the gap between what is currently known about the hazards that exist on Ohio’s farms, specifically how safety and health information is incorporated at the grain handling and storage facilities. Using a four-part survey, 182 cash grain operators, comprising a convenience sample of farmers attending educational events, were surveyed to determine the type of grain storage and handling facilities used on their farms, the occurrence of out-of-condition grain, and the health and safety factors practiced at these facilities, including their knowledge about potential hazards. Results indicated that the farmers preferred to get safety knowledge from a course or seminar (53.6%) or by reading a magazine or periodical (38.8%). The surveyed farmers indicated that they had higher knowledge of the safety risks of out-of-condition grain than of the health effects from exposure to out-of-condition grain (p < 0.01). They identified personal protective equipment (PPE) as their primary measure to prevent injuries, with the top PPE items being respirators, safety glasses, hearing protection, and gloves. Farmers who encountered out-of-condition grain reported more employees on their farms compared to the other farmers in the sample and reported higher use of PPE. While these results cannot be generalized to Ohio’s entire population of cash grain farmers, they provide a good understanding of the on-farm grain storage and management practices, which will allow a more targeted intervention plan, both in better engineering controls and in future outreach programs. Keywords: Grain storage, PPE use, Health, Safety.

scholarly journals Weed Management in Cranberries: A Historical Perspective and a Look to the Future

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Sandler
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated Weed Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Early 19Th Century ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
The Impact

Integrated weed management (IWM) has been part of cranberry cultivation since its inception in the early 19th century. Proper site and cultivar selection, good drainage, rapid vine establishment, and hand weeding are as important now for successful weed management as when the industry first started. In 1940, Extension publications listed eight herbicides (e.g., petroleum-based products, inorganic salts and sulfates) for weed control. Currently, 18 herbicides representing 11 different modes of action are registered for use on cranberries. Nonchemical methods, such as hand weeding, sanding, flooding, and proper fertilization, remain integral for managing weed populations; new tactics such as flame cultivation have been added to the toolbox. Priority ratings have been developed to aid in weed management planning. Despite many efforts, biological control of weeds remains elusive on the commercial scale. Evaluation of new herbicides, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), image analysis, and precision agriculture technology; investigation of other management practices for weeds and their natural enemies; utilization of computational decision making and Big Data; and determination of the impact of climate change are research areas whose results will translate into new use recommendations for the weed control of cranberry.

scholarly journals Self identified research needs of New York organic farmers

1987 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian P. Baker ◽  
Douglas B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
New York State ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Insect Management ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
Organic Farmers ◽  
Insufficient Time ◽  
On Farm

AbstractA survey of organic farmers in New York State identified problems in need of university research. Weed management was the most frequently mentioned problem by far, identified as significant by two-thirds of the organic farmers. Only a few other problems were listed as significant, including insufficient time for farm work, lack of markets, low prices, and lack of appropriate tools. These were cited by more than a third of the farmers. Drought, insect management, and a lack of a dependable supply of labor were cited by about one-third of the respondents. The survey also examined organic farmers' information sources. They do not use conventional sources of agricultural information, such as the extension service and conventional agricultural media, as much as books, magazines, and newsletters on organic f arming, other organic f armers, and on-farm experiments. Many respondents noted that local extension agents did not know very much about non-chemical solutions to organic production problems. They considered University Extension to be accessible, but not very useful in solving problems specific to organic farming, and had many suggestions to improve Land Grant research in organic agriculture.

PARTICIPATORY VARIETAL SELECTION IN LOWLAND SORGHUM IN EASTERN ETHIOPIA: IMPACT ON ADOPTION AND GENETIC DIVERSITY

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. MULATU ◽  
K. BELETE
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Sorghum Bicolor ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Participatory Varietal Selection ◽  
Eastern Ethiopia ◽  
New Varieties ◽  
Seed System ◽  
Locally Grown ◽  
On Farm

Farmers' Participatory Varietal Evaluation (PVE) was conducted on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) crops in the Kile-Bisidimo plains of eastern Ethiopia for three consecutive years, 1995–1997. The study aimed at providing farmers with alternatives to their landrace to enable them to overcome crop losses and to identify farmers' varietal selection criteria for inclusion in future breeding work. In 1995 constraints and opportunities in sorghum growing and farmers' varietal matching characteristics were identified through an informal survey. This was followed by a search for varieties and acquisitions of seed. Subsequently, eight varieties were evaluated of which five varieties were released and three were at the pre-release stage.In 1996 and 1997 farmer-managed on-farm trials were conducted and farmers evaluated the performance of the experimental varieties against a locally grown cultivar. Through pairwise and matrix ranking, farmers' selection criteria were listed, preferred varieties identified and initiatives taken to diffuse the varieties through the local seed system. Out of the eight varieties that research workers considered the best, farmers selected only three. The study negated the generally accepted view that farmers in lowland areas of eastern Ethiopia are reluctant to grow short-duration varieties. The selection and introduction of three new varieties into a farming system where farmers were growing only one local variety reconfirmed PVE to be a means for enhancing adoption and increasing genetic diversity. The study also confirmed that increasing farmers' access to their preferred varieties would result in a faster rate of diffusion through farmer-to-farmer seed exchange.

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