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Project to Study Soil Health Economics in South Dakota
Soil degradation has become one of the most pressing global issues, because of its adverse effects on world food security, environment and quality of life.
Crop Rotation Potential: Improving Soil Health & Farm Profitability
Two-year corn-soybean rotation coupled with heavy chemical inputs has become the routine practice of agricultural production in the Midwestern United States. According to USDA/NASS data, corn and soybean prices received by producers in South Dakota both reached the peak levels of $7.39 and $16.00 per bushel, respectively, in August, 2012.
Cover Crop Adoption: Farmers’ perceived benefits & barriers
Cover crops are generally defined as crops planted between cash crops to cover and protect the soil. Some demonstrated benefits of cover crops include: reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, increased biological variety, increased nitrogen supply, and weed control. Depending on the farmers’ objectives, different species of cover crops can be planted. For example, if a farmer’s main objective is to increase nitrogen supply, then legume cover crops best suited to the farm area should be selected.
USDA-ARMS Survey Data: Benefits for university agriculture research & outreach
Conducted since the mid-1990s, the USDA Agricultural Management Resource Survey (ARMS) is a multi-phase, multi-level nationwide survey of agricultural producers that collects information on a large sample of farms and their characteristics.
Engineering Cooperatives in the 21st Century: Education, Research, and Outreach
The Cooperative structure represents a unique organization type that is governed/owned by the users of the services and products. South Dakota has many types of Cooperatives, some organizations are not readily recognized as Cooperatives however, like mutual insurance, credit unions, etc. More commonly, Cooperatives are associated with Farmer Cooperatives that are prevalent in South Dakota.
Farm Structure Trends
Farm decisions are often undertaken with a very long outlook. The purchase of land or a change in a cropping system are not choices done with short-run gains in mind. As a result, structural changes in agriculture are often slow to occur and to observe.
Where could cyberattacks occur in a precision agriculture system? An outlook on the system breakup.
Precision agriculture relies on cyber-physical systems that bring together sensors, computers, the internet, and farm equipment. Despite its numerous benefits, it also brings some risks to farming practices.
Ag Cybersecurity and Social Engineering 101
Social engineering is manipulating individuals to share confidential information and compromise security. By understanding the basics of social engineering, stakeholders can take proactive steps to ensure the resilience of agricultural systems against cyber threats.
Expanded Meat and Poultry Processing Resources Available to S.D. Livestock Producers and Meat Processors
The USDA's commitment to creating a more-resilient meat and poultry processing system is making new opportunities for rancher-owned enterprises, worker-owned housing and other cooperative initiatives.
Drafting Farmers Market Documents: Market Rules
It is strongly recommended that new and existing farmers markets draft rules to govern the daily operation of the market.