AN ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF SOYBEAN STINK BUG CONTROL ALTERNATIVES FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Methyl parathion or Penncap M (an encapsulated methyl parathion) are used extensively throughout the United States for controlling stink bug pests in soybeans, Glycine Max (L.) Merrill. However, this insecticide is highly toxic to mammals, birds, and non-target arthropods, and thus is less environmentally sound than other insecticides. For environmental and human health considerations, investigating alternative insecticides for control is desired. For this investigation, research based on field experimental data from Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana during the 1988 and 1989 growing seasons were employed. Results indicate that alternative, currently available, and less toxic insecticides may reduce producer costs, increase yield, and improve soybean quality. These alternative insecticides include Scout (tralomethrin), Karate (lambda-cyhalothrin), Orthene (acephate), and Baythroid (cyfluthrin). In terms of improved profits these alternative insecticides may dominate methyl parathion or encapsulated methyl parathion.Crop Production/Industries,

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENTS FACING TOBACCO FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES

This paper discusses the context within which educational programs tailored to tobacco producers and related rural communities have developed. Discussion is expanded by examining current program approaches employed by various organizations. Many of these organizations have a manual stake in helping producers in tobacco communities develop their management capacity. A range of initiatives aimed at facilitating economic adjustment is compared, including the major issues addressed and expected outcomes. Many of the initiatives have made useful contributions; however, gaps and limitations remain. These are considered as future educational efforts and issues are discussed.educational programs, tobacco producers, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

BioTIME: A database of biodiversity time series for the Anthropocene.

MotivationThe BioTIME database contains raw data on species identities and abundances in ecological assemblages through time. These data enable users to calculate temporal trends in biodiversity within and amongst assemblages using a broad range of metrics. BioTIME is being developed as a community-led open-source database of biodiversity time series. Our goal is to accelerate and facilitate quantitative analysis of temporal patterns of biodiversity in the Anthropocene.Main types of variables includedThe database contains 8,777,413 species abundance records, from assemblages consistently sampled for a minimum of 2 years, which need not necessarily be consecutive. In addition, the database contains metadata relating to sampling methodology and contextual information about each record.Spatial location and grainBioTIME is a global database of 547,161 unique sampling locations spanning the marine, freshwater and terrestrial realms. Grain size varies across datasets from 0.0000000158 km2 (158 cm2) to 100 km2 (1,000,000,000,000 cm2).Time period and grainBioTIME records span from 1874 to 2016. The minimal temporal grain across all datasets in BioTIME is a year.Major taxa and level of measurementBioTIME includes data from 44,440 species across the plant and animal kingdoms, ranging from plants, plankton and terrestrial invertebrates to small and large vertebrates.Software format.csv and .SQL

An Economic Analysis of Harvesting Systems for Flue-Cured Tobacco

This paper is concerned with the factors affecting the use of labor for the harvest of flue-cured tobacco. More specifically, it examines factors affecting labor inputs in harvesting tobacco and uses this information to develop average cost data for specified harvesting systems

AN ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF SOYBEAN STINK BUG CONTROL ALTERNATIVES FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Methyl parathion or Penncap M (an encapsulated methyl parathion) are used extensively throughout the United States for controlling stink bug pests in soybeans, Glycine Max (L.) Merrill. However, this insecticide is highly toxic to mammals, birds, and non-target arthropods, and thus is less environmentally sound than other insecticides. For environmental and human health considerations, investigating alternative insecticides for control is desired. For this investigation, research based on field experimental data from Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana during the 1988 and 1989 growing seasons were employed. Results indicate that alternative, currently available, and less toxic insecticides may reduce producer costs, increase yield, and improve soybean quality. These alternative insecticides include Scout (tralomethrin), Karate (lambda-cyhalothrin), Orthene (acephate), and Baythroid (cyfluthrin). In terms of improved profits these alternative insecticides may dominate methyl parathion or encapsulated methyl parathion

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENTS FACING TOBACCO FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES

This paper discusses the context within which educational programs tailored to tobacco producers and related rural communities have developed. Discussion is expanded by examining current program approaches employed by various organizations. Many of these organizations have a manual stake in helping producers in tobacco communities develop their management capacity. A range of initiatives aimed at facilitating economic adjustment is compared, including the major issues addressed and expected outcomes. Many of the initiatives have made useful contributions; however, gaps and limitations remain. These are considered as future educational efforts and issues are discussed

Flue-Cured Tobacco Mechanization and Labor: Impacts of Alternative Production Levels

The flue-cured tobacco industry is in a state of transition as farmers are replacing the traditional harvest methods with modern bulk curing systems. The rapid trend toward harvest mechanization experienced in 1972-75 will continue into the eighties, according to an analysis of a wide range of quota levels and wage rates. Adopting new harvest technology is profitable for farmers, and it will have an impact on the demand for harvest labor. In the aggregate, however, harvest mechanization will not cause serious unemployment problems in the flue-cured tobacco belt. During 1972-80, with increased wage rates, the decline in the number of harvest workers is projected to range from 64,000 workers, under a "high" level of production, to 199,000, under a "low" level of production. Harvest jobs are part-time and seasonal. Workers most likely to lose harvest job opportunities are young persons and women. Of tasks eliminated with bulk curing systems, more than 90 percent in 1972 were performed by young persons (mainly 12 to 15 years of age) and by women

Structural Characteristics of Flue-Cured Tobacco Farms and Prospects for Harvest Mechanization

By 1978, mechanical harvesters will be used to harvest an estimated 23-36 percent of the flue-cured tobacco acreage in the study area, which produces three-fourths of all U.S. flue-cured tobacco. Farmers will use bulk barns to cure an expected 65-80 percent of it. Comparison figures of 1972 are 1 and 8 percent, respectively. If these changes occur, labor needed during the harvest will fall as much as 50 percent between 1972 and 1978. In 1972, flue-cured tobacco management units averaged 9.5 acres in the study area, or about three times the size of the average flue-cured tobacco allotment. Close to 60 percent of these units use some harvest system that differs from the more traditional methods: • 8 percent — bulk barns • 47 percent — machines to tie tobacco leaves on sticks • 30 percent — priming aids • 20 percent — traditional method