Why Do We Use New Practices ?

Are new practices and techniques adopted simply because they\u27re discovered and made available? Not unless they\u27re profitable, is the answer that research is giving. Here\u27s an example based on the use of fertilizer in Iowa

An analysis of returns from farm and nonfarm employment opportunities on Shelby-Grundy-Haig soils

The objective of this study is to examine alternative methods for increasing incomes of farm families on Shelby-Grundy-Haig soils of southern Iowa. Prospects for increasing incomes through greater capital use, improved technology, larger farm size, part-time farming and shifts to non-farm occupations are considered. Linear programming is used in deriving optimum farm plans and farm size under various resource situations. Plans are first computed for typical or modal resource situations on farms of 80, 160 and 210 acres, using current farming techniques of the soil area. These plans provide, for each farm size, a benchmark income figure for comparison of earnings from other farm and non-farm alternatives. The benchmark income for each farm size is first compared with incomes from farm plans where capital is increased and all other resources and technology remain at the benchmark level. Returns on this additional capital are high for all three farm sizes studied. Computed next are increases in income possible from use of improved farming techniques while operating capital and other resources are held constant at the benchmark level. Use of improved techniques with capital held constant also produces high returns. When improved techniques and greater capital are used together, however, the income increases are greater than from either used alone. This complementarity suggests a need for integrated educational and credit programs

How Much Can We Produce in the Next Several Years?

In last month\u27s article we found that some major agricultural adjustments in Iowa would be needed to acheive the maximum sustained crop production estimated by the Iowa Productive Capacity Committee

Farming today for young men and women

It would be impossible to list here all the advantages of farming. There are many. It is a life in the open, with a high degree of personal independence. There is opportunity to work closely as a family group. But if you’ve decided to farm because you’ve heard it’s an “ easy racket,” perhaps you’d better do some more thinking. Farming isn’t easy. Some years it’s tough. It’s a mistake to be misled by the war and immediate postwar picture. Conditions aren’t likely to stay this bright. We’re already hearing notes of warning about the price recessions— and even of depression. Prices undoubtedly will work downward after the present food emergency eases. Those of you who were raised on the farm know about the hard work. Those of you who weren’t should be aware of it. And you should know that the weather plays a mighty important part in your lives. Income is seasonal. Most farm homes are not as modern or as convenient as those in the city. Gay entertainment is not quite as close. If you are married, your wife, too, should be acquainted with the differences between farm and city living, because farming is a family affair

Optimum farm plans for beginning tenant farmers on Clarion-Webster soils (An application of linear programming)

Getting established in farming has become more difficult for young farmers in recent years, partly because of the increased amount of capital required to carry on a farm business. Too, the need for improvements in managerial ability has grown with the increased need for capital. The problems of farm planning thus become more acute for beginning farmers since they usually have access to relatively small amounts of capital and have limited farming experience. Many young farmers aware of the gains which may be obtained from improved farm planning, have turned to the Extension Service for assistance. Consequently, to provide the assistance requested, the Iowa Agricultural Extension Service has underway a program in farm and home planning for beginning farmers. This program is designed to provide the necessary technical information and guidance in farm organization. The success of an educational program for young farmers, however, depends on the basis on which recommendations are made. Information, based on empirical evidence, is needed to determine the way in which capital limitations affect income opportunities under different farming situations. Such information is helpful in deciding the most profitable way to invest limited funds. The amount of profits and, therefore, the length of time required to get established depend on the choice of enterprises and on how limited resources are allocated among enterprises. Hence, research was undertaken to determine and outline the alternative income opportunities, from different combinations of enterprises, open to young farmers In central Iowa. As a result, certain guideposts for use in decision-making could be established. These guideposts, which consider individual goals, managerial ability and resource supplies, should be useful as bases for directing recommendations to young farmers seeking to get established and, at the same time, maximize incomes

Programming procedures for farm and home planning under variable price, yield and capital quantities

This study was initiated to develop and improve linear programming models which might have greater application to the planning of individual farm businesses. The extension services of most states have inaugurated widespread farm and home planning projects. The increased business development and commercialization of farming causes increasing importance to fall on this type of planning. With the computational facilities available to both county extension personnel and farmers, the magnitude of variables and quantities which can be considered in planning are not great. The development of linear programming planning techniques and the availability of high capacity computers stands to allow planning for individual farmers by this method. It is possible for farm families to keep adequate farm and home records and supply certain other information, allowing several plans to be developed by high speed computers at a reasonable cost. This step can already be accomplished for simple static programs. This study has been conducted, however, to develop and apply procedures which allow analysis of stability of plans and farm and household interdependence in plans. The methods are developed to an extent that they might later be taken over in extension applications with programming services provided at a cost to individual farmers

Factors modulating herbivory patterns in Cymodocea nodosa meadows

In coastal marine food webs, seagrass-grazer interactions play a fundamental role in ecological processes by regulating the structure and functioning of plant communities. Therefore, assessing the strength of these seagrass-grazer links and identifying the mechanisms that regulate these relationships are crucial to increasing our understanding of community and ecosystem structure and dynamics. Herbivory on the temperate seagrass Cymodocea nodosa was evaluated in four locations with contrasting abiotic and biotic factors (i.e., depth; meadow size; seagrass shoot density, productivity, and leaf traits; and herbivore presence) using cross-transplantation experiments carried out once per season to account for seasonal variation. Patterns of feeding rates on C. nodosa meadows showed high temporal variability, with peaks occurring in spring and summer. Results indicate that between 46.59% and 74.08% of the annual leaf production is lost to herbivory at the locations sampled in this study. Herbivory rates increased with higher nitrogen content and shoot density for all types of consumers (mesograzers, fishes, and sea urchins). This work highlights the need to integrate the abiotic and biotic factors modulating herbivory patterns, particularly in a foundation species like C. nodosa, for which changes in plant traits and grazer abundance may trigger trophic cascades with far-reaching consequences for associated species.This study was funded by the Spanish national project CTM2011-24482 (SEA-LIVE), by the Junta de Andalucia Excelence Project PRODESCA (P12-RNM-3020)) and by Ser-Cady project (FEDER-UCA18-107451) cofinanced by the 2014–2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia. We thank Carmen Henares for field assistance