Basic Steps in Laying Out a Land Tract to Optimize Forage Production and Intensive Grazing Management

Of the four major components of production ... land, labor, capital, and management ... land (soil) is the one which is the most basic. This ls because soil characteristics are largely fixed and determine, along with the climatic regime, the crop species which will perform best in a given field. For this reason. It Is basic in planning a cropping system to know root-zone physical and chemical characteristics of soils which occur on the tract being planned. With such information, crops can be matched to sell productivity to make land as least limiting as possible. A good soils map is the best source of this information. These are available from published county Soll Survey Reports or from farm soil maps prepared by the USDA-Soll Conservotion Service

Nitrogen Fertilizer Use by a High Yielding No-Till Corn Crop

At the present time there is public concern about the effect which nitrogen (N) fertilizer use by farmers has on groundwater quality. This has resulted in research efforts to describe what happens to nitrogen fertilizer after it is applied to a crop. We have conducted a study for the past 3 years which enables us to make a reasonable estimate of how much fertilizer N is taken up by a high yielding corn crop. And, depending on whether the corn is harvested for silage or grain, we have estimated how much of the fertilizer N is removed from the field. Such an evaluation provides a good picture of the extent to which fertilizer N is utilized by the crop and its potential as a groundwater pollutant

Changes in Rainfall Patterns in Kentucky During the 1980\u27s

Annual rainfall patterns in Kentucky have not been average during the 1980\u27s. During this timespan there have been two droughts of statewide significance, and there has been wide variability within the state during most years. Because of this wide fluctuation, there has been some concern that rainfall patterns either are changing or have changed. In order to evaluate this concern, rainfall data from sites in western, south central, north central, east central, and eastern Kentucky were analyzed. An average amount of rainfall which would be predicted for these sites was calculated, using the average of that which fell annually from approximately 1960-1980. Average of that which fell annually from 1981-1986 was calculated to use for comparison with the long-term average to determine if rainfall during the 1980\u27s has changed from that which would have been predicted. Additionally, rainfall amounts were calculated for the periods December-March and April-November. This was done in order to determine if any changes in annual distribution of rainfall had also taken place during the 1980\u27s. The reason for selecting the period December-March is that rainfall which occurs during this period recharges groundwater and contributes greatly to streamflow throughout the year. Total rainfall averages for the 1970\u27s were also calculated as another comparison for that of the 1980\u27s

How Do Communities Use a Participatory Public Health Approach to Build Resilience? The Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project.

Community resilience is a key concept in the National Health Security Strategy that emphasizes development of multi-sector partnerships and equity through community engagement. Here, we describe the advancement of CR principles through community participatory methods in the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience (LACCDR) initiative. LACCDR, an initiative led by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with academic partners, randomized 16 community coalitions to implement either an Enhanced Standard Preparedness or Community Resilience approach over 24 months. Facilitated by a public health nurse or community educator, coalitions comprised government agencies, community-focused organizations and community members. We used thematic analysis of data from focus groups (n = 5) and interviews (n = 6 coalition members; n = 16 facilitators) to compare coalitions' strategies for operationalizing community resilience levers of change (engagement, partnership, self-sufficiency, education). We find that strategies that included bidirectional learning helped coalitions understand and adopt resilience principles. Strategies that operationalized community resilience levers in mutually reinforcing ways (e.g., disseminating information while strengthening partnerships) also secured commitment to resilience principles. We review additional challenges and successes in achieving cross-sector collaboration and engaging at-risk groups in the resilience versus preparedness coalitions. The LACCDR example can inform strategies for uptake and implementation of community resilience and uptake of the resilience concept and methods

Foliar Fertilization of Soybeans

Research reported by Iowa State University during the winter of 1975-76 suggested that a means of increasing soybean yields by use of a specific foliar fertilizer had been demonstrated (1976). Theory proposed to explain the reported responses was as follows: Up to the seed filling period in soybean growth, soybean roots and activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria contained in root nodules are capable of supplying the necessary nutrients to meet the plants demands. However, as seed filling begins root growth stops and nodule activity declines. This results in nutrients being redistributed from leaves to seeds and a reduction in rate of photosynthesis. Consequently, studies were conducted to evaluate methods of foliar fertilization in an attempt to maintain photosynthetic rate and nutrient supply during seed filling, the objective being to increase yields

Effect of Tillage Tools on Improving Corn Yields from a Compacted Soil

An experiment was conducted on a 2-5% sloping Mercer silt loam soil on a farm in Bourbon/Harrison Counties where very poor corn was grown in 1984 because of soil compaction and drought. Soil test levels of the experimental area were: pH 4.8. and 99, 316, 2070. and 120 lbs/A of P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively. Examination of the field showed that the compacted zone occurred uniformly in the 0-5 inch surface layer of soil. Cause of this compacted layer was thought to be due to excessive disk tillage in prior years when preparing the field for tobacco production and to winter grazing of a wheat cover crop. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the influence of fall or spring plowing with a paraplow. chisel plow, or moldboard plow on plowsole bulk density and corn production

Foliar Fertilization of Soybeans - 1977

Field investigations on the effect of foliar fertilization were continued on soybeans during 1977. Results from our 1976 studies have previously been published. In 1976 we tested a material produced by TVA. We used the same TVA-material in 1977 and in addition, included a commercially available product (Foliantm, manufactured by Allied Chemical Corporation)

Electronic Population-Based Depression Detection and Management Through Universal Screening in the Veterans Health Administration

ImportanceIn 2016, the US Preventive Services Task Force newly recommended universal screening for depression, with the expectation that screening would be associated with appropriate treatment. Few studies have been able to assess the population-based trajectory from screening to receipt of follow-up and treatment for individuals with depression.ObjectiveTo examine adherence to guidelines for follow-up and treatment among primary care patients who newly screened positive for depression in the Veterans Health Administration (VA).Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study used VA electronic data to identify patients who newly screened positive for depression on the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire at 82 primary care VA clinics in California, Arizona, and New Mexico between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2019. Data analysis was performed from December 2020 to August 2021.Main outcomes and measuresReceipt of guideline-concordant care for screen-positive patients who were determined by clinicians as having depression was assessed. Timely follow-up (within 84 days of screening) was defined as receiving 3 or more mental health specialty visits, 3 or more psychotherapy visits, or 3 or more primary care visits with a depression diagnosis according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision. Completing at least minimal treatment (within 12 months) was defined as having 60 days or more of antidepressant prescriptions filled, 4 or more mental health specialty visits, or 3 or more psychotherapy visits.ResultsThe final cohort included 607 730 veterans (mean [SD] age, 59.4 [18.2] years; 546 516 men [89.9%]; 339 811 non-Hispanic White [55.9%]); 8%, or 82 998 of 997 185 person-years, newly screened positive for depression. Clinicians identified fewer than half with depression (15 155 patients), of whom 32% (5034 of 15 650 person-years) met treatment guidelines for timely follow-up and 77% (12 026 of 15 650 person-years) completed at least minimal treatment. Younger age (odds ratio, 0.990; 95% CI, 0.986-0.993; P < .001), Black race (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, CI 1.05-1.34; P = .01), and having comorbid psychiatric diagnoses were significantly associated with timely follow-up. Individual quality metric components (eg, medication or psychotherapy) were associated differently with overall quality results among patient groups, except for age.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study, most patients met the guidelines for completing at least minimal treatment, but only a minority received timely follow-up after screening positive and being identified as having depression. More research is needed to understand whether the discrepancy between patients who screened positive and patients identified as having depression reflects a gap in recognition of needed care

Case Study of Resilient Baton Rouge: Applying Depression Collaborative Care and Community Planning to Disaster Recovery.

BackgroundAddressing behavioral health impacts of major disasters is a priority of increasing national attention, but there are limited examples of implementation strategies to guide new disaster responses. We provide a case study of an effort being applied in response to the 2016 Great Flood in Baton Rouge.MethodsResilient Baton Rouge was designed to support recovery after major flooding by building local capacity to implement an expanded model of depression collaborative care for adults, coupled with identifying and responding to local priorities and assets for recovery. For a descriptive, initial evaluation, we coupled analysis of documents and process notes with descriptive surveys of participants in initial training and orientation, including preliminary comparisons among licensed and non-licensed participants to identify training priorities.ResultsWe expanded local behavioral health service delivery capacity through subgrants to four agencies, provision of training tailored to licensed and non-licensed providers and development of advisory councils and partnerships with grassroots and government agencies. We also undertook initial efforts to enhance national collaboration around post-disaster resilience.ConclusionOur partnered processes and lessons learned may be applicable to other communities that aim to promote resilience, as well as planning for and responding to post-disaster behavioral health needs

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Resilience to Climate Change in Underserved Communities

Coastal communities in South Louisiana and worldwide are increasingly impacted by climate-related events such as hurricanes, floods, and rising sea levels. In addition, they have recently faced the burden of a global pandemic that may also be a consequence of climate change. In many under-resourced communities, nongovernmental community-based organizations (CBOs) represent the backbone of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the pandemic's impact on the efforts of these organizations to support and sustain individual and community resilience to this event and to the disruptive impacts of climate change-related weather events. Procedures embedded in the Rapid Assessment Procedure - Informed Community Ethnography methodology were used to analyze data collected from semi-structured interviews with 26 representatives of 24 different community-based programs in South Louisiana. The pandemic created numerous challenges to under-resourced community resilience by revealing the fragmented nature of community solidarity in adhering to public health guidelines; the lack of available social, political, and economic resources; and the influence of systemic racism and social determinants of health. To address these challenges, communities relied on social connections and support; prior experiences with climate-related disasters and adversity; and the resilience building, supporting, and sustaining efforts of CBOs. These organizations have responded to these challenges through provision of new services, expansion of existing services, providing access to training webinars, partnerships with other CBOs, and initiatives to address broader social issues, while balancing the disparity between increased demand and reduced supply of services and increased reliance on technology that is not uniformly accessible to all communities and residents. In responding to the pandemic, CBOs have played a major role in addressing the threats to individual and community resilience needed to prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other consequences of global environmental change in underserved communities