USDA News
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ASA, CSSA and SSSA applaud PCAST for agricultural research enterprise report
Today (Dec. 7) the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a new report on Agricultural Preparedness and the Agriculture Research Enterprise. The report represents an important analysis of the public and private agricultural research structure and current levels of investment. “We are pleased that PCAST focused on the unique challenges and goals of ...
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USDA Conservation Reserve Program Initiative Praised by Conservation Group
One million acre initiative will help restore grasslands, wetlands, wildlife habitat WASHINGTON, March 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) praised Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's announcement today to offer producers the option to preserve grasslands, wetlands and wildlife habitat by enrolling a total of 1 million acres of land in a new Conservation ...
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Identifying federal research dollars for Ag
“Food, Nutrition, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences in the FY 2011 Budget,” is the title of a book chapter written by key staff at American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. Authors Karl Glasener, Director of Science Policy, and Caron Gala Bijl, Science Policy Programs Coordinator, highlight programs and trends across ...
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Plant and soil scientists assemble
More than 3,500 scientists, professionals, and students presented their latest research and discussed emerging trends in agriculture, energy, climate change, environmental science, and related issues at the 2009 Annual Meetings of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), Nov. 1-5 in Pittsburgh, PA. The meeting’s ...
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Research and development round table
Public and private research and development collaborations in agriculture, food, nutrition and natural resources are an important tool for meeting the challenge of feeding future generations. Key elements of successful collaborations between federal agencies and partner organizations are the focus of the Agriculture, Food, Nutrition and Natural Resources R&D Round Table, to take place ...
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Grasslands: The future of sustainable agriculture
Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture was written to increase our awareness of the vital role grass and grassland plants have in ensuring a sustainable future for American agriculture. Published by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, the book's content is geared toward agriculturists, students, the ...
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Food security may be increased by new agricultural production modeling
Farmers are used to optimizing crop production on their own lands. They do soil tests to choose the right amount of fertilizers to apply, and they sometimes plant row crops on some fields while keeping others in pasture. But is it possible to optimize production across a much bigger area—say, the whole East Coast of the United States? That’s the question a team of USDA-ARS scientists ...
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Benefits of collaborative research highlighted in ASA, CSSA, SSSA webinar
In these fiscally constrained times, federally-funded researchers face more pressure than ever before to show the greater societal benefits of their research. To that end, many researchers are now working in multidisciplinary teams that combine agricultural, environmental, economic, and social science research in order to better understand the economic and social benefits associated with basic ...
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Introducing system models into Ag Research
In order to develop sustainable agricultural systems that address environmental challenges, more quantitative guidance and site-specific decision tools must become available to producers. Field research requires a quantitative approach to ensure complex interacting factors are taken into account. Process level models of cropping systems are based on synthesis and quantification of important ...
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Compost filter socks improve runoff from Croplands
Water runoff from cropped farm fields can contain large amounts of eroded soil as well as some of the fertilizer and herbicide. Expanding on existing conservation practices, a team of scientists has tested whether compost filters socks in grassed waterways would reduce sediment flow and retain dissolved chemicals in runoff. The researchers observed reduced sediment in a non-tilled field and ...
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Rediscovering sound soil management
At the same time that demand for food is soaring along with the world’s population, the soil’s ability to sustain and enhance agricultural productivity is becoming increasingly diminished and unreliable. Fortunately, it’s not too late to restore our soil resources. What it will take, say the editors and contributors to a new book, Soil Management: Building a Stable Base for ...
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$139 Million Obligated for California Conservation in Fiscal Year 2010 - Funding amount equals a record setting year for NRCS California
DAVIS, Calif. - The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) California State Office is pleased to announce that approximately $139 million in federal funding was invested this fiscal year for conservation activities throughout the State of California. The funding was distributed through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), ...
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Crop performance matters when evaluating GHGs
Measuring the emission of greenhouse gases from croplands should take into account the crops themselves. That’s the conclusion of a study in the September-October issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality, which examined the impact of farm practices such as tillage on the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O). Expressing emissions per unit of crop yield rather than on a more conventional ...
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The future of cover crops
Winter cover crops are an important component of nutrient cycling, soil cover and organic matter content. Although its benefits are well documented, cover crop use in farming systems is relatively low. Research has shown that time and money are the two primary reasons why farmers are hesitant to adopt the technique. Developing innovative and cost-effective crop cover systems could increase the ...
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Ag scientists and community members speak out in support of science research
More than 1350 scientists and members of the agricultural community signed a petition asking lawmakers to avoid sequestration Late yesterday (Nov. 14), the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the American Society of Plant Biologists, and the National Association of Plant Breeders urged lawmakers to act to avoid the ...
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Grazing management effects on stream pollutants
Surface water quality is important for the proper function of aquatic ecosystems, as well as human needs and recreation. Pasturelands have been found to be major sources of sediment, phosphorus and pathogens in Midwest surface water resources. While poor grazing management may lead to contaminated surface water, little is known about the specific amount of pollution in pasture streams that can be ...
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American society of agronomy
Recycling manure is an important practice, especially for large livestock producers. Manure can be used as fertilizer to aid in crop production, aiding livestock producers that grow their own feed crops. While manure does provide a rich nutrient source for crops, it also can contribute to nutrient leaching and runoff. This can contaminate the surrounding ecosystem and lead to eutrophication of ...
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Salmon provide nutrients to Alaskan streambanks
Adult Pacific salmon spend a great portion of their life in the ocean. But their life began along the banks of freshwater streams. Their life will end there, as well. These important steps in the lifecycle of salmon play a role in the health of streambank ecosystems. David D’Amore and a team of scientists studied how different soils respond to the delivery of “salmon-derived ...
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Agricultural Bacteria: Blowing in the Wind
It was all too evident during the Dust Bowl what a disastrous impact wind can have on dry, unprotected topsoil. Now a new study has uncovered a less obvious, but still troubling, effect of wind: Not only can it carry away soil particles, but also the beneficial microbes that help build soil, detoxify contaminants, and recycle nutrients. Using a powerful DNA sequencing technique, called ...
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How Grazinglands influence greenhouse gas
Grazinglands represent one of the largest land resources in the world, yet their role as net sinks or sources of greenhouse gases is essentially unknown. Previous research has emphasized the role of grazing management on the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide as soil organic carbon. However, there is a lack of information regarding how grazing management impacts the flux of two potent ...
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