University of Minnesota, Duluth
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HUMAN RESOURCE DEMAND AND DETERMINANTS IN ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY AGRICULTURE: A CASE STUDY OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN TAIWAN
Get PDFThe transformation of agriculture toward sustainable and environmentally friendly practices has created a growing demand for a specialized workforce capable of integrating traditional farming knowledge with modern agricultural technologies. This study investigates the human resource needs and influencing factors within Taiwan's environment-friendly farming sector. Drawing on a comprehensive survey of 391 farmers, the research examines current workforce structures, recruitment challenges, talent retention issues, and future labor requirements across seven functional categories, including production, marketing, and R&D. The findings highlight that talent demand is shaped by a combination of policy support, market trends, and internal farm management factors. Key constraints include low salary levels, a lack of specialized training, and limited attractiveness of agricultural careers to younger generations. To bridge these gaps, the study recommends strategic investments in human capital development, enhanced policy incentives, adoption of smart farming technologies, and improvement of rural infrastructure. These insights offer a foundation for shaping agricultural workforce strategies and ensuring the resilience of eco-friendly agriculture in Taiwan
FAILED PROMISES AND DAMAGED ENVIRONMENT: WOMEN AND CONSEQUENCES OF POST-WW II AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION IN THE GAMBIA
Get PDFThis paper examines the understudied effects of Agricultural knowledge and technology transfer in The Gambia as part of a general quest to understand deforestation. The Gambia's agriculture continued to experience the adverse effects of environmental degradation, which restructured rainfall patterns and caused saltwater and lime intrusion in swampy agricultural lands, the domain of women rice growers in the country's gendered agricultural system. Much of the scholarship on West African environmental history challenges established colonial literature and policies that condemn the indigenous agricultural practices as environmentally profligate but fail to scrutinize the impact of agricultural technology and knowledge transfer on women. The studies on The Gambia generally remained silent on the environmental effects of mechanized agriculture
PLANTBOT: AI AND ROBOTICS FOR AUTOMATED FLORICULTURE
Get PDFFloriculture is undergoing a significant transformation with the integration of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to address rising global demand, labor shortages, and sustainability challenges. This paper presents PlantBot, a fully automated robotic nursery system designed to optimize the cultivation of high-value ornamental and edible plants in controlled environments. The system combines robotic arms, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), machine vision, IoT-based sensors, and cloud-based AI algorithms to automate the entire plant production cycle—from substrate preparation and sowing to harvesting and distribution. PlantBot enables real-time environmental monitoring, plant health diagnostics, and adaptive resource management, significantly increasing productivity, improving product consistency, and reducing labor costs and environmental impact. Through pilot implementation in a semi-industrial greenhouse, the system demonstrated its potential to revolutionize nursery operations and set a scalable model for future sustainable floriculture and edible plant production
National Farm Program Data, 1932-1940: Louisiana Highlights
Get PDFContents: Part One: Farm Income (Cash Farm Income and Cash Income from Principal Farm Products – Prices of Farm Commodities – Farm Purchasing Power – Farm Real Estate Values and Farm Foreclosures, Sales and Bankruptcies – Payments to Farmers Under AAA Programs – Farm Credit and Farm Debt Adjustment – Commodity Loans – Export Payments and Distribution of Surplus Foodstuffs) --- Part Two: Conservation and Wise Use of Agricultural Resources (Agricultural Conservation Programs – Soil Conservation Service Programs – Forest Service Programs) --- Part Three: Greater Security and Better Living on the Land (Farm Security Administration Programs – Rural Electrification Administration Programs) --- Part Four: Strengthening Democracy Through the Farm Programs (Participation in AAA Programs – Results of AAA Referenda – Farmer Committees in the National Farm Programs – [Land Use Planning by Farmers])
Wheat, Its Products and Uses
Get PDFContents: Origin --- Botanical Description --- Structure and Composition --- Vitamin Content --- Production Development --- Commercial Types --- Production Areas and Variety Distribution --- Harvesting Dates and Methods --- Relative Importance of the Wheat Crop --- Grades and Prices Production, Supply, and Distribution (Storage Facilities) --- Uses (Seed – Feed – Food – Industrial Uses [Starch and Gluten – Gluten-Procea Process – Alcohol and Spirits – Malt – Paste – Core-Binder Flour] --- Flour Milling Processes (Modern Process – Other Milling Processes – Geographical Distribution of Milling Capacity and Flour Production) --- Wheat Utilization Research --- Selected References
Current Research Impacts: Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
Get PDF[Contents:] Current BARC Research Impacts: …On Agricultural Commodities …On Animal Production and Health …On Human Health and Nutrition …On the Chesapeake Bay …On Biobased Products …On Global Issues …On Other Government Agencies …With Maryland Companies …With National Companie
Exploring the Connection Between Community Food Security Initiatives and Social-Cognitive Factors on Dietary Intake
No full textFood insecurity and poor dietary consumption continues to impact low-income populations in the U.S. However, communities are developing ways to address it at the local level. Community Food Security Initiatives (CFSI) focus on increasing a sustainable, healthy food supply and food system while simultaneously addressing food insecurity and dietary quality within a community. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) explore CFSIs in low-income areas in a metropolitan Midwest city and (2) examine the effects of the initiatives along with other social-cognitive factors on fruit and vegetable consumption in persons participating in local CFSIs. This was a mixed methods study. First, seven representatives from different CFSIs were interviewed and factors regarding initiative success were identified. Secondly, a group of 128 community members made up of both CFSI participants and non-CFSI participants completed questionnaires assessing fruit and vegetable intake, dietary-related social cognitive behavior, and socio-demographics. Several themes emerged from the interviews with the CFSI representatives including challenges, resources, and benefits in developing and sustaining an initiative. A multiple regression analysis was utilized to explain fruit and vegetable behavior across CFSI participation and dietary-related social-cognitive factors, controlling for education and income. The analysis showed that dietary-related social-cognitive factors, not CFSI participation, were an independent predictor of fruit and vegetable intake. In conclusion, CFSIs may increase food access within a local food system but may have a minimal impact on dietary behavior overall. CFSIs may need to reexamine their operations and identify ways to address not only food access but other social factors such as community empowerment and individual psychosocial factors relating to dietary behavior