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Pediatric Cannabis Poisonings, United States Hospital Emergency Departments, 2018-2023
Get PDFThis study estimated the annual number of pediatric cannabis poisonings and examined characteristics of patients and cannabis products involved. We reviewed case narratives and analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) among children 0-11 years. Our analysis identified 370 cases of pediatric cannabis poisoning, with most (90.5%) occurring in children 4 years or younger. 78% of identified products were cannabis edibles, primarily gummies. 45% were examined/treated without admission, 45% admitted/hospitalized, 5% held for observation, and 5% treated/transferred. By applying sampling weights, we estimated 8,429 pediatric cannabis poisonings presenting to U.S. hospital emergency departments from 2018 to 2023, with significant increases (by 461%) over this period. Findings suggest a sharp rise in pediatric cannabis poisonings, likely linked to the expanded cannabis market and proliferation of cannabis products resembling popular children\u27s snacks. Stricter laws/regulations and other preventive measures are needed to protect vulnerable populations from accidental cannabis ingestion
Dynamics of Gratifications Sought from Students During the Online Search for Graduate Programs
Get PDFRecruitment of graduate students into colleges of agriculture (COAs) requires a nuanced understanding of student needs and motivations to strategically communicate scientific information with prospective students. COAs should therefore understand the online, asynchronous tools prospective graduate students use and the needs they expect those tools to fulfill. Using principles of uses and gratifications theory, this study’s purpose was to determine if gratifications sought from departmental websites, faculty lab websites, or social media during the graduate program search process varied based on students’ individual-level cultural dimensions of collectivism/individualism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. Quantitative analysis of a survey distributed to graduate students at nine COAs across the U.S. revealed graduate students preferred websites and social media that provided realism and the sense of being at the university. There were significant relationships between respondents’ gratifications sought on departmental websites and faculty lab websites and collectivism, as well as uncertainty avoidance. There was a significant relationship between power distance and respondents’ desire for novelty on departmental and faculty lab websites. Collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance significantly predicted gratifications sought for realism, coolness, novelty, and being there on departmental and faculty lab websites. However, models with individual-level cultural dimensions explained only a small percent of variance for each gratification sought. While COAs should consider online search needs of prospective graduate students, individual-level cultural dimensions do not explain much of students’ preference for specific website characteristics. Future research should examine if the same is true across degree levels or disciplines outside of agriculture
Kansas Field Research 2025
Get PDFSummary of research conducted in 2024-2025 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2025 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
Debated, Deluged or Disappeared: The Flow of Public Discussion Surrounding Drought in FEMA Region 7
Get PDFSignificant drought conditions existed in 2022 in the four-state FEMA Region 7, which includes Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. Geographically, the four states range from 56,000 square miles (Iowa) and 69,000 square miles (Missouri|) to 77,000 (Nebraska) and 82,000 square miles (Kansas). The terrain includes urban areas, including Kansas City, Des Moines and Omaha, along with large swaths of rural and agricultural areas. Those differences suggest that the needs of different segments of the population may be vastly different. Using the two-step flow of communication theory, this study examines how public officials, opinion leaders and the public discussed drought on social media. We collected and coded social media mentions of drought originating within those states then analyzed how drought effects were discussed and any potential resolution. Results indicated that drought effects were discussed by the public, while current conditions were the focus of posts by officials and opinion leaders. More frequent posts were likely when conditions worsened. Authors recommend targeted discussions by officials in response to public needs
Are We Global Yet? Progress on Expanding the Agricultural Communications Academic Discipline Internationally
Get PDFThis commentary explores the agricultural communications discipline\u27s evolution domestically in the U.S., leading to a discussion of the need for the academic discipline to expand internationally to countries where the profession is well established. To encourage early- and mid-career faculty to get involved in helping expand the discipline, descriptions of ongoing international programs are provided, featuring interviews with the faculty members who are leading them. Featured are programs led by faculty in agricultural communications programs at numerous institutions: Illinois (numerous countries); Florida (Canada); Texas Tech (Australia); Virginia Tech (Ghana); and Arkansas (United Kingdom). The commentary ends with a call to action, asking faculty to find solidarity in the effort to expand the discipline internationally
Harvesting Trust: Exploring Credible Information Sources about Soil Health Practices for U.S. Wheat Farmers
Get PDFDespite farmers’ knowledge and awareness of soil health practices and the growing body of evidence indicating their effective use, many farmers continue to reject such practices. To further explore the role of information source credibility in the adoption of soil health practices, we sought to measure wheat farmers’ perceived source credibility of research scientists, Extension scientists, industry scientists, and general scientists and the likelihood they would adopt information about reduced and no-till practices and cover crop practices from these sources. Using an experimental survey instrument, we collected data from 127 U.S. wheat farmers. We found most wheat farmers considered themselves, Extension professionals, researchers, and other producers as scientists when seeking information about soil health practices. Participants perceived other producers, Extension professionals, and themselves as having the most trust with Extension professionals, other producers, and themselves as having the most goodwill. The means and standard deviations of perceived source credibility suggest that participants perceived each information source—general scientists, research scientists, Extension scientists, and industry scientists—as similarly credible information sources about soil health practices with a statistically significant relationship between farmers’ perceived course credibility of the four scientists and likelihood of adopting information about soil health practices from them. Our results did not indicate differences between participants’ perceived credibility of the four types of scientists or their likelihood to adopt information about soil health practices from the scientists. Effective communication has potential to impact wheat production positively, but achieving communication effectiveness could take years without intentionality from credible information sources
Big Data: Usage and Application of Big Data in the Human Dimensions of Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR)
Get PDFWhen new science and innovations become available, Extension acts as a liaison for making technology understandable and accessible so their stakeholders can reap the benefits. With rapidly expanding technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), it is crucial for social scientists in Extension and agriculture and natural resources (ANR) to understand their role in the dissemination, adoption, and creation of new technologies. While many of the technologies may be AI driven, they require big data to train machines and create algorithms that leverage this information to produce informed decisions and generate predictions for application. While it may be clear how social scientists can assist in evaluation and the creation of innovation-adoption plans, expansion of ANR social scientist data literacy is needed to advance their role in other components of AI development and big data usage. Additionally, exploration of opportunities for big data usage to support ANR social scientist research, extension, and educational practices is needed to continue progressing this work. In this philosophical paper, we aim to provide insight into how social scientists in ANR can use big data to advance, guide, and support their research, extension, and education practices. We will include an overview of big data, types of data, the big data ecosystem, and opportunities and challenges related to using big data. Further, we address the ethical considerations and social implications of big data usage while emphasizing responsible data stewardship and the need for increased data literacy
Effects of Late-Summer Prescribed Fire on Botanical Composition, Soil Cover, and Forage Production in Caucasian Bluestem-Infested Rangeland in the Kansas Smoky Hills: Final Report
Get PDFObjective: Our objective was to examine the effects of late-summer prescribed fire on the frequency and basal cover of Caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii), soil cover, botanical composition, and forage production in the Kansas Smoky Hills.
Study Description: Eighteen one-acre plots located in a Caucasian bluestem-infested pasture in Ellsworth County, Kansas, were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: no burn (control), one burn (August 14, 2019), and two burns (August 14, 2019, and August 11, 2021). Pre-treatment data were collected in 2019 (year one); measurements of soil cover, botanical composition, forage production, and Caucasian bluestem frequency and basal cover were taken each year thereafter.
The Bottom Line: These data suggest that regular application of late-summer prescribed fire may reduce Caucasian bluestem basal cover while having no negative consequences on native species and improving overall grass-species richness
Effects of Bacillus subtilis PB6 (CLOSTAT 500) Incorporation Into a Commercial Mineral Supplement on Growth Performance and Health of Beef Stocker Calves Grazing in the Kansas Flint Hills
Get PDFObjective: The objective of this experiment was to determine if incorporating Bacillus subtilis PB6 (CLOSTAT; Kemin Industries, Inc.) into a commercial mineral supplement would improve the growth performance and health of beef stocker calves grazing in the Kansas Flint Hills.
Study Description: During the summer of 2024, 495 crossbred beef steers were randomly assigned to one of 18 pastures. Pastures were randomly assigned to receive one of two mineral supplements: a commercial mineral supplement (Control) or a commercial mineral supplement that contained 0.5 g/head/d CLOSTAT 500 (CLOSTAT; Kemin Industries, Inc., Des Moines, IA). Steers were grazed for 90 days from May to August, and mineral supplements were delivered twice weekly to provide 4 oz/head/day. Individual body weights were measured at the beginning and end of the grazing period.
The Bottom Line: Feeding a commercial mineral supplement that contained Bacillus subtilis PB6 (CLOSTAT 500) did not improve growth performance, pinkeye prevalence, or health of crossbred beef steers grazing in the Kansas Flint Hills
Crop Production and Soil Properties Impacts of Integrating Annual Forages and Ruminant Livestock into Wheat-Based Cropping Systems
No full textIntegrating annual forages and ruminant livestock to intensify dryland cropping systems can increase profitability, increase water use efficiency, and improve soil health. The objective of this study was to determine the crop yield and soil property impacts of intensifying traditional no-till winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench)-fallow (WW-GS-F) with annual forages as well as integrating livestock to graze forages and crop residues. This study was initiated in 2021 at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center-Hays in Hays, KS. Treatments were WW-GS-F (control), WW-GS-F with grain sorghum residues grazed, winter wheat/forage sorghum-forage sorghum-fallow (WW/FS-FS-F) with forage sorghum grazed, and WW/FS-FS-F with forage sorghum hayed. The treatments were replicated four times with all phases of the rotation present each year. Grain yields were determined in 2023 and 2024, while forage yields were determined every year with sampling to characterize soil properties in the fall of 2023 and 2024. Results showed that full-season forage sorghum harvested for hay produced 5255 lb/a on average, while post-wheat forage sorghum harvested for hay produced 2042 lb/a. Before grazing, full-season forage sorghum produced 8617 lb/a with about 51% of biomass remaining as residue after livestock were removed. On average, post-wheat forage sorghum produced 3399 lb/a before grazing. Because of smaller yields, post-wheat forage sorghum plots were grazed in only 2 years when 46% of biomass remained as residue on the plots after livestock were removed. In 2023 and 2024, WW yields averaged 16 bu/a due to dry weather, with no difference among treatments. Averaged across 2023 and 2024, the WW/FS-FS-F (grazed) treatment had greater crop residue cover (78%) at winter wheat planting than all other treatments (63%). No differences in bulk density in the 0- to 2-inch and 2- to 6-inch soil depths were observed across treatments. While penetration resistance did not show any differences in the top 0- to 2-inch depth, there was a significant decrease in penetration resistance in the 2- to 6-inch depth with WW/ FS-FS-F treatments. Despite no differences in bulk soil organic carbon (SOC) in the 0- to 2-inch and 2- to 6-inch soil depths, dry and wet aggregate associated SOC was significantly greater with WW-GS-F (grazed) and WW/FS-FS-F (grazed) treatments than WW-GS-F and WW/FS-FS-F (hayed). No differences in mean weight diameter (MWD) of water stable aggregates or the wind-erodible fraction were observed across treatments. These preliminary results suggest that intensifying the WW-GS-F rotation 2 with annual forages and integrating livestock increased available forage, soil residue cover, and aggregate associated organic carbon with no effect on winter wheat yields