Farm safety issues in Old Order Anabaptist communities: unique aspects and innovative intervention strategies

The Amish and other Old Order Anabaptists have been inseparably linked with agriculture since coming to America. However few efforts have been identified which analyze the issues involved with Old Order Anabaptist farm injuries or present best practices for addressing these problems. As part of an effort to develop culturally appropriate and effective injury prevention strategies for use within the Old Order Anabaptist community, this article identifies important cultural issues that should be considered in understanding and attempting to reduce farm injures in this population, summarizes statistics concerning farm-related fatalities among Old Order Anabaptists, and discusses methods which have been effectively used to address farm injuries within these communities. In the statistical analysis, 92 cases were identified that were classified as being work-related or occurring in a farm work-related setting during the period 1980 to 2000. Approximately 64% of the identified cases were children 15 years and under; and approximately 77% were male. Run-over incidents were the most frequent primary cause of the fatal injuries, while animal-related behavior was the most frequent secondary cause, reflecting agricultural practices that remain highly dependent upon the use of horses and mules. The authors believe evidence suggests that certain Old Order Anabaptist choices concerning farm safety issues may be directly related to their socio-religious beliefs, and that effective intervention strategies must also be sensitive to socio-religious beliefs.     

Instructional practices at Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) safety day camps

The instructional methods used with 1,347 youth in seven Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) day camp sessions conducted in five states during the summer and fall of 2002 were videotaped. The videotapes, instructor questionnaires, and day camp materials were analyzed using an observation protocol that focused on instructional practices and an interaction analysis of instructor-student talk during the sessions. Results showed that instruction focused on hazard recognition, a high level of participant attention during all the sessions observed, and safety day camp content relevant to rural participants regardless of whether they live or work on a farm. Recommendations for improving instructional practice include better use of print materials, more interactive, participatory activities for students, and reduction of instructor-centered, didactic approaches. Given the high level of students' attention, increased involvement of students in active, participatory approaches might enhance the effectiveness of the instruction by: (1) further engaging students through personalizing hazard recognition, (2) contextualizing reports of injuries, (3) examining the complexities of choosing safe behaviors, and (4) paying more attention to the consequences of injury events. Role-playing, narrative simulations, and other types of interactive and collaborative exercises are instructional approaches that support the inclusion of the pre-event contingencies and post-event consequences that are part of all injury events.     

Injuries in the Iowa Certified Safe Farm Study

The aims of this article are to assess injury characteristics and risk factors in the Iowa Certified Safe Farm (CSF) program and to evaluate the effectiveness of CSF for reducing injuries. This intervention program includes a health screening, on-farm safety review, education, and monetary incentives. Cohorts of farmers in an intervention group (n = 152) and control group (n = 164) in northwestern Iowa were followed for a three-year period. During the follow-up, there were 318 injuries (42/100 person-years), of which 112 (15/100 person-years) required professional medical care. The monetary cost of injuries was $51,764 ($68 per farm per year). There were no differences in the self-reported injury rates and costs between the intervention and control groups. Raising livestock, poor general health, and exposures to dust and gas, noise, chemicals and pesticides, and lifting were among risk factors for injury. Most injuries in this study were related to animals, falls from elevation, slips/trips/falls, being struck by or struck against objects, lifting, and overexertion. Machinery was less prominent than generally reported in the literature. Hurry, fatigue, or stress were mentioned as the primary contributing factor in most injuries. These findings illustrate the need for new interventions to address a multitude of hazards in the farm work environment as well as management and organization of farm work.     

Ohio farm safety day camps: developing a successful statewide program through surveillance and evaluation

To address the at-risk population of rural youth, Ohio State University Extension initiated a statewide farm safety day camp program, partnering with other state sponsors. The program has completed a ten-year anniversary, and evaluation data from the 79 camp sessions held within that timeframe (N = 15,440; response rate = 79.4%) were analyzed. The objectives of the evaluation were to determine youth perceptions of their experience as well as determine if the camp sessions accurately targeted high injury-causing agents. Overall, 75.0% of the campers were satisfied with the program, 76.0% reported that they learned from their participation, and 71.2% agreed that the information was relevant and useful. Popular topics taught at the day camps were consistent with the most prevalent on-farm injury hazards affecting youth populations, including livestock safety, ATV safety, lawn and garden safety, tractor and machinery safety, electrical safety, and water safety.     

智慧农场信息化应用研究

为了提高现代农场的生产、管理水平,应用信息技术实现科学决策和管理是智慧农场建设的必有之路。本文基于现有信息技术的视角,构建了智慧农场的总体框架,并对其硬件组成结构和软件应用平台进行阐述,分析了信息技术在智慧农场中应用的前景。     

Development and evaluation of the Kids Count Farm Safety Lesson

The Kids Count Farm Safety Lesson was delivered to nearly 2,000 fifth-grade students in 15 rural schools in Hillsborough County, Florida. The lesson covered animal, machinery, water, and general safety topics applicable to farming in Florida. A staggered pretest-posttest study design was followed whereby five schools received a multiple-choice pretest and posttest and the remainder of the schools (N = 10) received the posttest only. Results of the study showed a significant increase in the mean number of correct answers on the posttests compared to the pretests. There was no significant difference in the mean number of correct answers of those students who received the pretest and those students who had not, eliminating a "pretest" effect. This study fills an important gap in the literature by evaluating a farm safety curriculum offered in the elementary school setting. It also included migrant schoolchildren in the study population. It is strongly recommended that agricultural safety information be included into the health education curriculum of these elementary schools.     

Arranging the Farm Kitchen for Efficiency in the Early 20th Century

In 1915 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) asked some farmwomen what kind of information they required. At the time, legislation to establish the Extension Service was under consideration, so one focus was what assistance Extension personnel could give farmwives. Among the replies were requests for information on improved kitchens, a hot topic at the time since scientific management, with its emphasis on efficiency and sanitation, was expanding into the concept of home design. The USDA responded with some publications, but not as many directly concerned with redesign as might be expected. The women Extension agents, however, were busy teaching kitchen planning and set the pattern for future farm kitchen designs in the latter half of the century. The USDA and land-grant university publications helped farmwomen update their kitchens to the new standards that made kitchens more convenient and comfortable.     

Review of The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm

Collaborative ventures between industry and professional association represent a strategy to maximize resources for a mutual goal. As a cooperative venture, The American Dietetic Association co-sponsored with Kraft General Foods, Inc. and The Good Housekeeping Institute a survey on American's diet and nutrition habits. The survey findings focused on consumer's behaviors, attitudes, knowledge and obstacles toward diet and nutrition. The results from the survey are being used to create and expand nutrition education campaings to the public.     

Farm noise emissions during common agricultural activities

Noise injury in agriculture is a significant yet often unrecognized problem. Many farmers, farm workers, and family members are exposed to noise levels above recommended levels and have greater hearing loss than their non-farming contemporaries. The aim of this study was to gather up-to-date information on farm noise levels and to enhance the quality of information available to assist farmers in reducing noise exposure and meeting Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations regarding noise management. Farm visits were conducted on 48 agricultural establishments that produce a range of commodities. Noise levels were measured at the ears of operators and bystanders involved in typical activities on farms. The average and peak noise levels were measured for 56 types of machinery or sites of farming activity, totaling 298 separate items and activities. Common noise hazards identified included firearms, tractors without cabs, workshop tools, small motors (e.g., chainsaws, augers, pumps), manual handling of pigs, shearing sheds, older cabbed tractors, and heavy machinery such as harvesters, bulldozers, and cotton module presses. We found that use of firearms without hearing protection presents a pressing hearing health priority. However, farming activities involving machinery used for prolonged periods also present significant risks to farmers' hearing health. Noise management strategies on the farm are essential in order to prevent noise injury among farmers.     

The factors limiting crop production on the Mubangwe Farm, Malawi

Abstract. Mubangwe Farm, northern Malawi, was brought into cultivation from savanna vegetation with Brachystegia between 1970 and 1983 to produce tobacco, maize and groundnuts. Because of poor yields even with inputs of lime, N, P and K the fields were soon abandoned. The soils were only moderately acidic with little likelihood of Al toxicity. They held only small amounts of exchangeable Ca²⁺ (down to 0.01 cmol_c/kg) particularly at depth. Phosphorus availability was low particularly in the subsoil. A minus-one pot experiment showed that the growth of sorghum in topsoil samples was limited by lack of N, P, S and Ca. The lower availabilities of P and Ca in the subsoil are therefore likely to be major limitations to growth, allowing only limited root penetration. The loamy sand to sandy clay soils generally had small available water capacities (down to 0.07 cm³/cm³) which, with restricted root development, may have lead to drought in dry periods during the growing season. The findings emphasize the need to measure both subsoil and topsoil properties when new areas of land are being developed for crop production.     

规模养殖场的环境监测与智能控制综述

综述了温度、湿度和氨气检测的人工方法,基于单片机的有线方法、遥测的无线方法和物联网的四类方法。分析了改变环境温度、湿度和氨气因素的控制方法及其主要问题,指出了规模养殖场的环境监测和智能控制的最新研究方向。     

苌池林场提高造林保存率的措施

对三种不同立地类型未成林造林地调查发现,对造林实际穴数少于设计穴数造成的林中空地或保存率低于40%（或者保存株数在2 250株/hm2以下）的林地,采用扩穴抚育或复整地抚育措施后再进行造林,可提高造林保存株数,平均保存率可达70%,且成本较低.     

Aerosols Emitted from a Livestock Farm in Southern Germany

We studied the atmospheric aerosol of a farm directly on farm, downwind, and in the background with the aim to characterize the aerosol source of livestock farming physically and chemically. The farm hosted chicken, cattle and pig.The farm was found to be a source of primary and secondary particles. Super-μm particles of various types were emitted from the stables and adjacent facilities related to farming activities. On farm elevated concentrations of ammonia, particulate ammonium and nitrate were observed. The significant emission of condensation nuclei and large, 2 μm-sized particles (droplets) was observed under humid conditions in plumes which most likely originated from open manure pits at least in one case. It is suggested that this aerosol mode consisted of ammonium haze droplets formed by saturation of advected air with ammonia within a few minutes. In one night, a mass uptake of Δm > 5.4 μg m^-3 in the super-μm mode was observed along with a loss of Δm = —1.0 μg m^-3 in the sub-μm mode based on differential sampling upwind and downwind of the farm. The particulate matter mass median diameter was correspondingly shifted from 1.32 to 3.39 μm. About one third of the mass increase was due to organic carbon. Furthermore, differential sampling showed particulate calcium and nitrate/nitric acid to be emitted from the farm, too. The study encourages to systematically characterize the aerosol emitted from livestock raising in future studies of similar kind.     

新型高效反应器组合系统处理奶牛养殖场废水试验研究

选择一种新型高效反应器系统对奶牛养殖场废水进行处理试验研究,这种反应器系统主要包括两级组合生物巢厌氧反应器和砂式沼液处理池。试验结果表明,该系统处理奶牛养殖废水速度快,两级组合生物巢厌氧反应器水力停留时间（HRT）仅为15h,处理效率高,砂式沼液处理池结构简单,对生物巢厌氧反应器出水处理效果好。该新型高效反应器组合系统对化学需氧量（COD）、生化需氧量（BOD）、氨氮（NH3-N）和总固体悬浮物（TSS）的平均去除率分别为97.6%、98.2%、81.3%和98.1%,出水体积质量平均值分别为89.0、27.1、15.7mg·L^-1和64.9mg·L^-1,满足国家二级排放标准。     

适于猪场污水中快速生长富油微藻的筛选

微藻的大规模培养以及生产生物燃料在很大程度上依赖于所使用的微藻藻株性能.为了从自然水域中筛选、分离能够异养生长并同步处理养猪废水和实现油脂积累的高油脂产率微藻,本研究采用平板划线、单胞分离和毛细管分离3种方法,对51个采样点的样品进行分离、纯化,获得了118株藻,71株能够进行异养生长,其中33株能够在猪场污水中生长,且17株藻生长良好.根据形态特征对分离得到的部分藻株初步鉴定为小球藻(Chlorella sp.)和栅藻(Scenedesmus sp.).比较这17株藻在猪场污水中的生长速率和油脂含量,藻株13-6、19-4、20-6和34-2的比生长速率分别为0.147、0.162、0.177和0.154 d-1,较其他藻株生长更快;19-4、24-1和34-2的油脂含量分别为19.7％、22.9％和28.8％,高于其他藻株.从中选取生长快且油脂含量高的藻株19-4和34-2经18S rDNA鉴定为Chlorella sorokinlana和Chlorella sp.,分别命名为C.sorokinlana 19-4 (GenBank登录号:KU948990)和Chlorella sp.34-2 (GenBank登录号:KU948991).将微藻培养体系扩大至30 L反应器,利用稀释猪场污水培养C.sorokinlana 19-4和Chlorella sp.34-2,最大比生长速率分别达到0.153和0.149 d-1;油脂含量分别达到18.73％和29.27％;最大生物量浓度分别达到0.78和1.12 g/L.C.sorokinlana 19-4对废水培养基中总氮、总磷的最高去除率分别高达70.56％和90.98％,34-2则分别为60.24％和85.07％.脂肪酸组分分析表明,Chlorella sp.34-2主要含有Cl6∶0、C18∶2n6c及C18∶3n3,其脂肪酸组分含量符合生物柴油生产的原料要求标准.结果说明这两株微藻在净化废水和生产生物柴油中具有潜在的应用前景.利用猪场污水养殖微藻,既可以节约大量营养盐成本,促进微藻生物柴油产业的推进,又可以净化污水,促进水资源再利用,实现能源与环境的双赢.     

Sampling Design for Two Combined Samples of the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN)

Farm accountancy data network normally serves two objectives: estimating the national agricultural income and providing detailed data at production branch level. This study proposes a new sampling design with two independent samples A and B each addressing one of these objectives. The design is based on stratified sampling along with a combination of optimal and power allocation. Violations of precision targets will be avoided by the collapsing of strata. We assess the accuracy of key structural and economic variables by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. Multiple linear regression has been shown to be a powerful tool for imputing financial data to individual census farms. The results illustrate that the proposed design meets prescribed precision and feasibility restrictions at both the single-strata and national levels. It is further demonstrated that unifying samples A and B helps to significantly reduce the survey costs.     

厦门坂头林场生态风景林造林效果分析

厦门市坂头国有林场2007年在采伐迹地上营造香樟、小叶榕、木荷建设生态风景林,经过7年的生长观察,结果表明:香樟和小叶榕年平均生长量分别为:树高0.69m、0.59m,胸径0.86cm、0.75cm,蓄积总生长量49.03 m3/hm2、36.05 m3/hm2,年均生长量7.0 m3/hm2、5.15 m3/hm2,树冠体积52.47 m3、49.5 m3,林木生长旺盛,能迅速形成景观效果,是生态风景林建设的良好树种。木荷由于种植在立地条件相对较差的位置,其生长也较快,可作为生态风景林建设的树种,除作防护林带经营外,也可作为用材林。     

藏东南大型国营农场土壤肥力现状及培肥措施

藏东南大型国营农场———米林农场土壤养分含量明显下降 ,有机质、碱解氮、有效磷、有效钾分别较 1992年降低49 4% ;49.3 % ;47.8% ;72 .5 %。下降的主要原因是施肥水平低 ,化肥利用率不高 ,种植结构单一。因此 ,大量施用有机肥 ,合理施用化肥 ,调整种植结构 ,扩种绿肥是培肥该农场土壤的主要措施