National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program: development and content evaluation

Guidelines in the U.S. Department of Labor's Hazardous Occupations Order in Agriculture (AgHO) regulations state that youth can receive tractor safety certification after participating in a 10-hour course, or receive tractor and machinery safety certification after participating in a 20-hour course. An additional four hours of orientation to on-farm hazards and general safety is required to receive full certification in a 24-hour course. Previous research has shown that traditional safety education certification programs were conducted with non-standardized methods and old curriculum materials. The objective of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) project was to design an effective, efficient, and accountable youth farm machinery certification program with national uniformity and a single set of economically producible instructional materials with demonstrated content validity. The format for the NSTMOP project was guided by focus groups, a national steering committee, and selected agricultural safety educators. Primary curriculum materials include a task sheet format, and new skills and driving evaluations. Data analysis indicates that the instructional materials, the instructional plan, and the evaluation of student participants satisfactorily met the objectives of the NSTMOP project and the AgHO regulations.     

A summary of state laws regulating youth operating farm tractors on highways

Driving farm tractors on highways is hazardous for youth due to the large speed differential between motor vehicles and agricultural vehicles, as well as recent increases in traffic volume on many rural roads. In 1994, the state of Wisconsin enacted legislation requiring youth who operate farm tractors on highways to complete a tractor and machinery certification course. We were interested in finding out whether other states have similar requirements. The purpose of this project was to collect and summarize state laws regulating youth who operate farm tractors on highways in the U.S. A systematic method was used that included an initial Lexis-Nexis database search followed by internet searches in combination with follow-up email and telephone communications when missing or unclear results were obtained. The findings show that 14 states have legislation addressing youth who operate farm tractors on highways. The content of these statutes varies, but includes driver's license or educational requirements, as well as regulations concerning the ages, locations, and/or times of day when youth may drive farm machinery on highways. This compilation of state laws will be useful information for agricultural safety professionals in designing effective outreach programs. A synthesis of the findings may also lead to the development of model legislation or inform future research efforts aimed at preventing youth farm tractor crashes on highways.     

Protecting young workers in agriculture: participation in tractor certification training

Tractor-related injuries among youth are an important public health problem. The major objectives of this study were to (1) provide a rigorous estimate of the number of youth operating tractors in Ohio and (2) assess the extent to which these youth are participating in federally mandated tractor safety training. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by approximately 4,000 students ages 14 or 15 years who were enrolled in a stratified cluster sample of 99 Ohio schools. Almost one-third of the youth (30%) reported having operated tractors, with 19% having operated a tractor on a farm not owned by a parent or guardian. More than half of the youth (52%) reported having operated a tractor and/or other hazardous machinery, with 25% having operated the machinery on a farm not owned or operated by a parent or guardian. Extrapolating from 4-H records and Ohio census data, fewer than 1% of the youth who are operating tractors or other hazardous machinery have participated in tractor certification training. Increasing participation in mandated training may be an important step in protecting the health of our nation's young agricultural workers.     

Utilizing expert panels in agricultural safety and health research

This article reports on the use of expert panels by Purdue University's Agricultural Safety and Health Program staff to address three separate research questions related to: (1) developing strategies for the prevention of flowing grain engulfments, (2) evaluation of commercial lifts used by operators with restricted mobility to gain access to agricultural tractors and equipment, and (3) identifying essential competencies for youth enrolled in federally mandated tractor and machinery certification programs. Advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of expert panels are addressed, and specific examples of outcomes are presented. Recommendations for using expert panels during research projects are also included.     

Agricultural employers' hiring and safety practices for adolescent workers

The goal of the "Safety Training for Employers and Supervisors of Adolescent Farmworkers" initiative is to improve the occupational health and safety knowledge and practices of agricultural employers and supervisors responsible for employees, ages 14 to 17 years. Surveys were sent to members of the National Council of Agricultural Employers and the Washington Growers League to measure attitudes regarding adolescent employees, current hiring and training practices, and future intentions. More than half of the respondents hire adolescents. Two-thirds were male, nearly three-quarters of the respondents had college or post-graduate degrees, and more than half were 50 years or older. The majority of respondents had positive perceptions of adolescents in terms of dependability, helpfulness, and work ethic. Among those who currently hire young workers, the most common reasons were to provide a job for children of friends and family and because they can work part-time to fill a labor demand. Among those not hiring adolescents, the most common reason was concern about child labor regulations and associated tasks (e.g., paperwork, monitoring hours). Respondents use a variety of safety training resources, especially posters and safety meetings. For the future, they expect to need more handout materials and training videos. Study results provide insights into barriers to the employment of young workers and suggest methods by which agricultural safety specialists can best assist those employers and producers who are willing to hire adolescents into agricultural work settings.     

东部发达地区农业空间高质量优化的思考

当下实施的以耕地数量管控为主的农业空间管理模式,与不同地区差异化的现实诉求存在脱节,亟待建设面向高质量发展的农业空间优化政策体系。该研究针对东部沿海经济发达地区的农业发展,界定了农业空间的概念,并总结了社会基础性、需求人本性和功能多样性三方面内涵。指出农业空间优化中存在对农业空间统筹不足、对需求转变认识不深、对市场机制重视不够三方面问题。展望未来,农业空间优化应以安全为底线、以效益为中心、以品质为突破。基于此,提出了东部发达地区农业空间优化的策略：供给侧统筹农业空间资源,需求侧锁定农业需求转变,并通过市场机制关联供需两端,划分保障型、提升型、融合型三种农业空间类型,实行精细化管理,并制定相应的优化路径。     

以就业为导向的人力资源管理专业人才培养模式探究

人力资源管理专业的应用性要求其人才培养模式必须以就业为导向,适应社会发展和市场经济的新特点。但是既有的人才培养模式人才培养目标模糊,课程设置缺乏特色,实践教学单一,教师团队教学能力有限,导致所培养的学生不符合企业要求。因此,高校人力资源管理专业必须通过准确定位培养目标、课程设置科学化、特色化、形成系统的实践教学思路、优化教师团队等方面实现人力资源管理专业人才培养模式以就业为导向。     

田间作业机组合理编组的理论计算及程序设计

拖拉机与农具组成的田间作业机组,要实现机器本身结构和性能与之配套机具的系统协调,获得最佳的运用效果,要进行合理编组计算。该文规范了机组合理编组的理论计算步骤并用ＴｕｒｂｏＣ语言编写了计算机程序。该程序可完成田间三大类作业的合理编组计算工作,如略加修改可以满足更多种机型完成各种作业的合理编组的计算。经上机运算准确、可靠、快捷、方便。     

中国生态农业制度的构建

中国生态农业的制度构建可以分为指导如何进行生态农业建设的农业绿色行动清单制度和指导如何认定生态农业的生态农业认证制度。生态农业认证制度主要考察农业表现出来的结果是否符合资源匹配、生态友好、环境保护和食品安全等关键判别标准。农业绿色行动清单则是指导开展生态农业建设时,对农业生态系统结构、功能、输入和输出实施有效调控的一系列可选择措施。生态农业制度的构建需要遵循原则清晰、指标简洁、因地制宜、操作容易、激励有效、核查方便的方法。文章论述了生态农业认证制度构建的指标体系、核查方法、信息公开、诚信记录、激励措施、认证程序等,还探讨了农业绿色行动清单制度的分类系统、内容表述、经济支持和运行程序等。     

建立生物系统工程学科的探索

系统论述了国际农业工程学科向农业与生物系统工程学科方向拓展的趋势和在农业工程一级学科下设立生物系统工程二级学科的必要性，描述了生物系统工程学科的定义、主要研究内容、人才培养目标和预期就业前景。认为设立生物系统工程二级学科是社会经济发展的客观要求，也符合国际农业工程学科发展的主流方向和前沿方向，将有利于拓宽农业工程学科的发展空间，加强工程技术和生命科学知识的交叉渗透，促进中国农业工程学科向农业与生物系统工程学科的转变。     

基于农产品供应链的质量安全可追溯系统

为加强农产品质量安全管理,保证消费者身体健康,从农产品供应链的角度出发,提出基于农产品供应链的质量安全可追溯系统的设计方案。在危害分析和关键控制点(hazard analysis and critical control point,HACCP)管理体系的指导下,利用二维码技术、数据库技术、网络信息技术进行系统的构建和开发,实现了农产品在整个供应链上从种植、采收、加工到销售的全程跟踪和溯源,有效地加强了对农产品质量安全的监管,保证消费者最终知情权。目前,该系统在江苏江阴地区实际测试效果良好,验证了方案的可行性和有效性。     

分布式无公害农产品数字认证系统的构建与实现

针对农产品质量安全认证这一关键问题,以无公害农产品产地认定与产品认证一体化工作流程为研究对象,从信息技术的角度构建了一个以实现认证流程的规范化和提高工作效率为目的的无公害农产品数字认证系统。通过对认证活动的分析,确立认证流程的两级节点域环境,构建节点域间中心化的分布式拓扑结构,设计分布式环境下的系统功能流程,探讨了关键技术;综合采用元数据、工作流和Web Service技术,开发了面向申报者、检测机构和各级认证管理部门的分布式无公害农产品数字认证系统。系统提供了申报管理、认证工作流管理和认证信息资源服务等功能,实现了无公害农产品认证全流程、全方位的电子化管理。该系统在河南省和农业部试点应用,运行结果表明,达到了跨部门、跨地域的协同工作和认证信息的高效管理,具有较好的应用推广前景。     

滚筒式作物种子干燥机自动控制装置的研制

作物种子干燥对种子的安全、保纯、适应性、温度控制精度的要求较高，为此设计了滚筒式作物种子干燥机及以单片机为核心的控制装置。分析了自行研制的滚筒式作物种子干燥机的结构及工作原理，讨论了其自动控制装置在种子干燥过程中的作用及工作原理，介绍了所设计的单片机自动控制装置的硬件电路和控制程序。使用结果表明：该控制装置设计合理，干燥的均匀性好，速度快、能保证种子的纯度，能满足不同作物种子在干燥过程中的安全性及控制精度的要求。     

Finite element modeling of ROPS in static testing and rear overturns

Even with the technological advances of the last several decades, agricultural production remains one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. Death due to tractor rollover is a prime contributor to this hazard. Standards for rollover protective structures (ROPS) performance and certification have been developed by groups such as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) to combat these problems. The current ROPS certification standard, SAE J2194, requires either a dynamic or static testing sequence or both. Although some ROPS manufacturers perform both the dynamic and static phases of SAE J2194 testing, it is possible for a ROPS to be certified for field operation using static testing alone. This research compared ROPS deformation response from a simulated SAE J2194 static loading sequence to ROPS deformation response as a result of a simulated rearward tractor rollover. Finite element analysis techniques for plastic deformation were used to simulate both the static and dynamic rear rollover scenarios. Stress results from the rear rollover model were compared to results from simulated static testing per SAE J2194. Maximum stress values from simulated rear rollovers exceeded maximum stress values recorded during simulated static testing for half of the elements comprising the uprights. In the worst case, the static model underpredicts dynamic model results by approximately 7%. In the best case, the static model overpredicts dynamic model results by approximately 32%. These results suggest the need for additional experimental work to characterize ROPS stress levels during staged overturns and during testing according to the SAE standard.     

基于土槽试验台的旋转耕作部件试验装置设计

为满足旋转耕作部件多样化的试验要求和提高试验装置的互换性、通用性与测量精度,基于土槽试验台设计了旋转耕作部件试验装置。介绍了试验装置中试验台的结构设计和测试系统的组成,重点阐述了桥式应变测试系统的工作原理。分析了刀辊作业过程以及刀辊负荷,确定了试验指标,编制了用于应变测试信号采集和数据分析的MATLAB程序,并进行了验证试验。试验结果表明:应变测试系统测量精确,线性系数近似为1;试验装置能够有效的反映旋转耕作部件的周期性负荷特性,满足旋转耕作部件试验要求。     

农产品标准领域知识图谱实体关系抽取及关联性分析

农产品标准不仅是衡量农产品安全的尺度，也是农产品安全监管的重要依据，当前农产品标准信息并没有得到系统性的关联划分与复用。针对此问题，该研究依据标准化文件的起草规范设计了农产品标准信息本体规则，在现有的农产品标准文件及相关词条数据基础上，为半结构化数据设计了正则包装器；为非结构化文本提出了一个基于依存句法分析的农产品领域开放关系抽取模型（Open Relation Extraction Model In Agricultural Products Field, OREM-AF），实现了该领域知识的自动抽取。结果表明该研究设计的包装器在提取半结构化数据信息时，准确率与F1值均在95%以上；提出的OREM-AF模型在农产品语料上准确率达74.22%、F1值为75.12%，在通用语料上准确率达84.51%、F1值为75.43%，抽取结果均好于基于依存句法分析的其他模型。依托抽取数据构建了农产品标准领域知识图谱，并在知识图谱的相互关联网络上进行了标准社区挖掘，挖掘出的关联标准知识能够为农产品标准监管提供辅助分析支撑。     

无公害农产品认证资源共享的分布式元数据服务系统

为实现无公害农产品认证资源的利用共享化,该文以广域分散的无公害农产品数字化认证资源为研究对象,以实现资源访问透明性为目标,进行了认证资源元数据服务关键技术的研究。通过对认证资源的完备性与关联性特征分析,提出多层次认证资源集合模型,进行资源组织与划分;围绕认证资源和资源间关系的描述,进行元数据规范设计,提出认证资源元数据框架模型;围绕资源分布管理与服务支持,对认证资源层次结构与共享服务功能结构进行水平分割,分布部署在由中心域与资源域构成的共享服务网络中,构建了认证资源共享服务体系结构,并探讨了元数据请求与元数据分布存储的技术。研究结果表明,通过认证资源共享服务可将广域分散的资源集成为一个虚拟的认证资源库,为消费者、企业、职能技术部门和政府等服务对象提供资源统一的逻辑视图,实现资源访问的透明性,同时也可为认证工作由符合性评价向农产品质量安全市场监管进行转变提供技术支撑,具有较好的应用推广前景。     

乡村振兴与农业工程学科创新

乡村振兴作为农业农村现代化的长期目标和全方位发展过程,为涉农学科提供了空前巨大的创新与调整空间。该文旨在探讨农业工程学科在这一新的历史机遇与挑战面前,如何确定学科调整与优化的方向,为乡村振兴战略的实施提供有力的科技与人才支撑。近年来,以新工科、新农科建设为标志的新一轮学科布局调整,十分注重引入新技术与产业革命成果,用信息、数字技术和人工智能改造、提升传统工科和农科;相对而言,针对乡村振兴引发的农业农村现代化道路扩展与发展形态变革对学科创新的需求则重视程度不足。农业工程因其对农业农村现代化的特殊与关键性作用,理应更重视社会经济发展模式与结构调整对学科创新的影响及其对应关系。当前形势下,农业工程学科创新应重点关注以下几方面的问题:1)乡村振兴战略的实施为农业工程学科的创新与拓展开辟了新空间,提出了新要求;2)农业工程技术体系的开发推广将从以农业生产领域为主向依托农业农村资源而形成的多产业融合领域延伸;3)农业工程人才培养与科研体系建设要面向乡村生产生活和生态系统构建的全领域全过程;4)农业农村各产业及区域系统性建设要与城乡融合发展和推进农村治理体系与治理结构现代化的需求对接。现阶段,关于农业工程学科创新与扩展的新领域和新方向,在下述几个方面存在十分紧迫的现实需求:1)农村电子商务工程;2)乡村景观营造与维护工程;3)乡村新业态生产空间营造;4)乡村生态环境工程;5)乡村社会经济管理与治理体系和治理结构系统工程。     

Green labelling,sustainability and the expansion of tropical agriculture: Critical issues for certification schemes

The expansion of agricultural plantations at the expense of forest drives dramatic losses of biodiversity and carbon. Consumers are now demanding sustainability in tropical agriculture and producers are responding with questionable certification standards. Many certification schemes—including those for oil palm, soy, sugar cane and cacao—rely upon the High Conservation Value (HCV) concept to prevent unacceptable losses of biodiversity to agricultural conversion. This concept protects very rare species or habitats, exceptional concentrations of wildlife, or large landscape-level areas of forest. Yet much biodiversity persists below these thresholds yielding the spectre of unsustainable conversion of forest to certified plantation crops under a green label. To meet more rigorous standards of sustainability, tropical plantations would have to retain large patches of native forests in the matrix. We highlight six critical areas in need of consideration by conservation scientists, practitioners and certification processes. In particular, the application of HCV to sustainable agricultural development at the national-level, the use of Imperata grasslands and abandoned agriculture, the creation of Biobanks, and increased price premiums for certified crops could redound to the long-term protection of tropical biodiversity.