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Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE FIELD

A PROCEEDINGS

Board on Agriculture

National Research Council

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C.
1991

Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
×

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Frank Press is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Samuel O. Thier is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Frank Press and Dr. Robert M. White are chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.

Support for the workshop and the proceedings was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research Service, under Agreement No. 90-COOP-2-5028. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 91-62492

ISBN 0-309-04578-9

A limited number of copies are available from:

Board on Agriculture

National Research Council

2101 Constitution Avenue

Washington, DC 20418

Additional copies are available for sale from:

National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Avenue Washington, DC 20418

S-417

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
×

BOARD ON AGRICULTURE

THEODORE L. HULLAR, Chairman,

University of California, Davis

PHILIP H. ABELSON,

American Association for the Advancement of Science

DALE E. BAUMAN,

Cornell University

R. JAMES COOK,

Agricultural Research Service at Washington State University

ELLIS B. COWLING,

North Carolina State University

ROBERT M. GOODMAN,

University of Wisconsin, and National Research Council Scholar-in-Residence

PAUL W. JOHNSON,

Iowa House of Representatives

NEAL A. JORGENSEN,

University of Wisconsin

ALLEN V. KNEESE,

Resources for the Future, Inc.

JOHN W. MELLOR,

International Food Policy Research Institute

DONALD R. NIELSEN,

University of California, Davis

ROBERT L. THOMPSON,

Purdue University

ANNE M. K. VIDAVER,

University of Nebraska

CONRAD J. WEISER,

Oregon State University

JOHN R. WELSER,

The Upjohn Company

JAMES E. TAVARES, Acting Executive Director

CARLA CARLSON, Director of Communications

BARBARA J. RICE, Editor

Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
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Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
×

Preface

With the Office of Science and Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Board on Agriculture cosponsored the workshop, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field—1990, April 3 – 4, 1990. It included research reports from around the country that summarized recent progress in understanding the scientific and technological basis of sustainable and profitable agricultural production systems. The regional panels demonstrated the vastly different challenges facing farmers in different regions of the country. In addition, the workshop explored gaps in ongoing research efforts, common themes and approaches in successful research programs, and areas in need of additional effort or new research strategies.

A mix of nationally recognized experts, including academic scientists, farmer-innovators, and agribusiness leaders, placed into perspective the scientific and technology challenges facing the nation in striving toward sustainable, profitable, and resource-conserving production systems.

The workshop provided a forum for discussing field research results since the inception of the Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) program in 1988. In the 1990 farm bill, the LISA program was renamed by Congress to be Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. During its first 3 years of operation, the program has supported more than 100 projects on many topics essential to the development and profitable adoption of sustainable farming systems. Only a few of the projects were selected for presentation at the workshop. Other sustainable agriculture projects funded by USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and INFORM, a private nonprofit environmental research organization, were also selected for presentation.

Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
×

The workshop fostered dialogue about and understanding of the new research priorities and directions emerging across the country, not only in land-grant universities, but also in ARS and private organizations. Information and suggestions during the workshop will assist in setting research priorities in future years.

The introduction to the report of the proceedings is followed by six parts. Part one presents an overview of general information and issues, including USDA's commitment to sustainable agriculture, the background and status of the program, challenges and rewards of research and education efforts, and economic considerations, as they pertain to midwestern farmers. Parts two through five present the findings of research projects in the western, southern, north central, and northeastern regions, respectively, along with reactors' comments. Part six is a summary of the workshop followed by appendixes that contain two poster session papers and a special topic paper.

The contributions of several individuals warrant special mention. Paul O'Connell, deputy administrator of USDA's Cooperative State Research Service; Charles Benbrook, former executive director of the Board on Agriculture; and Patrick Madden, consultant, were instrumental in organizing the workshop and the report of the proceedings. All conference speakers and reactors are gratefully acknowledged for the timely submission of their contributions.

THEODORE L. HULLAR, Chairman

Board on Agriculture

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
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7  STEEP: A Model for Conservation and Environmental Research and Education Robert I. Papendick

 

133

   

8  Soil Moisture Monitoring: A Practical Route to Irrigation Efficiency and Farm Resource Conservation Gail Richardson

 

145

   

9  Reactors' Comments

 

158

   

 Research and Education in the Western Region, Dale R. Darling

 

158

   

 A Farmer's Perspective, Robert A. Klicker

 

161

 PART THREE:

 

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE SOUTHERN REGION

 
   

10  Southeastern Apple Integrated Pest Management Dan L. Horton, Douglas G. Pfeiffer, and Floyd F. Hendrix, Jr.

 

165

   

11  Low-Input Crop and Livestock Systems in the Southeastern United States John M. Luna, Vivien Gore Allen, W. Lee Daniels, Joseph P. Fontenot, Preston G. Sullivan, Curtis A. Laub, Nicholas D. Stone, David H. Vaughan, E. Scott Hagood, and Daniel B. Taylor

 

183

   

12  Solarization and Living Mulch to Optimize Low-Input Production System for Small Fruits Kim Patten, Jeff B. Hillard, Gary Nimr, Elizabeth Neuendorff, David A. Bender, James L. Starr, Gerard W. Krewer, Randall A. Culpepper, Mike Bruorton, and Barbara J. Smith

 

206

   

13  Reactor's Comments

 

226

   

 Research and Education in the South, Raymond E. Frisbie

 

226

 PART FOUR:

 

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION

 
   

14  New Strategies for Reducing Insecticide Use in the Corn Belt Gerald R. Sutter and David R. Lance

 

231

   

15  On-Farm Research Comparing Conventional and Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture Systems in the Northern Great Plains Thomas L. Dobbs, James D. Smolik, and Clarence Mends

 

250

   

16  Low-Input, High-Forage Beef Production Terry Klopfenstein

 

266

Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
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Suggested Citation:"FRONT MATTER." National Research Council. 1991. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1854.
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Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the Field: A Proceedings Get This Book
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Interest is growing in sustainable agriculture, which involves the use of productive and profitable farming practices that take advantage of natural biological processes to conserve resources, reduce inputs, protect the environment, and enhance public health. Continuing research is helping to demonstrate the ways that many factors—economics, biology, policy, and tradition—interact in sustainable agriculture systems.

This book contains the proceedings of a workshop on the findings of a broad range of research projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The areas of study, such as integrated pest management, alternative cropping and tillage systems, and comparisons with more conventional approaches, are essential to developing and adopting profitable and sustainable farming systems.

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