September-October 2000

The topics in this newsletter are considered to be timely and of interest. Comments and suggestions are invited. The use of trade names in this newsletter is not an endorsement of any company or product by the Maryland Cooperative Extension, University of Maryland, College Park.
David S. Ross, Extension Agricultural Engineer

Agriculture is considered one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. Farm accidents cause 850 deaths and 140,000 disabling injuries annually. Farm families also cope with the same illnesses and infirmities that can beset any family.

When a disability, injury or health condition strikes a farm family everything changes. For the farmer, the desire to continue farming often remains constant. Recognizing that drive and the critical need for farmers, the National AgrAbility Project was established with approval of the 1990 Farm Bill.

The goal of AgrAbility is to inform, educate and assist farmers, farm workers and their families who have disabilities or health conditions so they can continue to pursue their agricultural occupations and lead successful and productive lives.

The staff of the Delmarva AgrAbility Project will assess agricultural work sites and tasks, make recommendations regarding farm equipment adaptation, and suggest home modifications. AgrAbility can provide peer support from other farmers with disabilities and refer families to local service providers.

One farmer who has been helped by AgrAbility summed up his feelings by stating: "AgrAbility is willing to help you if you are willing to help yourself. It isn't for those who are ready to give up, but it's great for those who have it in their heart to keep farming." For more information call toll free (877) 204-FARM.

Delmarva AgrAbility is a joint effort of the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and Easter Seals, serving Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. For more information, please call our toll-free number 1-877-204-FARM (1-877-204-3276).
(Adapted from Delmarva Farmer, May 30, 2000)

The benefits of conservation tillage include soil erosion management, water conservation, improved soil tilth, lower input costs, and labor efficiency. The second edition of Conservation Tillage Systems and Management: Crop Residue Management with No-till, Ridge-till, Mulch-till, and Strip-till, MWPS-45 ($25.00 plus S&H/sales tax, 270 pages, 2000) was recently published by the MidWest Plan Service (MWPS). The book may be ordered from NRAES, the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service.

Conservation Tillage Systems and Management: Crop Residue Management with No-till, Ridge-till, Mulch-till, and Strip-till includes 29 chapters devoted to the following topics: growing with conservation tillage; tillage system definitions; wind erosion; water erosion; crop residue and irrigation water management; residue management at harvest; estimating residue cover; crop response to tillage systems; costs and returns; soil compaction; controlled traffic; water quality; converting CRP to crop production; integrated crop management; cover crop management in cotton; nutrient management; weed management; insect management; disease management; rodent damage control; site-specific crop management (precision farming); tillage system selection and equipment descriptions; fall strip-tillage systems; no-till planting equipment; ridge-till planting equipment; no-till drills; dryland small grain seeding equipment; crop cultivators; and pesticide application equipment. Two appendixes, an index, more than 119 line drawings and color photographs, and 72 tables are also provided.

Randall Reeder, Extension Agricultural Engineer, The Ohio State University, is technical editor of the book, which was authored by a number of university faculty, agricultural and biological engineers, extension specialists, conservationists, and other experts.

Conservation Tillage Systems and Management, MWPS-45, is available for $25.00 per copy plus shipping and handling from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-5701. Shipping and handling for one copy is $5.50 within the continental United States.

Viewing a community of plants and animals as a household composed of interrelated members is crucial to understanding how ecology relates to forest management practices and timber harvesting. A new book from NRAES, the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, introduces practical concepts that will help woodland owners, loggers, and foresters both anticipate how the forest will react to change and control the environmental disturbance of timber harvesting. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture (Second Edition), NRAES-126 ($9.00 plus S & H/sales tax; 96 pages; September 2000), provides an overview of two closely related subjects: forest ecology, the study of life in areas where the predominant vegetation is trees; and silviculture, the art and science of controlling the species mix, growth rate, size, and form of trees in forests for the production of wood products and other benefits.

Twelve chapters are included in the second edition of Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture. Following an introductory discussion, individual chapters are devoted to the following topics: aspects of the forest site; how forests grow and change; the effects of stress and disturbance on forest ecosystems; forest management as controlling disturbances; typical practices and purposes of silviculture in the Northeast; silvicultural systems; developing silvicultural prescriptions; combining timber goals with other resource values; the realities behind common myths about silviculture; working with foresters and loggers; and ecosystem management. Attention is also given to practicing silviculture in stands susceptible to ice damage and to silvicultural practices that are beneficial to wildlife. The text is enhanced by twenty-six illustrations and four tables. A glossary, two appendixes, and further reading are also included.

Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture (Second Edition) was written by Thom J. McEvoy, Associate Professor and Extension Forester, University of Vermont. The University of Vermont Extension System published the first edition of Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture in 1995. The second edition has been revised to address a nationwide audience of woodland owners, loggers, and foresters; their advisors and consultants; forest managers; and policymakers.

Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture (Second Edition), NRAES-126, may be ordered for $9.00 per copy, plus shipping and handling, from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-5701. Shipping and handling for one copy is $3.75 within the continental United States.

The wean-to-finish building is an all-in-one nursery, grower, and finishing building for swine production. Swine Wean-to-Finish Buildings, AED-46 ($4.00 plus handling, 22 pages), summarizes the advantages and challenges of wean-to-finish systems and discusses who should wean-to-finish. The publication reviews design and construction, animal management, and cost comparison. The design and construction chapter covers building siting and construction, manure handling, ventilation systems, supplemental heating, cooling, feeders and waterers, and pen partitions. This publication is available from NRAES.

Rental Agreements for Farm Buildings and Livestock Facilities, NCR-214 ($4.00 plus handling, 10 pages), discusses the value of the facilities to the renter, establishing a rental rate, special considerations, and common provisions in a lease. The 10-page publication includes a worksheet for estimating owner's costs and a sample farm building or livestock facility lease. This publication is available from NRAES.

Managing Production and Marketing Systems, NCR-610C ($8.00 plus handling, 56 pages) is part three in the six-part series, Business Management for Farmers. The 56-page publication includes four chapters: economic fundamentals and related planning tools; managing crop enterprises and related systems; managing livestock enterprise/systems; and evaluating/developing production contract arrangements. This publication is available from NRAES.

NRAES, the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, is planning an educational conference that will examine technology and equipment selection for manure handling, treatment, land application, and odor control. The conference will focus on a systems approach to planning.

Public and regulatory scrutiny of manure management on dairy farms has increased pressure to develop manure management systems that minimize environmental impact. A producer's decisions concerning animal management, in-barn manure handling, transport systems, storage, treatment, and land application will affect the manure nutrient content and the day-to-day operation of the dairy farm. To achieve comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) goals, the right combination of equipment and treatment systems must be selected. This conference will focus on traditional and new strategies and technologies to manage and design systems that move manure from the cow to its ultimate use with minimal impact to air and water quality.

Farm managers and their advisors, soil and water conservation district staff, nutrient management consultants, cooperative extension educators, equipment distributors, university specialists, farm system designers and builders, and environmental professionals.

Books can be ordered from NRAES by major credit card or checks made payable to NRAES. If ordering more than one book, contact NRAES for shipping rates and possible quantity discounts. For more information or a free publication catalog, contact NRAES by phone at (607) 255-7654, by fax at (607) 254-8770, or by E-mail at nraes@cornell.edu. Visit our website at <www.nraes.org>.