Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are widespread, persistent chemicals that can move through soils, water, crops, livestock, and food systems. Agricultural lands may receive PFAS through pathways such as organic soil amendments, irrigation water, atmospheric deposition, or off-site industrial sources.
At the request of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an expert committee to provide an initial framework to guide USDA programs that deal directly with conservation on the land. The committee examined how PFAS move through agricultural landscapes, the scientific uncertainties involved, and the specific opportunities and constraints facing USDA's voluntary, nonregulatory conservation programs. Rather than offering prescriptive rules, the report is intentionally focused and practical, aimed at informing conservation planning and practice implementation.
PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA highlights the challenge NRCS faces to deliver conservation solutions to producers and help them avoid or mitigate PFAS impacts despite limited data, incomplete toxicological understanding, and a lack of cost-effective mitigation or remediation technologies. The report suggests a framework built on the three phases of NRCS's conservation planning process and provides conclusions on opportunities regarding research, available data, and conservation practices and programs to address the impacts of PFAS on contaminated agricultural land.
Topics: Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Offshore renewable energy is poised to play a significant role in the nation's clean energy future, particularly along the U.S. West Coast, where floating offshore wind technology is nearing commercial scale. At the same time, West Coast waters support long standing and diverse maritime activities, including commercial, Tribal, and recreational fisheries, domestic and international shipping, port operations, and U.S. Coast Guard missions. As offshore renewable energy advances, understanding how these uses may interact is essential for informed planning and comprehensive decision making.
Offshore Renewable Energy Development on the U.S. West Coast: Understanding Effects on Shipping, Fisheries, and Maritime Activities examines how offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy development may impact shipping routes, fisheries, port operations, and Coast Guard activities. Drawing on lessons from earlier offshore wind projects along the East Coast and current West Coast planning processes, this report identifies opportunities to proactively address potential conflicts, strengthen coordination, and support coexistence among ocean users.
The report concludes that the West Coast's early stage of offshore renewable energy development presents a critical opportunity to align clean energy goals with maritime safety, fisheries sustainability, Tribal rights, and economic vitality. Through early engagement, transparent spatial planning, and coordinated governance, offshore renewable energy can be developed in ways that reduce undue burdens on coastal communities and existing ocean users while delivering broad public benefits.
Topics: Energy and Energy Conservation » Energy Resources | Environment and Environmental Studies » Sustainable Development | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Transportation and Infrastructure » Marine Transportation
Since 1944, the National Research Council (NRC) has published seven editions of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. This reference has guided nutritionists and other professionals in academia and the cattle and feed industries in developing and implementing nutritional and feeding programs for beef cattle. The cattle industry has undergone considerable changes since the seventh revised edition was published in 2000 and some of the requirements and recommendations set forth at that time are no longer relevant or appropriate.
The eighth revised edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle builds on the previous editions. A great deal of new research has been published during the past 14 years and there is a large amount of new information for many nutrients. In addition to a thorough and current evaluation of the literature on the energy and nutrient requirements of beef in all stages of life, this volume includes new information about phosphorus and sulfur contents; a review of nutritional and feeding strategies to minimize nutrient losses in manure and reduce greenhouse gas production; a discussion of the effect of feeding on the nutritional quality and food safety of beef; new information about nutrient metabolism and utilization; new information on feed additives that alter rumen metabolism and postabsorptive metabolism; and future areas of needed research. The tables of feed ingredient composition are significantly updated.
Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle represents a comprehensive review of the most recent information available on beef cattle nutrition and ingredient composition that will allow efficient, profitable, and environmentally conscious beef production.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
The latest edition of Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle includes many improvements over the 1978 edition. The most significant advance in Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle is a computer program, provided on diskette, that includes all requirements for energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and D. It is compiled to run on PC-DOS or MS-DOS on IBM-compatible personal computers. A diskette accompanies each book.
Within the book, dry matter intake and energy concentration assumptions have been made more consistent from table to table. A major change involves the expression of protein requirements on the basis of degradable and undegradable intake protein and includes two systems to determine protein requirements. A new table enables users to find data for a cow that resembles their own animals and locate their specific energy, protein, and other dietary requirements. Other tables have been expanded to include data on the nutrient requirements during the 3 weeks of lactation and for cows with higher milk yields.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Global demand for animal-derived foods such as meat, eggs, and milk is increasing, even as arable land and water to support animal production are declining worldwide. Among the approaches to meet global demand in a resource-constrained future is the genetic improvement of livestock to increase the efficiency and sustainability of animal agriculture. Food-animal breeders are beginning to leverage advances in the fields of genomics and biotechnology to make targeted changes in DNA, called heritable genetic modifications (HGMs), that can be passed onto subsequent generations, thereby significantly accelerating the process of genetic improvement in populations of food animals.
At the request of Congress, Heritable Genetic Modification in Food Animals examines the biological basis of potential health risks relevant to the regulation of HGMs in food animals. This report considers whether hazards could arise during the development of HGM food animals, the methods available to detect hazards, and the likelihood that they could result in harm. Heritable Genetic Modification in Food Animals recommends conducting additional research to fill gaps in understanding of how both HGM techniques and conventional breeding methods influence animal welfare and the quality of animal foods, establishing a study group to gauge public attitudes toward animal biotechnology in agriculture, and developing best practices for public engagement regarding such technologies.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD) and grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) are growing threats to the California wine and wine grape sector, which contributes $73 billion annually to the state's economy. These viral diseases not only reduce grape yield and the productive lifespan of vineyards but also affect sugars and other aspects of fruit quality that are relevant to wine flavor profiles. Due to the complexity of the processing and aging winemaking involves, it can take years for the full impact of both diseases on the quality of the final product to become apparent.
At the request of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, this report reviews the current state of GRBD and GLD knowledge, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes key research and actions that could help reduce the spread and economic impact of these diseases. The report sets out guidance that could help improve GRBD and GLD management and offers strategies that may yield promising solutions for managing these diseases.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Food and Nutrition » Nutrition - Dietary Reference Intakes
The United States is an important food producer globally, in part because of its abundance of agriculturally productive soils. However, management practices that maximize yields have caused losses in soil organic matter, poor soil structure and water-holding capacity, and increased salinity on millions of acres of land - and have adversely affected the microbial communities that are the drivers of many soil processes. At the same time, recent scientific advances have spurred interest in how microbial communities can support soil health, food quality, and human health.
It is in this context that the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture asked the National Academies to explore the linkages between soil health and human health. The report finds that to improve soil health, federal agencies need to promote the importance of soil health, support translational research, and develop a coordinated national approach to monitor soil health over time and space. Given the potential that microbiomes have in modulating soil, plant, and human health, there is also a pressing need to determine which microbial features, if any, contribute to quantifying or fortifying health in both human and soil systems and to understand the direct and indirect roles of soil, alongside other environmental factors, in influencing human microbial colonization and subsequent health outcomes. Such investigation involves delving into the relatively sparse or disconnected research regarding the microbiome continuum that links soil and human systems.
Topics: Earth Sciences » Soil Science | Food and Nutrition » Production and Safety | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Health and Medicine » Environmental Health
Fisheries are essential to the global economy and feed billions around the world; they, support individuals and communities, and sustain cultural heritages and livelihoods. Although U.S. fisheries have been managed for commercial fishing historically, there has been an interest more recently in better accounting for and meeting the needs of the diverse individuals, groups, and communities that rely on and participate in fisheries, or aspire to do so.
At the request of the National Marine Fisheries Service, this report considers information needs and data collection for assessing the distribution of fisheries management benefits. Assessing Equity in the Distribution of Fisheries Management Benefits identifies information needs, obstacles to collecting information, and potential methodologies for assessing where and to whom the primary benefits of commercial and for-hire fishery management accrue.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environment and Environmental Studies » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Extreme weather and wildfires, intensified by climate change, are damaging the native plant communities of landscapes across the United States. Native plant communities are foundational to thriving ecosystems, delivering goods and services that regulate the environment and support life, provide food and shelter for a wide range of native animals, and embody a wealth of genetic information with many beneficial applications. Restoring impaired ecosystems requires a supply of diverse native plant seeds that are well suited to the climates, soils, and other living species of the system.
This report examines the needs for native plant restoration and other activities, provides recommendations for improving the reliability, predictability, and performance of the native seed supply, and presents an ambitious agenda for action. An Assessment of Native Seed Needs and the Capacity for Their Supply considers the various challenges facing our natural landscapes and calls for a coordinated public-private effort to scale-up and secure a cost-effective national native seed supply.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
This letter describes the work of the Committee on Assistance to the California Department of Food and Agriculture Pierces Disease/Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board on Grapevine Viruses and Grapevine Disease Research and critiques the California Department of Food and Agriculture Pierces Disease/Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board Request for Proposals that was issued in December 2022.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Grapevine red blotch disease is a recently recognized disease of grapes that has been detected across some of the major grape-growing regions in the United States and poses a threat to the $162 billion U.S. grape industry. At the request of the state of California, this publication describes the work of the Committee on Assistance to the California Department of Food and Agriculture Pierces Disease/Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board on Grapevine Viruses and Grapevine Disease Research and transmits the final evaluation by the committee of the research proposals on grapevine virus diseases and their vectors.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
The need for sustainable agriculture is becoming ever more significant. The world's population is still increasing, requiring more from our agricultural systems. Malnutrition and diet-related illnesses are present in nearly all societies. At the same time, agriculture plays a significant role in some of the biggest environmental challenges that humanity is facing, including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and the pollution of our soil, water, and air. The need to balance the growing demand for nutritious food with these environmental threats is a complex issue, and ensuring sustainable food systems will require a collaborative effort from many different communities.
These issues were addressed during the US-UK Scientific Forum on Sustainable Agriculture held in Washington, DC, on March 5-6, 2020. Organized by the National Academy of Sciences and the United Kingdom's Royal Society, the forum brought together leading scientists, researchers, policy makers, and practitioners in agricultural sciences, food policy, biodiversity, and environmental science (among other specialties). The forum provided an opportunity for members of these research communities to build multidisciplinary and international collaborations that can inform solutions to a broad set of problems. This publication summarizes the presentations of the forum.
Topics: Environment and Environmental Studies » Sustainable Development | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
For nearly a century, scientific advances have fueled progress in U.S. agriculture to enable American producers to deliver safe and abundant food domestically and provide a trade surplus in bulk and high-value agricultural commodities and foods. Today, the U.S. food and agricultural enterprise faces formidable challenges that will test its long-term sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience. On its current path, future productivity in the U.S. agricultural system is likely to come with trade-offs. The success of agriculture is tied to natural systems, and these systems are showing signs of stress, even more so with the change in climate.
More than a third of the food produced is unconsumed, an unacceptable loss of food and nutrients at a time of heightened global food demand. Increased food animal production to meet greater demand will generate more greenhouse gas emissions and excess animal waste. The U.S. food supply is generally secure, but is not immune to the costly and deadly shocks of continuing outbreaks of food-borne illness or to the constant threat of pests and pathogens to crops, livestock, and poultry. U.S. farmers and producers are at the front lines and will need more tools to manage the pressures they face.
Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 identifies innovative, emerging scientific advances for making the U.S. food and agricultural system more efficient, resilient, and sustainable. This report explores the availability of relatively new scientific developments across all disciplines that could accelerate progress toward these goals. It identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that could have the greatest positive impact on food and agriculture, and that are possible to achieve in the next decade (by 2030).
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Food and Nutrition » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Earth Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Environment and Environmental Studies » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Genetically engineered (GE) crops were first introduced commercially in the 1990s. After two decades of production, some groups and individuals remain critical of the technology based on their concerns about possible adverse effects on human health, the environment, and ethical considerations. At the same time, others are concerned that the technology is not reaching its potential to improve human health and the environment because of stringent regulations and reduced public funding to develop products offering more benefits to society. While the debate about these and other questions related to the genetic engineering techniques of the first 20 years goes on, emerging genetic-engineering technologies are adding new complexities to the conversation.
Genetically Engineered Crops builds on previous related Academies reports published between 1987 and 2010 by undertaking a retrospective examination of the purported positive and adverse effects of GE crops and to anticipate what emerging genetic-engineering technologies hold for the future. This report indicates where there are uncertainties about the economic, agronomic, health, safety, or other impacts of GE crops and food, and makes recommendations to fill gaps in safety assessments, increase regulatory clarity, and improve innovations in and access to GE technology.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics
Preventing adverse effects of minerals on the health of animals requires the application of appropriate nutritional and toxicological principles to set limits on mineral exposure to animals. To address this need, a committee of experts in nutrition, toxicology, and veterinary medicine thoroughly reviewed the scientific literature to identify the essential qualities of dietary minerals, analyze the effects of animals to toxic exposures, and examine how animals living in different environmental conditions metabolize minerals and tolerate toxins. This book will be essential to food industry professionals, pet and other animal food manufacturers, federal regulators, and animal nutritionists.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on Americans' well-being than any other human activity. The food industry is the largest sector of our economy; food touches everything from our health to the environment, climate change, economic inequality, and the federal budget. From the earliest developments of agriculture, a major goal has been to attain sufficient foods that provide the energy and the nutrients needed for a healthy, active life. Over time, food production, processing, marketing, and consumption have evolved and become highly complex. The challenges of improving the food system in the 21st century will require systemic approaches that take full account of social, economic, ecological, and evolutionary factors. Policy or business interventions involving a segment of the food system often have consequences beyond the original issue the intervention was meant to address.
A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System develops an analytical framework for assessing effects associated with the ways in which food is grown, processed, distributed, marketed, retailed, and consumed in the United States. The framework will allow users to recognize effects across the full food system, consider all domains and dimensions of effects, account for systems dynamics and complexities, and choose appropriate methods for analysis. This report provides example applications of the framework based on complex questions that are currently under debate: consumption of a healthy and safe diet, food security, animal welfare, and preserving the environment and its resources.
A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System describes the U.S. food system and provides a brief history of its evolution into the current system. This report identifies some of the real and potential implications of the current system in terms of its health, environmental, and socioeconomic effects along with a sense for the complexities of the system, potential metrics, and some of the data needs that are required to assess the effects. The overview of the food system and the framework described in this report will be an essential resource for decision makers, researchers, and others to examine the possible impacts of alternative policies or agricultural or food processing practices.
Topics: Food and Nutrition » Production and Safety | Food and Nutrition » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
This report is the Thai translation of Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition.
A respected resource for decades, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals has been updated by a committee of experts, taking into consideration input from the scientific and laboratory animal communities and the public at large. The Guide incorporates new scientific information on common laboratory animals, including aquatic species, and includes extensive references. It is organized around major components of animal use:
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals provides a framework for the judgments required in the management of animal facilities. This updated and expanded resource of proven value will be important to scientists and researchers, veterinarians, animal care personnel, facilities managers, institutional administrators, policy makers involved in research issues, and animal welfare advocates.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
In the United States (U.S.), the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, now known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), was the first major legislation to regulate federal fisheries in the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone (later designated as the U.S. exclusive economic zone). The re-authorization of the MSFCMA passed by Congress in 2006 included additional mandates for conserving and rebuilding fish stocks and strengthening the role of scientific advice in fisheries management. Approximately 20% of the fisheries that have been assessed are considered overfished according to the September 2012 stock status Report to Congress prepared by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Overfished refers to a stock that is below the minimum stock size threshold, commonly set to half the stock size at which maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is achieved. Under the provisions of the MSFCMA, rebuilding plans for overfished stocks should take no more than 10 years, except when certain provisions apply. Rebuilding mandates have led to substantial reductions in catch and effort for many fisheries, raising concerns about the consequent social and economic impacts to the fishing communities and industry.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fish Stock Rebuilding Plans in the United States reviews the technical specifications that underlie current federally-implemented rebuilding plans, and the outcomes of those plans. According to this report, fisheries management has evolved substantially since 1977 when the U.S. extended its jurisdiction to 8 200 miles, in the direction of being more prescriptive and precautionary in terms of preventing overfishing and rebuilding overfished fisheries. However, the trade-offs between precaution and yield have not been fully evaluated. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fish Stock Rebuilding Plans in the United States discusses the methods and criteria used to set target fishing mortality and biomass levels for rebuilding overfished stocks, and to determine the probability that a particular stock will rebuild by a certain date. This report will be of interest to the fishing industry, ecology professionals, and members of Congress as they debate the renewal of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
The U.S. veterinary medical profession contributes to society in diverse ways, from developing drugs and protecting the food supply to treating companion animals and investigating animal diseases in the wild. In a study of the issues related to the veterinary medical workforce, including demographics, workforce supply, trends affecting job availability, and capacity of the educational system to fill future demands, a National Research Council committee found that the profession faces important challenges in maintaining the economic sustainability of veterinary practice and education, building its scholarly foundations, and evolving veterinary service to meet changing societal needs.
Many concerns about the profession came into focus following the outbreak of West Nile fever in 1999, and the subsequent outbreaks of SARS, monkeypox, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, highly pathogenic avian influenza, H1N1 influenza, and a variety of food safety and environmental issues heightened public concerns. They also raised further questions about the directions of veterinary medicine and the capacity of public health service the profession provides both in the United States and abroad.
To address some of the problems facing the veterinary profession, greater public and private support for education and research in veterinary medicine is needed. The public, policymakers, and even medical professionals are frequently unaware of how veterinary medicine fundamentally supports both animal and human health and well-being. This report seeks to broaden the public's understanding and attempts to anticipate some of the needs and measures that are essential for the profession to fulfill given its changing roles in the 21st century.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Since 1944, the National Research Council has published 10 editions of the Nutrient Requirements of Swine. This reference has guided nutritionists and other professionals in academia and the swine and feed industries in developing and implementing nutritional and feeding programs for swine. The swine industry has undergone considerable changes since the tenth edition was published in 1998 and some of the requirements and recommendations set forth at that time are no longer relevant or appropriate.
The eleventh revised edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Swine builds on the previous editions published by the National Research Council. A great deal of new research has been published during the last 15 years and there is a large amount of new information for many nutrients. In addition to a thorough and current evaluation of the literature on the energy and nutrient requirements of swine in all stages of life, this volume includes information about feed ingredients from the biofuels industry and other new ingredients, requirements for digestible phosphorus and concentrations of it in feed ingredients, a review of the effects of feed additives and feed processing, and strategies to increase nutrient retention and thus reduce fecal and urinary excretions that could contribute to environmental pollution. The tables of feed ingredient composition are significantly updated.
Nutrient Requirements of Swine represents a comprehensive review of the most recent information available on swine nutrition and ingredient composition that will allow efficient, profitable, and environmentally conscious swine production.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Aquaculture now supplies half of the seafood and fisheries products consumed worldwide and is gaining international significance as a source of food and income. Future demands for seafood and fisheries products can only be met by expanded aquaculture production. Such production will likely become more intensive and will depend increasingly on nutritious and efficient aquaculture feeds containing ingredients from sustainable sources.
To meet this challenge, Nutrient Requirements of Fish and Shrimp provides a comprehensive summary of current knowledge about nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp and supporting nutritional science. This edition incorporates new material and significant updates to information in the 1993 edition. It also examines the practical aspects of feeding of fish and shrimp.
Nutrient Requirements of Fish and Shrimp will be a key resource for everyone involved in aquaculture and for others responsible for the feeding and care of fish and shrimp. It will also aid scientists in developing new and improved approaches to satisfy the demands of the growing aquaculture industry.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
A respected resource for decades, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals [updated digital version] has been updated by a committee of experts, taking into consideration input from the scientific and laboratory animal communities and the public at large. The Guide incorporates new scientific information on common laboratory animals, including aquatic species, and includes extensive references. It is organized around major components of animal use:
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals provides a framework for the judgments required in the management of animal facilities. This updated and expanded resource of proven value will be important to scientists and researchers, veterinarians, animal care personnel, facilities managers, institutional administrators, policy makers involved in research issues, and animal welfare advocates.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Since genetically engineered (GE) crops were introduced in 1996, their use in the United States has grown rapidly, accounting for 80-90 percent of soybean, corn, and cotton acreage in 2009. To date, crops with traits that provide resistance to some herbicides and to specific insect pests have benefited adopting farmers by reducing crop losses to insect damage, by increasing flexibility in time management, and by facilitating the use of more environmentally friendly pesticides and tillage practices. However, excessive reliance on a single technology combined with a lack of diverse farming practices could undermine the economic and environmental gains from these GE crops. Other challenges could hinder the application of the technology to a broader spectrum of crops and uses.
Several reports from the National Research Council have addressed the effects of GE crops on the environment and on human health. However, The Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm Sustainability in the United States is the first comprehensive assessment of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the GE-crop revolution on U.S. farms. It addresses how GE crops have affected U.S. farmers, both adopters and nonadopters of the technology, their incomes, agronomic practices, production decisions, environmental resources, and personal well-being. The book offers several new findings and four recommendations that could be useful to farmers, industry, science organizations, policy makers, and others in government agencies.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides
H1N1 ("swine flu"), SARS, mad cow disease, and HIV/AIDS are a few examples of zoonotic diseases-diseases transmitted between humans and animals. Zoonotic diseases are a growing concern given multiple factors: their often novel and unpredictable nature, their ability to emerge anywhere and spread rapidly around the globe, and their major economic toll on several disparate industries.
Infectious disease surveillance systems are used to detect this threat to human and animal health. By systematically collecting data on the occurrence of infectious diseases in humans and animals, investigators can track the spread of disease and provide an early warning to human and animal health officials, nationally and internationally, for follow-up and response. Unfortunately, and for many reasons, current disease surveillance has been ineffective or untimely in alerting officials to emerging zoonotic diseases.
Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response to Emerging Zoonotic Diseases assesses some of the disease surveillance systems around the world, and recommends ways to improve early detection and response. The book presents solutions for improved coordination between human and animal health sectors, and among governments and international organizations.
Parties seeking to improve the detection and response to zoonotic diseases—including U.S. government and international health policy makers, researchers, epidemiologists, human health clinicians, and veterinarians—can use this book to help curtail the threat zoonotic diseases pose to economies, societies, and health.
Topics: Health and Medicine » Other Diseases | Health and Medicine » Global Health | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Health and Medicine » Infectious Disease | Conflict and Security Issues » Biosecurity
Scientific and Humane Issues in the Use of Random-Source Dogs and Cats in Research examines the value of random-source animals in biomedical research and the role of Class B dealers who acquire and resell live dogs and cats to research institutions. Findings include that, while some random-source dogs and cats may be necessary and desirable for National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research, there is no clear need to obtain those animals from Class B dealers. Several options for random-source animal acquisition already exist and additional options are recommended, which would further ensure the welfare of these animals and foster a positive public image for NIH.
While the scientific community has recognized and responded to concerns for humane treatment of animals in research, government oversight has thus far been unable to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act in regard to Class B dealers of live animals. Although the animals acquired by Class B dealers are destined for research—and NIH research in particular—the standard of care while in the possession of some Class B dealers requires an inordinate amount of government enforcement and is not commensurate with the policies of most NIH-funded research laboratories. This dichotomy of standards reflects poorly on public perceptions of NIH and jeopardizes animal welfare.
This book will be crucial for NIH and other groups using random-source animals in research, including veterinary schools and research facilities. Animal welfare advocates, policy makers, and concerned pet owners will also find this a vital and informative work for reconciling the needs of research with the welfare of animals.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
During the next ten years, colleges of agriculture will be challenged to transform their role in higher education and their relationship to the evolving global food and agricultural enterprise. If successful, agriculture colleges will emerge as an important venue for scholars and stakeholders to address some of the most complex and urgent problems facing society.
Such a transformation could reestablish and sustain the historical position of the college of agriculture as a cornerstone institution in academe, but for that to occur, a rapid and concerted effort by our higher education system is needed to shape their academic focus around the reality of issues that define the world's systems of food and agriculture and to refashion the way in which they foster knowledge of those complex systems in their students. Although there is no single approach to transforming agricultural education, a commitment to change is imperative.
Topics: Education » Higher Education | Education » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Growing numbers of pet owners are giving their pets dietary supplements in hopes of supporting their health. Many people presume that supplements are safer than drugs, but the reality is that there are very limited safety data on dietary supplements for pets.
Many challenges stand in the way of determining whether animal dietary supplements are safe and at what dosage. Supplements considered safe in humans and other species are not always safe in horses, dogs, and cats. An improved adverse event reporting system is badly needed. Also, the absence of laws and regulations that specifically address animal dietary supplements causes considerable confusion to the industry and to the public. Clear and precise regulations are needed to allow only safe dietary supplements on the market.
This book examines issues in determining safety of animal dietary supplements in general, and the safety of three animal dietary supplements; lutein, evening primrose oil, and garlic, in particular.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Conflict and Security Issues » Military and Defense Studies
Since the first commercial introduction of transgenic corn plants in 1995, biotechnology has provided enormous benefits to agricultural crop production. Research is underway to develop a much broader range of genetically engineered organisms (GEOs), including fish, trees, microbes, and insects, that could have the potential to transform fields such as aquaculture, biofuels production, bioremediation, biocontrol, and even the production of pharmaceuticals . However, biotechnology is not without risk and continues to be an extremely controversial topic. Chief among the concerns is the potential ecological effects of GEOs that interact with wildlife and habitats.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is charged with providing scientific advice to inform federal agencies that manage wildlife and their habitats. USGS has identified biotechnology as one of its major challenges for future research. Seeing an opportunity to initiate a dialogue between ecologists and developers of GEOs about this challenge, the USGS and the National Research Council (NRC) held a two-day workshop in November of 2007, to identify research activities with the greatest potential to provide the information needed to assess the ecological effects of GEOs on wildlife and habitats. The workshop, designed to approach the research questions from a habitat, rather than transgenic organism, perspective, is summarized in this book.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems | Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Life on Earth would be impossible without plants. Humans rely on plants for most clothing, furniture, food, as well as for many pharmaceuticals and other products. Plant genome sciences are essential to understanding how plants function and how to develop desirable plant characteristics. For example, plant genomic science can contribute to the development of plants that are drought-resistant, those that require less fertilizer, and those that are optimized for conversion to fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) is a unique, cross-agency funding enterprise that has been funding and coordinating plant genome research successfully for nine years. Research breakthroughs from NPGI and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Arabidopsis 2010 Project, such as how the plant immune system controls pathogen defense, demonstrate that the plant genome science community is vibrant and capable of driving technological advancement. This book from the National Research Council concludes that these programs should continue so that applied programs on agriculture, bioenergy, and others will always be built on a strong foundation of fundamental plant biology research.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Pollinators—insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers for plant reproduction—are an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems throughout North America. For example, most fruit, vegetable, and seed crops and some crops that provide fiber, drugs, and fuel depend on animals for pollination.
This report provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honey bee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. For most managed and wild pollinator species, however, population trends have not been assessed because populations have not been monitored over time. In addition, for wild species with demonstrated declines, it is often difficult to determine the causes or consequences of their decline. This report outlines priorities for research and monitoring that are needed to improve information on the status of pollinators and establishes a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
This report is the second in a series of three evaluating underexploited African plant resources that could help broaden and secure Africa's food supply. The volume describes the characteristics of 18 little-known indigenous African vegetables (including tubers and legumes) that have potential as food- and cash-crops but are typically overlooked by scientists and policymakers and in the world at large. The book assesses the potential of each vegetable to help overcome malnutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and create sustainable landcare in Africa. Each species is described in a separate chapter, based on information gathered from and verified by a pool of experts throughout the world. Volume I describes African grains and Volume III African fruits.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Topics: Earth Sciences » Ecology and Ecosystems | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies | Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems | Earth Sciences » Natural Resources and Conservation | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research
Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing Animal Diseases finds that, in general, the U.S. animal health framework has been slow to take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies being used now to protect public health; better diagnostic tests for identifying all animal diseases should be made a priority. The report also recommends that the nation establish a high-level, authoritative, and accountable coordinating mechanism to engage and enhance partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies, and the private sector.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
This comprehensive volume examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands.
Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems | Earth Sciences » Natural Resources and Conservation
This book reviews the performance and effectiveness of the Community Development Quotas (CDQ) programs that were formed as a result of the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996. The CDQ program is a method of allocating access to fisheries to eligible communities with the intent of promoting local social and economic conditions through participation in fishing-related activities. The book looks at those Alaskan fisheries that have experience with CDQs, such as halibut, pollock, sablefish, and crab, and comments on the extent to which the programs have met their objectives—helping communities develop ongoing commercial fishing and processing activities, creating employment opportunities, and providing capital for investment in fishing, processing, and support projects such as infrastructure. It also considers how CDQ-type programs might apply in the Western Pacific.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies
A 1985 amendment to the Animal Welfare Act requires those who keep nonhuman primates to develop and follow appropriate plans for promoting the animals' psychological well-being. The amendment, however, provides few specifics.
The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates recommends practical approaches to meeting those requirements. It focuses on what is known about the psychological needs of primates and makes suggestions for assessing and promoting their well-being.
This volume examines the elements of an effective care program—social companionship, opportunities for species-typical activity, housing and sanitation, and daily care routines—and provides a helpful checklist for designing a plan for promoting psychological well-being.
The book provides a wealth of specific and useful information about the psychological attributes and needs of the most widely used and exhibited nonhuman primates. Readable and well-organized, it will be welcomed by animal care and use committees, facilities administrators, enforcement inspectors, animal advocates, researchers, veterinarians, and caretakers.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
This fascinating, readable volume is filled with enticing, detailed information about more than 30 different Incan crops that promise to follow the potato's lead and become important contributors to the world's food supply. Some of these overlooked foods offer special advantages for developing nations, such as high nutritional quality and excellent yields. Many are adaptable to areas of the United States.
Lost Crops of the Incas includes vivid color photographs of many of the crops and describes the authors' experiences in growing, tasting, and preparing them in different ways. This book is for the gourmet and gourmand alike, as well as gardeners, botanists, farmers, and agricultural specialists in developing countries.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
This volume, which replaces the 1974 edition, provides from current published sources a summary of the minimum dietary requirements of essential nutrients for dogs. Common signs of deficiencies and toxicity are discussed, along with the criteria for arriving at energy and nutrient requirements. The new edition contains recommendations for available nutrient content of representative commercial dog foods expressed on the basis of metabolizable energy content, which should lead to greater uniformity in the nutritional adequacy of foods with varying caloric density and facilitate meaningful comparisons of such products.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
This anchor volume to the series Managing Global Genetic Resources examines the structure that underlies efforts to preserve genetic material, including the worldwide network of genetic collections; the role of biotechnology; and a host of issues that surround management and use.
Among the topics explored are in situ versus ex situ conservation, management of very large collections of genetic material, problems of quarantine, the controversy over ownership or copyright of genetic material, and more.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Topics: Behavioral and Social Sciences » Environment and Society | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
The Development of Science-based Guidelines for Laboratory Animal Care is the summary of an international workshop held in Washington, DC, in November 2003 to bring together experts from around the world to discuss the available knowledge that can positively influence current and pending guidelines for laboratory animal care, identify gaps in that knowledge in order to encourage future research endeavors, and discuss the scientific evidence that can be used to assess the benefits and costs of various regulatory approaches affecting facilities, research, and animal welfare.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
In response to a continuing high loss of commercial fishing vessels and crews, the U.S. Congress has mandated development of new safety requirements for the industry. This volume provides a blueprint for an integrated national safety program that responds realistically to industry conditions, with priority on the most cost-effective alternatives. Fishing Vessel Safety addresses the role of the U.S. Coast Guard and the fishing industry and evaluates such safety measures as vessel inspection and registration, and the training and licensing of fishermen. It explores vessel condition, the role of human behavior, the problem of weather prediction, the high cost of insurance, and more.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
The collapse of cod, flounder, and haddock fish stocks in the Northeast United States has caused widespread concern among managers and fishers in the United States and Canada. The diminishing stocks have forced managers to take strict regulatory measures. Numerous questions have been raised about the adequacy of stock assessment science used to evaluate the status of these stocks and the appropriateness of the management measures taken. Based on these concerns, Congress mandated that a scientific review of the methodology and data used to evaluate these stocks be conducted. In this volume, the committee concludes that although there are improvements to be made in data collection, modeling uncertainty, and communicating between fishers, managers, and scientists, the scientific methods used in the Northeast stock assessments are sound. Recommendations are made on how the stock assessment process can be improved.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies
This book reviews and evaluates the scientific basis of U.S. management of fisheries for Atlantic bluefin tuna. In particular, it focuses on the issues of stock structure and stock assessments used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service for management under the International Convention for the conservation of Atlantic Tunas.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
There is an overlooked food resource in sub-Saharan Africa that has vast potential: native food plants. All in all, Africa has more than 2,000 native grains and fruits—"lost" species due for rediscovery and exploitation. This volume focuses on native cereals, dispelling myths about the nutritional value, flavor, and yield of African grains. The authors present information on where and how each grain is grown, harvested, and processed and list its benefits and limitations as a food source.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
In the past decade, animal scientists have learned that administering recombinantly derived somatotropin (growth hormone) to cows improves milk production and that giving beta-adrenergic agonists to meat animals improves productivity and leanness.
In order for these metabolic modifiers to yield benefits, however, sound management of the animals' nutrition is necessary. This volume reports on how these substances work in the animals' metabolism, what effects they might have on nutrient requirements of domestic livestock, and what information should be developed further by investigators.
The book explores the current understanding of the biology, structure, mechanisms of action, and treatment effects of somatotropin, beta-adrenergic agonists, and anabolic steroids.
A companion volume to the Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals series, this authoritative volume will be required reading for animal scientists, researchers, veterinarians, livestock farmers, and faculty and students in university animal veterinary science programs.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
For developing nations, soil erosion is among the most chronic environmental and economic burdens. Vast amounts of topsoil are washed or blown away from arable land only to accumulate in rivers, reservoirs, harbors, and estuaries, thereby creating a double disaster: a vital resource disappears from where it is desperately needed and is deposited where it is equally unwanted.
Despite much rhetoric and effort, little has been done to overcome this problem. Vetiver, a little-known tropical grass, offers one practical and inexpensive way to control erosion on a huge scale in both humid and semi-arid regions. Hedges of this deeply rooted species catch and hold back sediments while the stiff foliage acts as a filter that also slows runoff and keeps moisture on site.
This book assesses vetiver's promise and limitations and identifies places where this grass can be deployed without undue environmental risk.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Environmental Effects of Transgenic Plants provides a wealth of information about transgenic processes, previous experience with the introduction of novel crops, principles of risk assessment and management, the science behind current regulatory schemes, issues in monitoring transgenic products already on the market, and more.
The book discusses public involvement—and public confidence—in biotechnology regulation. And it looks to the future, exploring the potential of genetic engineering and the prospects for environmental effects.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology
In 1988 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed two endemic fishes of the upper Klamath River basin of Oregon and California, the sucker and the Lost River sucker, as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). In 1997, the National Marine Fisheries Service added the Southern Oregon Northern coastal California (SONCC) coho salmon as a threatened species to the list. The leading factors attributed to the decline of these species were overfishing, blockage of migration, entrainment by water management structures, habitat degradation, nonnative species, and poor water quality.
Endangered and Threatened Fishes of the Klamath River Basin addresses the scientific aspects related to the continued survival of coho salmon and shortnose and Lost River suckers in the Klamath River. The book further examines and identifies gaps in the knowledge and scientific information needed for recovery of the listed species and proves an assessment of scientific considerations relevant to strategies for promoting the recovery of those species.
Topics: Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Topics: Earth Sciences » Water and Hydrology | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
Most U.S. fish stocks are fully or over-exploited, and harvesting in many fisheries far exceeds sustainable levels. The individual fishing quota (IFQ) is a relatively new instrument under which harvesting privileges are allocated to individual fishermen—innovative yet controversial for its feared effect on fishing communities and individual fishermen.
Based on testimony from fishermen, regulators, environmentalists, and others, Sharing the Fish explores how IFQs might address the serious social, economic, and biologic issues raised by depleted fish stocks. In their approach to a national policy on IFQs, the panel makes direct recommendations to Congress, the Secretary of Commerce, the National Marine Fisheries Service, regional fishery management councils, state authorities, and others.
This book provides definitions and examples, reviews legislation and regulations, and includes lessons learned from fisheries on the U.S. East Coast and in Alaska, and in Iceland, New Zealand, and other nations. The committee discusses the public trust doctrine, management of common-pool resources, alternative and complementary approaches to the IFQ, and more.
Sharing the Fish provides straightforward answers that will be important to fishery policymakers and regulators, natural resource economists, fishery managers, environmental advocates, and concerned fishermen and their communities.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies
Sensors, satellite photography, and multispectral imaging are associated with futuristic space and communications science. Increasingly, however, they are considered part of the future of agriculture. The use of advanced technologies for crop production is known as precision agriculture, and its rapid emergence means the potential for revolutionary change throughout the agricultural sector.
Precision Agriculture in the 21st Century provides an overview of the specific technologies and practices under the umbrella of precision agriculture, exploring the full implications of their adoption by farmers and agricultural managers. The volume discusses how precision agriculture could dramatically affect decisionmaking in irrigation, crop selection, pest management, environmental issues, and pricing and market conditions. It also examines the geographical dimensions—farm, regional, national—of precision agriculture and looks at how quickly and how widely the agricultural community can be expected to adopt the new information technologies.
Precision Agriculture in the 21st Century highlights both the uncertainties and the exciting possibilities of this emerging approach to farming. This book will be important to anyone concerned about the future of agriculture: policymakers, regulators, scientists, farmers, educators, students, and suppliers to the agricultural industry.
Topics: Agriculture » Agricultural Facilities and Equipment | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Rangelands comprise between 40 and 50 percent of all U.S. land and serve the nation both as productive areas for wildlife, recreational use, and livestock grazing and as watersheds. The health and management of rangelands have been matters for scientific inquiry and public debate since the 1880s, when reports of widespread range degradation and livestock losses led to the first attempts to inventory and classify rangelands.
Scientists are now questioning the utility of current methods of rangeland classification and inventory, as well as the data available to determine whether rangelands are being degraded. These experts, who are using the same methods and data, have come to different conclusions.
This book examines the scientific basis of methods used by federal agencies to inventory, classify, and monitor rangelands; it assesses the success of these methods; and it recommends improvements. The book's findings and recommendations are of interest to the public; scientists; ranchers; and local, state, and federal policymakers.
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Biotechnology offers tremendous potential for improving crop production, animal agriculture, and bioprocessing. It can provide scientists with new ways to develop higher-yielding and more nutritious crop varieties, to improve resistance to disease, or to reduce the need for inputs of fertilizers and other expensive agricultural chemicals. This book explores the United States' ability to solve important agricultural problems, effectively use funds and institutional structures to support biotechnology research for agriculture, train researchers in new scientific areas, efficiently transfer technology, and regulate and test recombinant DNA organisms in the field.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology
The National Research Council's (NRC) Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources invited professional societies associated with agriculture and ecology to participate in a two-day workshop to explore leadership and a common vision for ecologically based pest management (EBPM). These proceedings describe the challenges of and opportunities for EBPM discussed by participants in the workshop.
Topics: Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
More and more farmers are adopting a diverse range of alternative practices designed to reduce dependence on synthetic chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics; cut costs; increase profits; and reduce the adverse environmental consequences of agricultural production.
Alternative Agriculture describes the increased use of these new practices and other changes in agriculture since World War II, and examines the role of federal policy in encouraging this evolution, as well as factors that are causing farmers to look for profitable, environmentally safe alternatives. Eleven case studies explore how alternative farming methods have been adopted—and with what economic results—on farms of various sizes from California to Pennsylvania.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Topics: Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
Topics: Health and Medicine » Other Diseases | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Topics: Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
A respected resource for decades, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals has been revised by a committee of experts, based on input from scientists and the public. The Guide incorporates recent research on commonly used species, including farm animals, and includes extensive references. It is organized around major components of animal use:
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals provides a framework for the judgments required in the management of animal facilities—a resource of proven value, now updated and expanded. This revision will be important to researchers, animal care technicians, facilities managers, administrators at research institutions, policymakers involved in research issues, and animal welfare advocates.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Although few Americans work as farmers these days, agriculture on the whole remains economically important—playing a key role in such contemporary issues as consumer health and nutrition, worker safety and animal welfare, and environmental protection. This publication provides a comprehensive picture of the primary education system for the nation's agriculture industry: the land grant colleges of agriculture.
Colleges of Agriculture at the Land Grant Universities informs the public debate about the challenges that will shape the future of these colleges and serves as a foundation for a second volume, which will present recommendations for policy and institutional changes in the land grant system.
This book reviews the legislative history of the land grant system from its establishment in 1862 to the 1994 act conferring land grant status on Native American colleges. It describes trends that have shaped agriculture and agricultural education over the decades—the shift of labor from farm to factory, reasons for and effects of increased productivity and specialization, the rise of the corporate farm, and more.
The committee reviews the system's three-part mission—education, research, and extension service—and through this perspective documents the changing nature of funding and examines the unique structure of the U.S. agricultural research and education system. Demographic data on faculties, students, extension staff, commodity and funding clusters, and geographic specializations profile the system and identify similarities and differences among the colleges of agriculture, trends in funding, and a host of other issues.
The tables in the appendix provide further itemization about general population distribution, student and educator demographics, types of degree programs, and funding allocations. Concise commentary and informative graphics augment the detailed statistical presentations. This book will be important to policymakers, administrators, educators, researchers, and students of agriculture.
Topics: Agriculture » Agricultural Facilities and Equipment | Education » Higher Education
Ocean harvests have plateaued worldwide and many important commercial stocks have been depleted. This has caused great concern among scientists, fishery managers, the fishing community, and the public. This book evaluates the major models used for estimating the size and structure of marine fish populations (stock assessments) and changes in populations over time. It demonstrates how problems that may occur in fisheries data—for example underreporting or changes in the likelihood that fish can be caught with a given type of gear—can seriously degrade the quality of stock assessments. The volume makes recommendations for means to improve stock assessments and their use in fishery management.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies
This book presents efforts to chart the comprehensive changes needed to meet the challenges of undergraduate professional education in agriculture. The United States needs to invest in the future—in human capital and the scientific knowledge base—to revitalize one of its leading industries, the agricultural, food, and environmental system. That objective can be met by educating all students about agriculture as well as by educating others specifically for careers in agriculture.
Agriculture and the Undergraduate includes perspectives on rewarding excellence in teaching and formulating curricula to reflect cultural diversity, the environment, ecology, agribusiness and business, humanities and the social sciences, and the economic and global contexts of agriculture.
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Education » Higher Education
Agricultural techniques used to increase production of cattle, sheep, and other major species have actually threatened the future genetic diversity of livestock populations, particularly in the Third World. This volume explores the importance of animal genetic diversity and presents a blueprint for national and international efforts to conserve animal genetic resources. It also evaluates genetic techniques useful in conservation programs and provides specific recommendations for establishing data bases and conducting research.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Although chemical pesticides safeguard crops and improve farm productivity, they are increasingly feared for their potentially dangerous residues and their effects on ecosystems.
The Future Role of Pesticides explores the role of chemical pesticides in the decade ahead and identifies the most promising opportunities for increasing the benefits and reducing the risks of pesticide use. The committee recommends R&D, program, and policy initiatives for federal agriculture authorities and other stakeholders in the public and private sectors. This book presents clear overviews of key factors in chemical pesticide use, including:
With a model and working examples, this book offers guidance on how to assess various pest control strategies available to today's agriculturist.
Topics: Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Authored by an integrated committee of plant and animal scientists, this review of newer molecular genetic techniques and traditional research methods is presented as a compilation of high-reward opportunities for agricultural research. Directed to the Agricultural Research Service and the agricultural research community at large, the volume discusses biosciences research in genetic engineering, animal science, plant science, and plant diseases and insect pests. An optimal climate for productive research is discussed.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology
Topics: Health and Medicine » Other Diseases | Health and Medicine » Public Health and Prevention | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Health and Medicine » Infectious Disease
The report identified various factors which contributed to creating an unfulfilled need for veterinarians in the biomedical research workforce, including an increase in the number of NIH grants utilizing animals and the burgeoning use of transgenic rodents, without a comparable change in the supply of appropriately-trained veterinarians. The committee developed strategies for recruiting more veterinarians into careers in biomedical research.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Many feedstuffs and forages do not provide the dietary vitamins necessary for optimum growth and development, making supplementation necessary. This volume offers a practical, well-organized guide to safe levels of vitamin supplementation in all major domestic species, including poultry, cattle, sheep, and fishes. Fourteen essential vitamins are discussed with information on requirements in various species, deficiency symptoms, metabolism, indications of hypervitaminosis, and safe dosages.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Fluctuations and declines in marine fish populations have caused growing concern among marine scientists, fisheries managers, commercial and recreational fishers, and the public.
Sustaining Marine Fisheries explores the nature of marine ecosystems and the complex interacting factors that shape their productivity. The book documents the condition of marine fisheries today, highlighting species and geographic areas that are under particular stress. Challenges to achieving sustainability are discussed, and shortcomings of existing fisheries management and regulation are examined. The volume calls for fisheries management to adopt a broader ecosystem perspective that encompasses all relevant environmental and human influences.
Sustaining Marine Fisheries offers new approaches to building workable fisheries management institutions, improving scientific data, and developing management tools. The book recommends ways to change current practices that encourage overexploitation of fish resources. It will be of special interest to marine policymakers and ecologists, fisheries regulators and managers, fisheries scientists and marine ecologists, fishers, and concerned individuals.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ecology and Ecosystems
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.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Since their inception in 1862, the U.S. land grant colleges have evolved to become the training ground for the nation's and the world's agriculturists. In this book, the committee examines the future of the colleges of agriculture in light of changing national priorities for the agricultural, food, and natural resource system. The effects of federal funding constraints also are examined, as are opportunities for growth presented by developments in science. The committee's preceding volume, Colleges of Agriculture at the Land Grant Universities: A Profile, is a compilation of the data that helped formulate the specific questions to be addressed. Colleges of Agriculture at the Land Grant Univerisities: Public Service and Public Policy is the deliberative report, rating conclusions and recommendations for institutional innovation and public policy. It addresses these and other questions:
This volume is the culmination of a landmark evaluation of land grant colleges of agriculture, an American institution. This document will be of value to policymakers, administrators, and others involved in agricultural science and education.
Topics: Agriculture » Agricultural Facilities and Equipment | Education » Higher Education
Congress has promoted fisheries science for over a century and its involvement in fisheries management took a great leap forward with passage of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976. In the past decade, Congress has requested advice from the National Research Council (NRC) on both national issues (e.g., individual fishing quotas and community development quotas) and the assessments related to specific fisheries (Northeast groundfish). This report was produced, in part, in response to another congressional request, this time related to the assessments of the summer flounder stocks along the East Coast of the United States. Following the initial request, the NRC, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and congressional staff agreed to broaden the study into a more comprehensive review of marine fisheries data collection, management, and use.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Ocean Studies
In developing countries, traditional fishermen are important food contributors, yet technological information and development assistance to third-world nations often focuses on agriculture and industrial fishing, without addressing the needs of independent, small-scale fishermen.
This book explores technological considerations of small-scale, primitive fishing technologies, and describes innovative, relatively inexpensive methods and tools that have already been successfully applied in developing countries. It offers practical information about all aspects of small-scale fishing, including boat design and construction, fishing methods and gear, artificial reef construction and fish aggregating devices, techniques for coastal mariculture, and simple methods for processing and preserving fish once they are caught. Fisheries Technologies for Developing Countries is illustrated throughout with photographs of the devices and construction methods described in the text.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology | Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems
"Bioconfinement", as defined by the committee writing the report are a set of biological techniques (such as induced sterility) used to prevent transgenic animals, plants, and microbes from escaping into natural ecosystems and breeding, thus competing with their wild relatives or passing engineered traits to closely related species. Since no single Bioconfinement method is 100 percent effective, the committee recommends that developers of genetically engineered organisms consider using a systematic approach with multiple methods to reduce the chance of confinement failure.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Genetics | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Environment and Environmental Studies » Ecology and Ecosystems
Every day economic decisions are made in the public and private sectors, based on limited information and analysis. The analysis and information needed for successful public policy has changed rapidly with the growth of the global economy, and so have the means for acquiring them. In the public sector, decision makers rely on information gathered within government agencies, as well as the work of academics and private firms.
Sowing the Seeds provides a case study of the need for analysis and information in support of public policy. It combines lessons learned from one of the first government agencies devoted primarily to this function with modern economic theory of organizations. The panel provides analysis and insight on:
Findings and recommendations in this volume will be of interest to managers and executives of research and consulting organizations in the public and private sectors, as well as to economists and policy makers.
Topics: Behavioral and Social Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Agricultural Facilities and Equipment
This book reviews the practice of reclaiming treated municipal wastewater for agricultural irrigation and using sewage sludge as a soil amendment and fertilizer in the United States. It describes and evaluates treatment technologies and practices; effects on soils, crop production, and ground water; public health concerns from pathogens and toxic chemicals; existing regulations and guidelines; and some of the economic, liability, and institutional issues. The recommendations and findings are aimed at authorities at the federal, state, and local levels, public utilities, and the food processing industry.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Earth Sciences » Water and Hydrology
This book provides an analysis of funding for agricultural research in the United States and presents a proposal to strengthen this system. Its premise is that a judicious but substantial increase in research funding through competitive grants is the best way to sustain and strengthen the U.S. agricultural, food, and environmental system. The proposal calls for an increased public investment in research; a broadened scientific scope and expanded program areas of research; and four categories of competitively awarded grants, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary research.
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Irrigated agriculture has played a critical role in the economic and social development of the United States—but it is also at the root of increasing controversy. How can irrigation best make the transition into an era of increasing water scarcity? In A New Era for Irrigation, experts draw important conclusions about whether irrigation can continue to be the nation's most significant water user, what role the federal government should play, and what the irrigation industry must do to adapt to the conditions of the future. A New Era for Irrigation provides data, examples, and insightful commentary on issues such as:
The committee identifies broad forces of change and reports on how public and private institutions, scientists and technology experts, and individual irrigators have responded. The report includes detailed case studies from the Great Plains, the Pacific Northwest, California, and Florida, in both the agricultural and turfgrass sectors. The cultural transformation brought about by irrigation may be as profound as the transformation of the landscape. The committee examines major facets of this cultural perspective and explores its place in the future. A New Era for Irrigation explains how irrigation emerged in the nineteenth century, how it met the nation's goals in the twentieth century, and what role it might play in the twenty-first century. It will be important to growers, policymakers, regulators, environmentalists, water and soil scientists, water rights claimants, and interested individuals.
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) employs many fishery scientists with diverse skills. The agency finds that the supply of fishery biologists is adequate to meet most of its demand. However, increasing demands on the agency to understand fish populations and the social and economic conditions in fishing communities have created a need for additional experts in the fields of fisheries stock assessment and social sciences.
NMFS has developed plans for meeting its anticipated staff needs in stock assessment and social sciences and asked the National Research Council (NRC) to convene a workshop to discuss the plans and suggest other actions the agency might take to ensure an adequate supply of experts in these fields. Approximately 30 individuals gathered in Woods Hole, Massachusetts on July 17, 2000 under the auspices of the NRC's Ocean Studies Board to discuss NMFS' plans. This document summarizes the presentations and discussions at that one-day workshop. No attempt was made to reach consensus among the participants; thus, the suggestions recorded in this summary represent the personal views of workshop participants, as summarized by NRC staff.
Topics: Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requested that the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the National Research Council (NRC) convene a panel of experts to examine whether publicly funded agricultural research has influenced the structure of U.S. agriculture and, if so, how. The Committee to Review the Role of Publicly Funded Agricultural Research on the Structure of U.S. Agriculture was asked to assess the role of public-sector agricultural research on changes in the size and numbers of farms, with particular emphasis on the evolution of very-large-scale operations.
Topics: Agriculture » Agricultural Facilities and Equipment | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Europe and Japan set off alarm bells in the United States and other nations, prompting a flurry of new regulations, border controls, inspections, and other activities to prevent incursions of the diseases. The terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, added a new note of urgency to the alarm. Concerned about additional acts of terror or sabotage in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, U.S. government and industry officials have begun to reevaluate emergency management plans in response to these threats and to shift the focus of research and planning.
More than 200 representatives of government, industry, academia, and nongovernmental organizations gathered at a one-day workshop in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2002, to assess what the United States is doing about emerging animal diseases and related issues and to explore what still needs to be done. Major objectives of the workshop include: (1) elucidating information on the U.S. position with regard to potentially threatening animal diseases; (2) identifying critical problems, barriers, and data gaps; and (3) defining potential future National Academies' activities.
Emerging Animal Diseases describes the issues presented and discussed by the workshop participants. This report summary extracts the key technical issues from the presentations and discussions, rather than presenting each session and panel discussion separately. Many issues were touched upon repeatedly by several speakers in different sessions, and this format is intended to allow readers who did not attend the workshop to have a good understanding of the discussions in the context of the entire workshop.
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms
Although impacts on salmon of any individual water withdrawal may be small, the cumulative effects of numerous withdrawals will affect Columbia River flows and would pose increased risks to salmon survival. The body of scientific knowledge explaining salmon migratory behavior and physiology is substantial, but imperfect, and decision makers should acknowledge this and be willing to take action in the face of uncertainties.
In order to provide a more comprehensive water permitting process, the State of Washington, Canada, other basin states, and tribal groups should establish a basin-wide forum to consider future water withdrawal application permits. If the State of Washington issues additional permits for water withdrawals from the Columbia River, those permits should contain provisions that allow withdrawals to be curtailed during critical high-demand periods.
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Earth Sciences » Water and Hydrology
This book brings together the latest research on protein absorption by ruminants and takes a look at the calculation of optimum nutrient requirements, including bacterial digestion, in the calculations. It also describes the parameters of nitrogen conversion in the ruminant and examines the different kinds of protein found in animal feedstuffs. "Animal Feed Science and Technology" calls it "essential for all scientists and teachers actively working in ruminant nutrition research and instruction."
Topics: Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition
Microlivestock is a term coined for species that are inherently small as well as for breeds of cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs that are less than about half the size of the most common breeds. These miniature animals are seldom considered in the broad picture of livestock development, but they seem to have a promising future, especially in developing nations or wherever land is scarce.
This book raises awareness of the potential of these small species, including microcattle, microsheep, various poultry, rabbits, rodents, deer, antelope, and lizards. It also strives to stimulate their introduction into animal research and economic development programs.
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Widespread use of broad-spectrum chemical pesticides has revolutionized pest management. But there is growing concern about environmental contamination and human health risks—and continuing frustration over the ability of pests to develop resistance to pesticides. In Ecologically Based Pest Management, an expert committee advocates the sweeping adoption of ecologically based pest management (EBPM) that promotes both agricultural productivity and a balanced ecosystem. This volume offers a vision and strategies for creating a solid, comprehensive knowledge base to support a pest management system that incorporates ecosystem processes supplemented by a continuum of inputs—biological organisms, products, cultivars, and cultural controls. The result will be safe, profitable, and durable pest management strategies.
The book evaluates the feasibility of EBPM and examines how best to move beyond optimal examples into the mainstream of agriculture. The committee stresses the need for information, identifies research priorities in the biological as well as socioeconomic realm, and suggests institutional structures for a multidisciplinary research effort. Ecologically Based Pest Management addresses risk assessment, risk management, and public oversight of EBPM. The volume also overviews the history of pest management—from the use of sulfur compounds in 1000 B.C. to the emergence of transgenic technology. Ecologically Based Pest Management will be vitally important to the agrichemical industry; policymakers, regulators, and scientists in agriculture and forestry; biologists, researchers, and environmental advocates; and interested growers.
Topics: Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides | Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production
Based on a symposium sponsored by the Board on Agriculture, this comprehensive book explores the problem of pesticide resistance; suggests new approaches to monitor, control, or prevent resistance; and identifies the changes in public policy necessary to protect crops and human health from the ravages of pests. The volume synthesizes the most recent information from a wide range of disciplines, including entomology, genetics, plant pathology, biochemistry, economics, and public policy. It also suggests research avenues that would indicate how to counter future problems. A glossary provides the reader with additional guidance.
Topics: Agriculture » Pesticides, Insecticides and Herbicides
A respected resource for decades, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals has been revised by a committee of experts, based on input from scientists and the public. The Guide incorporates recent research on commonly used species, including farm animals, and includes extensive references. It is organized around major components of animal use:
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals provides a framework for the judgments required in the management of animal facilities—a resource of proven value, now updated and expanded. This revision will be important to researchers, animal care technicians, facilities managers, administrators at research institutions, policymakers involved in research issues, and animal welfare advocates.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Laboratory Animal Research | Agriculture » Animal Health and Nutrition | Biology and Life Sciences » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations
Proponents of agricultural biotechnology believe that genetically modified (GM) crops have the potential to provide great ecological benefits, such as reduced pesticide and land use, as well as agricultural benefits. However, given the rapid emergence of commercial GM crops and the likely increase in their use, many groups have raised concerns about the potential unintended, adverse ecological effects of these crops. Some ecological concerns are enhanced development of pest resistance, crosspollination with wild relatives, and reductions in beneficial insects or birds.
Ecological Monitoring of Genetically Modified Crops considers the latest in monitoring methods and technologies and to asks—What are the challenges associated with monitoring for ecological effects of GM crops? Is ongoing ecological monitoring of GM crops a useful and informative activity? If so, how should scientifically rigorous monitoring be carried out in the variety of ecological settings in which GM crops are grown?
Topics: Agriculture » Crop and Plant Production | Biology and Life Sciences » Biotechnology
Atlantic salmon in Maine, once abundant but now seriously depleted, were listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in November 2000. The listing covers the wild fish in eight Maine rivers as a single "distinct population segment." The controversy in Maine that accompanied the listing led Congress to request the National Research Council's (NRC's) advice on the science relevant to understanding and reversing the declines in Maine's salmon populations. The charge to the NRC's Committee on Atlantic Salmon in Maine included an interim report focusing on the genetic makeup of Maine Atlantic salmon populations. This is the interim report.
Understanding the genetic makeup of Maine's salmon is important for recovery efforts, because the degree to which populations in Maine differ from adjacent populations in Canada and the degree to which populations in different Maine rivers and tributaries differ from each other affect the choice of recovery options that are most likely to be effective. This report focuses only on questions of genetic distinctiveness. The committee's final report will address the broader issues, such as the factors that have caused Maine's salmon populations to decline and the options for helping them to recover.
Topics: Biology and Life Sciences » Animals, Plants and Other Organisms | Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries
Topics: Agriculture » Aquaculture and Fisheries | Agriculture » Policy, Reviews and Evaluations