The Evolution and Expansion of Risk Management Education Programs in the United States

A rapidly changing business environment has dictated a need for farmers to improve their risk management skills. The 1996 Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act (FAIR) also created a new environment for American farmers by eliminating planting restrictions and deficiency payments. Congress recognized the changing environment by mandating the Secretary of Agriculture to initiate a risk management education program. A memorandum of understanding specified the responsibilities of the federal agencies involved in risk management services and education. A work group representing all public and private organizations concerned with risk management services and strategies was convened. The work group established a set of objectives, the five major areas of risk to address and an overall educational plan. Five regional extension coordinating offices were established to coordinate activities with federal agencies and the private sector and to distribute funding for extension based educational programs. The initiative originally received funding of $5M in 1997. In 2000, the Agricultural Risk Protection Act, which primarily revised the crop insurance program, provided an additional$5M for risk management education for the 2001 fiscal year and the succeeding four years. The initiative has provided an impetus to look a risk management in a broad and comprehensive manner. This has resulted in the development of very creative and innovative programs, in terms of materials and methods of delivery. The working partnerships between public and private sector organizations have been a key to the success of the programs.Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

A CONJOINT ANALYSIS OF PAPER DEMAND BY COMMERCIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the preferences of graphic designers toward kenaf paper. Results indicate that price is of overwhelming importance to designers in their purchasing decisions regarding paper stock. If priced competitively with existing wood and recycled papers, kenaf products should gain market share among designers.Demand and Price Analysis,

Management Recommendations for Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the United States

Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is the primary pest of soybean, Glycine max L., in the north central region. After more than a decade of research and extension efforts to manage this pest, several consensus management recommendations have been developed for sustainable and profitable soybean production. A summary of integrated pest management (IPM) tactics for soybean aphid are discussed, including cultural, genetic, economic, and chemical controls. To date, sampling and timely foliar insecticides are routinely recommended to protect yield and delay genetic resistance to insecticides. Host plant resistance is a new tool that can regulate populations and reduce the reliance of insecticides to control soybean aphid. A combination of these management tools also will reduce overall production costs and minimize negative environmental effects such as human exposure, and mortality of beneficial insects and other animals

One gene versus two: A regional study on the efficacy of single gene versus pyramided resistance for soybean aphid management

Citation: McCarville, M. T., M. E. O’Neal, B. D. Potter, K. J. Tilmon, E. M. Cullen, B. P. McCornack, J. F. Tooker, and D. A. Prischmann-Voldseth. 2014. “One Gene Versus Two: A Regional Study on the Efficacy of Single Gene Versus Pyramided Resistance for Soybean Aphid Management.” Journal of Economic Entomology 107 (4): 1680–87. https://doi.org/10.1603/EC14047.The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is a threat to soybean production in the Midwestern United States. Varieties containing the Rag1 soybean aphid resistance gene have been released with limited success in reducing aphid populations. Furthermore, virulent biotypes occur within North America and challenge the durability of single-gene resistance. Pyramiding resistance genes has the potential to improve aphid population suppression and increase resistance gene durability. Our goal was to determine if a pyramid could provide improved aphid population suppression across a wide range of environments.Weconducted a small-plot Þeld experiment across seven states and three years. We compared soybean near-isolines for the Rag1 or Rag2 gene, and a pyramid line containing both genes for their ability to decrease aphid pressure and protect yield compared with a susceptible line. These lines were evaluated both with and without a neonicitinoid seed treatment. All aphid-resistant lines signiÞcantly decreased aphid pressure at all locations but one. The pyramid line experienced lower aphid pressure than both single-gene lines at eight of 23 location-years. Soybean aphids signiÞcantly reduced soybean yield for the susceptible line by 14% and for both single-gene lines by 5%; however, no signiÞcant yield decrease was observed for the pyramid line. The neonicitinoid seed treatment reduced plant exposure to aphids across all soybean lines, but did not provide signiÞcant yield protection for any of the lines. These results demonstrate that pyramiding resistance genes can provide sufÞcient and consistent yield protection from soybean aphid in North America

Evidence-based practice self-efficacy of speech-language pathologists across settings

The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to explore self-efficacy of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) employed in various settings. Self-efficacy of master's level SLPs was compared across settings to determine if differences existed in each of four experience groups. Self-efficacy ratings were also compared based on degree held, area of practice, and years of experience. Participants (n = 342) completed a survey containing 10 demographic questions, 11 items from Salbach and Jaglal's (2010) Evidence-Based Practice Confidence (EPIC) scale, and 2 open-ended questions regarding factors impacting self-efficacy. Participants (n=34) completed semi structured interviews to further explore factors influencing self-efficacy. No significant difference was noted in self-efficacy of master's level SLPs among settings. There was a significant difference between self-efficacy ratings based on degree held and years of experience. A significant difference in self-efficacy was found based on practice category (i.e., identification of knowledge gap, critical appraisal of research, development of treatment plans based on evidence, clinical judgment, and client preferences). Qualitative analysis revealed graduate program and post-graduate factors which impacted self efficacy ratings both positively and negatively.Includes bibliographical reference

Neurotechnology Combined with Artificial Intelligence and Neurorights: A Legal Discussion

This study examines the intersection of the velocity of artificial intelligence production and the inherent risks to governments of sovereign nation’s legislation of regulatory compliance of cross-border data usage, AI ethics, and Bioethics. It exposes the broad vector of safeguarding real-time sensitive information acquisitions from human-to-AI interactions, encompassing human sensory cortex neural insights, biometric markers, and human physiological data critical to AI computation of academic insights about humans. Computation precisión and accuracy is essential for Artificial General Intelligence and Artificial Super Intelligence to produce nonbias ethical real-time responses. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this research assesses the impact of AI technologies on government foreign policy, socioeconomic development, national security posture, and sovereign legislation. For governments to capitalize on AI investments, this article proposes a centralized AI and big data processing center for real-time AI oversight (governance) and algorithms for practical implementation of AI telemetry technology frameworks. As a benefit to public sectors this article proposes legislation and regulatory frameworks to balance innovation with respect to national security and the protection of individual rights, proposing comprehensive policy recommendations to address these challenges.Este estudio examina la intersección entre la velocidad de producción de la inteligencia artificial y los riesgos inherentes que enfrentan los gobiernos de naciones soberanas en la legislación de cumplimiento regulatorio para el uso transfronterizo de datos, la ética en la IA y la bioética. Se expone el amplio vector necesario para salvaguardar la adquisición de información sensible en tiempo real proveniente de interacciones humano-IA, abarcando perspectivas neuronales del córtex sensorial humano, marcadores biométricos y datos fisiológicos humanos críticos para el cálculo de la inteligencia artificial en la obtención de conocimientos académicos sobre los seres humanos. La precisión y exactitud en el cálculo son esenciales para que la Inteligencia General Artificial (AGI) y la Inteligencia Artificial Superinteligente (ASI) produzcan respuestas éticas, imparciales y en tiempo real. A través de un enfoque multidisciplinario, esta investigación evalúa el impacto de las tecnologías de IA en la política exterior de los gobiernos, el desarrollo socioeconómico, la postura de seguridad nacional y la legislación soberana. Para que los gobiernos capitalicen las inversiones en IA, este artículo propone la creación de un centro centralizado de procesamiento de macrodatos para la supervisión en tiempo real de la IA (gobernanza) y el desarrollo de algoritmos que implementen marcos prácticos de tecnología de telemetría de macrodatos. Como beneficio para los sectores públicos, este estudio plantea la necesidad de legislación y marcos regulatorios que equilibren la innovación con el respeto a la seguridad nacional y la protección de los derechos individuales, ofreciendo recomendaciones políticas integrales para abordar estos desafíos

Spatial Distribution of Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae): A Summary of the Suction Trap Network

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is an economically important pest of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, in the United States. Phenological information ofA. glycines is limited; specifically, little is known about factors guiding migrating aphids and potential impacts of long distance flights on local population dynamics. Increasing our understanding of A. glycines population dynamics may improve predictions of A. glycines outbreaks and improve management efforts. In 2005 a suction trap network was established in seven Midwest states to monitor the occurrence of alates. By 2006, this network expanded to 10 states and consisted of 42 traps. The goal of the STN was to monitor movement of A. glycines from their overwintering hostRhamnus spp. to soybean in spring, movement among soybean fields during summer, and emigration from soybean to Rhamnus in fall. The objective of this study was to infer movement patterns ofA. glycines on a regional scale based on trap captures, and determine the suitability of certain statistical methods for future analyses. Overall, alates were not commonly collected in suction traps until June. The most alates were collected during a 3-wk period in the summer (late July to mid-August), followed by the fall, with a peak capture period during the last 2 wk of September. Alate captures were positively correlated with latitude, a pattern consistent with the distribution of Rhamnus in the United States, suggesting that more southern regions are infested by immigrants from the north

Quick Sex-Determination of the Asiatic Garden Beetle, Maladera castanea (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The orientation of the posterior abdominal sternite and pygidium allows for quick sex-determination of Maladera castanea (Arrow) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) adults with a dissecting microscope or hand lens. Maladera castanea (the Asiatic garden beetle) is an emerging pest of field crops and this information will help researchers to conduct studies more easily on its biology and ecology