A simple method of estimating changes in biologically active soil carbon (C) could help evaluate soil quality impacts of alternative management practices. Most reports of permanganate for active C determination use highly concentrated solutions (0.333 M) that are difficult to work with and tend to react with a large fraction of soil C that is not well distinguished from total organic C. We report on a highly simplified method in which dilute, slightly alkaline KMnO4 reacts with the most readily oxidizable (active) forms of soil C, converting Mn(VII) to Mn(II), and proportionally lowering absorbance of 550 nm light. The amount of soil C that reacted increased with concentration of KMnO4 used (0.01 to 0.1 M), degree of soil drying (moist fresh soil to air-dried for 24 hour) and time of shaking (1–15 minutes). Shaking of air-diy soil in a 0.02 M KMnO4 solution for 2 minutes produced consistent and management-sensitive results, both in the laboratory and with a field kit that used a hand-held colorimeter. Addition of 0.1 M. CaCl2 to the permanganate reagent enhanced settling of the soil after shaking, eliminating the need for centrifugaron in the field kit. Results from the laboratory and field-kit protocols were nearly identical (R2 = 0.98), as were those from an inter-laboratory sample exchange (R2 = 0.91). The active soil C measured by the new procedure was more sensitive to management effects than total organic C, and more closely related to biologically mediated soil properties, such as respiration, microbial biomass and aggregation, than several other measures of soil organic C.

This study reviews the literature on consumer preferences and willingness to pay for pork produced through alternative methods, such as natural and organic production, It finds evidence suggesting that many consumers are willing to pay relatively high premiums for natural and organic pork. Furthermore, research is found which suggests that such premiums can be expected to persist into the foreseeable future. This study also investigates the degree to which such premiums are transmitted to pork producers and finds anecdotal evidence suggesting that natural and organic pork producers receive modest premiums as well as more stable pricing overall. This paper then discusses the marketing efforts needed and impediments to supplying the natural and organic markets for pork. The overall perspective provided by this paper is that natural and organic production may be viable alternatives to more capital-intensive production for many small-scale producers.

Wind erosion is a serious environmental problem in the inland Pacific Northwest, US. In addition to onfarm damage to soil and crop quality, it causes off-farm damage, including human respiratory illness, traffic accidents and diminished recreational values. Three key practices for effectively controlling wind erosion in eastern Washington are reduced tillage, continuous spring cropping and vegetative wind strips. Although these are effective in controlling wind erosion, their adoption by farmers in the region has been slow. Technology adoption theory has been classified into three paradigms: income, utility and innovation-adoption. This study on adoption of wind erosion control practices draws from all three paradigms. However, unlike most past research, this study distinguishes between single-practice adopters and multiple-practice adopters, and compares single-practice adopters with zero-practice adopters. Data were obtained from a random sample survey of 266 farmers in six semi-arid counties in a region of east-central Washington State prone to wind erosion. Statistical results revealed: (1) that adopters of multiple conservation practices contrast more sharply with non-adopters than do adopters of a single conservation practice; and (2) adopters of a single practice differ more from zero-practice adopters than they do from all other farmers (including adopters of other practices). More specifically, this study recognizes heterogeneity among ‘adopters’ in erosion control, and suggests that there may be some hierarchy among adopters in strength of innovation. It also supports earlier findings-by sociologists that early adopters have more financial resources or larger farms and that education may aid adoption. Adopters were more aware of an erosion control educational program. Multiple-practice adopters are a distinct identifiable group, who may play a key role as innovators who can influence neighbors to adopt effective conservation practices. These individuals also possess unique information on the comparative cost, yields and technical challenges of alternative conservation practices that could be used on farms with similar soil and climatic conditions. Knowledge of the attributes associated with innovative multiple-practice adopters may permit soil conservation policymakers and field staff to target educational programs more accurately during the early stages of technology dissemination. Conservation-practice dissemination strategies may benefit by including innovative farmers in leadership roles in the initial stage of conservation education programs.

Cover crops have long been recognized as a beneficial component of many cropping systems; however, their use is still not commonplace. Usage may be increased by identifying more cost-effective and environment-friendly techniques for cover-crop management. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of using a mechanical roller-crimper as-an alternative method for killing cover crops. The study location was in east-central Alabama, using a split-split plot experimental design with four replications and 3 site-years during 1999–2000. Rye, wheat and black oat were evaluated in terms of ease of kill and optimum time of kill using a roller-crimper, two herbicides (paraquat and glyphosate) at their labeled rate, and two reduced chemical (half label rate) combinations of the same chemicals with the roller-crimper. Four Feekes' scale growth stages were used to determine optimum time of kill; 8.0 (flag leaf), 10.51 (anthesis), 10.54 (early milk) and 11.2 (soft dough). Plant growth stage was the main determining factor for effectiveness of the roller-crimper for killing the cover crops. At the flag leaf stage, the roller-crimper provided only 19% kill across all covers over the 3 site-years. After plants reached anthesis, the roller-crimper with half-rate herbicide combinations equaled the effectiveness of herbicides alone at their label rate, averaging 94% kill. By the soft dough growth stage, all kill methods were equally effective due to accelerating plant senescence (95% mean kill across kill methods). Use of the roller-crimper alone after anthesis can decrease costs by as much as $26.28 per ha, while providing a kill rate equivalent to that of herbicide treatment alone.

Recent studies have suggested that farmers' markets are increasingly important contributors to the economic development of rural and urban communities in the US. Yet, little is known about the specific ways and the extent to which farmers' markets contribute to developing their vendors' capacities as entrepreneurs or affect vendors' business success. In this study, we examine the capacities of farmers' market vendors in three states—New York, Iowa and California—and associated entrepreneurial outcomes. In particular, we explore how vendors' business activities and capacities are associated with different sizes of enterprises. A mail survey of up to 400 vendors, from 20 markets in each state, was conducted in 1999 to examine factors associated with business outcomes and vendor capacities. The importance of farmers' markets to small-, medium- and large-size enterprises and the particular contributions that have been most helpful to vendors were identified. Small-scale enterprises are still the most numerous at farmers' markets, making up almost 56% of all vendors. More than half of these enterprises are operated by part-time farmers or market gardeners. We found that the small enterprises had both less business and market experience, and sell at markets closer to home than do medium and large enterprises. Although these vendors with small enterprises have engaged in fewer entrepreneurial activities, made fewer business contacts and acquired fewer skills at farmers' markets, compared to medium and large enterprises they were more likely to consider farmers' markets to be their most important business development opportunity. Although, for these small enterprises, participating informers' markets may not yield financial gains as large as those gained by medium- and large-scale vendors, farmers' markets may be one of the few options for entrepreneurs to maintain and/or enhance their market niche in a community. Key information needs of small-, medium- and large-size enterprises are described, as well as suggestions for ways in which local educational institutions, Cooperative Extension, government agencies and nonprofit organizations can help support these enterprises and enhance community economic development in their regions.