Agricultural Counties Research Articles

Study on the path of comprehensive reform and development of the People's Hospital of Shimian County.

The People's Hospital of Shimian County is located in the underdeveloped agricultural county of western China with a population of 120,000. In light of the region's geographic location and cultural characteristics, the hospital has laid out a development strategy of becoming a regional healthcare service center-in Shimian and extends services to surrounding regions. Its reform process would start with the overhaul of the personnel system to rejuvenate the hospital's internal operation, and then move towards more comprehensive reforms on corporate governance structure and trans-regional integration of medical resources. On the basis of constructing a digital hospital, we would build an information platform to explore the 'Shimian model' of information-based healthcare reform through regional medical coordination and whole-sector oversight. An appropriate strategy and development roadmap, comprehensively internal and external reforms and persistent culture building, as well as the use of information technology will help put the hospital onto a track of fast and healthy development and in the right direction of healthcare reform that accords with our national circumstances. This article makes a review, summary and analysis of the process and further discusses about how to overhaul the healthcare system through reform and development.

Merging remote sensing data and national agricultural statistics to model change in irrigated agriculture

Over 22 million hectares (ha) of U.S. croplands are irrigated. Irrigation is an intensified agricultural land use that increases crop yields and the practice affects water and energy cycles at, above, and below the land surface. Until recently, there has been a scarcity of geospatially detailed information about irrigation that is comprehensive, consistent, and timely to support studies tying agricultural land use change to aquifer water use and other factors. This study shows evidence for a recent overall net expansion of 522 thousand ha across the U.S. (2.33%) and 519 thousand ha (8.7%) in irrigated cropped area across the High Plains Aquifer (HPA) from 2002 to 2007. In fact, over 97% of the net national expansion in irrigated agriculture overlays the HPA. We employed a modeling approach implemented at two time intervals (2002 and 2007) for mapping irrigated agriculture across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS). We utilized U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) county statistics, satellite imagery, and a national land cover map in the model. The model output, called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Irrigated Agriculture Dataset for the U.S. (MIrAD-US), was then used to reveal relatively detailed spatial patterns of irrigation change across the nation and the HPA. Causes for the irrigation increase in the HPA are complex, but factors include crop commodity price increases, the corn ethanol industry, and government policies related to water use. Impacts of more irrigation may include shifts in local and regional climate, further groundwater depletion, and increasing crop yields and farm income.

The impacts of alternative patterns of urbanization on greenhouse gas emissions in an agricultural county

Different patterns of urban development may have widely varying long-term effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To investigate such effects, we used UPlan geographic information system–based software to model three 2050 urban-growth scenarios for Yolo County, a predominantly agricultural area near Sacramento, California. Two scenarios correspond to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s A2 and B1 storylines. We also added a third, infill-only scenario called AB32-Plus that assumes continued strong climate change policy in California and highly compact urban development. Results show dramatically different levels of GHG emissions from transportation and residential-building energy use in the three scenarios, especially when compact urban development is combined with strong assumptions about energy efficiency and population. The preservation of farmland is also an important climate mitigation and adaptation benefit of the compact-development alternative.

Application of a SWAT Model for Hydrological Modeling in the Xixian Watershed, China

Water scarcity in Huaihe River, the sixth largest river in China, is stressed by the changing climate and intense human activities, especially in the headwater area. Xixian, situated in the upper reaches of the Huai River, is an important agricultural county with a population of more than one million people, and nearly one billion kg of crop yield every year. The projected climate changes and increasing population are expected to further complicate the utilization of already stressed water resources, endangering the agricultural activities in this area. There is pressing need for a watershed model to better understand the interaction between land use activities and hydrologic processes and to support sustainable water use. This study evaluated the performance of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for hydrologic modeling in the Xixian basin; three methods of calibration and uncertainty analysis (sequential uncertainty fitting, generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation, and parameter solution) were compared and used to set up the model. The results showed that SWAT performs well in the Xixian River basin, that the hydrological water balance analysis of the basin indicated that base flow is an important aspect of the total discharge within the study area, and that more than 60% of the annual precipitation is lost through evapotranspiration. The calibrated model can be used to further analyze the effects of climate and land use changes and to investigate the effects of different cultivation styles and management scenarios on local water resources.

Agriculural Pesticide Use Near Public Schools in California

Background California produces nearly half of all U.S.-grown fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and uses approximately ¼ of all U.S. agricultural pesticides. Children are more susceptible to pesticide toxicity compared to adults, due to differences in behavior affecting exposure, physiological development, and body size. Little is known about the types and amounts of pesticides applied near public schools in California. Aims We aimed to quantify the amounts of pesticides used in agricultural applications near schools, as well as to describe the populations attending schools with the most pesticide use nearby. Methods Quantities of pesticides of concern (carcinogens, reproductive and developmental toxicants, cholinesterase inhibitors, toxic air contaminants, fumigants, and pesticides of emerging concern) were assessed near public schools in the top 15 agricultural counties for 2010. Pesticide data were linked to highly refined field polygons and digitized boundaries of 2,858 schools to estimate use within ¼ mile of school boundaries. Results 36% of schools had pesticides applied within ¼ mile. The top four pesticides by poundage were the fumigants chloropicrin, 1,3-DCP, methyl bromide, and metam sodium. Of the top 10 pesticides identified, six are designated as “restricted materials,” making them eligible for additional regulation at the county level. Eight of these top 10 had a chemical persistence of more than a week. Hispanic children were 46% more likely than White children to attend schools with pesticides of concern applied nearby. Conclusions This study found that fumigants were the most common type of pesticide applied near public schools in agricultural areas in California. These fumigants are of concern due to their neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, and drift potential. Ongoing surveillance of these compounds near schools and other potentially sensitive locations is needed in order to understand trends, usage patterns, and potential for children’s exposure.

Strategies on Accelerating Agricultural Modernization-taking Tongnan County as an Example

Agricultural modernization is organically integrated with the development of industrialization and urbanization. Agricultural modernization is the key and difficult point in the simultaneous development with Chinese characteristics industrialization, informatization and urbanization. This study takes Tongnan county as an example and analyzes the measures and strategies to step up agricultural modernization from perspectives of organizational leadership and assessment, spatial layout and base industries, creative demonstration and scientific popularization, information circulation system, policy support and incentive mechanism and innovation of Financial insurance cooperation organization, with aiming to accelerate agricultural modernization, enhance the fast increase in farmers' income, improve rural living condition and promote the synchronous development of industrialization, informationization, urbanization and agricultural modernization.

Estimating sustainable crop residue removal rates and costs based on soil organic matter dynamics and rotational complexity

The government of Ontario, Canada, has committed to stopping the use of coal for electrical generation by 2014 and agricultural biomass is being considered as replacement. However, there is limited information on whether the annual 2 million Mg of biomass required to replace coal could be sustainably supplied by agriculture and at what costs. This study assesses the sustainable availability and the farm-gate break-even cost of residue biomass from three crops (corn, soybean and winter wheat) grown under two common rotation scenarios in Ontario. Sustainably removable residue (SRR) rates are determined using a five-step approach that accounts for maintenance soil organic matter (MSOM) in the presence of yield and rotation variations across counties. Under typical SOM formation and decomposition conditions and assuming typical corn-soybean and corn-soybean-winter wheat rotation scenarios, about 1.1 million Mg of residue could be sustainably removed each year, primarily from the major agricultural counties in the province. While rotational complexity enhances SRR, the inclusion of soybean decreases available residue compared to corn and winter wheat. The break-even price for crop residues, representing the minimum price necessary to cover all variable and fixed costs for the farmer, is between $57 Mg−1 and $87 Mg−1. However, the actual amount supplied for each biomass price depends critically on the opportunity costs associated with not growing typical crops in the conventional manner.

The impact of petrochemical industrialisation on health: an 11-year longitudinal study

BackgroundMany Asian countries have adopted petrochemical industries as an important strategy for economic growth, yet the economic benefits and health impacts of air pollution by this industry have not been well studied. This study aimed to examine the long-term adverse effects of petrochemical industrialisation in Taiwan on the health and income per capita of people living in nearby communities. MethodsThis study compared life expectancy and income per capita between two formerly agricultural counties, one that has industrialised and one that has not. The comparisons covered four time periods across 11 years. Data from before and after a petrochemical company started operating in the industrialised county (in 1999) were compared. Variables of interest (differences in life expectancy and income per capita between the two counties) and time were also analysed by first-order autoregression correlation structure. FindingsResidents of the industrialised county experienced smaller increases in life expectancy over time than did residents of a similar but less industrialised county, with mean differences ranging from 0·89 years (p<0·05) to 1·62 years (p<0·001) at different period of times. Male residents were more vulnerable to the effects of industrialisation. Using autoregression, the yearly increase in life expectancy of the industrialised county over the past 11 years was 0·084 (p<0·001) years less than that of the agricultural county. For income per capita, there was no statistically significant difference between the two counties (p=0·9). InterpretationCountries, including Taiwan and the USA, that embrace high-emission industries now face the challenges of environmental injustice. Our findings suggested that life expectancy increases were slowed and income growth was stalled for residents living in in the vicinity of an active petrochemical operation. FundingNational Science Council of Taiwan, grant numbers NSC 96-2314-B-002-003 and NSC 97-2314-B-002-075-MY3.

The Impacts of the Tax-Deferred Exchange Provision on Farm Real Estate Values

This study examines the effects of the Section 1031 tax-deferred exchange provision on agricultural land values. The provision allows taxpayers to defer taxation for relinquished productive assets if a like-kind asset is acquired within the allotted time of 180 days. The analysis examines a set of 3,580 farm real estate transaction from 55 agricultural counties in Indiana over the period 2003–2006. Hedonic price analysis suggests that properties acquired under a like-kind exchange are associated with a 1.32% price premium. <i>(JEL H23, Q15)</i>

Hirelings: African American Workers and Free Labor in Early Maryland by Jennifer Hull Dorsey (review)

Hirelings: African American Workers and Free Labor in Early Maryland. By Jennifer Hull Dorsey. (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2011. Pp. 224. Cloth, $45.00.)Reviewed by Jewel SpanglerJennifer Hull Dorsey means to fill what she calls an inexplicable gap in African American studies by closely examining relationship between First Emancipation and the nascent wage labor in early national countryside (ix). Drawing her inspiration from predominant strains in Reconstruction historiography, Dorsey reveals much about working lives of free and freed post- Revolutionary African Americans in agricultural counties of Maryland's upper Eastern Shore, as well as exploring familiar, closely related themes of migration, family, and community.It is well known that Maryland's farmers and planters began to shift from tobacco to commercial grain production (and, to a lesser extent, other foodstuffs) well before American Revolution, and concomitantly were increasingly drawn into economic orbit of Baltimore and Philadelphia, from which these crops were shipped to Atlantic and Caribbean markets. While slave labor initially produced much of this agricultural surplus, rural free labor expanded after independence. Manumissions rose after war, and Marylanders, unlike other southerners, left process virtually unregulated for a long period. This meant immediate freedom for some, and emergence of a complex system of self-purchase, redemption, and term slavery for others, and created an unusual potential labor force of slaves, freedmen, free born, and those in transition to freedom.Organized thematically, Hirelings turns first to question of work. Rural Marylanders enjoyed rising grain prices between 1790s and 1810s that put free African American labor in demand. Some became cottagers, but wage labor was more typical. Grain production masculinized in this period, and rural freedwomen's wage-labor opportunities became limited largely to spinning and miscellaneous farm work. Some free people also made a living from nonagricultural work in household production, trades, herding, peddling, and transportation and service occupations. In many respects, free African Americans faced limits to economic opportunity reminiscent of challenges of Reconstruction. Economic independence through land ownership was an unattainable dream for most, and manumission itself, Dorsey illustrates, was contingent upon slaveholders' belief that ex-slaves would remain an integral part of labor force that benefitted, and was controlled by, landholders.Turning to migration, this book demonstrates that, as with general emancipation in 1860s, some early national freedpeople sought to improve their economic lot by relocating. Dorsey illustrates emergence of a regional labor market that enticed predominantly young adult men and women to leave home singly, in search of more desirable work in urban centers or neighboring counties. Others migrated out of United States entirely (to Africa or Caribbean) in this period, typically traveling in family groups. While during Reconstruction ex-slaves used migration as a tool of labor negotiation, Dorsey's findings suggest that continuation of slavery in early republic reduced effectiveness of this tactic.Slavery's interference with free labor negotiations is nowhere clearer than in Dorsey's discussion of family and community. She examines how ex-slaves and their children fought to build autonomous households and contributions of religious institutions (especially AME Church) to emergence of sustained free African American communities in region. …

Indoor and outdoor particulate matter and endotoxin concentrations in an intensely agricultural county.

The objectives of this study were to characterize rural populations' indoor and outdoor exposure to particulate matter (PM)(10), PM(2.5), and endotoxin and identify factors that influence these concentrations. Samples were collected at 197 rural households over five continuous days between 2007 and 2011. Geometric mean (GM) indoor PM(10) (21.2 μg/m(3)) and PM(2.5) (12.2 μg/m(3)) concentrations tended to be larger than outdoor PM(10) (19.6 μg/m(3)) and PM(2.5) (8.2 μg/m(3)) concentrations (PM(10) P=0.086; PM(2.5) P<0.001). Conversely, GM outdoor endotoxin concentrations (1.93 EU/m(-3)) were significantly larger than indoor (0.32 EU/m(3); P<0.001). Compared with measurements from previous urban studies, indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM(10) and PM(2.5) in the study area tended to be smaller, whereas ambient endotoxin concentrations measured outside rural households were 3-10 times larger. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, seasonality did not have a significant effect on mean ambient PM(10) concentrations; however, endotoxin concentrations in the autumn were almost seven times larger than winter. Excluding home cleanliness, the majority of agricultural and housing characteristics evaluated were found to be poorly associated with indoor and outdoor particulate and endotoxin concentrations.

Assessment of the Sustainability Degree of Agricultural Holdings in Macroregion 1 Using the IDEA Method

Assessing the sustainability degree in quantitative terms has been attempted in variousways, from different points of view – mainly environmental or social. The IDEA method (Indicatorsof Agricultural Holding Sustainability) is a method by which the sustainability of agricultural holdingsis evaluated in a complex way, simultaneously from three points of view: environmental, social andeconomic. The method comprises 10 sustainability components, grouped by three levels: agroecological,socio-territorial and socio-economic, summing up 41 complex indicators, consisting ofover 100 aggregate indicators. Depending on the scores obtained by each component and at each level(the maximum score at each level is 100), the sustainability level of each holding can be estimated, foreach component and level separately, and finally for the holding as an entity as such. The paper ispresenting the results of the evaluation of the sustainability in some agricultural holdings interviewedin counties in Macroregion 1, as part of a comprehensive survey in 800 farms all over Romania.

Farmland changes and the driving forces in Yucheng, North China Plain

Taking Yucheng, a typical agricultural county in Shandong Province as a case, this study applied Logistic regression models to spatially identify factors affecting farmland changes. Using two phases of high resolution imageries in 2001 and 2009, the study obtained the land use and farmland change data in 2001-2009. It was found that the farmland was reduced by 5.14% in the period, mainly due to the farmland conversion to forest land and built-up land, although part of forest land and unused land was converted to farmland. The results of Logistic regressions indicated that location, population growth and farmer income were main factors affecting the farmland conversion, while soil types and pro-curvature were main natural factors controlling the distribution of farmland changes. Regional differences and temporal-spatial variables of farmland changes affected fitting capability of the Logistic regression models. The ROC fitting test indicated that the Logistic regression models gave a good explanation of the regional land-use changes. Logistic regression analysis is a good tool to identify major factors affecting land use change by quantifying the contribution of each factor.

Methodology for agricultural and rural NPS pollution in a typical county of the North China Plain

Agricultural non-point source (NPS) pollution has been recently identified by the Chinese government as a major source of aquatic pollution. Methodologies commonly used to make basin-wide or area-wide assessments are problematic and regional distinctions have not been made relative to rainfall and runoff. Using a typical agricultural county in the Hai River basin of the North China Plan we developed methodology to estimate potential load and delivered load for crops (field crops + rice), animal production, rural living and from atmospheric N input. We use scenarios to allow for uncertainty in delivery to estimate the relative roles of different rural forms of pollution. Livestock raising is the major source of NPS pollution. Despite a 75% rural population, rural living contributes almost nothing to surface water pollution. While over-fertilization is typical, nutrient runoff from crops is low. Our results have implications for policies now under development for NPS control in China.

Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Storages Changes in a China's Modern Agricultural Ecosystem

Agricultural modernization is changing nutrients biogeochemical cycles in soil as well as regional and global environmental changes. Taking a typical agricultural county of as an example, the article studied the changes of topsoil (0~20cm) bulk, contents and storages of organic carbon and total nitrogen in an agricultural county of North China due to agricultural reform process from 1983-2004, by taking soil samples and experimental determination. The results showed that soil pH decreased, bulk increased lightly, the contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen significantly increased by 70% and 133% respectively, and the storages of organic carbon and total nitrogen in the county increased by 72% and 113% respectively from traditional agriculture to modern. Agricultural modernization including heavy chemical fertilizers inputs, machine irrigation and agricultural mechanizations were the important factors driving these changes.

Sunbelt by the Sea

Histories of the Sunbelt have tended to overlook the emergence of leisure and tourism-based economies and their transformative effects on coastal populations and ecosystems. This article follows the demise of Princess Anne County, Virginia, a rural, agricultural county in tidewater Virginia, and the rise of Virginia Beach, the “world’s largest resort city,” from the early twentieth century to the present, as experienced by the African Americans who lived, and worked on, and steadily lost, the land. Through this case study, the author outlines a framework for analyzing the social and environmental dimensions of the Sunbelt revolution and for locating the place of coastal metropolises in the making of modern American political culture. It shows how contests over municipal incorporation and land use and development policy deeply informed civil and property rights movements on a local level, while also underscoring the extent to which these two movements shaped and influenced each other. By drawing attention to the conditions and outlooks of African American farmers, small landowners, and service workers in the twentieth-century coastal South, this article also highlights broader changes in the political economy and ecology of race, space, and power that accompanied the rise of the Sunbelt, and shows how these changes were mediated through leisure space and leisure-based economies.

End-of-Life Care for Rural-Dwelling Older Adults and Their Primary Family Caregivers

Older adults dying from chronic illness in rural areas are understudied and of concern because of their limited access to health services. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the perspectives of primary family caregivers regarding experiences with formal and informal care at the end of life for dying older adults in one rural, agricultural county. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 caregivers following the death of an older relative. Major themes that emerged from the data were the benefits and challenges associated with care services. Benefits included neighbors, friends, and other volunteers who offered household help and provided respite care. Challenges included limited resources for continuity of care, geographical service boundaries, and lack of knowledge about end-of-life care by paid caregivers. Further research that addresses the perspective of rural service providers is needed to better understand the benefits and challenges of end-of-life care in this setting.

Fire Investigations and Analyses for a Typical Agricultural County in Yunlin, Taiwan

Investigation of fire accidents is a primary and imperative procedure for human disaster prevention. It engages with the development on the planning program for disaster preventive-remedy and salvage in a city (or a county), and helps to mitigate this calamity effectively in the future, even for a nation. In this study, we investigated and analyzed fire accidents for one of typical rural areas in Asia–Yunlin county, Taiwan, from January, 2003 to August, 2005. This study deals with the statistical data from the Fire-Fighting Department, Yunlin county, Taiwan, including the frequency/probability, potential hazard grades of fire cases within its 20 administrative divisions, and fire occurrence causes, locations, times, divisions, etc., along with comprehensive surveys on the property damage and casualties in Yunlin county during these years. The analytical outcomes indicated that the higher the population concentration (Douliou city, Huwei town, Siluo town and Beigang town), the greater the probability for fire disasters for Yunlin county. This study could help develop corresponding strategies of fire prevention for an agricultural county and even promulgate related regulations to avoid future fire mishaps.

Racial Threat or Racial Contact? How Race Affected Third-Party Presidential Voting in the Antebellum North*

Objective. In this study, the “racial threat” and “racial contact” hypotheses are evaluated in relation to voting for the Liberty and Free Soil Parties in the North during the 1840s. Methods. Regression models are used to predict the effect of county-level black populations on Liberty and Free Soil vote percentages in relation to types of employment. Results. Racial threat occurred in high manufacturing counties, but racial contact/threat emerged in more agricultural counties. The effects vary by party and region of the North. Conclusion. The effects of racial context on political behavior during this era are mixed, much like modern political studies have uncovered.

Changes of Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Storages under Modern Industrialization in a Rural Landscape of North China Plain

Modern industrialization pushes agricultural modernization, which is changing nutrients biogeochemical cycles in soil as well as regional and global environmental changes. Taking a typical agricultural county of North China Plain as an example, the article, choosing initial stage (year 1983), middle stage (year 1990) and modern stage (year 2004) of agricultural modernization across agricultural reform process, studied soil pH, bulk, contents and storages of organic carbon and total nitrogen, by taking soil samples and experimental determination. During recent 20 years from traditional agriculture to modern in the region, soil pH decreased, bulk increased lightly, the contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen significantly increased by 70% and 133% respectively, and the storages of organic carbon and total nitrogen in whole county increased by 72% and 113% respectively, with rapider increase rates after 1990. Modern industrial technologies applied to agriculture, including large quantity of chemical fertilizers inputs, modern machine irrigation and agricultural mechanizations, were the main causes reduced these changes.