Welcome to MOspace
The MOspace Institutional Repository is an online repository for creative and scholarly works and other resources created by faculty, students, and staff at the University of Missouri--Columbia and the University of Missouri--Kansas City. MOspace makes these resources freely available on the web and assures their preservation for the future.
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Item Cruzando la frontera sur : trabajadores con visa TN al descubierto, ahora mejor comprendidos(University of Missouri--Columbia. Extension Division, 2025)"Cuando era gerente de una granja de cerdas con 10.000 vientres y una unidad de desarrollo de 3.000 cerdas de reemplazo al otro lado de la calle en el este de Carolina del Norte, era muy diffcil reclutar y retener empleados en esta area. A medida que disminuyen las poblaciones rurales y menos j6venes estadounidenses buscan carreras en la agricultura, los productores se enfrentan a una creciente escasez de mano de obra. Hace unos 10 af\os, hubo un cambio radical: el programa de visa TN, una vfa legal que permite a los profesionales mexicanos trabajar en los EE. UU. en campos especfficos, incluida la agricultura. Despues de eso, la granja funcion6 con casi todo el personal complete y el equipo se volvi6 mas estable. Estos son profesionales con visa TN de Mexico, y son vitales para el complejo sistema porcine en todo Estados Unidos." -- first pageItem Calculating the value of manure as a fertilizer source(University of Missouri--Columbia. Extension Division, 2025)"Manure has value on a field if it offsets the need to purchase other nutrients or soil amendments. The worksheet in this guide allows users to calculate the fertilizer value of the manure for a specific field. Assemble the information specified in the input form (Table 1) before completing the worksheet (Table 2). An example scenario is described and is followed by a completed worksheet (Table 3) based on its inputs. Manure has characteristics that may reduce its value relative to that of commercial chemical fertilizers. Manure can be a less dependable nitrogen source and is perceived as a source of weed seeds. Because manure is an unbalanced fertilizer source, using it may meet crop needs for one nutrient but result in application of too much or too little of other crop nutrients. Low nutrient concentration in manure increases handling and application costs. Manure has positive attributes as well: It is a slow-release fertilizer, and the organic material can improve soil quality. The worksheet in this guide determines the value of manure considering only its value as a nutrient source, similar to commercial chemical fertilizers. The actual economic value of manure sold to a farmer is a result of negotiation between the manure seller and the buyer considering the fertilizer value adjusted for recognized positive and negative qualities of using manure as a fertilizer." -- first pageItem Permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) : a sensitive indicator of reactive soil carbon(University of Missouri--Columbia. Extension Division, 2025)"Soil organic matter (SOM) influences nutrient cycling, water retention, and biological activity, which is a cornerstone of soil health. Total soil organic carbon (SOC) constitutes about 58% of SOM. Total SOC is an important long-term measure of soil quality, but it changes slowly and may not reflect the impact of recent changes in crop management. Permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC}, also referred to as reactive carbon, is a widely used indicator for assessing the reactive fraction of total SOC, which is the portion of carbon most readily available for microbial metabolism and nutrient cycling (Weil et al., 2003; Culman et al., 2013). Typically, POXC accounts for 1-4% of total SOC (Culman et al., 2012; Hurisso et al., 2016)." -- first pageItem Crossing the Southern border : TN-visa workers unveiled, now better understood(University of Missouri--Columbia. Extension Division, 2025)"When I was sow farm manager in a 10,000-head unit with a 3,000 gilt-developer unit across the road in eastern North Carolina, it was very challenging to recruit and retain employees in this area. As rural populations decline and fewer young Americans pursue careers in agriculture, producers are facing a growing labor shortage. Around 10 years ago, there was a game changer: the TN-visa program-a legal pathway that allows Mexican professionals to work in the U.S. in specific fields, including agriculture. After that, the farm ran almost fully staffed, and the crew became more stable. These are TN-visa professionals from Mexico, and they are vital for the very complex swine system across the United States. Nonetheless, little is known about their demographics, previous experience, and professional motivations. Therefore, there was an initiative to conduct research on this unique Hispanic employee population. A recent multi-state survey led by the University of Missouri, in partnership with several land-grant universities, offers a closer look at this workforce. In total, 260 TN-visa professionals were surveyed using a bilingual tool with a mixed approach-in-person and online, covering fifteen states in the country. The findings reveal interesting facts that can be used to develop bilingual training opportunities, improve management approaches, and create conditions that can better support them to increase retention." -- first pageItem Multicolored Asian lady beetle(University of Missouri--Columbia. Extension Division, 2025)"Throughout much of the country, the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) has become an unwanted houseguest, especially during the spring and fall months. Adult individuals can be quite diverse in size, color, and spotting. They are usually about one-quarter inch long, oval in shape and about four-fifths as wide as they are long. The color of the wing covers (the domelike shell over most of the body) can range from beige to yellow to yellowish orange to bright reddish orange; a few individuals may even appear mostly black. They are adorned with anywhere from Oto 21 black spots, but 19 is most commonly seen (Figure 1 ). The area just behind the head and in front of the wing covers is white with a black M-shaped mark. From 1916 to the late 1970s, scientists attempted to introduce this species to agricultural areas throughout the United States and Canada because of its great value as a biological control agent. The first individuals were found in Missouri in 1979. The Asian lady beetle is a very beneficial insect during the growing season because both the larval and adult stages feed on aphids, mealybugs, scale and other soft-bodied insects that infest many important crops and plants." -- first page
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