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Farming
Harvest Bins for Citrus: Features to Look For
Early projections for the 2019 orange market in the U.S. predicted a rebound in production compared to the previous year. Nearly 5 million tons of the fruit were forecast to be picked by the end of the season.
Farm Safety 101: Compliance with OSHA Agriculture Standards
Farm safety is a top priority among agricultural operators in the United States, but despite all efforts to the contrary, farm work remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. This danger is compounded by the peculiar nature of farming; whole families may work the same land, exposing potential caregivers to the same injuries that would render them caregivers in the first place. In other words, on an unsafe farm, whole families can be injured badly enough to lose their livelihoods.
Plastic Harvest Bins or Wood Bins: Which Should Farmers Choose?
Wood harvest bins have been the industry standard for decades, if not longer, but plastic harvest bins have been turning up in more and more fields as the seasons pass. Each material has advantages and disadvantages, but in the end, plastic is the clear winner — provided it’s the right sort of plastic.
Texas Onions: Handling the Harvest for Greater Productivity
This year’s Texas onion harvest could create huge opportunities in the export market, but only if growers move quickly. Chinese onion buyers source their products from New Zealand beginning in the early spring, and soon, Texans will be left with nothing but the domestic market.
Postharvest Handling for Organic Farming
Organic produce requires very careful postharvest-handling strategies. For good or for ill, this is a premium product, and even aesthetic compromises on quality affects its salability. More importantly, there's the food-safety issue, as improper handling at harvest can spread pathogens and other contaminants, which is clearly unacceptable for organic farmers and their customers.
3 Ways to Make Food Systems More Efficient
A food system at any scale contains all the processes, infrastructure, labor, equipment, and institutions that bring food from farm to fork. No matter how complex the supply system may be, each step along the way affects every other step. Therefore, improving efficiency on a local level can have an outsized effect on the entire food system.
Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders at Dairy Farms
All dairy farmers should provide staff with automated equipment that lifts and tilts loads. Here's why:
Dairy cows need about 90 pounds of food and between 25 and 50 gallons of water every day, according to the American Dairy Association North East. In exchange for these daily necessities, milk cows produce around six or seven gallons of milk per day — as well as 2.5 cubic feet of manure.