Library Home: AGRICULTURE: Start Here

Case Study: Research and Evaluation of "Advice" in farming. Cover crops, intercropping, and relay cropping.

Let's say you hear something on the radio, and think "I wonder if that would be good for my farm?" You can Google it, but then what? Here is an example. I recently saw this article:

Some farmers are using this new, experimental practice to help prevent flooding (kcur.org)
"Harvesting two crops with overlapping growing periods is called “relay intercropping.” It’s rare to see on farms in the U.S., but a group of farmers, researchers and policymakers say it could help reduce flooding in fields and downstream. Under the right market and weather conditions, this practice could also bump up farmers’ profit margins."

For those of us who are risk-averse, it makes sense to watch what other farmers are doing, and learn from their experiences. Here are Google searches to tap into cropping conversations.

These are popularity searches, the webpages that the most people have noticed, with some ranking according to Google's idea of what will provide the best customers for the highest spending advertisers.

Wisc-Online Learning Objects

Artificial Intelligence News

FVTC Library Guide: Artificial Intelligence (AI) News, Resources, and Tools
When you need FACTS / RESEARCH GRADE materials : Use EBSCO Discovery Search (EDS) See examples below:
BROAD SEARCH: ARTIFICIAL intelligence and Agriculture
NARROWER SEARCH: ChatGPT or CHATBOTS and Agriculture
Not all authoritative information is available in a peer-reviewed article. Try these general newsletters for the latest news.:
AgWeek Newsletter
Farm Progress Newsletters
Wisconsin Agriculturist Morning Update
Wisconsin Farm Bureau: Agriculture News & Farm Newsletter

EXAMPLE SEARCHES BY FORMAT (Articles, Books, Videos, Internet)

MyFVTC Access Only

Resources from FVTC Library Subscriptions
CATALOG Search for articles, books, dvds, etc. Example search for "research"
Use Photo ID to borrow (check out) items.
Public Access
INTERNET SEACRH EXAMPLE: site:edu for "artificial intelligence OR ai OR a.i."
Results will include only websites allowed to use .edu (education) domain.
Authoritative when posted by departments or professors with a reputation to risk.
INTERNET SEARCH EXAMPLE: site:gov for "artificial intelligence OR ai OR a.i."
Results will include only websites allowed to use .gov (government) domain.
A source of data, statistics, guides, definitions, procedures, etc.
Compare with .org and .edu as well as .au, .uk and other international government statistics.
Risk vs Gain
>>>> Ask: What do they GAIN by getting you to act on their information?
If the gain is significantly higher than the potential risk from using biased information, take that into consideration.
>>>> Ask: What do they RISK by giving you misleading information?
Institutions that have a reputation to risk are more apt to be careful about the authority and integrity of information they share and promote.
See Also: Propaganda (intentionally biased)

AGRICULTURE

Case Study: Research and Evaluation of "Advice" in farming. Cover crops, intercropping, and relay cropping.

Wisc-Online Learning Objects

Artificial Intelligence News

EXAMPLE SEARCHES BY FORMAT (Articles, Books, Videos, Internet)

MyFVTC Access Only

Public Access

Risk vs Gain