Responding to demands for transformed farming practices requires new forms of knowledge. Given their scale and complexity, agricultural problems can no longer be solved by linear transfers in which technology developed by specialists passes to farmers by way of extension intermediaries. Recent research on alternative approaches has focused on the innovation systems formed by interactions betwee...

INTRODUCTION Foodborne Campylobacter jejuni infection has been associated with an increased risk of autoimmune peripheral neuropathy, but risks of occupational exposure to C. jejuni have received less attention. This study compared anti-C. jejuni IgA, IgG, and IgM antibody levels, as well as the likelihood of testing positive for any of five anti-ganglioside autoantibodies, between animal farme...

Few studies of the pig production efficiency are from the perspective of animal welfare. Therefore, this study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of pig welfare levels based on survey data from 773 pig farmers from 23 counties in the Chinese provinces of Hunan, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Shanxi. This study used the Delphi method, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Data Envelopment A...

Farmers in developing countries are exposed to pesticide hazards due to unsafe handling. This study was conducted to identify the prevailing practices of pesticide use and factors affecting the handling of pesticides among the farmers of Chitwan, Nepal. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 125 farmers. None of the farmers completely followed all the protective measures. About 59% dispose...

The association between sleep and work-related injuries among Chinese farmers has not been well studied. This study examined the impact of lack of sleep on agricultural work-related injuries among farmers in China. Data were from a cross-sectional survey of farm-workers in northeastern China. Information was obtained on injuries that occurred in 12 months prior to the survey, on eight sleep-rel...

In 1996, free market Republicans and budget-cutting Democrats offered farmers a deal: accept a cut in farm subsidies and, in return, the government would promote exports in new trade deals with Latin America and in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and eliminate restrictions on planting decisions. In economic terms, farmers were asked to take on risks heretofore assumed by the government in ex...

Agriculture has undergone profound changes, and farmers face a wide variety of stressors. Our aim was to study the levels of anxiety and depression symptoms among Norwegian farmers compared with other occupational groups. Working participants in the HUNT3 Survey (The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, 2006-2008), aged 19-66.9 years, were included in this cross-sectional study. We compared farmers (wo...

Exposure to pesticides remains a major environmental health problem. Health risk from such exposure needs to be more precisely understood. We conducted three different cytogenetic assays to elucidate the biological effects of exposure to mixed pesticides in 20 Costa Rica farmers (all nonsmokers) compared with 20 matched controls. The farmers were also exposed to dibromochloropropane during the ...

Cancer risk for farmers in Denmark and Italy was studied by linking occupational census data with incidence of cancer in Denmark and with cancer mortality in Italy. Farmers in the two countries had a consistent risk reduction for cancer of the lung, bladder, small intestine, colon, rectum, and prostate. No excess of stomach cancer was found among farmers in the two countries, which is in agreem...

To improve the incomes of farmers in China, the Chinese government is paying increased attention to the reform of its agricultural subsidy policy. However, the effectiveness of the subsidy remains insufficient and thus fails to encourage farmers to cultivate their land and develop sustainability. Thus, there is a need for a novel model that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of subsi...