Overview

What is RSS? |

Agricultural producers face a growing array of regulatory pressures, including those related to air quality. CSREES seeks to provide sound science that protects the environment while maintaining a viable agricultural production system. This is primarily a research program, which focuses on developing emission data for agricultural production practices and improving what we know about the measurement, control, fate, and transport of odor, gases, and particulate matter. This research also studies emissions and reduction of other greenhouse gases, such as nitrous oxide and methane. Its outreach activities include transferring technologies and best practices to producers and the regulatory community to lessen the production and transport of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

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In Focus

• A series of agricultural air quality research papers, introduced at a CSREES-sponsored workshop, are chosen for special publication in an environmental journal.
• CSREES has awarded $5 million in air quality grants to develop and evaluate emission control technologies and data for agriculture production practices.
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service PDF report spotlights sources of increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition and impacts on native species and ecosystem balance.
• A National Science and Technology Council air quality research subcommittee report makes note of CSREES air quality program goals and contributions.
• Eight land-grant universities are participating in nationwide EPA air emissions study of poultry, dairy, and swine animal feeding operations.
• CSREES-funded Texas A&M University researcher receives Presidential Early Career Award for air quality work on dust emissions from cattle feed lots.


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Partnerships

• CSREES coordinates air quality research with the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) air quality subcommittee.
• CSREES participates in the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, a federal advisory committee on agricultural air quality issues.
• CSREES funds CAAQES, the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science--engaged in research, technology transfer, and educational programs.


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Events

• Competitive Grants Grantsmanship Workshops, Washington, DC/Salt Lake City, UT, September/October, 2008.
• Galaxy III Conference: "Celebrating the Extension System: Strengths, Diversity, and Unique Qualities," Indianapolis, IN, September 15-19, 2008.
• National Atmospheric Deposition Program 2008 Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium: "30 Years of Network Operations," Madison, WI , October 14-16, 2008.

Selected Results and Impacts

• CSREES funded research into odor, dust, and gaseous emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations in Texas and Kansas.
• CSREES-funded research in the Columbia Plateau has demonstrated that continuous annual no-till cropping can reduce dust emissions during severe winds.
• Research funded by CSREES looked into agricultural sources of PM-10 and ozone precursors on VOC and ammonia emissions in California and Texas.


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Resources

• ARB Fact Sheet: Air Pollution Sources, Effects and Control, California Air Resource Board. Information on sources and effects of air pollution.
• Air Quality Index (AQI)--AIRNow, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Information on how clean the air is and how it might affect one's health.
• Agricultural Air Emissions Effects on Water Quality, National Agricultural Library, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS). A bibliography of citations.


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Contacts

Raymond Knighton