NCCC_OLD9: MWPS:Research and Extension Educational Materials
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCCC_OLD9: MWPS:Research and Extension Educational Materials
Duration: 10/01/2004 to 09/30/2009
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The mission of MWPS is to enhance the outreach, research, and teaching programs of the Land-Grant universities of the North Central Region by developing and distributing resources to support educational programs. These materials should be based on the coordinated recommendations of the Extension and Research units of the participating institutions and should include publications relevant to engineering, agriculture, natural resources, rural living, and other issues Land-Grant universities address.
MWPS was originally developed in 1929 as a mechanism by which the land-grant universities of the North Central Region could convey building plans and information about building plans to the public. Over the years, MWPS has evolved into a cooperative agency that provides educational materials to a wide variety of disciplines. In addition to meeting its historical goal of providing information about issues related to agricultural engineering, MWPS also produces information about dairy science, beef cattle production, farm business management, and agricultural economics. These publications provide a vehicle to publish research findings and facilitate technology transfer in formats useful to public and semi-technical audiences.
MWPS activities benefit from the professional partnerships between Research and Extension personnel from all NC states and from other regions of the country. MWPS materials must often provide specific conclusions which required that comprehensive exchanges of technical information occur. All participants benefit from the sharing of expertise that translates research-based knowledge into practice.
MWPS activities and publications address regional priority research objectives by doing the following:
1)Conveying information that improves agricultural production systems, improves quality of life, and enhances the economic competitiveness of clients.
2)Describing and illustrating proper systems for storing, managing, and applying manure effectively and efficiently with minimal adverse effects.
3)Documenting the links between an animals environment, its welfare and behavior, and its care and management by focusing on how to construct and maintain the most effective, efficient, and safe animal housing facilities.
4)Assessing and explaining the effects of agricultural practices on soil, water, and air quality.
5)Publicizing and detailing methods to control and reduce chemical and pesticide contamination of soil, water, and air.
6)Developing materials to publicize and explain innovative decision-making models that are designed to improve the economic well being of agricultural producers.
7)Publishing farm business management materials that convey strategies necessary for improved economic well being.
8)Improve housing through education of homeowners, designers, and builders.
MWPS publications are thorough, unique, and widely respected references. The publications present data and interpretations that enhance both the expert and consumer knowledge bases. Additionally, accumulated MWPS knowledge serves researchers, extension educators, university faculty, government agencies, and the public by providing guidelines, standards, and models for improved production agriculture systems and animal facilities.
Objectives
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Develop science-based educational materials useful to engineers, livestock and crop producers, allied agribusiness, veterinarians, extension educators and environmental regulatory staff.
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Foster multidisciplinary activities on a regional and multiregional basis that involves partners from other disciplines, such as agricultural economics, farm business management, animal science, agronomy, and others as appropriate, in more active participation in MWPS publishing activities.
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Preserve and expand the existing knowledge base related to production agriculture, natural resources, and the environment.
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Continue the reorganization of the MWPS publishing unit to reflect the wide diversity of topics that faculty and staff of land-grant universities address
Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Publish a broader variety of materials, including proceedings from conferences sponsored by related groups
- Develop relationships and cooperative agreements, making publishing services available on a project basis to regional groups that need publication management expertise.
- Develop marketing analysis for unfunded projects prior to the initiation of the project.
- Develop new products and improve the product mix to include 12-20 page publications as well as handbooks ranging in length from 80 to 275 pages. Continue to develop publications for other media, including CD-ROM.
- Revise older publications to ensure continuity of the existing knowledge base.
- Develop a minimum of six titles a year (new or revised), including handbooks, technical digests, and proceedings.
- Pursue entrepreneurial opportunities through grants and contracts.
- Expand the committee beyond the NC region and the discipline of agricultural engineering.
- Improve marketing of products to make the committee more sustainable.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
1. Continue the EPA educational curriculum on environmental stewardship (funded).
2. Complete the rewriting and redesign of livestock manure handling publications.
3. Continue to publish conference proceedings that convey the most recent developments in production agriculture.
4. Complete the revision of the Structures and Environment Handbook.
5. Revise the House Planning Handbook (partially funded).
6. Complete the Horse Housing and Equipment Handbook.
7. Continue developing educational materials in farmstead engineering.
8. Revise and enlarge current offerings in farm business management and economic decision-making as a part of the relationship with NCFMEC.
9. Continue support for the four-state dairy group.
10. Develop publications relevant to the needs of small farms and beginning farmers.
11. Rewrite the Private Water Systems Handbook.
12. Develop the Dairy Heifer Manual (funded).
13. Complete a series on hoop structures for animal housing (funded).
14. Develop comprehensive nutrient management planning materials (CNMP) (funded).
Organization/Governance
The executive committee will consist of the chair, past-chair, vice chair,two at-large members and the manager, who will serve as an ex-offico member and secretary. Each year a vice chair and an at-large member will be elected to rotate onto the executive committee. The vice chair will become the chair the following year. At-large members will remain on the executive committee for 2 years. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited
This is a partial list of publications. See the Attachments for a complete listing.
Dry Grain Aeration Systems Design Handbook, revised 1st edition, 1999, 88 pages (MWPS-29)
Sprinkler Irrigation Systems, 1st edition, 1999, 250 pages (MWPS-30)
Hoop Structures for Gestating Swine, 1999, 6 pages (AED-44)
Using All-Weather Geotextile Lanes and Pads, 1999, 12 pages (AED-45)
Conservation Tillage Systems and Management: Crop Residue Management with No-Till, Ridge-Till, and Mulch-Till, 2nd Edition, 2000, 270 pages (MWPS-45)
Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment, 7th edition, 2000, 136 pages (MWPS-7)
Manure Characteristics, 1st Edition, 2000, 24 pages (MWPS-18-S1)
Swine Wean-to-Finish Buildings, 1st edition, 2000, 24 pages (AED-46)
Manure Storages, 1st Edition, 2001, 117 pages (MWPS-18-S2)
Swine Breeding and Gestation Facilities Handbook, 1st edition, 2001, 103 pages (MWPS-43)
National Curriculum for Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship, CD-ROM, Web site and print, 2001, 838 pages (LPES-P, LPES-CD-1, LPES-CD-2)
Outdoor Air Quality, 2002, 96 pages (MWPS-18-S3)
Conservation Tillage on CD, 2003, CD-ROM that includes MWPS-45 plus other educational materials, (MWPS-45CD)