State farmland loses over 31 million tons of soil annually
HARRISBURG - Farm
land in Pennsylvania is
losing soil at a rate over 31
million tons each year,
according to a new USDA
Soil Conservation Service
report. This averages 5%
tons annually for each acre
tilled in the Keystone state.
Surprisingly, according to
the report, about 70 percent
of the erosion occurs on
gently to moderately sloping
land, rather than on steeper
land.
The report also points out
cropland in Pennsylvania is
decreasing by some 52,000
acres each year. Woodland
is vanishing at an even
greater rate of over 170,000
acres per year. In contrast,
the report indicates urban
and built-up land increased
by over 1 million acres
during a ten year period
from 1967 to 1977.
This data is contained in a
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PENNSYLVANIA
recently published report,
Pennsylvania National
Resources Inventory.
Natural resource in
formation is available on
land use, conservation
treatment needs and status,
prime farmlands, potential
cropland, sheet and rill
erosion and wetlands.
Electromagnetic detectives to
ATLANTA, Ga, -
Scientists at Georgia Tech
Research Institute will
develop electromagnetic
devices for the detection of
contraband agricultural
products in international
travelers’ baggage under a
research agreement with the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
Anson Bertrand, USDA
director of science and
education, said the project is
an effort by USDA’s Science
and Education Ad
ministration to help speed up
and improve the inspection
process.
Bertrand said several
electromagnetic techniques
the hands of the specialists
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Butler, PA
Derry, NH
Hightstown, NJ
Manheim, PA
Data was collected from
1400 sample land units
covering 100 acres each and
located randomly in Penn
sylvania. Field data was
gathered by Soil Con
servation Service personnel.
The report shows 10-year
trends in land use and
treatment.
will be investigated, such as
signal transmission and
reflection.
In this approach,
microwaves can be tran
smitted through baggage or
reflected by items in
baggage or handbags. The
device would detect fruit,
meats and vegetables that
may carry disease
Government releases study on weather
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A
five-year plan to reduce the
adverse effect of climatic
conditions on the economy
and environment has been
released by the Commerce
Put your marketing in
Ph 717-458-4500
412-287-1721
603-432-3384
609-448-2420
717-605-6615
A Natural Resources
Inventory was initated by
Congress under the
Resources Conservation Act
of 1977. The Act is designed
to provide for the appraisal
of the Nation’s soil, water
and related resources. The
National Resources In
ventory will be continuously
organisms or insect pests
without agricultural in
spectors having to open
baggage.
In 1978, 7000 disease
carriers were found in
foreign agricultural
products confiscated at U.S.
airports.
Electromagnetic in-
Department’s National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
Prepared by the National
Climate Program Office, the
plan’s goal is to help avert
Springfield. MA
Warwick, Rl
Weedsport, NY
(agway)
Uncaster Farming, Saturday, January 3,1981—A9
five-year in-
updated at
tervals.
“The Inventory will
provide direction for SCS’s
current conservation
programs and assist m the
development of future
programs,” said Graham T.
Munkittnch, State Con
servationist “This in-
search for ag pests
struments would offer more
thorough inspection with less
delay to international
passengers, 25 million of
whom arrived in the United
States by air in 1979.
The one-year, $80,075
electromagnetic study is
funded by USDA’s Animal
and Plant Health Inspection
Service and administered by
weather-related problems
such as food and fuel
shortage through unproved
forecasting and more ef
ficient dissemination of
climatic data.
413-788-7386
401-467-5373
315-834-6675
formation will be useful in
government agencies,
planners, and individuals
interested in land use
planning.”
Copies of the report are
available from local offices
of the Soil Conservation
Service.
USDA’s Science and
Education Administration.
The principal investigator
at Georgia Tech Research
Institute is Ronald L.
Seaman, and the sponsoring
scientist for SEA is Stuart 0.
Nelson at the Russell
Research Center, Athens,
Ga.
Funds will be drawn from
appropriations 11 of the 17
participating agencies
receive for climate-related
activities. The proposed 1981
budget is $126 7 million.
Specific goals of the plan
include:
Insuring that industries
such as farming, con
struction, recreation,
shipping and fishing receive
improved climatic data and
use it more effectively;
Assessing the effect of
increased carbon dioxide on
the climate;
Studying the extent to
which solar and earth
radiation modify climatic
conditions, and
Gathering more data on
the oceans' roles in climate
formation.
Edward Epstein of NOAA
is director of the National
Climate Program Par
ticipating in the project are
11 federal departments, the
Agency for International
Development, Council on
Environmental Quality,
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration,
National Science Foun
dation, the Environmental
Protection Agency, and the
Federal Emergency
Management Agency.