Florida International University has undergone a reform in the introductory physics classes by focusing on the laboratory component of these classes. We present results from the secondary implementation of two research-based instructional strategies: the implementation of the Learning Assistant model as developed by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Open Source Tutorial curriculum developed at the University of Maryland, College Park. We examine the results of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) for introductory students over five years (n ¼ 872) and find that the mean raw gain of students in transformed lab sections was 0.243, while the mean raw gain of the traditional labs was 0.159, with a Cohen's d effect size of 0.59. Average raw gains on the FCI were 0.243 for Hispanic students and 0.213 for women in the transformed labs, indicating that these reforms are not widening the gaps between underrepresented student groups and majority groups. Our results illustrate how research-based instructional strategies can be successfully implemented in a physics department with minimal department engagement and in a sustainable manner.

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This study provides a more comprehensive depiction of the environment in which low-income households and other vulnerable populations acquire and purchase food by considering access to emergency food pantries in areas lacking supermarkets. The locations of food pantries were mapped against the map of supermarkets in 47 states and the District of Columbia to identify local areas without supermarkets and the percentage of these areas that have a pantry. Local area population characteristics were used to define subgroups of areas based on poverty level and socioeconomic status of households. The study found that food pantries help to address food access limitations in a sizable percentage of area without supermarkets. About one quarter of census tracts with no supermarkets were found to have at least one food pantry. When considering only high-poverty tracts, 40% of areas without a supermarket had a pantry. The study also found that among areas without supermarkets, pantries tend to be located in areas with higher rates of poverty and lower socioeconomic status. These findings highlight the important role that pantries play in ensuring access to food for low-income American families and also underscore the importance of taking these programs into account when examining the extent of food access limitations.

The Southern Great Plains (SGP) region of the United States is widely known for its dryland dual-purpose winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systemsintegrated systems that provide both livestock grazing and grain production. Few of these systems are organic, however, and no relevant research had been conducted on this topic. A large-scale (41 ha) systems research study was conducted for 3 yr (2018-2021) to compare a transitional organic dual-purpose wheat system with a conventional one, with system management components customized to the ecological region. Organic wheat yield was 20% lower than conventional in the first season of organic transition, but there was no yield difference by the third year.The yield improvement in the organic system may be attributed to N fixation by a legume-based cash crop the previous winter season, exogenous nutrients from application of composted manure, and appropriate wheat cultivar selection. Because of limited moisture, relying on annual establishment of summer cover crops to fix N and deliver other ecosystem services in the organic system was not feasible in most years. Grain protein concentration (GPC) of the transitional organic wheat ranged from 91 to 103 g kg −1 , below the 120 g kg −1 threshold for a food market organic price premium. More intensive N management, including in-season application of a more available form of N that is organic approved, could be an effective strategy to increase GPC. This proof-of-concept study shows that organic dual-purpose wheat systems can be a viable enterprise in the SGP, though additional research is needed to address challenges identified herein. INTRODUCTIONAmong all grain crops, more acreage of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been produced organically in the United States since 1995 than all other countries (McBride et al.

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The first section of this paper reviews some of the recent developments that have raised the policy profile of organic agriculture and the decision taken by OECD Environment Ministers in 2001 to undertake work on organic agriculture. The second section outlines the concept of sustainable agriculture and how organic agriculture may contribute to sustainability. The following section then discusses how the essential policy elements defined by the OECD for developing sustainable agriculture (i.e., reforming support policies, adopting an ecosystems approach, addressing externalities, enhancing the dissemination of information, and devising appropriate structural adjustment policies) relate to and impact on organic agriculture.

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