A lot of news comes into my email basket that I think is interesting yet won’t see light in the magazine or elsewhere.

That’s a shame because there are informative tidbits covering all aspects of agriculture.

In interest of sharing this news and knowledge, I’ve accumulated a few things to share with you today. Read, toss or file.

Wool improves indoor air quality

From the American Sheep Industry

The buildup of indoor air contaminants has been a growing concern since the 1970s when energy conservation measures prompted buildings to become tighter. Less access to outside air increases the concentration of contaminants in an indoor space, making the air unhealthy - even toxic.

Necessary equipment. It was welcomed news to hear about fewer grain bin deaths in 2015. Remember: People entering grain bins should wear full body harnesses and anchor them securely.

Although many materials, including carpet, pass tests for minimum volatile organic chemical emissions, wool goes a giant step further by absorbing the contaminants irreversibly in its structure, improving the quality of indoor air.

The complex chemistry of wool fiber enables it to bind pollutant gases chemically in its structure, including formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, and lock them into its core without re-releasing them. As such, wool improves indoor air and creates healthier working and living environments. It has been estimated that wool carpets can continue purifying indoor air for up to 30 years.

New Zealand researchers, using a controlled environmental chamber, have demonstrated that wool carpet can reduce high levels of introduced formaldehyde to virtually zero in four hours.

Studies by the U.S. Gas Research Institute, which compared 35 building and furnishing materials, showed that wool carpets have one of the highest removal rates of nitrogen dioxide. In contrast, the removal rate of synthetic carpets was less than half that of wool.

Purdue study: Fewer grain entrapments in 2015

The number of confirmed grain bin entrapments and incidents in other confined spaces on U.S. farms fell in 2015 to its lowest level in a decade, but it is likely that many such cases continue to go unreported, a Purdue Extension farm safety expert says.

Bill Field, professor of agricultural safety and health, said there is no mandatory national reporting system for confined space incidents.

“Based on prior research through media sources and public safety records, it is estimated that the documented annual cases of agricultural confined space injuries or fatalities represent only about 70 percent of the total incidents that have occurred in the Corn Belt,” Field said. “There has been reluctance on the part of some victims and employers to report nonfatal incidents since doing so could result in work delays or higher insurance costs.”

Nationwide, 47 confined space incidents were reported last year, a 34 percent decrease from 2014, when 71 cases were confirmed, according to Purdue’s annual Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities. It was the fewest number of reported confined space cases since 46 were recorded in 2006.

The number of fatalities fell from 31 in 2014 to 25 last year, the study said.

Grain entrapments were once again the most common type of confined space incident. Entrapments typically happen when a farm worker enters a bin or silo to dislodge clumps of grain during loading or unloading and becomes engulfed when the grain breaks loose, Field said.

Last year, 24 entrapments were reported nationwide, including 14 fatalities. There were 38 documented entrapments and 17 deaths in 2014.

Entrapments were reported in 13 states last year, mostly in the Midwest. Iowa led the nation with seven incidents. Nebraska had four, North Carolina and Ohio had two each, and single cases were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Connecticut.

Other types of confined space incidents covered in the report were:

* Six entanglements in machinery resulting in one death.

* Six falls resulting in three deaths.

* Four cases of asphyxiation or poisoning resulting in four deaths.

* Four cases of being submersed in water or other liquid resulting in four deaths.

* Three cases of being pinned or struck by a heavy object resulting in one death.

Help consumers understand animal antibiotic use

Looking for ideas on how to respond to questions about antibiotic use in food animals?

Check out the website http://animalantibiotics.org/

Leah Dorman, an Ohio mom and veterinarian, posts a blog and take questions and answers on this site. She also is director of food integrity and consumer engagement for Phibro Animal Health Corporation. You can sign up for emails from her, too.

Can Minnesota take first in school sweet peas contest?

In mid-February, the American Farm Bureau Foundation announced it was holding a national contest to encourage students in kindergarten through fifth grade to plant, raise and harvest peas this spring.

The contest highlights the AFBF’s Book of the Year, “First Peas to the Table,” by Susan Grigsby.

The student team that grows the greatest amount of peas (measured in cups) using no more than 20 pea seeds during the official contest period will be declared the winner and receive the grand prize – a visit from Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell.

Peas may be grown in any manner including in a hot house, hoop house, indoor pot, planter or outside garden.

The contest runs March 1 – May 16.

An official entry form, guidelines and rules are available at http://www.agfoundation.org/projects/first-peas-contest-2016.

Given that Minnesota is first in the nation in sweet pea production, there are a lot of farmers who could help students on this project. However, given the tight deadline, those students would need to get planting soon!