After a plague of locusts attacked every crop in Baker County, Kevin K...
A. Comparing the value of Kevin's crop damage to the average value of the crop damage at farms where fish-based fertilizer was not applied to the fields before planting.
This investigation compares the crop damage at Kevin's farm to the average crop damage at other farms where fish-based fertilizer was not used. By analyzing the difference in damage between the two groups, it helps assess whether the fish-based fertilizer is a potential factor contributing to the severity of Kevin's crop damage. If Kevin's crop damage is significantly higher than the average, it could support his argument.
B. Determining the extent to which fish-based fertilizer increases crop yield.
This investigation focuses on evaluating the relationship between fish-based fertilizer and crop yield rather than crop damage. While it may provide useful information about the effectiveness of the fertilizer in enhancing crop yield, it does not directly address Kevin's claim regarding the fertilizer's impact on the severity of crop damage.
C. Comparing the long-term effects of Kevin's crop damage to the long-term effects of other crop damage in Baker County.
This investigation compares the long-term effects of Kevin's crop damage to the effects of other crop damage in Baker County, regardless of the cause. While it may provide valuable insights into the long-term consequences of the crop damage, it does not specifically address Kevin's argument about the fish-based fertilizer's role in the severity of the damage.
D. Comparing the severity of crop damage at Kevin's farm with the crop damage at agriculturally similar Baker County farms where fish-based fertilizer was not applied to fields before planting.
This investigation directly addresses Kevin's argument by comparing the severity of crop damage between his farm and other similar farms in Baker County that did not use fish-based fertilizer. It helps determine if there is a significant difference in crop damage, which would suggest that the fish-based fertilizer might be a contributing factor.
E. Determining the percentage of Baker County farms that applied fish-based fertilizer to their fields before planting.
This investigation focuses on gathering information about the prevalence of fish-based fertilizer usage among farms in Baker County. While it may provide insights into the adoption rate of the fertilizer, it does not directly evaluate Kevin's argument about the fertilizer's impact on the severity of his crop damage.
Among the options provided, option (D) is the most relevant for evaluating Kevin's argument as it directly compares the severity of crop damage at Kevin's farm to agriculturally similar farms that did not use fish-based fertilizer.