UF Scientists Work to Develop Heat-Resistant ‘ Cow of the Future ’

Dan Cattle, Florida, Research

by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida scientists are working to breed the “ cow of the future ” by studying the more heat-tolerant Brangus cow — a cross between an Angus and a Brahman. Raluca Mateescu, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS department of animal sciences, is part of a team …

Ag Committee Features University Leaders in Agricultural Research

Dan Industry News Release, Research

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to discuss investments in agricultural research as a continuation of the committee’s hearing series on preparing for the next farm bill. Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) and members of the committee heard from various university representatives on the opportunities and challenges institutions face in ensuring the U.S. remains a world leader in agricultural …

Research Efforts at FAMU Include Cattle

Dan Cattle, Florida, Research

The 2017 Florida Cattlemen’s Association Convention wraps up today in Orlando, as a good crowd has been on hand. One of those attending was Florida A&M University (FAMU) Vice President of Research, Timothy Moore. Southeast AgNet’s Gary Cooper caught up with him to talk about research efforts at the Tallahassee school, which includes programs for cattle. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester …

Pig Pens: A Look at Mirrors and Mats

Dan Industry News Release, Pork, Research

by USDA Agricultural Research Service What a pig sees when it looks into a mirror may help Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists improve livestock housing. Studying livestock behavior, stress and other well-being and production factors is the job of animal scientist Jeremy Marchant-Forde and his colleagues at the ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, Indiana. Improving an animal’s environment …

Critical Agricultural Research and Extension Projects Gains Support

Dan Industry News Release, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced $4.8 million to support 17 research and extension grants that address critically important problems in U.S. agriculture. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “America’s agricultural systems are constantly exposed to biological …

USDA Announces $6 Million for Sustainable Energy Research

Dan Energy, Industry News Release, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced up to $6 million in available funding for research to support the next generation of sustainable biofuels and biomaterials. Funding is made through USDA’s Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), a joint initiative with the Department of Energy. “Renewable energy is an important contributor to our …

Scientists Find Way to Surgically Strike Out Weeds That Impede Crop Growth

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Research

by Brad Buck University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences By using a combination of fumigants, University of Florida scientists believes they can surgically strike out some weeds that otherwise get in the way of vegetable growth. Researchers with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have shown that farmers can place fumigants in specific zones, rather …

$7.4 Million for Research on Food Crops and Animals

Dan Industry News Release, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced nine grants totaling $7.4 million for advanced research to develop more resilient and nutritious crops and food animals. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “Research helps us accelerate the development of improved …

UF study: Cloning insect-fungus duo kills 500 million trees

Dan Florida, Forestry, Research

by Ellison Langford, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Laurel wilt disease has killed as many as half-a-billion trees. And,a new study by a researcher with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences suggests it may have been spread by a single insect cloning itself. “In biology, there is no evidence of a single strain …