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
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
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 …
UF Entomologist Recognized for Helping Farmers in Myanmar
by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences A global organization has recognized a University of Florida entomologist for his volunteer work in Myanmar, where he helped tropical food growers improve their pest management practices. Daniel Carrillo, an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, was one of 126 …
IFAS Hosts Pasture Walk to Discuss the Benefits of Winter Forage
By Patrick Troy and Jane Griffin Regional Specialized Agent Row Crops, and County Livestock and Forage Agent, Live Oak, FL, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. As warm-season pastures in North Florida go dormant in the winter, livestock producers have two basic choices for animal feedstock: 1) purchase hay and store-bought supplements or 2) grow their own cool-season …
UF Project to Select the Best Brahman Genes
by Brad Buck, University of Florida/IFAS With help from cattle producers through the Florida Cattle Enhancement Fund, UF/IFAS researchers hope to develop Brahman cattle that can tolerate heat better, produce more tender meat and improve their fertility. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers would like Brahman cattle owners from around Florida to participate in the project. …
International Trade and Deforestation: Potential Policy Effects via a Global Economic Model
by Jayson Beckman, Ron Sands, Anne Riddle, Tani Lee, and Jacob M. Walloga USDA Economic Research Service What is the Issue? An increasing world population and a shift in global diets toward vegetable oils and animal products increase the demand for agricultural commodities. To meet this demand, forestland is frequently converted into crop fields or pasture, especially in developing countries. …
ARS Geneticist Edward Buckler Receives First National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) geneticist Edward Buckler is the first person to receive the National Academy of Science’s (NAS) Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences. Buckler will be recognized for pioneering the use of large-scale genomic approaches linking genes with the crop’s physical traits. This work is giving plant breeders’ better access to key genes and reducing the time needed …
Bee “Bed and Breakfast” Gets Helping Hand from Science
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are digging into the soil around alfalfa fields near Touchet, Washington, to unearth new clues to improve the lives of the crop’s chief insect pollinator: the alkali bee. Alkali bees are champion alfalfa flower pollinators—even outperforming the respected honey bee. So much so, some Touchet farmers maintain open soil parcels called “bee beds” to …
USDA Announces $150.2 Million in Funding through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced $150.2 million in available funding to support projects that build a foundation of knowledge in agricultural sciences to address a range of societal and global challenges such as food security, food safety, sustainable agriculture, and rural entrepreneurship. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative …