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 …
Funding to Support Research on Sustainable Water Use
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $34 million in available funding for projects that promote sustainable water use for food production, processing, and other competing uses. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers …
USDA Funding to Provide Fellowships for Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced more than $5 million in grants for fellowship opportunities for undergraduate students at colleges and universities. These awards are made through NIFA’s Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduate (REEU) Fellowships program, part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Education and Literacy Initiative. Sponsored …
USDA Announces Funding to Support Antimicrobial Resistance Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $11 million in available funding for projects that mitigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing public health issue that affects more than 2 million people annually. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch …
Importance of Agricultural Research
Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, held a hearing to highlight the importance of agricultural research as part of the committee’s hearing series on the next farm bill. Members heard from witnesses who stressed the important role research plays in ensuring that American agriculture remains competitive and capable of addressing …
Analyzing Disease Mutations Using Online Cattle Genomes
Thanks to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists, a genomic database of U.S. beef cattle is now available online. The complete genomes of 96 bulls representing different U.S. cattle breeds were sequenced by researchers at the Agricultural Research Service‘s (ARS) U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska. The breeds include Angus, Brangus and Hereford. The publicly accessible …