The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced 12 new grants totaling $35 million for science-based solutions and new technology for the specialty crop industry. Funding is made through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “Specialty crops generally fetch high value for the farmers, but require more intensive …
Georgia Farmers Invited to UGA Cotton & Peanut Research Field Day
The 2017 UGA Cotton & Peanut Research Field Day is coming up September 6 and Georgia Cotton Commission’s Richey Seaton hopes growers will attend. Please RSVP to Mrs. Michela Rineair at 229-386-3006 or msrineair@uga.edu by Friday if you plan to attend so they can have an accurate head count for the meal. Cotton and Peanut Research Field Day Schedule (.pdf) …
ISU Study Shows No Impact of RFS on Greenhouse Gasses
A study by Iowa State University (ISU) says the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) brings a net positive to the U.S. economy but fails to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally. The study, produced in June, was released by the Renewable Fuels Association recently, highlighting the net positive to the U.S. economy. Iowa State University’s Center for Agriculture and Rural Development developed …
No Flowers? No Problem. UF Study Shows Bees Have Other Ways of Finding Sugar
What’s a bee to do when there are very few flowers available and it needs a sugar fix? Wild bees may be responding to climate change and urban expansion by relying on insects to get the sweet stuff, according to a study by Joan Meiners, a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida IFAS School of Natural Resources and Environment. …
Florida Congressman Discusses GMO’s
Despite studies showing that GMO’s are safe, efforts continue to control or ban them. During a recent listening session held in Washington D.C. that was a topic discussed by U.S. Congressman Ted Yoho from Florida, who also serves on the House Agriculture Committee. More information about GMO’s can be found at www.GMOanswers.com. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For …
Nearly $1 Million Grant Will Help Struggling Blue Crab Industry
A researcher at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences wants to study the blue crab and a viral pathogen that infects it. Now, a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation will help Donald Behringer and colleagues study the disease along the entire western Atlantic seaboard. In Florida, several disasters—including hurricanes in 2004, 2005, …
Ronald Cave Named Director of UF/IFAS Indian River Research Facility
An entomologist recognized internationally as a specialist in biological control of insect pests has been named the director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center. Ronald D. Cave will serve as the sixth leader of the Indian River REC. From the Indian River REC’s 1947 start as the Indian River …
It’s Tougher to Reproduce When You Change Diets – Just Like a Bug
With the constant introduction of invasive species worldwide, thousands of types of wildlife eat new food, weakening their ability to reproduce, says a University of Florida scientist. That, in turn, could lead to a reduction in our wildlife populations. Scientists already know that when wildlife feed on invasive species, they can get sick, but until now, no one had studied …
UF Scientists Work on the ‘Essence’ of Better-Tasting Tomato Juice
If you’re yearning for a better-tasting tomato juice, University of Florida scientists in their labs, working on satisfying your palette. Essence, usually extracted from a plant to add flavor or provide a scent, according to a new UF/IFAS study, can be used to improve juice flavor. Using volatile capture, UF/IFAS scientists obtained the essence from the tomatoes, said Paul Sarnoski, …