Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $43 million in meat and poultry processing research, innovation and expansion in support of its ongoing efforts to transform the food system at every stage along the supply chain. This investment is funded through the American Rescue Plan and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). “Farmers rely …
ARS Scientists Improve Nutrients Adding Value to Rice Crop
Improvements to a worldwide food staple. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Rice, already the primary staple for half the world’s population, is getting a makeover from a research team in New Orleans, Louisiana. The results are a more healthful grain and many potential new products. The team, based in the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Southern Regional Research …
Ag Research Hearing at Senate Ag Committee
The Senate Ag Committee took up the topic of the research title in the Farm Bill during a hearing this week. Witnesses testified on the need to fund cutting-edge ag research, the power behind modern, high-tech agriculture. But USDA research chief Chavonda Jacobs-Young said funding for research is on the decline. “Federal investments in agricultural research have declined by a …
Alabama Laboratory Groundbreaking
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) held a groundbreaking for its new Pesticide Residue and Chemical Laboratory on Wednesday in Auburn. The Gilmer-Turnham Building, just down the street from the construction site, has been in use for over 50 years and was retrofitted from an animal diagnostics lab. The construction will set up half of the facility for …
Peanut Research Projects Approved
Peanut research projects were recently approved. Tyron Spearman has more details on what these projects are, and who approved them. Sponsored ContentFlorida Senator Shares Origins of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardNovember 14, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 8, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Critical Role To Extend ResearchNovember 7, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Funded Research Impactful for the Future of the Florida …
Researchers Developing Corn for Diverse Organic Systems
Researchers are working on a new type of corn. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Decades of corn breeding efforts emphasizing yield have contributed to modern hybrids with shallower and less complex root systems than their predecessors. Because the breeding and selection of most modern hybrids has taken place in environments with high nutrient concentrations, optimal weed control, …
Dairy Research Centers Celebrate 35 Years
35 Years of dairy research. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The checkoff-funded Dairy Foods Research Centers network is celebrating its 35-year anniversary. It was created to provide innovative, science-backed solutions related to consumer demand as well as business needs and trends. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) provides the structure and oversight for more than 20 universities that comprise …
New UF/IFAS Blueberry Lab Nearing Completion
Research efforts continue with a variety of crops at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and that includes blueberries. And those researchers are looking forward to the completion of the new blueberry lab. UF-IFAS Senior Vice President, Dr. Scott Angle, noted to Southeast AgNet that their top-notch blueberry breeding program will get a boost from this new …
Dairy Checkoff Competition Focusing on “Calming Benefits”
Touting the calming benefits of dairy. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Dairy Management Incorporated’s New Product Competition is accepting applications for innovative products that focus on dairy’s qualities related to calming. The program used to be known as the National Dairy Council New Product Competition. It’s open to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to develop products …
New Tomato Variety Approved by APHIS
There may someday be a new tomato in the produce department. That’s coming up on this land of ours. Norfolk Plant Sciences requested approval from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for a new tomato. The tomato was modified to alter its color and increase its nutritional quality. APHIS found that from a plant pest risk …