University of Wisconsin-Madison student awarded one of nation’s first organic plant breeding fellowships

November 8, 2012 | UW-Madison CALS

News Release – The story of how Tessa Peters ended up snagging one of the nation’s first graduate fellowships in organic plant breeding begins in an unlikely place: the middle of the ocean.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics, she set out as a geophysicist, mapping the ocean floor aboard a large ship, working five weeks on, five weeks off. During her time off, she traveled widely and stumbled upon her new career path. Read More

UW-Madison Leads Effort to Help Growers and Processors Demonstrate Sustainability

October 12, 2012 | UW-Madison CALS

News Release – CALS researchers are leading a new $2.1 million, USDA-funded project designed to help vegetable producers and processors get rewarded in the marketplace for producing their products in a sustainable manner. Scientists in five states will collaborate to create a system for reporting the sustainability of agricultural practices that will be credible to consumers and workable for producers.

The grant, funded through USDA’s Specialty Crops Research Initiative, was announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack during a visit to Madison on Oct. 1. Read More

UW-Madison Doctoral Student Focuses Research on Hive Microbes for Clues to Honeybee Disease

September 5, 2012 | UW-Madison CALS

Article Excerpt – University of Wisconsin-Madison doctoral student Kirk Grubbs is studying the microbial communities associated with healthy honeybee hives, in hopes of better understanding why a lot of them are getting sick.

Honeybees are vital … Read More