Category Archives: Research
Research
Out of Ostrich Boom Comes Advanced Livestock Monitoring Technology to Improve Feed Efficiency and Reduce Waste
Alison Sunstrum already had her own business when she first met the three engineers behind Alberta, Canada-based GrowSafe Systems. They had hit a wall in their research and could not see their way to a commercial product. She offered solutions as a consultant. They ignored all of them, but still Sunstrum says that she was so impressed by what they were Continue reading
Integrated Weed Management Best Response to Herbicide Resistance, Says PSU Research Report
New Release – UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Over-reliance on glyphosate-type herbicides for weed control on U.S. farms has created a dramatic increase in the number of genetically-resistant weeds, according to a team of agricultural researchers, who say the solution lies in an integrated weed management program. “I’m deeply concerned when I see figures that herbicide use could double in the Continue reading
ECO Farming Saves Growers Money, Improves Soil and Benefits Environment, Researchers Say
News Release – ADA, Ohio – Ohio crop growers looking to increase the organic matter content in their soil to the tune of $900 per unit increase in organic matter, may want to consider a move to ECO Farming, advises an Ohio State University Extension educator, who says that switching to the technique could result in raising soil organic matter Continue reading
University of Florida Researcher Stumbles Upon New “Green” Pesticide with Potential to Protect State’s Citrus
What if agricultural pests could be managed by an essential nutrient, found in all proteins, that poses no environmental threat, naturally biodegrades, and potentially could be beneficial to plants? Physiology and genomics professor, Bruce Stevens from the University of Florida thinks he just may have stumbled onto the future of green pesticides. It turns out when applied to the leaves Continue reading
In Partnership with NYC High School, Cornell U. Builds and Enhances Sustainable Agriculture Technology
Students at culinary arts-focused Food and Finance High School in New York City learn more than just how to cook up a good fish fillet—they also learn how to grow the fish along with other foods using real-time, applied science and Cornell University technologies. The high school is home to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE), New York City Hydroponics, Continue reading
North Dakota State University Enters in Partnership for Energy Beet Development Project
News Release - Group hopes to develop at least 12 sustainable ethanol facilities across North Dakota. A project that will develop an advanced biofuel from energy beets and provide growers across North Dakota with a new industrial crop is taking another important step forward, fueled by a significant two-year North Dakota Renewable Energy Council grant. “This project truly is a public-private Continue reading
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project Launches Local Food Center, Research Initiatives
The sustainable agriculture credo – that locally grown food can be raised in environmentally beneficial ways that strengthen local farms and economies and improve individual and public health – will be put to the test at The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) Local Food Center. ASAP’s Local Food Center will be built in Asheville, North Carolina with initial support from Continue reading
Study Reveals Widespread Usage of Mobile Technology Among Canadian Farmers
Canadian farmers are not afraid to use smartphones, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) announced. FCC Senior Agriculture Economist Jean-Philippe Gervais said mobile mobile technology can provide a lot of value for producers. “Getting access to relevant financial data and economic information can be a real advantage in a fast-moving marketplace,” he said. “Innovation has always been a major driver of profitability Continue reading
Kraft Foods Takes Measure of its Environmental Impact; Sustainable Agriculture Key to Improvement Efforts
Kraft Foods on Dec. 14 released results of a survey that measured the impact of its activities on climate change, land and water use. Conducted in partnership with Quantis Inc. and reviewed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and academics at the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment, the multi-year study provides Kraft management a “big picture” views of its Continue reading
USDA-ARS Study Delves into Relationship Between Biochar, Soil and Crop Growth
Biochar has been around for thousands of years. Pre-Columbian Amazonian natives first created it by burning their agricultural waste in pits that they covered with soil. It is believed that they intentionally used the resulting biochar to increase soil productivity in constrained or infertile soil. Today, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service is studying how the use of biochar – which can be Continue reading
Long-term Comparative Study Highlights Benefits of Low External-input Cropping Systems
Results of a long-term study conducted by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University to compare the agronomic, economic and ecological benefits of conventional versus low external-input (LEI) cropping systems showed that low-input, diversified crop rotation systems can produce high yields of corn and soybean, improve soil quality, suppress weeds effectively, reduce the need for fossil fuel Continue reading
UN Agency Publishes Paper on “Energy-smart” Agriculture at Climate Change Conference
There is a major need for global food systems to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and shift to “energy-smart” models in order to meet global food demands, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The organization released the report entitled “Energy-Smart Food for People and Climate” in Durban during the UN Climate Continue reading
Penn State Launches Urban Farming High Tunnel Project with Community Partners in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania State University’s Penn State Extension office is teaming with community partners in Philadelphia to put up high tunnels, which are considered an inexpensive way to extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables, the university announced. The university’s College of Agriculture and Sciences sought funding for the acquisition and construction of 10 high tunnels. The funding was sought out, Continue reading
Research Team Tackles Problem of Sustainably Harvesting Biomass
One of the biggest obstacles faced by those working to harness energy from biomass is how to harvest it in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. Thus, a collaborative of researchers from the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) and the Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) department at the University of Illinois have joined forces to enable the development of solutions to solve for Continue reading
Survey Outlines Challenges Faced by Young Farmers Along with Strategies to Help Them Succeed
Barriers to entry into a career in farming for young aspirants appear to be a bit daunting, but not impossible to overcome. So says a recent report based on a survey of 1,000 farmers across the US that was carried out by the National Young Farmer’s Coalition (NYFC). The report, entitled “Building a Future With Farmers: Challenges Faced by Young, American Farmers and Continue reading
USDA Grants Fund 67 Rural Agricultural Energy Audits & Renewable Energy Projects
The US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) announced funding for 67 project nationwide focused on helping rural agricultural producers increase energy efficiency, make use of renewable energy and/or carry out feasibility studies for renewable energy projects. The awards are being made through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. The USDA is awarding more than Continue reading
