Tag: agriculture
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Public-Private Research Helps Oyster Growers Meet FDA Regs
Researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester Point joined with local oyster growers to sharply reduce a bacterium harmful to humans found in farmed oysters. Their findings may offer a lower-cost solution to new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that many growers believe can affect the oyster industry in Chesapeake…
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Old Type of Forage Grass Rediscovered for Dairy Farmers
A farmer’s report about an unusual forage grass for dairy cattle led a geneticist at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to rediscover a forgotten type of grass with advantages for today’s farms. The grass, known as meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis), has been found in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Charles Opitz found the…
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Companies to Develop Renewable Chemistry Demo Facility
Genomatica, a developer of chemicals from renewable feedstocks, and Tate & Lyle, a provider of ingredients to the food and beverage industries signed an agreement for the demonstration-scale production of Genomatica’s Bio-BDO. The facility will be part of a Tate & Lyle plant in Decatur, Illinois expected to begin fermentations in the second quarter of…
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Russian, U.S. Scientists Develop Online Agricultural Maps
A team of researchers from Russia and the U.S. have developed AgroAtlas, an online resource of agricultural and geographic data for Russia and surrounding countries. The publicly available collection, with downloadable tools to analyze the data, is a joint project of Russian universities and institutes, and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, with funding from the…
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Monsanto, Biofuels Company to Research Algae Agriculture
Agricultural chemicals maker Monsanto Company in St. Louis, Missouri and Sapphire Energy Inc. in San Diego, California signed a multi-year agreement to use Sapphire’s algae-based research platform for the discovery of genes applicable to agriculture. Sapphire Energy’s current work involves synthetic biology to produce replacement fuels for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from algae. Under…
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New Process Being Developed to Keep Berries Fresh Longer
A new way of improving the shelf life of soft fruit like strawberries and raspberries is being developed by researchers at universities and industry in the U.K. Food scientists at University of Nottingham are teaming with engineers at Loughborough University and British fruit grower Berryworld to test an anti-bacterial process called cold plasma as a…
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Dow to Release Control System for Herbicide-Adaptive Weeds
Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis, Indiana unveiled a new weed control system designed to counter the ability of weeds to adapt to common herbicides such as 2,4-D and glyphosates. The company says the new Enlist system builds on its previous work in chemistry and biotechnology. The product was designed to help farmers reduce weeds that have…
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Process Turns Algae into Renewable Fuel, Cleans Wastewater
Chemical engineers at University of Arkansas in Fayetteville have developed a method for converting common algae into butanol, a renewable fuel that can be used in today’s internal-combustible engines. The technology has the added benefit helping to clean and oxygenate U.S. waterways by removing excess nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilizer in agricultural runoff. The team…
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USDA Tests Climate Change Impact on Arizona Wheat
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) research center in Maricopa, Arizona devised a method of testing the potential impact of warming temperature from climate change on the wheat crop in the U.S. southwest. The technology and the results are discussed in the February issue of USDA’s Agricultural Research magazine, and earlier in the…
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DuPont Expanding Agricultural Research in Delaware
The chemical company DuPont plans to expand its biotech research on soybeans at its Delaware facilities. The $50 million expansion is expected to create 75 new, full-time positions in Delaware by the end of 2015. The proposed investment will include expanding biotech research facilities at DuPont’s research and development headquarters, the Experimental Station, in Wilmington…