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Washington State University


Unpacking the Cornucopia to Celebrate the Fall Harvest and the Fruits of Plant Breeding

October 17, 2017 Sarah Federman, AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, USDA Office of the Chief Scientist and Ann-Marie Thro, National Program Leader for Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

It’s that time of year again when many of us adorn our homes with autumn décor, and our tables with the bounties of a fall harvest. Consider the cornucopia. This centerpiece is symbolic of the food and thanks that we share with our friends and family. Inside, we find examples of grains, fruits, and...

Research and Science

USDA's Diversity Programs "Open New Doors" for Montana Student

December 21, 2016 Dennis O'Brien, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service

Robert G. Bruton grew up on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana in a family that, like many others, was severely challenged by the rising college tuition costs. He is not a Native American, but he chose to attend Salish Kootenai Tribal College in Pablo, Montana, in part because...

Initiatives

Investment in Novel Technologies Advances Food Safety, Quality

July 08, 2016 Scott Elliott, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

July is the height of summer grilling season and throughout the month USDA is highlighting changes made to the U.S. food safety system over the course of this Administration. For an interactive look at USDA’s work to ensure your food is safe, visit the USDA Results project on Medium.com and read...

Health and Safety USDA Results

Reversing Pollinator Decline is Key to Feeding the Future

June 24, 2016 Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Without pollinators, we don’t eat—it’s simple as that—and, at the moment, large numbers of pollinators are dying. With the world’s population projected to exceed 9 billion in just the next 30 years or so, that is not a good position for us to be in. More than 90 species of U.S. specialty crops...

Food and Nutrition

Tribal partnerships fuel sustainable aviation

November 25, 2015 Stephanie Pearl, science communicator, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

USDA celebrates National Native American Heritage Month in November with a blog series focused on USDA’s support of Tribal Nations and highlighting a number of our efforts throughout Indian Country and Alaska. Follow along on the USDA blog . Alaska Airlines will conduct a demonstration flight in...

Energy Forestry

Fueling our Future, from Wood to Wing

October 22, 2015 Stephanie Pearl, Science Communicator, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

U.S. airline carriers collectively used more than 16 billion gallons of jet fuel in 2014. Given growing concerns over energy independence and the environment, commercial airlines are looking for secure and reliable alternative jet fuels that reduce global emissions. To address this problem...

Food and Nutrition

Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems: Changing the Landscape of Organic Farming in the Palouse Region

September 02, 2015 Kelly Flynn, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Grazing livestock may soon be a common sight in the Palouse region of southeastern Washington, usually known for its rolling hills and grain production. Jonathan Wachter, a soil science doctoral student at Washington State University, has been working with a local farm to improve the competitiveness...

Conservation

The Nuna Bean: 'Power Popper' Has Funny Name, Serious Nutritional Benefits

August 25, 2015 Jan Suszkiw, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. Indigenous people of the Andes Mountains in South America have farmed the nuña bean (a.k.a. “Peruvian Popping bean”) as a...

Research and Science

Nothing Fishy about Probiotics

July 08, 2015 Scott Elliott, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

After searching 15 years for a way to combat a devastating disease among salmonids (salmon and trout), researchers at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Idaho (UI) found an answer inside the fish itself. Dr. Kenneth Cain’s team at UI’s Aquaculture Research Institute cultured a...

Animals Plants Research and Science

Food Waste Can Have a Large Impact on Your Nitrogen Footprint

April 22, 2015 Rodney Vance, Intern, Division of Environmental Systems, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

April 22 marks the 45 th celebration of Earth Day, with its theme of “It’s our turn to lead.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is a leader in its support of cutting-edge sustainable and organic agricultural research. The USDA estimated that 31...

Conservation Food and Nutrition
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