Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are looking for the perfect diet. Not just any diet, but one that’s special; a diet that encourages bugs to thrive. Most people have an aversion to bugs, so what Guadalupe Rojas and Juan A. Morales-Ramos are trying to do may seem a bit odd to some. But Rojas and Morales-Ramos, research entomologists at the ARS Biological Control of …
Mold is something that most people try to avoid, but NASA may soon welcome a certain type of mold aboard its spacecraft. On long-distance space voyages of the future, astronauts will have to grow some of their own food. That could be problematic, as there is notoriously little unused space aboard ship and crops take a long time to grow. …
The importance of foods that are nutritious and healthy is on the minds of many Americans these days. Consumers demand food that is flavorful and tasty with health promoting properties. Yogurt, whether frozen, refrigerated, or blended into a smoothie, is one product that is getting an enormous amount of attention. What is yogurt exactly? Yogurt is a popular dairy product …
Duda Farm Fresh Foods, a leading grower of fresh vegetables and citrus, launches the“Sweet That Can’t Be Beat” sweepstakes, encouraging consumers to get a little corny this summer with a promotion centered around Dandy® sweet corn. Through recipe inspiration, cooking tips, nutrition information, super corny facts, and a chance to win, the promotion seeks to elevate the consumption of fresh …
Amidst a threatening drought, groups and individuals are working to find more ways to conserve the precious resource of water, and Turlock Irrigation District has been leading the way for sustainable water management with new technologies and strategies. Watch this brief interview with Michelle Reimers from Turlock Irrigation District as she explains their recent improvements and plans. Please thank this …
Farmers and other California residents have been pushing legislature for many years to increase our state’s water storage capacity with no success, and with the “years of plenty” long past, hundreds of thousands of acres of prime farmland will go fallow this year. This will have devastating impacts on our nation’s food supply, local communities and the many families that …
What is arguably the foundational ingredient in salad? Lettuce! USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) supports research that is leading to stronger, healthier, more disease-resistant lettuce cultivars. See what NIFA is doing to keep healthy, safe salads on the menu for consumers everywhere. Current funded projects in California and Illinois include the following: The USDA Agricultural Research Service, Pacific West Area, in …
Migrant workers in the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program provide critical seasonal labor on farms across California, spending weeks away from home doing the grueling work needed to support the state’s $49 billion agricultural industry. The H-2A program allows employers who anticipate a shortage of U.S.-based workers to bring workers here from other countries to perform agricultural labor or services …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Mexico’s national plant protection organization (SENASICA) announce that the United States has begun exporting potatoes beyond the 26-kilometer border zone that previously marked the limit of their export. The two countries reached an agreement late last year to expand that market access for U.S. potatoes, something that the …
Many California farms are run by families who have cultivated the land for several generations. It’s not just land, it’s not just an investment — it is part of what defines them and their mission to feed the world. Watch this brief interview with Charlotte Mitchell from the California Farmland Trust as she shares how to protect their legacy of …
