The Van Trump Report

Month: August 2021

My Two Cents… Climate Changing, Gulf Stream Changing, Weather Changing

The Gulf Stream — one of Earth’s major climate-regulating ocean currents — is now thought to be moving slower than it has in thousands of years, a new study suggests. Some are arguing the current could slow down to a point of no return, and in the process further alter and impact the climate on …

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Mining Soil to Discover Next-Generation Ag Products

Disease, crop infestation and pollution are age-old threats to our world that are increasingly gaining more attention in the headlines. New solutions are now being created to better address these threats. Fortunately, many of the solutions can be found right beneath our feet, in the soil. A new company called Pluton Biosciences is using technology …

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U.S. Renewable Diesel Production is Racing Ahead of Biodiesel

U.S. production capacity for renewable diesel is set to explode over the next few years if the projects currently in the pipeline come to fruition. Based on announcements projects already under construction, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates renewable diesel capacity will reach 330,000 barrels per day by the end of 2024, up from …

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Two Decades After Breakthrough, the Philippines Could Be the First Country to Grow Golden Rice

Farmers in the Philippines might be the first in the world to grow “golden rice,” a short-grained variety genetically modified to contain beta-carotene. It is intended to combat vitamin A deficiency, which is the leading cause of blindness in children worldwide. Half of these children die within a year of losing their sight. First developed …

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RNA Tweak Creates Drought Tolerant Plants AND Can Help Increase Yields

Researchers used an animal gene linked to obesity in humans to create some “fat” plants that grew two times larger than normal with yields as much as 50% higher. As an added bonus, the plants also produced longer root systems, making them better able to withstand drought. In the lab, the RNA tweak allowed plants …

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Changing Trends in U.S. Corn Production Boost Productivity and Costs

Corn producers have undergone massive shifts in production practices in just the last couple of decades thanks to the introduction and adoption of GMO and precision ag technologies, as well as other impactful changes like farm consolidation and irrigation coverage. In the 20 year period from 1996 to 2018, corn accounted for over one-third of the …

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