It was early-August, 1921 when John B. Macready flew a Curtiss JN-4 over catalpa trees near Troy, Ohio, killing 99% of the leaf caterpillars, saving the 5,000 trees with 175 pounds of lead arsenate pesticide. Crop dusting was actually developed under the joint efforts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Army Signal Corps’ research station at …
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 …
RNA Tweak Creates Drought Tolerant Plants AND Can Help Increase Yields Read More »
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 …
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 …
Changing Trends in U.S. Corn Production Boost Productivity and Costs Read More »
125 miles northwest of Fort Worth, in 1856, a military establishment known as Camp Cooper was first opened in Throckmorton, Texas. Now the ranch is known as the Tecumseh Ranch, which includes 9,300-acres that features more than eight miles of shoreline on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River and almost five miles of the …
After gaining a solid foothold in the faux-beef market, alternative meat companies have their sights clearly set on gaining a slice of the chicken market. Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, the two leading plant-based meat companies, both have new lines of chicken products hitting the market. Beyond Chicken Tenders are in hundreds of restaurants already, …
Alternative Meat Companies Turning Focus to Chicken Market Read More »
Tabasco sauce is a staple in many American kitchens. It’s so popular in fact that the brand name “Tabasco” is just another word for “hot sauce” in a lot of places. The name for the sauce stems from the peppers it’s made with, tabasco peppers, which originated in Mexico. The man behind the iconic hot …
What You Might Not Know About Tabasco, The World’s First and Best Selling Hot Sauce Read More »
Much like growing regions in the Northern U.S., Canada’s wheat crops are in rough, rough shape. Our neighbors to the north are in the midst of the worst drought in two decades. This summer’s drought follows multiple consecutive years of below-normal precipitation in many parts of Canada’s key farming regions. Combined with this year’s intense …
If you’re a fan of Japanese food, you are likely familiar with the spicy green paste served alongside sushi that most everyone just calls “wasabi.” The tasty condiment gets its name from Wasabia japonica, aka Japanese horseradish. However, 95% of the so-called wasabi being served in sushi restaurants has absolutely no Japanese horseradish in it, …
Food growers throughout the centuries have managed to cultivate plants in some of the most unlikely places on the planet, and even in space. One area we haven’t tapped for crop production is the ocean, which at approximately 71% of Earth’s surface far exceeds our land area. Beyond fish and seaweed, scientists and entrepreneurs are …
Nemo’s Garden is Successfully Growing Food Under the Sea Read More »
