Agriculture

As water in the Colorado River continues to shrink, the US Federal government is getting ready to impose reductions in water supplies to states for the first time. Officials earlier this month laid the groundwork for what could be substantial cuts in an effort to protect the minimum “responsible” water levels. This comes as states …

We All Need to Keep an Eye on How The Government Handles “Colorado River” Water Rights Read More »

Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to have exploded into the mainstream and is already being applied across tons of agricultural uses. One area the technology holds particular promise is livestock farming where it can be used to keep track, inspect, and monitor the health of animals. Traditional methods for these essential tasks rely on farmers and …

AI Solutions for the Livestock Industry Read More »

We currently have more than enough plant-based protein to meet current demand. In time, however, as costs decline, there is a point at which Lab Grown protein may become competitive. It will take several innovations in precision fermentation. On the flip side, “synthetic pesticides” seem to be losing some of their luster. They take longer …

Will “Synthetic Biology” Disrupt Traditional Agriculture? Read More »

In the late 1800s, US businesses were in a consolidation frenzy. Taking cues from John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust, the aim was to buy up smaller firms in order to end the destructive cycle of price wars, as well as create larger companies that could dominate, if not outright monopolize, entire industries. One group …

How a Midwestern Lawyer Revolutionized Food Packaging Read More »

Sybil Gorby, a 92-year-old resident of Tyler County, West Virginia, has been planting seeds from the same heirloom tomato lineage since 1965. Every spring, she cultivates the seeds in her garden, and by mid-August, she is rewarded with plump, shiny, and delicious tomatoes. Gorby believes there is something exceptional about these seeds and the tomatoes …

92-Year-Old has Grown Tomatoes from the Same Seed Lineage Since 1965 Read More »

America may be known as a red meat-loving country but when it comes to lamb and mutton we tend to be a little more finicky than many other countries. Lamb rarely gets served in US homes outside of special holidays and mutton is nearly impossible to find in a grocery store. It’s particularly mysterious when …

How Come Americans Don’t Like Eating Sheep? Read More »

Buttermilk is one of those old-fashioned food items that are not that common in modern-day pantries. Outside of delicious buttermilk biscuits and pancakes, most Americans don’t have a lot of experience with the stuff. But even those that do might not realize that today’s buttermilk is a far cry from what their grandparents probably had. Before …

What You Might Not Know About “Buttermilk” Read More »

Torbert Rocheford, the Patterson Endowed Chair in Translational Genomics for Crop Improvement in the Purdue College of Agriculture’s Department of Agronomy, has spent over two decades working to improve the nutrition profile of corn. The result, a variety with boosted carotenoid levels known as “orange corn,” was meant to help improve nutrition in developing countries. …

“Orange Corn” Aims to Boost Both Poultry and Human Health Read More »

An enormous amount of snow fell across the northern plains this year and as the weather warms, the resulting water is going to be looking for a place to go. While the US National Weather Service (NWS) recently lowered the risks of major flooding from the snowmelt, the risk remains nonetheless.  Based on snowmelt alone …

“Well Above Normal” Flood Risk for Mississippi River This Spring Read More »

It was on this day back in 1955 that Ray Kroc opened his first franchised McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. In 1954, Kroc visited a hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino, California, owned by Richard and Maurice McDonald. Kroc was so impressed with the efficiency and speed of the restaurant’s operations, that he convinced the …

McDonald’s… What a Crazy Agriculture Success Story Read More »