Many American diets don’t include enough basic nutrients, which can lead to health issues as we age. Low-nutrient diet lead to issues, including macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and diabetes. Improving the nutritional quality of basic crops through plant breeding is a cost-effective, sustainable way to address these nutritional needs. Researchers at land-grant universities across the country are seeking ways …
Fresh on DeK brings nutrition education
DeKalb County residents are still experiencing negative impact on health and wellness due to high food costs and impact from COVID-19. Concerns over food insecurity also affect physical and mental health. The DeKalb County Fresh on DeK Mobile Farmers Market was established to serve DeKalb County citizens in the areas of nutrition and wellness. The Mobile Farmer’s Market visits 16 …
Prioritizing food and nutrition security
Many Michiganders struggle to reliably access nutrient-rich foods; this is especially true for households with children and with racial and ethnic minorities. MSU Extension community nutrition instructors contribute to efforts throughout the state focused on supporting access to and consumption of vegetables and fruit. MSU Extension staff members delivered relevant and practical nutrition education—a key component of the Fruit and …
The St. Helena Farmers Market, a small oasis in a rural food desert
Food insecurity, defined as the lack of access to a reliable source of food during a given year, is high in St. Helena, one of Louisianas eight Florida Parishes. The food insecurity rate here is 32%. There are only two grocery stores nearby: one in town and another about 10 miles outside of town. St. Helena Parish is not alone …
Increasing food safety and reducing food waste
Protecting the nation’s food supply is a top priority of land-grant institutions across the United States. Whether that is training to ensure food safety, reducing food loss and food waste or research to better detect and protect foods. Successful examples include: Foodborne illness is a common but preventable problem that impacts one in six Americans and causes some 3,000 deaths …
Improving crops key to food security
Research at land-grant institutions keeps the U.S. food production on the cutting edge when it comes to quality, nutrition, disease resistance and other factors that help keep our food system safe and contribute to national security. Successful examples include: In North Dakota, nitrogen fertilizers are the single largest expense for food crops such as wheat, corn, canola, barley, sugar beets …
Land-grant universities improve local food security
Food security impacts individuals, as well as the health of entire communities. Through creation of food pantries, community gardens, food drives, farmers markets and more, land-grant universities and local community initiatives collaborate to keep food on the table for many. Successful examples include: An effort begun during Covid-19 is still providing high-quality shrimp to food banks in Louisiana. With help …
Beekeeper education and training is critical to Florida’s large honey industry
Honey bees contribute nearly $20 billion to the crop industry by providing pollination services all over the United States. There are nearly 5,000 registered beekeepers in the state of Florida, managing approximately 650,000 colonies. Florida’s honey industry is ranked among the top five in the nation, producing more than 10 million pounds in 2018. Nearly 85% of these are considered …
Managing controlled environments efficiently
In controlled environmental agriculture, plants are grown inside a greenhouse or other type of enclosure where growers can maintain optimal growing conditions, such as light, temperature, humidity, water, and nutrients. In the northeastern climate, controlled environments play a vital role in year-round production, but growers need more information about how to fine-tune their environments to achieve optimal plant growth and …
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