Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Pays Dividends

From the USDA:

Posted by Kelly Flynn, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, on January 27, 2015 at 2:00 PM

The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program helps vets repay qualified student loans for service as food animal veterinarians in selected areas of the country. (iStock image)

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

A solid education is crucial to those seeking careers in animal science. However, many student loans can be burdensome. But a student loan payment the size of a mortgage couldn’t stop someone who has wanted to be a veterinarian since they learned to talk. Dr. Annie Bowes is one of those people.

After acquiring the knowledge to begin her dream career, Dr. Bowes was left with overwhelming debt.  Luckily for this Idaho-based veterinarian, she wasn’t left alone to repay it. In 2011, she received assistance through the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) a program funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Through VMLRP, NIFA may repay up to $25,000 each year of student loan debt to eligible veterinarians.  In return, qualified veterinarians must agree to provide food animal medical care for three years in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations.  VMLRP has helped 245 veterinarians since the program’s inception in 2010.

“I am thankful for this assistance,” Bowes said. “It allowed me to establish myself in a rural area where it’s difficult to be successful. I am now able to treat animals at six to eight different farms per day and have more than 600 repeat clients.”

Veterinarians are critical to America’s food safety, food security, and to the health and well-being of both animals and humans. Studies indicate there are significant shortages of food animal veterinarians in certain areas of the country. A leading cause for the scarcity in this profession is the heavy price tag that four years of professional veterinary medical training carries, which leaves current graduates of veterinary colleges with an average debt of $162,000.

Bowes owns Aspen Veterinary Service, a mobile service treating large animals, as well as an Emergency Clinic with a staff of 15 and more than 10,000 repeat customers.

Dr. Tim VanDerPloeg is another veterinarian using USDA’s assistance to expand rural veterinary services. VanDerPloeg will open Veterinary Center of Somerset, in Kentucky, soon. Pulaski County, where the clinic will be located, is the third largest cattle county in the state of Kentucky.  The clinic will have a 2,300-square-foot large animal facility in addition to the 3,400-square-foot small animal facility.

“Although recipients of the loan repayment assistance are only required to commit to three years of veterinary service in a designated shortage area, veterinarians like Bowes and VanDerPloeg suggest that the impacts from this funding and connections to their service areas go well beyond three years,” said Gary Sherman, VMLRP national program leader with NIFA.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA Seeks Variety to Help American Agriculture Flourish

From the USDA:

Posted by Ruihong Guo, Agricultural Marketing Service Science and Technology Program Deputy Administrator, on January 27, 2015 at 1:00 PM

Gardeners, farmers and dreamers are finding it’s a good time to think about the variety of seeds and plants for spring. AMS Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) grants certificates of intellectual property protection to encourage the development of new varieties of plants. Photo courtesy of Stacey Shintani.

While most of the country is braving cold and blustery winter conditions, farmers and gardeners are busy looking ahead to the spring. They are contemplating the variety of seeds or the plants that they will use. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) increases the options for our farmers, gardeners, and plant breeders by making sure there is an abundance of varieties available.

We do this through our Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO), which grants certificates of intellectual property protection to developers of new plant varieties. These certificates enable breeders to market their variety exclusively for 20 years. The protection is an incentive for the development of new and improved varieties.

To find ways to gain new ideas, evaluations and insights about our program, USDA works closely with our key stakeholders through an important advisory committee — the Plant Variety Protection Board.

USDA is currently seeking candidates for the Plant Variety Protection Board. Serving on the board is a great opportunity for a number of reasons. You can join a group of stakeholders from across the industry looking to pool their expertise and resources to develop new varieties. As a board member, you can also help continue agricultural production and increase food security.

We encourage people from all backgrounds to seek a position on the board. Current members are farmers, plant breeders, seed industry experts, university professors, and lawyers who have involvement with plant varieties. We believe that having a diverse advisory committee helps strengthen the future of American agriculture. Together, we can face an increasing world population, climate change, and plant pest/disease outbreaks.

Nomination packages must be received on or before Feb. 6, 2015. The board usually meets two times a year – a teleconference and a face to face meeting at the American Seed Trade Association’s December meeting in Chicago. Members serve for two years and can be reappointed for up to three consecutive terms. The current board’s term will expire in May 2015.

USDA is committed to plant variety protection. It is a great benefit to us all. If you have a passion for plant variety protection, we encourage you to seek a spot on the board.

There is an amazing variety of seeds and plants available to us today. That’s why plant variety protection is important to both U.S. and international agriculture. Photo courtesy of Ritesh Man.

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The USDA Climate Hubs: Almost One Year Old and Making Progress

From USDA:

Posted by Randy Johnson, Ph.D. National Leader, USDA Climate Hubs, on January 6, 2015 at 3:00 PM

The USDA Climate Hubs are almost one year old!  Since February of 2014, we have made considerable progress by developing networks that connect researchers to landowners; by evaluating available tools that can help land managers with management decisions regarding risk management; by synthesizing regional risks and vulnerabilities; and we have learned a lot along the way.

The Hubs are about developing and delivering science-based, region-specific information and technologies, with the help of USDA agencies and partners, to agricultural and natural resource managers and communities.  Land managers and communities desire healthy, resilient, productive, and profitable agricultural or natural ecosystems that are sustainable over time. The Hubs’ role is to work with (and as) advisers to land managers by providing information and tools to help them achieve their goals in an environment filled with climate-related stresses and risks.  The Hubs’ initial focus is on communicating with our stakeholders and developing networks with our partners. This includes communicating research to Certified Crop Advisors, relaying stakeholder needs to science organizations, or just making sure the lines of communication are open among the respective science and information providers and managers of working lands.

As part of our mission, we work with our USDA agencies and partners (e.g., Cooperative Extension, certified crop advisors, universities, federal agencies) to deliver science-based, region-specific information and tools to farmers, ranchers and forest land owners to enable them to make wise risk-management decisions.   With regard to a variable climate, the risks/stressors include drought, floods, extreme weather events, increased pests, diseases and forest fires, and changing growing seasons.

While there are a number of networks providing research and information to managers, none focus on the working land mangers – those that produce our nation’s food, fiber, and forest products every day.  That’s why we need the Hubs.  They work with other Federal climate networks (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program, U.S. Geological Survey Climate Science Centers, Fish and Wildlife Service Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, NOAA Regional Climate Centers, and others) to make science available to managers over a broad range of sectors. The different networks work together to coordinate and complement each other’s efforts. While considerable research examines the impacts and risks associated with climate variability, only a small percentage of this research is in a form that a land manager can use.  The Hubs were formed to help transform complex research results into easily accessible products and then to provide these products to land managers.

A climate hub chart showing communication between research and landowners.

We do this through partnerships. There are a number of organizations and programs that already do some of the activities the Hubs hope to accomplish. Keys to the hub’s success include: 1) establishing partnerships with existing research and outreach organizations, 2) coordinating USDA climate-related efforts, and 3) establishing a pathway that runs from the researcher to the land manager and back.

The Hubs are being designed to facilitate communication between research and landowners.  This two-way “conversation” brings research to the landowner and also brings input back to the research community regarding the usefulness of the tools and information being provided and the unmet needs that require additional research and tool development.

USDA funds foundational and applied research  that examines vulnerabilities and risks to agriculture and forestry.  The purpose of this research is to understand climate-induced risks, and to develop management solutions to deal with drought, flooding, pest pressures, forest fires, altered water availability, changing growing seasons and other stressors.  The Hubs take advantage of all available research and will leverage existing results that can contribute to our mission.  Our role is also to inform research organizations (USDA and others) of landowner concerns so that research can address priority needs.  This feedback will come from our interactions with landowners, landowner organizations, and our partners.

Often, packaging research is the bottleneck in moving science to the land owner.  For the agriculture sector, the State Agricultural Experiment Stations are primary producers of useable science information and tools, and are important partners in this effort. The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) support large-scale regional projects that also provide tools and information for land owners.  Other organizations, such as NOAA RISAs and the Nature Conservancy, also develop tools, and we are trying to evaluate all the available tools we can find and make them available on our web site.

Land managers often depend on trusted advisors to supply them with the information they need to find solutions to challenges they are facing. It’s that person-to-person contact that drives changes to land management practices.  While the Hubs do reach out to land owners directly, the major way we will engage landowners on a person-to-person basis is to capitalize on existing networks.  Two primary networks are Cooperative Extension and the USDA Service Centers.  These organizations have been helping farmers, ranchers and forest land managers for decades (100 years for Cooperative Extension!).  On the forestry side, the Forest Service Threat Centers and the Climate Change Response Framework provide outreach to forest land managers.

So what’s next?  This first year has been more about coordination than production.  It is crucial that we understand all the players in the game so that we can concentrate on areas and projects that will have the greatest impact on providing risk-management tools and resources to America’s farmers, ranchers and forest land owners.  This requires that we coordinate with other research organizations, work closely with Cooperative Extension and the USDA Service Centers to understand their needs, and also to establish a working relationship with those private advisors that work with landowners (see figure below).  These private advisors include the Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs), forestry consultants, and seed and fertilizer dealers.  By better understanding the needs of the agricultural community and documenting the currently available resources we can prioritize the gaps in the research-to-field supply chain and more effectively direct USDA resources to help the Nation’s farmers, ranchers, and forest land owners.

A climate hub chart showing the Climate Hub, stakeholders and providers.

It's Quite a Pickle To Be In

From USDA:

Posted by Kim Kaplan, Agricultural Research Service, on January 6, 2015 at 1:00 PM

Pickles of many kinds fill grocery store shelves, all of them safe for consumers thanks to the work of an ARS food safety lab in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

Pickles are a popular food, but are even trendier today as more and more craft brands show up in stores and farmers’ markets all over the country. But did you know USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has helped commercial pickle-makers, from small brands to the nation’s largest, meet the highest standards of food safety?

While pickling—storing in an acid liquid, usually vinegar—has been recognized as a food-preserver since long before the discovery of bacteria, the kind of data that today’s precise food safety standards require was not established until recently.

In the late 1990s, incidents of bacterial contamination in acidic foods like unpasteurized orange juice and apple cider, which are the same pH as pickles, alerted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that pathogens, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7, survived at more acidic pH levels in juices than previously believed—leading to new juice regulations. It also raised collateral questions about these pathogens in acidified foods, such as pickles, and prompted FDA to issue draft guidance applicable to the pickle industry.

Even though there haven’t been any food-borne illnesses from commercial pickles in 50 years, no one knew exactly how to reach the 99.999 percent reduction in bacterial pathogens FDA now considered appropriate. This also needed to be done without hurting the quality or taste of pickles.

It was a job for the researchers at the ARS Food Science Research Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina, the only national laboratory that works full time on the processing of commercial pickled vegetables. Every type of pickle and pickled vegetable would require its own study and set of numbers.

With significant support and funding from the pickle industry, the first ones the lab tackled were the pasteurized pickles—dill, bread and butter, sweet, sour, gherkin, kosher—the ones that pretty much dominate the grocery store aisles. They found it took less than 1.2 minutes at 160°F (71°C) in brine at pH 4.1 to reach the 99.999 percent reduction level.

Then the scientists moved on to the acidified, shelf-stable pickled vegetables like peppers and okra, which do not undergo pasteurization because they would fall apart in the heat. These products are instead made safe through the combined bacteria-killing effects of low pH and high organic acid concentration.

Today, all U.S.-produced pickled vegetables—a multi-billion-dollar a year industry—are made following the standards set by the ARS Food Science Research Unit’s work.

This wasn’t the first time the lab revolutionized the pickle industry. For instance, John L. Etchells, the lab’s research leader from 1937 to 1975, improved the pickle fermentation process and reduced spoilage by such a significant amount that pickles became so much less expensive dill pickle slices became a standard accompaniment on hamburgers in restaurants everywhere, and today, they are 25 percent of the pickle market.

After the ARS Food Science Research Unit helped reduce the amount of spoilage in the pickle making business industry, pickles became so much less expensive that dill pickle slices became popular on burgers in restaurants everywhere.

Secretary's Column: 2014, a Year of Action, Partnership and Innovation at USDA

From USDA:

Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on December 22, 2014 at 12:00 PM

This has been a tremendous year for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the rural families and communities we serve. Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden recently shared a reflection on her most inspirational moments this year. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished at USDA over the course of this year, and I thought I’d take a moment to share just a few of our top accomplishments.

1. Led what was widely called “the most successful Farm Bill implementation.”
   

   Farm Bill graphic.
   After the passage of the Farm Bill early this year, USDA pressed ahead at full speed to implement its programs and provisions, which have benefited America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. You can track our progress at www.usda.gov/farmbill.
2. Helped 146,000 rural Americans become first-time home buyers.
   

   Family behind a house.
   USDA has helped thousands of rural Americans achieve the dream of home ownership, and helped countless more make critical repairs and upgrades to their homes. Learn more at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
3. Achieved a record $152.5 billion in farm and ranch exports that supported 1 million jobs here at home.
   

   A ship at dock.
   America’s farmers and ranchers achieved record exports yet again this year, supported by Administration programs focused on opening markets abroad and connecting potential exporters here at home with the resources they need to get into the business of exporting. This year, we also launched the Made in Rural America initiative, an effort to help rural businesses export non-farm products made in rural communities.
4. Launched new initiatives that take public-private partnership to the next level in rural America.
    
   

   A man with a NRCS employee.
   Over the course of 2014, USDA launched several new initiatives, including the $10 billion Rural Infrastructure Opportunity fund, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and the $150 million Rural Business Investment Company, that leverage funding from private sector investors to build on USDA’s own investments in conservation, infrastructure, and small businesses, and expand opportunity in rural communities. Learn more at www.usda.gov/opportunity.
5. Served more than 187 million summer meals to low-income kids, an increase of more than 14 percent since 2009.
   

   A smiling girl with orange glasses at lunch.
   During the summer months, USDA’s summer meals help make sure that kids get the nutrition they need even when school is not in session. With strong support from local partners, we’ve reached a record number of kids and ensured that they begin the next school year healthy and ready to learn. Learn more at www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp.
6. Filed 109 patent applications for innovative products and techniques developed by USDA researchers.
   

   Secretary Vilsack looking into a microscope.
   Groundbreaking research conducted by USDA scientists ends up on your plate, in your home and as the clothes on your back. Their discoveries in the lab translate into science you can see. And thanks to the new Farm Bill, USDA was able to establish the new Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, which will leverage public and private resources to further boost agricultural research. For more stories on how USDA research impacts your everyday life, visit blogs.usda.gov/category/science.

The list above is just a small snapshot—after all, it’s hard to choose just a few success stories from a year where we moved more than $4.3 billion in critical disaster assistance to thousands of producers; answered nearly 1.3 million questions to help consumers stay food safe; made 340 investments in local food infrastructure and launched a series of new web directories designed to connect consumers with farmers markets, on-farm markets, CSAs and food hubs; provided more than 3,500 microloans to help beginning and veteran farmers grow their businesses; and lessened the threat of wildfires to communities by treating 1.7 million acres of forest land. This has truly been a year of action, partnership and innovation at USDA, and I know that as we look ahead to 2015, USDA will continue to focus on making a positive impact in rural communities.

Directions to a Prosperous Rural America

From USDA:

Posted by Dr. Richard Derksen, Program Coordinator, Office of the Chief Scientist, on December 16, 2014 at 9:00 AM

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

If you’re like me, the holidays are a time to pack our bags and set off to visit family members and loved ones.  When my family goes on a road trip — with what seems like half the country doing the same thing — the driver is always asked helpful questions like, “Do you know where you’re going?” or “Are we there yet?” At USDA, we’re often revisiting the same questions and potential solutions as we develop plans to strengthen the rural economy.

Tackling the problems rural America faces is not unlike a family road trip.  Directions are needed to help steer USDA programs supporting rural America toward our goals:  “Do you know where you’re going?”  As it turns out, the answer to this question is an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

The 2010 “A Roadmap for USDA Science” expressed a vision for delivering the research, tools, and statistical data needed to meet the needs of USDA agencies and the country. The 2014 Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Action Plan further develops the vision outlined in the Roadmap and provides direction for the REE Mission agencies.

In response to the changes rural America has experience over the last century, the REE Action Plan provides direction for effective research, education, and extension that inform public and private decision-making in support of rural and community development.  One important contribution to sustainable, healthy rural communities is access to timely, reliable data and information that allows rural citizens and entrepreneurs to make informed business and personal decisions.

The REE Action Plan supports expansion of the bioeconomy by supporting development, production, and consumption of renewable energy and biobased products which will help create prosperous rural communities that are self-sustaining, re-populating, and economically thriving.   Another priority is developing strategies to support pollinator health which is critical to agricultural production across the country.

“Are we there yet?”  Impact-driven agricultural science is critical to the future of our country.  Having defined direction for USDA science and implementation of the REE Action Plan ensures that resources are being used to achieve the goals in the most efficient manner. Regular, frequent progress checks will be made within the mission area, and on an agency level, to make sure we’re on track to support rural America.

Hope your travels get you safely to your destination. See you on the roads!

Exploration and Agriculture: Connecting the Next Generation with Science to Grow the Future

From USDA:

Posted by Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, on December 11, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Deputy Secretary Harden and 4-H'ers observe plant growing experiments at the NASA Space Life Science Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Last week, we entered a bold new era of exploration and discovery as NASA launched the Orion spacecraft, a major step testing the possibility of going to Mars.

As NASA contemplates sending human missions to Mars, one question we must answer is: what will the astronauts eat and what foods will assist future missions? NASA and USDA are working together to develop plants that can grow, thrive, and produce in new environments – signaling opportunities for fresh, nutrition-rich food for astronauts on long duration space flights.

In conjunction with the Orion launch, I toured the Kennedy Space Center’s Space Life Science Center with local 4-Hers. Together, we marveled at the research, technology, and biotechnology found in NASA’s labs. We saw dwarf plums that USDA and NASA developed together, designed to fit in small spaces and produce fruit continually – not seasonally. We saw plants growing without soil and plants growing with minimal water.

We saw some of the science that NASA is using to begin growing food in space, learned about the technologies that are being developed to enrich our agricultural production and conservation efforts here on Earth, and discussed all of the possibilities that science holds for us as farmers and ranchers. Do roots grow towards gravity or water?  Do plants have to only make fruit within one season?

USDA and NASA cross paths in many ways.  Through satellite imagery provided by NASA, USDA can make better drought and flood predictions and help forecast global food supplies.  Working with USDA, NASA has developed new varieties of plants that can thrive in space exploration environments. We share data, science, and the experience of exploration as we push the boundaries of both of our fields.

Last week was about making science and the opportunities involved in the production of food available real to the students I met with – and to inspire them to consider their part in our future.

These students and I both left with a deep sense of opportunity and excitement about the intersection between USDA and NASA. Growing tomorrow’s farmers and ranchers requires investment and engagement at all ages. Together with these youth, our scientists will build an appreciation for the fundamentals of agriculture along with a pioneering spirit.

Surveys Help with Land Rental Negotiation

From USDA:

Posted by Shiela Corley, Environmental and Economics Survey Section Head, National Agricultural Statistics Service, on December 9, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Shiela Corley is a statistician now, but her farming roots are deep. Corley's family has been farming for generations now and even today, her parents run a farm in her native Kentucky. Photo Credit: Shiela Corley

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

Farmland is one of the biggest assets in U.S. agriculture.  According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, American farmers own more than half of all U.S. farmland—however, more than 350 million acres are rented or leased.  This means that hundreds of thousands of farmers are affected by rising farmland values and have to negotiate their land rental agreements regularly.

That’s where data comes in. Every year, we reach out to thousands of farmers across the nation to determine accurate estimates for farmland values. After all, to negotiate a fair deal, it helps to know the actual value of the land you already rent or hope to rent in the future. That’s also how we at USDA and other key policymakers know that U.S. farmland values have been increasing pretty steadily over the past decade.

Farmland value is only a piece of the puzzle, however.

You still need to know who you are negotiating with. To do that, we are adding a whole new tool to our toolbox.

At the end of this month, we’ll mail out the Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land survey (TOTAL). This survey will be like a landowner version of the Census of Agriculture, in that it will cover land ownership income, debt, asset, demographic and other landlord characteristics, as well as additional information on those renting the land.

When we publish the results of this survey next August, it’ll give a much-needed negotiation tool to farmers and ranchers across the United States who rent or lease the land they operate. As someone who grew up on farm in Kentucky, this data is important to our family as we make decision on rental agreements and the future of our family farm. But the uses won’t stop there. This will also be an important tool for landowners themselves, as well as a baseline for many solid loan and grant policies. But in the meantime, look out for this survey coming soon to a mailbox near you.

Let your voice be heard and respond to the Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land survey.

Old Microscope Sparks New Idea for Kids' Science Club

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Stephanie Worley Firley, Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, U.S. Forest Service, on April 8, 2014 at 3:30 PM

Drs. Rebecca Efroymson and Bill Hargrove held a recent science club meeting in Haw Creek Elementary School’s computer lab. (U.S. Forest Service/Stephanie Worley Firley)

When he was a child, Forest Service scientist Bill Hargrove burnt off his eyebrows making rocket fuel, blew up a sealed jar of cultured yeast and started a bathroom fire while doing sterile transfers for a carrot tissue culture. Fortunately, he survived his early scientific experiments and is now inspiring a new generation of young students.

Hargrove, a research ecologist with the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, and his wife, Rebecca Efroymson, are pioneering an extramural science club for fourth and fifth graders at Haw Creek Elementary School in Asheville, N.C. Each monthly club meeting features real-life scientists who lead lively discussions and activities about diverse scientific topics.

During the first club meeting last year, students looked at living creatures found in drops of pond water through a light microscope—Hargrove’s own childhood microscope.

“I used to spend hours in junior high school looking at protozoa through that microscope. My family got used to having stinky jars of pond water on every available window sill,” Hargrove said.

While learning about the microscope, students also looked at toothpaste, sandpaper, salt crystals, and grooves in a phonograph record, an object that was not as familiar to them as Hargrove had hoped. Hargrove projected the images under the microscope onto a large screen so that all of the students could see them at the same time. Students also controlled a scanning electron microscope located in a different state over the Internet to observe many insect specimens that they had mailed weeks earlier to the national Bugscope project.

Science club activities go well beyond examining the microscopic world. During past meetings, students constructed simple robots that could move and follow a light source; explored rockets, airplanes and space, including outdoor rocket and airplane demos; and delved into electronics. Students have also surveyed archaeology, constructed pickle and lemon batteries, learned about biofuels and solar power, and have even touched human brains as part of a recent meeting focused on psychology, following a discussion about respectful conduct and ethics.

One might wonder why Hargrove and Efroymson — both busy researchers and the parents of two — commit their extremely limited spare time to the club. In short, they wish to share their passion for science with others. They hope to excite students about the possibilities of careers in science, especially those who are underrepresented in scientific fields, including women and minorities.

Hargrove, an entomologist by training and once a young shortwave and amateur radio enthusiast, explains that kids today belong to a ‘software generation’ and feels that free range tinkering with hardware and electronics is critically important for developing minds.

“I think that kids often don’t get any ‘feel’ for science,” he said. “But if they can experiment in a safe environment, they realize that science is just normal, regular stuff. No magic at all. Then the fear is gone, de-mystified, and they can get on with learning.”

USDA Researchers Go High-Tech to View Tiny Organisms

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Jan Suszkiw, USDA Agricultural Research Service Information Staff, on April 8, 2014 at 2:00 PM

Under the microscope: a worm-like mite species Osperalycus tenerphagus

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

During the month of April we will take a closer look at USDA’s Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America, highlighting ways USDA researchers are improving the lives of Americans in ways you might never imagine.

“Seeing the unseen” may sound like a science fiction movie theme, but it’s actually the real-life mission of USDA scientists who use special high-powered microscopes to view microscopic organisms that play a big role in agriculture.

The facility where these scientists produce the images of the unseen world–from fungal spores to plant cells–is called the Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit (ECMU) and it’s operated in Beltsville, Md., by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

Researchers often request the images to aid them in their studies, and to illustrate papers, posters and grant proposals. Outside research organizations have also sought out the expertise of ECMU director Gary Bauchan and his colleagues in producing the images, as well as the skill with which they ensure the integrity of specimens and samples submitted to them.

In December 2013, for example, Ohio State University (OSU) doctoral student Samuel Bolton finished a 12-month assignment working with Bauchan and ARS entomologist Ron Ochoa to identify and describe a new, worm-like species of mite belonging to the family Nematalycidae.

The mite, dubbed Osperalycus tenerphagus, “is the first species of this weird family to be described in over 40 years,” said Bolton, who studies mite systematics under the guidance of OSU professor Hans Klompen in Columbus, Ohio.

Bolton literally dug up the species while excavating loam soil across the street from OSU’s Museum of Biological Diversity. This was unusual because mites in the Nematalycidae family are mostly found in sandy habitats (dunes, beaches, desert soils).

Because the mites were worm-like and very soft-bodied, the only method for viewing the creatures in their natural state was to freeze them and observe them frozen. Thus, before imaging, the mites were placed on small, copper plates and then plunged into liquid nitrogen at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, the specimens were thinly coated in platinum and positioned on a cold stage at minus 202 degrees Fahrenheit within a low-temperature scanning electron microscope. There, they were imaged at magnifications of up to 30,000 times.

“We are confident we have by far and away the best images that have ever been captured of this strange looking mite,” says Bolton. He, Bauchan, Ochoa and Klompen have published their discovery in The Journal of Natural History.

Stopping a Winged Purveyor of Disease and Death

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Sandy Miller Hays, USDA-Agricultural Research Service Information Staff, on April 7, 2014 at 12:00 PM

The mosquito Aedes aegypti can spread several diseases as it travel from person to person. Only the females feed on blood. In this photo, the mosquito is just starting to feed on a person’s arm.

During the month of April we will take a closer look at USDA’s Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America, highlighting ways USDA researchers are improving the lives of Americans in ways you might never imagine.  For example, researching mosquitoes that spread diseases that threaten human health worldwide.

Today is World Health Day, and this year’s theme is vector-borne diseases—those diseases spread by organisms like insects, ticks and snails.  Significant vector-borne diseases in the Americas include dengue fever, malaria, leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis.

One of the most egregious offenders is the mosquito, and the scientists of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are taking aim at this winged attacker with weapons ranging from traditional remedies to computer modeling and satellite images.

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a viral disease spread to livestock and humans via mosquito bites, and is a major threat in Africa and the Middle East. ARS scientists partnered with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and federal partners from NASA, CDC and the Department of Defense to form the Rift Valley Fever Outbreak Early-Warning Team to develop and transfer an early-warning system to detect and predict outbreaks of RVF.

The model is based on analyzing satellite images to detect when temperatures in the Pacific and Indian oceans elevate concurrently to produce widespread and heavy rainfall in Africa. The right conditions can give rise to major increases in the number and longevity of infected mosquitoes that spread the disease. Similar models can help predict outbreaks of malaria and dengue.

In October 2006, the model predicted that RVF would flare up within three months in sub-Saharan Africa, and warnings were sent to countries in harm’s way to allow them to step up surveillance and controls for disease-carrying insects. Additional warnings were issued from 2007-2010 in Sudan, Southern Africa and Madagascar months prior to the detection of RVF disease.

At a remote patrol base in Iraq, ARS scientist and U.S. Army entomologist Seth Britch applies a pesticide treatment to camouflage netting and shade cloth that will be suspended over outdoor eating and cooking areas and areas between dormitories. This treatment reduces populations of biting flies and mosquitoes by transferring lethal doses to the insects when they rest on the camouflage material.

In other work, ARS scientists have shown that compounds in the oil of seeds of Jatropha curcas—burned in homes in India—are effective mosquito repellents. They’ve also shown that a naturally occurring compound from pine oil seems to deter mosquito biting and repels two kinds of ticks.

Additionally, ARS scientists have evaluated treatments applied to uniforms to help protect military personnel against biting insects, and have helped the military evaluate spray equipment to combat insects that threaten the health of deployed soldiers.

These are just a few examples of the ways ARS scientists serve every day on the front lines in the battle against mosquitoes, ticks and other creatures that pose ongoing, serious threats to the health of the world’s population.

ARS agricultural engineer Clint Hoffmann evaluates a pesticide spray nozzle as ARS works to devise better ways of protecting military personnel from disease-transmitting insects like mosquitoes.

Secretary's Column: USDA Science You Can See

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on April 4, 2014 at 12:00 PM

While most people have a mental image of research that involves scientists in lab coats, bubbling test tubes and beakers, and technical language that can seem complex, much of the groundbreaking research conducted by USDA scientists actually ends up on your plate, in your home, or on your back. Their discoveries in the lab truly translate into science you can see.

For example, many of us make a conscious effort to eat healthier and cut calories, but it can be tough when faced with a favorite snack, like French fries. USDA scientists have figured out a way to make French fries healthier. Before frying, scientists exposed potato strips to a few minutes of infrared heat. This forms a crispy outer shell on the outside of the fries, which helps to reduce their oil uptake and ultimately reduces calories per serving. If adopted commercially, this method is great news for both food processors and our waistlines.

Or maybe you’re a healthy snack lover and looking for a way to make your snacks pack an even healthier punch. USDA scientists have found a way to add oat fiber to yogurt without affecting its flavor or texture. Yogurt is already a pretty healthy snack, and adding addition fiber can only help—studies have indicated that oat fiber can help to improve heart health.

If you are lactose-intolerant, you may use Lactaid™ so you can still enjoy dairy products. USDA scientists helped to develop the basis for that product, too. USDA scientists also conducted the core research behind ChoiceBatter, a gluten-free rice flour batter that is now being marketed and sold by CrispTek, LLC.

For those who’ve ever woken up late before a big work meeting, USDA scientists have got your back here, too. They helped to develop cotton fabric that is wrinkle-free and fire-resistant.

If you’re a cat person, you may someday see USDA science impact your pet. USDA scientists have developed a kitty litter product that’s nearly 100 percent biodegradable and made from spent grains, often referred to as dried distiller’s grains (DDGs), leftover from the process of making corn ethanol. DDGs are often used as cattle feed, but this new product may provide a higher-value market for the tons of DDGs leftover after ethanol production.

And, to the delight of farmers and people with noses everywhere, USDA scientists are part of a team of researchers investigating ways to combat the brown marmorated stink bug, which in addition to having a distinct odor, can also cause serious damage to valuable agricultural crops.

These are just some of the ways that research conducted by USDA scientists and our partner research institutions touch your daily life. Beyond that, agricultural research also helps to boost the economy. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to the economy. In the past five years alone, research by USDA scientists has led to award of 215 patents covering a wide range of topics and discoveries. One of our research agencies, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), currently has 380 active licenses of ARS-developed technology that are supporting new businesses and job opportunities across the country.

The recently-signed 2014 Farm Bill will help to build on these accomplishments by establishing a new research foundation that leverages private sector funding to support groundbreaking agricultural research. You can follow our progress in implementing the new farm bill and establishing the research foundation at www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Thanks to the new Farm Bill, we can continue the vital research and innovation that have enhanced food safety and nutrition, made farming and ranching more efficient, and improved quality of life for millions of people in the United States and around the world.

USDA Research Tradition Going Strong in the 21st Century

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Sean Adams, USDA Agricultural Research Service Information Staff, on April 1, 2014 at 1:00 PM

USDA research can be found in many products that you’ve probably never realized.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

During the month of April we will take a closer look at USDA’s Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America, highlighting ways USDA researchers are improving the lives of Americans in ways you might never imagine.

There are “game changers” in politics, sports, art, music and the like. So it should come as no surprise that there are game changers in agricultural research as well—discoveries that changed the way food is produced, and even created new industries to feed a growing world.

Last week’s seminar commemorating Norman Borlaug’s work to launch the Green Revolution is a great example of how a strong science foundation has helped ensure a steady food supply as the world’s population has grown.

USDA science has generated more than its share of groundbreaking research over the years.  Playing a key role in these research discoveries are the four major Research Utilization Centers that are now part of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Originally established in early 1940s for the purpose of finding new uses and markets for farm commodities, the Centers are located in Wyndmoor, Penn.; Peoria, Ill.; New Orleans, La.; and Albany, Calif.

At New Orleans, for example, scientists gave a shot in the arm to the cotton industry by developing cotton fabric that was wrinkle-free and fire-resistant.  At Albany, researchers worked out the appropriate times, temperatures, and other factors for freezing fruits and vegetables to help jump-start the frozen food industry.

If you enjoy milk but are lactose-intolerant, you may use Lactaid™ so you can still enjoy dairy products. Scientists at Wyndmoor established the basis for that product and many other dairy-related technologies.  Researchers at Peoria found a way to mass-produce penicillin, saving many lives as a result. Over the next few years, the four utilization centers will be celebrating 75 years of research excellence that continues going strong.

Some recent examples of products stemming from ARS studies:  ChoiceBatter, a gluten-free rice flour batter that is now being marketed and sold by CrispTek, LLC; a new vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease, a foreign disease that could devastate the livestock industry if an outbreak occurred in the United States; and the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which changed how consumers and the plant industry access this information.

We will be discussing other groundbreaking research accomplishments not only from ARS, but other USDA agencies in USDA’s throughout this month.  These examples of Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America underscore the critical role that USDA scientists play in discovering game-changing research to solve agricultural problems. These discoveries not only benefit the American public, but people around the world.

USDA research impacts each of us every day.

A New World-Old World Problem and How Genetic "Fingerprints" May Help

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Dennis O’Brien, Agricultural Research Service, on September 3, 2013 at 11:00 AM

ARS scientists and NIFA-funded researchers work to improve the tools and processes to develop better grapes and grapevines. Their discoveries will make it easier for grape breeders to identify vines that combine the most desirable traits.

This post is part of the Science Today feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

When it comes to grapes, there’s a New World-Old World dichotomy. Grapevines originating in the Americas (e.g. Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia) can resist pests and diseases, but they generally don’t have the taste or aroma of grapes with European origins (Vitis vinifera).  But European grapes are more susceptible to pests and disease.

Grape breeders try to combine the best of both worlds, but here’s the problem: if you cross one grape with another, there is no guarantee your progeny will inherit the desirable traits. And because it takes so much time to grow a grapevine, produce grapes from those vines, and for those grapes to be evaluated, bringing a new grape to market can take 20 years or more. Scientists can speed things up by identifying genes that give grapes the right blend of the best characteristics. Identifying the genes will tell you the characteristics of the vine without having to wait for it to grow.

VitisGen, a project partially funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative, is helping scientists pick up the pace. The $9 million project, which is supported with matching grants from the grape industry, brings together scientists from 11 research institutions across the United States. They’re focused on improving the tools and processes used in traditional breeding. As part of the project, scientists at Cornell University, South Dakota State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service operate three “Phenotyping Centers,” where breeders can send vine samples for laboratory evaluations and genetic analyses. Breeders usually send samples from “families” of 100 to 200 vines, and each center is equipped to screen one of three key traits: fruit quality, cold tolerance or resistance to powdery mildew.

The project started in 2011 and is slated to run until 2016. In its first two years, scientists have created the largest genetic database for any specialty crop in the United States, according to Lance Cadle-Davidson, the USDA-ARS scientist who helps oversee the effort.  They have developed genetic fingerprints of 8,000 grapevines, identified 1.2 million DNA markers and discovered linkages between these markers and the traits. These discoveries make it faster and easier for breeders to identify vines combining the most desirable traits.

Summer Adventure in Statistics

Posted by Ben Bellman, National Agricultural Statistics Service, on September 3, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Ben Bellman is a University of Colorado student who interned at USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service through the Joint Program in Statistical Methodology during the 2013 summer.

This post is part of the Science Today feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

2013 is the International Year of Statistics. As part of this global event, every month this year USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will profile careers of individuals who are making significant contributions to improve agricultural statistics in the United States.

When I first walked through the doors to the USDA South Building in our nation’s capital, I was a newcomer, and in more ways than one. I had never worked in an office before. I had never lived in a big city. And to be honest, I didn’t know anything about agriculture. I was placed as an intern in the Public Affairs Section of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) because of my studies in Statistics and English, and I was very nervous about what I would find. As foolish as it seems now, I was flying blind my first day, completely unaware of what was waiting for me in the coming hours, let alone the next ten weeks.

What I found was a corps of statisticians committed to collecting data and calculating accurate numbers on American farming, and releasing them on a strict schedule. I quickly became aware of how important this job really is. Thousands of people in all parts of the agriculture industry, from commodity traders to policy makers to everyday farmers, depend on information from NASS to inform their decisions. It’s a huge undertaking, requiring cooperation among survey design teams, survey administration teams, data collectors, statisticians, commodity experts, and IT specialists, all spread across the country. As I joined their ranks, I was able to see many aspects of NASS operations and learn about its complexities and relevance.

My work here has been varied and rewarding. The Public Affairs Section’s mission is to better connect the agency to its data users and providers, and we ensure that both their and the agency’s needs are met. Part of that involved finding statistics that might be useful to a wider audience. I spent much time combing recent NASS releases, searching online through Quick Stats, reading through historic volumes to discover facts about our agricultural past. These are the numbers that represent our entire nation’s agriculture, and bringing them to the public both educates them and empowers our farming community as a whole.

Interning with NASS was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had. I was able to see firsthand the great size, diversity, and importance of our agricultural system, down to the smallest family farm. I worked as part of an office team and was surrounded by people who cared about my success. I got a glimpse into the complex process of collecting the data that document events and trends in our country, and the dedicated workers who make it happen. Ten weeks was nowhere near enough time to reap all that I could from Washington and NASS, but it was a taste I’ll never forget, and one that left me wanting more.

USDA Chief Scientist Answers Your Questions on STEM and Agricultural Science Degrees; Join Our Twitter Chat Using #StudyAgScience

Save 20% on AVG Anti-Virus 2013 - 1 user 1 year




USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Justice Wright, Research, Education, and Economics, on August 22, 2013 at 12:45 PM

Join @ScienceAtUSDA for a Twitter chat on STEM & Agricultural Science education tomorrow at 2pm ET. Use #StudyAgScience to participate.

Do you have questions about why there is a big push for students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Or what jobs, in addition to farming, are available for graduates with agricultural science degrees? USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics Dr. Catherine Woteki will host a live Virtual Office Hours session on Twitter this Friday, August 23, 2012 at 2 p.m. EDT to answer your questions about what USDA is doing to make sure we are keeping the pipeline filled with promising students.

If you have questions like:

Why do we need more students to study STEM subjects?
What career opportunities are available to me with agricultural science degrees?
What is USDA doing to help students that are interested in studying agricultural science?
How do I encourage my child to study STEM subjects?

Join us on Twitter tomorrow and use the hashtag #StudyAgScience to keep up with conversation. Please use the #StudyAgScience hashtag in all of your tweets. You can tweet questions, comments or just follow along.  We will answer as many as we can in one hour from the @ScienceAtUSDA Twitter account. See you tomorrow at 2pm EDT.