Research And Science

Water is critical in space. This is especially true for NASA’s planned long-term space missions, replete with on-board farming. At roughly 8.34 pounds per gallon, getting enough H2O aboard ship to irrigate crops and sustain astronauts is expensive, as every pound carried to space requires additional fuel, which incurs additional costs.

Last week, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) began collecting data for its first ever Hemp Acreage and Production Survey. Hemp is a commodity that can be used for numerous industrial and horticultural purposes, including fabric, food products, cosmetics, and more. Yet, there is no comprehensive, national production data for it. That’s where NASS comes in.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) celebrates the achievements and contributions of the Hispanic community who are helping advance scientific innovation and creating the next generation of leaders in support of our Nation’s food and agricultural system.

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, farmers need all the help they can get to increase production, quality, and nutritional value of agricultural products. FarmBeats will help them achieve that.

As we enter Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct.15), we acknowledge and appreciate the contributions the U.S. Hispanic community has made to advance our economic and agricultural growth.

Imagine flying from Los Angeles to the Washington, D.C. region on a plane fueled with American farm products or forestry waste. Sounds farfetched? Well, it is already becoming a reality. Thanks to U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel, airlines can help address climate change and create rural jobs by using this fuel option. That’s why USDA, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Energy announced a “Grand Challenge” to support the production of 35 billion gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per year by 2050.

Crop researchers are hungry for data to feed their crop models. There is a wealth of historical data that’s inaccessible because today’s crop model software applications cannot easily interpret it. USDA’s National Agricultural Library (NAL) is working with the University of Florida and the Agricultural Research Data Network (ARDN) to solve this problem.

The transition between summer and fall marks another distinct season: Back-to-school. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and America’s farmers and ranchers are critical to preparing students for long school days – from pop quizzes to soccer practice. USDA is providing a back-to-school support kit to assist with menu planning as well as grants to help states develop new school meal recipes that feature local agricultural products.

A new technology from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) may become a key tool for dairy farmers to reduce their expenses and help limit pollution.

Do you appreciate your parents – the things they have done for you, life advice, or traditions they passed down? Now is a good time to ponder these things as every year, on the fourth Sunday in July, we celebrate National Parents’ Day!