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California organic farms bear fruit
UC DAVIS (US) — California is home to 19 percent of all organic farms in the U.S., more than any other state, and accounts for 36 percent of the nation’s overall organic sales.The state produces 100...
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Farmers need to mix it up
IOWA STATE (US) — To reduce financial risk and improve sustainability, U.S. farmers need to plant a wider variety of crops and make better use of marginal land.The goal of any future change should not...
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Warming bypasses US crops—for now
STANFORD (US) — Global warming has spared wheat and corn crops in the US, Canada, and northern Mexico, while taking a toll worldwide, according to a new study.“It appears as if farmers in North America...
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3-in-1 cuts farm time and cost
PENN STATE (US) — New technology that does triple duty by seeding cover crops, adding fertilizer, and spraying herbicide in one pass could save small farmers as much as $20 per acre.Because cover crops...
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Credit unions have clout with farmers
STANFORD (US) — Because of their considerable influence among farmers in developing countries, credit unions should be included in efforts to improve agricultural sustainability.“Most people tend to...
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Cover crops don’t compete with corn
IOWA STATE (US) — Using a perennial cover crop on corn fields benefits soil and water quality, and may even increase farm profits, according to a new study that finds farms that do so can yield 200...
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Bad (and good) news for Costa Rican farmers
STANFORD (US) — Knocking down forests to make way for farms and pastures in Costa Rica can drive away the birds that play a crucial role in distributing seeds, controlling insects, and pollinating...
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Force flood turned farmland to mud
U. ILLINOIS (US) — When the water in the Mississippi River rose to 58 feet with a forecast of 60 feet or higher in May 2011, the emergency plan to naturally or intentionally breach the levees...
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Weeds grow more resistant to herbicides
PENN STATE (US) — Over-reliance on one type of herbicide for weed control on US farms has created a dramatic increase in the number of genetically resistant weeds, a new study shows.The answer,...
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In Brazil, two crops are better than one
BROWN (US) — Double cropping—planting two crops in a field in the same year— improves schools, helps advance public sanitation, raises median income, and creates jobs in rural Brazil.New research...
View ArticleClimate model predicts wheat and rice yields
U. LEEDS (UK) — A new climate model may help estimate the success—or failure—of some crops months in advance. In about one-third of global cropland, temperature and soil moisture have a strong...
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Exposed early, tadpoles tolerate insecticides
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — Amphibians exposed to insecticides early in life—even those not yet hatched—have a higher tolerance to those same insecticides years later. Wood frog populations residing farther...
View ArticleDiet low in omega-3s may make teens anxious
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — A diet lacking omega-3 fatty acids may lead to increases in anxiety and hyperactivity, especially in teenagers. But it’s not just from what’s lacking in the teen’s diet. It could...
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Food safety courses for farmers add skills, not action
A one-size-fits-all approach isn’t the best way to teach farmers about food safety rules, report researchers. Instead, agricultural extension educators should take a flexible approach in teaching...
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US emits 1.5 times more methane than predicted
Previous studies have underestimated methane emissions in the United States, particularly from cattle farming and fossil fuel production, a new analysis shows. The work, published in the Proceedings of...
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High Plains aquifer is running dry for farmers
Significant portions of one of the largest bodies of water in the United States are at risk of drying up if draining continues at the current rate. In the current issue of Earth’s Future, scientists...
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Bacteria may make sugarcane farming ‘greener’
A new species of bacterium could potentially reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer in sugarcane farming. Current nitrogen fertilizers are expensive and their run-off can damage the environment, says...
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Look beyond corn to find the best biofuels
When it comes to biofuels, corn leads in terms of biomass yield. However, native grass crops used as biofuels add benefits such as fostering biodiversity and pollination. In the current issue of the...
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Climate model predicts where crops could grow
A new land-use model could help conservationists predict which protected areas could, due to climate change, be profitable for agriculture. Humans have responded to climate throughout history. Take,...
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Herbicides not alone in killing-off plant diversity
The increasing use of herbicides is often blamed for the decline of plant biodiversity on farms. However, other farming practices may be more important to species diversity, researchers say. If...
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