Holstein Association USA Looking for Research Proposals

From the Holstein Association:

Every great scientific discovery begins with an idea. Innovative research is the backbone of progress in any industry — and that includes the dairy community.
Holstein Association USA is currently accepting research proposals for the next round of funding. The applications must include expected outcomes to benefit the profitability of Holstein cattle. 

Submit applications for research grant funds to researchgrants@holstein.com by Aug. 15, 2019.
Supporting research is a top priority for Holstein Association USA, the world’s largest dairy breed association. 

Holstein Association USA is currently funding two projects. 

**One at North Carolina State University that’s looking at how genomic information can be used to manage inbreeding; and 

** A second project at the University of California-Davis exploring the opportunity to breed Holstein cows for heat tolerance using the slick hair gene. Both hold great potential for future progress with U.S. Registered Holsteins.

More details about the Research Grant Program guidelines and process can be found on the Holstein Association USA website at www.holsteinusa.com/programs_services/research_grant.html.

Senate, Assembly Favor Family Farm in their Budgets

From New York Farm Bureau:

New York Farm Bureau said the Senate and Assembly, especially the Agriculture Committee Chairs, Sen. Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Bill Magee, have made the state’s family farms a priority in their respective budgets.

Many of the funding lines have been restored to last year’s levels, which will make a difference in the support and promotion of the state’s diverse agricultural commodities. This includes funding multiple research projects that the agricultural community depends on to confront growing challenges that exist on farms.

The New York State Senate also stepped up to the plate to fund many of the priorities of New York Farm Bureau including a refundable investment tax credit to assist farms looking to reinvest in this down farm economy. 

The Senate majority is also supportive of doubling the agricultural minimum wage tax credit which will help farms better manage labor costs while attempting to remain competitive with farms in other states that have significantly lower wage rates.

The Farm to Food Bank Bill also received budgetary support for the first time in both chambers’ budgets. 

This is a big boost to the bill that has seen bi-partisan support the past two years only to have the governor veto the bill, in part, because it was passed outside of the budget process. 

Farm Bureau believes there is no excuse for the governor to pull out his veto stamp again, and we encourage him to negotiate funding in the final budget to support the tax credit, as he promised. It will allow farmers to donate even more fresh food to their regional food banks and pantries.

The support of the “Farm to Food Bank Bill” comes on the heels of New York state farmers donating more than 13.2 million pounds of food in 2016. The number is the second highest for any state in the country.  The total was announced last month at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fusion Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. 

New York Farm Bureau participates in Feeding America’s Harvest for All Program. This record number for New York highlights the generosity of farmers in this state, and food donations will likely increase with the passage and signing of the “Farm to Food Bank Bill.” 

The tax credit on 25 percent of the wholesale value of the food, up to $5,000 annually, would help offset a portion of the costs of labor, packaging and transportation required to get more food from the fields to those in need.

“As the April 1 budget deadline approaches, we are hopeful these items will remain in New York State’s final fiscal plan. The past year has been a difficult one for the state’s farmers," said Farm Bureau President David Fisher.

"From higher labor costs to lower commodity prices, coupled with extreme weather woes, the additional support could not come at a more necessary time for the hard working farm families of New York,” Fisher said.

USDA Scientists Told Not to Share Findings With Public

OK, let's muzzle the USDA.

Check out this story at https://www.buzzfeed.com/dinograndoni/trump-usda?utm_term=.iuNB1BVrV#.ray0509O9 this link.

USDA Researchers Come Up With Handy Innovations

I found this to be really cool. I hope you do too.

The USDA has issued a new report scientific breakthroughs discovered by USDA researchers that led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth. 

Innovations included in the report range from flour made out of chardonnay grape seeds that prevents weight gain to antimicrobial packets that keep food from spoiling, efforts to protect U.S. troops in Iraq from diseases carried by sand flies, new processes for turning grass clippings and raked leaves into bioenergy, and many more.

"Studies have shown that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to the economy. We have accelerated commercialization of federal research and government researchers are working closely with the private sector to develop new technology and transfer it to the marketplace," said Ag Secretary Thomas Vilsack. "USDA has a proven track record of performing research that benefits the public."

USDA reports receiving 51 patents, filing 147 patent applications, and disclosing 180 new inventions in the last fiscal year, which are detailed in the Department's 2013 Annual Report on Technology Transfer released last week.

Helping drive these innovations, USDA has 259 active Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with outside investigators, which includes Universities and other organizations, including 117 with small businesses. The USDA's technology transfer program is administered by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

Discoveries from USDA's 2013 Technology Transfer Report include:

• A new kind of flour made from chardonnay grape seeds that can prevent increases in cholesterol and weight-gain (the Mayo Clinic is currently conducting human clinical trials on the product);
• New ways to turn lawn clippings and tree leaves from cities into bioenergy;
• An enzyme compound that can be used to develop insecticides to combat sand flies, a disease spreading insect that poses a major problem for U.S. military in Iraq and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of childhood deaths in Africa;
• A computer-based model of the fluid milk process to lower greenhouse gas emissions (the model has been distributed to more than 100 processors in the United States and should help the dairy industry realize its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent per gallon of milk by 2020);
• Oat concentrates, a digestible, functional food from oats licensed for the production of Calorie-Trim and Nutrim;
• A new process for turning old tires into zinc fertilizer;
• A handheld device that uses gold nanoparticles to detect West Nile virus (and potentially other diseases) in blood samples;
• Window cleaners that use a biodegradable solution of nanoparticles that prevent water-beading that are superior to current cleaners;
• A small packet that when inserted in small fruit containers releases an antimicrobial vapor that helps keep fresh fruit from rotting on the shelf.

Over the years, USDA innovations have created all sorts of products Americans use every days, from cosmetics, to insect controls, leathers, shampoos, and of course food products. Here are just a few examples of things USDA research is responsible for:

• Frozen orange juice concentrate;
• "Permanent press" cotton clothing;
• Mass production of penicillin in World War II;
• Almost all breeds of blueberries and cranberries currently in production, and 80% of all varieties of citrus fruits grown in the U.S.;
• "Tifsport", a turf used on NFL, collegiate, and other sports fields across the country, specifically designed to withstand the stress and demands of major team sports. Tifsport is also used on PGA and other golf course fairways, while its sister turf, "Tifeagle", specially designed to be mowed to one-tenth of an inch daily, is used on PGA putting greens.

The 2014 Farm Bill will help to build on these accomplishments by establishing a new Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research that leverages $200 million in public funding and another $200 million from the private sector to support groundbreaking agricultural research.

Report: U.S. Ag Research Falling Behind

Check out the story http://farmfutures.com/story-panel-agriculture-research-falling-behind-17-107389-spx_0 by going to this FarmFutures link.

What do you think?