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food production

05/10/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Researchers explain “opportunity food loss” to prevent food wastage – our food choices have resulted in tons of food WASTED every day

Food waste is a serious problem all around the world. On average, at least a third of all food production is either lost in the supply chain or spoiled – this makes it one of the leading causes of global food insecurity. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), […]

04/18/2018 / By Isabelle Z.

Canadian farmer converts his 40,000-acre farm to all-organic

Consumers have been voting with their wallets in recent years, shying away from toxin-laced conventional produce and shelling out for organic varieties instead. Some observers might have initially dismissed this as a trend that would eventually fade, but it’s clear that a desire for good health and environmental friendliness is not going out of fashion […]

04/18/2018 / By David Williams

Robot with advanced cyber-hand put to work harvesting cauliflower for the EU

Robots can do a lot to help out in performing tedious and labor-intensive tasks. And while certain actions, such as harvesting a cauliflower, may seem simple enough, the fact is that it can be quite taxing after a while. After all, there are many different variables that need to be considered to get it right. […]

04/05/2018 / By David Williams

New Jersey indoor farm can grow plants all year long while using 95 percent less water than outdoor farms, with no pesticides at all

There’s something special about a new farm in Kearny, New Jersey. Headed by a former techie turned farmer, Bowery Farming is uniquely poised to serve as the blueprint for future farms with a focus on sustainability and reliability. More specifically, by applying clever new methods, the CEO and founder of Bowery Farming, Irving Fain, has created […]

04/03/2018 / By Ralph Flores

What is the right amount of nitrogen in agriculture? Not enough contributes to hunger, too much damages the environment

Nitrogen is essential in crop production, but it comes with a caveat: Use too much of it, and you risk polluting the environment; use too little, and you risk limiting your crop yield. This was also the focus of an article that appeared in the journal Nutrient Cycling in Agrosystems. The paper, led by researchers from […]

04/01/2018 / By David Williams

Soil management through crop rotation and organic amendments found to support sustainable vegetable production, eliminate need for conventional fertilizers

Nowadays, the use of conventional types of fertilizers is a common practice, as it is seen by most people as necessary to achieve success in growing food crops. However, a study published in Agronomy Journal shows that it is possible to avoid using them altogether. The researchers wanted to find out whether or not it was possible to achieve […]

03/25/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Working with nature to reduce pesticide use: Farmers around the world are rediscovering the increased yields offered by biodiversity

The face of agriculture has changed dramatically over the past century. Instead of working with what nature has provided, encouraging biodiversity and companion planting to ward off pests, farmers have been encouraged to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with disastrous results. Despite being promised greater crop protection and increased yields, the results have been low-yielding […]

02/13/2018 / By David Williams

More proof biodiversity reduces the need for chemicals: Leaving strips of wildflowers across fields of crops reduces pesticide use

It’s a well-established fact that pesticides can have many adverse effects not just to humans but to the very crops that they are supposed to protect as well. And as far as current efforts to reduce pesticide use go, one of the known ways to do so involves planting wildflowers right around the perimeter of […]

02/05/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Upcycled: Wastewater from olive mills can be transformed from a pollutant into a biofuel and bio-fertilizer

Researchers have developed an environment-friendly process to convert wastewater from producing olive oils into biofuel and fertilizer, as published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. The study, led by researchers from the Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse and RITTMO Agroenvironment in France and the Water Research and Technologies Centre and the Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology for […]

01/20/2018 / By Russel Davis

Repurposing food supply “waste” has many benefits: Farmers in Turkey are using the husks of hazelnuts as mulch, preserving water and reducing labor

Hazelnut husks showed efficacy as mulching materials in nurseries and gardening applications of ornamental plants, according to a study published in the Journal of International Scientific Publications. The study, carried out by a researcher at the Düzce University in Turkey, took advantage of the large amounts of hazelnut husks produced in the Duzce region in the northwestern part of Turkey during […]

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