News

Pumpkin production can benefit from conservation practices

Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are a common vegetable crop sold at local pumpkin patches and farmers markets, in addition to commercial production. In 2019, the value of harvested pumpkin was worth $180 million. In addition to the value of harvested pu... more

Gas emissions can be cut with drip irrigation in arid regions

Under the blistering sun of Southern California's Imperial Valley, it's not surprising that subsurface drip irrigation is more effective and efficient than furrow (or flood) irrigation, a practice in which up to 50% of water is lost to evaporatio... more

Options for managing and mitigating frost damage

Fruit and vegetable growers often wish to take advantage of the early part of the spring growing season, but care must be taken to avoid the costly damages from frost. In a recent article for the Acreage Living Newsletter, Ajay Nair, associate pr... more

Kalera opens vertical farming facility in Denver

Colorado residents will soon be able to shop local for lettuce and microgreens from Kalera, a hydroponic indoor vertical farming company, thanks to the opening of the company's new Denver farm. The nearly 90,000-square-foot facility, located at 18... more

Square Roots opens new farm in Springfield, Ohio

Square Roots, a technology company in indoor farming, and Gordon Food Service, one of the largest food distributors in North America, have opened a new climate-controlled, indoor farm in Springfield, Ohio. “Our partnership with Gordon Food Servi... more

Better winter survivors seen with ARS-developed Varroa-resistant honeybees

Pol-line honeybees, a type of Varroa mite-resistant honeybee developed by the Agricultural Research Service, are more than twice as likely to survive through the winter than standard honeybees, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. ... more

Study: small wetlands can produce big impacts

Wetlands built next to farms can dramatically reduce excess nutrients reaching vital waterways, according to a study. Crops need nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to grow and thrive. However, excess nutrients from farms can wash into streams ... more