10:00am Start of our Wine and Tasting Odyssey !
10:45am Our first stop around 10.45am is the charming Domaine Florian. This family run, boutique winery is located in the well-known wine region of Epanomi and is the result of a long family tradition in viticulture and winemaking. In order to financially sustain the ethos of the family business and to ensure year-round work for the employees, the farm also produces exquisite olive oils, honey and Greek aromatic plants, such as oregano, lavender and thyme. Florian’s philosophy has always honoured the importance of sustainable environment management and quality-oriented cultivation of vineyards. He emphasises traditional vinification processes, combined with modern cellar equipment. A tour of the farm and vines will conclude by wine tasting on the balcony overlooking the bay. Depending on the season you may also want to take part in the seasonal harvesting.
12:00pm Around noon we will arrive at Ktima Gerovassiliou, one of the most established and acclaimed wineries of North Greece. The owner Mr. Gerovassiliou, is the responsible person for the revival of Malagouzia, an old and forgotten Greek variety which he has cultivated with love since the 80’s.
His love for art is prominent, as dispersed in the vineyards you will see his significant collection from mainly Greek but also international sculptors. He is also an avid collector of viticulture, winemaking, bottling and cooperage tools from around the world and especially corkscrews; all these items are displayed in the Wine Museum of the estate that we will visit during our tour. The tasting takes place in the unique area overlooking the vines and Mount Olympus, where you will taste wines exclusively produced from Greek grape varieties. Combined with aromatically compatible Greek raw materials
03:00pm Our journey will come to an end with our return to Thessaloniki.
*all hours are approximate and itineraries are subject to change due to weather conditions or other predicaments


RPC Annual Meeting August 29, 2011!
(Membership or Sponsorshipe required to attend)
Genetically Modified (GM) Rice and Biotechnology News
High Rice Prices …The Inflation Factor
More than 95 percent of California's rice is grown in nine counties in the Sacramento Valley: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sutter, Sacramento,
Tehema, Yolo and Yuba counties. Less than five percent is grown in the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Kern, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties). Figure 1.1 shows the extent of California's rice growing regions.


Organic food and products have been around since pre-history. For many thousands of years, we didn’t have man made pesticides, plastics or petrochemicals. The arrival of intensive farming methods has resulted in the invention of many man made chemicals. Whilst some have been positive, many have been inherently negative. History is potted with incidents of ‘safe’ manmade products that have proven later to fall short.
The Soil Association is a registered charity that is the most recognised and highly regarded UK certifier of organic food and products. They started life in the late 1940’s and as well as certifying goods against very strict organic standards they also run several related campaigns (https://www.soilassociation.org/our-campaigns/) and of course have many blogs.
Take a look; surely this has got to be a better way? The benefits of organic products are mutual and long lasting, not just for us and future generations, but also for the world we share with the rest of nature.


The first time I tasted the pulp that surrounds the seeds in a cacao pod—the seeds that ultimately become chocolate—I was amazed by the burst of tangy, tropical fruit flavor. The pulp tastes nothing like chocolate, but it plays a vital role in developing the flavor of cacao beans as they ferment, an essential part of the chocolate-making process. Like chocolate, the pulp is loaded with antioxidants, magnesium, B vitamins, and other nutrients.
I have a limited supply of 3 oz. pouches of 100% cacao pulp, shipped to me from a Rainforest Alliance Certified cacao farm in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for local pickup or shipping. Aside from having the opportunity to taste the pulp without visiting a cacao plantation, you can use it to make delicious smoothies. I’ll include three tried-and-true recipes with your order, and I’ve posted a short video demonstrating how to make a cacao fruit smoothie.
Shipping (Priority Mail, US only): $10 flat rate. Additional charges may apply for large orders. See the About section for more information on shipping and returns.
Local Pickup: Free, by appointment, in Newton, MA.


Organic wine is “wine made from organically grown grapes”. Organically grown grapes are produced without the use of fungicides, herbicides, pesticides or chemicals in the vineyard, and in the winery the wine is made with less chemicals, e.g. sulphites, than conventional wines.
(from Walnut Block Wines, NZ):
Organic wine is both environmentally friendly and better for your health, because there are no chemical herbicides or pesticides used in the vineyard. Eco-friendly viticulture produces wine of exceptional quality.
Nigel Sowman, Walnut Block viticulturist says:
‘Organic wine grapes allow the vineyard’s unique characters to be expressed due to less outside influences such as sprays and fertilizers. Depth of flavour and mouthfeel improves as the vines become more self sufficient and naturally balanced, which also results in a wider nuance of complexity’.
BioGro NZ is one of the certifying organisations for organic grapes and wines, read more about them here


Should You Grow Your Own Cannabis Strains? Pros and Cons to Consider
Marijuana is now legal in a growing number of states in the U.S., and with this newfound legality has come a new industry: cannabis cultivation. If you’re thinking of getting into the cannabis cultivation business, you’ll need to decide whether to grow your own strains or purchase them from another cultivator. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of each option so that you can make an informed decision about which route is best for you!
1: Pros of Growing Your Own Cannabis Strains
a) You Can Control the Quality: When you grow your own cannabis, you have complete control over the quality of the final product to produce high CBD weed strains Canada. This means that you can choose organic growing methods and carefully monitor any potential contaminants to ensure a clean, high-quality flower.
b) Cost Savings: While there is an up-front cost for equipment and supplies when starting out as a grower, in the long run it can be much more cost effective than purchasing strains from another cultivator. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about paying taxes or dealing with middlemen who might drive up the price.
c) Experimentation: Growing your own cannabis allows you to experiment with different techniques and strains to produce an array of unique flavors and effects. You can tailor your grow to produce the exact kind of flower you’re looking for, which can be a very satisfying experience.
2: Cons of Growing Your Own Cannabis Strains
a) Time Investment: Growing cannabis requires patience and dedication, as it often takes several months before you have a harvest-ready plant. If you don’t have the time or energy to commit to caring for each individual plant, then growing your own strains might not be the best option for you.
b) Legal Risk: Depending on where you live, there may be legal risks involved with cultivating cannabis at home. Make sure that you are familiar with any local laws and regulations regarding cannabis cultivation before making any decisions.
c) Potential for Pests and Contamination: If you do not take the proper precautions, there is a potential risk of pests or contamination in your cannabis garden. Make sure to use preventative measures such as pest control and sanitization methods to avoid any issues with quality.
How to find the right strain of cannabis is an important decision and one that should not be taken lightly. By considering the pros and cons of growing your own strains, you can make the best decision for your situation. From cost savings to complete control over quality, there are many benefits to cultivating your own marijuana. Just remember to do your research and abide by any local laws before beginning your grow! With careful planning and dedication, you can create a thriving cannabis garden that produces top-notch flower.
Growing your own cannabis can provide you with an array of benefits, such as cost savings and complete control over quality to produce CBD weed strains Canada. However, it is important to do your research and abide by any local laws before beginning your grow. With careful planning and dedication, you can create a thriving cannabis garden that produces top-notch flower!


You can ask a professional flower grower to help you out if you do not know where to get the best soil for your orchid.
Click on the green links on this page to learn more. Line a big windowsill with many bust planters. Right Temperature Is Crucial You need to know the kind of temperature in your condo.
This is why the atmosphere remains cool. Soil texture is suitable for cultivation of bacteria, fungus etc. While there are some plants that can live in water or air, most plants need to be rooted to the ground. As the science of soil has advanced during this century, the concept of the San Joaquin soil has evolved, but has retained, as distinctive soil characteristicsits reddish soil color and its strongly cemented subsoil hardpan that limits root and water penetration.
The soil is necessary for water supply. Use reusable bags instead of paper and plastic when you go shopping so you are not making more trash.
Senator Monteith was impressed and agreed to assist with the class's project. When watering your orchid, you can put the porous pot in a container with water for about fifteen minutes.
Part 4, Compaction related tests, and in Part 9: Also avoid excess use of artificial pesticides.
Hence during heavy summer, soil gets heated fast and so the air above it raises causing low pressure for the air from sea surface to flow on to land.
A red clay loam layer above the hardpan was recognized. Reptiles like snakes, lizard live in the soils. In-turn these plants produce vital needs to humans like food, clothing, furniture, medicine etc.
Recycling is another great way to help the planet, and you can ask your parents about how to recycle things like glass and soda cans at home.
Small plant pots, on steel frames, by your bedside will highlight it correctly. The San Joaquin soil was first recognized in the survey of the Fresno Area in Jump to navigation Jump to search The California bearing ratio CBR is a penetration test for evaluation of the mechanical strength of natural ground, subgrades and base courses beneath new carriageway construction.
There are those that do not require too much water, while others need to be watered more than once a week. Unfortunately, this number is not known with any great degree of certainty, and the problems of estimating it are formidable.
Taking good care of our soil equates to taking care of our water supply. Subsequent field and laboratory studies have led to further revisions and to the present concept given in the series description.
The Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District’s project to build a permanent office and workshop/meeting facility is nearing a key milestone: submission of the building permit application for the Conservation Resource Center.
Soil conservation is important because soil is crucial for many aspects of human life as it provides food, filters air and water and helps to decompose biological waste into nutrients for new plant life. The California bearing ratio (CBR) is a penetration test for evaluation of the mechanical strength of natural ground, subgrades and base courses beneath new carriageway construction.
It was developed by the California Department of Transportation before World War II.
The basic site test is performed by measuring the pressure required to penetrate soil or aggregate with a plunger of standard area. There is no scarcity of soil of course but there is a scarcity of top fertile layer of soil which is humus.
It is good for growing plants especially crops.
External agents like winds and water erode it. After removal of the top layer remains soil. Dec 02, · How composting can help to eliminate organic waste, fertilize the soil, save money and reduce pollution.
Back in grade school, composting was often one of the topics that came up in Science class, especially when recycling was the main point of discussion. About Us Overview. The Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) has a rich history as the face and voice of soil conservation in Canada.
The SCCC was founded inby a group of individuals under the leadership of Senator Herb Sparrow to advocate for the importance of soil conservation .Importance of soil conservation


Gardeners Dream Purchase Review
I ordered some Strawberry plants from a website online, the company was called Gardeners Dream Ltd. A friend of mine recommended them to me. They had a wide range of things to choose from and I browsed at length. That day I was only looking to purchase one thing though, that was Strawberry Plants.
My son adores this fruit and I thought why not invest in some plants that I can keep in pots and they can give us fruit every summer (when looked after appropriately of course).
They send the dried plants in the post in a few days, I even had free delivery which was an added bonus for me. Each time you choose an item you receive 5 plants. I chose two different types of Strawberry plants, but those with larger fruits and hardy plants against disease and bugs.
Due to lockdown they took a few days to arrive but I didn’t mind. They were well packaged and I followed the instructions that the website had given me. I saved them on to my phone when I chose which I wanted to buy.
After I had soaked them overnight in lukewarm water they were ready for planting. I once again followed the websites instructions for this as well. Ensuring I planted up to a certain part of the plants.
Within days they were revitalised, green leaves began to grow, it was with the help of all the compost and soil I had prepared before getting them. They looked healthy in the compost (that I luckily had in the garage because I couldn’t get any from anywhere right now if I needed some!) but I still gave them a little plant food as well when I watered them well for the first few days.
Now they look very healthy and have tripled in size, growing lots of fresh new leaves as well, as you can see in my image below.
Overall my experience using Gardeners Dream has been a good one and I would recommend their service, their plant advice and their website as a whole to anyone looking to grow their own this summer.
Baring in mind that it’s too late to plant some things now because I did these in early April and some things require planting even earlier in the year. But they also do other plants and flowering ones too if you’re looking to brighten up an area of your garden this year.
Here is the link to the Gardeners Dream website if you wanted to take a browse for yourself.
Here is the direct link to what Strawberry Plants they have for sale on their website.
Thanks for visiting my blog today, have a lovely evening!
✩ Sabrina ✩


Mr. Groleau is co-owner, with his brother Denis, of the D.M. Groleau farm in Thetford Mines, and has been president of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles since 2011. Their farm has 250 ha of land and 225 head of thoroughbred Holstein cattle. He has been active in agricultural unionism for over 20 years, and is a past president of the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec where, among other achievements, he greatly promoted the development of organic dairy products.
Marcel Groleau is a force for unity, and wants Québec farmers, both conventional and organic, to work together to develop sustainable agriculture and meet the needs of the organic market. He will act as conference co-president with the organic farmer Daniel Lampron.


Pentair partnered with two companies pioneering aquaponics agriculture businesses to experiment with the viability of large-scale sustainable farming.
In many parts of the world, the climate provides a short growing season for highly perishable crops like lettuce, kale, and herbs. Combine this limitation with the world’s growing population, and the need to preserve water supply, and it’s clear the future will require new ways to produce food sustainably, responsibly and profitably.
One potential answer is aquaponics. This hybrid farming method marries aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water) to create a symbiotic relationship that provides clean water for the fish and organic nutrients for the plants. Always focused on tomorrow’s resource challenges, Pentair had an eye out for opportunities to experiment with sustainable aquaponics to learn whether it could be efficient and profitable at a large scale. That’s where Urban Organics comes in.
Taking the Farm Indoors
In 2012, a team of Twin Cities business partners had a vision for turning a massive abandoned brewery building into an indoor farm. Prior to this, most commercial aquaponics ventures had been set up in warmer locales. But given the challenges in farming around Minnesota winters and the demand for locally grown produce, conditions were ripe for a new solution. Thus, Urban Organics was born.
With over three decades of experience in aquaculture and aquatic gardening, Pentair was an ideal collaborator, and a partnership quickly formed. Pentair worked with Urban Organics to design and install the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), the technical solution that facilitates the circulation of water and nutrients from the fish to the plants and back. Pentair donated nearly all of the equipment required, from fish tanks to filters to pumps.
The scale of this application had never been attempted before. The result is a system that allows Urban Organics to farm about 6,000 Tilapia and produce about an acre’s worth of crops in an 8,000 square foot area — a very efficient use of the space.
The key variable in the system’s efficiency is the output of the fish. Pentair leveraged its expertise in water filtration to keep the fish tanks clean, aerated, and oxygenated, which improves fish mortality and growth rates, and thereby increases their yield.
Rooftop Farm to Table
Urban Organics isn’t the only application of aquaponics, Pentair owns and operates Green Sky Growers, a rooftop aquaponics farms in Winter Garden, Florida. Green Sky Growers serves as a reference site for Pentair to showcase its aquaponics technology and systems.
Al Fresco, a restaurant located in the same building, sources many of its ingredients including produce, herbs and fish from Green Sky Growers. Its produce can also be found every week at the nearby Winter Garden Farmers’ Market.
Over the last two years, the Green Sky Growers system has expanded its variety of produce and more than doubled its yield, due to good greenhouse management practices.
For Urban Organics, the early yield shows promise for the potential of large-scale aquaponics. Their system harvested 450,000 kg of lettuce and fresh herbs by the start of 2014, and produced with 23,000 kg of fish. Now plans are underway to get its fresh produce into local communities. Unlike other aquaponics farms, the company plans to make fish a profitable food source, rather than just a source of biomass for its plants.
As Urban Organics grows its operations, it plans to incorporate walleye and trout into its system. An expansion to another floor of the Hamm’s brewery will bring a greater yield and more employees. This kind of growth potential is exactly what Pentair hoped to help realize with the experiment. The partnership continues, but has already provided invaluable lessons that can be applied to future food and water resource challenges.
For Pentair, further advancement of aquaponics is focused on awareness and education. Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems is a participant in the 2014 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival where it is demonstrating an aquaponics farming system. The goal of this initiative is to grow the public’s interest in non-traditional farming methods. Through efforts like this, Pentair hopes to position itself as the torchbearer in the aquaponics industry.
“Thanks to Pentair, we’re proving this model can be efficient and profitable at in a large scale. And I think we’re just beginning to scratch the surface of its possibilities.”
– David Haider, Co-Founder of Urban Organics


As we near the end of 2018, at Winds of Change we reflect on a year that saw great successes in spite of the ongoing, very serious crisis in Nicaragua.
Working in cooperation with Seeds of Learning our commitments to the people of Nicaragua included school refurbishments, installing irrigation systems, creation of community gardens, training and certification for welding, and ongoing support for computer skills training.
Due to the crisis, we had to adjust our plans. Volunteer trips have been cancelled to Nicaragua until further notice. We cancelled our April trip and moved the November trip to Yucatan region of Mexico. To ensure our commitments were followed through, we sent funds raised by our trip volunteers (about $24,000) to fund projects in Nicaragua. These funds are augmented by our corporate supporters; Lush Cosmetics through their Charity Pot program and Compassionate Eye.
Here are some highlights from this year’s projects;
The building of a school in Mesa de Acicaya provides an interesting story of resiliency and initiative. This is the project Winds of Change was scheduled to help with in April when the unrest broke out. We were within a few hours of departing when the local situation turned dangerous. Mesas de Acicaya is a remote, rural community located in the municipality of Tipitapa, Nicaragua. Most of the 856 inhabitants are small farmers who grow beans, corn and sorghum. Historically the community has received little support from public and private agencies, which makes development a challenge. The local leadership has organized most of the local projects, using resources raised within the community. In 2017, Seeds of Learning partnered with the Mesas de Acicaya community to build a Learning Resource Center (LRC). The LRC was requested by a group of high school students who belong to a local organization named Caminos al Saber (Pathways to Knowledge). This group of youth is dedicated to promoting access to quality education in the community. In addition to spearheading the LRC project, the youth are committed to running the LRC in the long-term as well as organizing additional educational projects In 2018, the students of Caminos al Saber and local teachers have requested support in expanding the local school by building two new classrooms. The school had just three classrooms for five different grade levels, which meant that some students attended classes during a morning shift while others waited until an afternoon shift. There were also high school classes which operated out of the school on Saturdays, but there was not enough room for all the students. One grade level was forced to hold their classes in the local community center, which has a damaged roof.
The two new classrooms, built with support from Winds of Change, will not only alleviate overcrowding and ensure there is enough space for the current students, but will also provide sufficient space for both elementary and high school classes to expand. Construction of the two new classrooms began in April and was completed in November. The project had been delayed due to the political unrest in Nicaragua, but has resumed with financial support from Winds of Change.
In 2018, two more irrigations systems were built following a model designed by the University of Toronto in rural communities of Tipitapa, Nicaragua.
El Triunfo: The first irrigation system was built in the community of El Triunfo. Our expectations for the project were an improvement in the nutrition of the families involved in the project, financial sustainability of the irrigation system, community development through collaboration, and the conservation of water through efficient irrigation techniques. Aside from achieving all objectives, the project raised interest among community members who contacted the women’s cooperative for technical advice for their own irrigation systems. There was also interest in purchasing similar irrigation systems for which the women’s cooperative decided to apply for seed capital to start building the systems in local farms. The women’s cooperative has over 10 years of experience managing economic development projects in Tipitapa. 25% of the produce from the two first crops was given to the local school to complement the feeding programs run by the municipal government. 25% was distributed among the women’s families, and 50% was commercialized locally for future production.
Pedro Arauz: For this irrigation system, the expectations were slightly different, but the areas we hoped to impact were the same (economic development, community development, education, environment) The beneficiaries were a family of 4 farmer women whose farming capacity decreased when he mother suffered and accident and could not continue working the land. We expected the irrigation system to positively impact the economy of the family and the neighbors who got involved in the project. We hoped to increase the family’s income so that the beneficiary’s daughters had the opportunity to pay for the cost of their education. Some of the environmental advantages of the system were improved after a visit of a group of engineering students from the University of Toronto who suggested slight modifications on it. We achieved all the goals set for the project and had unexpected outcomes regarding community participation and the conservation of water. This system proved to be more efficient than the ones built before, and the irrigation owner is currently using the irrigation system in collaboration with some neighbors.
OK, so this one was in 2017, but happy the report that the refurbishment of an elementary school in the community Ciudadela has been hugely successful. In November 2017, a group of 13 volunteers arrived to Tipitapa to work on the refurbishment of a small school which had been out of service for more than 5 years. Our expectations for the project were to fix the roof, floor, and walls of three classrooms which can host up to 100 kids during the week. The goals for the week were met and we finished the whole project on time. An unexpected outcome was the massive participation of community volunteers. Every morning we had between 10 and 20 volunteers (mostly women) working alongside us in the project. During the final part of the project, we had kids who participated painting the walls and


As the winter season officially sets in, Newcastillians can now anticipate minimal rain in the coming months. However, it appears that the absence of rainfall might extend beyond the winter season.
This development follows recent highlights from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), indicating that researchers in South Africa and around the globe have reported the development of a strong El Niño in 2023.
This has been achieved through the regular monitoring of the El Niño Southern Oscillation or ENSO signal.
According to SAWS, this is the first occurrence of such an event since the 2018/19 and 2015/16 El Niño events, which had a significant impact on South Africa, leading to severe droughts in various summer rainfall areas.
SAWS explains that the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signal is the strongest seasonally varying ocean-atmosphere signal known. They state, “These are names given to a particular state of the ocean-atmospheric configuration in the Pacific Ocean region, at various thresholds, in a continuously oscillating system. When the system reaches certain thresholds, we may declare that the system is in an El Niño state or La Niña state or a neutral state along a gradient from strong to weak.” The impact of this system on global weather patterns is well documented.
SAWS further explains that in southern Africa, the seasonal climate responds to this signal with generally warmer and drier conditions during the El Niño state and cooler and wetter conditions during the La Niña state.
El Niños have historically been associated with record heat and droughts in the summer rainfall region, while La Niñas have been linked to flooding.
With researchers indicating the development of a strong El Niño in 2023, SAWS highlights that this comes in addition to reports of unprecedented global sea surface temperatures and continuously rising average atmospheric temperatures.
“If this El Niño manifests as projected, we should expect significant impacts on the upcoming summer climate and weather in southern Africa,” warns SAWS.
When looking deeper into the impact of this weather system, El Niños are expected to have a major impact on the agricultural sector of South Africa.
Bertie Pretorius, a Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal wheat farmer, explains that the farming community has already been hit by rising fuel prices due to the Russia/Ukraine conflict. Additionally, the rainfall in 2022 negatively affected the last crop harvest, resulting in a drop from 9-10 tons to 7 tons for Pretorius, alone.
He further emphasises the significance of this decline, stating, “For many crop farmers, 7 tons is breaking even, and on top of that, the drop in crops such as wheat affects many daily household staples.”
Pretorius points out that local farmers reported approximately 1600 millimetres of rain, compared to the usual 900 millimetres.
While still recovering from the heavy rainfall in 2022, the prospect of El Niños causing reduced rainfall is creating concerns about a potential drought among farmers, according to Pretorious.
“The critical months would be from January to February when we need the rain the most as the crops will be flowering. Without rain, there will be minimal pollination, and the crops will not grow as they should,” elaborates Pretorius.
The highly experienced farmer goes on to say that there are currently 67 farmers in the Newcastle area. While many of them rely on irrigation during dry spells, this method is not always reliable due to load shedding.
“When the power goes off, the pump goes off, and you have to then go restart the pump. Due to the security situation, it is not always safe to restart the pump,” explains Pretorius.
Load shedding also poses security risks, as the criminal element often takes advantage of power outages by stealing transformers, which farmers use to mitigate outages.
“This affects all farmers. I have lost three transformers this year alone,” laments Pretorius, highlighting the ripple effect this has on farming.
Considering the risks of a drought caused by El Niños, load shedding, and the limitations on irrigation, Pretorius predicts that wheat and soya crops in the Newcastle area will be impacted. He adds that cattle grazing, which is a significant focus in the area, will also be affected as grass growth relies on rainfall.
Should the weather have an adverse impact, there is a potential shortage of wheat, soya, and beef, which could drive up prices.
Moreover, Pretorius advises local farmers to carefully manage their work budgets to secure input costs and sustain their operations for another year.
Although farmland dams currently have relatively full water levels, Pretorius cautions that relying solely on them for irrigation throughout the upcoming season might deplete the available water supply.
“We usually irrigate from rivers and dams, and if there is no rain, we will face difficult times,” tells Pretorius.
Considering the circumstances, the Newcastle farmer reveals that out of all the local farmers he knows, only five will be planting wheat this year due to the associated risks.
Always being innovative, amid the potential challenges posed by El Niños, local farmers are working on plans to ensure a continued supply of milk, meat and wheat for South Africans.
However, Pretorius reminds Newcastillians not to take anything for granted as farmers brace themselves for a tough season ahead.
Please share your thoughts on the above mentioned in the comment section below.


In recent years, Mill Farms has focused our efforts on non-GMO soybean and corn production. We have been able to produce high quality soybeans for natto, tofu and sprouts in Japan and for other edible soybean markets in Southeast Asia. With modern plant breeding technology, we are able to respond to changing consumer demands by developing new varieties that meet the needs of the marketplace. Taste, protein content, nutritional value and other characteristics are under continuing evaluation as we explore new varieties.
Our objective is to continue to grow, process and deliver clean quality soybeans that meet our customers' demands. Mill Farms has established a reputation for being able to deliver quality and quantity each year as requested by our customers. We intend to uphold this reputation and will continue to do so through intensive management of research, production, processing and delivery.
Mill Farms is truly in a position to customize varieties to meet our customers' needs.


Since our move to Venecia in December 2018, there has been a lot of stuff happening. We have been preparing for the construction of the project infrastructure, adapting to our new life in remoteness, planting a lot of trees, discovering some native animals during the dry season and saving our very first turtle nests. But just see for yourself!
Following the big move to our house, there was still a lot of work to be done. We planted a good amount of fruit trees, set up some small irrigation systems, further deepened our well, built an artisanal biofilter to treat our sewage water, improved the fence all around the property and found a nice spot up on the trees where there’s some good internet connection 😉


Boonsboro High Irrigation Well Connections
It is the intent of Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) to solicit sealed proposals from qualified offerorsto connect two existing athletic field irrigation systems to the irrigation well and to cease the use of the municipalwater source for these systems at the Boonsboro High School Athletic complex located at 10 Campus Avenue,Boonsboro, MD, 21713.
Date of Award
Substantial Completion by August 10, 2023 Final Completion by August 31, 2023
Michael Stouffer, Scott Bachtell, Michelle Schultz


As part of our current R.E topic "Growing", we have been discussing things that grow in Spring time. We have looked at pictures and videos of seeds growing into plants and flowers and eggs hatching into fluffy, yellow chicks.
We have planted sunflower seeds in a flower pot to take home and look after in order to help our sunflowers grow. We have talked about all the things our plant will need to help it grow such as water and the shining sun.
We can't wait to watch them grow!


WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2019 – Agricultural producers reported they were not able to plant crops on more than 19.4 million acres in 2019, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This marks the most prevented plant acres reported since USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began releasing the report in 2007 and 17.49 million acres more than reported at this time last year.
Photo Courtesy: Duke Energy
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 3, 2019 /3BL Media/ – Duke Energy Florida (DEF) today announced three battery storage projects, totaling 22 megawatts, that will improve overall reliability and support critical services during power outages.
Collectively, the storage facilities will enhance grid operations, increase efficiencies and improve overall reliability for surrounding communities.
Participating in the meeting were: Argentine Secretary of Agroindustry Luis MiguelEtchevehere; Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply Tereza Cristina Dias; Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau; Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos; and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. (Photo: USDA)
Niigata, Japan, May 12, 2019 – Western Hemisphere agriculture leaders met today on the margins of the G-20 Agricultural Ministerial in Niigata, Japan, affirming their intent to work together to champion global food security and agricultural trade on the basis of sound science and risk analysis principles.
Following the meeting, top agricultural officials from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States issued the following statement.
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2019 – May 5 to May 11, 2019, is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses of assistance we can provide should they be impacted by severe weather this hurricane season.
The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1.
In the event of hurricanes, USDA can provide a wide range of help to those impacted.
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2019 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP).
Applications for fiscal 2019 funding are due Oct. 31, 2019.


Garden Hose Nut GHN: Secure Your Hose Easily
Welcome to our article in the innovative Garden Hose Nut GHN. If you’re sick and tired of coping with loose hose connections and inefficient watering, this is actually the solution you’ve been waiting for. Designed for hassle-free garden maintenance and improved watering efficiency, the Garden Hose Nut GHN ensures a tight and reliable seal involving the hose as well as other fittings. No more leaks or water wastage!
Garden maintenance is produced easier when you have a reliable standard garden hose thread. With the Garden Hose Nut GHN, you can be sure that your hose is securely attached, allowing you to focus on enjoying your beautiful garden. Its simple yet effective design guarantees a secure fit, preventing frustrating hose disconnects during watering sessions.
In addition to providing a powerful connection, the Garden Hose Nut GHN also enhances watering efficiency. By minimizing leaks and ensuring optimal water flow, you’ll make the most of every drop. Leave behind wasted water and hello to a thriving garden!
Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast or simply want to enhance the efficiency of your own outdoor watering tasks, the Garden Hose Nut GHN is a must-have tool. Read on to find out about its benefits, learn how to pick the best size, maintain standard garden hose threads, and unlock the potential of your garden hose system.
Understanding Garden Hose Connections and Fittings
Garden hose connections and fittings play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and secure and reliable water flow within your garden. These elements produce a tight seal between your hose and other equipment, preventing leaks and optimizing watering efficiency. That will help you make the most of your garden hose setup, it’s essential to understand the different types of fittings along with their specific uses. By familiarizing yourself with these options, you are able to choose the right fitting to meet your needs and boost the functionality of your own garden hose system.
There are several types of garden hose fittings available, each created to serve a particular purpose. Here are the most typical fittings you might encounter:
- Quick Connect Fittings: These fittings allow for simple and tool-free connection between your hose and various accessories, like sprinklers, nozzles, or wands. They offer a secure attachment and are ideal for fast and convenient changes.
- Hose Repair Fittings: Since the name suggests, these fittings are utilized to repair damaged or leaking hoses. They eliminate the necessity for hose replacement and provide a cost-effective solution for minor damages.
- Threaded Fittings: Threaded fittings feature male and female threads that enable for any secure connection between your hose and other equipment, including faucets, valves, or other hoses. They offer a strict seal and therefore are frequently used in a variety of watering systems.
- Swivel Fittings: Swivel fittings have rotating ends that enable for greater flexibility and easy maneuverability. They are often used in applications in which the hose has to be moved or rotated frequently, including in sprinkler systems or mobile watering setups.
- Y Fittings: Y fittings are created to split the water flow into 2 or more directions. They are useful when you need for connecting multiple hoses or devices to some single water source, enabling simultaneous watering in numerous parts of your garden.
Understanding the different types of fittings and their uses will empower you to make a versatile and efficient garden hose system. By choosing the appropriate fitting for each specific application, it is possible to increase the performance of your own gardening tools and ensure a trusted water flow throughout your garden. Whether you require quick connections, repairs, or specialized configurations, the correct garden hose fitting will help you achieve your desired results.
The value of a trusted Garden Hose Nut GHN
A dependable Garden Hose Nut GHN is essential for maintaining a leak-free and efficient garden hose system. Through providing a safe and secure seal in between your hose as well as other fittings, the GHN prevents water leakage and ensures optimal water flow.
The primary function of a Garden Hose Nut GHN would be to prevent leaks inside your garden hose connections. Its tight and reliable seal offers satisfaction, knowing that you won’t waste water or experience water loss due to leaks. With a reliable GHN, you are able to confidently water your garden and perform other tasks without worrying about water leakage.
The Garden Hose Nut GHN is made for easy installation. With its user-friendly design, you are able to quickly and effortlessly secure your hose to many other fittings. Whether you are connecting your hose to your sprinkler, nozzle, or faucet, the GHN definitely makes the process hassle-free, helping you save time and effort.
One of the major advantages of the Garden Hose Nut GHN is its durability. Made from high-quality materials, it could withstand the rigors of outdoor use as well as the elements. Whether it’s contact with sunlight, rain, or temperature fluctuations, the GHN remains strong and reliable, ensuring long-lasting performance.
The Garden Hose Nut GHN is compatible with various hose sizes, rendering it an adaptable option for different garden setups. Whether there is a standard-size garden hose or perhaps a larger diameter hose, the GHN can accommodate your requirements. This versatility lets you use the GHN with assorted accessories and fittings, enhancing the flexibility of your own garden hose system.
|Benefits associated with a dependable Garden Hose Nut GHN
|Prevents leaks and water wastage
|Easy installation for hassle-free connections
|Durable construction for long-lasting performance
|Compatible with various hose sizes for versatility
Standard Garden Hose Thread Maintenance Tips
Proper repair of standard garden hose threads is essential for ensuring a durable and functional hose connection. Regular maintenance and care may help prevent thread damage and prolong the lifespan of your garden hose. Below are a few useful tips and techniques for maintaining standard garden hose threads:
- Cleaning: Periodically clean your garden hose threads to eliminate dirt, debris, and mineral deposits. Make use of a soft brush and mild detergent to gently scrub the threads and ensure an even surface.
- Lubrication: Apply a modest amount of food-grade lubricant or plumber’s tape towards the hose threads before connecting them. This can create a tight seal and make it easier to thread the fittings together.
- Storage: Properly store your garden hose to avoid thread damage. Avoid leaving the hose in sunshine or extreme temperatures, because this can weaken the threads. Coil the hose neatly and store it inside a dry, shaded area when not in use.
By following these maintenance tips, you can keep your standard garden hose threads in optimal condition, preventing thread damage and ensuring a dependable hose connection.
Selecting the Right Size: What Size Are Garden Hose Threads?
When it comes to securing your garden hose connections, selecting the right size for your garden hose threads is crucial. An improper size can lead to leaks or perhaps a loose connection, compromising the efficiency of the watering system. To make sure a proper and secure fit, it’s essential to learn how to measure garden hose threads and select the correct size for your needs.
Measuring Hose Threads
To measure garden hose threads, use a thread pitch gauge or even a ruler with a thread pitch chart. Follow these steps:
- Identify the male and female ends of the thread.
- Put the ruler or thread pitch gauge at the outset of the thread.
- Count the quantity of threads within a one-inch span.
- Match the thread pitch or TPI (threads per inch) measurement using the appropriate size inside the chart.
Alternatively, you may also measure the outside diameter (OD) of the threaded area and refer to a size chart to discover the corresponding thread size.
Choosing the proper Size
After you have measured your garden hose threads, it’s time to pick the best size to your specific needs. Take into account the following factors:
- The size of the fittings or attachments you may be connecting in your hose.
- The water flow rate and pressure requirements of your watering system.
- The compatibility from the thread size with some other standard garden hose fittings.
Through taking these factors under consideration, it is possible to ensure a proper and secure connection that will optimize the performance of your own garden hose system.
|Garden Hose Thread Size
|Outside Diameter (OD)
|3/4 inch GHT
|Most frequent size for residential use
|5/8 inch GHT
|Standard size for smaller garden hoses
|1/2 inch GHT
|Used for light-duty applications
Make reference to the table above for reference when selecting the right size of garden hose thread.
In conclusion, the Garden Hose Nut GHN is an invaluable tool for securely fastening your garden hose connections. With its dependable performance, user-friendly design, and compatibility with assorted hose sizes, the GHN offers a hassle-free solution for maintaining a leak-free and efficient garden hose system.
By knowing the different types of garden hose connections, the benefits of using a reliable Garden Hose Nut GHN, and following proper maintenance tips, you are able to greatly boost your gardening experience. Say goodbye to frustrating leaks and appreciate reliable water flow in your garden.
Choose the Garden Hose Nut GHN today and feel the convenience and peace of mind that comes with secure hose connections. Whether you’re watering your plants, washing your vehicle, or completing any other garden task, the GHN can be your trusted companion for all of your garden needs.


Expressions of interest are being accepted now by North Central CMA for its soil health workshop in Waubra on Wednesday 6th August.
The one day workshop will cover:
- Simple soil and plant condition assessment tools,
- Soil fertility and smart farming,
- Increasing soil health and farm profit, and
- Measures to maximise plant water use efficiency.
The program, presented by New Zealand Soil Scientist Graham Shepherd, involves morning presentations and afternoon in paddock practical activities, focussed on pasture. Graham developed the Visual Soil Assessment tool which is now New Zealand’s National Standard for assessing and monitoring soil quality.
The program is open to all farmers in the North Central CMA region. Please fill in the EOI form and return it to email@example.com
The EOI is available through the CMA or the Landcare Group.
Waubra (Pasture focus)
When: Wed 6th August 2014
Where: Waubra Recreation Reserve, 2091 Sunraysia Highway, Waubra
Time: 10am – 4.30 pm (Lunch provided)
Cost: Free event
EOI: Return to the North Central CMA by 5pm Monday 21st July, firstname.lastname@example.org or post, PO Box 18, Huntly 3551


The field in which the crop circle appeared is located approximately five miles north of the eastern Washington town of Wilbur, and is owned by Greg and Cindy Geib. The Associated Press (AP) describes that nearly an acre of wheat was flattened to create the pattern resembling a four-leaf clover.
KHQ-TV, the local NBC affiliate, was the first to report this crop circle. And, according to the station, crop circles appear in that county’s wheat fields “about once every couple years.”
Some crop circles are quite mysterious, which leads to speculation about possible extraterrestrial involvement, while other crop circles are simply man-made pranks. But according to the AP, the Washington crop circle shows no visible signs that anyone entered the field. Cindy explains, “We’re trying to figure out how they got out there without breaking any of the wheat. It’s hard to walk through the crunchy wheat and not knock it down.”
Farmers who own fields where crop circles appear are usually unhappy when they discover the patterns of flatten crops because they lose hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars worth of crops. But Cindy seems to be taking it quite well. As she told the AP, “You can’t do anything other than laugh about it.” She also stated, “Of course, we don’t have alien insurance.” Fortunately for the Geibs, however, some of the flattened wheat will reportedly be salvageable when they harvest.
The creators of this crop circle are unknown, but Cindy thinks it would be “pretty cool” if aliens turned out to be the responsible party.
- Bob Lazar Area 51 documentary narrated by Mickey Rourke
- A Survivor at Roswell: The Truth About the One that Walked Away
- Jeremy Corbell – The Genesis of “Bob Lazar: Area 51 and Flying Saucers” – November 27, 2018
- 2018 UFO Year in Review – January 8, 2019
- Dr. Michael Masters – UFOs Could Be Us From the Future – October 29, 2019
- EXCLUSIVE CLIP: Bob Lazar discusses Element 115
- Dr. Kevin Knuth – UFOs, Science, and Relativistic Interstellar Travel – March 26, 2019
- Nick Redfern – UFOs, Government Insiders, and Satanic Influences – November 6, 2018
- Chris Cogswell – Science of Proving Object Made by Extraterrestrials – October 30, 2018
- UFOs…Seriously LIVE Ep 12 – Credible UFO News and Information


Mini Round Baller is suitable for bundling rice straws, wheat straws, alfalfa hays and grass. This baler is highly effective for small pieces of fields. After the holding capacity is reached, the baler will sound a warning and open its rear frame to discharge the bale. Due to the simplistic design, maintenance cost is low and the machine is very durable.
Bale size 600mm*700mm
Bale way : Twine
|Dimensions||130 × 130 × 135 cm|
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.Write A Review


Monsanto to be slain by Brazilian farmers?
Posted by Quemela Savage on 2012/06/15
Jun 15, 2012 by RTAmerica
The agriculture giant Monsanto says their mission is improving agriculture and improving lives. Monsanto, the world’s second largest producer of genetically modified seeds, has waged war on small farmers by suing hundreds of them over alleged patent infringement. But in Brazil, farmers are suing the company because they say that Monsanto claims unfair annual royalties for renewal harvest of their seeds. Shelly Roche of ByteStyle.TV joins us with her take on the case.
- Staggering: 5 Million Brazilian Farmers Sue Monsanto Over Royalties (organicauthority.com)
- Brazilian farmers win $2 billion judgment against Monsanto (foodfreedomgroup.com)
- Major GM soy legal feud between Monsanto and five million Brazilian farmers (en.mercopress.com)
- Monsanto – Buy Our Seeds Once, Pay Us Forever (dvorak.org)
- Seeds of doubt: Brazilian farmers sue Monsanto (rt.com)
- Brazilian farmers sue Monsanto (seeker401.wordpress.com)
- Brazilian farmers win $2 billion judgment against Monsanto (investmentwatchblog.com)
- Royalties on growing crops!? (realthinktank.com)
- 5 Million Brazilian Farmers vs. Monsanto (friendseat.com)
- Food Wars (salem-news.com)


Farming and agricultural production in Israel, which is an industrial country, accounts for about 2 to 3 percent of the GNP. Major produce includes vegetables, cotton, beef, poultry and dairy products, and citrus and other fruits. Citrus fruits are the country’s main export crops. Israel’s soil and climate give the fruit an appearance and flavor that commands a high price on the world market.
Israel’s total exports for 1999, in US dollars, was over $25 billion. Exports went to the following regions:
North America (including the USA, Canada and Mexico) $9.4 billion (36.8%)
Latin America $648 million (2.5%)
Africa $468 million (1.8%)
Oceania $329 million (0.3%)
EFTA $405 million (4.6%)
EU $7.6 billion (29.7%)
Central & Eastern Europe $1.2 billion (4.7%)
Asia $4.1 billion (16%)
Unclassified $1.4 billion (5.5%)
The agricultural workforce in Israel is small: only 2.5% of the population is engaged in agriculture, compared with 20% some 25 years ago. Farming in Israel is highly sophisticated, capital intensive, and based on a high level of technology. One-third of the agricultural production is for export, while two-thirds of the production is for the local market.
The State of Israel covers an area of approximately 20,000 sq. km. (approximately 12,000 sq. miles) but only 20% of it is arable land. Sixty percent of Israel is desert and just 10% of the population lives there. The remaining 40% of the country is semi-arid land. It is densely populated, containing 90% of the population.
In Israel, around 215,000 hectares (531,000 acres) of land are devoted to field crops, 156,000 of which are winter crops such as wheat for grain and silage, hay, legumes for seeds, and safflower for oil.
60,000 hectares (148,000 acres) are planted with summer crops such as cotton, sunflowers, chickpeas, green peas, beans, corn, groundnuts and watermelon for seeds.
The value of cotton production for 1997 was $107 million, with most of the crop sold in advance on the futures market. Almost the entire cotton crop of 28,570 hectares (70,600 acres) is drip irrigated with Israeli-made equipment.
Most of the 82,400 hectares (204,000 acres) of wheat are for grain, while some 18,000 hectares (44,500 acres) are for silage, providing a major roughage ingredient in the feed for dairy herds. Depending on the amount of annual rainfall, between 2.5 and 4.2 tons of grain are harvested per hectare. Most of this grain is used domestically, mainly for bread. Because winter wheat is largely a non-irrigated crop, the yields are dependent on the amount of rainfall and its distribution throughout the winter months. As wheat is grown in the dry southern regions of the country, it enables extensive use of agricultural land.
In 1997 sunflowers for seeds covered an area of about 10,200 hectares (25,200 acres). Some 73% of the yield is intended for export. Israeli-developed sunflower seeds are known for their excellent size and quality.
Valued at $30 million, about 4,500 hectares (11,100 acres) of groundnuts are grown. Characterized by a very large nut, about half of Israel’s groundnuts are exported and sold in their shells for specialty nut markets.
Israel’s chickpea crop covers an area of about 5,200 hectares (12,800 acres), with a yield of 3 tons per hectare in 1995.
Citrus accounts for 7.1% of Israel’s total agricultural output.
A wide variety of oranges, grapefruits and lemons, as well as a variety of more exotic citrus fruits are being marketed by Israel. Israel’s major citrus product by volume is the traditional Shamouti orange. Other varieties of oranges exported include the Valencia Late and Navel. The White Grapefruit, originally grown in inland valleys, is increasingly being replaced by the Sunrise variety, whose peel and meat have a red tint. The Sweetie is an additional variety of grapefruit that is gaining in popularity. It is the result of a cross between the grapefruit and the pomelo. Its peel stays green, and this differentiates it from other grapefruits. Israel also produces a variety of pink grapefruits. Also produced by Israel are exotic varieties of citrus such as the lime, kumquat (Chinese orange), limquat (small juicy lemon) and the red or white pomelo.
Soil and plants
Due to the use of fertigation, sand dunes are being used to produce crops such as citrus, avocado, mango, vegetables and flowers. Under desert conditions, in which marginal land and lack of water are dominant, specially adapted crops can be grown successfully. The desert is characterized by high heat radiation and adequate temperatures during the winter for intensive greenhouse production of off-season crops – mainly vegetables, fruit and flowers for export to the European market. Water supply, radiation, temperature, air humidity, nutrition and carbon dioxide levels are fully controlled.
Agriculture in Israel is very effective, and is able to cover about 75% of domestic needs, despite the limited land available.


11. Food Systems
Our Vision: Vancouver’s resilient food system supports people, the environment and the economy. Residents have equitable access to food and food-related spaces and infrastructure.
Access to food is a basic human right and defining element of day-to-day life. Food systems, which include the infrastructure and processes needed for food production, processing, distribution, sales and waste management, are a key element of city building. Food plays a powerful role in connecting people to each other, their cultures, and the land and water. Food can be leveraged to build resilience, improve equity, support human and economic health outcomes, and reduce environmental impacts.
Directions and Policies
Direction 11.1: Equitable and Resilient Food System
Support the development of an equitable and resilient food system.
Utilize a holistic approach to sustain and grow food supply chains and community-based food initiatives in an equitable and resilient way. This involves working with partners, creating spaces to celebrate, grow and share food, increasing access to food and supporting a circular food economy.
|11.1.1||Improve food access across the city by supporting food-related retail and services (e.g., grocery stores, food banks, farmers markets, restaurants) and by expanding commercial-retail opportunities in more neighbourhoods. Include consideration for culturally appropriate options where possible.|
|11.1.2||Secure additional space, reduce barriers, and create incentives for food and medicine gardens, urban farms and harvesting to advance Reconciliation, increase opportunities for local food production, and build connection to land and waters.|
|11.1.3||Support and strengthen Vancouver’s food supply chains (such as food wholesale, retail, and manufacturing uses, food hubs, farmers markets, and urban farms) and address displacement of these critical food assets.|
|11.1.4||Leverage new development and/or community infrastructure to ensure integration of community food assets such as sites for cultural celebration, neighbourhood food storage, growing, harvesting, programming, and sheltered picnicking facilities.|
|11.1.5||Address climate change, biodiversity, water systems, and waste management through food system interventions (e.g., allocate corridors to urban farming, to enhance biodiversity).|
Food assets are places where people can grow, prepare, share, buy, receive or learn about food. There are two broad categories:
- The food supply chain (e.g., urban farms, food wholesale, retail, and manufacturing infrastructure)
- Community resources (e.g., urban agriculture and harvesting spaces, community kitchens, and locations for food sharing and celebration)


Power Living Missions, Inc. together with Urban Farmer will implement a community garden in Independence Heights at the corner of E. 32nd and Airline. Power Living Missions is a recipient of the City of Houston’s Love Your Block award. This grant gives us the opportunity to transform this unsightly corner into a beautiful green space. Volunteers are needed to complete three phases. We need about 35 volunteers for Phase I that would assist with the clean-up of a lot size 70 x 70. This will involve removal of small tree brush, trash removal, grass cutting, and soil loosening. We need 100 volunteers for Phase II. These volunteers are needed to help touch every family in the area announcing the coming garden and inviting their participation. We need about 50 volunteers for Phase III that can help build 4 - 5x20 raised garden beds, till soil for 4-5 40 feet rows, and plant seeds, fruit trees, and flowers around the perimeter of the garden. Please indicate what phase and how many hours you will be available to volunteer.
Lunch will be provided for all phases.
Itinerary for Phase I Itinerary for Phase II:
When: August 18, 2012 When: August 25, 2012
Where: 3201 Airline Where: 3201 Airline Drive
Hours: 6:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Itinerary for Phase III
When: September 15, 2012
Where: 3201 Airline Drive
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Please be prepared to help build a garden. Proper shoes required. Please bring any garden tools for your own use as well as gloves. The completion of this garden will accomplish the following: give this existing food desert a source of fresh vegetables and produce, boost neighborhood pride and morale, add beauty to the decaying surroundings, enhance community building through neighbors interacting together for a positive purpose. Come grow with us. Help us grow a garden, volunteer for Green Space.
To Volunteer E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org or Contact:
Yvette (832) 651-2417
Claudell Lipscomb: (281) 451-5420
Chris Elie (832) 814-9431


Technology and digitalisation are powering agriculture like never before. The first AgTech Africa will address implementations in the farm, field and supply chain, and showcase use cases from investors, agribusiness companies, plantation owners, startups and innovative technology developers.
This strategic and high-level event will focus on the hottest emerging concepts of AgTech, and how their uses in agriculture are changing the game. Covering the full spectrum of agricultural commodities, the programme will help you to assess the potential for your business, evaluate partnerships and learn from peers.
- Investor perspectives on technologies being backed
- Infrastructure challenges, and Government plans to improve farm connectivity
- Precision agriculture
- Vertical farming
- Smart farms
- IoT and AI applications for agriculture
- Blockchain in action
- Start up showcase and partnering opportunities
- Satellites imagery for weather forecasts, and soil sensors to manage crop growth in real time
- Drone technology and its applications in planting, crop maintenance,
- Automated systems to measure and analyze soil data to optimise fertilizer use and irrigation practices
- Analytics to facilitate data-driven farming practices for small-scale farmers
- Smart irrigation
- Online pricing platforms to remove price asymmetry between farmers and buyers
- Mobile and web technologies for weather forecasts, market information, and financial tips
- Digital platforms for payment systems, credit and insurance for farmers
9 April 2019, Tuesday
Hosted by Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) of Kenya; tour to local Tea, Coffee and Horticulture farms to showcase sustainability and technology initiatives.
10 April 2019, Wednesday, from 6.30pm
Africa sugar industry’s most anticipated Gala dinner is confirmed! It will take place on 10 April 2019 Wednesday from 6.30 pm. Innumerable networking opportunities are available and this is the one event not to be missed. Registrations are open for conference participants only, so book your ticket NOW.
Partnership and Profile Building Opportunities are Now Available!
Contact us today to find out how you can position your company as a market leader at this event, and to explore the range of branding and marketing opportunities available.
Peter De Klerk
Senior Economist, International Sugar Organization
Interim Director General, AFA, Kenya
Head of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA
Group Commercial Director, ILLOVO SUGAR AFRICA (PTY) LTD
Chimimba David Phiri
FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Ethiopia
Senior Director, South Regional Office, Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), Ethiopia
IRRI Representative for Eastern and Southern Africa, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Kenya
Interim Head of Horticulture Directorate, AFA Kenya
Software Team Lead, Microsoft, Kenya
Assistant FAO Representative (Kenya), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Kenya
Dean Kampanje Phiri
Head of Business and Marketing Development, National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM), Malawi
Country Coordinator, Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
New Holland Agriculture Middle East & Africa Marketing Manager, CNH Industrial Services S.R.I.
Regional Director for Africa, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Kenya
Pioneer/Lead Science Centre Kenya, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kenya
Insights Director for mAgri & mHealth, GSMA, UK
Interim Head of Coffee Directorate, AFA Kenya
Dr. Richard Munang
UNEP Africa Regional Climate Change Programme Coordinator, United Nations Environment (UNEP), Kenya
Innovative Volunteer, EBAFOSA, Kenya
Innovative Volunteer, EBAFOSA, Kenya
President, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, Kenya
Head Project Management Office and Ag Head Digital Financial Services, KCB Bank Group, Kenya
Tom Mboya Opiyo
Head of ICT & Chief Information Officer, Unga Group Ltd., Kenya
Chief Executive Officer, Fresh Produce and Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK), Kenya
Climate Advisor, COMESA
Young Farmer, CSAYN
CSA Excellence Centers
Associate Scientist, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Consultant, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
CEO, ACRE Africa
Regional Representative, Financial Access
Still have a question?


Working for the cows has been a value of the Huseth family for 100 years. Minnesota represents a rich family farm history which the Huseths are proud to be a part of. In order to achieve sustainability, Clay View Dairy fosters these Core Virtues
Clay View Dairy is "Your Environmental & Social Partner"...
We believe that each generation that farms the land should be responsible for improving the land. Clay View Dairy is a modern family farm committing itself to the land and neighbors through exceeding rigorous environmental standards. In agriculture we create and benefit from the full circle chain of value; We plant and grow a crop to feed the cows, those cows create a nutritious and wholesome product, and then the cows bi-product is applied back to the earth and fully used to grow another crop. We take pride in using the "cow's bi-product" as a "natural" fertilizer option versus the commercial application of fertilizer. Clay View Dairy is a unique partner of modern agriculture through its use of natural fertilizer and alfalfa in the crop rotation. With these practices we are the modern day soil savers who grow food for an expanding world population.
Our business model is socially sustainable because our mission is to create more food with less. Right now our farm is producing 40% more milk with the same amount of resources making our environmental footprint 40% less than our average dairy neighbor. Our social opportunity and long range goal is to create yet another 30% more product with 20% less. We are passionate in seeing this plan through.


Growing up just down the street from my Grandparents meant spending many many hours with them. Some of my fondest memories are sweeping Grandad's garden path, watering the gardens by dunking the watering can into the water butt and filling it up with rain water, trimming his hedges with scissors, really anything that had to do with gardening. I vividly remember him shaking his head when he would see neighbors going crazy planting gardens in early spring and saying "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out" He would just click his tongue and continue with his pottering and once again I am reminded of him and his ways and his sayings as we experience a crazy, crazy Spring here.
Last week it hit 80 degrees, it was warm and sunny, fingers were getting itchy and thoughts of fresh produce growing in the garden came to mind, the desire to run out and plant vegetable seeds and flowers was at the fore front of my mind, but I refrained, Grandad's words echoing around and around in my head and boy am I glad I did, look what we woke up to today. Yep, I think I'll heed Grandad's words and won't start planting "'Til May be out"
- ▼ March (10)
- ► 2010 (44)
- ► 2009 (114)
- ► 2008 (161)


The latest from our blog
The new things on the Green are the wildflower bed (which is still blooming) and another new bed in which tomatoes are ripening and some sort of vine in the squash family is spreading itself around (it still hasn’t fruited so I don’t know what it is). Last year I was promised that the strip […]
Milkweed grows on the Green, but the kind of milkweed that grows there isn’t the kind monarch butterflies require. They want butterfly weed. And I have tried to grow it (bought a plant which arrived dead, got seeds from my friend Eileen that didn’t germinate). There was a lot of milkweed this year and after […]
August is already here, although I have yet to hear the cicadas buzzing. I’ve been tidying up after the summer’s overgrowth: The mint in the wildflower bed behind the bench had pretty much taken over. I like mint; I like it a lot. I’ve been snipping it all summer to share with my neighbors. But […]
GallopNYC is proud to be featured as the Charity Spotlight in the July/August 2017 edition of Untacked!


Ben Wormstone and Paula and Terry Armitage won the Green Hero award at WDH’s 2015 Love Where You Live Awards.
Ben started improvements to the garden area at Newfield House following the loss of his beloved wife. With the help of his scheme manager to start the project, Ben has worked committedly every day to plant seeds and improve the garden area. Terry and Paula Armitage have been a great source of encouragement and have also worked tirelessly to plant flowers and brighten up the area.
They have made the area a lovely place to sit and relax. The project has provided a talking point for residents and has created a sense of togetherness.
On winning the award, Paula and Terry said: “Everyone, especially Ben, will be so pleased that we have won this award. A lot of hard work went into the project and a lot of people helped us pay for it so be able to continue our work with the help of this money is brilliant.”


Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
|The Impact of State Control on the Effectiveness of Agricultural Production Regulation
|Галкін, Василь Васильович
Market price support
|Mykolayiv National Agrarian University
|Halkin, V. (2023). The Impact of State Control on the Effectiveness of Agricultural Production Regulation. Review of Economics and Finance, 21, 1481–1488. https://doi.org/10.55365/1923.x2023.21.163
|The article summarizes the scientific and theoretical achievements of the impact of state control on agricultural production. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to changes in political, economic, and global economic realities in the domestic and foreign agrarian markets and Ukraine's role in shaping food security in the international arena. This is confirmed by the volume of agricultural exports. It is shown that Ukraine lags far behind the developed countries regarding PSE and MPS. Therefore, the issue of forming an effective state mechanism for regulating agricultural production requires constant monitoring of the state of the industry's problems, taking into account the foreign experience of regulatory agricultural policy of developed countries, harmonization of the legal framework with global analogs, and EU Directives, strengthening of investment and credit policy in terms of supporting small and medium-sized farming, and focus on sustainable development of all agricultural sectors (crop and livestock production). Because of the Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine, the issues of reviving agrarian production in the liberated territories, restoring lost resources (land, flora, and fauna), rehabilitation of the economically active population (involvement of the mobilized military in agricultural production, etc.) are of great importance.
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Did you hear about the recent largest pharmaceutical settlement in history? In June, Bayer AG, a German drug giant agreed to pay roughly $10 billion to settle the majority of 125,000 Roundup lawsuits. Roundup Weed Killer is the world’s best-selling herbicide. It was developed by the Monsanto Corporation, the same company (that many consumers consider ‘evil’) that invented another infamous herbicide, Agent Orange, which killed or maimed approximately 400,000 Vietnamese. The chemical warfare weapon also caused illnesses in thousands of American troops.
The main active ingredient in Roundup Weed Killer is glyphosate, a synthetic chemical also developed by Monsanto. Bayer AG acquired Monsanto in 2018, roughly at the same time the first Roundup lawsuit went to trial. In that trial, a former school groundskeeper, Dwayne “Lee” Johnson was awarded $289 million. (Since his 2018 trial win, Johnson’s award has been twice ordered reduced, most recently down to roughly 10% of the original award.)
Glyphosate and Cancer
Johnson and the roughly 125,000 other Roundup plaintiffs allege that long-term exposure and/or accidental spillage of the herbicide caused them to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that attacks infection-fighting white blood cells.
Besides Johnson’s case, only two other Roundup lawsuits have gone to trial, both of which have ended up in wins for plaintiffs. Bayer has appealed all three decisions. Plaintiffs in the Roundup lawsuits, for the most part, represent either long-term gardeners, landscapers/groundskeepers and farmers.
Glyphosate In The Food Supply
But let’s say you can’t even keep a single succulent alive. Should you be concerned about glyphosate exposure? Yes, you should be very concerned. As OnlyOrganic.com reports, worldwide, 9.4 million tons of the chemical has been sprayed on fields. That’s enough to spray nearly half a pound of Roundup on every cultivated acre of land in the world.
This means that nearly every single morsel of food you eat may contain glyphosate residue. And organic food isn’t necessarily free of glyphosate. Although organic crops are by rule never sprayed with synthetic chemicals, if glyphosate is sprayed on an adjacent field, the toxic fumes can potentially drift onto the organic farm. Still, it’s better to eat organic as much as possible.
Even though organic foods have been criticized in recent years for not being nutritionally superior to their non-organic counterparts, nutrition labels don’t always tell the whole story; comparing organic apples to non-organic apples is like comparing apples to oranges. That’s because organic produce contains far less glyphosate residue.
Foods With Glyphosate
The problem is few people eat entirely organic foods, and over 90% of the most ubiquitous crops grown in the U.S. — corn, soy, cotton (cottonseed oil is widespread in processed foods) — are genetically engineered to withstand glyphosate spraying. When glyphosate is sprayed on a crop, the chemicals get absorbed into the plant at the expense of trying to prevent weeds from taking root in the soil.
(Never mind the fact that glyphosate may not even work that well anymore, for the same reason that antibiotics have lost their effectiveness [overuse]. Another reason that Monsanto is called evil is that the food science company engineered crop seeds to only last for one use; farmers, therefore, have to purchase GMO Monsanto seeds and Roundup Weed Killer.)
So think about these facts the next time you get a hankering for anything with wheat, corn (including its aliases like high fructose corn syrup and maltodextrin), soy, barley, chickpeas and oats. Yes, oatmeal, widely-regarded as a healthy breakfast because of its fiber content, contains the highest amount of glyphosate residue, especially instant Quaker oatmeal.
Is Glyphosate Residue In Food Harmful For Health?
The answer depends on whom you ask. According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” But our nation’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that glyphosate is unlikely to be a human carcinogen. Why the disparity? That’s for the subject for another article. But suffice it to say that the reason involves politics and corporate influence.
Can Adaptogenic Herbs Protect From Glyphosate Exposure?
Are you concerned about having been exposed to glyphosate in parks and gardens and from its residue in the food supply? Then this is yet another reason to supplement with adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogens may undue the deleterious effects of stress of all kinds, including environmental stress.
Although there aren’t any studies on adaptogens and glyphosate specifically, there is research that supports these smart herbs for exposure to several other toxic substances.
“[A]daptogen[s] induce [a] state of non-specific resistance to highly toxic chemicals (e.g., chlorophos, phosphorus, cyclophosphane, strychnine, aniline, sodium nitrite, narcotics like sodium barbital, hexenal, chloralhydrate, benzene, acetone, ether, etc.) and microbes.”
These anti-toxic effects have been demonstrated in many pharmacological/toxicological studies, and suggest that adaptogens have an anti-toxic activity, Panossian and Wikman suggest.
Granted, the studies were performed on lab animals. But you can’t exactly ethically inject poison into a human.
Which Adaptogens Are Best For Anti-Toxicity?
All of them, really. The 13 herbs that comprise our Global Resonance Formulation, a complex formula found in no other adaptogenic herbal elixir or product, may help negate the toxic effects of glyphosate and other environmental assaults.
Never taken an adaptogenic herbal formula? Start with this one.


Benefits of having high CBD strains.
Using the most superior genetic strain of hemp with the aim to produce the largest amount of cannabidiol as possible is the goal of virtually every farming company who has entered into the CBD niche. Having only high CBD content is not enough however, because if the strain is above the .03% THC threshold then your entire crop is at risk of being seized and burned by the governing authorities.
The stakes are very high, and the allowed margin of error is virtually non-existant. Either you have the correct strains to avoid a burned crop, or you have the capability to produce high CBD yielding crop which will help supply the globe with this much needed cannabinoid.
High CBD Low THC Strains
Obtaining the correct genetic to start a CBD generating cash cow is rare, because companies often keep their genetics to themselves. Be prepared to pay a premium price from a genetic laboratory in order to obtain the right strain. Most online stores aren’t equipped with the correct genetics to produce a CBD farm, and people often go to speciality companies.
High THC High CBD Strains
Great for dispensaries, and for people who want to balance out the strong effects of THC. Unlike popular belief, its the cannabidiol inside of the strain which is the primary pain relieving ingredient, not THC.
Cloning the Plants
Commercial industrial hemp farmers with large scale farming operations have recently began switching from seeds, to genetic clones of their most prized genetic to avoid variations in the cannabinoid and terene content of the plant. In fact, this company spent $10,000,000 to develop this technology further which may help you determine if this route is worth taking in your farming business.


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Wheat growing and general agricultural conditions in Pacific coast region of U.S [microform].
[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. G.P.O., 1901.
44 pages : illustrations ; cm.
Holmes, Edwin S., Jr.
I Want It
Agric. Dept. Statistics Bur. Misc. Series Bull. No. 20
[With data on weather by station; population; farm wages; and wheat acreage, production, stocks, consumption, exports by port, and prices; by State, varying periods 1866-1900]
Microfiche. [Bethesda, Md.]: Congressional Information Service, 1993. 11 x 15 cm. (CIS US Executive Branch Documents, 1789-1909: no. A2708-20)
CIS Index to U.S. Executive Branch Documents, 1789-1909 Part 4
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How can the world nourish 9.7 billion people by 2050 through sustainable practices? Food systems do not currently provide nutritious food in an environmentally sustainable way to the world’s population. Nearly 800 million people are undernourished while 1.2 billion are overweight or obese. At the same time, food production, transportation, processing and waste are putting unsustainable strain on environmental resources.
The New Vision for Agriculture (NVA), defined by World Economic Forum partners in 2009, holds that to meet the world’s needs, sustainable agriculture must simultaneously deliver food security, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. The Vision sets a goal of 20% improvement in each area per decade until 2050. Achieving those goals requires a transformation of the agriculture sector, leveraging market-based approaches through a coordinated effort by all stakeholders, including farmers, government, civil society and the private sector. The key success factors of agriculture-sector transformation at the national level include setting the right direction through effective leadership, strategy and investment models, and scaling the transformation through finance, infrastructure, institutions and monitoring.
The NVA engages almost 600 organizations to strengthen collaboration among relevant stakeholders. At a global level, it has partnered with the G7 and G20, facilitating informal leadership dialogue and collaboration. At the regional and country level, it has catalysed multistakeholder partnerships in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including Grow Africa and Grow Asia.
Together, these efforts have mobilized over US $10.5 billion in investment commitments, of which US $2.5 billion has been implemented, reaching over 10.5 million smallholder farmers to date. In 2017, the NVA is committed to supporting and deepening multistakeholder action in India and in Latin America.
Through the experience of multistakeholder partnerships in 21 countries, the NVA has developed a new model for country-led, multi-stakeholder partnerships in agriculture — based on a shared vision, a set of guiding principles and a series of tactical steps. The NVA is sharing this model globally with practitioners and leaders as an effective example of multistakeholder approaches in agriculture in contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.


Brightfarms is a company that we are very excited to have as a client. Their eco-friendly message of sustainability and transparency was easy to communicate, especially using interviews with employees who clearly believe in the company’s mission. Both videos were filmed in Brightfarms’ Illinois greenhouse, a huge facility where healthy, delicious greens are grown in a closed loop, pesticide-free hydroponic system. We embraced the natural light from the transparent greenhouse roof and filmed sweeping shots of the huge indoor farm, as well as close-ups of the produce to show its freshness.
The second commercial featured a second shoot day with a family at a home in Chicago for some lifestyle shots and a customer testimonial interview. We used supplemental lighting to continue the same motif of sunlight and brightness in the kitchen, complementing the sunny shots from the greenhouse. The testimonial featured both original copy and some improved lines from the talent, giving the testimonial a very authentic feel while communicating Brightfarms’ message concisely.


Indoor plants boost our mood and lessen the stress in our daily lives
Indoor plants brighten and enhance our environment to make our office more welcoming, inspiring
Indoor plants add charm to special events and are the perfect gift for someone special
Our store was created with a simple ambition – to inspire people to bring more of the outdoors in, to make the experience of discovering the perfect plants wonderful.
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Organically grown foods have more nutrients—vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and micronutrients—than commercially grown foods because the soil is managed and nourished with sustainable practices by responsible standards. Organic farming supports eco-sustenance, or farming in harmony with nature.
Organic agriculture considers the medium- and long-term effect of agricultural interventions on the agro-ecosystem. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Organic agriculture takes a proactive approach as opposed to treating problems after they emerge.
Organic farmers are both custodians and users of biodiversity at all levels. At the gene level, traditional and adapted seeds and breeds are preferred for their greater resistance to diseases and their resilience to climatic stress. At the species level, diverse combinations of plants and animals optimize nutrient and energy cycling for agricultural production.


Hi, I pray that this finds you well. we are so excited out here at Rainedge International Centre with all the progress that we are making on the ground. We are indeed seeing changes being effected, seeing us towards breaking even in the near future!
We have been able to farm a total of 16 acres of land this year which is a bit of progress compared to last year where we farmed only 7 acres. The harvest meant a lot for the entire Rainedge family, as we are feeding over 300 kids each lunchtime ie 250 at Living fountain, Sure24 and neighbouring kids from within the community and a further 100 meals each morning and evening at Sure24.. This has been made possible with your help! We indeed do value your friendship and partnership to this end.
We are now asking you to help us maximize on the harvest we anticipate from the 16 acres farmed land! We have already spent over 200,000 KES in rental, seeds, labour and tractor hire and are now looking at meeting the costs of the attached Budget for spraying and weeding. Please help us to realize this as it will help cut down our food bill which in turn we can convert the funds to go towards High School Fees which cost an average of 600,000 per semester ie Ksh. 1,800,000 a year (US $ 25,000).


1101 Hill St Grangeville,
United States of America
- Phone: 12087022167
About TerraClear Inc
TerraClear is focused on an end-to-end solution for automating rock clearance. Many farmers deal with rocks and rock removal every year, as they arise from equipment, frost heave, or weather impact. Rock damage to farm equipment is costly and time-consuming to repair. More importantly, it causes down time during critical periods in crop production, particularly when it occurs during harvest. While picking rock is important, it is often avoided by growers, as it is arduous, dirty, and slow. It is one of the least favorite jobs on the farm, in part because it is not the most valuable use of a farmer’s time. As a result, and in an era of large-scale farming and scarce labor availability, automating low-skilled tasks is increasingly important. By using a computer vision-controlled system to map terrain and identify the size and location of rocks embedded in the soil, the heavy lifting is done by automated machinery which saves farmers time and money. TerraClear’s rock removal solutions offer the ability to not only pick rock at a faster rate, but also remove rocks without disturbing as much of the soil. This widens the window of picking to include pre and post seeding. TerraClear’s solution can benefit farmers by providing the ability to clear farm fields of rocks efficiently and cost-effectively, and provide confidence that a high percentage of rocks have been found and removed. This considerably reduces damage to equipment and downtime risks during critical windows of farming.
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Rice “N” Roulette!
I was recently traveling through Bali in Indonesia and was fascinated with the rice paddies. I know a total touristy thing to do right?
After I got up close and personal with the rice paddies I started to pay closer attention to the water it was growing in. This started me on a journey of finding out more. So if you love rice and want to put your fingers in your ears this is the point you should tune out.
I noticed rubbish in the water and green slimy moss growing just below the surface too. Thus, began my research into rice and its relationship to water. Rice famers need a lot of water to grow rice, roughly 1400 litres per kg of rice. WOAH, that’s a lot… they also tend to recycle water also. So, my question was how safe is rice?
After reading a whole bunch of scientific papers on heavy metals in rice I am really concerned that this staple food can be quite toxic depending on how it’s grown and where it’s grown. Much of the concern came from some imported rice. Without naming names there are some countries that where just not safe. There was also some research that even suggested that some Australian Brown Rice is high in lead, because of the husk on the brown hadn’t been polished off.
Of the imported rice tested it was shown to be high in arsenic, cadmium and lead, these levels were well above the Australian standard. What most people don’t know is that our food chain is the greatest source of daily heavy metal exposure outside of industry and smoking.
After testing hundreds of people, I have seen heavy metal toxicity from people from all over the world and in all age groups too. From young toddlers right up to the elderly. It raises concerns as to the how wide spread heavy metal toxicity really is.
For my family we are only buying organic foods and avoiding everything else. This is especially true for foods like rice!
As a Naturopath / Nutritionist our family also adds in some specific super foods to help reduce our toxic burden. (We’ll cover this in the next on our blog). If you can’t wait you can always book a free 15min consultation wit me!
Scott Collins Medical Medium Naturopath


The Flavor Research and Education Center was founded on a commitment to provide healthy food with great flavor. Through our collaborative approach to fundamental research and focus on health, wellness and sustainability, we enable translation of data into impactful industrial solutions. To provide valuable solutions, we keep our research platform aligned with the current and potential new challenges facing the food and flavor industries.
Health & Wellness
The flavor quality of food is known to be one of the main criteria that influences food choice, and therefore, is a key component of healthy eating. The reality is, people generally eat what they like. The healthiest food products can have limited societal impact if the population, as a whole, does not consume them. For example, even though experts advise at least half of the recommended grain intake should be from whole grains, less than 10% of the American population consumes the minimum recommended amount. From a manufacturing standpoint, the development of high flavor quality, healthier food choices is challenging. For example, when foods are manufactured with whole grain flour instead of refined wheat flour, lower product acceptability is often observed, directly affecting consumption. Similar challenges occur when manufacturing lower sodium and sugar food products. If food manufacturers find new approaches to increase their usage of whole grain flour and/or reduce sodium and sugar in their products, while maintaining consumer acceptability, progress will be made towards encouraging healthier food choices.
The Flavor Center is committed to working with the food industry and researchers involved in agriculture to develop solutions to improve the flavor quality of healthier food choices, ultimately promoting consumption and related favorable health impacts. Current projects include improving the palatability of whole grain foods, and foods formulated with reduced sugar, salt, and fat. Providing effective strategies to increase the consumption of healthier foods, in partnership with the food industry, can have immense health and economic benefits.
The Flavor Research and Education Center works closely with various stakeholders that focus their efforts on the advancement of food crops and ingredients by conventional breeding and cultivation practices. A goal is to develop food materials that are naturally more flavorful while maintaining advantageous traits for production such as yield, disease resistance, and environmental health. Agronomists and horticulturists can utilize this information to bring more sustainable source materials to the market with flavor characteristics that provide enhanced consumer acceptability.
One example, intermediate wheatgrass (IWG), has been identified as a potential sustainable alternative to wheat based products due to its beneficial agronomic and environmental properties, as well as its rich nutritional profile. However, for IWG to be utilized for food production, flavor acceptability is essential. Little is known regarding the flavor profile of IWG, hindering the development of flavor improvement methods and utilization of the grain as a viable sustainable crop. Flavor Center researchers have been actively investigating IWG flavor by identifying the flavor components and attributes critical for developing advanced breeding lines for food applications. In this way, the work we will contribute stands to significantly influence the future viability and use of IWG as a more sustainable alternative grain.
In addition, our analytical platform operates in a sustainable manner. As stewards of sustainability we strive to weave this commitment across our own research and business related efforts, and partner with our member companies to address marketplace challenges in sustainability.