Food, Farms and Forests

In this episode of Arkansas Food, Farms & Forests, we explore the Restoring Bottomland Hardwood Forests project with principal investigator Dr. Nana Tian, a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and associate professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Planting begins this fall, and over the next 3 to 5 years, this project aims to restore approximately 600 acres of Arkansas bottomland ...

In this Food, Farms & Forests episode, we travel to the University of Arkansas at Monticello to explore efforts to restore bottomland hardwood forests in Arkansas.

Dr. Michael Blazier, Dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, discusses the Restoring Bottomland Hardwood Forests project, a $3.7 million initiative that plans to convert idle farmland ...

Arkansas could produce an estimated 1 to 3.5 million more servings of rice per year. That’s according to recent research analyzing rice quality in the state.

In this episode of Food, Farms and Forests, Dr. Lanier Nalley, interim department head and professor in the agricultural economics and agribusiness department, explains his research on the impacts of improving rice milling quality.

Dr. Nalley and Dr. Alvaro ...

In this episode of Food, Farms, and Forests Podcast, we talk to Dr. Emily McDermott, assistant professor of medical and veterinary entomology, and Dr. Cameron Osborne, a postdoctoral fellow, to discuss the REDI-NET project and how their research is contributing to building the database for the Department of Defense. 

REDI-NET, which stands for Remote Emerging Disease Intelligence Network, is a collaborative initiative involving the ...

In this episode of Food, Farms & Forests, Dr. Matt Bertucci, an assistant professor in the horticulture department, discusses his recent research on using herbicides normally used in row crops in blackberry production. 
 
The data supports the safety and effectiveness of 2,4-D choline and glufosinate in blackberry growing systems. Bertucci hopes to see regulatory approvals for these herbicides soon, allowing blackberry...

In this episode of  Arkansas Food, Farms and Forests, we discuss a study on the interaction of trellising type and spray coverage in blackberries.

Aaron Cato, an extension specialist in the horticulture department focusing on integrated pest management, shared details about his latest research and related studies that looked at the impact of the rotating cross-arm trellis on pest management in blackberries focusing on the spotted wi...

In this Food, Farms & Forest episode, we learn about the development of the first agricultural communications program in the United Kingdom.

Jenifer Fouch speaks with Dr. Jeff Miller, a professor in the agricultural education, communications, and technology department, who’s helping establish the very first ag communications curriculum at Scotland’s Rural College based on his years of research on the topic. 
 
Miller di...

May 2024 Arkansas Agricultural Research Report: a monthly round-up of the top stories from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

 In this edition:

• Find out who was recently named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Low-frequency microwaves destroy weed seeds underground, prompting further studies as a broad-spectrum application.
• A new soil prediction model was developed to provide speedier o...

In this episode, we learn about research that shows pesticide use can increase productivity and profits for producers, and alleviate pressure on water, land, and energy resources per unit of crop produced. 

 Marty Matlock, professor of ecological engineering with the biological and agricultural engineering department, shares an update on a recent life cycle assessment that found pesticide use helps advance sustainable agri...

Two recent studies have revealed that mowing silverleaf nightshade, a poisonous and noxious weed, enhances its fitness and defenses, making it more robust and resistant to insect predation. 
 
Rupesh Kariyat, an associate professor in the department of entomology and plant pathology, has provided valuable insights into this research, shedding light on the properties of this weed, which is also known as white horse nettle, t...

FRST is an interactive online tool that provides soil testing data to farmers and scientists. This resource is free and aims to offer better and more information to farmers so that they can decide how to best treat their soil.

Nathan Slaton, associate vice president for agriculture and assistant director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was the principal investigator on the project. He explains the benefits...

Scott Lafontaine, flavor chemist and assistant professor in the food science department, explains the science behind malted rice and how it could become another tool for the beer brewing industry. As climate change and rising costs threaten barley, this novel research shows how malted rice could provide a viable alternative. For consumers, malted rice beer offers a gluten-free option and a variety of unique flavor profiles. And sin...

In our first episode of 2022, Nick Kordsmeier, director of Arkansas Ag Experiment Station Communications, spoke with Scott Osborn, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering, about his improved method for carbonating beer and how it’s helping a local brewery speed up production. Then, Science Writer John Lovett tells the story of nocturnal pollinating moths and some recent research that indicates they may be mor...

In this episode, Science Writer John Lovett shares the story of how ARoma 17, an aromatic rice variety developed by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, came to be used as the base for an award-winning gin. And Nick Kordsmeier, director of AAES communications, sat down with John Clark, distinguished professor of horticulture and fruit breeding for the experiment station, to talk about the Arkansas  Fruit Breeding Program a...

In the inaugural episode of the Arkansas Food, Farms and Forests podcast, Science Writer John Lovett spoke with the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food about their apprenticeship program; AAES Director of Communications Nick Kordsmeier invited food safety expert Jennifer Acuff to share some food safety tips ahead of Thanksgiving; and Science Editor Fred Miller sat down with the Novus International Professor of Poultry Science, Casey...