News Stories - Page 256

Jason Schmidt is UGA Tifton's newest entomologist. CAES News
UGA Entomologist
The University of Georgia’s newest entomologist is eyeing a different approach to studying insects in multiple agricultural crops. Instead of focusing on how to eliminate pests that reduce yield and negatively impact profits, UGA entomologist Jason Schmidt is looking to improve agricultural management systems to preserve helpful insects.
While bee populations have been declining for the past several decades, urban beekeeping and public awareness of pollinators are on the rise. CAES News
Pollinator Protection
There are more than 4,000 species of native bees in North America — from plump, stalwart carpenter bees to the hardworking blueberry bees that help pollinate the state’s top fruit crop.
Food hubs aggregate produce from small farmers to meet larger produce orders, like those placed by schools, retailers and restaurants. CAES News
Food Hub Plan
The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia’s food hub, housed in its Rabun County facility, will be the first in the country to leverage a regional food bank’s supply chain to help farmers aggregate and preserve their produce. In partnership with University of Georgia Extension, the organizations will join forces to increase access to local food and local jobs.
Sawfly damage on roses CAES News
Rose Sawflies
Dozens of calls and samples of roses with a variety of leaf problems are coming into the University of Georgia Extension office in Bartow County. The most common problem diagnosed this year is injury caused by rose sawflies, also known as rose slugs.
Students in Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC), Professor Dennis Duncan's Global Seminar in Agricultural Leadership course each spring. CAES News
Global Perspectives
In agricultural circles, it seems few topics can ruffle more feathers or start more shouting matches than talk of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or animal rights. These are just the types of discussion topics Professor Dennis Duncan, in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC), encourages in his Global Seminar in Agricultural Leadership course each spring.
This is a file photo of a center pivot irrigation system being used. CAES News
Irrigation Systems
University of Georgia Extension irrigation specialist Wes Porter advises farmers to check their irrigation systems and equipment for any problems before getting in the field this spring.
CAES News
RBC aides in regrowth of repairing missing bones
Athens, Ga. - The University of Georgia's Luke Mortensen holds up an X-ray image showing an infant's hand, but without bones. The next image is a child's chest, revealing no ribs. The images represent what parents might see if they have a child suffering from hypophosphatasia. Mortensen, an assistant professor in the Regenerative Bioscience Center, will research therapies to grow these missing bones.

Kirk Kealey, the new director of the University of Georgia' Food PIC Center, has launched more than 200 products, most of them beverages like a Mountain Dew for Russia, an apple soft drink for China and a mango juice drink now sold in Lebanon. Through these experiences he learned the numerous steps necessary to create a product consumers will accept. CAES News
Food PIC Director
Kirk Kealey spent the last 30 years helping develop and launch products like Mountain Dew, Tropicana juices and Dove Chocolate. Now, as director of the University of Georgia’s Food Product Innovation and Commercialization (PIC) Center, he’ll do the same for small and large food businesses in Georgia and across the Southeast.
Pictured is a dry land peanut field in east Tift County on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014. CAES News
Peanut Planting
Unusually warm weather conditions and high soil temperatures have Georgia farmers itching to plant peanuts, but University of Georgia peanut agronomist Scott Monfort cautions peanut producers to hold off until the end of April or beginning of May.