Fresh from the Field, June 7, 2018

Stopping Blackhead Disease Cold Turkey

Blackhead disease can wipe out an entire turkey flock in weeks, causing millions of dollars in losses for North Carolina farmers. The last remaining legal treatment for the disease was taken off the market in January 2016, but research at North Carolina State University (NCSU) has found a link between improved nutrition and gut health that can help combat this disease – keeping North Carolina’s flocks and their $885 million annual economic impact healthy and strong.

NIFA supports the research through Hatch Act Funding.

Watch the video at NCSU. USDA photo.

Florida Takes a Bite out of Conehead Termites 

An invasive termite in Southeastern Florida is losing its grip on the area, thanks to successful eradication efforts by a multi-agency working group. Sue Alspach, an environmental specialist with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, used an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Enhancement grant from the Southern IPM Center to gather experts from many agencies in the state to form a working group to deal with the pest.

Unlike subterranean termites that live predominantly underground, the conehead termite builds its nests and tunnels above ground. Although that may make them easier to spot, conehead nests often are intermixed with brush or debris. In abandoned sites that are overgrown, colonies can thrive and multiply quickly, with the aid of multiple kings and queens in each nest.

NIFA supports the Southern Integrated Pest Management Center.

Read the full story at IPM in the South. Photo: B.L. Thorne.

Families Read Every Day in Texas

According to many experts, reading aloud on a frequent basis is the most important activity parents can do to help their children acquire essential literacy skills. Children who are reading proficiently at an early age are more likely to perform better in school, graduate from high school, and pursue post-secondary education.

The Fathers/Families Reading Every Day, designed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, helps Bell County, Texas, parents increase their involvement in children’s early literacy development, with a specific focus on fathers. In addition to literacy, the reading program led to improvements in the children’s ability to count.

NIFA supports the Cooperative Extension System. 

Read the full story at Prairie View A& M University. Photo: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.