Fresh from the Field, Nov. 1, 2018

Helping West Virginia’s Communities Succeed

In West Virginia, over one million acres of land are unable to be farmed due to improper soils and flood-prone locations. Alternative growing methods are needed to ensure communities have adequate access to fresh, locally grown food, and to make successfully  farm acreage. Scientists and extension agents at West Virginia State University placed an aquaponics system inside a high tunnel greenhouse in the impoverished community of Welch. The system consists of three 1,200-gallon tanks filled with tilapia and demonstrates how feed levels affect fish and plant growth while providing fresh produce to citizens.

NIFA supports this research through the 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program.

Photo credit: West Virginia State University.

Food Safety in Puerto Rico

Crops and agroenvironmental sciences researchers at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez assessed food safety risks in the fruit, vegetable, and leafy greens of Puerto Rico’s agricultural system. They also developed science-based interventions to prevent and mitigate food safety threats, communicated food safety risk, and interventions to stakeholders through seminars and commodity meetings. Nearly 140 farmers received training during the first year and provided lettuce for school lunch programs.

NIFA funds this research through Hatch Act Funds. USDA Photo by Preston Keres .

Bringing Achachairú to Puerto Rico

Achachairú is a tropical fruit native to Bolivia with enormous economic potential for Puerto Rico. Transplanting this fruit could generate an annual gross income of $75 million, have a net present value of over $500 million, and attain an internal rate of return of over 30 percent. Researchers at the University of Puerto Rico support research into the impact of different irrigation and fertilization rates on achachairú growth and development. The outreach component of this project increases the number of beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource first-time achachairú farmers.

NIFA supports this research project with Hatch Act Funds.