Award Data

In the US alone, 3 billion pounds of consumed fresh tomatoes are grown in greenhouse farms. These farms improve food security, require less land, and consume less resources; however, for these farms to operate, large labor forces are needed to maintain, harvest, and package the tomatoes. These jobs, though paying well above minimum wage, do not attract local workers and force farmers to use immigr ...

As biodiesel production in the USA increases, bottlenecks in feedstock appear likely. Several companies have formed to investigate novel forms of conversion of lower cost feedstocks but all have found the same substantial hurdle, meeting the 15PPM sulfur specification of ASTM D6751. Numerous experiments have shown that low-cost fats, oils and greases may contain 300 - 500PPM sulfur and that no sin ...

The proposed research will evaluate the use of panoramic, street-level imagery to support and enhance community forestry. Similar to a windshield survey, these publicly available mapping resources can provide baseline data on tree species or genus, diameter, and condition that can be used to support future planting initiatives and best management practices. Furthermore, when combined with both man ...

Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. will develop a low-cost, high-efficiency condensation irrigation system to desalinate brackish water and provide affordable freshwater for agricultural applications. Solar thermal energy or low grade waste heat will be used to vaporize water from brackish water and humidify air; the hot humid air will then be sent to buried perforated condensation pipes and cond ...

There is growing consumer demand for "clean-label" food ingredients including color additives derived from natural sources. Colorant-related issues represent 3 of the top 10 concerns of consumers about food ingredients, and numerous food manufacturers and retailers have publically committed to removing synthetic food colors from their products. Fruit/vegetable-derived anthocyanins, carotenoids, an ...

Over the past decade, the U.S. has experienced substantial growth in the number of new foodbusinesses launched. At the same time, rural firms and farms faced obstacles impeding theirabilities to fully capitalize on food startup opportunities. A significant barrier to entry is theability to navigate food laws and regulations, and legal and regulatory resources for rural foodentrepreneurs are scarce ...

The project goal is to integrate a fixed-film bioclarifier with suspended growth "biofloc" technology to increase production capacity and improve reliability for small Midwest farmers producing marine shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in tanks. Research will focus on the determination of nitrification kinetics associated with an external aerated sludge basin, the confirmation of the maximum shrimp den ...

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical which does not occur naturally in the environment,it has been used in many commercial applications. A number of scientific findings since the late 1990's have elevated PFOAs to the category of great environmental concern beacuse of its persistence, and the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Effective environmental and health pr ...

Small businesses are the bedrock of the American economy. To bring economic development to rural America, these regions must have more effective tools for attracting and retaining the businesses that will provide the jobs and investment these communities need to thrive. The proposal seeks to apply an existing technology, Geographic Information Systems, on a proven platform, DecisionTree, in an inn ...

Recreation trails are a key component of the social, economic and health of rural communities. People with mobility impairments are often excluded from trails, shared-use paths, parks and other public areas where barriers are erected to prevent access by motorized trail vehicles (MTVs), to control livestock or wildlife, as an access point in a fenced area, or for a variety of other reasons. Many p ...