RIC's Quick Rural News

‘We Remember Them Every Day'

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

They are fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, and sisters and brothers. They served in remote corners of the forests and grasslands, helped lost recreationists find their way and arrested people who were violating the law. They were our friends and colleagues who lost their lives in the line of duty. Seven U.S. Forest Service [...]

Secretary Leads Business Roundtable Discussion with U.S. and Mexican Agribusiness Representatives

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

On Friday, May 17, 2013, in Mexico City, Mexico USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack led U.S. and Mexican agribusiness representatives in a discussion of priority issues affecting North American agriculture. The roundtable’s participants represented the breadth and diversity of agricultural trade between the United States and Mexico. Representatives from Grupo Bimbo, Gruma, Driscoll’s, Cargill, and others [...]

Global Event Hatches Backyard Poultry Software

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

Coming one day to a smartphone or tablet computer near you: An application that helps backyard poultry farmers protect their birds from disease. It might even help make them profitable, if you want. That’s the plan after a team of Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) officials announced the winner of NASA’s 2013 International [...]

USDA Continues to Provide Assistance to Oklahoma Tornado Survivors

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

USDA personnel continue to assist the State of Oklahoma and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the wake of the tornadoes and heavy rains that occurred this week. Earlier this week, USDA announced that it was working to assist Oklahomans who were left homeless by providing FEMA with a list of vacant USDA-financed apartments [...]

Secretary's Column: Taking Time to Remember the Fallen

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

This Memorial Day weekend, I hope all Americans will take a moment to honor the service of those who have lost their lives defending our nation. America is a beacon of freedom and democracy today, in no small part because of those who throughout history stood in defense of our values and principles. We must [...]

USDA Helps Xenia Rural Water District in Iowa Find a Path to Financial Viability

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

USDA Rural Development and Iowa’s Xenia Rural Water District earlier this spring announced an agreement that will set the rural water utility on a path to financial viability, while continuing to provide clean water for its 9,400 customers in 11 counties in central and north central Iowa. During the last three-and-a-half years, USDA worked closely [...]

Reducing Food Waste is Money in the Pocket and Food on the Table for Families

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

What would you do with $390? I imagine that “throw it in the garbage” was not on your list of possibilities. Nevertheless, throwing money in the garbage is what many of us do regularly when it comes to food. In 2008 the amount of uneaten food in homes and restaurants was valued at roughly $390 [...]

USDA, ERS Moving Down the Track to Open Data

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

Each day, the Charts of Note series from the Economic Research Service (ERS) delivers an innovative, visual display of research findings. Wouldn’t it be great if these charts could be easily grabbed for use on your own website or blog? Well, now they can. The new Federal Open Data Policy asks agencies to use machine-readable [...]

Keeping Bacteria at Bay on Your Grilling Day

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

Thunderstorms, insects, and annoying relatives are not the only thing that could ruin a cookout. Many beloved summertime foods are susceptible to contamination by several foodborne bacteria. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reminds all cooks to follow four simple tips—clean, separate, cook and chill—for a safe cookout. Additional safe food handling and [...]

USDA Meets Digital Government Strategy Milestone with Mobile and Open Data Solutions

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:49 GMT

As part of USDA’s 12-month Digital Government Strategy deliverables we are sharing several new mobile and open data projects that help us deliver 21st century service to you, our customers and stakeholders. These new tools and open data efforts will enable USDA customers, to more easily access critical programs and services anywhere, any time and [...]

Olive-oil Milling Leftovers Scrutinized in New ARS Studies

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:52 GMT

Read the magazine story to find out more.

ARS scientists are working on ways that growers and olive oil processors can affordably dry olive pomace—the skins, pulp, and pits left after the oil has been pressed out—for processing into new, higher value byproducts. Click the image for more information about it.

Olive-oil Milling Leftovers Scrutinized in New ARS Studies

By Marcia Wood
May 23, 2013

For every gallon of olive oil that's pressed from the ripe fruit, about 38 pounds of olive skins, pulp and pits are left behind. Known as pomace, these leftovers typically have low-value uses. But U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agricultural engineer Rebecca R. Milczarek and her colleagues are working with olive growers and olive-oil processors in California—where most of the nation's commercial olives are grown—to find new, environmentally friendly, and profitable uses for pomace.

According to Milczarek, pomace from California mills is usually a wet, heavy goulash that ranges in color from green to brown to black to purple, and has an aroma somewhat like that of olive tapenade, a flavorful spread made of finely chopped or puréed olives, anchovies, capers, garlic and olive oil.

Milczarek notes that one key to creating higher-value uses for pomace is to develop techniques that millers can use to quickly and affordably dry it on-site. That would make the pomace lighter, and easier and less expensive to ship to, for example, a centralized processing plant. There, specialized equipment could be used to extract additional oil or perhaps compounds for use in new foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or other products.

In her research, Milczarek is investigating the dynamics of drying pomace. The goal of these studies is to determine precisely how long it would take for water to diffuse from the pomace under specific conditions.

In preliminary experiments, documented in a 2011 peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Food Engineering, Milczarek's team dried small batches of fresh pomace, using a combination of microwave and convection (hot forced air) heating. The drying rates for the four internal temperatures studied—104 degrees, 122 degrees, 140 degrees, and 158 degrees Fahrenheit—averaged about 28 percent lower than those reported in some studies conducted by other scientists.

The bottom line? Lower drying rates mean more drying time is needed in order for the pomace to dry sufficiently.

What can olive mills do about that? For commercial drying, pomace would be carried on a conveyor belt through a "drying tunnel." With the drying rates in mind, the tunnel could be lengthened, or the conveyor belt could be slowed, to ensure that pomace emerging from the tunnel isn't damp and prone to mold.

Of course, drying adds to mills' energy costs. However, the combination of microwave and convection drying that Milczarek tested is inherently more energy-efficient than drying options that are based solely on convection, she points out.

Two features of Milczarek's study—keeping the pomace's internal temperature steady when testing each temperature regimen, and taking pomace shrinkage into account—likely made the research unique among olive-pomace-drying experiments and contributed to the accuracy of her results.

Milczarek is with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif. ARS is the USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency.

Read more about this and other olive oil studies in the May/June 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

USDA'S Novel Cell Line Identifies All Foot-and-Mouth Virus Serotypes

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:38 GMT

ARS scientists have developed the basis for a faster, more accurate test for all strains of the foot-and-mouth disease virus, which causes a highly contagious and economically devastating disease in cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals. Click the image for more information about it.

USDA'S Novel Cell Line Identifies All Foot-and-Mouth Virus Serotypes

By Sandra Avant
May 16, 2013

WASHINGTON—U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have developed a new cell line that rapidly and accurately detects foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), which causes a highly contagious and economically devastating disease in cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals.

The cell line was created by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Orient Point, N.Y. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency. The research, published online in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security.

"This important breakthrough is an example of how ARS scientists are working to improve agricultural productivity in the face of increasing demand for food," said ARS Administrator Edward B. Knipling. "This new cell line will help in the global effort to control a disease that can cause significant economic losses."

"The new cells detect the FMD virus in field samples that come directly from naturally infected animals faster than existing cell lines currently used for diagnostics," said Luis Rodriguez, research leader at Plum Island's Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit (FADRU). "The new cells are the first permanent cell line capable of identifying all seven serotypes of FMD virus."

The United States has not had an FMD outbreak in more than 80 years. However, the disease is still a serious threat and is considered to be the most economically devastating livestock disease worldwide. Outbreaks in other countries have resulted in the slaughter of millions of animals to prevent the disease from spreading.

Being able to rapidly detect the virus during outbreaks would allow researchers to quickly develop the appropriate vaccine among the seven serotypes and dozens of subtypes, thereby saving valuable time and millions of dollars.

The novel cell line stems from earlier research where FADRU scientist Hernando Duque isolated a primary cell receptor, called alpha v beta 6, which allows FMD virus to attach to and enter the animal's cells and replicate, Rodriguez said. Molecular biologist Michael LaRocco was a member of the team, led by former ARS scientist Barry Baxt, which created the new cell line.

The approach used to make the new cell line consisted of cloning the FMD receptor genes from bovine (cattle) tissue and incorporating them into a cell line previously established at Plum Island, and then comparing them to other cells currently used in diagnosing and studying FMD.

FADRU molecular biologist Peter Krug designed tests to validate the cell line by comparing it to other cell types using virus samples from animal tissues. The new cell line proved to be faster and more reliable than all current diagnostic cell lines in detecting virus in FMD-infected cattle and pig tissue samples from numerous countries.

"Other cell types currently used to diagnose FMD don't survive long and have to be obtained directly from animals as primary cell cultures, causing variation from one batch to the other," Rodriguez said. "This new cell line can be continually grown in culture, maintains susceptibility to FMDV much longer, and doesn't require getting new cells from animals repeatedly."

Scientists have applied for a patent on the new cell line and are making plans to distribute it to diagnostic laboratories in the United States and other countries.

Farm-raised Salmon Retains Healthy Omega-3s When Baked

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:46 GMT

Read the magazine story to find out more.

Baking farm-raised Atlantic salmon maintains its healthy levels of omega-3 fatty acids as long as the fish is not over cooked, according to ARS research. Click the image for more information about it.

Farm-raised Salmon Retains Healthy Omega-3s When Baked

By Rosalie Marion Bliss
May 13, 2013

U.S. producers of farm-raised salmon are working hard to help fill today's growing demand for seafood. Now U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutritionist Susan Raatz, physiologist Matthew Picklo, and cooperators have found that farm-raised Atlantic salmon maintains its healthy levels of omega-3 fatty acids when baked.

Two omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), are abundant in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring. Some data have shown that consuming 250 milligrams daily of EPA and DHA—the amount found in a 3-ounce salmon fillet—is associated with reduced risk of heart-disease.

Raatz and Picklo are with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency.

While eating seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids is known to reduce risk of heart disease, it has not been known whether baking causes loss of omega-3s in farm-raised Atlantic salmon. The team also examined the extent to which baking Atlantic salmon alters healthful fatty acids through oxidation that leaves unhealthy compounds, such as toxic omega-3 oxidation byproducts.

The researchers demonstrated that baking salmon to the proper temperature does not decrease its content of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. They found that baking actually decreases the presence of fatty acid oxidation byproducts. Preparing the fish based on restaurant and safety guidelines—to a tender-but-safe 145 degrees Fahrenheit rather than overcooking—was a key factor, according to authors.

The research was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Read more about this research in the May/June 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

Secretaries Vilsack and Jewell highlight federal preparedness for 2013 western wildfire season

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00 GMT

BOISE, Idaho, May 13, 2013 – During a visit to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell outlined the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure collaboration in protecting Americans from wildfire, and urged homeowners and local communities to take steps to reduce their risks during the 2013 fire season.

Olive Oil Assays May Help Assure Authenticity

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:40 GMT

Read the magazine story to find out more.

Research from ARS, including tests to assure authenticity of olive oil, may help strengthen America's olive oil industry. Click the image for more information about it.

Olive Oil Assays May Help Assure Authenticity

By Marcia Wood
May 9, 2013

When the label on a bottle of olive oil misrepresents what's inside, shoppers may not be getting what they thought they paid for. Mislabeling is also of concern to chefs, retailers, and America's olive growers and olive oil processors—especially those newly entering the domestic olive oil market. They face tough international competition: An estimated 98 percent of all olive oil consumed in the United States is imported.

Help may be on the way in the form of laboratory assays developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers and their colleagues. These tests add to the array of options for quality-control analyses of olive oil.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemist Talwinder Kahlon's assay relies on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology to compare olive DNA to that of canola and sunflower plants. Oil from these plants is sometimes mixed with olive oil, but not disclosed on the label. ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of USDA.

Kahlon's test focuses on key regions of two genes, matK and psbA-trnH, which occur widely throughout nature, including in olive, canola, and sunflower. The DNA sequence of specific regions of these two genes, Kahlon notes, provides a reliable basis of comparison, and can be used to detect the presence of the non-olive oils at concentrations of 5 percent or higher.

Though using PCR technology to detect specific plant DNA in olive oil isn't new, the team's approach offers several improvements. For instance, the olive, canola, and sunflower "DNA barcodes" that the scientists developed—to serve as the basis for comparing these plants' DNA—are based on not just a single olive tree or sunflower or canola plant. Instead, each barcode is a broadly representative composite, known as "consensus DNA."

Olive oil is made up of triglycerides, which are molecules composed of fatty acids. These fatty acids are the focus of the approach that ARS chemist Jiann-Tsyh (Ken) Lin developed. The assay is based on ESI-MS (electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry) and enables scientists to glean details about variations in specific triglycerides of interest, referred to as regioisomers. From that, users can develop ratios of regioisomers that can be used to determine whether the sample contains undisclosed oils.

The value of ESI-MS for analyzing plant fatty acids has been recognized since at least 1994. But Lin's ESI-MS protocol helps make this application simpler.

Lin developed the protocol for his research with castor, a plant that produces an inedible, top-quality industrial oil. About six years ago, he chose olive oil as a model for testing his assay.

Both scientists work at ARS' Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif.

Read more about this research in the May/June 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.