← LeaderboardsInvestigatorsiAttributed = a PI's even-split share of each grant — a $1M grant with 2 PIs counts $500K each.
Division Of Agriculture Of The University Of Arkansas
$66,867,014
Total funding
122
Grants
Funding over time
peak $12.7M · FY2008–25$20M$15M$10M$5M$0
'08
'09
'10
'11
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
'19
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
Funding mix
By agency
USDA$62,927,722 · 119
DOE$3,899,641 · 2
DOD$39,652 · 1
By mechanism
—$66,867,014 · 122
Investigators at Division Of Agriculture Of The University Of Arkansas
InvestigatorsiAttributed = a PI's even-split share of each grant — a $1M grant with 2 PIs counts $500K each.
Exposure= the full size of every grant they're on ($1M each).
Rising Stars
First grant in the last 5 yrs
Not enough data
Emerging Leaders
6–10 yrs in
Not enough data
All-Time
Most funded here, all years
Not enough data
Largest grants
THE ISSUESTHE WORLD IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY HOTTER AND CROWDED AND WATER AVAILABILITY IS A GROWING CONCERN. FEEDING THE GLOBAL POPULATION WITHIN PLANETARY BOUNDARIES WILL REQUIRE GREATER ANIMAL PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY. IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FEED THE US AND THE WORLD WITH ADEQUATE ANIMAL PROTEIN WITHOUT SUSTAINABLE US BROILER (MEAT CHICKEN) PRODUCTION. FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES OF AGRICULTURE GLOBALLY ARE TO PRODUCE ENOUGH FOOD IN WAYS THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE. CURRENTLY, MUCH OF THE 54 BILLION KG OF FEED AND 108 BILLION KG OF WATER CONSUMED BY THE 9 BILLION BROILERS PRODUCED ANNUALLY IN THE US IS NOT FULLY UTILIZED DUE TO DIFFERENCES (UP TO 25%) IN FEED AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY. A 1% IMPROVEMENT IN WATER USE BY BROILERS COULD SAVE OVER 200 MILLION GALLONS ANNUALLY IN THE US. HOT WEATHER, FAST GROWTH, AND A SHIFT TO LARGER BIRD PRODUCTION RENDER BROILERS SUSCEPTIBLE TO SUBOPTIMAL HEALTH, MUSCULAR-SKELETAL DISORDERS, AND MORTALITY. SUPPLIES OF SOYBEAN, ACRITICAL COMPONENT IN BROILER DIETS WILL BE LIMITING IN THE FUTURE. THE US POULTRY INDUSTRY GENERATES APPROXIMATELY 55 MILLION TONS OF DRY POULTRY LITTER (WASTE) AND OVER 1 MILLION TONS OF FEATHERS PER YEAR THAT REPRESENT OPPORTUNITIES TO RECOVER NUTRIENTS AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY IN THE INDUSTRY.ALTHOUGH TODAY'S POULTRY INDUSTRY PERSONNEL REQUIRE EDUCATION TO PREPARE FOR CAREERS IN POULTRY SCIENCE INCLUDING A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE,MOST MAJOR ANIMAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS HAVE DISCONTINUED POULTRY CURRICULA. THIS DOES NOT MATCH THE NEEDS OF POULTRY INDUSTRY AS THE LARGEST REVENUE CONTRIBUTOR TO ANIMAL AGRICULTURE, AND CAUSES A SHORTAGE IN QUALIFIED WORKFORCE. MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN POULTRY SCIENCE PROGRAMS IN COLLEGES, INCLUDING HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, REMAINS EXTREMELY LOW AND DOES NOT REFLECT NATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS. THERE IS A LACK OF MENTORS WHOM MINORITY STUDENTS AND FOR MANY MINORITY STUDENTS, THE ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURAL CAREERS IS NEGATIVE. THUS, IT IS CRUCIAL TO REACH OUT TO THESE STUDENTS EARLY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION ON POULTRY SCIENCE CAREERS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE WELL-INFORMED CAREER CHOICES.EXTENSION OUTREACH IS VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF ANY RESEARCH PROGRAM BECAUSE IT CONFERS KNOWLEDGE TO EVERYONEWITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY. THE CHALLENGE IS TO PERSUADE INDIVIDUALS TO STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE AND TRY SOMETHING NEW THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR ALL. THE INTEGRATION OF INDUSTRY AND THE WIDE AVAILABILITY OF INTERNET HAVE ALSO COMPLETELY CHANGED THE EXTENSION OPERATION AND EFFECTIVENESS. IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO FIND THE MOST EFFECTIVE PLATFORM TO ENGAGE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION.APPROACH-METHODOLOGIESRESEARCHTHE MAJOR RESEARCH FOCUS IS ON WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN BROILERS PRODUCTION. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS SEVERAL FACETS OF WATER EFFICIENCY BY;A) DEVELOPING BIOMARKERS OF WATER EFFICIENCY. IN THESE STUDIES, BROILERS WILL BE TESTED INDIVIDUALLY FOR WATER USE EFFICIENCY BY DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF WATER CONSUMED PER POUND OF BODY WEIGHT. THOSE WITH HIGHEST WATER EFFICIENCY WILL BE USED AS BREEDING STOCK FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF BIRDS. TISSUES (E.G. BLOOD, MUSCLE, LIVER, FAT, GUT, BRAIN) FROM OFFSPRING WILL BE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE GENES OR PROTEINS THAT ARE HIGHLY CORRELATED WITH WATER EFFICIENCY THAT COULD BE USED IN GENETIC SELECTION. WE WILL ASSESS IF BIRDS THAT ARE MORE WATER EFFICIENT ARE ALSO MORE TOLERANT TO HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS. OFFSPRING OF THESE BIRDS WILL THEN BE CHALLENGED BY DETERMINING GROWTH WITH DIETS THAT HAVE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON WATER EXCRETION.B) REDUCING THE IMPACT OF COMMON DIETARY INGREDIENTS THAT CAUSE 'LEAKY GUT'. NONSTARCH POLYSACCHARIDES IN THE LOWER GUT DISRUPT THE MICROBIAL ECOLOGY (MICROBIOME) IN THE GUT AND GUT INTEGRITY THAT INCREASE WATER LOSS, LAMENESS, MUSCLE MYOPATHIES, DECREASE IMMUNITY, AND INCREASE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THESE STUDIES WILL BE CARRIED OUT WITH CURRENT COMMERCIAL BROILERS AND SLOWER GROWING LINES TO DETERMINE WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE BIRDS IN RESPONSE TO GENETIC SELECTION FOR FAST GROWTH AND FEED EFFICIENCY. STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO INVESTIGATE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENT ENRICHMENT TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY WHILE LOWERING MUSCLE AND BONE DISORDER ISSUES.C) IMPROVING WATER USE EFFICIENCY NEEDED FOR COOLING POULTRY HOUSES DURING HOT WEATHER. A MISTING SYSTEM WILL BE INVESTIGATED THAT CAN COOL THE POULTRY HOUSES MORE EFFECTIVELY WHILE USING MUCH LESS WATER THAT CONVENTIONAL EVAPORATIVE COOLING PADS.D) UTILIZING MICROALGAE AS A SUSTAINABLE HIGH-VALUE PROTEIN COMPONENT IN POULTRY DIETS. STUDIES WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF MICROALGAE TO REPLACE SOME SOYBEAN MEAL (UP TO 3%) WHICH IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF PROTEIN IN COMMERCIAL POULTRY DIETS, THEREBY REDUCING WATER NEEDED TO PRODUCE COMMERCIAL BROILER FEED. MICROALGAE WILL BE ENGINEERED TO PRODUCE ENZYMES THAT CAN DIGEST FEATHERS TO PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN TO A) FEED BROILER, B)CONVERT POULTRY WASTE INTO BIOFUELS, C) TO CAPTURE NUTRIENTS IN POULTRY LITTER, AND D) TO INCREASE WHOLESOMENESS OF POULTRY MEAT BY INCREASING UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS (FOR HEART HEALTH) AND VITAMIN D (FOR BONE HEALTH) IN CONSUMERS OF POULTRY MEAT.EDUCATION-TEACHINGWE WILL INCREASE AWARENESS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN POULTRY SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN SEVERAL WAYS. INTERNSHIPS WILL BE OFFERED FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO ATTEND A DIFFERENT INSTITUTION WITH INVOLVEMENTIN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH. WE WILL ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS TO RECEIVE FORMAL COURSEWORK IN POULTRY SCIENCE IN WHICH STUDENTS AT UNIV. OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF ATTEND UNIV. OF ARKANSAS FAYETTEVILLE AND OBTAIN 30 HOURS OF POULTRY SCIENCE COURSE CREDITS TOWARDS THEIR UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR DEGREE AT UAPB. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE RESEARCH BY MINORITIES WILL BE FACILITATED BY GRADUATE STUDENT STIPEND AND RESEARCH SUPPORT. A MASTERS OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS WILL BE DEVELOPED THAT WILL CONTAIN A CAPSTONE PROBLEM WITH A REAL-LIFE PROBLEM SUCH AS WATER USE EFFICIENCY THAT THE STUDENT WILL RESEARCH DURING THE PROGRAM.OUTREACHWE WILL USE SEVERAL METHODS TO REACH AS BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE AS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION TO THE 'TRADITIONAL' AUDIENCES SUCH AS POULTRY GROWERS, ALLIED INDUSTRY, 4-H AND FFA YOUTH PROGRAMS, WE WILL EXTEND DELIVERY OF INFORMATION TO A BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE INCLUDING HISPANICS, MARSHELLESE, LAOTIAN, VIETNAMESE, HMONG, MENNONITE GROWERS, CHOCTAW AND OTHER REGIONAL TRIBES. WE WILL CONDUCT ON FARM DEMONSTRATIONS OF NEW TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGIES. WE WILL DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY IN AN EXTENSION PUBLICATION, AVIAN ADVICE AND IN A SMALL FLOCK NEWSLETTER THAT WAS LAUNCHED THIS YEAR. WE WILL ALSO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE SUSTAINABILITY TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS.GOALS AND IMPACT ACCOMPLISHING OUR OBJECTIVES WILL HELP THE US IN FULFILLING THE 25 YEAR GOALS OF USDA THAT INCLUDES; MAINTAINING 2% TOTAL GROSS DOMESTIC GROWTH, IMPROVING P/N/WATER EFFICIENCY BY 50%, PRODUCING 50 BILLION GALLONS OF BIOFUEL, AND ENHANCING HUMAN HEALTH. OUR STRENGTH COMES FROM A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF EXPERTISE IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND BIOLOGY, APPLIED POULTRY PRODUCTION, ENGINEERING, MANAGEMENT, AND ECONOMICS, AND STATE-OF ART FACILITIES. OUR TEACHING WILL IMPLEMENT NEW LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDE STUDENT EXCHANGES AND FIELD INTERNSHIPS. OUR EXTENSION OUTREACH PROGRAM WILL FEATURE BOTH CONVENTIONAL AND EMERGING MEANS TO REACH AND ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND BROAD AUDIENCE.$9,955,049
· FY2019 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** BACKGROUND:THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IS THE LARGEST MEAT INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD, AND THE UNITED STATES IS THE WORLD'S NO. 1 PRODUCER OF POULTRY MEAT. THE CONSUMPTION OF CHICKEN PRODUCTS HAS STEADILY INCREASED IN RECENT DECADES, AND THIS DEMAND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WHILE THE CURRENT POULTRY INDUSTRY IS CENTRALIZED AND DESIGNED TO PRODUCE FOOD EFFICIENTLY, SEVERAL OPERATIONS SUCH AS MEAT DEBONING RELY HEAVILY ON MANUAL LABOR. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS RELIANCE ON MANUAL LABOR MAKES THE SYSTEM VULNERABLE TO DISRUPTIONS. MANUFACTURING TASKS IN THESE FACILITIES REQUIRED MANY WORKERS TO STAND SIDE-BY-SIDE, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO TELEWORK OR OPERATE EQUIPMENT REMOTELY. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE INFECTION SPREAD QUICKLY AMONG MEAT PROCESSING WORKERS, DISRUPTING THE SUPPLY CHAIN. HIGH HUMAN-FOOD CONTACT CAN ALSO LEAD TO CROSS-CONTAMINATION RESULTING IN FOOD SAFETY RECALLS. THE POULTRY AND MEAT INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY FACING UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES OFLABOR SHORTAGES AND FOOD AND WORKER SAFETY.THE MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY STANDS TO BENEFIT BY MORE FULLY EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNICAL PRINCIPLES SUCH AS SENSING, ADVANCED ROBOTICS, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THAT SAID, THE CURRENT CAPABILITIES OF ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION CANNOT YET COMPETE WITH THE DEXTERITY AND FLEXIBILITY OF HUMAN WORKERS. ANIMALS ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE, REQUIRING INTELLIGENT AND ADAPTIVE AUTOMATION TO HANDLE THE SOFT AND VARIABLE MEAT TISSUES. WITH THE U.S. MEAT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY GRADUALLY RECOVERING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, NOW IS THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR THE MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY TO REINVENT ITSELF AND PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN ADDRESSING GLOBAL PROTEIN NEEDS, INCREASING PROCESSING EFFICIENCY, MINIMIZING MEAT QUALITY LOSS, ALLEVIATING THE PRESSURE OF LABOR FORCE SHORTAGE, PROTECTING WORKER SAFETY, IMPROVING WORKER WELFARE, AND THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.OVERALL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:THE VISION OF THE CENTER FOR SCALABLE AND INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION IN POULTRY PROCESSING (CSI-APP) IS TO INCORPORATE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN ROBOTICS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, DIGITAL SENSING, BIOSENSING, AND FOOD SAFETY TO PROVIDE U.S. POULTRY PROCESSING INDUSTRY SCALABLE AND INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS TO MEET THE RISING NATIONAL AND GLOBAL DEMAND IN POULTRY PRODUCTS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL FOCUSES ON TRANSFORMING CURRENT MASS MANUFACTURING PROTOCOLS IN LARGE, CENTRALIZED PROCESSING PLANTS TO MASS CUSTOMIZATION PROTOCOLS SUITABLE FOR PROCESSING PLANTS IN DIFFERENT SCALES TO OVERCOME THE INHERENT VARIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH RAW BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS AND HUMANS. LARGE-SCALE INDIVIDUALIZATION CAN BE ACHIEVED ECONOMICALLY THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL SYSTEMS (INDUSTRY 4.0 PRINCIPLES). IN PURSUIT OF THE VISION AND THE LONG-TERM GOAL, CSI-APP WILL STRATEGICALLY TARGET VALUE CREATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION BY PERFORMING FOCUSED ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES BY FOLLOWING FOUR UNIFYING OBJECTIVES IN THIS PROPOSAL:OBJECTIVE 1: SCALABLE POULTRY M,ANUFACTURING. THE TEAM WILL CREATE ASCALABLE PLANT-READY INTELLIGENT ROBOTIC DEBONING SYSTEMCAPABLE OF PERFORMING AT PARITY WITH (OR EVEN EXCEEDING) HUMAN DEBONERS FOR THE MOST SKILLED TASK IN THE PLANT: SHOULDER CUTTING OF FRONT-HALVES. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ALGORITHMS WILL BE DEVELOPED TO HANDLE THE HIGH BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF MEAT.OBJECTIVE 2: VIRTUAL REALITY-BASED WORKFORCE TRANSFORMATION. THE LABOR SHORTAGE IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR THE MEAT INDUSTRY. IT TAKES CONSIDERABLE TIME TO TRAIN AN INDIVIDUAL TO PERFORM DEXTEROUS JOBS LIKE MEAT DEBONING. DUE TO HIGH LINE SPEEDS IN A COLD, HUMID ENVIRONMENT, THERE ARE INJURIES RESULTING IN LABOR SHORTAGES. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE INFECTION SPREAD QUICKLY AMONG MEAT PROCESSING WORKERS, DISRUPTING THE SUPPLY CHAIN. VIRTUAL REALITY CAN TRANSFORM, DIVERSIFY, AND DISTRIBUTE THE WORKFORCE IN SPACE AND TIME. USING THE PROPOSED VR TECHNOLOGY, SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO STAY IN A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND VIRTUALLY OPERATE A ROBOT TO DEBONE MEAT IN A PROCESSING PLANT REMOTELY. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE LABOR SHORTAGE AND CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING RURAL AREAS.OBJECTIVE 3: SENSOR AND ROBOTIC-BASED PRODUCT EVALUATION AND BIO-MAPPING FOR ENHANCING FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY. A MOBILE ROBOTIC PLATFORM CONTAINING BIOSENSORS FOR RAPID ESTIMATION OF BACTERIA WILL BE DEVELOPED. THE BIOSENSORS WILL PROVIDE INITIAL BIOMAPPING OF BACTERIA IN THE PROCESSING PLANT AND IDENTIFY THE BEST AREAS TO COLLECT SWAB SAMPLES OF THE PRODUCT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SURFACES FOR FOOD SAFETY EVALUATIONS. THE FINAL BIOMAP WILL BE USED TO GUIDE SANITATION AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. AN IMAGING SYSTEM WILL ALSO BE DEVELOPED FOR DETECTING FOREIGN OBJECTS LIKE SMALL PLASTICS IN MEAT AND FOOD QUALITY EVALUATION.OBJECTIVE 4: RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INTEGRATION: CREATE AN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM THROUGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT/TRANSFER AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION. RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL BE INTEGRATED, ACCELERATING THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION TO BETTER MEET STAKEHOLDERS' NEEDS. PLANNED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVEYS TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS, WORKSHOPS FOR DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ABOUT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, DEMONSTRATION EXHIBITS AT INDUSTRY CONFERENCES, AND ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRIES CONSIDERING IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES.EXPECTED OUTCOMES:CSI-APP IS STRUCTURED TO (1) ENHANCE THE ROBUSTNESS AND SCALABILITY OF PRECISION MANUFACTURING IN MEAT PROCESSING AND CHICKEN DEBONING; (2) DISTRIBUTE THE WORKFORCE IN SPACE AND TIME USING VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS; (3) IMPROVE FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY IN PROCESSING PLANTS USING INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, REAL-TIME VISION SENSING, BIOSENSING AND BIOMAPPING; AND (4) COLLECT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK OF DIGITALIZATION TRANSFORMATION IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY AND DISSEMINATE THE TECHNOLOGY TO THE STAKEHOLDERS. THIS CONTRIBUTION WILL BE SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS EXPECTED TO TRANSFORM THE POULTRY INDUSTRY TO A MORE DIGITIZED AND AUTOMATED INDUSTRY, WITH ENHANCED LABOR SAFETYA,ND FOOD QUALITY/SAFETY. THE SCALABLE AND TRANSFERRABLE TECHNOLOGY IS EXPECTED TO BE ADAPTABLE TO SMALLER CHICKEN PROCESSORS, WHICH IS BENEFICIAL FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS. A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK OF SMALLER PRODUCERS/PROCESSORS THAT CAN ALSO SUPPLY CHICKENS TO LOCAL CLIENTS EFFICIENTLY TO PROTECT THE FOOD SUPPLY FROM AGGRESSIVE ATTACKS AND THE SPREAD OF PATHOGENS. ON FUNDAMENTAL, APPLIED, AND EXTENSION LEVELS, THE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF CSI-APP CAN BE ADAPTED TO ALLIED FOOD INDUSTRIES BENEFITING THE U.S. AND GLOBAL ECONOMY, BUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CSI-APP GOES FAR BEYOND THIS. MAKING THE MASS CUSTOMIZATION OF PROTEIN MANUFACTURING A REALITY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND TO WELL-BEING AROUND THE WORLD BY PROVIDING A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE SOURCE OF PROTEIN.PROJECT TEAM:CSI-APP CONNECTS FOUR CORE INSTITUTES: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE, GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN, AND FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, ALONG WITH A KEY COLLABORATOR FROM USDA ARS NATIONAL POULTRY RESEARCH CENTER. AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM FROM THE FOUR INSTITUTIONS AIMS TO UNCOVER THE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGIES TO ENABLE SCALABLE, INTELLIGENT, EFFICIENT, SAFE, AND TRANSFORMABLE MEAT MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE WORKER SAFETY, FOOD SAFETY AND PROCESS EFFICIENCY. CSI-APP'S INDUSTRIAL BOARD CONSISTS OF 12 REPRESENTATIVE STAKEHOLDERS RELATED TO THE PROJECT FROM (1) POULTRY COMPANIES IN LARGE, MEDIUM, AND SMALL SIZES; (2) FOOD MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMATION COMPANIES; AND (3) INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONSWITH BACKGROUNDS SPANNING POULTRY PRODUCTION, POULTRY PROCESSING, FOOD TECHNOLOGIES, AND INTELLIGENT FOOD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT.$5,000,000
· FY2023 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTERVENTIONS FOR OBESITY PREVENTION TARGETING YOUNG CHILDREN IN AT-RISK ENVIRONMENTS: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH$3,876,312
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
"MIDSOUTH/SOUTHEAST BIOENERGY CONSORTIUM"$2,903,000
· FY2008 · Department of Energy
HATCH RESEARCH$2,118,921
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOOL TO MITIGATE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SWINE PRODUCED IN THE U.S.$1,990,964
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
HATCH RESEARCH$1,173,388
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOOL TO MITIGATE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SWINE PRODUCED IN THE U.S.$999,983
· FY2014 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOOL TO MITIGATE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SWINE PRODUCED IN THE U.S.$999,974
· FY2013 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOOL TO MITIGATE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SWINE PRODUCED IN THE U.S.$999,876
· FY2015 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
MIDSOUTH/SOUTHEAST BIOENERGY CONSORTIUM$996,641
· FY2012 · Department of Energy
OUR GOAL IS TO INFORM A NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO HELP THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY SKILLFULLY NAVIGATE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH INCREASED CONFIDENCE. OUR RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON THE 'FRONT-OF-THE-HOUSE', DEFINED AS ANY LOCATION WITHIN A FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (FSES) WHERE CUSTOMERS ARE ALLOWED. ARGUABLY, THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN THE HARDEST HIT BY THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. SINCE MARCH 2020, 60% OF THE U.S. JOB LOSS HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY, PARTIALLY DUE TO LACK OF IN-HOUSE DINING. AS PART OF REOPENING EFFORTS, SOME STATES ARE ALLOWING IN-HOUSE DINING AT A REDUCED CAPACITY, THOUGH SOME CONSUMERS DO NOT FEEL SAFE EATING IN THESE FSES. TO RESTORE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, WE ASSERT THAT CUSTOMERS NEED TO KNOW THEY WILL NOT BE EXPOSED TO THE SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) CORONAVIRUS (COV) TYPE 2 (SARS-COV-2), THE PATHOGEN CAUSING COVID-19. OUR PROPOSED WORK WILL BUILD THE EVIDENCE BASE TO INFORM FSE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING PROCEDURES WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON THE FRONT-OF-THE-HOUSE. IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING PROCEDURES IS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ABILITY OF FSES TO PROVIDE A SAFE DINING EXPERIENCE. THE 4 OBJECTIVES TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF INFORMING A NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ARE:DETERMINE PERSISTENCE OF SARS-COV-2 AND ITS SURROGATES ON ENVIRONMENTAL SURFACES.DEFINE THE TRANSFER RATE OF SARS-COV-2 SURROGATES BETWEEN SURFACES AND HANDS.ESTABLISH THE EFFICACY OF DISINFECTANT STRATEGIES AGAINST SARS-COV-2 AND ITS SURROGATES.DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF ATP DETECTION TOOLS TO MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING.$980,526
· FY2020 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM AND IS THE RESULT OF MANY FACTORS INCLUDING UNHEALTHY EATING PATTERNS, LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, FOOD INSECURITY, AND LOW HEALTH LITERACY. FOR THIS REASON, EFFORTS TO REDUCE OBESITY AND OBESITY-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE MUST ADDRESS THESE ISSUES ON MULTIPLE FRONTS. THE PROJECT WE PROPOSE HERE, AN INTEGRATED, MULTIMEDIA APPROACH TO DELIVERING FOOD, EXERCISE, AND NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE (DFEND), REPRESENTS SUCH AN EFFORT, AND ALIGNS WITH THE PROGRAM PRIORITY AREA TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, EDUCATIONAL, AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE EATING PATTERNS THAT PREVENT AND CONTROL DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. DFEND ENGAGES A TEAM OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCHOLARS WITH EXPERTISE IN NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PUBLIC HEALTH, EXTENSION AND OUTREACH, AND STATISTICS. THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT INVOLVES INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE HEALTH LITERACY BY EMPHASIZING HEALTHY EATING PATTERNS, LIFESTYLE CHANGES, AND BEHAVIORS WHICH SUPPORT THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE. THE OVERALL AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO IMPROVE HEALTH LITERACY RELATED TO NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADULTS AT RISK FOR CHRONIC DISEASE, ENABLE AND REINFORCE HEALTHY EATING PATTERNS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADULTS AT RISK FOR CHRONIC DISEASE, AND ENSURE THAT TOMORROW'S NUTRITION, EXERCISE SCIENCE, AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS ARE ABLE TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THE BURDEN OF CHRONIC DISEASE THROUGHOUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS.$970,146
· FY2023 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
MULTISTATE RESEARCH$941,304
· FY2012 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
INTERVENTIONS FOR OBESITY PREVENTION TARGETING YOUNG CHILDREN IN AT-RISK ENVIRONMENTS: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH$900,000
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** BLACKBERRY GROWERS AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM EVERY MAJOR PRODUCTION REGION IN THE US CITED THE LACK OF CONSISTENTLY FLAVORFUL CULTIVARS AS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSTRAINT LIMITING THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY. SELECTION FOR IMPROVED FLAVOR IS A SLOW AND INEFFICIENT PROCESS IN BLACKBERRY BREEDING PROGRAMS. NOVEL SELECTION METHODS FOR IMPROVING FLAVOR HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN OTHER FRUIT CROPS, WHICH ARE MORE ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE THAN BREEDERS' RATINGS AND MORE AFFORDABLE AND SCALABLE THAN TRADITIONAL CONSUMER SENSORY PANELS. THESE METHODS INCLUDE THE USE OF MOLECULAR MARKERS FOR SPECIFIC VOLATILES AND ACIDS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENOMIC AND METABOLOMIC SELECTION TO PREDICT CONSUMER SENSORY RATINGS. WE PROPOSE TO LEVERAGE NEW GENOMIC TOOLS DEVELOPED IN BLACKBERRY AND NOVEL APPROACHES FOR IMPROVING FLAVOR DEVELOPED IN OTHER FRUIT CROPS TO DEVELOP IMPROVED SELECTION METHODS FOR FLAVOR IN BLACKBERRY BREEDING PROGRAMS. SPECIFICALLY, WE PROPOSE TO COMBINE DATA FROM CONSUMER SENSORY PANELS AND METABOLOMIC DATA OF VOLATILE AND NONVOLATILE FACTORS TO DETERMINE THE MOST IMPORTANT BREEDING TARGETS THAT IMPACT CONSUMER LIKING OF BLACKBERRIES. THEN WE WILL CONDUCT GWAS TO IDENTIFY GENOMIC REGIONS CONTROLLING THOSE VOLATILES, ORGANIC ACIDS AND SUGARS CHOSEN AS IMPORTANT BREEDING TARGETS. LAST, METABOLOMIC AND GENOMIC SELECTION MODELS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND COMPARED TO PREDICT THE CONSUMER SENSORY RATINGS OF NEW BREEDING SELECTIONS. NEW GENETIC MARKERS AND OPTIMIZED BREEDING STRATEGIES DEVELOPED IN THIS PROJECT WILL BE DEPLOYED IN APPLIED BLACKBERRY BREEDING PROGRAMS TO CULL SEEDLINGS FROM BREEDING POPULATIONS, CHOOSE OPTIMAL PARENT COMBINATIONS FOR CROSSING, AND SELECT CANDIDATES FOR ADVANCED TRIALS$879,392
· FY2023 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN THE UNITED STATES, SOYBEAN DISEASES RESULT IN AN ESTIMATED AVERAGE ANNUAL YIELD REDUCTION OF 11%. PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL LOSSES OF $160 BILLION, SEVERELY THREATENING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES (MELOIDOGYNESPP.) ARE CONSIDERED THE MOST ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT AND WIDELY DISTRIBUTED SPECIES OF PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODE, OF WHICH SOUTHERN ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE [SRKN,MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA(KOFOLD & WHITE) CHITWOOD] HAS THE MOST SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. IN THE UNITED STATES, SRKN IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ALL 13 SOUTHERN STATES, REPRESENTING THE SECOND MOST SUPPRESSIVE SOYBEAN PATHOGEN IN THE REGION.THE RECENT NORTHERN DISTRIBUTION OF SRKN IS HIGHLY CONCERNING CONSIDERING THAT MOST SOYBEAN VARIETIES GROWN IN THIS REGION (MATURITY GROUPS (MGS) EARLIER THAN MG 4) ARE KNOWN TO BE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO SRKN.SRKN IS CHALLENGING TO CONTROL DUE TO ITS SHORT LIFE CYCLE AND HIGH REPRODUCTIVE RATES.THE OBSERVED SYMPTOMS OF SRKN INFECTION CLOSELY RESEMBLE THOSE CAUSED BY ABIOTIC STRESSORS, INCLUDING STUNTED GROWTH, LEAF WILTING AND DISCOLORATION, AND DEFORMATION OF THE ROOTS. THE EXTENT OF CROP LOSSES RELIES ON HISTORICAL CROP ROTATION AND FIELD USAGE, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, INITIAL NEMATODE POPULATION DENSITY, SOIL TYPE, AND GENETIC BACKGROUND. STUDIES WITH CONTROLLED NEMATODE PRESSURE IN FIELD CONDITIONS HAVE SHOWN YIELD REDUCTION OF UP TO 97% IN SUSCEPTIBLE CULTIVARS WHEN EXPOSED TO HIGH SRKN PRESSURE. MANAGEMENT BASED ON CROP ROTATION IS ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING AND LIMITED SINCE MOST FLOWERING PLANTS ARE HOSTS TO SRKN. CHEMICAL APPROACHES USED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OPTION TO CONTROL SRKN, HOWEVER, FUMIGANTS, SUCH AS 1,3-DICHLOROPROPENE ARE EXPENSIVE AND REQUIRE SPECIAL APPLICATION EQUIPMENT. NON-FUMIGANTS SUCH AS SEED-APPLIED NEMATICIDES ARE READILY AVAILABLE BUT ARE INEFFECTIVE WHEN NEMATODE DENSITIES ARE HIGH DUE TO LIMITED MOVEMENT FROM THE SEED COAT TO THE ROOT SYSTEM. THE USE OF GENETIC RESISTANCE IS THE MOST SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO EFFICIENTLY CONTROL THE DAMAGE OF SRKN IN SOYBEANS.SINCE MOST SRKN-RESISTANT CULTIVARS ARE DERIVED FROM GENETIC RESOURCES PRIMARILY DERIVED FROM THE FORREST CULTIVAR CARRYING SOLELY THE RMI1 LOCUS (CHROMOSOME 10), IT RAISES CONCERNS REGARDING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF RESISTANCE. AS PARTHENOGENIC NEMATODES, MINIMAL DIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION ARE EXPECTED. HOWEVER, RESISTANCE BREAKDOWN HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN TOMATOES AGAINST THE MI GENE. UNDERSTANDING THE MOLECULAR MODE OF ACTION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RMI1 QTL RESISTANCE WILL HELP BETTER SAFEGUARD THAT RESISTANCE ONCE DEPLOYED IN THE FIELD. THE IMPACT OF A RESISTANCE-BREAKING POPULATION IN SOYBEANS, ALTHOUGH VERY RARE, WOULD BE DRAMATIC BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CONCENTRATION AND WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF SRKN, THE RATHER NARROW BASE OF GENETIC RESISTANCE, AS WELL AS THE LACK OF ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS. MORE EFFORTS ARE NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY AND STACK NOVEL SOURCES OF RESISTANCE IN DEVELOPING SOYBEAN L,INES WITH ENHANCED AND MORE DURABLE SRKN RESISTANCE, PARTICULARLY IN THE CURRENT SCENARIO WHERE SRKN POPULATIONS ARE BEING DETECTED IN NORTHERN SOYBEAN-PRODUCING REGIONS.THEREFORE,THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO PROVIDE SOYBEAN GROWERS WITH SRKN-RESISTANT CULTIVARS WITH A BROADER GENETIC BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE SECURITY AGAINST YIELD LOSSES CAUSED BY THIS YIELD-LIMITING PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THIS PROPOSAL IS GROUNDED IN THREE MAIN OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING I) IDENTIFICATION OF THE MAJOR GENE ON THERMI1LOCUS AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ITS MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE, II) EXPANSION OF THE GENETIC BASIS BY SCREENING AND IDENTIFYING NOVEL GENETIC SOURCES AND DIFFERENT MODES OF RESISTANCE, AND III) DEVELOPMENT OF SOYBEAN BREEDING POPULATIONS AIMING TO STACK DIFFERENT GENETIC SOURCES OF RESISTANCE.$791,037
· FY2024 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
MULTISTATE RESEARCH$790,777
· FY2011 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
IMPACT OF BIOENERGY CROPS ON PESTS, NATURAL ENEMIES AND POLLINATORS IN AGRICULTURAL AND NON-CROP LANDSCAPES$750,483
· FY2012 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RESEARCH TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF SHORT- AND LONG-TERM AGRONOMIC PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTH IS NEEDED IN THE MIDSOUTHERN US IRRIGATED ROW CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. THEREFORE, THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW SOIL CONSERVATION AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AFFECT SOIL HEALTH INDICES AND CROP YIELD IN THE MIDSOUTHERN US. WE AIM TO: I) IDENTIFY SOIL HEALTH INDICES THAT ARE SENSITIVE TO SHORT- AND LONG-TERM AGRONOMIC PRACTICES; II) INVESTIGATE IF SOIL HEALTH RATINGS FROM COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOIL HEALTH INDICES ARE RELATED TO CROP YIELD; III) EVALUATE THE USE OF THE NITROGEN SOIL TEST FOR RICE (N-STAR) AS A SOIL HEALTH INDEX; IV) ASSESS THE IMPACT OF LONG-TERM FERTILIZATION ON CROP YIELD AND SOIL HEALTH; V) EVALUATE HOW SOIL TILLAGE PRACTICES AFFECT SOIL C SEQUESTRATION AND SOIL HEALTH IN IRRIGATED SYSTEMS; VI) INVESTIGATE HOW DIFFERENT COVER CROP SPECIES IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH AND SOIL C SEQUESTRATION; AND VII) DEMONSTRATE THAT SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES ADOPTED IN ARKANSAS DISCOVERY FARMS ARE IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH AND C SEQUESTRATION. WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT CULTURAL AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTH INDICES (N>30) THAT INTEGRATE KEY SOIL FUNCTIONS IN SHORT- AND LONG-TERM TRIALS IN THE MIDSOUTHERN US. WE EXPECT TO DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY WHILE MAINTAINING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY. THIS IS A KEY STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS AND INCREASING THE ADOPTION OF SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES, WHICH ARE PARAMOUNT FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE USE OF AGRICULTURAL LANDAND FOOD SECURITY.$749,954
· FY2023 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture