News Stories - Page 43

From year to year, many row crop producers rotate the crops they plant to reduce pest and disease pressure and to benefit the land, often alternating peanuts with cotton and corn. Peanuts in particular are considered an important cash crop for many farmers.

Each year, hundreds of international researchers — from master’s degree students to academic faculty — apply to come to the University of Georgia to work in a wide range of academic fields. In the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, dozens of international research scholars are working with faculty on important research that furthers the mission of the college while benefiting visiting scholars and their home institutions.

Farmers are tough. They work long days at physically demanding, often dangerous work and rarely get a break, much less a vacation. Months of hard work can be wiped out with a few days of bad weather, and they battle nature at every turn, from drought and floods to weeds and insects.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center announced that bitterly cold conditions during the holiday season are likely. Northern areas of the Southeast region are the most likely to experience the wintry temperatures, but even Florida may experience freezing weather.

While a sprig of mistletoe hung from the ceiling for sweethearts to kiss under is a sweet tradition, too much mistletoe hanging from your trees can lead to trouble later. Its history as a symbol of fertility and love goes back thousands of years, well beyond today’s interpretation as holiday decor, but when you get down to it, mistletoe is a parasite.

The Luther and Susie Harrison Foundation has pledged $3 million in support of the Poultry Science Building project at the University of Georgia. The pledge — the largest single gift to the building to date — will fund the lobby of the Poultry Science Building.

Whether they show up whole in a candy bar, are transformed into a sandwich spread or lend earthy notes to a spicy curry, peanuts are an important part of foodways in the U.S. and of cuisines from around the world. Georgia is the No. 1 peanut-producing state in the U.S., growing approximately 52% of the peanuts produced in the country in 2021, mostly in the state’s sandy Coastal Plain region.

Lexi Pritchard, a 12th grade 4-H’er from Oconee County, won first place individual at the National Poultry Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, held Nov. 15-16 as part of the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference. Pritchard scored 1350 points out of a possible 1500 and received top honors as an individual competitor.

The protein collagen can be extracted from cannonball jellyfish and used in dietary supplements and other areas, creating a U.S. market for jellyfish, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Georgia.

The holiday season is here, and homemade gifts are part of the culture of many families around the world. Infused cooking oils have a great aesthetic appearance, provide an enhanced flavor profile, and can make a special homemade gift. However, if not done properly, homemade food gifts like infused oil may cause serious illness and potential death.