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Rutgers Professor Returns to South America to Train Small-Scale Shadehouse Farmers

May 9, 2013 By

Robin Brumfield takes notes from Region 4 shadehouse producer Shiromanie Isaacs. At left is Ryan Nedd, field officer with the Farmer to Farmer project.

One year ago, Rutgers specialist in farm management Robin Brumfield found herself enjoying the cooling spray of the brackish brown water as she sped along in a 15-seater speedboat on the Essequibo River. The “Mighty Essequibo” as it’s called, is the third largest river on the continent of South America and the largest in Guyana, the only English-speaking country on the continent.

Winding its way north for over 600 miles through some of the more remote areas of Guyana, the Essequibo River flows around more than 365 distinct islands. At the time, Brumfield and several Guyanese field staff from an internationally funded farming project were skirting the largest of the three  biggest islands located in the 20-mile wide mouth of the Essequibo River, just before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commercial Agriculture, Economic Development, Faculty, International, NJAES, Spotlight

Rutgers Hosts 2013 Liberian Studies Association Conference

April 23, 2013 By

L-R: Marianne Gaunt, director, Rutgers University Libraries; Charles Mulbah, dean of the College of Sustainable Agriculture and Development, Cuttington University; Perumalsamy Balaguru; Robert Goodman, executive dean, SEBS and Jim Simon.

The state of affairs in the West African Republic of Liberia can be summed up by a mix of adage and metaphor, “It takes a village to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” But the country, which faces a multitude of economic, social, technological and environmental woes even as it struggles to redevelop after back to back civil wars, is not alone. A U.S.–Liberian liaison is working on ways to reconstruct the nation and develop strategies to address its most critical needs.

At the core of this effort is the Liberian Studies Association (LSA), a scholarly organization based in the U.S., which furthers research on topics relevant to Liberia in cooperation with cultural, scientific and educational institutions. LSA, which facilitates academic exchanges between Liberia and the U.S.,  sponsored its 45th annual conference, a three-day event held April 4-7 at the Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in New Brunswick, NJ. The university, which has its own extended network of initiatives in support of Liberia’s redevelopment, hosted the event. The conference was led by Jim Simon, plant biology and pathology professor at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and Perumalsamy Balaguru, professor in the Rutgers School of Engineering. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Development, Faculty, International, NJAES, SEBS

USDA Grant Awarded For Rutgers Center to Continue “Farm to School” Project

April 23, 2013 By

L-R: George Steinbronn (NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids), NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, Darrin Anderson (Dep. Director, NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids), Vineland Mayor Ruben Bermudez, Freeholder Sam Fiocchi, Lisa Sheetz (NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids) and Diane Holtaway of Rutgers Food Innovation Center sample the Made with Jersey Fresh berry yogurt parfaits.

Source: New Jersey Department of Agriculture

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher announced the state has received a $62,713 U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program grant to continue work with Rutgers Food Innovation Center (FIC) – South on a project to bring Made with Jersey Fresh items to schools throughout the state.

A previous $51,000 grant developed several menu items using Jersey Fresh produce that meet National School Lunch Program nutrition requirements. The new grant will be used to launch these processed items and pave the way for distribution to schools. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commercial Agriculture, Economic Development, Food/Nutrition/Health, NJAES

FIC-South Director Michael duBois Recognized as IFT Fellow

April 16, 2013 By

Michael duBois

Michael duBois, director of the Food Innovation Center (FIC) – South was selected as a 2013 Fellow of the The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). A singular honor bestowed on only a small percentage of IFT members by their peers each year, this designation recognizes duBois for his scholarly advancement and service to the food science and technology profession.

DuBois, who will be publicly recognized at the annual IFT meeting in Chicago on July 13, was considered for his work in building collaborative organizations committed to enhancing the esthetics, value, and nutrition of food and beverage products worldwide. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Development, Faculty, Food/Nutrition/Health, NJAES

The Best And Worst Food For Allergies

April 12, 2013 By

Some of us can’t wait for the brilliant blossoms of spring to finally arrive. Others fear that day and the sniffling, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, scratchy throats and watery eyes it promises to bring…But it turns out avoiding certain foods – and adding more of others – can affect your likelihood of developing seasonal allergies, as well as the severity of your symptoms. "It’s a life choice, not a meal choice," says Bielory, an allergy specialist at Rutgers University’s Center for Environmental Prediction and a physician at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey.

Read the entire article at HuffingtonPost.com »

Filed Under: Economic Development, Environment/Natural Resources, Faculty, In the News, SEBS
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