China has a fifth of the world’s people, but only about 7 percent of its arable land. Food security is a national obsession – so it only seemed natural when, earlier this month, state-owned ChemChina announced its bid to buy the pesticide- and seed-producing giant Syngenta, in what is likely to be the biggest acquisition in the country’s history. Technology, the Party seemed to say, and especially genetically modified crops, are the key to a sustainable future. “There was a widespread public fear that, ‘Oh, maybe they’re trying to sneak this through too!'” says Carl Pray, an economist at Rutgers who has researched Chinese attitudes toward GMOs.
2015 NJAES Annual Report Available for New Jersey Stakeholders
The 2015 NJAES Annual Report, produced by the Office of the Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources Robert Goodman, was unveiled on Feb. 11 at the final day of the New Jersey Agricultural Convention in Atlantic City. The report highlights the research and extension activities of the experiment station under the six broad categories […]
FIC to Lead Feasibility Study with City of Paterson to Create Food Business Incubation Program
The Rutgers Food Innovation Center (FIC) has been awarded a contract from the Paterson Restoration Corporation (PRC) to lead a feasibility study on creating a food business incubation program in Paterson, NJ. The grant to Rutgers was for $70,000, with funding to the PRC by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The PRC and FIC will […]
Rutgers study to help Paterson with new initiative for start-up food businesses
In an effort to convert a 6th Ward warehouse into a center for assisting start-up food businesses, the City of Paterson has awarded a $70,000 consulting contract to a Rutgers-based group. Paterson already has allocated more than $2 million for the project, including $1.3 million in federal community development funds to buy the building at 163-177 Pennsylvania Avenue. Included in the $2 million already allocated is $700,000 in federal money to acquire equipment for the program. The contract with the Rutgers Food Innovation Center will help the city determine the scope of the program and how it will operate…”We are very excited to have been given the opportunity to assist the City of Paterson in moving forward with this project,” said Lou Cooperhouse, director of the Rutgers food center.
Rutgers Clean Energy and Food Innovation Incubators Leading Efforts to Improve Environmental Sustainability within New Jersey Food Industry
Rutgers EcoComplex was awarded a $157,517 grant from the U.S. EPA, Region II Pollution Prevention Program that’s aimed at helping New Jersey’s food processors, storage and distribution facilities to become more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable through upgrading refrigeration systems, using safer chemicals, reducing water and energy use, and increasing employee training. “This project will […]
NJAES Center Provides Science and Expertise to Help NJ Winemakers Succeed
As more New Jersey farmers grow grapes for winemaking, Rutgers is playing a key role in that growth, providing the science and expertise to help them tap into an increasingly profitable agricultural sector in the state. Last year, the New Jersey Center for Wine Research and Education at Rutgers was launched to work in partnership […]
Rutgers EcoComplex Awarded USDA Grant to Study Feasibility of Renewable Energy from Food and Animal Waste
The Rutgers EcoComplex was awarded a Rural Business Development Grant of $19,000 by the USDA Rural Development Office to perform a technical and economic feasibility study of co-digestion of food waste and dairy manure at Fulper Family Farms, located in West Amwell Township. Announcing the grant was Howard Henderson, the state director of USDA […]
High Unemployment Stresses South Jersey Food Bank
Gary Howard never envisioned himself needing help from a food bank, but that changed in February. Howard, 61, of Egg Harbor Township, lost his job in receiving when the Showboat Casino closed in September 2014. With his unemployment benefits coming to an end, he had to do something… And that has led to a strain on the Community FoodBank of New Jersey-Southern Branch, which is struggling to meet an 11 percent increase in demand,” said Evelyn Benton, executive director of the food bank branch… The numbers are grim: Rutgers University’s “Rutgers against Hunger” report found that 77 percent of emergency food clients in the state said they’ve had to chose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel. That’s up from 40 percent in 2006… Similar increases were found in other decisions: 70 percent of respondents said they had to choose between food and paying rent, while 73 percent had to choose between food and medicine.
$3,000 for Lunch? Little Splurges Add up if You’re Not Careful
Dining out a few times per week might not seem like a big deal … until you do the math. On average, Americans spend about $20 per week getting lunch in restaurants, or $1,043 a year, according to a survey out last week of 2,033 people by Visa taken i…
NJAES Researchers Receive Grant for Consumer Study to Enable Growers to Capitalize on Organic Market
While small farms represent the dominant form of production agriculture in the world, typical agricultural knowledge and technology development models have often failed to improve small farm productivity, enhance resource conservation, reduce rural poverty, or improve regional food security. A new research study in organic farming–a unique value-added form of agriculture–has been undertaken to help […]
