COA Communications Articles

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Study reveals reasons behind food waste

by PAUL HOLLIS The cost of food waste in America is estimated at a staggering $160 billion annually, with some reports stating that U.S. producers and consumers together waste more than 30 percent of our total food supply. Exploring some of the reasons for this...

Climate variability impacts crop yields

by PAUL HOLLIS Long-term climate change combined with climate variability influenced by El Niño and La Niña phases of ENSO are having a significant impact on corn yields in Alabama, according to a study co-authored by Auburn University researcher Brenda Ortiz. “If we...

Auburn agriculture part of pilot big-data project

Auburn agriculture part of pilot big-data project

How big is data in U.S. agriculture? Consider that one acre of corn can generate seven gigabytes of data. With approximately 93 million acres of the crop currently in production, that’s 145 million DVDs filled with information—from just one crop.

State’s burgeoning craft beer industry could profit crop producers

by PAUL HOLLISThe growth of the nation’s craft brewing industry continues to soar, with 2015 revenues up by 16 percent, to $23 billion, from 2014.  Alabama is part of that growth, but the state’s brewers would like more locally grown malting barley and hops to enhance...
Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Where are they now?

by MARY CATHERINE GASTON If you’ve ever wondered what’s become of some of the outstanding College of Ag students we’ve written about in the past, today is your lucky day. That’s because we’re going to catch up with two young alumni we introduced you to back in 2014,...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

The Season earns top honors in national magazine competition

The Season, the official magazine of the Auburn University College of Agriculture, garnered first-place honors this week at the National Agriculture Alumni and Development Association’s awards competition. The award was presented in the magazine competition category...

Rainwater saves time, money for poultry industry

Rainwater saves time, money for poultry industry

Raising broiler chickens takes water—a lot of water. But rainwater harvesting could substantially reduce Alabama poultry growers’ dependence on municipal water sources or well water, reduce growers’ annual water bill by as much as $16,000 or more, and pay for itself in as few as four to five years.

Spring planting time

Spring planting time

Farmers throughout Alabama and the Southeast are gearing up for another spring planting season, with expectations running high for more favorable weather conditions and improved commodity prices compared to this past year. A sure sign that it’s planting time is the release of the USDA Prospective Plantings Report in late March—the first indication of what farmers are considering for the coming season.

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Technology ensures food safety, from farm to table

by PAUL HOLLIS Imagine a day when a farmer can stand in a field, wave a handheld device over a tomato and detect pathogens immediately, potentially saving lives and billions of dollars. That day might not be far off, thanks to research being conducted by the Alabama...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Auburn Ag Week 2016 set for March 28-April 1

AUBURN, Ala. –Activities ranging from a carnival to free biscuits on the concourse are on the schedule for the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Ag Week 2016 celebration, set for March 28-April 1. The week will kick off Monday, March 28, when Auburn’s Block...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Top scientist for nation's 'Feed the Future' to lecture March 31 in Auburn

The chief scientist for the nation’s efforts to solve global hunger and food insecurity will present a lecture, “The End of Hunger: from Vision to Reality,” in Auburn Thursday, March 31, at 4 p.m. in the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center...

Fasina named interim associate dean for research and assistant director in agriculture

AUBURN, Ala.—Auburn University Alumni Professor and undergraduate program coordinator Oladiran Fasina has been named interim associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and interim assistant director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

AAES high-yield initiative to consider economics, irrigation

Part 2by PAUL HOLLISWhile crops research being conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) is attempting to attain high yields with maximum inputs, economics also are being considered, with an eye toward ensuring cost efficiency for farmers.“We...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Cultivating agriculture's future

Alumni mentoring program gives grads an opportunity to influence individuals and the industry by MARY CATHERINE GASTON Ask folks who have interacted with Grace Smith Ellis, and they will tell you that the 2006 Auburn College of Agriculture grad has got it together....

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Patterson named Auburn College of Agriculture dean, AAES director

AUBURN, Ala.— Auburn University alumnus Paul Patterson, who has served as associate dean for instruction in Auburn’s College of Agriculture for almost seven years, has been named dean of the college and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station,...

Appel honored for scientific leadership

Auburn University entomologist Arthur Appel, who most recently served as interim dean of the College of Agriculture and interim director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, has been recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

AAES research aims to replicate top crop yields

Part 1  by PAUL HOLLIS “How high can crop yields go? Researchers at Auburn University’s Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station intend to find out just that with a new initiative that aims to replicate the outstanding yields being achieved by some of the nation’s top...

College, AAES announce 2015 faculty, staff award winners

The Auburn University College of Agriculture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station have announced their 2015 Faculty and Staff Award recipients, all of whom will be formally honored in a college/AAES awards ceremony in February. Individual 2015 faculty awards...

Fall 2015 enrollment new record high

The final numbers are in, confirming that fall semester 2015 enrollment in the College of Agriculture hit an all-time high of 1,430 students. That total—which includes the most undergraduates ever, at 1,128, and a record 302 graduate students—is an increase of 75...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Where are they now?

by MARY CATHERINE GASTON If you’ve ever wondered what’s become of some of the outstanding College of Ag students we’ve written about in the past, today is your lucky day. That’s because we’re going to catch up with two young alumni we introduced you to back in 2014,...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

The Season earns top honors in national magazine competition

The Season, the official magazine of the Auburn University College of Agriculture, garnered first-place honors this week at the National Agriculture Alumni and Development Association’s awards competition. The award was presented in the magazine competition category...

Rainwater saves time, money for poultry industry

Rainwater saves time, money for poultry industry

Raising broiler chickens takes water—a lot of water. But rainwater harvesting could substantially reduce Alabama poultry growers’ dependence on municipal water sources or well water, reduce growers’ annual water bill by as much as $16,000 or more, and pay for itself in as few as four to five years.

Spring planting time

Spring planting time

Farmers throughout Alabama and the Southeast are gearing up for another spring planting season, with expectations running high for more favorable weather conditions and improved commodity prices compared to this past year. A sure sign that it’s planting time is the release of the USDA Prospective Plantings Report in late March—the first indication of what farmers are considering for the coming season.

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Technology ensures food safety, from farm to table

by PAUL HOLLIS Imagine a day when a farmer can stand in a field, wave a handheld device over a tomato and detect pathogens immediately, potentially saving lives and billions of dollars. That day might not be far off, thanks to research being conducted by the Alabama...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Auburn Ag Week 2016 set for March 28-April 1

AUBURN, Ala. –Activities ranging from a carnival to free biscuits on the concourse are on the schedule for the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Ag Week 2016 celebration, set for March 28-April 1. The week will kick off Monday, March 28, when Auburn’s Block...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Top scientist for nation's 'Feed the Future' to lecture March 31 in Auburn

The chief scientist for the nation’s efforts to solve global hunger and food insecurity will present a lecture, “The End of Hunger: from Vision to Reality,” in Auburn Thursday, March 31, at 4 p.m. in the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center...

Fasina named interim associate dean for research and assistant director in agriculture

AUBURN, Ala.—Auburn University Alumni Professor and undergraduate program coordinator Oladiran Fasina has been named interim associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and interim assistant director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

AAES high-yield initiative to consider economics, irrigation

Part 2by PAUL HOLLISWhile crops research being conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) is attempting to attain high yields with maximum inputs, economics also are being considered, with an eye toward ensuring cost efficiency for farmers.“We...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Cultivating agriculture's future

Alumni mentoring program gives grads an opportunity to influence individuals and the industry by MARY CATHERINE GASTON Ask folks who have interacted with Grace Smith Ellis, and they will tell you that the 2006 Auburn College of Agriculture grad has got it together....

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

Patterson named Auburn College of Agriculture dean, AAES director

AUBURN, Ala.— Auburn University alumnus Paul Patterson, who has served as associate dean for instruction in Auburn’s College of Agriculture for almost seven years, has been named dean of the college and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station,...

Appel honored for scientific leadership

Auburn University entomologist Arthur Appel, who most recently served as interim dean of the College of Agriculture and interim director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, has been recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of...

Auburn senior to attend USDA Outlook Forum

AAES research aims to replicate top crop yields

Part 1  by PAUL HOLLIS “How high can crop yields go? Researchers at Auburn University’s Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station intend to find out just that with a new initiative that aims to replicate the outstanding yields being achieved by some of the nation’s top...

College, AAES announce 2015 faculty, staff award winners

The Auburn University College of Agriculture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station have announced their 2015 Faculty and Staff Award recipients, all of whom will be formally honored in a college/AAES awards ceremony in February. Individual 2015 faculty awards...

Fall 2015 enrollment new record high

The final numbers are in, confirming that fall semester 2015 enrollment in the College of Agriculture hit an all-time high of 1,430 students. That total—which includes the most undergraduates ever, at 1,128, and a record 302 graduate students—is an increase of 75...