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Auburn forage specialist honored for outstanding outreach
Leanne Dillard has always loved puzzles, and her work as an associate professor and an Alabama Cooperative Extension System specialist is like one big puzzle. Dillard is the recipient of the 2025 Auburn University Award for Excellence in Faculty Outreach. Presented by...
Securing food and protecting our planet
For more than a century, faculty in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology have been studying and managing plant diseases. Researchers within the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station have a united goal to address the major issues facing the world’s...
Protecting your plate: Auburn researchers take on poultry pathogens
When food poisoning strikes people often spend hours wondering what they ate or touched to cause the illness. Fortunately, poultry scientists at Auburn University...
Engaging undergraduates
Food scientist recognized for teaching excellence In Assistant Professor Sungeun Cho’s classroom, food isn’t just something to taste — it’s a gateway to science,...
Auburn forage specialist honored for outstanding outreach
Leanne Dillard has always loved puzzles, and her work as an associate professor and an Alabama Cooperative Extension System specialist is like one big puzzle.
U.S. Beekeeping Survey reveals highest honey bee colony losses during 2024-2025
The annual U.S. Beekeeping Survey results are in for the 2024-2025 calendar year. In collaboration with Auburn University, the Apiary Inspectors of America, Oregon State University and others, the national survey estimated that 55.6% of managed honey bee colonies were...
Understudied cotton is the focus of Auburn University research on seedling diseases
Cotton is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable plants in the world, with its heart-shaped leaves and branches that explode into powder-white fruit. But it’s also one of the more understudied field crops. “Previously, it was unclear where and which specific...
Boardwine receives student employee of the year award
Recent graduate Ali Boardwine received a particularly special accolade before graduating on May 11 with a Bachelor of Science in bioprocess engineering and minors in business and public health. The Career Discovery and Success office within the Office of the Provost...
FoodU expands vertical farming operation
The Auburn University College of Agriculture and Campus Dining recently added four new container farms to its vertical farming operation. The four new farms, outfitted in shipping containers, are from AmplifiedAg, a leader in indoor agriculture. Auburn now has six...
Will Rich selected spring 2025 student marshal
Advises future ag students to get involved The spring 2025 graduation marshal for the Auburn University College of Agriculture is a familiar face around Comer Hall. Will Rich was selected from among the agriculture spring graduates to represent the college at the...
Kumar awarded LEAP Summer Momentum Fellowship
Sudhanshu Kumar, a Ph.D. student in the Hydroclimate Research Group within the Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, has been selected for the 2025 LEAP Summer Momentum Fellowship — a prestigious and highly competitive opportunity for doctoral...
Predicting investment returns for crop irrigation
New model to help farmers make better investment decisions By Danielle Lunny Alabama farmers considering investing in irrigation equipment will soon have a free, comprehensive online tool to help them decide. A new prediction model will combine weather and economic...
Organic Opportunity: consumer trends in Alabama organic produce
A recent study conducted by agricultural economists through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station examined consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for organic produce. In recent years, interest in organic produce has grown significantly; however, many...
Pest management solutions: Faculty and students receive regional recognition
Auburn University graduate students and one faculty member rose above and beyond for this year’s Southern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Awards. For the first time, two Auburn doctoral candidates, Caitlyn Lawton and Rogan Tokach, were honored for their achievements...
Going Green: Blersch’s lab addresses crucial environmental work
By Amy Weaver Contrary to what the name might suggest, the work currently happening in the Green Infrastructure Lab at Auburn has nothing to do with green-colored roads or buildings. No Emerald City here. “Green infrastructure is an approach to managing water and...
Three students receive presidential awards
Three students in the College of Agriculture recently received distinguished honors from the Auburn University President’s Office. Savannah Busby received the Presidential Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, a highly competitive opportunity awarded to only a few incoming...
Taylor named head of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
Following a national search, Mykel Taylor was named head of the Auburn University Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective April 15. She had served as interim head of the department since fall 2024. “Dr. Taylor’s effective leadership, along...
Applied biotechnology student receives prestigious internship
Auburn University College of Agriculture student Leah Johnson received a highly competitive collegiate internship with HudsonAlpha, a premier institute for biotechnology. She is the second student from the applied biotechnology major in the Department of Entomology...
Three students receive 2025 Comer Awards
Hosted by the College of Sciences and Mathematics, in collaboration with the College of Agriculture, this year’s Comer Awards were presented to three graduating Auburn University students….
Researchers’ report informs governor’s strategic plan
Alabama’s $123 billion agriculture industry has identified land loss, profitability and transportation infrastructure among its most pressing challenges in a recent report. The findings of the report will inform Gov. Kay Ivey’s strategic economic growth plan,...
Geoff Williams named director of new Bee Center
Geoff Williams, associate professor, graduate program officer and longtime director of the AU-Bees Lab, is director of the new Auburn University Bee Center, effective Tuesday, April 1. In February, the Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the Auburn...
Innovating solutions to agricultural challenges
A team of both doctoral and undergraduate biosystems engineering students is tackling the age-old problem of precise fertilizer application with cutting-edge drone technology. According to NASA, they’re tackling it well.
Decoding Dicamba
Auburn researchers help farmers adapt to EPA changes This year, major regulatory changes enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will affect farmers nationwide, specifically herbicide use for soybean and cotton producers. For 2025, dicamba herbicide...
Developing high-performing genetic lines and hybrids for the catfish industry
Better breeding ability would make catfish farming more efficient and profitable The $437 million U.S. catfish industry is in need of better genetic and breeding technologies to be competitive with foreign imports. Recently, Auburn scientists have made advances in...
Weed Bionomics Lab leads fight against No. 1 crop pest
Imagine a weed that can produce 600,000 seeds per plant and grow as much as 2.5 inches per day. Such a weed exists, and it’s not being grown somewhere in a secure lab — it’s widespread in the fields of Alabama farmers and throughout the United States. This “super”...
New Alabama Extension specialist for cotton to start in July
Effective July 1, 2025, Josh Lee will join Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System as an extension specialist for cotton. His responsibilities will include in-service training for extension agents, conveying information about new developments...
U.S. Beekeeping Survey reveals highest honey bee colony losses during 2024-2025
The annual U.S. Beekeeping Survey results are in for the 2024-2025 calendar year. In collaboration with Auburn University, the Apiary Inspectors of America, Oregon State University and others, the national survey estimated that 55.6% of managed honey bee colonies were...
Understudied cotton is the focus of Auburn University research on seedling diseases
Cotton is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable plants in the world, with its heart-shaped leaves and branches that explode into powder-white fruit. But it’s also one of the more understudied field crops. “Previously, it was unclear where and which specific...
Boardwine receives student employee of the year award
Recent graduate Ali Boardwine received a particularly special accolade before graduating on May 11 with a Bachelor of Science in bioprocess engineering and minors in business and public health. The Career Discovery and Success office within the Office of the Provost...
FoodU expands vertical farming operation
The Auburn University College of Agriculture and Campus Dining recently added four new container farms to its vertical farming operation. The four new farms, outfitted in shipping containers, are from AmplifiedAg, a leader in indoor agriculture. Auburn now has six...
Will Rich selected spring 2025 student marshal
Advises future ag students to get involved The spring 2025 graduation marshal for the Auburn University College of Agriculture is a familiar face around Comer Hall. Will Rich was selected from among the agriculture spring graduates to represent the college at the...
Kumar awarded LEAP Summer Momentum Fellowship
Sudhanshu Kumar, a Ph.D. student in the Hydroclimate Research Group within the Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, has been selected for the 2025 LEAP Summer Momentum Fellowship — a prestigious and highly competitive opportunity for doctoral...
Predicting investment returns for crop irrigation
New model to help farmers make better investment decisions By Danielle Lunny Alabama farmers considering investing in irrigation equipment will soon have a free, comprehensive online tool to help them decide. A new prediction model will combine weather and economic...
Organic Opportunity: consumer trends in Alabama organic produce
A recent study conducted by agricultural economists through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station examined consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for organic produce. In recent years, interest in organic produce has grown significantly; however, many...
Pest management solutions: Faculty and students receive regional recognition
Auburn University graduate students and one faculty member rose above and beyond for this year’s Southern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Awards. For the first time, two Auburn doctoral candidates, Caitlyn Lawton and Rogan Tokach, were honored for their achievements...
Going Green: Blersch’s lab addresses crucial environmental work
By Amy Weaver Contrary to what the name might suggest, the work currently happening in the Green Infrastructure Lab at Auburn has nothing to do with green-colored roads or buildings. No Emerald City here. “Green infrastructure is an approach to managing water and...
Three students receive presidential awards
Three students in the College of Agriculture recently received distinguished honors from the Auburn University President’s Office. Savannah Busby received the Presidential Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, a highly competitive opportunity awarded to only a few incoming...
Taylor named head of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
Following a national search, Mykel Taylor was named head of the Auburn University Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective April 15. She had served as interim head of the department since fall 2024. “Dr. Taylor’s effective leadership, along...
Applied biotechnology student receives prestigious internship
Auburn University College of Agriculture student Leah Johnson received a highly competitive collegiate internship with HudsonAlpha, a premier institute for biotechnology. She is the second student from the applied biotechnology major in the Department of Entomology...
Three students receive 2025 Comer Awards
Hosted by the College of Sciences and Mathematics, in collaboration with the College of Agriculture, this year’s Comer Awards were presented to three graduating Auburn University students….
Researchers’ report informs governor’s strategic plan
Alabama’s $123 billion agriculture industry has identified land loss, profitability and transportation infrastructure among its most pressing challenges in a recent report. The findings of the report will inform Gov. Kay Ivey’s strategic economic growth plan,...
Geoff Williams named director of new Bee Center
Geoff Williams, associate professor, graduate program officer and longtime director of the AU-Bees Lab, is director of the new Auburn University Bee Center, effective Tuesday, April 1. In February, the Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the Auburn...
Innovating solutions to agricultural challenges
A team of both doctoral and undergraduate biosystems engineering students is tackling the age-old problem of precise fertilizer application with cutting-edge drone technology. According to NASA, they’re tackling it well.
Decoding Dicamba
Auburn researchers help farmers adapt to EPA changes This year, major regulatory changes enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will affect farmers nationwide, specifically herbicide use for soybean and cotton producers. For 2025, dicamba herbicide...
Developing high-performing genetic lines and hybrids for the catfish industry
Better breeding ability would make catfish farming more efficient and profitable The $437 million U.S. catfish industry is in need of better genetic and breeding technologies to be competitive with foreign imports. Recently, Auburn scientists have made advances in...
Weed Bionomics Lab leads fight against No. 1 crop pest
Imagine a weed that can produce 600,000 seeds per plant and grow as much as 2.5 inches per day. Such a weed exists, and it’s not being grown somewhere in a secure lab — it’s widespread in the fields of Alabama farmers and throughout the United States. This “super”...
New Alabama Extension specialist for cotton to start in July
Effective July 1, 2025, Josh Lee will join Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System as an extension specialist for cotton. His responsibilities will include in-service training for extension agents, conveying information about new developments...