ARS Team Fights Blueberry Virus to Help Growers Keep Fruit on the Shelves

December 14, 2022 Scott Elliott, USDA ARS

In the United States, blueberries are the second-most produced berry, and their popularity has grown exponentially in less than 30 years – up from 45,000 tons grown in the 1990s to 339,000 tons in 2019. ARS researchers are working hard to help farmers keep up with consumer demand.

Baby Broccoli Brings Beneficial Boost

As proof that good things can come in small packages, baby broccoli — one type of “microgreen” — packs as much as four times the number of cancer-fighting antioxidants as its adult counterpart. On top of that, you can grow them easily and rapidly to ensure that you have a ready supply.

Making Butter-like Spreads Healthier

September 23, 2022 Jan Suszkiw, USDA ARS

A dollop of margarine or spread can go a long way to livening up a slice of toast, a piping hot ear of corn or other food. But that enhanced flavor can also come with a side helping of worry over consuming saturated fats, which are used as solidifying agents in some margarines and spreads and give them their butter-like properties.

From (Fish) Farm to Table: Fish Tech Gets Fancy on the Way to Your Plate

August 24, 2022 USDA ARS

ARS researchers are looking at all of those subjects and more as they partner with the commercial aquaculture industry to produce the salmon of the future. Historically, producers who raise fish, and the researchers who help them, have been most concerned with yield – that is, how much fish can be raised, and how quickly.

Building a Better Trout – ARS Researchers are Using Cutting-Edge Genomics to Reel in Big Results

August 24, 2022 USDA ARS

When Dr. Tim Leeds began working at the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (NCCCWA) in Leetown, WV in 2008, he couldn’t have imagined that ARS would someday be doing genomic selection in fish. But today, that is exactly what is happening – with impressive results. As the Research Leader of the NCCCWA, he heads a team that is using sophisticated genomic analysis to bring healthier, stronger fish to the aquaculture industry, and to your plate.