ARS Takes A World View Of Food Safety

The safety of the food supply has become an increasingly visible global public health issue. This podcast talks about ARS’s role in keeping food safe to eat. 

Audio Podcast: (3 min. 9 sec.)   mp4  |   Transcript

Reducing Herbicide Spraying

In Mississippi, agricultural engineers teamed with plant physiologists to explore using camera-mounted drones to reduce herbicide spraying where and when it’s not needed, reducing costs and the risk of environmental harm.

Visit the Crop Production Systems Research Unit to learn more

* Image courtesy of Getty Images

The Egg-Zact Way To Store Eggs

An ARS scientist provided clear evidence that storing eggs in the refrigerator is the safest way. That might seem obvious, but many other countries don’t refrigerate their eggs because they don’t see a need to.

In a study of 5,400 eggs stored in different conditions, ARS showed that refrigerated eggs remain Grade A quality for 15 weeks, while unrefrigerated eggs went from Grade A to B in just a week  Learn more about "How We Store Our Eggs—and Why"

Better Bagged Leafy Greens

When you’re in a hurry but still want a healthy meal, bagged salads are a great choice.

ARS food safety scientists performed groundbreaking research on how to wash leafy greens and other produce most effectively during processing. Their work led to industry guidelines to prevent pathogen cross-contamination and spread during the washing process. Read "Keeping Bagged Leafy Greens Safe and Nutritious for Human Consumption" to learn more.

Soil Erosion Experiments

About the Experiment

Soil is a living and life-giving natural resource that promotes plant growth, makes a habitat for living things, and stores water.  Soil is mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organism, working together to support life.

The process of weathering is the transformation of rock into soil through physical, chemical, or biological processes. Erosion is the next step in the process where soil is displaced to another location through movement caused by water, wind, and/or ice. Some of the greatest natural wonders of the U.S. including the Grand Canyon, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Devil's Tower were carved and transformed in part by erosion and deposition of soil over time.

Let's Find Out How With This Project

	Details Ages - 5-12 (parental supervision required)
	Time - 15 minutes + few minutes a day for 3 days
	Difficulty - Easy

 What You'll Need

• Soil or Dirt of various colors and types such as sand, silt, and/or clay
• Trays or containers with four sections (aluminum or lined cardboard box)
• Clean spray bottle or water bottle
• Clear cup or measuring cup
• Water
• Pen ad Paper / Journal

Let's Do This!

Soil Experiment #1

1. Gather up a handful of four different types of soil. This can be dirt, sand, clay, silt, chalk, etc.
2. Place the soil types in different sections of your tray.  Soil can be dry or add a little bit of water to build a landform.
3. Draw a picture of your soils and describe the texture, color, and shape of each.
4. Use a spray or water bottle to dribble drops of water on each soil to represent a light rain.  Record your observations, what is happening to the soil, how is it changing, if at all?
5. Now, pour a cup of water into each soil tray to represent a heavy rain.  Record your observations, what is happening to the soil, how is it changing, if at all?
6. Leave the tray in a secure location outside for three days, preferably when there is no rain expected. Observe the soils the same time each day and record your daily observations as it relates to erosion by wind.

Soil Experiment #2

1. Fill one cup with water.
2. Collect dirt clumps from two different soil types (see above).
3. Draw a picture of the dirt clumps and write a description of each that may include but not limited to diameter, color, texture, etc.
4. Drop one clump of dirt in the cup of water and record your observations at it relates to how the water erodes the dirt.
5. Repeat step 4 with the other dirt clump and cup of water and record your observations.

Reflection Questions

1. How did the different soils react to the light rain, the heavy rain, and the wind?
2. What happened to their composition?
3. Did their color change?
4. How did the soils maintain the water over the course of three days?
5. How did the soils look and feel compared to the first day?
6. Which soil(s) do you think is best to handle heavy rains or high winds?
7. If the soils… they withstood weathering and erosion well. By comparison, if the soils…they were more vulnerable to soil and erosion.

The Vitamin C Challenge

Do different varieties of the same fruit (like navel-, blood- or Mandarin oranges) have the same level of vitamin C? What about different brands of orange juice—or even fresh juice compared to juice made from frozen concentrate?

This experiment will help you compare vitamin C levels and rank orange varieties or juice brands from highest to lowest. Get to it! 

Weed Control Methods

Scientists have shown that cereal crop farmers can reduce weeds while increasing yields by instituting longer and complex crop rotations.

Sustainable Agricultural Systems Research: Organic Agriculture Production Research

Controlling Disease

Researchers identified several options for controlling potato crop diseases, including spreading their plants with oregano. Researchers are also adding organic forage to the diets of sheep and goats to help prevent and control the growth of parasites.

Read "Kitchen Meets Farm in Fight Against Late Blight" to learn more. 

Cover Cropping

Scientists have shown that cover cropping (planting crops to cover the soil) can improve organic weed management. Scientists are also creating welcome environments for natural enemies of pests as an alternative to pesticides. 

Watch "ARS Studies Cover Crops Nationwide" to learn more about the effort. 

Using Clay to Fight Fish Disease

Scientists from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service have unearthed a natural material that helps prevent a deadly fish disease. Kaolin, a type of clay found globally, significantly improved the survival of channel catfish with columnaris disease. The disease is caused by a bacterial pathogen, Flavobacterium columnare, which affects the gills, skin and fins of fish, and often leads to death.

Kaolin is a soft white clay that been used for years in cosmetics, medicine, and papermaking. It is also used in manufacturing china, porcelain and other products. Scientists found that adding clay particles to water tanks gave fish a 96 percent chance of surviving the disease, compared to a 76 percent chance when no clay was added to their water.

 Learn more!