Tag: Agriculture

Cows, Crops, and Climate: Rebecca Smith’s Research on Sustainable Forage Crops and Plant-based Biofuels

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Dr. Rebecca Smith’s research focuses on making forage crops, which are crops grown to feed animals, more sustainable by reducing methane emissions and improving plant traits, like digestibility. This is done by altering the lignin within the plant cell wall. The altered lignin increases nutrient availability and potentially reduces the time required for cow digestion. Dr. Smith hopes that her work will benefit the scientific community and improve the quality of forage crops and plant-based biofuels to make agriculture more sustainable.

A Sustainable Alternative to Synthetic Fertilizer with Jean-Michel Ané

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As the environmental costs of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer grows, Dr. Jean-Michel Ané’s research group is developing sustainable alternatives by engineering partnerships between crops and nitrogen-fixing microbes that colonize the roots. While early efforts focused on modifying bacteria to release more nitrogen, the team found a breakthrough in maize from Southern Mexico that naturally fosters microbial nitrogen fixation through a root secreted mucilage. By exploring these interactions from both the microbial and plant side, the lab hopes to develop methods to enhance this partnership and introduce it to other cropping systems.

Cultivating Resilience: How Chris Kucharik is Transforming Agriculture Amid Climate Change

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Chris Kucharik’s lab investigates the dynamic interactions between climate change and land management through fieldwork and ecosystem modeling, focusing on ecosystem services like crop production, water quantity and quality, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. His research highlights the anticipated stress on agricultural systems due to climate change, which reduces crop yields and harms both farmers and consumers. Dr. Kucharik aims to inform policymakers and develop regulations to support farmers in mitigating climate impacts on their own and surrounding land.

“A foundation of long-term sustainability”: how Wisconet is helping support the farms of tomorrow

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It is the year 2010 and Chris Kucharik, a professor of agronomy and environmental studies at UW–Madison, is talking to a bunch of farmers in rural Wisconsin about a not-so-hot topic: climate change. The town hall meetings are typical Dairyland: brats, beer, and agriculture talk.  At the time, the Midwest was experiencing the wettest decade …

Ankur Desai’s research benefits both local farmers and the International Panel on Climate Change

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This article, by Zach Thomas, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Hannah Monroe’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students interviewed campus sustainability experts and produced short feature stories.  As the world makes plans to mitigate and adapt to a …

Mohan Qin’s lab uses technology to create a new alternative for fertilizer

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This article, by Cole Diepersloot, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Hannah Monroe’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students interviewed campus sustainability experts and produced short feature stories. According to the USDA, in 2022 more than 22 million acres …

In Case You Missed It: Amplifying Queer Voices in Agriculture

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Redefining Farming Through Inclusion and Resilience On March 14, 2024, the Office of Sustainability’s Social Sustainability Coalition hosted “Rooted in Inclusion: Queer Narratives in Farming,” which aimed to amplify the voices of those traditionally excluded from leading roles in agriculture. The event started with a land acknowledgment that recognized the University of Wisconsin’s occupation of stolen …

Foxlights, Fladry, and Range Riders: Adrian Treves’s research finds three nonlethal methods to protect livestock

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This article, by Morgan Smith, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Madeline Fisher’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students interviewed campus sustainability experts and produced short feature stories. Large carnivores—such as bears, wolves, and cougars—can present a hazard to …

To reduce the use of pesticides, Sean Schoville looks back millions of years

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This article, by Jacob Wologo, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Madeline Fisher’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students interviewed campus sustainability experts and produced short feature stories. Cold War-era propaganda told of a pest so powerful that the …

In Case You Missed It: Fall Harvest Festival

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In our In Case You Missed It series (also known as ICYMI), student interns from the Office of Sustainability offer reflective reports on sustainability-related events and lectures at UW–Madison. The following entry is by Britta Wellenstein.  The People’s Farm celebrated this years’ harvest season with the Fall Harvest Festival, a day of sunshine, smiles, and surprises …