2012 Annual Report Relevancy Statements

FY2012 Annual Report Project Descriptions

AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

UVM research scientists and outreach specialists ...

  • develop research-based certified organic dairy content (articles, webinars, online courses, and instructional and farm case study videos) for farmers, educators, and students, improving the organic dairy industry nationwide.
    Development of Technical Training and Support for Agricultural Service Providers and Farmers in Certified Organic Dairy Production Systems Through eOrganic
    DARBY 1

  • develop planting date recommendations to increase yield and quality of wheat for the high value bread wheat market.
    Enhancing farmers capacity to produce high quality organic bread wheat in Vermont.
    DARBY 1

  • develop optimal ranges for planting dates and seeding rates of sunflower and canola in Vermont to increase biofuel yield per acre.
    Best Agronomic Practices for Oilseed Production in Vermont
    DARBY 1

  • design economic institutions that will promote agricultural practices that increase food production while protecting and restoring ecosystem services
    Food Systems, Ecosystem Services and Economic Institutions
    FARLEY 1

  • develop a master's degree that will graduate students ready to work in the transdisciplinary area of food systems.
    Applied Master's Degree in Food Systems
    KOLODINSKY 1

  • improve nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency in smallholder coffee farms of Tarrazu, Costa Rica.
    Sustainable Coffee Growing Communities in Costa Rica
    MENDEZ 1

  • Assess the efficacy of food security programs in smallholder coffee production in Nicaragua.
    Graduate Fellowships for Sustainable Livelihoods in Coffee Producing Regions
    MENDEZ 1

  • identify and evaluate best management practices for food security in coffee communities of Mexico and Nicaragu
    Confronting the Thin Months: Participatory Learning on Best Practices and Impacts of the GMCR Food Security Program
    MENDEZ 1

  • identify and evaluate promising on-farm climate change adaptation and mitigation best practices in the Lake Champlain Basin of Vermont.
    Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in the Lake Champlain Basin (LCB) of Vermont
    MENDEZ 1

    • Dairy

  • provide assessment of health needs and services for Hispanic dairy workers in Vermont
    A Statewide Assessment of the Health Needs of Hispanic Farmworkers in Vermont
     BAKER 1a

  • determine the genetic and functional diversity of immune regulation genes and proteins in Holstein cattle.
    Holstein Cattle Major Histocompatibilty (MHC) Gene Diversity and Tracking the Immune Response to an Adenoviral Vectored Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Using MHC Tetramer Technology
    BARLOW 1a

  • develop immunologic methods and tools that will be used to evaluate the T cell mediated immune responses of Holstein cattle.
    BREAD: A Modern Approach for the Development of Cattle Vaccines for Critical Bovine Diseases Impacting Smallholder Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
    BARLOW 1a

  • describe pathogen virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in key sectors of the dairy industry in Vermont in order to improve mastitis control practices and food safety.
    Mastitis Resistance to Enhance Dairy Food Safety
    BARLOW 1a

  • identify pasture grazing as beneficial to the environment and farming operations. Mitigating compaction caused by hoof fall helps sustain this practice. Improving the land management tool box of graziers will give farmers a greater range of options.
    Soil Organic Matter: Formation, Function and Management (new project)
    GORRES 1a

  • evaluate the dermal fibroblast as a model cell type to investigate between-animal differences in pathogen detection and response
    Effects of Variation in Pathogen Detection and Signaling Pathways on Resistance to Bovine Mastitis
    KERR 1a

  • identify genetic differences between dairy cows that impact their ability to resist mastitis
    Mastitis Resistance to Enhance Dairy Food Safety
    KERR 1a

  • develop a cell culture model to investigate between animal differences in their response to mastitis causing pathogens
    Effects of genetic variation in host and pathogen on severity of bovine mastitis
    KERR 1a

  • examine and identify business strategies, diversification, and alternative management options that improves the sustainability of New England dairy farms
    The Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Small and Medium Size Dairy Farms in New England: An Integrated Research-Extension Program
    PARSONS 1a

  • participate on NC-1042, researchers in several states joined together to conduct research enhancing the profitability of dairy farms, with Vermont focused on organic dairy
    Management Systems to Improve the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Dairy Enterprises (Rev. NC-1119)
    PARSONS 1a

  • determine biosecurity needs on dairy farms and demonstrate effective practices to prevent disease outbreaks
    Costs and Challenges Associated with Developing and Implementing a Community-Wide Biosecurity Plan
    SMITH 1a

  • develop simulation models of highly contagious disease transmission to inform the development of plans to protect the economic viability of livestock and tourism
    Evaluating resilience of Vermont's dairy industry through simulation modeling
    SMITH 1a

  • determine the drivers of consumer preference for Vermont artisan cheese through bottom-up, social-theory motivated focus group research
    Sensory Embeddedness and Farmstead Cheese: The Importance of Cultural Context and Tradition to Concepts of Quality
    TRUBEK 1a

  • identify the genes that are expressed or used by methanogens and their competitors from the sampled digesters
    Study of the Mechanisms of Methane Production in Farm Based Anaerobic Digesters by Analyzing Microbial Community Gene Expression
    WRIGHT 1a

  • identify probable synergistic relationships within the anaerobic digesters as a possible strategy to increase methane production.
    Bench Top Reactors to be used in the Study of Methanongens
    WRIGHT 1a

  • to better understand the synergistic relationships in manure anaerobic digesters, and to use the knowledge gained of the methanogen population dynamics and diversity to enhance, to enrich for, and/or to seed anaerobic digesters with more potent methane producing strains of methanogens to increase gas production.
    Characterization of Methane-Producing Microorganisms in Dairy Cow Waste Anaerobic Digesters
    WRIGHT 1a

  • determine if differences in the methanogen population exist between Jerseys and Holsteins and how this correlates to breed differences for enteric methane production per kg of milk (fat or solids)
    examine the methanogen microbiome in five breeds of lactating dairy cows
    WRIGHT 1a

  • Achievement of our aims will not only advance our current techniques of producing lifesaving medicine with much reduced costs, but also help to create new ways for sustainable agriculture.
    Dairy Pharming: Production of Pharmaceutically Active Human Proteins in Bovine Milk
    ZHAO 1a

    • Maple

  • determine the relationships among maple sap yield in tubing systems and tubing system attributes
    Predicting Maple Sap Yields in Vacuum Tubing Operations
     PERKINS 1b

  • develop methods and equipment to enhance sap yields from maple tubing systems under vacuum
    New approaches towards maximizing maple sap yields
    PERKINS 1b

  • identify a maple crop management system which optimizes productivity and that will enable maple producers to increase profitability of maple production operations
    Investigation of a new paradigm in maple syrup production
    VOGELMANN 1b

    • Fruits and Vegetables

  • provide producers with research-based tools and practices to help them sustainably grow, vinify, and sell quality wines to local and regional markets.
    Northern Grapes: Integrating Viticulture, Winemaking, and Marketing of New Cold-Hardy Cultivars Supporting New and Growing Wineries
     BERKETT 1d

  • examine the opportunities and challenges of organic apple production within the two major orchard systems growers are using to change to new apple varieties
    Using ""New"" Alternatives to Enhance Adoption of Organic Apple Production Through Integrated Research and Extension
    BERKETT 1d

  • The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture helps to support the outreach activities of the UVM Apple and Grape IPM Programs,
    Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Funds for Apple and Grape Program
    BERKETT 1d

  • research the potential of new disease-resistant apple varieties to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of organic apple production in Vermont.
    Enhancing the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Organic Apple Production in Vermont
    BERKETT 1d

  • evaluate the viticultural and wine quality potential of emerging wine grape cultivars in Vermont
    Multi-State Evaluation of Winegrape Cultivars and Clones
    BERKETT 1d

    • Ornamental Horticulture

  • determine the effect from various cold acclimation times on subsequent regrowth of perennials after exposure to subzero temperatures to help growers properly harden plants for winter
    Hardiness of Herbaceous Perennials - Reacclimation after Midwinter Thawing
     PERRY 1e

  • determine survival of various herbaceous perennials at subzero temperatures in mid- and late-winter to help growers manage overwintering with less losses and fuel usage
    Herbaceous Perennial Hardiness
    PERRY 1e

  • evaluate novel methods to increase energy conservation in plastic greenhouses
    Innovative Technologies for Energy Conservation in Vermont Greenhouses
    SKINNER 1e

  • evaluate novel methods to increase energy conservation in plastic greenhouses.
    Novel Methods for Energy Conservation in Northern New England Greenhouses
    SKINNER 1e