Latest news from College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Newswise en-us Copyright 2024 Newswise 115 31 / /images/newswise-logo-rss.gif /articles/illinois-studies-explore-converting-wastewater-to-fertilizer-with-fungal-treatment/?sc=rsin /articles/illinois-studies-explore-converting-wastewater-to-fertilizer-with-fungal-treatment/?sc=rsin Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:05:51 EST Creating fertilizers from organic waste can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and promote sustainable production. Two studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert wastewater into fertilizer for agricultural crops. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/do-nutrition-interventions-improve-gastrointestinal-symptoms-during-cancer-treatment/?sc=rsin /articles/do-nutrition-interventions-improve-gastrointestinal-symptoms-during-cancer-treatment/?sc=rsin Mon, 15 Jul 2024 17:05:37 EST College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/most-salmonella-illnesses-from-chicken-caused-by-few-products-with-high-levels-of-virulent-strains/?sc=rsin /articles/most-salmonella-illnesses-from-chicken-caused-by-few-products-with-high-levels-of-virulent-strains/?sc=rsin Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:05:22 EST Raw poultry is one of the main causes of Salmonella poisoning, which affects thousands of people in the U.S. every year. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that few products with high levels of very virulent Salmonella strains are responsible for most of the illnesses from raw chicken parts. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/illinois-clean-energy-transition-excludes-key-constituents-in-energy-justice-equation/?sc=rsin /articles/illinois-clean-energy-transition-excludes-key-constituents-in-energy-justice-equation/?sc=rsin Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:05:24 EST Illinois has made transitioning to clean energy a major priority in recent years with legislation that prioritizes an equitable transition, aiming to avoid and address historical wrongdoings associated with environmental injustice. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/student-leadership-development-requires-holistic-approach-educators-say/?sc=rsin /articles/student-leadership-development-requires-holistic-approach-educators-say/?sc=rsin Wed, 10 Jul 2024 15:05:46 EST Colleges and universities often highlight leadership development as a critical component of their curriculum -- but there is no clear consensus on what constitutes effective leadership education. In a new paper, two educators from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and John Carroll University provide a roadmap for training competent leaders, suggesting a comprehensive, practical approach for postsecondary institutions to follow. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/pumpkin-disease-not-evolving-could-make-a-difference-for-management/?sc=rsin /articles/pumpkin-disease-not-evolving-could-make-a-difference-for-management/?sc=rsin Wed, 10 Jul 2024 12:05:14 EST The pathogen that causes bacterial spot is very good at what it does. Forming small lesions on the rinds of pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits, it mars the fruits' appearance and ushers in secondary pathogens that lead to rot and severe yield loss. The bacterium, Xanthomonas cucurbitae, is so successful that it has had no reason to evolve through time or space. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/wastewater-is-a-viable-medium-for-growing-lettuce-in-hydroponic-systems-study-shows/?sc=rsin /articles/wastewater-is-a-viable-medium-for-growing-lettuce-in-hydroponic-systems-study-shows/?sc=rsin Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:05:16 EST Urban agriculture has the potential to improve food security through local, efficient, and sustainable food production. Examples of urban food systems include hydroponics, where plants grow in a nutrient solution without soil, and aquaponics, which combines hydroponics with raising fish in tanks. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/ifab-awarded-51-million-eda-tech-hubs-grant-to-propel-central-illinois-as-a-biomanufacturing-leader/?sc=rsin /articles/ifab-awarded-51-million-eda-tech-hubs-grant-to-propel-central-illinois-as-a-biomanufacturing-leader/?sc=rsin Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:00:58 EST The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub has been awarded approximately $51 million from the Tech Hubs Program through the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. The iFAB consortium, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will receive a Phase 2 Implementation grant to position Central Illinois as a global leader in biomanufacturing and precision fermentation, supporting national security, economic growth, and job generation. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/genetic-patterns-of-world-s-farmed-domesticated-foxes-revealed-via-historical-deep-dive/?sc=rsin /articles/genetic-patterns-of-world-s-farmed-domesticated-foxes-revealed-via-historical-deep-dive/?sc=rsin Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:05:52 EST Domesticated animals play a prominent role in our society, with two-thirds of American families enjoying the companionship of pets and many others relying on animal products for their nutritional needs. But the process of domestication remains a bit of a mystery. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/gut-microbiome-the-key-to-our-pets-health-and-happiness/?sc=rsin /articles/gut-microbiome-the-key-to-our-pets-health-and-happiness/?sc=rsin Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:05:57 EST College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/first-of-its-kind-study-shines-light-on-lgbtq-farmer-mental-health/?sc=rsin /articles/first-of-its-kind-study-shines-light-on-lgbtq-farmer-mental-health/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Jun 2024 11:05:14 EST LGBTQ+ people involved in farm work are over three times more likely to experience depression and suicidal intent and about two and a half times more likely to experience anxiety than the general population. That's according to a new study led by farmer mental health experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/illinois-led-study-reveals-stable-soil-moisture-variability-within-fields-and-opens-the-door-for-satellite-remote-sensing-for-future-measurements/?sc=rsin /articles/illinois-led-study-reveals-stable-soil-moisture-variability-within-fields-and-opens-the-door-for-satellite-remote-sensing-for-future-measurements/?sc=rsin Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:00:00 EST A multi-institutional study led by University of Illinois and Agroecosystem Sustainability Center scientists concluded that the variability pattern of soil moisture remained consistent across the growing and non-growing seasons in farm fields across the Midwest. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/tanzania-fertilizer-use-increased-after-intervention-but-changes-were-not-sustained-study-shows/?sc=rsin /articles/tanzania-fertilizer-use-increased-after-intervention-but-changes-were-not-sustained-study-shows/?sc=rsin Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:05:47 EST Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa tend to use very small amounts of fertilizer, limiting their crop productivity. A 2016 intervention in Tanzania increased farmers' fertilizer use and their crop yields. However, a follow-up study from an international team of researchers found the 2016 effects proved temporary, and farmers have since reverted to baseline low rates of fertilizer use and low crop yields. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/organic-farmers-beliefs-about-soil-microbiome-affect-their-practices-study-shows/?sc=rsin /articles/organic-farmers-beliefs-about-soil-microbiome-affect-their-practices-study-shows/?sc=rsin Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:05:29 EST Organic farming can support soil microorganisms that promote plant defenses and reduce insect pests. But not all organic practices are equally beneficial for soil microbes, and it's important to understand farmer motivations in order to encourage the adoption of microbiome-supportive efforts. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Cornell University looks at how organic farmers' beliefs about the microbiome influence their soil management practices. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/specialist-and-migratory-birds-at-greater-risk-under-climate-change/?sc=rsin /articles/specialist-and-migratory-birds-at-greater-risk-under-climate-change/?sc=rsin Tue, 11 Jun 2024 12:05:38 EST Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign analysis. The study is the first to examine the long-term effects of climate change on the abundance and diversity of bird groups across the continent as a whole while accounting for additional factors that put birds at risk. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/conservation-project-tracks-behavior-migration-of-chicago-s-endangered-heron/?sc=rsin /articles/conservation-project-tracks-behavior-migration-of-chicago-s-endangered-heron/?sc=rsin Mon, 10 Jun 2024 11:05:30 EST Among the snowbirds returning north for the summer, A24 is special. For one thing, A24 is an actual bird: a Black-crowned night heron, to be exact. And it has just returned to Chicago to join hundreds of its kind nesting near Lake Michigan. But unlike the human snowbirds that share A24's migratory habits, this bird is helping to inform conservation efforts in the city and far beyond. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/study-reveals-how-forever-chemicals-may-impact-heart-health-in-older-women/?sc=rsin /articles/study-reveals-how-forever-chemicals-may-impact-heart-health-in-older-women/?sc=rsin Wed, 05 Jun 2024 10:05:48 EST New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has linked multiple types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals") with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Specifically, the study reveals how PFAS chemicals interact with pro-inflammatory pathways in older women, providing potential explanations for the increased risk. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/when-mothers-and-children-talk-about-problems-environment-matters/?sc=rsin /articles/when-mothers-and-children-talk-about-problems-environment-matters/?sc=rsin Tue, 04 Jun 2024 16:05:25 EST Talking to their parents about daily stressors can help adolescents deal with their problems. This is particularly important during the transition to middle school, when youth often are faced with new peer and academic challenges. But does it matter where these conversations take place? That's the topic of a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/how-community-stress-affects-black-americans-mental-health-and-wellbeing/?sc=rsin /articles/how-community-stress-affects-black-americans-mental-health-and-wellbeing/?sc=rsin Thu, 30 May 2024 15:05:01 EST Residential segregation is an example of the long history of structural racism in the United States. Black Americans are more likely to live in low-quality neighborhoods, which contributes to disparities in health outcomes. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign /articles/does-it-matter-if-your-kids-listen-to-you-when-adolescents-reject-mom-s-advice-it-still-helps-them-cope/?sc=rsin /articles/does-it-matter-if-your-kids-listen-to-you-when-adolescents-reject-mom-s-advice-it-still-helps-them-cope/?sc=rsin Thu, 23 May 2024 14:05:22 EST Parents are often eager to give their adolescent children advice about school problems, but they may find that youth are less than receptive to their words of wisdom. However, kids who don't seem to listen to their parents may still benefit from their input, a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign