CAFNR

Feb. 26, 2024

Interdisciplinary research team uses AI to create revolutionary food safety technology

Imagine being at the grocery store, picking up a package of strawberries, then giving them a quick scan that will immediately tell you exactly the types and quantities of pesticide residues that are on the fruit before you buy them and bring them home to your family. This may sound like something out of a futuristic science fiction film, but a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Missouri have used the power of artificial intelligence to make the technology that would enable this scene a reality. The team, which is led by Mengshi Lin, professor of food science,…

A woman hands a man an award.

Feb. 26, 2024

John Tummons received the 2023 Leadership Development Award from the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association

On Jan. 20, the Missouri Cattlemen's Association recognized John Tummons as the 2023 Leadership Development Award recipient at the 56th Annual Missouri Cattle Industry Convention.

Four students stand beside a MANRRS banner.

Feb. 26, 2024

Mizzou MANRRS seeks to create an inclusive space for all

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) is a growing organization within CAFNR working to connect students with broad opportunities in the agriculture and natural resources industries.

Two women smile for a selfie.

Feb. 26, 2024

Mizzou dairy cattle experience connects generations

Recent animal sciences graduate Sarah Estes and her mother, Amy Jo, both found love for animal sciences at Mizzou.

Demi White

Feb. 22, 2024

Plant Sciences student Demi White selected as MizzouForward Undergraduate Research Training Grant Recipient

White, a junior majoring in plant sciences with a minor in microbiology, will be conducting an independent research project under the mentorship of Soyon Park.

A medium-skinned woman with long, black hair and brown eyes smiles. She is wearing a coral colored blouse and sits in a sun-filled cafe.

Feb. 21, 2024

Postdoctoral fellow spotlight: Q&A with Ranjita Sinha

What is your research focus?  My research is focused on understanding the physiological and molecular responses of plants to different combinations of abiotic stresses. While growing in field, crops are frequently challenged with various stresses, simultaneously or sequentially, negatively impacting overall yield and farmer’s earnings. I have been studying the impact of stresses that are predominantly present in fields, such as salt, heat, soil pollutants, high-light, drought, and their different combinations on crops such as rice, maize, soybean, and model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana. I am working to decipher the molecular responses of plants to stress combinations. Combinations of different…

Packages of raw chicken line the shelves of a cooler in a grocery store.

Feb. 21, 2024

An innovative approach to shield against foodborne illness

One in every 25 packages of chicken found on store shelves is contaminated with salmonella, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Because chicken is a major source of illnesses from salmonella, the researchers decided to begin their efforts by focusing on helping the poultry industry. Source: Adobe Stock Like a silent saboteur, foodborne pathogens can sneak up and ruin your next meal. One of the biggest culprits is salmonella, a type of bacteria found in many foods that causes more than 1.3 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Despite…

Jesse hall and the columns

Feb. 19, 2024

CAFNR welcomes new faculty — Spring 2024

Five new faculty members join CAFNR for the spring 2024 semester

Drone flying over field

Feb. 7, 2024

Smart agriculture: Farming in the digital age

Mizzou’s new Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center will enhance research, education and outreach in emerging digital technologies for farming.

Feb. 7, 2024

CAFNR faculty find genes mammals use to sense their environment, while creating hair shedding prediction tool for cattle farmers and ranchers

The tool is part of a study published in an Oxford University Press journal and could be used to help cattle farmers improve the health, wellbeing and productivity of their herds.