August 2017

August 21 marks the date for the Great American Eclipse of 2017, with people from around the country planning to travel to get the best views. Before you take to the road to reach your solar eclipse festival, make a plan to buy or gather firewood near your destination. Moving firewood presents a high risk for moving invasive pests that destroy the trees we love and count on for so many things: respite from the summer heat, the quiet of a favorite campsite, and the shady sidewalks around your neighborhood.

Sandra Cummings is an African American woman who is a part owner of two forested landscapes in Georgia. Her first property, 325 acres of land with a home in the city of Madison, was passed down by her maternal great-grandmother, who was born a slave. The second property consists of 165 acres of land in the town of Portal, which was passed down by her paternal grandfather.

Garfield Jarret served in the Marine Corps until he was injured in Iraq during a roadside attack. When he returned to the United States, he attended Florida International University (FIU) to receive his undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work.

August 6-12 is National Farmers Market Week, and the sunny days of summer make it a perfect time to drop by one of the more than 8,500 farmers markets across the country and load up for a picnic! While you put together your picnic shopping list, keep in mind that growers selling locally not only help increase access to fresh food, but they also create 13 full-time jobs for every $1 million in revenue earned.

People and families in need often visit food banks and pantries to get basic provisions free of charge. Unfortunately, donations often decrease during the summer months. The nationwide campaign Feds Feed Families was created to help food banks and pantries stay stocked.

Wood buildings provide an array of economic and environmental benefits to their communities, and interest in capitalizing on those benefits by constructing mid to high-rise buildings using cross-laminated timber (CLT) is growing.

Why is the U.S. Department of Agriculture involved with developing an anti-cancer drug? It’s all part of our work to conduct “Made in America” research that produces new technology and creates business opportunities and jobs.

Think algae is just slimy green pond scum? Well, think again!

Thanks to advances in science and technology, these microscopic plant-like organisms are now star players in biologically-based approaches to producing fuel for transportation and other energy needs.