AgBioResearch

Enviro-weather       

To assist Michigan producers with pest, plant production and natural resource management decisions, Enviro-weather provides weather data from a network of stations located throughout the state. Enviro-weather data are shared with other weather groups across the region and are also used in college and university classrooms to teach students about topics such as weather, agriculture and pest management. Since the creation of the Enviro-weather program, data requests have grown from 96 on average per day to more than 600 in 2015.

Project GREEEN funds supported:

• Operational upgrades including strategic network and system modernization, as well as routine weather network maintenance. Sixteen Enviro-weather stations were upgraded with new loggers and sensors in 2015-16.
• Two new stations were added to the Enviro-weather network: Deerfield in September 2015 and Elbridge/Hart in May 2016.

MSU Land Management Office

Project GREEEN funds are used by the Land Management Office to help keep MSU AgBioResearch centers operating at full capacity. Funds are often used for new equipment and skilled labor positions. Many research centers were able to provide maintenance and repair services to infrastructure in 2015-16 through Project GREEEN, as well as funding for field trials, pest management and more.

Numerous research center projects also benefited from Project GREEEN dollars, including:

• Monitoring for invasive grape pests.
• Sweet cherry bacterial canker research.
• Spotted wing drosophila monitoring in fruit crops.
• Trevor Nichols Research Center field lab renovations.
• Clarksville Research Center asphalt replacement and repair.

The Plant Biotechnology Research and Outreach Center

The MSU Plant Biotechnology Research and Outreach Center (PBROC) offers research support to specialty crop producers in Michigan and outreach programs that deal with molecular breeding and the environmental biosafety of genetically engineered crops.

With funds from Project GREEEN, PBROC scientists were able to:

• Serve Michigan producers by performing tissue culture, micropropagation and transformation work on blueberries, apples, sweet cherries, cherry rootstocks and asparagus.
• Develop transformation protocols for recalcitrant specialty and orphan crops.
• Provide biotechnology teaching and demonstration opportunities to MSU students.
• Construct genetic linkage maps of specialty and orphan crops.
• Provide short- and long-term training on environmental biosafety of transgenic crops, as well as training on transformation and marker-assisted breeding.

Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division uses Project GREEEN funds to support the division’s export manager and a plant pest specialist. These staff members trained industry participants and maintained phytosanitary certification protocols for fresh blueberry fruit exported to Canada. Five growers were enrolled in the Blueberry Certification Program in 2015. Shipments were made using this systems approach based on trapping and IPM with verification by sample and testing the exported fruit to assure absence of blueberry maggot as an alternative to fumigation with methyl bromide.

With support from Project GREEEN, these two MDARD professionals were also able to:

• For the 14th consecutive year, cooperate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Apple Committee and MSU Extension to implement an apple certification program in accord with Mexico's phytosanitary requirements.
• Review phytosanitary requirements with primary trading partners, resulting in the continuation of detection surveys for Karnal bunt, potato cyst nematode and golden nematode.
• Provide regular updates to inspection staff members about gypsy moth development and availability of information through the MSU Enviro-weather website.
• Provide information on the phytosanitary export certification program and Christmas tree certification, and update the nursery stock certification program on the MDARD website.

The MSU Product Center Food-Ag-Bio

Fundamental to the mission of MSU Extension is working with entrepreneurs to grow businesses, create jobs and strengthen the economic vitality of individuals and communities. Food and agriculture are a driving force in Michigan’s economy, with an MSU Product Center Food-Ag-Bio report showing that the agriculture system generates more than $100 billion of economic activity every year.

The MSU Product Center strengthens this important sector of the economy by connecting food entrepreneurs with innovation counselors who offer the latest research and best practices, identify markets, innovate new products and help guide the process from concept to launch.

The center’s statewide network of counselors help both new and established businesses deliver high-value products to consumers in Michigan and throughout the United States.

In 2015-16, MSU Product Center professionals conducted 4,168 counseling sessions with 645 clients, resulting in:

• Nearly $40.5 million in total capital formation, including more than $9.4 million of owner capital investment in Michigan businesses.
• 62 new ventures launched.
• 324 jobs created or retained.