Minnesota shrimp
A new land-based aquaculture system will make it possible for producers to grow shrimp anywhere, all year round. Even in Minnesota. Currently, 80 percent of the shrimp consumed in America is imported. Ralco, an agriculture company based in Marshall, Minnesota, has won its bid to license Texas A&M University’s new shrimp farming technology, which would make it possible to produce one million pounds of shrimp per acre of water. The system would benefit soybean growers because about one-third of a shrimp’s diet would be soybean meal. Researchers say this technology will ultimately reduce the price of shrimp, which is also good for consumers.
Farms.com, June 2014
Beer for your brain
A c
ompound in hops could help protect brain cells from damage and also potentially help slow the development of brain disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Reported in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a team is testing xanthohumol, which has other potential benefits, including antioxidation, cardiovascular protection and anticancer properties. The team decided to test xanthohumol’s effect on brain cells and found optimistic results.
Sciencedaily.com, January 2015