The University of Georgia's Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture (IIPA), a new interdisciplinary unit dedicated to the research and application of new technologies in agriculture, has made three new faculty hires. Leonardo Bastos, Lorena Lacerda and Guoyu Lu joined IIPA full time during fall 2022, each contributing to the strategic mission of the institute to harness the power of technology and big data to sustainably provide for our planet’s growing population.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has launched a podcast, now available on all streaming services. Cultivating Curiosity will augment existing CAES news and storytelling platforms, including the CAES Newswire, where you are reading this; Almanac, the college's annual publication; and Cultivate, which highlights members of the CAES and UGA Cooperative Extension community.

Walking barefoot through soft grass is one of life’s greatest joys — the warmth of the ground, the tickling of the blades of grass on your feet, toes wriggling free from the confinement of shoes — it is just spectacular. In the summer. In the midst of winter, after cold and rainy weeks, it sounds miserable, but if you are looking forward to that summer experience, you may want to prepare your lawn now.

Percy Hunter Stone, Georgia’s first Black 4-H state leader in the era of segregation, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame on Oct. 7, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Stone led the organization formerly known as the Negro 4-H Club. He was recognized for his unwavering dedication to creating equal opportunities for all 4-H’ers.

Registration is now open for the 2023 Georgia Ag Forecast, which will be held Jan. 27 at the University of Georgia Tifton Conference Center on the UGA Tifton campus and online. The annual seminar, offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension, shares the latest research and information from UGA faculty to help agribusinesses and producers prepare for the new year.

Whether you’re a home gardener or a production farmer, Georgia’s mild climate allows for a variety of fruits and vegetables to be grown throughout the year. However, with erratic weather events and broad temperature swings during the winter and early spring months, having a few cold protection resources on hand can help you weather the unpredictability.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 600 million cases of foodborne illness every year. One way harmful pathogens can enter the food supply is through irrigation water, but researchers are using precision agriculture to create a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to combat the bacteria that makes us sick. And the tool they are using is available to everyone — the sun.

Four University of Georgia programs will receive federal support as part of the $1.7 trillion funding package signed into law in late December. These funds will support scientific research, engineering projects and outreach programs that benefit citizens living in Georgia and throughout the nation.

Four Oconee County high school students took home top honors at the 4-H State Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging contest at Rock Eagle in Eatonton, Georgia, in December. Now the team is on to the national contest, happening in January 2024.