Biotech Updates

Report Highlights USDA Technology Innovations

December 12, 2018

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed 166 new inventions and 66 patent applications in the 2017 fiscal year, according to their Annual Report on Technology Transfer released this month.

"USDA research not only improves agriculture, but it also creates business opportunities and jobs through innovations affecting all areas of daily life," said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics. "This report illustrates why studies show that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to our economy."

Among the highlights of the 434-page report is the soybean germplasm with heat tolerance gene. It was explained that temperatures above 90oF damages soybean seeds and creates an economic loss for producers in areas where temperatures are consistently high, such as the Mississippi Delta region. Agriculture Research Service (ARS) scientists released the first U.S. soybean germplasm line that commercial and public plant breeders can use to develop heat-tolerant soybean cultivars for producers.

Download the USDA report for more information.