Courtesy of Central State University
Agriculture in America has always played an important role in our nation’s economy. It helps build communities by providing economic power, supports women who according to the USDA own 30% of our nation’s farms, and is the largest employer in the United States, providing jobs to 23 million Americans. While agriculture is more than the food we eat, consumption is still the thing most people think of when they hear the word “agriculture.” That is known as “Food Power.” More and more that power is growing among farmers who actively seek ways to not only raise animals in humane conditions and focus on non-GMO products, but find new and creative ways to make our food even healthier.
Central State University (CSU), the nation’s newest Land-Grant institution, is partnering with Bluegrass Farms (BGF) of Ohio, Inc. to be on the cutting edge of nutrition and agricultural technology research, which will make the world’s food healthier. Central State University was designated in 2011 by Ohio Senate Bill 221, a landmark energy reform bill, as one of the eight centers of excellence in advanced energy with primary focus on EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. The solution – driven initiatives and technologies from the University, will be incubated by the Center and transferred to the community through strategic alliances with businesses.
Bluegrass Farms of Ohio Inc., of Jeffersonville, Ohio develops proprietary varieties and processing technologies that will never de-nature seeds. For over 30 years it has led in the provision of the purest non-genetically modified organism (GMO) grains. Dr. Mark Campbell, one of the leading scientists in the U.S. who specializes in high amylose corn breeding, joined CSU to lead this endeavor. Dr. Campbell received a Ph.D. in agronomy-plant breeding from Iowa State University, Ames, IA; a Master of Science in agronomy from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT; and a Bachelor of Science degree in agronomyproduction and technology option from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
The research at Central State, centers around the development of specialty starch maize to identify novel uses, while demonstrating the value of plant genetic resources, and effectively increase the diversity of U.S. maize germplasm utilized by producers, global end-users and consumers.
Together, Central State University and Bluegrass Farms will work to develop a sustainable program that identifies and develops specialty corn genetics for further development into hybrid seed corn that is selected for yield, agronomy, and unique starches to improve the health of consumers. Through this partnership CSU, with its 1890 USDA/NIFA LandGrant designation increased its research portfolio, allowing the university to further advance the frontiers of knowledge in foods and agricultural sciences in line with the Second Morrill Act of 1890.
At a time when the world is re-discovering the importance of agriculture, Central State University stands poised to play a key role in consumer health and nutrition. Together, with Bluegrass Farms, CSU will help shape and inform the future of agriculture and serve as a foundational model for how 1890 Land-Grant institutions can impact the world. Visit centralstate.edu to learn more about the research taking place at the University.
