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Federal Laboratory Consortium Recognizes ARS
Scientists for Tech Transfer By
Erin Peabody May
5, 2004
WASHINGTON, May 5Several
Agricultural Research Service scientists
are being honored in a ceremony in San Diego, Calif., today for their efforts
to move federal technology and research out of the lab and into the
marketplace. They are winners of the 2004 Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Awards for Excellence in Technology
Transfer.
"These ARS researchers have contributed to a wide range of
technology transfer successes, from the biological control of toxins in
cottonseed, to new uses for sunflower seeds and vegetable oil, to areawide
management of exotic pests, to efforts to eradicate a serious citrus disease,"
said Edward B. Knipling, acting administrator for ARS.
Organized in 1974, the FLC is a nationwide network of more than
700 federal laboratories representing almost all federal departments and
agencies.
The FLC is presenting a total of 24 awards in today's ceremony.
Five of these will be given to ARS researchers, including: |
More about Cotty's research. |
- Peter J. Cotty, plant pathologist,
Southern
Regional Research Center, New Orleans, La. To battle the fungal toxins that
cost U.S. cottonseed producers millions of dollars each year, Cotty discovered
a native strain of the Aspergillus flavus fungus that does not produce
potentially carcinogenic toxins. The atoxigenic strains outcompete
toxin-producing ones. Cotty helped transfer the technologies to the
agricultural community.
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More about sunflower-seed butter |
- Isabel M. Lima and Harmeet S. Guraya, food technologists,
Southern Regional Research
Center, New Orleans, La. The scientists and a commercial partner have
developed a sunflower-seed butter that is similar to peanut butter in flavor,
texture and appearance. The technology was developed and transferred in
cooperation with Red River Commodities, a major sunflower seed producer based
in Fargo, N.D.
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More about Erhan's research. |
- Sevim Z. Erhan, chemist,
National Center for Agricultural
Utilization Research, Peoria, Ill. Erhan has developed a novel
vegetable-oil-based hydraulic fluid for use in elevators. The product is
nontoxic and biodegradable, has high fire resistance and meets all industrial
performance standards.
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More
about Exotic Fruit Fly Team |
- Exotic Fruit Fly Team,
U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural
Research Center, Hilo, Hawaii. The ARS center has created the first
successful program to control four exotic fruit fly species in Hawaii that cost
local growers $300 million dollars each year in damage to crops like papaya,
guava, mango and citrus. Under the direction of ARS entomologist Roger I.
Vargas, the researchers devised a combination of strategies to control the
flies areawide. They have focused on methods that can be taught to local
growers.
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More about Gottwald's research. |
- Timothy R. Gottwald, research leader,
Subtropical Plant
Pathology Research Unit, Fort Pierce, Fla. An expert on the epidemiology of
tree diseases, Gottwald has led research that is vital to the eradication
programs of two important diseases: citrus canker, a bacterial disease that has
historically imperiled the Florida citrus industry, and plum pox virus, which
threatens the stone fruit industries.
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Also being honored in today's ceremony is Peter B. Johnsen,
director of the National Center for
Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, Ill. He is receiving the FLC
Laboratory Director of the Year Award for his leadership and vision in
developing new ways to transfer technology from the federal center to the
private sector.
ARS is the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's chief in-house scientific research agency. |
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