California’s Idle Crop Land May Double as Water Crisis Deepens

Jul 22, 2022

By Pam Knox

As you probably know, the multi-year drought in the Southwestern U. S. has had profound negative consequences for farmers there. The folks who control water supplies are making cuts to irrigation water that are decreasing or stopping water deliveries to some farmers, leaving them with no irrigation for their crops. The scarce water has to be divided between urban water users, farmers, industrial users, and ecosystem protection, and there is not enough for any of them. How would you handle it if your irrigation water was cut in half or stopped? It is a tough question that does not seem very germane in the last few years of relatively abundant water in the Southeast compared to the longer drought years that occurred in 1998-2002, 2007-2009, and 2011-2013. Bloomberg posted this story about the dire choices farmers are having to make with no access to water to farm.

californias

Source : uga.edu

Video: Genetics vs Genomics in Swine - Dr. Max Rothschild

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Max Rothschild, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, explains how genetics and genomics have transformed swine production. He explores genomic selection, key gene discoveries, and the role of gene editing in improving disease resistance and productivity. Practical insights on litter size, meat quality, and industry adoption are also discussed. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Genetic improvement in swine production accelerated significantly once molecular tools enabled identification of DNA level variation influencing growth, reproduction, and meat quality across commercial populations."

Meet the guest: Dr. Max Rothschild / max-f-rothschild-b3800312 earned his PhD in Animal Breeding from Cornell University and has spent over four decades at Iowa State University advancing swine genetics and genomics. His research focuses on genetic improvement, disease resistance, and molecular tools for swine production. A leader in pig genome research, his work has shaped modern breeding strategies.