MIT College of Agriculture and Technology Presents MITCAT Trends

Landscape Insider - Episode 13: Michael Massat

In this episode, hosts Ryan Heitman and Aaron Zych talk with Michael Massat of The Growing Place Garden Center. Michael shares his journey in the garden center industry, provides insights on consumer trends, and explains how his business adapted during COVID. We explore the importance of native plants, retail customer loyalty, knowing when to embrace trends, and provide some advice for newcomers in the horticulture industry. Chapters: Michael's Journey into Horticulture The Hands-On Approach

Native Texas Shrubs & Accent Plants: True Natives vs Native Cultivars | Let’s Grow Together

In this episode of Let’s Grow Together, we take a closer look at Texas native shrubs, grasses, succulents, and architectural accent plants while exploring the debate between true natives and native cultivars. Featuring perspectives from three different voices in the horticulture and landscape world, we discuss appearance, adaptability, maintenance, wildlife value, and how these plants function in modern Texas landscapes. Featured plants include Neomexicana Agave, Red Yucca, Horsetail Reed, Dwar

Landscape Insider - Episode 14: Nikki Melin

In this episode of the Landscape Insider podcast, Nikki Melin, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Midwest Groundcovers, shares her journey from urban forestry to leadership in the horticulture industry. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, balancing a love of plants and management, and industry collaboration. Discover her insights on leadership development, industry trends, and innovative technologies shaping the future of plant production. This is part of the "M

Fiinovation CSR News Update 2026 | Nagaland Gets ₹30 Crore CSR Boost From NHPC, SBI and NMDC

Welcome to the latest edition of Fiinovation CSR News Update 2026, your trusted source for the latest developments in CSR news, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, ESG, and social impact initiatives across India. In this special CSR news bulletin, we bring you a major development from Nagaland, where a significant ₹30 crore CSR funding boost is set to accelerate community development and inclusive growth. This major CSR initiative is supported by leading organizations including NHP

Scientists recreated a dinosaur nest and solved a 70-million-year-old mystery

A team of researchers recreated a life-size oviraptor nest to investigate how these bird-like dinosaurs incubated their eggs millions of years ago. By combining physical experiments with heat transfer simulations, they discovered that oviraptors likely relied on both their own body heat and warmth from the sun.

Agriculture as the foundation of post-war reconstruction in Sudan

A New Lens on Sudan’s Recovery Agriculture in fragile and conflict-affected states is often viewed as a technical sector — a means of producing crops and earning export revenue. Yet in Sudan today, ...

Trump Executive Order Expands Support For Regenerative Agriculture

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on June 25 directing federal agencies to expand support for regenerative agriculture and related farm practices.

Trump's Executive Order Pushes for Expansion of Regenerative Agriculture Programs

President Donald Trump signed an executive order expanding regenerative agriculture programs, promoting precision farming.

Agriculture is ready for AI, but its data isn’t

Artificial intelligence is transforming what is possible in agriculture, but industry leaders should be wary of investing in AI without first laying the groundwork.  The use cases are promising, especially for an industry navigating volatile fertilizer costs, unpredictable weather, and margins that leave little room for error. Research shows AI-enabled predictive models can improve crop…

Teeth smaller than a fingertip reveal our first primate ancestor

Tiny, tooth-sized fossils have just reshaped the story of our deepest ancestry. Paleontologists have discovered the southernmost remains ever found of Purgatorius—the earliest-known relative of all primates, including humans—in Colorado’s Denver Basin. Previously thought to be confined to Montana and parts of Canada, this shrew-sized, tree-dwelling mammal now appears to have spread southward soon after the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Scientists discover a completely different way to fight viruses

Researchers have uncovered an unexpected antiviral defense system in sea anemones that works very differently from the one humans use. The discovery suggests evolution developed multiple ways to combat viruses, challenging long-held ideas about how animal immune systems evolved.

The world has the science to transform food systems. The next frontier is scaling it

The world’s food systems face real and urgent challenges. These include climate change, nutrition insecurity, food safety, and unequal access to markets. Research has produced practical solutions to each of these that could benefit hundreds of millions of people. Too few are moved into widespread use.For years, the development sector has flattered itself with pilots.A new tool works in a controlled pilot, a crop variety performs well in a field trial, and a digital advisory service shows promise

Urban Agriculture Directors Alliance Inaugural Convening 2026

The Urban Agriculture Directors Alliance held their inaugural convening March 8-9, 2026 in Austin, TX. 26 UADA members from jurisdictions across the country, plus community members from partner programs, met for two days of deep discussion and ongoing investment to embed agriculture into core city functions - agriculture that advances environmental justice and food sovereignty, especially for the most impacted communities.

A severe El Niño could threaten something essential to half of humanity – rice

Eko Prasetyo/GettyForecasters expect the El Niño now underway in the tropical Pacific to strengthen into a strong or very strong climate driver later this year. When an El Niño arrives, it reorganises rainfall patterns around the world. Parts of the Americas and east Africa tend to get heavier rain, while monsoonal rains in Asia get weaker and drier conditions settle over eastern Australia, southeast Asia, India and southern Africa. This mix of heat and disrupted water supplies could have real

SNAP food stamp fraud has nefarious terrorism links, top Agriculture watchdog warns Congress

SNAP food stamp fraud has nefarious terrorism links, top Agriculture watchdog warns CongressNEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!A top Agriculture Department watchdog warned Congress on Thursday that fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has allowed individuals linked to terrorist groups, foreign adversaries and transnational criminal organizations to access and abuse food stamps.The hearing marked the latest push by the Trump administration and House…SNAP food stam

Book review – The Story of Birds: An Evolutionary History of the Dinosaurs That Live Among Us

From Archaeopteryx then to ten thousand species now, The Story of Birds sees Brusatte skillfully and captivatingly recount another chapter of life's evolutionary history.

These tiny soil microbes could rescue crops from salty farmland

Researchers have discovered that beneficial soil bacteria give plants an unexpected survival advantage in salty soils. Instead of helping plants keep salt out, the microbes stimulate the production of lignin, a natural compound that strengthens roots and makes plants more resilient. Greenhouse and field tests showed healthier plants and higher yields in salty conditions. The findings could lead to bio-based treatments that help farmers grow crops on land once considered too salty for agriculture

Mountain lions changed everything in this tiny California preserve

A surprising ecological makeover unfolded when mountain lions began frequenting a small preserve south of San Francisco. Deer activity dropped, plants recovered, and shifts among predators like coyotes, bobcats, and foxes followed. The study shows that powerful “trophic cascades” aren’t limited to remote wilderness—they can happen in small, suburban preserves too.

Assam includes tea landholding in farmers’ registry portal

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says the facility will be a game-changer for lakhs of small tea growers in the State

Scientists stunned by signs of ancient life in a place no one expected

Scientists exploring ancient seafloor rocks in Morocco discovered mysterious wrinkle patterns where they were never expected to occur. These structures are normally linked to microbial mats in shallow, sunlit waters, yet the rocks formed hundreds of feet below the surface in darkness. Evidence indicates that chemosynthetic microbes created the wrinkles, revealing that deep-ocean microbial ecosystems may have been more widespread than previously thought.