USDA Wednesday announced 11 universities will receive funding for nanotechnology research. The universities will split more than $5.2 million dollars to research ways nanotechnology can be used to improve food safety, enhance renewable fuels, increase crop yields and manage agricultural pests. The awards were made through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Secretary Tom Vilsack says nanoscale science, engineering, and technology are key pieces of USDA investment in innovation to ensure an adequate and safe food supply. Since creating the program, USDA has awarded more than $22 million dedicated to nanotechnology research.
Universities receiving funding include Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama; Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, Connecticut; University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida; University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia; Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa; University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts; Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi; Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri; Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia; and University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.