The Food Systems Research Center is happy to announce award winners for our Shared Equipment RFP call from the spring. Each piece of equipment, once purchased, will have to potential for use by ¶¶Òõ̽̽ researchers. Please contact the PI listed below if you have interest in using the piece of equipment they were successfully awarded to find out more information.
Macro Sample CN Analyzer for the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Agricultural and Environmental Testing Lab
PI: Joshua Faulkner, Research Assistant Professor, Director of the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Agricultural and Environmental Testing, and Farming and Climate Change Program Coordinator
The Macro Sample CN Analyzer will allow researchers to better quantify environmental sustainability of agricultural systems related to climate change mitigation and nutrient cycling in soils, as well as further facilitate research on sustainable food systems. It will increase ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s ability to accurately and efficiently analyze soil and soil health. This will aid in Faulkner’s work with climate change and farming and also serve the greater ¶¶Òõ̽̽ community in conducting critical research to ensure agricultural systems are adapting to the pressures of climate change.
Hemp integrated agricultural systems—processing hemp fibers through decortication
PI: Steve Kostell, Assistant Professor of Community Development and Applied Economics
As hemp continues to expand, a need exists to better understand products made from hemp. A Fiber Track 118 Decorticator, a specialized machine for stripping materials to allow for further processing, will be purchased to fill this need. Specifically, Kostell and his team will use the decorticator to expand research into various aspects of hemp processing with the goal of learning more about the development of hemp-based quality crops, processes, and products. The decorticator can also serve a variety of other research endeavors and will have strong potential for use by researchers across ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
Expanding and maintaining testing services at the E. E. Cummings Crop Quality Laboratory
PI: Heather Darby, Extension Professor and Director of the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ E. E. Cummings Crop Quality Laboratory
The E. E. Cummings Crop Quality Laboratory provides analysis for clients from every state in the Northeast and beyond, helping to inform both research and agricultural practice. Funding will be used to purchase a Combi Steam Oven and an Inframatic 9500 Near Infrared Grain Analyzer, which will bolster the services of the E. E. Cummings Crop Quality Laboratory. This expansion will provide opportunities for researchers to perform critical analyses and for local farmers, millers, bakers, maltsters, brewers, and more to utilize the facilities businesses and products.
Ensuring quality of pure maple syrup through precise temperature measurement recording and analysis with a 20 channel, scanning thermocouple data logger
PI: Mark Isselhardt, ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Extension Maple Specialist
Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States and the Proctor Maple Research Center performs critical research and provides services to maple producers. Funding will be used to purchase a Graphtec GL840 Data Logger, which allows for precise temperature measurement and analysis of maple syrup. This equipment measures cooling rate in various package sizes and container types, the relationship between syrup temperature and calcium precipitate formation, and the impact of packaged syrup cooling on syrup color. The machinery will be housed at the Proctor Maple Research Center in Underhill, VT.
The FSRC holds RFPs throughout the year. If you have any questions about current or future RFPs, please contact Research and Outreach Manager, Chris Skinner.
