On the Vine - December

Principal Investigator Ivan Baxter, PhD, will lead a five-year, multi-institutional project to help crops use water more efficiently. With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the researchers involved will study the inner-workings of sorghum, a versatile bioenergy crop, with the goal of improving other bioenergy crops to require less water—making them more cost-effective, better for the planet, and capable of growing in more regions around the world. Read the press release.

Sustainable Solutions in the Battle Against Bugs

RNAissance Ag, a startup launched by Danforth Center Senior Research Scientist Bala P. Venkata, PhD, is helping solve an urgent problem that poses risks to farmers, crops, and the health of the planet: insect pests. Utilizing RNA interference (RNAi), the company creates cost-effective and environmentally friendly biopesticides that can target specific pests without harming other organisms. Read the full story.

IMAGE: Danforth Center Scientist holding a plant.

Cover Crops for the Planet

Cover crops (plants grown between cycles of cash crops) provide healthier soils and a healthier planet. But due to costs, learning curves, and other factors, few farmers currently utilize them. Danforth Center scientists like principal investigators Chris Topp, PhD, and Dmitri A. Nusinow, PhD, are working to improve cover crops and make them more accessible—for the benefit of farmers and the future of our world. Read more about this work.

In the Media: Danforth Center Startup Successes Spotlighted in Post-Dispatch

The Danforth Center’s ongoing efforts to spinout new cutting-edge agtech companies were highlighted in a story published by the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The article, which tells of the recent funding success of Danforth Center spinout Peptyde Bio, provides a look at how the Center is helping transform the St. Louis region and bring innovative ideas to life. Read the full story here.

In the Media: AgTech NEXT™ 2022 Recap

The Danforth Center recently hosted the third annual AgTech NEXT™ conference, a three-day summit of industry leaders and innovators that gave attendees a glimpse at the future of food. In one of a series of stories about the event published by Seed Today, notable guests, including CoverCress President and CEO Mike DeCamp, discuss the need for renewable fuels and how partnerships between companies in St. Louis are helping to create a more sustainable future. Read the story here.

IMAGE: Karen Kalish with William H. Danforth.

An Inspired Friend: Karen Kalish

Danforth Center supporter Karen Kalish knows a thing or two about making the world a better place. From founding nonprofits to fighting for desegregation, she has lived her life in the service of others. Learn more about her remarkable career and the close, powerful friendship she shared with our founder, Bill Danforth, by reading our latest donor profile here.

IMAGE: Two young girls walking down a road in Ghana.

You Can Make a Difference

By donating to the Danforth Center, you can help create a better future for millions of people. As 2022 comes to close, please consider making a gift to the Center as part of your year-end giving. There are many ways for you to give, including some with potential tax benefits. Click here to learn more. And we wish you very happy holidays!