Thank you to everyone who was able to make it out to one of our farm day events! The weather was perfect and we had a great time welcoming you to our research and teaching facilities!

One way that the NHAES supports innovation in locally inspired research is bringing together, at times, atypical scientific partnerships to develop ideas, research and resulting insights that can have significant impacts on the lives, livelihoods and landscapes in New Hampshire. The Station's Collaborative Research Enhancement and Team Exploration (CREATE) program is a key pathway for sparking unexpected connections for scientists across colleges and departments, and using these connections to move our state's agricultural, food, natural resources and environmental systems forward.

Kids, big and small, learning about farm equipment used in agricultural research management at the 2024 Farm Day Tractor's Galore event at UNH Kingman Research Farm. Credit: Kate Wilcox, hodgepodgeNEphoto@gmail.com

I am very excited about the five NHAES CREATE projects that will begin this year. One collaboration will begin assessing how to use in-ground acoustic sensors to provide early detection of winter cutworms and soil grubs. Another project will seek to protocol chemical analysis processes to analyze the levels of toxic cyanobacteria in water, and the extent to which plants irrigated with contaminated water may uptake those toxins. Two endeavors focusing on aquaculture will consider how changes in temperature and noise affect development of farmed blue mussels, and on creating early detection systems that will help identify bacterial species that pose health risks to farmed seafood. The last project will investigate how differences in the management of forested lands in New Hampshire is impacting fisher cat populations.

It is fantastic to see such great collaborations leading to ideas and science that serves the public good!

Anton Bekkerman

Director, NH Agricultural Experiment Station

The INSPIRED Aquaculture Research Report – Sign up to receive your copy!

Our upcoming issue of INSPIRED will focus on aquaculture research in the Granite State. Learn about efforts to make fish farming more sustainable through the use of lumpfish; about using oysters for ecosystem services, like keeping the waters of Great Bay Estuary cleaner; and about the presence of microplastics in Great Bay and two other New England estuaries. Sign up today to have your copy of the INSPIRED Aquaculture Research Report mailed and/or emailed to you!

Driving Innovation in Dairy Farming



UNH researchers are pioneering new techniques in dairy farming, focusing on precision feeding, sustainable practices, and animal welfare. Their work aims to improve milk production efficiency while reducing environmental impacts, ensuring that New Hampshire’s dairy industry remains competitive and sustainable in a changing agricultural landscape. By integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional practices, they’re setting new standards for dairy farming in the region. Explore the latest advancements in dairy farming and learn about the UNH researchers leading this work.

Studying Marine Heatwaves' Effects on Aquatic Life

Station scientist Easton White and COLSA graduate student Drew Villeneuve are investigating how marine heatwaves affect marine organisms, with a focus on temperature-sensitive species. Their research, crucial for understanding the ecological impacts of climate change, will help predict shifts in marine biodiversity and guide conservation efforts. The findings could lead to improved strategies for protecting vulnerable species as ocean temperatures continue to rise. Uncover the future of our oceans amid rising temperatures.

• Deep insight into the scientific method thanks to, um, lumpfish – Granite Geek
• In a Manchester park, a piece of planet-wide species extinction (update) – Granite Geek
• Researchers create new way to measure the impacts of marine heatwaves – SeafoodSource.com
• Triple Solution: Growing Shrimp, Oysters, and seaweed together creates a natural balance – Fish Farmer Magazine
• Light and density adjustments reduce lumpfish aggressiveness: study – Hatchery International/Aquaculture North America
• Cannibal cleaner fish: How to keep them eating lice, instead of each other – Salmon Business
• Researchers seek to optimise lumpfish rearing protocols – Fishsite.com
• Study: Farming shrimp with oysters and seaweed cuts nitrogen output – Global Seafood Alliance
• Can Duckweed Be Used For Good On The Farm? – Growing Produce
• Duckweed could prove useful – AgUpdate.com
• New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station scientists work to understand duckweed – Laconia Daily Sun
• New Species: The Blueberry Gall Midge Complex – Morning Ag Clips

Support the NHAES and Subscribe to Our News Channels

Please consider supporting future agricultural, food and natural resources research and innovation at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station with a charitable gift.

Want more news and information from the NHAES? Sign up for our NHAES News – and get notified each time we publish new articles highlighting our research (approximately twice a month). Know someone who might be interested in signing up to receive Station Science? Send them our newsletter sign-up webpage.