The following article was in the latest issue of the Teas A&M Plant Breeding Bulletin July 2011. I asked the editor of the bulletin Wayne Smith and the student featured in the story (Trey Cutts) if I could share it here as I think the information and photos are very compelling. “Rice: Research to Production” is a 3-week intensive course… Read More
World Food Day — Thoughts from Someone with a Full Belly
To mark World Food Day, I’m taking time to note some of the luck involved in having a full refrigerator and plate. Also give some consideration to some of the things that need to change.
Getting Your Word Out Globally Without Global Costs
In my most recent post about “rice world,” I gave a quick view of my visit at the International Rice Research Institute. Since I was going there with a couple of PhDs in plant breeding, I anticipated meeting with scientists (which was exactly what happened in a few other Los Banos institutes)! But I was in for a surprise and… Read More
How many kinds of rice do you know?
It’s amazing to me how many kinds of rice there are. I racked my brain trying to think of the ones I could name last week & came up REALLY SHORT! Long-grain rice is probably what I know best cause it’s what most of the farmers I know grow. Varieties like cypress, some of the new ones that carry the… Read More
My Sister Will SO Call Me a Dork!
Okay, it’s Monday morning, I’m eating breakfast, checking some stuff on the web, watching the news — generally goofing off til I “go to work.” And I saw something that got me pumped up. And then I realized that most of my family would think this officially made me the biggest dork ever. It was on the stats page of… Read More
Deserving of Philanthropy Dollars — Gates Foundation Supports IRRI
This past week I’ve seen a lot of talk about philanthropic efforts different companies are engaged in. I’m very proud of the work my company is doing in supporting the education of rice & wheat breeders — these two crops provide a significant part of the diets of many of the world’s poor. We also have an incredible project in… Read More