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An insect repellent made from coconut oil and a solar-powered system for recycling contaminated water into fertilizer are just two of hundreds of innovations featured in the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Technology Transfer report.
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The report, which showcases the work being done by USDA scientists and researchers to solve problems for farmers, foresters, rangers and producers, includes 320 inventions, 48% more than last year, as well as 471 licenses, 120 patent applications and 67 patents received.
Secretary Perdue underlined how technological innovation can make a difference both on and off the farm. “Studies show that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to our economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mr. Sonny Perdue, speaking at the report’s launch at the Forbes AgTech Summit in California.
“Innovations produced by USDA scientists and through public-private partnerships add value to American agriculture and the U.S. economy, create jobs, and help American producers compete in the global marketplace.”
Highlights from the report include:
- The discovery of naturally derived fatty acids from coconut oil as a repellent with long-lasting effectiveness against multiple blood-sucking insects
- The development of an energy saving technology based on sequential infrared heat and hot air to simultaneously dry and decontaminate wet whole almonds, protecting crops and human health
- The discovery of a new, safer class of insecticide for use on the fruit fly, using methyl benzoate, which exists naturally as a floral fragrance in many plants