While the U.S. remains a major producer of citrus fruit, it is also a major consumer of the products and thus is increasingly dependent on imports. Over the past eight years, imports of citrus have increased 120 percent as a share of total consumption and now comprise nearly a fifth of all citrus fruit disappearance. Domestic production has fallen by a quarter as prime production areas like Florida (orange juice) and the Southwest (fresh fruit) succumb to pressures including disease, high land values, contested water resources, and labor constraints. China has been a standout for increased production, though it has strong domestic demand like the U.S. Citrus fruits are subject to highly limited production areas, favoring semi-tropical or t...
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A pika (/ˈpaɪkə, ˈpiːkə/ PY-kə, PEE-kə[3][4]) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears.[5] The large-eared pi...
Lobelia (/loʊˈbiːliə, lə-/[4][5][6]) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae comprising 415 species,[7] with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions.[8] They are known g...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.