HudsonAlpha gets $2M for crop, forest research
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Three initiatives spearheaded at Huntsville's HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology have been awarded more than $2 million from a state fund focused on creating new jobs and products through research and development.
Why it matters: The nearly $2.25 million will help Alabama's agriculture and forestry stay competitive and resilient amid technological and environmental change.
What they're saying: The research "impacts everything from the next wave of technology to the conservation of our forests," said Gov. Kay Ivey in an announcement.
By the numbers: The TRIALS (Technology & Research for Innovation Ag Leaders) got $309,576, Biotech to Accelerate Crops for Alabama got $938,992, and Safeguarding Alabama Wild Forests got $999,803.
Zoom in: The latter is in partnership with the Paint Rock Forest Research Center in Jackson County, a $2-million effort in partnership with HudsonAlpha's Genome Sequencing Center to analyze forest genetic diversity.
- The Biotech project is a $1.87-million effort with matching funds from food product company Mars Inc. and the Department of Energy's Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation.
- It's leveraging plant genetics and biotechnology to improve crop varieties adapted to local environments and invests in programs like the Genes & Greens summer academy.
TRIALS, a pilot program led by HudsonAlpha in the Wiregrass, helps farmers who often face narrow profit margins accelerate adopting new technologies, pairing them with researchers and agtech companies for field trials.