Arkansas
In 2007, Arkansas-based federal agencies and laboratories received a federal R&D investment of $178 million. They leveraged that investment via their technology transfer efforts to address societal needs, promote economic development and growth, and enhance U.S. competitiveness. From defense to life sciences to energy to agriculture, Arkansas-based federal agencies and labs are meeting the technology transfer mission envisioned by Congress.
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Federal Obligations for R&D in Arkansas, 2007 ($ thousands)
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| Agency |
Total |
| All Agencies |
177,694 |
| Dept. of Agriculture |
35,477 |
| Dept. of Defense |
37,057 |
| Dept. of Energy |
926 |
| Dept. of Health and Human Services |
85,740 |
| Dept. of Interior |
1,816 |
| Environmental Protection Agency |
70 |
| NASA |
1,740 |
| National Science Foundation |
14,868 |
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Source: NSF Science and Engineering Profiles
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Technology Transfer Success Stories
USDA Teams With the University of Arkansas for Poultry Probiotic Technology
A solution to decrease the 9,000 deaths and 33 million illnesses caused each year by the consumption of contaminated foods was discovered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Poultry Production & Product Safety Research Unit and the University of Arkansas's Department of Poultry Science. The team developed and transferred a novel method of identifying beneficial bacteria that out-compete enteric food-borne pathogens when fed to poultry. This application substantially reduces the risk of human food-borne contamination while improving the health of poultry.
The Fayetteville team overcame regulatory issues and production costs to produce a feed that uses bacteria cultures and ingredients that have been given "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and also fell within the direct fed microbials (DFM) category. Over one billion doses have been sold in the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Mexico.
USDA ARS Researchers Collaborate With the University of Mississippi for Fungal Control
Researchers from the USDA ARS Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center (SNARC) and Mississippi State University have discovered a cost-effective, safe treatment to effectively control fungal growth on catfish eggs. The new treatment is an alternative to the current FDA compound for fungus control, which is expensive, poses human safety concerns, and comes with storage precautions.
The researchers discovered that copper sulfate, an inexpensive and safe treatment, effectively controls fungal growth on catfish eggs. This discovery will save catfish hatchery managers thousands of dollars in treatment expenses every year. Fungal infections of hatchery-reared catfish eggs frequently cause serious losses and can result in a loss of $1.1 million per year for the industry.
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., is partnering with SNARC, and retains exclusivity for FDA labeling on the product for seven years.
Connect with Arkansas Laboratories
To learn more about, and connect with, Arkansas' FLC member laboratories, visit the Arkansas Laboratories web page. The web-based, searchable database displays laboratory profiles with information such as contacts, areas of expertise, laboratory history, website links, and more.
Contact an FLC Representative in Your Region
J. Susan Sprake
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Phone: 505-665-3613
Email:
sprake@lanl.gov
