Not surprisingly, food science has deep roots in Wisconsin, as well. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which dates to 1893, food safety and nutrition has long been a staple. Scientists at CALS are studying how bacteria can hitch a ride on plants to get to humans; how wildlife intrusions in fields where crops are grown can spread disease; and how environmental conditions can affect food sources.
Researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Center in Madison are learning more about using nonfood sources, such as fast-growing trees and corn stover, to produce next-generation biofuels. That affects the food chain because it would mean using less farmland for ethanol production – a valid concern in this year?s drought.