Minnesota Farm Guide: Leading Farm Newspaper

A small software tool, called RSS, can help farmers and others make efficient use of the time they spend online.

Think of RSS as providing the table of contents of a book. A table of contents allows a person to turn right to the page they want to read. RSS allows a person to do the same thing on the Internet.

RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, provides a “feed” to up-to-date information on specific subjects.

An RSS reader collects and displays RSS feeds.

It uses XML technology (eXtensible Markup Language) to “syndicate” web content. This technology sends web content directly to the desktop computer, a web browser or a web-based RSS aggregator.

For instance, an RSS can pull together just-uploaded global news from CNN. Just the headlines are displayed on the RSS - which is likely located on the toolbar of the browser. By clicking on a specific headline, the website where the story is located is brought to the computer screen for the person to read.

At many websites, the RSS “button” appears as a dot with two curved orange lines facing the upper right hand corner of the screen - a symbol for sending out a signal.

Some browsers have a built-in RSS feed. In other cases, the user may need to download a free RSS aggregator. There are many aggregators also called “readers” on the Internet, so downloading a free RSS from a well-known Internet company is the smartest thing for protecting a computer system.

RSS is a great tool for people who have slower Internet connections. Rather than having to search through many websites to see if there is new information, the RSS feed gathers that information and lists the headlines to read.

It's like surfing the Web for a specific subject at warp drive. It can help keep peoples' email sites free of clutter. It also reduces the need to use search engines that can become sluggish when use levels are high.

In addition, RSS helps people keep up-to-date on specific subjects they might not otherwise notice.

For instance, USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) wanted to bring together information on technology licensing and partnership opportunities. The agency has more than 600 active patents and over 300 active licenses. ARS decided to use RSS to make this information available in a handy list form.

Examples of ARS technology available include a new chemical method to convert soybean oil into industrial products such as lubrication fluid.

The feed also has information on new antimicrobial fusion proteins that are active against Staphylococcus aureus and three streptococcal mastitis pathogens.

Another invention offers a vaccine for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) that includes three strains of the virus isolated in the United States.

“These are opportunities available for patents,” said Kim Kaplan, spokesperson for ARS. Kaplan was reached by phone. “Either start up entrepreneurs or existing companies could find the technology useful and something they would like to develop into a marketable form.”

ARS has used RSS to provide daily news feeds for quite a long time. There are stories on raising blueberries in Mississippi State, or the impact of inulin, a complex carbohydrate, fed to piglets to help them absorb iron.

Kaplan thinks farmers will enjoy reading this information featured in a magazine format.

“My suggestion is to go on the RSS system and take a look at what it offers,” said Kaplan.

To subscribe, visit http://www.ars.

usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=6697.

To subscribe to Minnesota Farm Guide's RSS feed, visit http://www.

minnesotafarmguide.com/rss_feeds.