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Thanks to technology and manufacturers’ attempts to please the ever-demanding consumer, washing machines have become more “intelligent” and able to detect soil levels and water needs. Before buying a new one, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension home experts suggest asking yourself a few very important questions.

No matter what kind of heating and cooling system you have, you can save money and increase your comfort. With extreme temperatures come high energy bills, but you'd be surprised how easy it is to decrease energy consumption. Start by following these tips from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has rescheduled its Georgia Ag Forecast seminar at Unicoi State Park in White County, Georgia, for Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Service-learning is known to have a positive impact in the classroom, but a University of Georgia study shows it can help grow graduates' bank accounts as well.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that over the next five years the annual demand for college graduates in agriculture and food industries will be 57,900 jobs per year. Unfortunately, American agricultural colleges, like the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia, only produce about 35,400 graduates per year.

The holiday shopping season starts earlier every year. Competition from online businesses is forcing brick-and-mortar retailers to open earlier and earlier. Long before Thanksgiving dinner has been reduced to leftovers, shoppers will be looking for bargains. With a little forethought, even procrastinators can benefit from these shopping tips.

Gift cards make great gifts, but it’s important to make sure gift givers understand the disclosures that come with the card. Otherwise, they could end up giving retailers the unintended gift of free cash.

The current highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 outbreak in the United States is a concern for the commercial poultry industry, not the general population, says a University of Georgia poultry expert. Humans won’t be infected with avian influenza by eating chicken or other poultry products. Nearly all previous cases of human infections with other avian influenza viruses involved close, direct contact with infected poultry, but little to no direct transmission from person to person. While the HPAI H5 virus has caused some severe devastation for the U.S. commercial poultry industry, there have been no reports of infections in humans, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to people from this virus to be low.

Whether it’s a specialty sweet treat, small-batch pork sausage or pimento cheese made from Grandma’s secret recipe, the University of Georgia’s Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest shines the spotlight on the state’s craft foods. Registration for the 2016 Flavor of Georgia contest, which is conducted each year by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, is now open.