Issue: 589

................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... LOY NAMED IOWA BEEF CENTER INTERIM DIRECTOR Dan Loy, ISU Extension beef specialist for more than two decades, has been appointed interim director of the Iowa Beef Center. Loy assumed his new position on Feb. 1, when Center director John Lawrence became associate dean of extension and outreach for CALS. SWANSONS GIFT TO SUPPORT BEGINNING FARMER CENTER Ronald and Florine Swanson, through a deferred gift, will donate $125,000 to support the work of the Beginning Farmer Center, which conducts programs for farmers who want to transition their farm business to the next generation or individuals who want to get into farming. Ronald Swanson is a 1961 farm operations alum. Florine Swanson is a 1964 home economics education alum. More: http://www.foundation.iastate.edu/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=97…. A video of the Beginning Farmer Center is also available. HAYES TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS ON CAP-AND-TRADE BILL Dermot Hayes, economics, says current legislation in Congress on controlling carbon outputs could potentially increase corn and soybean prices more than 20 percent. It would be problematic, though, for livestock producers and crop growers who rent land. Hayes presented his findings to a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. KANWAR NAMED TO THAI UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP Ramesh Kanwar, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and chair of the agricultural and biosystems engineering department, has been named to a Thailand universitys international advisory committee. Kanwar will serve three years on the Khon Kaen Universitys advisory committee. Khon Kaen University is one of nine Thai universities that the Thailand government is investing in to improve research infrastructure, research productivity and international research rankings. Kanwar was invited to serve by Sumon Sakolchai, president of Khon Kaen University. JACKRABBIT STUDY IS BIG `HARE-Y DEAL The focus of a wildlife study, a cooperative joint venture between Iowa DNR and ISU, is to capture and install radio transmitters on white-tailed jackrabbits living at the Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farms. Amazingly abundant during the 1950s and 1960s, jackrabbit numbers have shown a steady decline during the past four decades. Today, they have nearly vanished from the state. BERGVINSON TO SPEAK ON ROLE OF GATES FOUNDATION IN FEEDING AFRICA AND SOUTH ASIA ON FEB. 22 David Bergvinson, senior program officer in agricultural development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will present Feeding Africa and South Asia: The Role of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Feb. 22 at 8 p.m., Memorial Union Sun Room. Bergvinson manages seven crop improvement grants within the Science & Technology division of the foundation. Sponsors include the agronomy department and the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding. CALS AMBASSADORS HOST TRANSFER STUDENTS ON FEB. 24 Students in the CALS Ambassador program are hosting a campus visit day for transfer students on Feb. 24 from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration deadline is Thursday, Feb. 18. More SUSTAINABLE WEED MANAGEMENT LECTURE ON FEB. 25 David Mortensen, a professor of weed ecology and biology at Pennsylvania State University, will present the David Staniforth Lecture on Feb. 25 at 4:10 to 5 p.m., EO 164 Lagomarcino Hall. Mortensens research focuses on elucidating the ecological principles underlying sustainable cropping systems. The Staniforth Lecture series is sponsored by the agronomy department. More: <a href="http://www.event.iastate.edu/event/20899/?sy=2010&sm=02&sd=25&featured=…">http://www.event.iastate.edu/event/20899/?sy=2010&sm=02&sd=25&a…; MASUMOTO PRESENTS SHIVVERS LECTURE ON FEB. 28 David Mas Masumoto will present the 2010 Shivvers Memorial Lecture on Wisdom of the Last FarmerWhy Memory Matters: Transformative Farming and Flavors on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m., Memorial Union Sun Room. Masumoto is an award-winning author and raises organic peaches, nectarines and grapes on his 80-acre farm in Del Ray, Ca. The lecture series is coordinated by the Leopold Center. More: <a href="http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/020810_peach.html">http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/020810_peach.html…; STUDY SHOWS INCREASED LOCAL FOOD IMPACT FROM METRO AREAS Increased demand in metropolitan areas for locally grown food could have a positive impact on neighboring rural economies in southwest Iowa, according to a new Leopold Center report. The economic analysis shows that a modest increase in fruit and vegetable production could bring an additional $2.67 million in labor income and the equivalent of 45 farm-level jobs to the 10-county region. More: <a href="http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/012710_swiowa.html">http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/012710_swiowa.htm…; IOWA LEARNING FARM OFFERS DVD OF TIPS FOR NO-TILL PLANTING Members of the Iowa Learning Farm team have created a DVD containing pointers for adjusting a planter for no-till farming systems. Converting Your Planter for No-till Operation is available for free. TABER RETIRES AFTER 35 YEARS WITH HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT Hank Taber, horticulture, will retire March 3 after 35 years of service to the department. A departmental reception will be held on Feb. 19. DEADLINES AND REMINDERS Feb. 23-24: Symposium on Sustainability Feb. 26: Deadline for Brenton Center classroom requests. Work through your department chair and the designated department representative. ................................................... EXTERNAL FUNDING ................................................... FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu March 8:  Proactive Recruitment in Introductory Science and Mathematics; two to four awards, $3 million total anticipated funding.   March 12: EPA Region 7 Strategic Agricultural Initiative Grant Program; one to two grants, $30,000 to $93,000, up to two years, $93,000 total anticipated funding. More: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-7-midwest March 17: USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment; regular research proposals up to $400,000 (including indirect) for two to five years, up to $1 million for priority areas of transformation-associated mutagenesis or environmental impacts of large-scale planting, conference proposals up to $20,000, $4 million total anticipated funding. March 24: ARRA OS: Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition:  Accelerating Implementation of Comparative Effectiveness Findings on Clinical and Delivery System Interventions by Leveraging AHRQ Networks (R18); applications for new networks will be considered, up to $5 million for three years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-10-014.html March 29 (letter of intent): Science of Behavior Change: Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01); support for six to seven new applications, $200,000 to $400,000 per year up to five years, $4 million total anticipated funding. More: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-002.html April 6: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program, standard grants and Educational Enhancement Teams, 25% cash or in-kind match, $18.24 million total anticipated funding.   April 7: FY 2010 NIWR-USGS Water Resources Research National Competitive Grants Program; up to $250,000 for three years, one-to-one matching funds required, $1 million total anticipated funding. April 12: Scientific Meetings for Creating Interdisciplinary Research Teams (R13); size and duration of awards will vary. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-106.html April 12 (preliminary proposals): Innovations in Biological Imaging and Visualization; two to 10 awards, $5 million total anticipated funding. More: <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10538/nsf10538.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT…">http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10538/nsf10538.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&am…; May 10 (letter of intent): Centers of Research Translation (P50); up to $1 million per year (direct costs) for five years, $6 million total anticipated funding for FY2011. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AR-11-002.html ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... CALS NAME PLATES AVAILABLE ONLINE Iowa States brand architecture is monolithicwhere the universitys nameplate is the primary identifier for all units, divisions, products and services. The consistent and proper use of the nameplate combined with a college or unit name not only strengthens recognition for Iowa State University, but it also projects the universitys reputation to all of its units. College name plates can be downloaded from the CALS website. ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... CALS FACULTY TO SPEAK AT IOWA WATER CONFERENCE MARCH 8-9 The Iowa Water Conference, Pulling it all Together: Policy, Programs and Practices, will be held March 8-9, at the Scheman Building. Several CALS faculty will speak, including at a workshop on watershed management featuring Kendall Lamkey and Gene Takle, agronomy, and Matt Helmers, ag and biosystems engineering. FOCUS ON SOYBEAN PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL WEBCASTS The Plant Management Networks Focus on Soybean is a new web-based resource that includes educational webcasts, searchable resources, and websites that help plant practitioners enhance the health, management and production of soybean crops. ISU is an official partner, so this resource is free for anyone with an iastate.edu e-mail address. A recent webcast on how to maximize soybean yield by Palle Pedersen, agronomy, will be available to access until Feb. 26. More: https://www.planthealthexchange.org/soybean/Pages/default.aspx INSTRUMENTATION FACILITIES SURVEY DUE FEB. 18 As part of the universitys budget planning, an equipment facilities task force was created, and includes CALS faculty James Reecy and William Beavis, agronomy, and Guru Rao, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology. As part of their work, the task force is asking for input through an online survey found online. Please submit by Feb. 18. BIOTECHNOLOGY UPDATE AVAILABLE ONLINE The latest issue of the Office of Biotechnologys Biotechnology Update is available online. ................................................... INTERNAL VOICES ................................................... BESSER SHARES INSIGHT ON SMALL TOWNS FOR STORY ON UPCOMING TRIAL Terry Besser, sociology, studies Iowas small towns and provided her insight for a Des Moines Register article on the upcoming Becker trial in Butler County. She points to the towns embrace of the Becker family as an indication that Parkersburg could once again prove resilient. KIRSCHENMANN ON INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF WATER, FARM LAND Although the science of ecology has been evolving for decades, it has barely begun to influence the agriculture paradigm of the 21st century. We still manage farms as if all of the parts of the farm, including water, are separate entities. We are gradually learning that farming as a command and control enterprise in this interconnected world is subject to enormous unintended consequences. Fred Kirschenmann, Leopold Center distinguished fellow, in a National Geographic essay titled Tending the Land, part of a new book titled Written in Water: Messages of Hope for Earths Most Precious Resource. ................................................... EXTERNAL VOICES ................................................... THE VITAL ROLE OF LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES On Feb. 11, 2010, well honor [our land-grant] history and CSUs role in serving our state when we celebrate the universitys 140th anniversaryThe unique service mission of CSU and other land-grant universities is part of what has made these institutions such a critical part of our nations higher education system and the fabric of our democracyAs we confront the complex challenges of our own age and the ongoing need for a highly skilled, educated workforce, land-grant universities like CSU will continue to play a vital role providing research, outreach, and the opportunity for an affordable and quality education to all our citizens. Joe Blake and Tony Frank, in an article published in the Feb. 11 issue of The Denver Post. Blake is chancellor of Colorado State University System. Frank is president of Colorado State University. More: <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_14374970#ixzz0fEXB8uJE">http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_14374970#ixzz0fEXB8uJE</a> ................................................... MARGINALIA ................................................... HODGSON WINS YOUTUBE YOUR ENTOMOLOGY CONTEST Erin Hodgson, entomology, was presented a Stinger Award at the 2009 Entomological Society of America annual meeting in December. She won the open category of the YouTube Your Entomology contest with Chloes Monarch Adventure. Chloe is Hodgsons 5-year-old niece who collected and reared monarchs last summer. More: <a href="http://www.ent.iastate.edu/news/hodgsonyoutube">http://www.ent.iastate.edu/news/hodgsonyoutube</a> ........................................................ AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ........................................................ EDITOR Julie Stewart, jstewart@iastate.edu Phone: (515) 294-5616 SUBSCRIBE Ag and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is e-mailed every Monday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag and Life Sciences Online subscribe" to jstewart@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag and Life Sciences Online unsubscribe." Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3210 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.