College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
June 3, 2019
Top Stories
Reecy Co-Authors National Report on Animal Genomics Research
CALS animal scientists, including James Reecy, associate vice president for research, helped form a blueprint to guide the next decade of animal genomics research. The recently released document outlines research priorities that will help livestock producers meet the protein needs of a growing global population. The blueprint calls for increased emphasis on how genomics interact with production methods and environmental factors to make livestock a predictive science. More
Research
Koltes, Ramirez Collaborators for $2 Million FFAR Dairy Study
CALS animal scientists James Koltes and Hugo Ramirez will participate in a $2 million study on dairy science and nutrition with funding from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. ISU is a collaborating institution in the project being led by Michigan State University. The goal is to improve dairy cow feed efficiency, to improve farmer profitability and reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of the dairy industry. ISU’s role centers around using genomics and precision livestock technologies as a basis for improving feed efficiency. More
VPR Survey: Looking for Researchers Interested in Industrial Hemp
The Office of the Vice President for Research is asking ISU researchers to fill out a survey by June 14 if they have an interest in researching industrial hemp, have been contacted by outside entities about industrial hemp research and application, or are interested in contributing to the development of regulations that will govern industrial hemp in Iowa. The recently passed Iowa Hemp Act requires that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship develop a plan and regulations around growing industrial hemp in Iowa. Once IDALS has developed its plan, it must be approved by USDA before any growing, processing or researching of industrial hemp can occur. The VPR’s office is organizing a steering committee to help develop ISU-specific processes and procedures for ensuring that future work is done to meet the authorization and state and federal expectations.
Extension and Outreach
ISU Northeast Farm Field Day Scheduled for June 26
Climate and commercial hemp will highlight the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm field day scheduled for June 26. Dennis Today, director of USDA's Midwest Climate Hub, will provide insights on this year's crop weather. Angie Rieck-Hinz, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomist, will discuss the likelihood of hemp production in Iowa for 2020. More
Organic Agronomy Training Scheduled for Aug. 14-15
Iowa is collaborating with Wisconsin and Minnesota to offer an Organic Agronomy Training Series Collaborative on Aug. 14-15 in La Crosse, Wis. The program will offer science-based education for agricultural professionals including agronomists, technical service providers, extension staff, agency personnel, educators and farmers - both organic and those interested in transitioning to organic. Speakers include Kathleen Delate, horticulture, agronomy and organic extension specialist. More
Around the College
CALS PIT Crew Help Room for Workday Training June 6
CALS PIT Crew is offering a help room at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, in the Dean’s Conference Room, 142 Curtiss, to help answer questions from faculty and staff about Workday training, assisting in registration for training and to begin thinking about “day one” of Workday on July 1. Bring your training questions and the CALS PIT Crew will do their best to answer.
Ag Ed and Studies Faculty and Staff Receive Awards at National Conference
Agricultural education and studies hosted the 2019 American Association for Agricultural Education conference in Des Moines on May 20-24. Mike Retallick was inducted as an AAAE Fellow. He is the fifth CALS faculty member inducted as a fellow; along with Greg Miller (2014), Robert Martin (2006), Richard Carter (2003) and David Williams (1993). Misty Lambert received the Journal of Agricultural Education Article of the Year award. Skyler Rinker, Scott Smalley and Mark Hainline received the Distinguished Poster Presentation award.
ISU Memorial Day Ceremony Remembers Those that Touched CALS
The annual ISU Memorial Day ceremony was held in the Reiman Ballroom of the ISU Alumni Center on May 27. Sponsored by the ISU Retirees Association, the ceremony remembers the lives of retired and current faculty and staff members, or their spouses or partners, who have recently passed away. There were 130 honored, including: Raymond Arritt, agronomy; Georgeanne Artz, economics; Morton Boyd, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Irving Carlson, agronomy; Patricia Dinsmore, wife of James Dinsmore, natural resource ecology and management; Judy Dolphin, wife of Warren Dolphin, genetics, development and cell biology; Linda Drennan, agricultural education and studies; Donald Durand, plant pathology and microbiology; Doris Epstein, wife of Abraham Epstein, plant pathology and microbiology; Thamon Hazen, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Murray Hefley, horticulture; Thomas Hillson, CALS information technology; Thomas Hoerner, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Howard Johnson, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Sandra Kellen, CALS administration; James Kiser, animal science; Marlys Ladd, wife of George Ladd, economics; Marion Martin, ISU Statistical Laboratory; Donelle Meyer, wife of Charles Meyer, economics; Beverly Owings, wife of William Owings, animal science; John Pesek, agronomy; Jack Riney, husband of Shirley Riney, agricultural experiment station; Gordon Rolph, horticulture; Sheldon Shen, genetics, development and cell biology; Joan (Jody) Stadler, genetics, development and cell biology; Harvey Thompson, agronomy; Dorothy Timmons, wife of John Timmons, economics; Dorothy Vos-Voelker, wife of Don Voelker, animal science; and Paul Wray, natural resource ecology and management. More
Calendar
June 12: Open House for RN to BSN Program
Food Science and Human Nutrition is hosting an open house for individuals interested in learning more about the registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing program at ISU. It will be held June 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the ISU Alumni Center. ISU professors will be on hand to explain how a BSN degree can help registered nurses improve patient outcomes and meet career goals. RSVP to nursing@iastate.edu. The open house can also be attended via Zoom. More
Infograzing
Deadline Extended to Decide Protected Status of Monarchs
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been working to assess the monarch butterfly’s status in response to a petition to list the species under the Endangered Species Act. In an agreement approved by the court, the deadline to determine whether the species warrants federal protection has been extended to December 15, 2020. More
Marginalia
Plants Outweigh All Other Life on Earth
Plants pack more heft than any other kingdom of life on the planet, making up 80% of all the carbon stored in living creatures. That’s just one surprise in a comprehensive new survey of Earth’s biomass, which finds that groups with the greatest number of species – such as arthropods – aren’t necessarily the heaviest. This May 21 post on Science is from the recently released Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
http://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is published by email every Monday. The deadline for submitting content is 12 p.m. on Friday.