COLLEGE NEWS
- Brown-bag lunch on Sept. 20 focuses on ag structure
- Nearly half of ag freshmen are women
- Dean Ross to meet with Iowans and alumni in five cities
- More than 300 students attend Cargill meeting
- Regents’ facilities requests include livestock units
- The horror, the horror: It’s bug night tonight
- ISU receives USDA IFAFS funds for work in multistate projects
- ISU, USDA agree to merge grain quality databases
- Kirschenmann to speak on water quality issues
- Schedule spring classes now in the Brenton Center
- Shuman to speak on local food systems on Sept. 18
- Speaker on intergenerational dialogue on Sept. 19
- Date and location changes for next Ag Comm workshop
- Sigma Alpha to hold farm safety program for kids Sept. 23
- Think Tank on Animal Ag to address disease Sept. 25
- I-HELP fellow to speak on sub-Saharan crop farming
- Leopold Center helps put the beef in Sloss cookout
- Peruvian rural development expert visiting ISU
- Panama travel course planned by economics, agronomy
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- A tip on changing Iowa area code in databases
INFOGRAZING
- 2000 World Food Prize goes to corn researchers
- World Food Prize thanks ISU for 10 years as secretariat
INTERNAL VOICES
- Kirschenmann on perceiving ag as a public good
EXTERNAL VOICES
- In praise of daydreaming
MARGINALIA
- Pop quiz: Who pickles pigs’ feet in Iowa?
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C O L L E G E N E W S
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BROWN BAG LUNCH ON SEPT. 20 FOCUSES ON AG STRUCTURE
A reminder that the first College of Agriculture brown-bag lunch with Dean Ross will be held at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 20, in 142 Curtiss. The topic for the meeting is the changing structure of the food and agriculture sector and issues and implications for the college. Marvin Hayenga, economics, will start the discussion with a brief overview of changes in agriculture. Beverages will be provided. For more information: Karen Bolluyt, 4-3701, or kbolluyt@iastate.edu.
NEARLY HALF OF AG FRESHMEN ARE WOMEN
This fall female students make up nearly half of the 617 freshmen enrolled in the College of Agriculture -- 303 women compared to 314 men. Five years ago, about 42 percent of freshmen were women. Women make up about 42 percent of the college’s total undergraduate students this fall and about 35 percent of the graduate students. Overall, there are 130 fewer undergraduate students this fall (2,758) compared to last fall, and four fewer graduate students (626). Tom Polito, director of student services, attributed the decline to strength in other economic sectors outside of agriculture and the college's large graduating class last year.
DEAN ROSS TO MEET WITH IOWANS AND ALUMNI IN FIVE CITIES
ISU alumni and the public are invited to dine with Dean Richard Ross in November and December. Five Dutch-treat dinners are planned in five cities: Nov. 21 in Hartley, Nov. 22, Elkader; Nov. 28, West Des Moines; Dec. 7, Clarinda; and Dec. 14, Mount Pleasant. The dinners begin at 6 p.m. A program featuring Dean Ross will be followed by dessert and coffee. Preceding each dinner will be an information session for alumni interested in becoming agricultural ambassadors for ISU. The program will ask participants to let local young people know about opportunities available at ISU and in agricultural careers.
MORE THAN 300 STUDENTS ATTEND CARGILL MEETING
More than 300 students met with representatives from Cargill last night (Thursday) at an informational meeting held in the Sun Room, Memorial Union. Cargill employees spoke to students about career and internship opportunities. The Cargill group also visited with faculty, staff and administrators. Cargill’s Higher Education Initiative works to build mutually beneficial relationships with key schools and awards grants to university programs. ISU was one of the first five schools identified for Cargill's initiative. Cargill employs nearly 300 ISU alumni and is an active recruiter on campus.
REGENTS’ FACILITIES REQUESTS INCLUDE LIVESTOCK UNITS
At its Sept. 13-14 meeting, the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approved capital improvement appropriations requests for FY02 of nearly $57.8 million for the regents institutions. One request is for $4.9 million for new and remodeled swine and cattle research units. The funds would help improve facilities at the Bilsland swine breeding farm, the animal science teaching center, the Beef Nutrition Research Farm and the Rhodes Research and Demonstration Farm.
THE HORROR, THE HORROR: IT’S BUG NIGHT TONIGHT
ISU’s annual Insect Horror Film Festival is tonight (Friday), 6 to 10 p.m., South Ballroom, Memorial Union. Visit the insect petting zoo, taste the bug goodies, watch the flick "Microcosmos," and maybe walk away with a giveaway -- a hissing cockroach. The event is sponsored by the Entomology Club, Student Union Board and the Committee on Lectures.
ISU RECEIVES USDA IFAFS FUNDS FOR WORK IN MULTISTATE PROJECTS
Six projects involving ISU have been awarded nearly $10 million from the USDA. This week USDA Secretary Dan Glickman announced the awarding of 86 grants totaling more than $113 million in the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems grant program. Nearly 1,000 proposals were submitted. ISU is the lead institution on two grants totaling $1,137,000 and a collaborator on four grants that total more than $8.8 million.
ISU, USDA AGREE TO MERGE GRAIN QUALITY DATABASES
The USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) and Iowa State have agreed to merge their corn and soybean databases for determining grain quality traits. The combined database, which contain information from thousands of corn and soybean samples, will be "the best in the world," said Charles Hurburgh, director of ISU's Grain Quality Lab. GIPSA and ISU's Grain Quality Lab have used the databases to calibrate Infratec near-infrared transmittance analyzers. The Infratec is the instrument used in official grain inspections for measuring protein, oil and starch in corn and protein and oil in soybeans.
KIRSCHENMANN TO SPEAK ON WATER QUALITY ISSUES
Leopold Center director Fred Kirschenmann will speak on sustainable production systems and water quality issues on Monday, Sept. 18, at 4:10 p.m., National Swine Research and Information Center auditorium (Room 1131). The seminar is the second in a water quality series organized by the Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute.
SCHEDULE SPRING CLASSES NOW IN THE BRENTON CENTER
The Brenton Center is accepting requests for scheduling regular on-campus classes and events for spring semester 2001. Courses planned for ICN or videotape delivery have already been scheduled. If you would like to teach in the Brenton Center, make your request through your DEO or department representative who handles scheduling. To qualify for priority scheduling, the center must receive requests by Monday, Sept. 18. For more information: Ann Bugler, 4-9732, or bugler@iastate.edu.
SHUMAN TO SPEAK ON LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS ON SEPT. 18
Social activist and author Michael Shuman will speak on creating self-reliant communities through local food systems on Monday, Sept. 18, 3 to 4:30 p.m., Pioneer Room, Memorial Union. Shuman founded the Center for Innovative Diplomacy, which advocates environmental protection through citizen participation in international affairs. He is working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to develop a community-owned chicken-processing plant. The presentation is sponsored by Vision 2020, the Leopold Center and the Henry A. Wallace Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
SPEAKER ON INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE ON SEPT. 19
On Sept. 19, consultant and author James V. Gambone will speak on building community through intergenerational dialogue. The lecture, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Sun Room, Memorial Union, is part of ISU’s year-long "Strengthening Families" theme. Sponsors include ISU Extension.
DATE AND LOCATION CHANGES FOR NEXT AG COMM WORKSHOP
The date for the second Ag Comm workshop, "Assessment and Evaluation: Using Rubrics in the Classroom," has been changed to Thursday, Sept. 21, 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The location also has changed to 142 Curtiss. If you plan to attend, RSVP to Norma Hensley, 4-6614 or nhensley@iastate.edu. For more information: Robert Martin, 4-5904 or drmartin@iastate.edu.
SIGMA ALPHA TO HOLD FARM SAFETY PROGRAM FOR KIDS SEPT. 23
Central Iowa elementary and middle school students will learn how to avoid farm dangers at an ISU event on Sept. 23. The program is a service project organized by ISU students in Sigma Alpha, the professional society for women in agriculture. The children will learn how to deal with hazards involving electricity, chemicals, tractors and livestock. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Livestock Pavilion, Kildee Hall. For more information: Holly Blackford, 233-9341.
THINK TANK ON ANIMAL AG TO ADDRESS DISEASE SEPT. 25
Do highly productive food animals have more disease problems? Nolan Hartwig, production animal medicine, will address the question at the next Think Tank on Animal Agriculture gathering. The Sept. 25 meeting begins with a social time at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the Oak Room, Memorial Union. Make a reservation by Sept. 22 by calling Jane Linn, 4-2063. Cost is $11, payable at the door. For more information: Don Beitz, dcbeitz@iastate.edu, or Gene Freeman, genef@iastate.edu.
I-HELP FELLOW TO SPEAK ON SUB-SAHARAN CROP FARMING
On Sept. 28, David Kwaw-Mensah of the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, will speak on small-scale crop farming in sub-Saharan Africa. The seminar will be held at 4:10 p.m. in 2020 Agronomy. Kwaw-Mensah is on campus this fall as one of 19 fellows participating in the International Higher Education Loan Program (I-HELP). For more information: Elena Polouchkina, 4-8493 or elenap@iastate.edu.
LEOPOLD CENTER HELPS PUT THE BEEF IN SLOSS COOKOUT
The Margaret Sloss Women’s Center open house on Thursday featured hamburgers made from organic beef. The meat was purchased from Rosmann Family Farms of Harlan with support from the Leopold Center. The Women’s Center recognized Maria Rosmann of the farming operation as a "Visionary Iowa Woman."
PERUVIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERT VISITING ISU
María Fernández, a rural sociologist with the National Agricultural University of Peru, is developing collaborative projects this fall as a visiting professor at the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development. She will design a rural development project for ISU and Grupo Yanapai, a nonprofit organization in Peru's Central Highlands. Faculty and staff interested in collaborating with Fernandez can call 4-4295.
PANAMA TRAVEL COURSE PLANNED BY ECONOMICS, AGRONOMY
The economics and agronomy departments are organizing a Panama travel course. Students will study tropical production agriculture, trade and international business. This is a spring-semester course, but students will attend weekly orientation sessions beginning in October. The trip is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 28 to Jan. 6. For more information: Ebby Luvaga, 4-5765 or luvaga@iastate.edu, or Russ Mullen, 4-3271 or remullen@iastate.edu.
DEADLINES & REMINDERS
Sept. 15: Insect Horror Film Festival, South Ballroom, Memorial Union, 6 to 10 p.m.
Sept. 18: Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) mini-symposium, Ensminger Conference Room, Kildee Hall, 8 a.m., 4-3280
Sept. 20: College of Agriculture brown-bag lunch, 142 Curtiss, noon
Sept. 20: Wednesday Art Walk with Bud Ewing, Food Sciences Courtyard, noon
Sept. 22: Faculty professional development assignment applications due, 138 Curtiss
Sept. 25: Think Tank on Animal Agriculture: Nolan Hartwig, presenter, Oak Room, Memorial Union, 6 p.m.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
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A TIP ON CHANGING IOWA AREA CODE IN DATABASES
Rick Exner, extension farming systems coordinator for Practical Farmers of Iowa, recently updated the telephone numbers in a database of 7,000 addresses. The update reflects the area code change for some parts of central Iowa from 515 to 614. Exner has offered to share a text file he created that contains all the phone prefixes of communities where the area code is changing. The text file can be used as a selection device to make changes in a database’s phone number field. He says that depending on the software you use, some changes may need to be made to the document, but it can be done with a search-and-replace function. (Exner uses Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Access.) Contact Exner at 4-5486 or exner@iastate.edu.
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I N F O G R A Z I N G
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2000 WORLD FOOD PRIZE GOES TO CORN RESEARCHERS
The 2000 World Food Prize was awarded to biochemist Evangelina Villegas of Mexico and plant geneticist Surinder Vasal of India for their work in developing quality protein maize, which has improved diets in many developing countries. They will be honored at an Oct. 12 ceremony in Des Moines and at an Oct. 16 event in New York City. They also will participate in the World Food Prize's Oct. 12-13 symposium in Des Moines on the safety of genetically modified crops and GMOs' role in feeding developing countries.
WORLD FOOD PRIZE THANKS ISU FOR 10 YEARS AS SECRETARIAT
In announcing the 2000 World Food Prize winners last week, John Ruan, chairman of the prize foundation, and Kenneth Quinn, foundation president, expressed their appreciation to ISU’s College of Agriculture for its service as secretariat of the foundation. The college completed a 10-year agreement, and earlier this year the secretariat duties were transferred to the foundation’s office in Des Moines.
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I N T E R N A L V O I C E S
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KIRSCHENMANN ON PERCEIVING AG AS A PUBLIC GOOD
The following excerpt is from Leopold Center director Fred Kirschenmann’s speech at this week’s Gamma Sigma Delta dinner (for the full text, see http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/). "If agriculture comes to mind at all for modern suburbanites, it is usually in connection with a problem that agriculture is perceived to have created . . . One of the challenges we face today is to develop a vision for agriculture that will enable citizens to perceive it, once again, as a public good. That vision must be grounded in observable results that meet the public’s expectations. Those expectations . . . go beyond providing adequate quantities of safe, nutritious, good-tasting food. Today the public expects, at least, that agriculture produce healthy ecosystems, human communities that enable families and farm workers to live a decent life, and domestic animal environments that show respect for normal animal behavior. Any vision for agriculture that fails to meet these ‘on the ground’ objectives is not likely to be sufficiently compelling to enlist the support of urban and suburban citizens. Simplistic cliches like ‘feeding the world’ won’t do."
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E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
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IN PRAISE OF DAYDREAMING
"Daydreaming does not enjoy tremendous prestige in our culture, which tends to regard it as unproductive thought . . . Unlike any other form of thought, daydreaming is its own reward. For regardless of the result (if any), the very process of daydreaming is pleasurable. And, I would guess, is probably a psychological necessity. For isn’t it in our daydreams that we acquire some sense of what we are about? Where we try on futures and practice our voices before committing ourselves to words or deeds? Daydreaming is where we go to cultivate the self, or, more likely, selves, out of the view and earshot of other people. Without its daydreams, the self is apt to shrink down to the size and shape of the estimation of others." Author Michael Pollan, from his 1997 book, "A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder."
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M A R G I N A L I A
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POP QUIZ: WHO PICKLES PIGS’ FEET IN IOWA?
At the recent Iowa Food Industry Day organized by the food science and human nutrition department, extension food scientist Bill LaGrange (who’s retiring after 38 years) quizzed his audience on food processing in Iowa. Here are some of his questions. Answers are below.
A. What plant makes instant breakfast powder, coffee whitener and malted milk?
B. What state is number one in corn syrup production?
C. What company makes Jello pudding?
D. Where is the world’s largest food processing plant under one roof?
E. Who is the only capon processor in the United States?
F. What firm produces pickled pigs’ feet?
G. What Iowa processor is the most "hardboiled"?
H. Where is the world’s largest honey marketing association?
I. What company dissolves pig skin to make gelatin?
J. Who is Iowa’s largest cookie maker?
ANSWERS: A) Nestle Beverage Co., Waverly B) Iowa C) Kraft General Foods, Mason City D) Quaker Oats, Cedar Rapids E) Wapsie Produce, Decorah F) Heartland Specialty Foods, Fort Dodge G) Sunny Fresh Foods, Panora (produces hardboiled eggs) H) Sioux City (Sioux Honey Association) I) Sanofi Bio-Industries, Dubuque J) Archway, Boone.
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AG ONLINE
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NEXT ISSUE: Sept. 29 DEADLINE: Sept. 27
EDITORS
Brian Meyer, bmeyer@iastate.edu, and Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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