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COLLEGE NEWS
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FACULTY, STAFF MEMBERS APPOINTED TO FOOD POLICY COUNCIL
Gov. Tom Vilsack has re-established the Iowa Food Policy Council for 2003 and appointed two Iowa State faculty and staff members to the group. Dean Catherine Woteki and Rich Pirog, program leader with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will serve on the council with producers and others interested in agriculture. The council will hold the second Iowa Food Policy Conference on Sept. 5 (see item in Infograzing). The Iowa Food Policy Council was created in 2000 and held its first food policy conference in April 2002. "The Iowa Food Policy Council provides invaluable advice and recommendations on how to create more opportunities for farmers, consumers and communities," Governor Vilsack said. “I am pleased to re-establish this council and to appoint these talented new members, who are dedicated to promoting a stronger and more diverse food system in Iowa.”
E-GOLDSHEET TIPS OFFERED ON WEB
The e-GoldSheet is an electronic routing system and authorization process that assures that proposals are submitted to sponsors with the required signatures and approval. The process is managed through a system called Liquid Office. The e-GoldSheet must be originated by administrative staff or the lead principal investigator. Tips on how to use the computer network and mandatory routing paths can be found online. Using the correct routing path and distribution units will ensure that authorization of your proposal will be complete and correct and will prevent delays in the submission process. For more information: Josie Six, 4-8920 or jsix@iastate.edu.
BEITZ RECIPIENT OF SWITZER AWARD
Donald Beitz, animal science/biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, is the recipient of the William P. Switzer Award in Veterinary Medicine. Established in 1998 by the College of Veterinary Medicine, the award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to society through their achievements, or have made major contributions to the enhancement of the College of Veterinary Medicine. The award was presented Aug. 15 during the College's Scholars Research Day. Beitz, a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, teaches courses in biochemistry, veterinary medicine and animal science. Beitz serves as a mentor to veterinary students who participate in the college's summer research program.
ISU AGRICULTURAL ECONOMISTS WIN AWARDS
The American Agricultural Economics Association presented awards to several Iowa State faculty members at its annual meeting last month. GianCarlo Moschini was named the 2003 American Agricultural Economics Association Fellow and Robert Wisner was named the 2003 American Agricultural Economics Association Extension Outlook Premiere Forecaster Award for Crop Production and Prices. Catherine Kling, Lyubov Kurkalova, Silvia Secchi, Phillip Gassman and Todd Campbell, all with CARD, and Manoj Jha, of ISU’s civil engineering department, placed first in the poster competition. At the meeting, the George E. Ladd Appreciation Club was chartered. Ladd was named Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture in 1985 and retired in 1992. The club recognizes Ladd’s contributions in advancing the understanding of marketing, international trade and research methods.
IMPACT FOR IOWANS WEB SITE UPDATED
The impacts of College of Agriculture teaching, research and extension programs are featured on the Web. The Impacts for Iowans web site is part of a USDA program to enhance its advocacy efforts with Congress by showing benefits to citizens. The USDA each year asks land-grant universities to submit impact statements for inclusion in its listing. The Iowa impacts are available online, and includes a link to the USDA Impact site. If you have ideas for new impacts, please call Barb McManus, 4-0707 or bamcman@iastate.edu.
SOYBEAN APHIDS MAKING A MARK IN IOWA
Soybean aphid populations have increased dramatically in fields across the state with growing populations noted in central, western and northwest counties. Numbers being reported in some fields have exceeded 1,000 to 2,000 aphids per plant. ISU Extension entomologists say numbers like this mean economic losses are likely and treatments are merited in most cases. Learn more: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/aug03/aug0306.html
CARD STUDIES LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS AND PROPERTY VALUES
In the midst of the controversy surrounding the location and effects of large livestock operations in rural Iowa, a new study by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) suggests there may be room for beneficial trade between livestock producers and neighboring homeowners. Overall, the study shows livestock facilities can affect property values.
SCIENTIFIC INDEX HELPS PRODUCERS MANAGE PHOSPHORUS
In 2001, a team of Iowa State scientists and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service staff released a new tool to help producers manage phosphorus. Research has shown phosphorus that moves from farm fields and into water bodies can cause algae blooms and other water-quality problems. Learn more about the Iowa Phosphorus Index in "Agriculture in Action."
FALL FORESTRY FIELD DAYS ANNOUNCED
ISU Extension and the Bureau of Forestry, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, are offering seven forestry field days this fall. The educational programs will show various management techniques for Iowa’s woodlands and forests. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/aug03/aug0307.html
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Aug. 19: Neely-Kinyon Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 4 p.m., near Greenfield
Aug. 19: Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm garden field day, 6:30 p.m., near Doon
Aug. 20: Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 9 a.m., near Doon
Aug. 22: Manure Application and Simulated Manure Spill Response Field Day, 10 a.m., near Calumet
Aug. 23: Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm garden field day, near Nashua, 4 p.m.
Aug. 26-28: Iowa Farm and Field Fest, near Boone
Aug. 26-28: Manure application and calibration demonstration activities as part of Iowa Farm and Field Fest, near Boone
Aug. 26: Western Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 1 p.m., near Castana
Aug. 28: 4th Annual Farms Food & the Future Conference, Scheman Building, http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/803/farms.htm
Aug. 28: McNay Research and Demonstration Farm garden field day, 5 & 6:30 p.m., near Chariton
Sept. 3: Northeast Iowa Manure Application Field Day, near Tripoli
Sept. 4: Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 1:30 p.m., near Nashua
Sept. 10: Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 1 p.m., near Crawfordsville
Sept. 11: Northern Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 9:30 a.m., near Kanawha
Sept. 15-16: Iowa Food Security Conference, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, West Des Moines, http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/903/security.htm
Sept. 18: Northwest Iowa Manure Application Field Day, near Doon
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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AUDIENCE GRABBERS: START WITH A BANG
The key to an effective presentation? Capture your audience in the first few seconds. Here are some strong starters:
--Make it personal
--Throw out a quirky fact
--Draw a hypothetical scenario
--Create a series of vignettes
--Use a pertinent quote
("Six Ways to Grab Your Audience Right From the Start," Harvard Management Communication Letter, June)
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INFOGRAZING
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DRAKE UNIVERSITY SPONSORS TWO FOOD POLICY MEETINGS
A national workshop examining food policy councils and the second Iowa Food Policy Conference will take place Sept. 4 and 5 at Drake University’s Olmsted Center. The workshop will include reports from food policy council members from various states. The conference will cover institutional purchasing of Iowa products, hunger issues and community food security assessment. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture is helping support the events. Reduced registration is available before Aug. 25.
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN SCHOLARS
The American Association of University Women has funding opportunities available for women scholars. Applications are available for a postdoctoral research leave fellowship, dissertation fellowship and research publication grant. Applications are due Nov. 15. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of scholarly excellence, teaching experience and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions or fields of research. More
NRI TO SEEK APPLICATIONS SOON
National Research Initiative (NRI) program descriptions and requests for applications are expected in the next several weeks. Researchers should expect one consolidated request for applications (RFAs) for fiscal 2004, according to CSREES. There may be additional RFAs for joint programs with other agencies or special initiatives later in the year, but the consolidated RFA will convey the broader scope of the program and identify opportunities for a wider range of proposals than sought in any single RFA in the past.
SURVEY FINDS LARGER FARMS HAVE GREATER COMPUTER USE
A USDA survey of computer usage on farm operations showed that larger farms are more likely to use computers for making business decisions. A recent Associated Press report pointed out:
- 68 percent of all U.S. farms earning $250,000 annually use computers to help make business decisions, compared with 27 percent of operations earning less than $250,000 per year
- 72 percent of large cattle farms and 66 percent of large grain enterprises use computers to help with decision making
- 77 percent of dairies with annual revenue of $250,000 use computers, compared with 32 percent of dairies earning less than $250,000 per year
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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WISDOM AS THE LAST ALTERNATIVE
"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."
--Abba Eban (1915-2002), former Israeli foreign minister
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MARGINALIA
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A RIBBON FOR A RESEARCH-FARM ROSE
Dave Rueber, superintendent at ISU’s Northern Research and Demonstration Farm, entered a Winnipeg Parks rose in this summer’s open class flower show at the Hancock County Fair. Rueber entered the rose as a way to gain visibility for the farm’s garden field day. But his entry ended up winning reserve champion in the rose division. Rueber reported several people came to the garden tour after seeing the rose at the fair. Cynthia Haynes, horticulture, provided the rose bush to the farm.
Next issue: August 25
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AG ONLINE
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EDITORS
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu, and Brian Meyer, bmeyer@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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