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COLLEGE NEWS
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IOWA STATE-DEVELOPED APPLES BEING PROVIDED TO DINING HALLS
Chieftain apples harvested at the Horticulture Station near Gilbert are being sold to the Iowa State Department of Residence for student meals. The Chieftain apple was developed at Iowa State by crossing Jonathan and Delicious varieties. Mark Honeyman, coordinator of ISU Research and Demonstration Farms, said budget cuts led the farms to explore ways to generate revenue. Selling to Iowa State and providing an apple developed at the university also were pluses, he said. About 250 bushels of Chieftains will be provided through the semester. Displays promote the apples’ connection with Iowa State. The apples are being given to students as eating apples, but the variety also is used for cooking. The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom has been using them in recipes.
ALPHA ZETA BANQUET NOV. 9
There is a Nov. 1 deadline for reserving a spot at the Alpha Zeta banquet. The banquet will be 5:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Hotel at Gateway Center. Sign up in 23 Curtiss, 253 Bessey or contact Nicky Webb at 232-4737 or nwebb@iastate.edu. Paul Lasley, chair of the sociology department is the guest speaker. The cost is $24. Alpha Zeta is a professional national honorary fraternity of agriculture and natural resources. Its mission is to promote leadership, scholarship, character and excellence in the field of agriculture and natural resources.
RESEACHER ANALYZES BIOBASED PRODUCT MANUFACTURING
Two years ago, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy invited faculty to propose university-wide initiatives that would enhance scholarship. The Bioeconomy Initiative was one of five selected for support. It involves faculty and industry partners working together on the rapid development of new biobased products. Rob Anex joined Iowa State’s agricultural and biosystems engineering department in August. His position was created as part of the new initiative. Learn more in "Agriculture in Action."
IOWA VALUES FUND SUPPORTS BIOLOGICS FACILITY AT RESEARCH PARK
At its meeting last week, the Iowa Values Fund Board voted to support the regent universities' request for $25 million to be used for economic development initiatives. The Iowa Values Fund legislation designated $10 million for Iowa State to construct a biologics facility and incubator at the ISU Research Park.
AGRONOMY EMERITUS PROFESSOR TO BE HONORED BY NATIONAL FFA
Ken Larson, Iowa State University emeritus professor of agronomy, will be presented an Honorary American FFA Degree by the National FFA Organization. Larson was nominated by the Iowa FFA Association for his work with FFA Crops Career Development Events in Missouri and Iowa that he began in 1970. The award is presented to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment. Larson will travel to Louisville, Ky. to receive the award on Oct. 31 at the 2003 National FFA Convention.
FARMLAND CONSERVATION PLANNING FOR 2004
Iowa State University agronomist Mahdi Al-Kaisi recommends that Iowa farmers include conservation planning as part of their 2004 management matrix. “Right now is the best time to conduct an annual review of conservation plans, based on field observations and the outcomes seen over the past growing season, and several issues need to be addressed when examining conservation plans for 2004,” says Al-Kaisi. Learn more: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/oct03/oct0319.html
UPDATE ON WORLD FEED GRAINS AND SOYBEAN SUPPLIES
World feed grain and wheat carryover stocks have been declining for four years, while global soybean carryover stocks have been increasing for the past six years and are estimated to be 150 percent above 1999 levels. In the United States, farmers are harvesting the largest corn crop on record, while soybean production is estimated to be down 10 percent from last year and down 15 percent from two years ago. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/oct03/oct0315.html
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Oct. 27: I.W. Arthur Memorial Lecture, "Long-term Economic Growth and the History of Technology," by Joel Mokyr of Northwestern University, 4:10 p.m. in 160 Heady Hall
Oct. 27: Colloquium, "Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics," Robert Jernigan, 4:10 p.m., 5 Physics, 4-5441
Oct. 28: Issues Related to Crop Bioterrorism and Food Security seminar, Gustavo Mora-Aguilera, Colegio Postgraduado, Texcoco, Mexico, 4:10 p.m., 210 Bessey
Oct. 29: Ag Comm workshop, Research Papers in a New Light: Writing for Actual Workplace Purposes, noon, Room 8, Curtiss Hall, RSVP to Cheryl Abrams at 4-5872 or cabrams@iastate.edu
Oct. 30: Deadline for Meat Science Club ham orders
Nov. 1: Block & Bridle Club sausage and cheese gift packs available
Nov. 3: 2003 Shivvers Lecture, “EPA's Perspective on Agriculture and Its Relation to Water Quality in Iowa,” Jim Gulliford, Region 7 administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 4:10 p.m., Pioneer Room, Memorial Union
Nov. 13: Presidential University Lecture, “From a Sow’s Ear to a Silk Purse: The Promise of Genomics,” Max Rothschild, C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture in animal science, 8 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union
Nov. 18-19: 2003 Beef Feedlot Conference, Hotel at Gateway Center, more: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/oct03/oct0310.html
Nov. 19: How to Work with the Leopold Center and its New Initiatives, 4 to 6:30 p.m., 2050 Agronomy
Nov. 17: Iowa Organic Conference, Scheman Building, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/1103/organic.htm
Nov. 21: Deadline for nominating faculty and staff for College and ISU Foundation awards
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COMMUNICATION KIOSK
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GOOGLE SEARCH TIPS TO NARROW RESULTS
PC Magazine’s online edition is offering 20 “secrets” for searching on google.com. Here are a few of the tips:
Intitle: at the beginning of a query word or phrase (intitle:"Three Blind Mice") restricts the search results to just the titles of Web pages. Intext: does the opposite of intitle:, searching only the body text, ignoring titles, links and so forth. Intext: is for searching for information that commonly appears in URLs. Using site: with intitle: finds certain types of pages. For example, get scholarly pages about Mark Twain by searching for intitle"Mark Twain"site:edu. The article is located online.
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INFOGRAZING
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FORUM NOV. 14 ON EUROPEAN UNION’S GMO RULES
A public forum will be held Nov. 14 in the Scheman Building to discuss the European Union's (EU) new genetically modified organisms (GMO) requirements and how U.S. agribusiness can meet them. The EU recently adopted a revised legislative framework to trace and label GMOs and to regulate marketing and labeling food and feed products derived from them. The forum’s keynote speaker will be J. Ferriere from the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade. He will address the forum at 10 a.m. in the Benton Auditorium and meet with interested groups in the afternoon. The public is invited to attend presentations and exhibits on commercial traceability services offered by companies and organizations. The exhibits will be located in the first floor lobby of the Scheman Building. The traceability services presentations will be given beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Benton Auditorium. There is no registration fee for any of the events.
CAST ANNUAL REPORT AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology has published its 2002 Annual Report. It is available for viewing as a PDF document on the CAST website: http://www.cast-science.org. Click on "About CAST" in the left-hand menu column, then scroll down and click on Annual Report 2002. Contact the CAST office (cast@cast-science.org) if you would like a hard copy of the report.
CSREES LISTS OPEN REQUESTS FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, Feb. 5, 2004 closing date for phase II
Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities -- National AgrAbility Project, March 25, 2004 closing date
Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program -- National Integrated Food Safety Initiative, Dec. 19 closing date
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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FARMING MEASURES ITS SUCCESS TOO NARROWLY
“Modern farming looks good because it measures its own success narrowly – by increases in productivity and falling commodity prices that allow for cheap food. But modern farming tends to ignore its own multi-functional nature and subsequently many of its other costs and benefits.”
-- Jules Pretty, director of the Centre for the Environment and Society at the University of Essex, who presented a seminar at Iowa State Oct. 20 titled "Re-Thinking Agri-culture: As if the Real World Matters" (http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/events/pretty_10-03.pdf)
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MARGINALIA
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COLLEGE STUDENTS TEST ENDURANCE OUTSIDE OF CLASS
Steve Bunch, a sophomore in animal science, completed the Oct. 12 Chicago Marathon. It was his first marathon and he finished it in 3 hours, 50 minutes. Bunch prepared for the 26.2-mile distance event by running 4-6 miles a day and on weekends competing in 5K and 10K runs, and doing half marathons around Iowa. Luke Anderson, a junior in ag & biosystems engineering, took part in the Sept. 7 Ironman Wisconsin triathlon, finishing ninth in the men’s 18-24 year-old division and 146 overall. More than 1,800 athletes competed in the event that took place in Madison and neighboring Dane County. It was his first Ironman triathlon, which consists of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles.
Next issue: Nov. 3
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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/
SUBSCRIBE
Ag Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture, is e-mailed every Monday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag Online subscribe" to edadcock@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag Online unsubscribe."
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 1031 Wallace Road Office Building, Room 101, (515) 294-7612.