COLLEGE NEWS FIRST DRAFT OF ISU STRATEGIC PLAN READY FOR COMMENTS The first draft of ISU’s next strategic plan has been posted for comment. College of Agriculture faculty and staff serving on the strategic plan committee are: Dean Woteki; Charlotte Bronson, plant pathology; Jack Girton, biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology; Brian Meyer, Agriculture Communications; Deland Myers, food science and human nutrition; and Greg Tylka, plant pathology.
GEOFFROY, WINTERSTEEN ON TALK OF IOWA TUESDAY President Gregory Geoffroy and College of Agriculture senor associate dean Wendy Wintersteen will be guests during the 9 a.m. hour of WOI Radio’s Talk of Iowa on Tuesday, Aug. 31. The program (on AM 640) will air live from the Farm Progress Show near Alleman. More information on Iowa State University at the Farm Progress Show.
NEW STUDENT BARBECUE SET FOR WEDNESDAY A barbecue for freshman and transfer students Wednesday, Sept. 1, includes an opportunity to learn about different clubs in the College of Agriculture. It will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Agronomy Courtyard. The rain location is the Farm Bureau Pavilion adjacent to Kildee Hall. Contact: Tara Jo Brass at tjbrass@iastate.edu.
DATES ADDED TO GET-ACQUAINTED SERIES WITH MCEOWEN Roger McEowen, the new associate professor of agricultural education and studies specializing in agricultural law, is scheduled to present three more “get acquainted” seminars around Iowa. The series of eight seminars begin Tuesday, Aug. 31. New dates include noon Sept. 15 in Fort Dodge; noon Sept. 21 in Calmar; and 1 p.m. Sept. 29 in Sheldon. Contact: Pat Stephenson at 4-2210 or pmonroe@iastate.edu.
SYMPOSIUM SEPT. 8 ON AGROECOLOGY/WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE Faculty are invited to participate in a poster symposium on Sept. 8 to learn more about the establishment of a new College of Agriculture initiative in agroecology and water quality. The session will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Scheman Building. The initiative will focus primarily on agroecological/production zone mapping; development of a potential crops database for Iowa; multiple use/multiple function of Iowa's lands; temporal and spatial management in agriculture; and watershed design. Faculty members interested in participating in the symposium should contact Rick Cruse, 4-7850 or rmc@iastate.edu. Participants will be asked to bring an existing poster that illustrates their expertise, interests or recent research.
DRAINAGE FORUM INCLUDES ISU AG ENGINEERS The College of Agriculture and ISU Extension are among the sponsors of the fifth annual Minnesota-Iowa Drainage Research Forum Sept. 16 in Owatonna, Minn. The regional conference will include presentations by Matt Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and recently retired agricultural engineers Stewart Melvin and Jim Baker. Helmers also is helping organize the forum. Contact: Helmers at 4-6717 or mhelmers@iastate.edu.
DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR HOOP CONFERENCE Sept. 1 is the deadline for lower-cost registration for a national conference focusing on using hoop barns and bedded systems for producing livestock. At the Sept. 14 conference, participants will have the opportunity to step inside a virtual hoop structure developed at Iowa State as a tool for housing design. The conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Gateway Center. Cost is $25 before Sept. 1 and $35 after that date. The registration fee includes lunch, breaks, all sessions, access to the virtual reality display, exhibits and a printed copy of the Hoop Barn Manual, produced by Midwest Plan Service. A registration form is available on the conference website Contact: Beth Weiser, 4-0557 or weiser@iastate.edu.
SYMPOSIUM ON SWINE HOUSING AFTER HOOPS CONFERENCE An international scientific symposium on alternative swine housing systems will take place Sept. 15, the day after the national conference on raising livestock in hoop barns. The symposium will be held in the Ensminger Room, Kildee Hall, and will include many of the conference speakers. Both sessions are being organized by the Hoop Group, a team of faculty from animal science, agricultural and biosystems engineering, economics and sociology. Researchers from Australia, Canada, England, The Netherlands and Ukraine will present with speakers from Iowa State and other U.S. institutions. Contact: Mark Honeyman, 4-4621 or honeyman@iastate.edu.
FACULTY, STUDENTS HONORED AT ANIMAL SCIENCE MEETINGS Iowa State animal scientists and students were honored at the July meeting of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) and Poultry Science Association (PSA): - Marshall Jurgens, ASAS Fellow for teaching - Richard Robson, ASAS Fellow for research - Colin Scanes, ASAS Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award - Lloyd Anderson, ASAS Animal Growth and Development Award - Jack Dekkers, ADSA J. L. Lush Award for breeding research - Gerd Bobe, ADSA Richard M. Hoyt Graduate Student Excellence Award - Susie Vaughan, ADSA Genevieve Christen Undergraduate Student Award - Don Beitz began a three-year term as a director on the ADSA board.
ISU PLANT PATHOLOGISTS RECEIVE NATIONAL AWARDS During the American Phytopathological Society’s national meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Thomas Harrington was named a fellow of the society and Mark Gleason was presented the Lee M. Hutchins Award, which is presented to the author of published research on basic or applied aspects of diseases of perennial fruit plants.
ISU EXPERTS IN MEDIA GUIDE ON FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION ISU experts are listed in the International Food Information Council's (IFIC) new Media Guide on Food Safety and Nutrition, 2004-2006. Dean Woteki is listed with expertise in adult nutrition, health and physical activity; safety of meat, poultry and eggs; safety of dietary supplements; and food bioterrorism. Diane Birt, food science and human nutrition, is listed with expertise in diet and cancer prevention; phytochemicals and health. Jim Dickson, animal science, is listed with expertise in microbiology and food irradiation. Colin Scanes, who recently left animal science for Mississippi State University, is listed with expertise in general plant science issues and benefits. The IFIC communicates science-based information on health, nutrition and food safety.
WINTER IS COMING -- EARLY FROST AT RESEARCH FARM David Rueber, superintendent at the Northern Research and Demonstration Farm at Kanawha, reports that on the morning of Aug. 21 the temperature reached 36 degrees Fahrenheit. “Not only did the cucumbers, birdhouse gourds and eggplants in the demonstration garden lose a few leaves, but some soybean plants lost leaves to frost in two areas of the farm where last year's corn stalks were thick and the soybean stand thin,” Rueber said.
GRANTS OFFERED FOR INNOVATIVE PORK PROJECTS Farmers, businesses, educators and researchers are invited to submit their ideas for projects that address challenges in emerging markets for niche pork products. Grants of up to $6,000 will be available in October from the Pork Niche Market Working Group, an effort that involves more than 30 organizations interested in niche pork opportunities. Details: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2004/PNMWG_082704.htm&…;
BRONZE-COLORED LEAVES IN IOWA SOYBEAN FIELDS DRAW ATTENTION A disease that turns soybean leaves a bronze color has been reported in some areas of the state, but it’s not the Asian soybean rust, says Greg Tylka, plant pathology. Learn more: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2004/aug04/aug0421.html ROTATIONAL GRAZING, BUFFER STRIPS CAN MINIMIZE LOSSES A group of researchers from Iowa State and the National Soil Tilth Laboratory have studied levels of sediment and phosphorus in water runoff as it relates to grazing management. The experiment included pasture grazing by beef cows over three years. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2004/aug04/aug0426.html ISU STUDENTS GAIN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE It’s back-to-school time in the Iowa State University College of Agriculture. While most students spent time working summer jobs, 135 students in the college studied abroad in 10 countries and could look back at the summer of 2004 as a life-changing experience. One of those was Emily Nieman, a junior in agricultural education, who traveled to Ghana to teach middle-school agriculture classes. Learn more in "Agriculture in Action." DEADLINES AND REMINDERS Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Farm Progress Show, near Alleman Sept. 8: Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 9:30 a.m., near Lewis, more: https://farms.cals.iastate.edu/research-farms-field-days-and-meetings Sept. 9: Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 1:30 p.m., near Nashua, more: https://farms.cals.iastate.edu/research-farms-field-days-and-meetings Sept. 14: Conference on Raising Livestock in Hoops, Gateway Center Sept. 15: Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 1 p.m., near Crawfordsville, more: https://farms.cals.iastate.edu/research-farms-field-days-and-meetings Sept. 24: Deadline for online registration, Third Biennial All-Iowa Virology Symposium, Oct. 22-23, Reiman Gardens Sept. 25: Fun run and walk to benefit Alison Ciancio Memorial Scholarship, 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5: Sue Lamont portrait unveiling, 3 p.m., Kildee Hall
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PERSUADING: NOT THE SAME AS CONVINCING “Persuade” is associated with actions: She persuaded him to buy a suit. “Convince” is associated with beliefs or understandings: She convinced the auditor of her honesty. The phrase “persuade to (do)” has traditionally been considered better than “convince to (do).” But either verb will take a “that” clause: The committee was persuaded that an all-night session was necessary. My three-year old is convinced that Santa Claus exists. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 2003, 15th edition)
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NEW MEMBERS SELECTED FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY COUNCIL Diane Birt, Mary B. Welch Distinguished Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences, and Greg Phillips, veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine, have been selected to serve three-year terms on ISU’s Biotechnology Council. The council makes recommendations to the vice provost for research on activities supporting biotechnology education, research and outreach.
PROPOSAL WRITING SEMINARS OFFERED THROUGH IOWA STATE Karen Piconi, president of Persuade and Publish International LLC, is offering proposal writing seminars through Iowa State. Seminars run two full days: Sept. 16-17, Nov. 18-19, Feb. 10-11 and May 19-20 in the Building 4 Conference Room at the Iowa State Research Park. E-mail kpiconi@msn.com for a registration form. Participants are asked to send a copy of the project summary for their current proposal (if working on one) or specific segments of the proposal for which they need assistance.
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU SEEKS UNIVERSITY RESEARCH POSTERS The American Farm Bureau Federation invites university scientists to present poster papers at its annual convention in the "Meet the Researchers" display area. The 2005 meeting will be held Jan. 9-10 in Charlotte, N.C. A Call for Poster Papers has a submission deadline of Sept. 15. A form is available online or contact Agriculture Communications, 4-5616 or hpo@iastate.edu, for a hard copy.
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A POEM WITH SUBSTANCE: THIRTY DAYS HATH SEPTEMBER “My favorite poem is the one that starts 'thirty days hath September' because it actually tells you something." - Groucho Marx
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FARMING BECOMES A GAME SIMULATION
John Deere American Farmer is a computer farming simulation that was introduced in June and broke into Amazon.com's top 10 list of best-selling new software within weeks of its release, according to a recent article in the New York Times. Destineer, based in Plymouth, Minn., publishes the game under its Bold Games brand. Paul Rinde, chief executive of Destineer Publishing, said, "There's a huge audience in America that's involved with agriculture, and there's a huge audience for simulations. So we just kind of put 2 and 2 together and said, 'Nobody's done a really good farming simulation.'” In addition to appearing in Wal-Mart and Target stores, it will be sold at John Deere dealers and at toy stores that carry die-cast models of John Deere equipment. (New York Times, Aug. 15) Next issue: Sept. 7
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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 Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.