News

Ag professor father and son duo develop proso millet as crop for the future

Ames, IA — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, but these crops are unfamiliar to many Iowa farmers.

A summer among dairy cows in New Zealand

Regan Kramer, junior in agricultural studies and international agriculture, spent her summer interning on a New Zealand dairy farm owned by Chad and Jan Winke. Of particular use during Kramer’s internship were the lessons learned in the dairy cattle science class she took at Iowa State.

Conference will tackle 'forever chemicals' solutions for packaging industry

A one-day conference, PFAS: Impact on the Planet and Solutions for the Packaging Industry, will be held Nov. 2, in Madison, Wisconsin. Co-sponsors include the Polymer and Food Protection Consortium at Iowa State University, the Green Bay Innovation Group and the Grainger Institute for Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Innovating to feed others

Jenna Errthum, senior in horticulture, global resource systems and Spanish, and Cooper Hess, senior in biology with a minor in global health, are the recipients of this year’s Roger Grundmeier Innovation and Leadership Award, offered to students in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Scholarship recipients are selected based on their demonstration of “going above and beyond in their efforts to collaborate and innovate” during their college career.

Iowa State University team helps roll out national soil carbon program for working lands

An Iowa State University-led group will lead training for a process to measure and monitor soil carbon stocks as part of a new national program meant to provide a basis for financial assistance to farmers and landowners who adopt climate-smart conservation practices. The “Know Your Carbon Landscape” project will also gather data to support carbon-related research and education at demonstration sites in the Midwest that are part of a Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network coordinated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. 

Students encouraged to submit abstracts for Borlaug poster competition

Poster abstracts are now being accepted for the 20th Annual Norman Borlaug Lectureship Poster Competition for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. The competition and display of posters will take place Monday, Oct. 23, in the Memorial Union at Iowa State University, prior to the Norman Borlaug Lecture featuring 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kühn.

New study will explore factors affecting reproductive success

The impacts of obesity and heat stress on reproductive health will be the focus of a study at Iowa State University funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. It will also investigate impacts from the compound known as DMBA a member of a chemical class found in smoke from wildfires and other types of burning organic matter, including cigarette and second-hand smoke. The project will be led by Aileen Keating, professor of animal science and director of the Interdepartmental Toxicology Program at Iowa State and will also support training for two early career scientists. 

Deal Lecture to focus on importance of innovation in agriculture

Al Tank, ag and food entrepreneur, investor and consultant based in Bethesda, Maryland, will present the 2023 William K. Deal Leadership Lecture Sept. 27, at Iowa State University.

CALS Strategic Seed Grants for Equipment and Infrastructure - Year 3

2023 Strategic Seed Grants Call for Proposals

Smith announced as Emerging Iowa Leader Award recipient

Martha Smith (’04 agricultural business, international agriculture) was presented Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 2023 Emerging Iowa Leader Award at the annual CALS BBQ on Sept. 2. This honor is given to individuals 40 years of age or younger who live or work in Iowa and demonstrate high potential for future professional growth.

Farming in the virtual and real worlds

When Grant Hilbert was a sophomore in high school, he started a YouTube channel called The Squad, partially for fun and partially to get a little extra money.

Ag 450 Farm to celebrate 80 years of progress

This year marks the 80^th anniversary of the Ag 450 Farm at Iowa State University. To celebrate, Iowa State students, alumni and friends of the farm are invited to join the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies at the Ag 450 Farm, 52097 260^th St., Ames, on Sept. 23, from 8-11 a.m. Tours of the farm will be offered, as well as light breakfast.

Singh appointed to Sprague Professorship by Iowa State’s Department of Agronomy

Professor and plant breeder Asheesh K. (Danny) Singh has been named to the George Sprague Professorship in Agronomy by the Department of Agronomy in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. An investigator on more than 70 competitive research grants, Singh is best known for his expertise in soybean breeding and using artificial intelligence for crop breeding. 

Iowa State-produced wines garner local, international awards

AMES, Iowa – Wines produced at Iowa State University recently were put to the test and brought home several top awards from international, regional and Iowa competitions.

Suza named George Washington Carver Endowed Chair 

Walter Suza wants to do what George Washington Carver did — feed the hungry.

King of Busoga visits Iowa State, signs MOU

As proof of the synergetic connection between Iowa State University and The Busoga Kingdom of Uganda, a memorandum of cooperation and understanding was signed on Aug. 17 to formalize cooperation and collaboration to benefit both institutions.

Iowa vs. California: Students explore two states' food systems

How do food systems in Iowa and California compare to each other? A group of students explored the answer to that question earlier this summer during a Study USA trip to California.

Setting incoming agronomy students up for success, one trip at a time

What better way to begin your time as an agronomy student than loading up on a bus, traveling around parts of the state and getting to know fellow classmates and instructors? For the past 25 years (minus one year due to COVID), the Department of Agronomy has been taking incoming freshmen students on the annual Agronomy New Student Learning Community field trip the Friday and Saturday before the fall semester begins.

Yu to lead Iowa State's Baker Center for Plant Breeding

AMES, Iowa – Jianming Yu’s extensive background in plant genetics and breeding research will serve him well in his new role as director of the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding at Iowa State University.

CALS Entrepreneurship Fellow innovates to deliver engaging course material and save students money

Walter Suza, adjunct associate professor in agronomy at Iowa State University, is making plant genetics educational materials more engaging and accessible for students on campus and far away, with support from the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows Program sponsored by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Office of Academic Innovation and Start Something CALS,and a Miller Open-Education Mini- Grant through Iowa State’s Parks Library.