Ag and Life Sciences ONLINE

...................................................
AG ONLINE
...................................................

The College of Agriculture Newsletter
Iowa State University
July 26, 2004 No. 308

...................................................
COLLEGE NEWS
...................................................

LAWRENCE AND MYERS TAKE ON NEW ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES
John Lawrence is a new assistant director of the Experiment Station. Lawrence is an economics professor who also serves as the director of the Iowa Beef Center. Deland Myers, a professor of food science and human nutrition, has been appointed to a one-year internship in the College of Agriculture through the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Office's administrative intern program. Myers responsibilities will include enhancing recruitment efforts for the College.

CARVER SUMMER INTERN SYMPOSIUM ON WEDNESDAY
The College of Agriculture’s George Washington Carver Internship Program will hold a research symposium 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 28, in Kildee Hall. Interns will give presentations in the Ensminger Room or display posters in the Kildee Hall atrium and foyer. This summer, 25 undergraduate and three high school interns have conducted research with faculty mentors in agriculture, the life sciences, math and engineering. The group includes 20 interns and faculty from the University of Iowa, who will participate in the symposium. Interns are supported by the College of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation’s Alliance for Graduate Education in the Professoriate at Iowa State and the University of Iowa.

ISU HIRES NEW FACULTY MEMBER IN AGRICULTURAL LAW
A Kansas State University professor has been named to an agricultural law faculty position at Iowa State. Beginning Aug. 15, Roger McEowen will be an associate professor of agricultural law in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies. Details: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2004releases/aglaw.html

HAIL FORCES FIELD DAY CANCELLATION
The Aug. 5 home demonstration garden field day at the Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm near Sutherland has been cancelled because of a hailstorm. Hail ruined the farm’s garden, which featured several varieties of sweet corn, beets, cucumbers and potatoes along with plants that attract birds. The Northwest farm, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has two locations. The garden demonstration field day at the Doon location will be held as scheduled, at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10

FOOD EDITORS VISIT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Iowa State University is partnering with Iowa agricultural groups to educate food editors about the role of research in improving the foods we eat. National food editors will participate in "The Heartland: Farm to Table Tour" sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Beef Industry Council, The Soyfoods Council, the National Pork Board, the National Beef Board and the United Soybean Board. During their visit Wednesday to Iowa State and the Center for Designing Food to Improve Nutrition, Ken Prusa, food science and human nutrition, will explain the role of sensory evaluation in improving foods and the editors will participate in some sensory evaluation tests. Lee Alekel, food science and human nutrition, will give an update on soy isoflavone research. The food editors also will visit pork, beef and soybean-production farms.

ANIMAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
An Iowa State emeritus professor of animal science has been named the recipient of the 2004 Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Award. A portrait of Richard Willham, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, will be unveiled at an award ceremony and banquet Nov. 14 in conjunction with the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky. Contributions are being sought for the approximately $25,000 required for the portrait and celebration and can be made to the Iowa State University Foundation. Checks should be marked "Willham Recognition" and sent to Agriculture Development, 310 Curtiss Hall. Details: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2004releases/willham.html

SHOWCASING PLANT PATHOLOGY'S ARTISTIC SIDE
An Iowa State graduate student is organizing an art exhibition at a national meeting of plant pathologists this week in Anaheim. Learn more in “Agriculture in Action:” http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/agaction/agaction.php?date=2004-07-22&function=view

WET-WEATHER DISEASES SHOULDN’T RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT RUST
Experts caution producers not to confuse Asian soybean rust with common wet-weather soybean diseases. Soybean rust is not expected in the United States this year and has not been found north of the equator in South America. Details: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/soydisease.html

IOWA STATE HELPED DEVELOP INDEX FEATURED ON NRCS WEB SITE
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Web site is featuring a story about an Iowa couple’s experience with the phosphorus index developed by a team that included College of Agriculture researchers. The story is about Iowa farmers Jim and Madeline Meyer of Odebolt and how they use the index to ensure water quality. Associate Dean Gerald Miller coordinated the team that developed the index. ISU team members included James Baker, agricultural and biosystems engineering; John Downing, natural resource ecology and management; and Thomas Fenton, Antonio Mallarino, John Sawyer and Regis Voss, agronomy.

MANURE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT SHORT COURSE OFFERED
The Iowa Manure Management Action Group is sponsoring a Manure Nutrient Management Short Course, Aug. 23-25. The program is a cooperative effort of ISU Extension and the College of Agriculture, USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2004/jul04/jul0416.html

LEOPOLD CENTER HONOR GOES TO BOONE COUNTY PIONEERS
A Boone County farm couple who have been pioneers in sustainable agriculture will be honored by ISU’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture during the 2004 Iowa State Fair. Richard and Sharon Thompson will receive the 2004 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture at 4 p.m., Aug. 14. The Spencer Award recognizes farmers, researchers and educators who have made a significant contribution toward the stability of mainstream family farms in Iowa. Learn more: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2004/spencer_072104.htm

STEM CELL BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULED IN SEPTEMBER
A Symposium on Stem Cell Biology: Development and Plasticity will be held Sept. 16 to 19. The symposium is the 13th annual Growth Factor and Signal Transduction Conference. Registration deadline is Aug. 16. The symposium is sponsored by the biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology department with funding from the National Institutes of Health and ISU’s Office of Biotechnology. More at: http://www.bb.iastate.edu/~gfst/homepg.html.

DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
July 28: Deadline for abstracts for the 13th annual Growth Factor and Signal Transduction Conference to be held Sept. 16-19, Scheman Building, more at: http://www.bb.iastate.edu/~gfst/sp433.html
July 30: Allee Research and Demonstration Farm field day, 11 a.m., Newell, details: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/farms/fielddays.html
Aug. 6: Abstracts due for an international scientific symposium on alternative swine housing systems, which is set for Sept. 15,
Aug. 23: Registration deadline for the 13th annual Growth Factor and Signal Transduction Conference to be held Sept. 16-19, Scheman Building, more at: http://www.bb.iastate.edu/~gfst/sp433.html

...................................................
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
...................................................

WHO VS. WHOM
Many people avoid using “whom” because they're not sure when they should use it. If you can rewrite the sentence and substitute “him” or “her” for “whom” and the sentence still makes sense, use "whom." Example: "Loretta is the employee (who/whom) we all admire." Rewritten, "We admire her" makes sense. You can apply the same test to determine if a sentence requires “whoever” or “whomever.” An even simpler recommendation: revise sentences so you don’t have to use “whom” or “whomever.” ("The 99 Most Common Grammar & Writing Errors and How to Avoid Them,” 1999, Briefings Publishing Group)

........................................................
INFOGRAZING
........................................................

WANTED: VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ISU STUDENTS MOVE IN
ISU faculty and staff are invited to lend new students a hand in moving in to the residence halls Aug. 17-19. You may work for as little as an hour or as long as four hours. Tasks include greeting students and families, directing traffic, holding doors and light-duty carrying. Volunteers are needed in the Union Drive and Richardson Court neighborhoods. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, cookies and ice water. This is the second year of the move-in program, informally dubbed "U-Pack, We Haul." Contact: Susan Lammers, slammers@iastate.edu by Aug. 6, and provide your name, department, T-shirt size, availability and desired move-in location.

USDA PRESENTS FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVES
The USDA has released a document reviewing its prediction of and response to food safety challenges to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness. "Fulfilling the Vision: Initiatives in Protecting Public Health" presents a list of accomplishments and introduces a number of initiatives to ensure food safety. The initiatives include developing innovative ways to anticipate and predict food safety risks; field-testing the effectiveness of pathogen controls; and establishing a Food Safety Institute of the Americas to exchange food safety information throughout North America. Details at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

USDA TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
The USDA has begun a five-year effort to study environmental benefits of government conservation programs on agricultural land. The national assessment will be reported annually starting in 2005. The Natural Resources Conservation Service's National Resources Inventory, which is conducted in cooperation with the Iowa State University Statistical Laboratory, will be used as the sampling basis for estimating the environmental benefits of conservation practices, as well as farmer surveys and existing USDA computer models. More at: http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/0299.04.html.


Next issue: Aug. 2
........................................................
AG ONLINE
........................................................

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.