http://www.ag.iastate.edu/ Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - News Releases http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1100/ Thu, 23 May 2013 09:01:09 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1100/
“Advances in soil-mapping techniques and the adoption of the national soil classification system during the past 50 years provides improved methods for calculating the CSR when compared to its original formula,” Burras said.

The Corn Suitability Rating was published in 1971 by Thomas Fenton and several colleagues at Iowa State. It reflected their expertise and a multi-year detailed analysis on the productivity of Iowa’s 30 million acres of farmland, making it the most sophisticated and complete quantitative soil productivity rating available.

The CSR was originally established in response to county assessors who needed a measure to help assess the productivity of farmland. In the mid-1970’s the State of Iowa established legislation that requires agricultural land be assessed on the basis of productivity and the net earning capacity to ensure equitable assessment. Today, the CSR is used in many additional ways, including to develop land use plans, determine land values, predict yields and negotiate cash rents.

“The goal of CSR2 is to provide a transparent system for calculating CSR such that a county assessor, farmer, realtor and any other interested person readily understands the mathematics underlying CSR,” Burras said.

CSR2 values are meant to be proportional to the existing CSR values, he said, although it is not always possible given the responsibility for transparency and consistency.

The CSR2 values of any given soil map unit (SMU) is a function of five parameters:
(a) the soil properties captured within a soil series classification,
(b) the specific field conditions captured by each SMU,
(c) the soil depth,
(d) local climate and environment,
(e) expert judgment.

A secondary goal is the creation of a framework for CSR2 evolution, which is necessary to ensure rapid and transparent updates of CSR2 as new soil series and new classifications are created.

Burras presented the updated CSR2 at the Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference Wednesday. A recording of his presentation will soon be available at the Iowa State Land Use web page (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/soils/), which also includes frequently asked questions about the change.

He said the new CSR2 values would be added to the Iowa State Land Use web page by July 1.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will make CSR2 available Oct. 1 through the USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm), which is the nation’s official source of soil survey information.
]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1099/ Tue, 21 May 2013 14:33:50 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1099/
On Friday, June 7, from 6 - 11 a.m. the ISU Dairy will be hosting its fifth annual open house at the ISU Dairy Farm, located south of Ames, Iowa.

The event, which is open to the public, allows visitors to tour the dairy every half hour. Tours begin at 6:30 a.m. and the last tour starts at 10:30 a.m. The tour includes stops at the milking parlor, milkhouse and a riding tour of the farm.

From 7-11 a.m. visitors can learn about the different commodities in the Ag Discovery Center, while sampling free dairy products. The open house includes demonstrations on current technologies and best practices in animal care and comfort, product quality and safety, and environmental stewardship.

The ISU Dairy Farm had 394 milking cows, 438 total cows and a youngstock of 314 at the end of April. Each cow produces around 78.5 pounds of milk per day, with a protein percentage of 3.1 percent and a fat content of 3.9 percent. The objectives of the current dairy farm facilities, which opened in 2007, is to provide teaching, research and outreach opportunities.

The ISU Dairy Farm is located on 887 acres at 52470 260th Street in Ames, three miles south of central campus. To get to the farm from Highway 30, take University Boulevard (exit 146) and go south one mile and turn right on 260th Street.

Sponsors of the June Dairy Month Celebration include Iowa State University, Midwest Dairy Association, Hy-Vee, Iowa State Dairy Association, Western Iowa Dairy Alliance, Swiss Valley Farms, The Dairy Foundation, Land O’Lakes Milk and Robert’s Dairy Foods.
]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1098/ Tue, 14 May 2013 15:34:35 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1098/
A U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency report released recently outlined several possible causes of national decline in honeybees, including habitat loss, poor diet, diseases, parasites and pesticide exposure. Research points to a combination of these factors that may be responsible for the 30 percent decline in honeybees annually since 2006.

“One recurring piece of this puzzle is the role of neonicotinoid insecticides,” said Donald Lewis, Iowa State professor of entomology.

There has been a focus on the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture, but homeowners also need to be aware that neonicotinoids are also widely available and used in the home landscape. Neonicotinoids are systemic, becoming part of the plant’s tissue, so pollinators can be exposed to the chemical in pollen and nectar even when they are applied when plants are not blooming.

The neonicotinoid most widely available to homeowners is imidacloprid, with brand names including Merit; Bayer Advanced 12 Month Tree & Shrub Insect Control; Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control; Bonide Annual Grub Beater; Ortho Max Tree & Shrub Insect Control; and Premise.

An article in the latest issue of Horticulture and Home Pest News has specific recommendations for using the pesticide at: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2013/05-10/bees.html


“Before you use any insecticide, including neonicotinoids, evaluate if it is necessary,” Jesse said. “Is the damage already done, will treating improve the health of the plant, or is the damage cosmetic? Will treating potentially harm pollinators or other beneficial insects? Are there other things you could do to reduce damage by the insect pests? We advise using Integrate Pest Management practices (http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/pdf/2205.pdf) to reduce pest problems and pesticides in your yard and garden.”

The ISU Integrated Pest Management web site (http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/info/insects) provides photos and management information of insect pests.

More help in identifying insect pests is available from the Iowa State Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (http://www.ent.iastate.edu/pidc/). You may also submit insect and plant samples to determine causes and solutions to problems. ]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1097/ Mon, 13 May 2013 10:34:16 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1097/
Aileen Keating and Jason Ross, assistant professors of animal science, estimate that seasonal infertility costs Iowa pork producers about $60 million a year. Nationally, the losses to the swine industry are approximately $420 million annually.

“After a long, hot summer, pigs have problems with either getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy,” said Keating.

Other ISU scientists are studying heat stress in pigs. It was exposure to that study and Keating’s knowledge of reproductive physiology and ovarian dysfunction that triggered her interest in studying the possible role of insulin.

The research is supported by a grant from the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

Keating knew that the sows in the heat-stress study had high levels of insulin. She also knew that high circulating insulin levels and problems with infertility and maintaining a pregnancy are common among obese women.

“When women are obese, they have problems with fertility,” Keating said. “Obese women don’t ovulate very well and even when they are medically induced to ovulate, their eggs are not very good quality. In women, obesity is associated with high circulating insulin levels.”

When pigs are heat-stressed, they don’t eat much. But even though they aren’t eating, heat stress causes elevations in circulating insulin.

“That’s the opposite of normal in any animal,” she said. “Normally, when animals eat, you have a high level of blood glucose and then insulin is released to get blood glucose levels back to normal. So usually insulin goes up after you’ve eaten. But these heat-stressed animals have suppressed feed intake.”

Keating called it a “weird physiological phenomenon” that she was interested in exploring because seasonal infertility is such a huge economic cost to Iowa producers.

She believes they may be the first scientists to study a potential insulin link to seasonal infertility in swine.

The $53,000 one-year IPPA grant is allowing Keating and Ross to conduct research on the ovaries of the pigs in ISU’s heat stress studies.

Early findings indicate that there may be changes to the pathway that makes estrogen in the ovary of a heat-stressed pig, which could play a role in seasonal infertility.

“If you don’t have an estrogen release, you don’t have ovulation. In pigs, it’s also what’s needed for them to display they are in heat and to be inseminated. Estrogen is also necessary for maternal recognition of pregnancy. So when a pig has a fertilized egg, estrogen is what signals to the pig’s body to provide support for growth and not reject the egg as a foreign invader. We want to know more about what’s happening with estrogen levels in pigs and the seasonal infertility issue,” said Keating.

Keating is hopeful that during the IPPA-funded study they may begin to identify therapies or intervention strategies. Additional research will be needed, including conducting trials, before any recommendations can be made to producers.

“In the future, we would like to be able to do some larger trials employing mitigation strategies that are applicable to Iowa. We would like to be able to identify something that could make a difference and do something that helps the economy. If we can come up with a kind of therapy or intervention strategy, it could save a lot of money for Iowa producers and those around the U.S. and abroad. This is a global problem,” she said. ]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1096/ Fri, 10 May 2013 14:32:11 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1096/
In a U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency report released last week, several possible causes of national decline in honeybees were outlined, including habitat loss, poor diet, diseases, parasites and pesticide exposure. Research so far points to a combination of these factors that may be responsible for the 30 percent decline in honeybees annually since 2006.

Bees through their role in pollination are considered to be directly or indirectly responsible for about every third bite of food we eat, according to the USDA. Crops that are predominantly pollinated by honeybees have an estimated value of more than $215 billion annually worldwide.

Matt O’Neal, Iowa State associate professor of entomology, and Erin Hodgson, assistant professor and ISU Extension and Outreach entomologist, said the insecticides are used to protect the germinating seed from pests.

They advised cleaning seed treatment residues from planting equipment away from fields and minimizing off-site dust movement from treated seeds. By taking these precautions, farmers could help minimize bee exposure to a class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids, that some studies have identified as a particular concern.

Using the recommended rate of lubricants that aid the flow of seed through planters is another way to minimize exposure to bees, as well as being aware of wind speed and direction around flowering plants when applying pesticides, they said.

Alerting local beekeepers of upcoming pesticide applications is an important practice. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship maintains an Iowa Sensitive Crops Directory that includes the locations of hives (http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/Horticulture_and_FarmersMarkets/sensitiveCropDirectory.asp).

O’Neal said farmers can encourage bee populations by growing native perennial plants around agricultural fields to improve foraging habitat. He includes specific recommendations in a recent ISU publication by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs-and-papers/2013-01-conserving-beneficial-insects-native-plants.

Hodgson and O’Neal have written an article about bee health recommendations for Integrated Crop Management News: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2013/0508onealewh.htm]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1095/ Fri, 10 May 2013 13:20:45 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1095/ Department of Animal Science.

He will continue to serve as chair until a search is completed. A search committee to find a new department chair will be led by Steve Mickelson, chair of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Hogberg, who grew up near Stanton, became department chair at Iowa State in 2003 after serving as chair at Michigan State University’s Department of Animal Science for about 18 years. He joined Michigan State in 1976 serving as professor in animal science before being named chair.

He was named a fellow of the American Society of Animal Science in 2010 and served as its president in 2006. Hogberg earned all his degrees at ISU: a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education in 1966, a master’s degree in animal science in 1972 and a doctorate in animal nutrition in 1976.

Hogberg said improving the department’s relationships with stakeholders, hiring outstanding faculty and encouraging a sense of teamwork in the department were among his successes.

He plans to spend more time with his grandsons in retirement and work on projects as needed.

“There will be things that I’ll probably end up doing to help out the college and department wherever I can,” he said.]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1094/ Wed, 08 May 2013 14:46:32 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1094/
ISU FARM, which stands for Farmer Assisted Research and Management, was the brainchild of the Northwest Iowa Experimental Association, the owner of the farm in O’Brien County that Iowa State operates for research and demonstration. It originated in 2006 as the Northwest Iowa On-farm Research working with farmers in that part of the state.

Last year there were more than 130 research trials conducted by 78 farmer-cooperators, including projects looking into drought-tolerant corn hybrids, sulfur fertilizer use in corn and soybeans, planting cover crops and soybean row spacing. A report of the projects results is available for free at: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=13990

There are about 160 trials planned in 28 counties across Iowa this year.

Since the program was created, Josh Sievers, the Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm’s superintendent, and Joel DeJong, the extension agronomist in that area, have worked with farmers to set up research trials and collect and analyze data for the experiments.

“It’s based on relationships with farmers. The research farms serve as hubs or logistical locations to connect with the cooperating farmers. The concept also is based on extension’s proven track record of technical expertise,” said Mark Honeyman, coordinator of the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms.

The Iowa Soybean Association is a partner in the move to expand FARM across Iowa. It is paying part of the costs for adding additional research specialists. Another partner is Dordt College in Sioux Center, which is doing research at its farm location with ISU help. Several agricultural suppliers and organizations also participate with in-kind contributions.

For a relatively new concept, Honeyman sees a bright future with so many involved.

“What we’re learning is that this is another way to do crops and soils research and demonstration,” said Honeyman. “The power is when you have more than one farmer doing a similar study.”]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1093/ Wed, 08 May 2013 08:27:37 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1093/
The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative will receive $100,000 and the animal science department’s applied research in animal care and well-being project will receive $50,000.

Kevin Kimle, director of the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, said the funds support students who plan to return to Iowa farms and communities or start businesses. Since its start more than 200 students have enrolled in the program to develop business plans.

Students who start businesses after completing the course are provided support through the initiative’s Student Incubator Program. The program encourages students to implement business concepts on farms and in rural communities. The program also places student interns with existing entrepreneurs through its summer program.

The $50,000 animal science department funding will go towards study and outreach activities to bring the latest advances in animal welfare to Iowa farms. Anna Butters-Johnson, Iowa State associate professor of animal science, said the programming is based on the needs of Iowa’s swine, poultry, dairy and beef producers.

“The on-farm extension programs will use sound science relevant to extension and outreach activities that, in turn, will create a network for improved communications on animal care and welfare practices in the state,” Butters-Johnson said.

To improve communications with livestock producers, Butters-Johnson hired Larry Sadler to fill a new position beginning in August. Sadler will create web-based communications, including a newsletter and educational materials. The goal is to provide information about the Iowa Swine Welfare School, Iowa State research and extension and feature livestock and poultry producers who are enhancing animal care and welfare.

“Today’s responsible farmers are always seeking continuous improvement on their farms and that means embracing scientifically-proven animal handling guidance. We are looking forward to all that this new position at ISU can bring and new ways to share that research to a wider audience,” said Craig Hill, president of IFBF and a Milo livestock farmer.

The funds also support a swine welfare training school for producers throughout Iowa. Sadler also will provide grant-writing support to help launch on-farm training programs for other livestock species.]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1092/ Mon, 06 May 2013 15:37:48 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1092/
The new “Sustainable Corn” website and blog are part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded project that is gathering and assessing research data from 26 field sites and thousands of farmers in the upper Midwest. The Climate and Corn-based Cropping Systems Coordinated Agricultural Project (CSCAP) brings together scientists from 10 land grant universities and a USDA Agricultural Research Laboratory.

Through collaborative research, education and extension, the CSCAP team seeks to identify and advance farm practices and public policies that increase Midwestern crop resilience, while minimizing environmental impacts, in response to increasingly more erratic and extreme weather events. The project is in its third year and is directed by Iowa State University Professor Lois Wright Morton.

The goal of the new website (www.sustainablecorn.org/) and blog (www.sustainablecorn.org/blog)
is to bring, to farmers and other agricultural decision-makers, the CSCAP team’s latest findings regarding extended rotations, tillage management, cover cropping systems, drainage water management, integrated pest management, weather and agriculture, and nitrogen management in corn-based cropping systems in the upper Midwest.

Farmers, researchers, students, news media and others are encouraged to visit the blog weekly, comment on posts, ask questions, and share field experiences, especially experiences working on the landscape to make cropping systems more resilient to extreme weather events.

“We’re excited to share information with farmers on our website and, through our new blog, to start some great conversations about our research findings; to get feedback through comments and blog discussions,” said Jamie Benning, an extension program specialist at Iowa State and a principal investigator on the CSCAP team.

Blog post contributors are CSCAP team scientists and extension educators from 10 universities in the upper Midwest, including; Purdue University, Lincoln University, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, South Dakota State University, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, the University of Wisconsin and Iowa State.]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1091/ Thu, 02 May 2013 10:20:16 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1091/
Hy-Line hired Anna Wolc as a full-time genomics geneticist last year. Under a first-of-its-kind agreement with the university, the company will donate 30 percent of her time to conduct research in animal science at Iowa State.

Wolc previously had worked as a post-doctoral research associate at Iowa State under Jack Dekkers, professor of animal science. She earned a doctorate at the Poznan University of Life Sciences in Poland.

“Hy-Line International’s research program will greatly benefit from this close public-private partnership to investigate and quickly implement innovations in genetics and breeding,” said Neil O’Sullivan, Hy-Line International’s director of research and development. “Rapid adoption of new technology drives progress in our company as well as economic progress in our state and industry as improvements in genetic science are more quickly integrated into our products and delivered to the market.”

“The partnership with Hy-Line International is a bold approach to work collaboratively toward a common goal of providing new insights into poultry genomics,” said Maynard Hogberg, chair of the ISU Department of Animal Science. “We look forward to having a scientist of Dr. Wolc’s caliber working together with us. Her 30 percent time with us will be spent teaching graduate students and working with faculty on research of broad interest and benefit to breeding and genetics.”

Jonathan Cade, president of Hy-Line International, added, “This agreement reinforces and advances the company’s long-standing relationship with Iowa State, and puts continued studies of genomics data at the heart of our development agenda.”

Hy-Line International is a world leader in poultry layer genetics. Founded in 1936 by Henry A. Wallace, Hy-Line was the first poultry breeding company to apply the principles of hybridization to commercial layer breeding. Today, Hy-Line International continues to be a pioneer as the first company with its own in-house molecular genetics team leading the industry in application of DNA-based technology to its breeding and genetics program. Hy-Line produces and sells both brown and white egg stock to more than 120 countries worldwide and is the largest selling layer in the American egg industry and around the world.

Iowa State University has a world-renowned animal breeding and genetics program, with a history that extends well over 100 years. Historic strengths in quantitative genetics coupled with leadership in molecular genetics, immunogenetics and bioinformatics make ISU a world leader in genomic selection programs to improve livestock and poultry production. ISU graduates in these areas are highly sought after for jobs in industry, research and university settings.]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1090/ Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:13:06 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1090/
“The feedback gained from the survey will be used to help improve coproduct quality, which can help livestock producers with their feed costs and livestock performance,” said Kurt Rosentrater, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, who is leading the effort.

The survey is focused on the beef, dairy, swine and poultry sectors. It is being funded by a coalition consisting of the Renewable Fuels Association, the Distillers Grains Technology Council, and the Corn Utilization Councils from Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska.

Livestock producers are invited to take the survey online until June 19 at: http://humansciences.ethanolcoproducts.sgizmo.com/s3/.]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1089/ Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:09:52 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1089/
The award is based on overall points for participation, involvement in the national competition, scholarship awards and annual report. The team received $2,000 with the award. The chapter also placed second nationally as Outstanding Chapter.

The chapter also participated in NAMA’s annual marketing competition and advanced to the semifinal round. The competition requires students to develop a business plan and professional presentation to market a new product or service. This year’s team marketed Surefire, a biological moss treatment product for the golf course industry.

Alicia Humphrey, a senior in agricultural education and life sciences from Ioxnia, Wis., was awarded the 2013 Successful Farming/Fergie Ferguson Outstanding Student Award. Humphrey is the chapter vice president and has been an active member for three years. She received a $4,000 scholarship with the award.

Six students were awarded Agri-Business Education Foundation scholarships during the annual conference. Calvin McBride, a sophomore in agricultural business from Alburnett, Iowa; Donna McCune, a junior in agricultural business from Manlius, Ill.; and Marcie Stevenson, a senior in agricultural business from Calamus, Iowa, were awarded $1,000 scholarships. Jordan Neighbor, a sophomore in agricultural business from Alburnett, Iowa; Katie Carver, a junior in agronomy from Shueyville, Iowa; and Jennifer Elliott, a freshman in agriculture and life sciences education from Monmouth, Ill., were awarded $500 scholarships.

The team’s coaches are Stacey Noe, Agricultural Entrepreneurial Initiative program coordinator, and Carly Cummings, program assistant.
]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1088/ Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:51:08 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1088/
The Iowa State team won first place in both the crops contest and the Ag Knowledge Bowl in the four-year division. The team also had five of the six top individual scores in the crops contest, including the four highest scoring individuals.

The crops contest consists of written, problem solving and identification exams. Members of the winning team included agronomy students Sam Groenenboom, a senior from Oskaloosa, Iowa; Gary Gregg, a senior from Fredericktown, Ohio; Elliot Reicks, a senior from Lawler, Iowa; Michael Paulsmeyer, a junior from Petersburg, Ill.; and Linda Brown, a senior from Des Moines.

The Ag Knowledge Quiz Bowl involves answering questions on crops and soils; agricultural business and farm management; horticulture and natural resources; ag mechanics; current agricultural events and food science and nutrition.

Students on the Ag Knowledge Quiz Bowl team include Brown, Groenenboom, Paulsmeyer, Gregg and Cody Schneider, a senior in agronomy from Riverside, Iowa.

Other members who attended the contest include agronomy students Dana Diers, a junior from Brighton, Iowa; Matthew Duesterhaus, a freshman from Mendon, Ill.; Kathryn Hoemann, a junior from Clive, Iowa and Morgan Shrader, a sophmore in agricultural business from Charles City, Iowa.

The team is coached by Erik Christian, an agronomy lecturer, with help from assistant coaches Sam Vigue, a senior in agronomy from Brimfield, Ill. and Katie Demers, a senior in agronomy from Storm Lake, Iowa.

NACTA is a professional society that promotes the recognition of excellence in teaching agriculture and related areas at the post-secondary level.
]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1087/ Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:20:21 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1087/
Hall is an emeritus professor and served as chair of the Department of Horticulture from 1974 to 1990. The new greenhouses are important to Hall who stressed the value of such facilities throughout his career.

“The greenhouses are an essential part of everyday activity for students and add a special beauty to campus. This facility is the culmination of what we began in 1978,” Hall said.

Hall’s plant breeding research led to the creation of several watermelon varieties. He is widely known for the Crimson Sweet watermelons, which have smaller seeds and remain fresh during shipping. The Crimson Sweet variety is grown in more than 50 countries.

The $4 million teaching and research greenhouses opened in 2011 and replaced 98 year-old greenhouses. The new 12,000 square-foot greenhouses include teaching and research areas equipped with state-of-the-art computerized temperature, humidity and light intensity controls to maximize plant production and research.

Jeff Iles, horticulture professor and department chair, said that Hall has been an advocate and friend of the department for more than 40 years. As an administrator, he championed the effort to fund and expand Horticulture Hall in 1980.

“As a plant scientist, his watermelon selections have delighted consumers around the globe, while bringing a steady stream of revenue to Iowa State, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the horticulture department.”

The greenhouses extend along the south side of Horticulture Hall, home of the horticulture department. The greenhouse complex is partitioned into sections dedicated to research, teaching and student club activities.
]]> http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1086/ Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:05:27 -0500 http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1086/
Detailed information is posted here.

Each year the commission holds a field hearing outside Washington, D.C. This year the commission chose Iowa State University based on its strengths in agriculture, economics and relationships with China and East Asia.

The April 25 hearing is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Curtiss Hall Auditorium (Room 127), beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. Reservations are not required. Public comments will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission was created by Congress in 2000 with a mandate to monitor, investigate and submit an annual report on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. The commission provides recommendations, where appropriate, to Congress for legislative and administrative action. More information on the commission is available its website.]]>