DEALING WITH DROUGHT: ISU EXTENSION AND FARM SERVICES AGENCY’S RAPID RESPONSE

ISU Extension and Outreach joined with Farm Services Agency (FSA) and other organizations to address drought issues in Iowa this summer. ISU field agronomist Paul Kassel and fellow ISU alumni farmer Kurt Christensen, Les Zobrist with the FSA, farmer Kent Christensen and ISU beef specialist Beth Doran touch base about management and feed options.

By Willy Klein

Jim Larson, a northern Iowa beef cattle breeder, called Beth Doran in mid July with an urgent message. Larson (’69 animal science) looked to Doran, an Iowa State

University Extension and Outreach beef specialist, for answers to cattle producers’ drought-specific questions. Weeks of triple digit temperatures and little, if any, rainfall had contributed to the significant decline in crop and pasture conditions—and herds needed feed. What were their options?

His calls followed conversations Doran and her colleagues were having with county office and campus staff and put into motion a regional extension response that included 10 emergency meetings reaching over 660 producers and agribusiness staff.

“I was concerned about nitrates in my silage, so were my clients,” says Larson. “Beth sent me information about getting silage tested and many of my clients went to the meetings where extension tested for the presence of nitrates.”

Similar scenarios were happening across the state. The extension network ramped up communications, updated resources, contacted partners and began providing educational events and distributing materials.

Drought-stricken Iowa producers needed to make decisions quickly, but university research and expertise alone could not answer all their questions. Within a few days, Extension and Outreach joined with crop insurance agents and adjusters, agribusinesses and Farm Services Agency (FSA) directors across the state to hold meetings addressing drought issues.

“In July, we didn’t have disaster assistance to talk about, but we attended the extension-led meetings and encouraged producers to keep good records in the event assistance became available,” says Jeff Davis, Plymouth County FSA director.

FSA and ISU Extension and Outreach response continued around the state. Carol Groen, Lyon County FSA director, attended an Extension and Outreach webinar in Sheldon in late July, responding to question and providing agency fact sheets.

Trevor Kerr, Sioux County FSA director, invited Doran and staff from the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Rural Development to a late-July county emergency board meeting to document losses in crops, pasture and hay. He completed, filed and updated U.S. Department of Agriculture reports needed to trigger USDA response to the drought. Similar county emergency board meetings  were held around the state.

By the end of July, Iowa FSA authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program acres in 26 counties, freeing up forage and feed for producers.

Haying and grazing of cover crops without impact to insurability of planted 2013 spring crops was announced by Risk Management Agency in August.

USDA designated all Iowa counties as primary or contiguous natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the drought by August 15, making emergency loans available to producers.

Looking back, Doran sees partnerships worked for the benefit of producers, especially with FSA.

“The agency with the capacity to offer emergency relief and the university with agricultural experts will continue to anticipate needs and respond to continuing drought conditions,” she says.

ISU AND CAST: PROMOTING SCIENCE-BASED AG INFORMATION FOR 40 YEARS

Intern Sally Gorenz is the driving force behind the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology’s social media presence. CEO John Bonner says their intern program is one of many ways CAST partners with Iowa State University.

By Dan Gogerty

Charles A. Black, an Iowa State University agronomy professor, was instrumental in founding the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) in Ames in 1972 to meet the need for access to sciencebased agricultural information.

Since then the partnership between CAST and Iowa State University continues to run deep. When CAST offered an education program, ISU was first to take advantage, so educators and students could access current news, resource material and career opportunities. Other universities and education groups followed ISU’s lead to receive CAST benefits. Many Iowa State professors support CAST by contributing to research papers and serving on CAST committees.

CAST shares science-based information through its publications, weekly online newsletter, videos and social media. For four decades, the independent organization has informed educators, students, the public and policymakers about issues important in the world of agriculture and food production.

Currently, the most dynamic collaboration between CAST and Iowa State University is the intern program.

“The program is wonderful for both the students and our organization,” says CAST’s John Bonner. “Our organization gets help from hardworking young people with innovative ideas, while the students gain experience and make connections that often lead to successful jobs.”

Bonner (’68 dairy science, MS ’71 animal science, PhD ’74) is executive vice president and chief executive officer of CAST.

Many interns have been part of this productive partnership. Two with strong  agriculture backgrounds demonstrate why the program flourishes.

“Elizabeth Burns-Thompson came to CAST brimming with enthusiasm and insights about tech and communication. She took every opportunity to make connections and develop new programs,” says Linda Chimenti, CAST’s chief operating officer.

Burns-Thompson points out, “I worked on a number of projects, but the most significant was introducing CAST into the world of social media.”

During her internship, Burns-Thompson (’11 agricultural business and international

agriculture) kick-started CAST’s involvement with the AgChat Foundation and Twitter. At the same time, she was able to “agvocate” for agriculture—including a trip to Washington, D.C., for National Ag Day. Burns-Thompson now studies agricultural law at Drake University Law School and works with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

A current intern, Sally Gorenz, has kept the tweets rolling with a growing tally of 2,300 Twitter followers. Among her many jobs, the senior in agricultural and life sciences education, communications option, has expanded the role social media plays at CAST. Gorenz developed a CAST Facebook page and started the popular “Catch of the Day”—a regular Facebook link featuring high interest stories.

“Staying on top of social media helps you put a name to your organization, expand your network with the click of a mouse and keep you on your toes for the next social media outlet coming your way,” Gorenz says.

The ISU-CAST connection continues to be a two-way street that benefits students, educators and those interested in credible information about science and agriculture.

Follow CAST on twitter and find them on Facebook.

ROLLING OUT THE WELCOME MAT

Agriculture degrees are hot, and enrollment in community colleges’ agriculture programs has soared in recent years. For students like Katie Yule, who start at Kirkwood Community College and want to earn a four-year degree at Iowa State University, the collaborative spirit among student services staff at both institutions makes the transfer process as seamless as possible.

“My Kirkwood adviser helped lay out all my options and explained what classes would transfer,” says Yule, a senior from Packwood who is majoring in agricultural studies at Iowa State. “It was a very smooth transition.”

Transfer students have always been important to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. They comprised nearly 27 percent of the college’s enrollment in 2011. “As soon as students tell us they are thinking about transferring, we get them lined up with an ISU adviser so they can develop that relationship,” says Scott Ermer, dean of agricultural sciences at Kirkwood, who noted that approximately 40 percent of Kirkwood’s ag students transfer to four-year schools.

Communication is the key, says Barb Osborn, an academic adviser and program coordinator in the Iowa State University Department of Horticulture. “Both ISU and Kirkwood share the common goal of student success, and we know each other’s academic programs very well. By developing a transfer process that’s economical and timely, we can match each student with the best options available.”

Osborn has seen the partnership benefit students first hand, as three of her own children attended Kirkwood and transferred to Iowa State in agricultural programs.

Today’s ag students come from diverse backgrounds, says Ermer, who noted a growing number of young people want to return to the family farm or work in production agriculture. In addition, more non-traditional students in their 30s, 40s and early 50s are enrolling in ag programs at Kirkwood to train for a new career. While transferring to Iowa State may not be part of some Kirkwood students’ initial plans, Ermer says a sizeable percentage discover a four-year degree is achievable and make it part of their career goals.

Iowa State offers a number of resources to simplify the transition for transfers, says Yule, who coordinates campus visits, manages the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Facebook group for transfer students and highlights the various ag clubs on campus. “I’ve had an awesome experience at ISU, and I encourage transfer students to get as involved as possible.”

Katie Yule (right), a senior in agricultural studies, leads a tour group of prospective transfer students and their parents as part of her role as an Ag Ambassador. In 2011, nearly 27 percent of the college's enrollment transferred credits from another institution.

The faculty and staff at Iowa State and Kirkwood are always willing to go the extra mile for students, Ermer says. “The partnership with Iowa State continues to strengthen, and it has been a successful model not only for Kirkwood, but for other community colleges across Iowa and beyond.”

ADVANCING THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER

Matt Deppe (left), chief executive officer of the Iowa Cattleman's Association, and Dan Loy, director of the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University, look for ways to combine efforts of their two organizations to move the industry forward.

Take one organization focused on offering top notch research information to Iowa’s beef industry, add another organization committed to growing Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education, and what do you have? A collaborative effort for helping Iowa beef producers that’s second to none.

Iowa Beef Center director Dan Loy says the center’s strength is access to a leading research university with faculty and staff who share a commitment to provide relevant unbiased information to the state’s beef industry.

“Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has a long history of providing information to ag-minded professionals to make operational decisions that can lead to longer term sustainability,” he says. “Our regional program specialists and county extension staffs’ expertise complements our ability to be at the gate of the producer’s needs.”

As chief executive officer of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Matt Deppe (’99 animal science) understands and appreciates the cooperation between the two organizations. Prior to becoming CEO, he worked for ISU Extension in county and regional extension education director roles.

“While the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is the political and legislative voice for Iowa cattlemen and women, our interests in proactive policy measures utilize science and economics as a key component of working topics forward,” Deppe says. “The Iowa Beef Center provides access to information and that’s why we need and value the center as our partner.”

As an ISU Extension center funded partially with state dollars, the Iowa Beef Center is accountable to the people of Iowa. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is a grassroots membership organization with nearly 10,000 members and a network of county cattlemen’s associations across Iowa, and it is funded through membership and industry support.

Working together is a win-win situation for both groups, Loy says, because such cooperative programs provide cutting edge information that’s relevant to the needs of the producers.

“One recent example of success was a 10-site series of heifer development clinics across Iowa. Nearly 600 people learned about technologies available for the successful development of productive heifers,” Loy says. “The center and the association worked together from the beginning on this program from sponsor identification to publicity to attendance recruitment. We plan to continue to work together on programs like this in the future.”

Utilizing the combined staff and resources of two partners is efficient and effective when it comes to getting valuable resources and information into the hands of members, Deppe says.

“There’s no doubt that combining efforts and sharing credit for helping producers be profitable is something our association will be looking for well into the future,” he says. “Ultimately this relationship makes both organizations more effective as we continue to work for the same stakeholder.”