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Newly appointed REE under secretary and chief scientist speaks
House subcommittee marks up ag appropriations bill
USDA nominees & positions named
Court grants EPA two-year stay
CSREES lists open requests for grant applications
Louisiana 4-H receives Healthy Living grant
Louisiana 4-H Seeds of Service School Garden project funded
Heflin couple donates to 4-H Foundation
AgCenter to commemorate donation of Windywood property
USDA and NASA to send 4-H flag into space on shuttle launch
Technology information delivery
FCS honors nine faculty
20 from Communications, IT honored at international meeting
Professional associations recognize award winners
LSU AgCenter seeks to finalize Lamar Dixon for 2010 Livestock Show

Newly appointed REE under secretary and chief scientist speaks

In his first public remarks since being confirmed last week, Dr. Rajiv Shah, the Under Secretary of Research, Education and Economics (REE) and Chief Scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, presented the keynote address during the Generation: Ag summit in St. Louis on Wednesday. Dr. Shah spoke about the importance of science to the future of America's food and agriculture system – and the critical role that 4-H is playing in attracting a new generation of thinkers and innovators to the field.

Hosted by National 4-H Council, Monsanto and DuPont, the summit gathered more than 150 agriculture industry leaders from around the nation to the Danforth Plant Science Center for a discussion about the development of America’s future Ag science workforce. Two panels –which included several National 4-H Council Trustees, Fred Cholick, the Ag Dean and Director of Research and Extension at Kansas State, as well as 4-H youth – spoke to the importance of science and technology in the agribusiness marketplace, as well as strategies for engaging today’s youth in ways that spark a passion for the agricultural sciences.

In addition, Dr. Bob Horton from The Ohio State University unveiled a new 4-H Ag Science online learning system to potential sponsors. The event has created a great amount of buzz about 4-H in the Ag Community – and a number of Ag media outlets were in attendance, including two large rural radio systems doing interviews, one live feed, RFD-TV and numerous print and online outlets. It was terrific to have 4-H in such a key spot, bringing together so many important voices on such an important topic to us all, and an honor to have a transformational leader like Dr. Shah with us. He is very excited about 4-H and interested in learning more – I am sure he will be a great supporter as we move forward.

Source: Don Floyd – National 4-H Council

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House subcommittee marks up ag appropriations bill

In the House subcommittee ag appropriations bill, overall funding for USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) increased slightly over the FY 2009 level (by approximately $4 million). However, 9 of the 13 programs on the Budget and Advocacy Committee's (BAC) list of priorities received increases, totaling $32.712 million.

Table 1: BAC's NIFA Priorities for FY 2010 Compared to House Marks 

We have not yet been able to confirm all of the other NIFA line item results. We can, however, report the following additional tentative increases: (1) 1890 Institutions Capacity Building Grants – up $5,000,000; (2) 1890 Facilities Grants – up $3,000,000; (3) Hispanic Education Partnerships – up $3,763,000; (4) Organic Transition Program – up $3,158,000; (5) Insular Areas Residential Instruction Grants – up $200,000; (6) Veterinary Medical Services Act – up $1,050,000.

At the same time the subcommittee provided these programmatic increases, they continued to reduce the number and dollar value of NIFA "earmarks." (At this time we have neither the total of the earmark reductions nor individual results.)

We can also report that the subcommittee did not make any reductions in the four mandatory spending programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill:

Next Steps: The bill now with the full House Appropriations Committee, with a markup scheduled for June 18. The bill is tentatively scheduled for the House floor during of July. When we have all of the markup results and any additional information, we will post it to the new Web site: www.land-grant.org.

Source: Cornerstone Report from Washington is produced by Cornerstone Government Affairs for the Budget and Advocacy Committee of the A.P.L.U. Board on Agriculture Assembly. 2009 A.P.L.U. For more information: www.land-grant.org

USDA nominees & positions named

Evan Segal, Chief Financial Operating Officer

Homer Lee Wilkes, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment

• Jay Jenson named Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment (Forest Service)
• Dave White named Chief, NRCS

Edward M. Avalos, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs

• Rayne Pegg named AMS Administrator
• J. Dudley Butler named GIPSA Administrator

Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

• Janey Thornton named Deputy Under Secretary
• Julie Paradis named FNS Administrator
• Lisa Pino named FNS Deputy Administrator

Jonathan S. Adelstein, Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service

Confirmed and Sworn In

• Kathleen A. Merrigan is the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
• Rajiv Shah is the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics
• James W. Miller is the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services
• Michael Scuse named Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (domestic)
• Bud Philbrook named Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (international)
• Michael Michener named Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator
• Doug Caruso named Farm Service Agency Administrator
• Dallas P. Tonsager is the Under Secretary for Rural Development
• Cheryl Cook named Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development
• Victor Vasquez named Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development
• Judith Canales named Business and Cooperative Programs Administrator
• Krysta Harden is the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations
• Pearlie S. Reed is the Assistant Secretary for Administration
• Alma Hobbs named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration
• Robin Heard also named as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration
• Joe Leonard Jr. is the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights

Source: Ralph A. Otto, Associate Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

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Court Grants EPA Two-Year Stay

On June 8 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a ruling in which the court granted a two-year stay regarding the National Cotton Council of America et al. verses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency case that was handed down on January 7, 2009. The EPA had requested this two-year stay to develop a permitting process for pesticide applications in, over or near water bodies. The EPA now has until April 9, 2011 to implement the permitting procedures.

Several groups have petitioned the Court to rehear the case. This two-year stay also provides time for the Court to decide whether a rehearing is appropriate.

Source: LCGA

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CSREES lists open requests for grant applications

CSREES advertises all of its funding opportunities through "Find Grant Opportunities" on the Grants.gov Web site. This site is searchable and contains summary information on all federal funding opportunities with links to the full announcements. Users can search announcements by topic, funding agency, and date, as well as subscribe to an e-mail notification service based on these parameters. Full details for each are listed in the table below.

Source: http://www.grants.gov/

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Louisiana 4-H receives Healthy Living grant

According to the National 4-H Headquarters and the partnership of National 4-H Council and the Wal-Mart Foundation, I am pleased to announce that Louisiana 4-H has been awarded one of the 2009 Wal-Mart Foundation Healthy Living grants ($50,000 each). Congratulations to Dr. Mark Tassin and the Louisiana 4-H program:

According to Don Floyd, “there were 28 applications submitted for this grant program, from 26 different states, with many excellent action plans and favorable reviews. We look forward to the impact these winning programs will have upon the 4-H system and healthy living programs across the country!”

Source: Don Floyd – National 4-H Council

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Louisiana 4-H Seeds of Service school garden project funded

On behalf of the Louisiana Serve Commission, I am very pleased to inform you that your Learn and Serve grant application titled Louisiana 4-H Seeds of Service school garden project has been approved for funding in the amount of $25,000.

We are excited about your proposal and look forward to working with you during the 2009-10 school year. Congratulations to Dr. Janet Fox and her team on securing this funding to expand school gardens in Louisiana.

Source: Denise Dowell, Office of Lieutenant Governor

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Heflin couple donates to 4-H Foundation

Joe and Diane Beatty, of Heflin, recently donated $25,000 to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation to create an endowed scholarship for 4-H'ers from Webster and Bienville parishes. The donation is made in honor of Joe Beatty's parents, Ken and Mary Beatty. The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior with a grade-point average of 2.5 or higher who is enrolling as a full-time undergraduate student in any two- or four-year college in Louisiana and who has participated in 4-H in Webster or Bienville parish, said Eric Eskew, Louisiana 4-H Foundation executive director. Full details can be found here.

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AgCenter to commemorate donation of Windywood property

The LSU AgCenter plans to commemorate the Louisiana 4-H Foundation’s 30-acre donation to 4-H Camp Grant Walker. The Foundation purchased the property a little over four years ago and in 2008 paid off the property mortgage. The property was donated to the LSU AgCenter to be used to enhance the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center. A short ceremony recognizing those that contributed to the donation and development of this property will be held at 4-H Camp at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 9. The public is welcomed to attend. Please RSVP to Eric Eskew, Executive Director, Louisiana 4-H Foundation at eaeskew@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-578-1172

Source: Eric A. Eskew

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USDA and NASA sends 4-H flag into space

USDA's National 4-H Headquarters and NASA sent the 4-H flag, depicting the familiar 4-H Clover, into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on June 13 as part of the

STS-127 mission. "The inclusion of the 4-H flag on this mission is reflective of the commitment 4-H has to building young leaders in science, engineering and technology," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "As the global economy expands, these leaders will strengthen the United States' global competitiveness and leadership in these fields."

4-H promotes positive youth development, facilitates learning and engages youth in the work of the land-grant universities and USDA to enhance their quality of life. Nearly 7 million youth, ages 5-19, participate in 4-H youth development experiences in all 50 states, territories and military installations worldwide. Azeem Ahmed, 17, who is an avid space enthusiast and 4-H member from Alabama and President of the Alabama 4-H Council, made the original request to NASA to have the flag flown with a future space shuttle mission.

"4-H is more than green and white - it is a collage," Ahmed said. "It is agriculture and it's also healthy living, leadership and citizenship and science, engineering and technology. Science, engineering and technology is one of the missions of 4-H, and by flying a 4-H flag into space, I hope we shine a new light on 4-H."

Source: www.national4-hheadquarters.gov.

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Technology information delivery

The use of the Internet to transfer research-based information is growing daily, and the LSU AgCenter has a link on YouTube. Some examples are the Get It Growing segments, the Sweet Truth about Sweet Potato Production and LaHouse Exhibits Energy Saving Techniques. If you have not been using the Internet to deliver information, you need to consider this as a viable option to reach our clientele. More and more individuals are using the Internet to get information and this will expand our audience dramatically. The Louisiana Master Gardener program is using the Internet to deliver information such as class presentations being conducted at the Burden Center plus the presentations from the recent state conference in Kenner.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/LSUagcenter,

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/LMGVideoCatalog

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FCS honors nine faculty

Nine LSU AgCenter educators recently won top honors for their home-buyer education program at the Louisiana Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences annual meeting. The group was honored for outstanding programming that reaches out to communities and special-needs families. Their program, “Charting Your Course to Home Ownership,” uses multimedia presentations to guide participants through choosing, negotiating and obtaining the best home and mortgage. “Our 12- hour curriculum engages homeowners and potential homeowners in managing their credit, maintaining a home investment and building successful homeownership skills to last a lifetime,” said team leader Jeanette Tucker, family economist. The program targets first-time home buyers and hurricane victims. Team members also include extension associate Deborah Hurlbert, Baton Rouge; extension agents Margaret Burlew, Terrebonne Parish; Deborah Cross, Iberville Parish; Sheri Fair, Ascension Parish; Cynthia Richard, Calcasieu Parish; Cynthia Stephens, Ouachita Parish; and associate extension agents Valerie Vincent, Washington Parish; and Deniese Zeringue, St. Charles Parish.

Source: Linda Benedict

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20 from Communications, IT honored at international meeting

Twenty members of the LSU AgCenter Communications and Information Technology staffs were honored at the annual conference of the Association for Communication Excellence, an international professional organization, which was held June 6-10 in Des Moines, Iowa. Linda Benedict, associate director of Communications, received the 2009 Professional Award, which is the highest recognition given by ACE to one of its members. Gold award winners were Tobie Blanchard for a radio spot about AgMagic, Kathleen Kramer for a marketing campaign on flood protection and a 10-member team for a “Working Smarter” training series presented to all AgCenter staff in 2008. From the IT staff, winners were Fred Piazza, Sandy Fiser, Mike Carl, David Woerner, Bruce Garner, Tanya Ruffin and Page Langlois; from Communications, they were Frankie Gould, Benedict and Blanchard. Silver awards went to John Wozniak for a Louisiana Agriculture magazine cover, Randy LaBauve and Craig Gautreaux for the “Fun with Chickens” video series, and Megan Smith and Fiser for the home page of the AgCenter’s Web site. Also, a six-member team won a silver award for the Chancellor’s Challenge blog. They are Benedict, Gould, Ruffin, Langlois, Fiser and Lisa West. Bronze awards went to Bruce Schultz and Mark Claesgens for their photo series on hurricane damage; Fiser, Smith and Katina Hester for a 4-H Web graphic; and to Ruffin for a series of video training spots. In addition, Gould, who presided over the meeting as president, moved to the post of past president. Gautreaux and Sarah Johnston graduated from the one-year ACE Leadership

Source: Linda Benedict

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Professional associations recognize award winners

The Louisiana County Agents Association honored five LSU AgCenter extension employees with awards at the organization’s annual convention June 2. Achievement awards were presented to Louis Lirette, associate county agent in West Baton Rouge Parish, and Dr. Tara Smith, sweet potato specialist at the LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase.

The organization presented Distinguished Service awards to Stuart Gauthier, county agent in Vermilion Parish; Dr. Don Reed, wildlife specialist at the Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station in Clinton; and Dr. Johnny Saichuk, rice specialist at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station near Crowley.

Source: Bruce Schultz

The Louisiana Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences presented its highest award along with others at its annual conference in Lafayette May 6. LSU AgCenter faculty in parishes across the state comprise the organization. Winners and their parishes of the top award, Distinguished Service, went to Monica Olinde, Point Coupee, and Ginger Boutwell, Franklin. This award recognizes members for their leadership, educational program efforts and professional development. Selection is voted on by the membership.

Source: Mark Claesgens

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LSU AgCenter seeks to finalize Lamar Dixon for 2010 Livestock Show

For the past six years, the LSU AgCenter has hosted the annual Livestock Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. But because the status of this facility has been unknown, the location for 2010 show has been up in the air. “The Lamar Dixon Expo Center has been a popular venue for our livestock show,” said Paul Coreil, vice chancellor for extension. “The center is big enough to meet our educational needs, is conveniently located and has served us well for the past six years.” The LSU AgCenter began holding the show at the Lamar Dixon Center in 2004. The three-year contract was extended another three years, but that contract expired with the 2009 show. “The Ascension Parish Council has recently passed an ordinance to exercise their option to purchase the facility,” Coreil said. “Once the sale is complete, the LSU AgCenter looks forward to staying at Lamar Dixon and negotiating a more permanent agreement in the coming weeks, including holding the 2010 show in Gonzales.”

Dates for the 2010 show, which will be the 75th annual show celebration, have been tentatively set for Feb. 13-20.

Source: Linda Benedict

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