Status of Farm Bill Reauthorization and Create-21

The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry completed work on the 2007 Farm Bill and sent the legislation to the full Senate for further consideration late last month. The House of Representatives passed similar legislation in July. Both pieces of legislation contain most of the key provisions embodied within NASULGC's CREATE-21 proposal as well as miscellaneous other provisions that will benefit colleges and universities. The bill as written does lack a critical funding authorization as discussed below.

The Senate's Farm Bill embraces the essential elements of the CREATE-21 proposal, including creating a new U.S. Department of Agriculture science agency known as the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Reporting to the Secretary of Agriculture, NIFA includes all of the research, teaching and public outreach programs and activities currently managed by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). The legislation also calls upon the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education and Economics to coordinate the programs of NIFA with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and to identify major opportunities and gaps in agricultural research, extension and education.

Unfortunately, the Senate bill does not provide the significant research funding increases that are so critically needed by colleges and universities. The bill does provide funding for new specialty crop and organics research programs and authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" (above current programmatic authorizations) to help NIFA meet the "opportunities and gaps" identified by the undersecretary. Unfortunately, the legislation does not include $200 million per year in funding for the Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems (IFAFS) contained in CREATE-21 and the House-passed version of the Farm Bill. In addition, there are also some differences in organizational structure between the two versions that require some attention.

The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill later in November, and then a conference committee will be selected to iron out a compromise version of the bill that will have to be voted up or down by the House and Senate. The bill would then go to the president for his signature or possible veto. We will continue to keep you posted as action is taken.

(Source: NASULGC and CSREES news releases)

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Bush Nominates Former North Dakota Governor Schafer to Head USDA

President Bush has announced the nomination of former North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer to serve as the new Secretary of Agriculture. Schafer was elected N.D. governor in 1992, serving two four-year terms and becoming the first Republican to be re-elected governor in that state. In 2002, he helped found Extend America, a wireless communications company based in North Dakota. Schafer will succeed Mike Johanns, who resigned in September to run for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel in Nebraska.

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Farmer of the Year Nominations Being Accepted

The deadline is Dec. 14. Application forms can be obtained at any LSU AgCenter parish office or online at www.lsuagcenter.com/farmeroftheyear. Producers from all areas of agriculture are eligible.

Three finalists will be recognized at White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge on March 7, with the winner receiving a cash award, prizes and a proclamation from the governor.

This is the 11th year that the award will be presented. Last year’s winner was Vendal Fairchild, a cotton and grain farmer from West Carroll Parish.

Judges for the event will be extension service representatives from neighboring states. Contestants will be evaluated on criteria such as yield data, innovation techniques and commitment to agricultural organizations.

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Southern Region Bioenergy One-Pager

The southern region SAES and CES directors formed the Southern Region Bioenergy Research and Extension Coordinating Committee last April. The overall goal of this Committee is to assist in coordinating regional efforts in research and extension related to bioenergy. Activities so far include developing a white paper on current status and future challenges of a sustainable bioenergy industry in the southern region; conducting an inventory survey of our region’s 1862 land-grant university capacity in bioenergy research and extension expertise, facilities and educational resources; and facilitating planning for a new Southern Research & Extension Activity (SERA) to enhance multistate extension programming and research/extension interactions related to bioenergy.

The Committee reported on its activities during the August Southern Region AHS/CARET meeting in Lexington and at that time was asked to develop a one-pager reflecting the main points of the report that CARET and others could use with various decision-makers and stakeholders to emphasize the region's opportunities and challenges in bioenergy. The one-pager can be accessed through the AgCenter website by clicking here.

The one-pager captures the main points from the committee’s white paper, including the integrated research/extension focus areas, the urgency and scope of the task ahead and the region's competitive advantage. Also included is information on high priority areas where bioenergy inventory showed the lowest capacity. This and other documents resulting from the Committee's activities can also be accessed from links on the SAAESD and ASRED Web sites’ home pages under “Special Notices” at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/saaesd/ or http://asred.msstate.edu/.

(Source: SAAESD update prepared by Dr. Eric Young, executive director)

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Guide to Louisiana Friendly Landscapes Publication Wins Regional Award

The Guide to Louisiana Friendly Landscapes publication has been selected for an American Society for Horticultural Science-Southern Region Blue Ribbon Communications Award. This will be presented at the ASHS-SR annual conference in Dallas, TX February 4. Please join me in congratulating the team of AgCenter faculty (specialists and agents) that contributed to this excellent, award-winning publication.

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eXtension Continues Planning for National Launch Celebration in February 2008

Planning continues for eXtension’s national launch celebration as a part of USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C. February 21 & 22. The event, sponsored by the secretary of agriculture, brings together nearly 1,900 individuals from around the world to discuss issues related to agricultural policy, economics and current & future trends in agriculture and related disciplines.

eXtension will use the Ag Outlook Forum as the platform for launching and celebrating http://www.extension.org through a formal recognition by the Office of the Secretary. Three new members representing eXtension’s institutional teams were recently added to the Launch Celebration Working Group that has been formed to coordinate all activities surrounding the event:

• Terry Meisenbach, eXtension staff, Chair
• Anne Henderson, CSREES, Communications & Marketing Advisory Committee
• Ashley Griffin, eXtension staff
• Beth Raney, eXtension staff
• Pam Hodson, Louisiana State University, iTeam
• Ann LaVigna, University of Maryland, iTeam
• Robert Demattina, University of Kentucky, iTeam
• Debb Pankow, CoP, Financial Security for All
• Bo Beaulieu, CoP, Entrepreneurs & Their Communities
• Karen Hinton, Nevada CES, Directors Council, Governing Committee
• Greg Crosby, CSREES, Directors Council, Governing Committee
• James Wade, NASULGC, Directors Council, Governing Committee
• Dan Cotton, eXtension Director, ex-officio

The group is currently working on plans to coordinate this launch throughout all 3,000+ Cooperative Extension Offices and to involve and recognize the many individuals and groups who have been involved in this initiative. Stay tuned for more information on the national launch in future editions of this newsletter.

(Source: eXtension news update)

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eXtension Launches ‘Just In Time Parenting’ Site

Finding reliable parenting information on the Internet just got easier! eXtension is pleased to announce the “soft” launch of its newest online resource, Just in Time Parenting (JITP).

“We’re very excited to have this newest addition to the eXtension ‘storefront,’” said Dan Cotton, eXtension Director. “This is a great example of a long-standing team recognizing the power of virtual collaboration and information delivery.”

Building on more than 30 years of evidence-based practice in distributing age-paced newsletters in more than 20 states, the JITP Community of Practice has transformed Cooperative Extension’s trusted parenting information into a national interactive Internet resource. When eXtension is publicly launched in February, monthly Just in Time e-newsletters will reach parents -- keyed to the age of each subscriber’s child.

The eXtension parenting content has been written and peer-reviewed by a multistate team of extension faculty at leading universities. JITP content is developed to attract low-literacy readers as well as very busy parents. The content highlights information and strategies identified by researchers as those most crucial to helping children thrive – promoting healthy growth and development, preparing children for school success, reinforcing positive parenting behaviors and affirming healthy interpersonal and family relationships.

The eXtension Just in Time Parenting site features:

• Age-paced newsletters that can be downloaded and printed
• More than 175 frequently asked questions
• Ask the experts
• Fact sheets

Although the current focus is infants, the JITP team plans to extend the resources from pregnancy through parenting in the teen years.

To check out the JITP site go to: http://www.extension.org and choose Parenting.

(Source: eXtension news updates)

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Atrazine Update

Representatives from Syngenta Crop Protection met with representatives from the AgCenter, LDAF, USDA and Farm Bureau October 26 to provide an update on the atrazine situation in Louisiana - specifically to report on the voluntary monitoring program for atrazine in 2007 in the upper Terrebonne Basin. LDAF has been actively involved in collection of water samples from streams draining into the basin and also at several water districts. As a result of concerns related to low concentrations of atrazine in drinking water, EPA established minimum atrazine threshold levels that cannot exceed a 90-day rolling average of 37.5 parts per billion (ppb). This change by EPA was more representative because it allowed for unusual spikes in atrazine levels as long as the 90-day rolling average was not exceeded. During the 2007 growing season, there were no samples exceeding the minimum threshold levels.

This positive finding for 2007 was significant because in many areas in the basin grain sorghum was grown and atrazine was widely used - more so than in past years. In an effort to proactively address these concerns with atrazine, there have been in place extensive education programs developed and implemented by the LSU AgCenter’s Cooperative Extension Service in sugarcane, corn and grain sorghum to promote BMPs and efficient use of atrazine. All cooperators have worked together to implement education programs across the Terrebonne Basin, and these have apparently been successful. In 2008, monitoring of atrazine will continue. If these positive results continue, it is possible that at the end of 2008 Louisiana could be removed from the mandatory EPA monitoring program.

I want to congratulate all cooperators that have worked together to address this water quality concern – especially parish-based county agents and statewide extension specialists that have implemented extensive educational programs across the Terrebonne Basin.

(Source: Dr. Jim Griffin, assistant to the director, LAES)

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Agrotourism Farm Enters Fifth Year

Jerry Simpson’s farm in Arcadia is entering its fifth year of business as an agrotourism destination. The farm specializes in educational and fun-filled field trips for schools, churches, nursing homes, tourists and other organizations. Dora Ann Hatch, LSU AgCenter community rural development agent, helped Jerry Simpson diversify his working dairy farm and add nontraditional value to his farming business.

In addition to Hatch’s assistance, Simpson received help from other LSU AgCenter agents and specialists in aquaculture, forestry, horticulture and agriculture. They provided expertise in pond development, tree identification, row crop production, vegetable and fruit tree planting and animal science.

The farm has been in Simpson’s family for generations. His wife and three daughters help conduct tours for 10,000 visitors a year. The farm is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until dark. Tours are $8 per person. More information is available by telephone at (318) 263-2383 or (318) 278-0883 and on the Internet at www.papasimpsonsfarm.com.

(Source: AgCenter news release)

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Camp Birthday Bash

The Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center (better known as Camp Grant Walker) held its 85th anniversary celebration Oct. 27. Parents and children from around the state joined together in Pollock to celebrate the LSU AgCenter’s successful 4-H camping program. The event provided an opportunity for the public to learn about future camp capital improvement plans, tour camp Windywood property recently purchased by the Louisiana 4-H Foundation and recognize past campers (4-H camp alumni). Ms. Kim Landry, our new Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center director, was also introduced and welcomed.

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The 5 Predictors of Success

Finding fulfilling work is no accident. A number of traits indicate whether a person is likely to be a candidate for moving into work that provides a sense of meaning and accomplishment. Some traits may not be naturally strong areas for you, but each can be learned if you are ready to take charge of your career and life. Here are the top five predictors of success.

• Passion - Bill Gates was able to build Microsoft and become the richest man in the world because he was passionate about his vision of putting “a computer on every desk and in every home.” Passion, defined as “intense emotional excitement,” goes beyond mere enthusiasm.
  
  
• Determination - Without determination a person can easily be lured away from his or her path. Just recognize that if you respond to circumstances, any obstacle will send you off in a new direction. But with determination you can establish priorities that will guide you through even challenging and unexpected circumstances.
  
  
• Talent - Talent allows a person to focus. No one has talent in every area; discover where you rise to the top. What are those things you love to do whether or not you get paid? Sometimes we discover that our first sense of “calling” is guided more by others’ expectations than as a true reflection of our strongest areas of competence.
  
  
• Self-discipline - Without self-discipline a person can easily be swayed by others. Self-discipline is the foundation that makes the other predictors work. Knowing those predictors is the initial step, but acting on them always requires self-discipline. Maya Angelou persisted in her writing even when others discouraged her. Today she enjoys more than $3 million in yearly income.
  
  
• Faith - Even with everything lining up logically or financially, real success requires that step of faith into the unknown. As a young boy, Norman Vincent Peale fought against strong feelings of inferiority. Over the years he developed and refined the message that anyone could put the principles of positive thinking and strong faith into practice and dramatically improve his or her life. His book The Power of Positive Thinking has sold more than 20 million copies and has been printed in 40 languages.

(Source: November/December 2007 AARP magazine)

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New Personnel

Please join me in welcoming new AgCenter personnel! They include:

• Yulia Sokolova, Post Doctoral Researcher, Entomology
• Miguel Gutierrez, Research Associate, Food Science
• Alice Normand, Research Associate, Burden Research Center
• David Sexton, Research Associate, Sugar Research Station
• Ashley Howard, Research Associate, Animal Science
• Michael Zanovec, Research Associate, Human Ecology
• Michelle Burton, Research Associate, Food Science
• Quentin Zaunbrecher, Research Associate, SW Region
• Young Jae Lee, Research Associate, Ag. Economics
• Giovanna DeQueiroz, Asst. Professor, Audubon Sugar Institute
• David Boldt, Instructor, 4-H Department
• Ricky D. Thomas, Maint Repairer, Audubon Sugar Institute
• Crystal Emfinger, Admin Coord, Concordia Parish Extension Office
• Rebecca Savage, Res Farm Asst, Calhoun Research Station
• Allman Alonzgio, Res Farm Specialist, Animal Science
• Jessica Carter, Nutr. Educator, Lafayette Parish Extension Office
• Patricia Meyers, Nutr. Educator, Lafayette Parish Extension Office
• LaTonya Claiborne, Admin. Coord., EBR Parish Extension Office
• Falon Landry, Admin Coord., EBR Parish Extension Office
• Brenda Jones, Custodian, Northeast Research Station
• Jeremy Easley, Res Farm Asst, Southeast Research Station
• Johnny Richardson, Res Farm Asst, Hill Farm Research Station
• Jackie Webb, Admin Coord, Entomology
• Michael Williams, Res Farm Asst, Central Research Station
• Kathleen Burnett, Admin Coord, Franklin Parish Extension Office
• Hui Pan, Assistant Professor, Calhoun Research Station
• Irvin Hendrix, Assoc. Area Agent, NE Region Extension Service
• Mahesh Chinnaiyan, Network /Video Conf.Analyst, IT
• Peter Cannizzaro, 4H Region Coordinator, SE Region Extension Service
• Michael Pontif, Research Associate, Sugar Research Station
• Kori Myers, Asst. Ext. Agent, Allen Parish Extension Office
• Grace Peterson, Asst. Ext. Agent, Bossier Parish Extension Office
• Iryna Tishechkina, Research Associate, Audubon Sugar Institute
• Kamalesh Achanta, Research Associate, Animal Science
• James Riddle, Regional Tech. Spt. Specialist, IT
• William Felizien, Research Associate, RNR
• Jasper Teboh, Research Associate, SPESS
• Yuanda Zhu, Research Associate, SPESS
• Nicole Mouch, Asst. Ext. Agent, Lafayette Parish Extension Office
• Ruby Miller, Asst. Ext. Agent, Cameron Parish Extension Office
• Christopher Squyres, Res Farm Assistant, Dean Lee Research Station
• Alice Martina, Admin Assistant, Animal Science
• Pauline Lathan, Accountant, Acct. Services
• Judy Cascio, Admin Coordinator, Calhoun Research Station

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Please continue to visit the director’s website at:

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/administration/
about_us/extension/our+director/index.htm

If you have any comments or suggestions to improve e-Directions or the director’s website, please contact me at pcoreil@agcenter.lsu.edu.

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