CSREES Update - August
23, 2006
CSREES Update, from the Office of the Administrator,
is a biweekly newsletter for research, education,
and extension partners at land-grant universities
and other cooperating institutions.
In This Issue
CSREES
- CSREES Associate Administrator Position Open
- CSREES Briefs the University of Illinois' Global Academy Class
- NEFE, CSREES Continue to Advance Youth Financial Education
- 4-H Community Mapping Program Receives International Recognition
- CSREES Lists Open Requests for Grant Applications
USDA
- USDA Avian Influenza Updates
- Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Policy
- Bovine Genome Sequencing Project Releases New Genetic Resources
- DOE and USDA Fund Genomics Projects for Bioenergy Fuels Research
- USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force to Meet In Pennsylvania
Partners
- WRDC Inspires New Program
- Colorado State Names Vice Provost of Outreach
Opportunities
- Two Journals Seek Papers
- PIPE Planning Meeting
Awards & Recognition
- NEMO Publication Receives Award
Mailbox
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CSREES
CSREES Associate Administrator Position Open
CSREES Associate Administrator position is now open and listed under vacancy announcement number CSREES:SES:06-02 (click for announcement). Please download the announcement for application instructions. Application and supplemental information must arrive at the address shown in the announcement by September 26, 2006, closing date. Contact Betty Lou Gilliland, CSREES Assistant Administrator for Management and Policy, on 202-720-5506 for more information about the position, and call Deborah Crump, ARS human resource assistant, on 301-504-1448 for information on the application process.
CSREES Briefs the University of Illinois' Global Academy Class
A newly created program within the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences provides college faculty members with opportunities to heighten their global awareness. As part of this year's training, members of the Global Academy recently visited internationally-focused offices in Washington, DC, including CSREES' International Programs office. Discussions ranged from trends in international agriculture to faculty members' specific experience and interest in working overseas. The class was led by Richard Vogen, director of college planning, and Mary Ann Lila, the college's interim associate dean for research and director of the college's Global Connect program. Colleagues from USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service arranged the visit and also briefed the class. For more information about the Academy, visit the ACES Global Connect Web site. Contact Hiram Larew, CSREES International Programs director for more information on the visit.
NEFE, CSREES Continue to Advance Youth Financial Education
National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) and CSREES have extended their partnership to promote financial education among America's youth. With the signing of a new 5-year agreement, NEFE and CSREES begin their 15th year of providing the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program® (HSFPP) to thousands of schools throughout the United States.
Since the inception of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program (HSFPP), more than 4.4 million workbooks have been distributed in schools across all 50 states. More than 630,000 student guides were circulated to schools throughout the country in 2005. This partnership is a key factor in growing the HSFPP into its position as a leader in financial education for teens. The Credit Union National Association, and America's Credit Unions, also partner with NEFE and CSREES to distribute HSFPP.
A nationwide evaluation of the program in 2003 found that the HSFPP is highly effective in improving the personal finance knowledge, behavior and confidence of teens. Upon completing the curriculum, students reported an increase of 60 percent in their knowledge of key areas covered by the HSFPP.
HSFPP is being revised for 2007. The updated program will offer a robust Web-based component containing additional tools, content, and learning experiences for both students and teachers. Visit the NEFE Web site and click on the Education Programs section for more information. Or visit the CSREES Financial Security Web site to learn more about our youth financial programs. Go to the CSREES Newsroom to read the full release.
4-H Community Mapping Program Receives International Recognition
A delegation of 44 youth and adult leaders presented a series of educational workshops on how the youth led community mapping projects and how they are leading their communities to identify social, economic, and environmental conditions that need improvement. The youth presented the 4-H Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program to an international audience of more than 13,500 GIS professionals from 127 countries at the Environmental Systems Research Institute's (ESRI) International Users Conference held in San Diego, CA. Jack Dangermund, founder of ESRI, praised 4-H for their leadership in helping communities identify conditions that need improvement.
4-H youth where followed by keynote speaker Joseph R. “Bob” Kerrey, former Governor and U.S. Senator of Nebraska, who also praised 4-H for its ”leadership in building stronger youth, families, communities, and nations…”
The National Geographic Society is working with 4-H to develop two new programs: a county/state fair program to recognize excellence in youth community mapping projects; and a community disaster readiness program that will help communities be better prepared for emergencies. Tom Tate, national program leader for Economics and Community Systems, and Jim Kahler, program specialist for Families, 4-H, and Nutrition, provide national leadership to the 4-H Community Mapping Program, which has expanded to 300 counties in 49 states.
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.
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USDA
USDA Avian Influenza Updates
Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Policy
On August 3, 2006, the USDA's Office of the Chief Economist released a Departmental Regulation (9700-001) called "Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Policy." This regulation sets forth the policy of the USDA with regard to the importance and role of small farms, ranches, woodlots, and beginning farmers and ranchers to U.S. agriculture and the establishment of strategies, systems, and a Departmental framework for achieving and maintaining the viability of small farms and beginning farmers and ranchers. This replaces Departmental Regulation (9700-1, dated September 8, 1999) to include "beginning farmers and ranchers." Go to the OCIO Web site to read the regulation.
Bovine Genome Sequencing Project Releases New Genetic Resources
Researchers from the Bovine Genome Sequencing Project are nearing completion on sequencing the genome of the cow and have released on free public databases bovine genetic information, including the most current, complete, and accurate genome sequence and an upgraded genetic map.
CSREES and Agricultural Research Service contributed to the $53 million international effort, which began in December 2003. The new bovine genome sequence contains 2.9 billion DNA base pairs and incorporated one-third more data than earlier versions. This high-quality sequence, which covers 95 percent of the genome, will enable researchers to make accurate gene predictions and evolutionary comparisons. The sequencing was conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center, in Houston.
Additional contributors to the Bovine Genome Sequencing Project include: the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health; the state of Texas; Genome Canada via Genome British Columbia; The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia; Agritech Investments Ltd.; Dairy Insight, Inc.; AgResearch Ltd., the Kleberg Foundation; and, the National, Texas and South Dakota Beef Check-off Funds.
Visit the CSREES Newsroom to read the full release.
DOE and USDA Fund Genomics Projects for Bioenergy Fuels Research
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns recently announced that USDA and the Department of Energy (DOE) have jointly awarded nine grants totaling $5.7 million for biobased fuels research to accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources.
CSREES and DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) awarded the grants. CSREES and OBER jointly initiated this fundamental research program to facilitate the use of woody plant tissue, specifically lignocellulosic materials, for bioenergy or biofuels. The research projects will focus on poplar, alfalfa, sorghum, wheat, and other grasses.
This is the first year CSREES and OBER have solicited competitive grants in this joint program. DOE is funding six projects for a total of nearly $3.9 million. USDA granted more than $1.8 million to fund three projects. Initial funding will support research projects for up to 3 years. Visit the CSREES Newsroom to read the full release.
USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force to Meet In Pennsylvania
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Air Quality Task Force will hold a meeting August 30-31 in Harrisburg, PA, to discuss current issues facing agriculture and the potential impacts to air quality from agricultural operations. It is open to the public and USDA will allow each speaker up to 5 minutes for an oral presentation. Written comments also will be accepted.
The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force advises the Secretary of Agriculture on agricultural air quality issues. Its mandate is to strengthen and coordinate USDA's air quality research efforts and identify cost-effective ways to help the agriculture industry to improve air quality and meet Federal and local air quality emissions requirements.
Producers, academics, industry representatives, and other experts in agriculture and air quality comprise the task force. Representatives from various USDA agencies-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Forest Service, Economic Research Service, Agricultural Research Service, and CSREES also participate on the task force.
Additional information about the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force is available on the NRCS Web site or by contacting Diane Gelburd, NRCS designated Federal officer, at 202-720-2587 or mailto:diane.gelburd@wdc.usda.gov. The full release is on the USDA Web site.
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Partners
WRDC Inspires New Program
Young entrepreneurs in Utah now have the opportunity to acquire low-interest loans for business start-ups through a new innovative loan program designed to grow new businesses in the state. The Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) laid the groundwork for this program when it held a “listening session” for rural entrepreneurs in Price, UT, in June 2005. More than 50 community leaders, small business owners/operators, and rural development practitioners met to discuss how to strengthen rural entrepreneurship in the five Utah counties represented at the session. Community leaders then held a follow-up session to discuss how they might implement what they learned. This led to the new loan program. The program is open to young entrepreneurs who have graduated with an approved business plan from NxLeveL, a high school entrepreneur training program. In addition, Price City has agreed to waive conditional-use permit fees and business license fees. The WRDC Listening Session was part of the National Coalition for Rural Entrepreneurship. For a summary of the Price City Entrepreneurship Listening Session visit the WRDC Web site. For more information about listening sessions in the west contact Jim Goodwin, WRDC senior program officer.
Colorado State Names Vice Provost of Outreach
Colorado State University named Lou Swanson, longtime sociology professor and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts, vice provost for outreach and strategic partnerships - a new position created during the campus-wide reorganization last fall. Swanson will oversee Cooperative Extension, Continuing Education, the new Office of Economic Development, the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, the Colorado Institute of Public Policy, and the Office of International Programs - all of which are working together addressing the changing needs of agriculture, rural communities, and growing urban communities in the state. Swanson obtained his bachelor's degree in political science at St. Andrews Presbyterian College, his master's of technology in international development from North Carolina State University, and his doctorate in rural sociology from Pennsylvania State University. Swanson started his new post on August 14.
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Opportunities
Two Journals Seek Papers
Special issues of two professional journals will examine links between sustainable agriculture, community development, and rural quality of life. Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society is seeking papers for a special issue on “Connecting Community Development and Sustainable Agriculture: Sustaining Community Innovation.” This theme stems from the Sustainable Community Innovation Grants program, co-sponsored by Southern SARE and the Southern Rural Development Center. Papers may highlight impacts from the program or explore the conceptual framework that guides successful community innovation strategies. A special issue of Southern Rural Sociology (SRS) is seeking papers on “sustainable agriculture and the quality of life in rural communities.” This special issue of SRS will focus on sustainable agriculture and community and how the two intersect in the South. The deadline for calls for abstracts for both journals is October 1, 2006. Both calls can be viewed at Southern SARE Web site. For more information contact Sally Maggard or Jill Auburn, CSREES national program leaders for Economic and Community Systems.
PIPE Planning Meeting
The Pest Information Plantform for Extension & Education (PIPE) will be held in Washington, DC, August 29-30, 2006. The purpose of this meeting is to develop the framework for the PIPE and the PIPE Steering Committee for the next several years. The participating group is considered the founding group. The permanent steering committee may be different from this group, at least in part. The desired meeting outcomes include:
- develop vision and mission statements;
- set goals and expectations for the future;
- identify how internal and external stakeholders will be involved;
- clarify steering committee purpose, membership, and operations;
- identify next steps; and
- agree on a project selection process for FY07 funding.
Contact Kitty Cardwell, national program leader for Plant and Animal Systems, for more information.
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Awards and Recognition
NEMO Publication Receives Award
The Connecticut NEMO (Non-point Education for Municipal Officials) team was awarded the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation (RNRF) for their “Putting Communities in Charge” publication. The publication is a compilation of local actions catalyzed by the Connecticut NEMO project. The National NEMO network, led by the University of Connecticut, coordinates activities across 31 states in an effort to help communities better protect natural resources while accommodating growth. This assistance is rendered through nonregulatory, research-based educational outreach programs that emphasize natural resource-based land use planning and better site design. CSREES provides support for the National NEMO network through a series of grants provided by the National Integrated Water Quality Program. Visit the NEMO Network Web site for more information about the award-winning program.
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Mailbox
For a plain text copy of this newsletter, please contact Judy
Rude.
CSREES UPDATE is published biweekly. The
next regular issue is planned for
September 6, 2006. Submit news items to newsletter@csrees.usda.gov by
August 30, 2006.
Editor: Judy
Rude, Public Affairs Specialist, CSREES
Communications Staff. If you have questions
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Colien
Hefferan, Administrator
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