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August
4, 2006
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
LISTENING SESSION ON COOPERATIVE
CONSERVATION AUGUST 9
The Secretaries of Interior, Commerce and Agriculture,
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the
Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality today
announced the dates and locations of the first eight listening sessions
on cooperative conservation and environmental partnerships.
These sessions, the first of at least two dozen to be held around
the country, are scheduled in several locations. The location in
Washington is Spokane Convention Center, 9:00 am – noon, Wednesday,
August 9.
Interior Secretary Kempthorne is expected to participate in sessions
in Spokane, Boise, Fairbanks, and Colton. Announcements will follow
for other dates and times and the Cabinet Secretaries or other Federal
officials, who will attend.
The meetings will focus on issues, programs, and policies mentioned
frequently at the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation.
Discussion topics will include:
- How can the federal government enhance wildlife habitat, species
protection, and other conservation outcomes through regulatory
and voluntary conservation programs?
- How can the federal government enhance cooperation among federal
agencies and with states, tribes, and local communities in the
application of environmental protection and conservation laws?
- How can the federal government work with states, tribes, and
other public- and private-sector partners to improve science used
in environmental protection and conservation?
- How can the federal government work cooperatively with businesses
and landowners to protect the environment and promote conservation?
- How can the federal government better respect the interests
of people with ownership in land, water, and other natural resources?
Source: EPA Press Release
GOVERNOR proclaims AUGUST 12 -
19 as Farmers Market Week
Washington state residents are encouraged to show their
support for family farms by shopping at their local farmers market
during the upcoming "Washington State Farmers Market Week."
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and Washington
State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) join Governor Chris Gregoire
in proclaiming Aug. 12-19 as a time to recognize "the many
benefits of our local farmers markets."
Farmers markets in Washington increased from 60 in 1998 to more
than 90 in 2006. Statewide, farmers markets reported $24 million
in sales in 2005, up $2 million from the previous year. Most of
those dollars go directly to Washington family farmers. "From
Anacortes to Vashon and Bridgeport to Spokane, thousands of people
are shopping each week in a fun atmosphere to buy fresh in-season
produce, flowers and other items," said Melisa Evangelos, president
of the WSFMA and manager of the Tacoma Farmers Market. "Farmers
markets play a vital role in rural and urban economies throughout
the state, and are increasing in popularity every day," Evangelos
said. Farmers markets provide family farmers with direct access
to the full retail dollar for their products, and provide the public
with access to some of the freshest, best-tasting produce available.
For farmers market locations, contact information, and more information
on the WSFMA, visit www.wafarmersmarkets.com.
For a produce seasonality chart, go the Web site of the WSDA From
the Heart of Washington campaign at www.heartofwashington.com
and click on "Get it Fresh." Source: Washington State
Department of Agriculture News Release: Aug. 1, 2006
eXtension Professional Development
Opportunities
eXtension’s professional development opportunities
are open to all Cooperative Extension faculty and staff. We’ll
be offering a variety of “30 Minute Sessions” of interest
to any and all, and a special guest session for the IT professionals
in Extension.
“30 Minute Sessions” - Give us 30 minutes and we’ll
teach you something useful! These sessions will be held via Breeze
at http://breeze.extension.iastate.edu/learn. Plan to join the session
5 minutes before it starts — 2:00 PM Eastern Time, 1:00 Central,
12:00 Mountain, 11:00 AM Pacific.
- On Wednesday, August 2 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, we’re
offering a “Thirty-Minute Session” Basic Wiki Orientation
— navigation, searching, user pages, categories, history,
entering text, editing, talk pages.
- On Wednesday, August 10 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a “Thirty-Minute
Session” Categories in the Wiki.
- On Tuesday, August 22 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a “Thirty-Minute
Session” Wiki Bare Essentials.
- On Tuesday, August 29 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a “Thirty-Minute
Session” FAQ Orientation.
- On Thursday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a “Thirty-Minute
Session” Need a Place to Wiki? Come to Collaborate!
BIOFUELS: DEVELOPING NEW ENERGY
SOURCES FROM AGRICULTURE
Renewable energy produced from the agricultural sector
has increased sharply in recent years, as prices of traditional
energy sources climbed to record levels. The Quarter 1, 2006 issue
of Choices http://www.choicesmagazine.org
looks at the current and potential production of renewable energy,
and discusses the motivations behind government policies that are
shaping a renewable energy sector in the United States.
This collection of papers presents a baseline for current renewable
energy production and discusses the potential of future supply.
The five papers included provide: 1) a description of U .S. energy
policies; 2) an economic analysis of ethanol and biodiesel; 3) insights
into the potential of expanding the supply of renewable fuels through
the advancement of new technologies for converting biomass into
ethanol; 4) information on new cost-saving technologies that are
improving the economics of power production from solar, wind, and
geothermal energy; and 5) a strategy for bringing bioproduct production
technology to commercialization.
PERSONNEL
We are pleased to announce Cheryl Druffel is the new assistant
to the Dean of WSU Extension in Pullman, Washington. She starts
her new job on Monday, August 21st and brings with her an expertise
in fiscal and operations management. Cheryl has a BA in Business
Administration from WSU. Her 16 years of previous employment at
WSU includes her current position of Operations Manager in Alumni
Relations and prior work as Coordinator of Loans and Compliance
in Scholarships and Financial Aid. Cheryl joins Kathy Stillwell,
Principal Assistant in the office of the Dean and Director, WSU
Extension.
SCHEDULE
Next week Linda will be in Pullman Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Friday. On Thursday she will be in Mt. Vernon. John will be
in Pullman all week.
******************************
Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
Washington State University Extension
PO Box 646230, 411 Hulbert Hall
Pullman WA 99164-6230
(509) 335-2933 Office
(509) 335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
FAX (509) 335-2926
lkfox@wsu.edu
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