January 12, 2007
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
WORKSHOPS ON WSU POLICIES ON PESTICIDE USE
Workshops are being offered to notify employees about WSU's policies on pesticide use, recommendation, testing of experimental compounds or uses, required recordkeeping and licensing. These half-day workshops are being offered on the following dates at the following locations:
Feb 14 - WSU Puyallup
Feb 20 - WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center Feb 22 - WSU Prosser Feb 28 - WSU Mt. Vernon
Workshop hours are from 9 am to noon. All employees who recommend the use of pesticides, supervise volunteers who make pest management recommendations, test experimental pesticides or uses of registered pesticides, or supervise application of pesticides as part of general maintenance to farm, greenhouse or field plots, should attend one of these workshops. If you are not sure whether the materials you work with are pesticides, contact Catherine Daniels at (253)-445-4611 or cdaniels@wsu.edu in advance of the workshops.
There is no fee for registration. Additional information on how to register will be coming out shortly.
HORIZONS PROJECT NAMES 23 COMMUNITIES FOR POVERTY REDUCTION PROGRAMS
Twenty-three rural communities in Washington state have been selected to participate in a community education and training program to provide local residents with tools to improve the local economy and reduce poverty.
The communities were chosen to participate in the Horizons Project, administered by Washington State University Extension and funded by a $1.7 million grant from the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul, Minn. The project targets communities of fewer than 5,000 residents that have declining populations and poverty rates of at least 10 percent.
The following communities were selected after community volunteers attended informational meetings last month and expressed interest in participating:
Adams County: Ritzville
Cowlitz County: Castle Rock
Ferry County: Republic
Grant County: Mattawa, North Moses Lake, Royal City, Warden
Klickitat County: Glenwood, Goldendale, Klickitat, Trout Lake, White Salmon/Bingen
Lewis County: Mossy Rock, Pe Ell
Lincoln County: Sprague
Skamania County: Stevenson
Stevens County: Chewelah, Colville, Columbia School District (Cedonia, Fruitland, Gifford, Hunters), Kettle Falls/Marcus, Northport, Springdale
Wahkiakum County: Cathlamet
Poverty rates in those communities range from 13 to nearly 40 percent.
The goal of the Horizons Project is to help volunteering community members develop skills, tools and practical strategies to address local economic and social issues. For the complete article, see WSU Today http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/completestory.asp?StoryID=3565
EXTENSION ENGAGED: "BRAND IDENTITY CAMPAIGN"
The first Extension Engaged of 2007 will be an update on "The WSU Extension Brand Identity Campaign.” Please join us via videostream http://caheinfo.wsu.edu/video/stream.html on Friday, January 19, 2007, from 10:00 am -11:30 am.
Guests include:
• Linda Kirk Fox, Dean and Director, WSU Extension,
• Kathy Barnard, Sr. Public Relations Specialist, Information Department, CAHNRS
• Dan Fagerlie, County Director, WSU Ferry County Extension,
• Ineke Caycedo, Senior Brand Specialist, Educational Marketing Group, and
• John Winder, Associate Dean and Associate Director, WSU Extension.
USDA ANNOUNCES 83RD ANNUAL OUTLOOK FORUM
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the 83rd annual Outlook Forum, "Agriculture at the Crossroads: Energy, Farm & Rural Policy," will focus on bioenergy and its implications for agriculture. The conference will be March 1-2, 2007, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA.
The forum is an opportunity to hear, meet, and debate with leaders and colleagues who are at the forefront of the bold changes occurring in agriculture. USDA has invited four of America's leading CEOs to a panel discussion on "Renewable Energy – Inroads to Agriculture" that Scott Kilman of the Wall Street Journal will moderate. Secretary Johanns will deliver the keynote address.
Pre-registration is required. More details and registration are on the USDA web site http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/ Registration is $300 per person until February 5. After that date, registration is $350. Accredited press may call Press Room Coordinator Priscilla Smith at 202-694-5022, or Forum Coordinator Brenda Chapin at 202-720-5447 for more details.
RURAL SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY CALLS FOR ABSTRACTS
The 2007 annual meeting of the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) provides an opportunity to advance knowledge about rural social change and make that knowledge more accessible and useful to practitioners. The meeting, Social Change and Restructuring in Rural Societies: Opportunities and Vulnerabilities, will be held in Santa Clara, CA, August 2-5, 2007. RSS will highlight selected, juried papers at the conference. Interested individuals or teams may submit an abstract to the 2007 Rural Sociology Refereed Papers Committee for review by February 1, 2007. Those who submit abstracts must submit completed papers via the RSS Conference Web site by April 15, 2007. RSS is also calling for abstracts for posters, nonjuried papers, workshops, roundtables, and panels. All abstracts should be submitted via the RSS Web site by February 1, 2007. For more information visit the RSS web site http://www.ruralsociology.org/ or contact Sally Maggard, CSREES national program leader, Economic and Community Systems.
4-H COMMUNITY MAPPING PROGRAM SEEKING APPLICANTS
The 2007 Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Geographic Information Systems grant program for 4-H clubs is seeking applicants. The program, open to 4-H clubs, was announced at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Meeting by ESRI. The program fosters and supports the integration of geospatial applications in U.S. 4-H clubs. Seventy-five grants for software, introductory training, and other materials will be awarded. The deadline is February 28, 2007. Contact Tom Tate ttate@csrees.usda.gov for more information.
NEW PARTNERS VIDEO MAGAZINE – FEEDING AMERICA CSREES
latest episode of Partners Video Magazine, Feeding America, is now available. The video focuses on the complex, multi-layered food production process in America. It features four untold stories of vital endeavors that are part of the amazing mosaic of agriculture.
Hidden Danger shows North Carolina State University scientists in their quest to understand a deadly fungus that threatens the safety of food around the globe. Asphalt Gardens visits The Food Project of inner-city Boston where local youth grow crops for their urban neighborhood. The Rust Invasion goes back in time to show how the United States narrowly avoided an agricultural catastrophe from a devastating plant disease. And Robot Farm proves that the future is now as Oklahoma State University researchers develop the very latest devices for precision agriculture.
Feeding America is available in streaming video or DVD on the Partner Video Magazine http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/partners/partners_17.html
WSU CREAMERY AND WSU EXTENSION OFFER DAIRY PROCESSING SHORTCOURSES
Pullman, WA - WSU Creamery and WSU Extension are pleased to announce Dairy processing shortcourses for 2007. Registration for 3 of the courses has just opened at http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/education/cheesemakingEd.htm. Additional classes are shown at http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/education/upcoming.htm .
The first offering will be the Basic-Plus Cheesemaking class in Lynden, WA Feb 20 - 22. This 3-day offering is intended for the beginning cheesemaker who is serious about pursuing Cheesemaking as a business activity at the farmstead or artisan level. Avid hobbyist and enthusiasts are welcome too!
The second offering is the Advanced Cheesemaking class held in Pullman, WA March 5-8. This 4-day offering is intended for the practicing cheesemaker who wants to better understand the process and improve them. Designed for experienced cheesemakers, supervisory, management, quality control, regulatory and marketing personnel.
Suggested prerequisites: Experience in a cheese plant and/or attendance at a basic level course is recommended prior to attending this class.
The third offering is the Pasteurization workshop in Pullman, WA April 18 - 19. This basic 2-day class on pasteurization covers vat, and basic HTST systems. Additional discussions on magnetic flow timed systems and systems with auxiliary equipment are included. Hands-on activities are conducted in the WSU Creamery Facilities. Course is suggested for plant operators, maintenance personnel, quality personnel, management and suppliers to the industry.
For more information please go to: http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/education/upcoming.htm or contact Marc Bates cheeseguy@pullman.com (preferred) or 509-595-8652
GLOBALIZATION AND THE US - CHINA ECONOMY STUDY ABROAD THIS SUMMER
A 3-credit study abroad course, EconS483, "Globalization and the US-China Economy" this summer by Holly Wang, Associate Professor and Ag Economist in the School of Economic Sciences. She will take a small group of students to travel around China (Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an areas) for two weeks. They will interview entrepreneurs, visit business, visit farms, as well as tour famous historic sites. It can be a great professional development opportunity if Chinese agricultural production and food market is relevant to your work. Please contact Holl directly at wanghong@wsu.edu or check her web site www.ses.wsu.edu/china for more information.
BOB STEVENS AWARDED THE 2006 SHERMAN MCGREGOR AWARD
Dr. Bob Stevens, Interim Director, WSU Prosser (IAREC) and Extension Specialist was awarded the 2006 Sherman McGregor award at the annual meeting of the Far West Agribusiness in December. Bob has worked for over 20 years as an Extension Soil Scientist at WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Prosser, serving industry and growers throughout Washington and NE Oregon. In addition to his WSU Extension appointment, Bob has served as Interim Director of WSU Prosser for three years. He has authored numerous Abstracts and journal articles that describe his plant and soil fertility research. Dr. Stevens has presented his research at national and international meetings. In 2003, USDA presented him with the USDA Honor Award for "maintaining and enhancing the nation's natural resources and environment." Dr. Stevens also served on the Far West Agribusiness Association Board for several years. Bob's hard work and dedication in advancing the effective and efficient use of fertilizers to the benefit of the industry and the growers makes him an outstanding choice to receive this award.
PLEASE ASSIST WITH ONLINE DIRECTORY UPDATE
In November 2005 we launched the online directory of personnel for WSU Extension and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). This directory replaced the previous online Extension directory and the CAHNRS “Blue List.”
All WSU Extension and CAHNRS personnel with an active WSU ID number should be listed in this new directory. This includes public affiliates, hourly employees, research associates, graduate students, faculty, administrative professional, civil service and bargaining unit employees with teaching, research and extension appointments.
The directory is available online at: https://cahnrsdb.wsu.edu/directory/
It is imperative that YOU review your listing in the directory and update the expertise feature!
Please review your listing in the directory. If you are not included or the information is not correct contact your administrative assistant at your department, research and extension center/unit, or extension district.
The new program allows you to update much of your listing. Click the “Maintenance” button to access the edit screens. The expertise data base has expired and this information is now included as a part of the new online directory. We encourage you to enter your expertise in the directory. The expertise directory is helpful to us when the media contacts the Information Department.
PERSONNEL
New Hires
Jose L. Garcia, Extension Specialist, E-2, Community & Rural Sociology, Tri-Cities campus, Richland Effective July 16, 2007 100% Extension, Faculty
Mary Kathryn Kempfer, Coordinator, CSANR, Puyallup Effective December 18, 2006 64% Extension, 36% Research, AP
Clayton Burrows, Associate in Research, Small Farms, CSANR, Puyallup Effective December 18, 2006 100% Extension, Faculty
Julia Aumen, Publications Editor, Information Department Effective December 4, 2006
27.5 Extension; 12.5% Research, AP
Colleen Burrows, Extension Coordinator Specialist, Whatcom County Effective January 2, 2007 97.5% Extension Grant; 2.5% Research, AP
Joellen Wollman, Extension Coordinator, Center to Bridge the Digital Divide, Lincoln County Effective January 1, 2007, 50% Extension Grant, AP
Separations
Ann E. Diede, Area Extension Educator, E-3, Chelan County Effective May 31, 2007, 100% Extension, Faculty, Retirement
Carrie L. Craten, Director, Environmental Information Center, Clark County Effective December 31, 2006, 100% Extension Grant, AP, Appointment Complete
SCHEDULE
Next week Linda will be in Pullman Thursday and Friday. She will be in Spokane on Tuesday and Wednesday for Nursing Dean candidate interviews.
John will be in Pullman all week.
Washington State University will be closed on Monday, January 15 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
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Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
Washington State University Extension
PO Box 646248, 411 Hulbert Hall
Pullman WA 99164-6248
(509) 335-2933 Office
(509) 335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
FAX (509) 335-2926
lkfox@wsu.edu |
