The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 10, No. 21   April 6, 2004

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Update on the KSRE Budget Situation in Topeka
...Grain Science & Industry Department Head Candidates
...Fort Hays Judging Contests
...Workers Needed for KSRE Booth at the 3i Show in Great Bend
...Sunflower Foundation Accepting Funding Proposals for Promotion of Physical Activity and Healthy Eating in Kansas
...Are you Missing a K-State Research and Extension Purple Table Cover?
...Margaret Wheatley's Seminar April 23
...Call for Pre-Proposals - 2004
...Dzewaltowski General Session Speaker at Priester National Extension Health Conference
...New SBA Small Business Loan Program
...Horticulture and School Gardens
...4-H Arts Records Clarification
...Kansas Cattlewomen Announce the 2004 State Beef Ambassador Contest
...Master Schedule 

...Tuesday Letter Archives

UPDATE ON THE KSRE BUDGET SITUATION IN TOPEKA
We have some good news from Topeka. As you know, Dr. Ham testified before two legislative committees on Wednesday, March 10. His testimony, plus discussions with legislators by members of KCEE and 4-H on March 15, caught the attention of our friends in the Legislature. On March 18, legislators added $500,000 to the K-State Research and Extension FY2005 budget on the House side.

Since then, the conference committee met on Monday, March 29, and approved our budget with the $500,000 still in. There were a couple questions and hoops to jump through on Tuesday and Wednesday, but it now looks like everything is fine with the Legislature at this point. Of course, anything can happen between now and final adjournment - but hopefully won't.

Our budget is now approximately $1.2 million short for FY05. Of this, $269,718 is due to federal shortfalls. The remaining approximately $900,000 is due to a combination of the Vehicle Moratorium Reduction, from which we will probably not find any relief, and the other Budget Efficiency Savings (10% tax on some of our restricted use funds), which we still hold out a little hope for some relief.

While we would hope to have our budget fully funded, the addition of $500,000 was very positive and makes us feel we can make adjustments and carry out our programs in good fashion next year. Thanks for everyone's assistance behind the scenes in talking with KCEE members, 4-Hers, and your local legislators. We appreciate all your support.  --George Ham gham@oznet.ksu.edu , Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu,  and Forrest Chumley fchumley@oznet.ksu.edu 

GRAIN SCIENCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HEAD CANDIDATES
The Search Committee for the Department Head for Grain Science and Industry is pleased to announce the interview schedules for three candidates who will interview for the position the week of April 12 - 16. The candidates are:

1. Molecular identification and characterization of genes
2. Genetic engineering, especially for quality traits
3. Molecular genetics and physiology of host-pest interactions
4. Development of resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.  

Pre-proposals are due April 26, and should be restricted to one page and contain the following:

1. Title 
2. Principal investigator(s) and academic affiliation 
3. Brief project description 
4. Duration (1 or 2 years) 
5. Indicative budget (broken down only by operations and salaries)

The PBC Steering Committee will review pre-proposals and request full proposals from those judged to have a higher probability of success, based on alignment with PBC research themes and originality. PBC policy is not to fund continuations of projects that have been previously supported by the PBC. Faculty who have been funded by the PBC in the past are not eligible for funding for the round immediately following the end of their support.

Examples of research projects supported over the past two years by the PBC:

J.E. Leach, H. Leung (Plant Pathology): Detection of deletion mutants in spotted arrays ($60,000; ends 6/30/2005)

F. White, J. Fellers (Plant Pathology): Virus based expression vectors for functional genomics of cereals ($60,000; ends 6/30/2005)

J. Leslie (Plant Pathology): Identification of genes involved in apoptosis in Fusarium ($15,000; ends 6/30/2004)

M.S. Chen, J.C. Reese (Entomology): Signal transduction in wheat-Hessian fly interaction ($60,000; ends 6/30/2005)

--Forrest Chumley fchumley@oznet.ksu.edu 

DZEWALTOWSKI GENERAL SESSION SPEAKER AT PRIESTER NATIONAL EXTENSION HEALTH CONFERENCE
David Dzewaltowski, Director, K-State Community Health Institute, will be presenting at Extension's Priester National Health Conference, General Session, April 14-16, in St. Louis. Speaking on the the topic, "Integration of Community Development and Evidence-Based Program Approaches: Closing the Research and Health Promotion Gap," Dzewaltowski will illustrate this integration through the results of his NIH-funded Healthy Youth Places project which changed in-school settings to improve healthy eating and physical activity among Kansas middle school students.

More information about the Priester National Extension Health Conference is available at: www.nnh.org . --Elaine Johannes ejohanne@oznet.ksu.edu 

NEW SBA SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM
The Wichita District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has a new loan program that accounts for twenty-two percent of the overall loans guaranteed by their office during the first four months of the 2004 fiscal year.

Small Office Home Office (SOHO) is a new business loan concept developed by Innovative Bank of Oakland, California to promote the SBA's Community Express initiative. The purpose of SOHO is to provide financial assistance and technical assistance to new or existing businesses located in rural areas, low to moderate income areas, HUBZone designated areas and to businesses owned by women, minorities and/or veterans. 

SOHO provides the qualified small business owner a $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 loan with a seven-year term, no pre-payment penalty, and minimal paperwork. Interested businesses must be of good character, have a good credit rating and a business checking account. A key feature of SOHO is the local technical assistance the bank provides for the business owner.

For more information about all of the SBA's programs for small businesses, call the Wichita SBA District Office at 316-269-6616, or visit the SBA's extensive Web site at www.sba.gov . --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu 

HORTICULTURE AND SCHOOL GARDENS
One of the 2004 summer offerings for Ag in the Classroom will be "Horticulture and School Gardens." This session will be held June 7-12 at the KSU campus in Manhattan. A variety of gardening topics will be covered. Teachers will learn how to use indoor and outdoor gardening activities in the classroom and will be introduced to the Junior Master Gardener program and curriculum. Participants will also be able to earn three hours of college credit. 

For a brochure, contact Kansas Foundation for Ag in the Classroom, 124 Bluemont Hall, 1100 Mid-Campus Drive, Manhattan, KS 66506, or go to their website, http://www.ksagclassroom.org . --Evelyn Neier  eneier@oznet.ksu.edu 

4-H ARTS RECORDS CLARIFICATION
To help clarify the questions that have been coming to the State 4-H Office, here is our recommendation:

Heritage Arts---New Record 4H863
Visual Arts and Crafts---Use MG51
Performing Arts---CCS Theatre Arts manuals have items to complete with each lesson, but no new Member Guide has been developed, so we suggest P1055 that is used for Self Determined if you need a Record Sheet. --Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu 

KANSAS CATTLEWOMEN ANNOUNCE THE 2004 STATE BEEF AMBASSADOR CONTEST
The Kansas State Beef Ambassador Contest will be held on Saturday August 21, at Emporia, in conjunction with the Flint Hills Beef Fest. This contest is open to all youth, ages 10 as of 1/1/04 and not older than 19 prior to 10/1/04, with a Junior Division for ages 10 -15, and Senior Division for ages 16 - 19. The winner of the Senior Division will represent Kansas at the National Beef Ambassador Contest in the fall. 

The purpose of the contest is to promote youth's understanding of the nutritional value, economic value, cooking principles, safe food handling, and versatility of beef food products, and to enhance their understanding about the importance of beef as a Kansas Agricultural product. Contestants will present a 5-8 minute talk, and answer general questions. Contestants must have presented their talk to four groups prior to participating in the state competition. 

Please contact State Chairman Amy Saunders at 785-691-6251, or amysmeats@yahoo.com , for full details. --Barbara Lilyhorn blilyhor@oznet.ksu.edu 

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS . 

Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@oznet.ksu.edu .

DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR APRIL 14, 2004, THROUGH APRIL 20, 2004:

Thursday, April 15
.... SE KAFCE Spring Council Meeting, Chanute, Multi-county, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Gayle Price gprice@oznet.ksu.edu

Saturday, April 17
.... State 4-H Shooting Sports Match, Emporia (Fairgrounds), Statewide, Registration is at 7:00 a.m., contests begin at 8:00 a.m., Gary Gerhard ggerhard@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Washington County Spring Beef Show, Washington, KS, Statewide, 10:00 a.m., Ross Mosteller rmostell@oznet.ksu.edu
.... 4-H Judging School and Contest, Hays, Statewide, Walter Barker wbarker@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Sheep Sale, Newton/HV (Fairgrounds), Statewide, Cliff Spaeth cspaeth@oznet.ksu.edu

Sunday, April 18, through Saturday, April 24
.... National Volunteer Recognition Week, Pat McNally pmcnally@oznet.ksu.edu 

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