The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 13, No. 29  May 29, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...K-State Research and Extension Funded Mini-Grants Announced
...Kiowa County Extension Office Address
...State 4-H Program Rally - January 2008
...Position Announcement for SE Area Extension Specialist, Crops and Soils
...DeAnn Presley Begins Position as Assistant Professor of Environmental Soil Science and Soil and Water Management in Agronomy
...Extension Council/Board Recruitment Module
...Publication Modified
...May 31 Southeast Communications Training Canceled
...Publications/Production Services Update
...Publication Reprint Orders Canceled
...Marie's Pick of the Week
...Thank You from Jim Adams
...Thank You from Nancy Peterson
...KYLF Workshop Presenters Needed
...Professional Development Opportunity in Working with Multicultural Audiences
...K-State Offers Healthful and Safe College Life Course
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
I am on an e-mail list for which I get daily quotes and motivations from Kirk Weisler. Here is one that could rank as a favorite of mine. When you hear Fred Cholick describe K-State Research and Extension's mission in two words, it is always "WE SERVE."

Well, here is the best example I've seen in how it is that you work towards that mission. Check it out at: http://www.stservicemovie.com . Enjoy your day! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FUNDED MINI-GRANTS ANNOUNCED
In Fiscal Year 2007, Congress removed all "ear-marks" from its agriculture appropriation, and then moved all the resulting funds into "formula funds" for Hatch and Smith-Lever. For Kansas, this action created a one-time increase of roughly $2.8 million in Hatch (research) and $275,000 in Smith-Lever (extension). Your administrative leadership first saw to it that our major "earmark" projects, including sorghum improvement, wheat genetics, water conservation, air quality, and food safety, were funded to continue. With the remaining funds, we then decided to commit $500,000 into "seed money," for faculty to try out some new ideas. Our hope is that the results from these projects will help investigators obtain future grants to support follow-on activities in the years ahead.

A call for mini-grant proposals was issued in late April, with a due date of May 14. The response was exciting to see. Altogether, 136 mini-grant proposals were received, and the total funds requested exceeded the budget by more than 12-fold. A large number of the proposals were outstanding and worthy of funding based on scientific and intellectual merit, as well as the potential for broader impact. However, the pool of funds was much too limited to support that large number. Final decisions included an assessment of the strategic balance of the overall portfolio.

We are pleased to announce that we are able to fund seventeen "mini-grants" representing a variety of new research and extension projects. The awards total $500,292 and range in size from $6500 to $54,000. The principal investigators represent at least twelve different departments and units, including all five Colleges in which KSRE faculty serve. Most of the funded projects include multiple collaborators, and the teams form a broad network that covers KSRE and the state of Kansas.

Work on these projects will begin immediately, and the funds must be spent by September 30, 2008. We are proud and impressed by the creative energy that our system showed in responding to this call for proposals. We will all look forward to the results of these innovative projects. We also hope faculty and unit heads will seek additional funding opportunities for those projects that were excellent, but we simply didn't have the funds to support.

The list of funded min-grants is presented below. The projects span a wide range of research and extension activities and have the potential to impact all of KSRE's core mission areas.

Improving grain-based ethanol process efficiency and physical and nutritional properties of distillers dried grains and solubles (DDGS). K. Behnke, R. Madl, P. Vadlani, B Lamsal. Grain Science and Industry.

Do ruminal microbes alter milk and body composition in cattle through fasting-induced adipocyte factor (FIAF)? B. Bradford, B. Johnson. Animal Science and Industry.

DNA tiling arrays for Tribolium castaneum. S. Brown, R. Denell, M. Kanost, S. Muthukrishnan, Y. Park, J. Bai. Biology, Biochemistry, Entomology, and Plant Pathology.

Predicting epidemics of wheat rusts and the durability of host resistance. E. DeWolf, K. Garrett. Plant Pathology.

Procine Cirovirus type 2 elimination study: baseline diagnostic data. S. Dritz, K Horlen, D. Hesse, B. Rowland, J. Nietfeld. Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology.

Safeguarding Kansas wheat against stem rust. A. Fritz. Agronomy.

Screening new zoysiagrass progeny for freezing, drought, and disease resistance. J. Fry, Q. Zhang, C. Rajashekar, D. Bremer, M. Kennelly. Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources and Plant Pathology.

Quantifying the impact of prescribed rangeland burning on regional air quality in the Kansas Flint Hills: a case study. J. Ham, B. Hargrove, P. Coyne. Agronomy, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and Environment, and Western Kansas Agriculture Research Center.

Socioeconomic impacts of the biofuels revolution. T. Self, G. Middendorf, R. Goe, L. Kulcsar, M. Woolverton, D. Kahl, C. Shuman, B. Hargrove. Sociology, Agricultural Economics, Center for Engagement and Community Development, Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation, and Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and Environment.

Partnerships for Healthier Kansas: Implementation. E. Johannes, C. Fink, C. Hoch. Family Studies and Human Services, 4-H Youth Development, and Kansas PRIDE Program.

Suitability of Wheat Cultivars for Rhopalosiphum padi, a key virus vector in cereal crops. J. Michaud. Western Kansas Agriculture Research Center.

Establishing K-State as the knowledge source for steroid waste management from beef feedlots. E. Minton, B. Johnson, S. Smith, J. DeRouchey. Animal Science and Industry.

The impact of bioenergy development on feedgrain supply-demand and land and water use in Kansas. D. O= Brien, W. Hargrove, M. Woolverton. NW Kansas Research and Extension Center, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and Environment, and Agricultural Economics.

Development of a demonstration vehicle for precision farming concepts. R. Price, R. Wolf. Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

Measurement of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor variants in livestock species. T. Rozell. Animal Science and Industry.

Development of transgenic wheat with enhanced grain filling during high temperatures. H. Trick, A. Fritz. Plant Pathology and Agronomy.

Impact of chemical composition and physical properties of sorghum biomass on fermentable sugars yield. D. Wang, J. Yu. Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy.

--Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.edu , Forrest Chumley fchumley@ksu.edu, Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

STATE 4-H PROGRAM RALLY - JANUARY 2008
On Friday, May 18, an e-mail note was sent to all county/district staff about the Statewide 4-H Rally that will be held in January, 2008. This is a result of the KEAA Study over the past few years and it will replace Area 4-H Updates for 2007.  We would like staff input on both content and format.  Please share your thoughts with a committee member from your area by June 1. 

Those members are:
Andrea Burns, Ford County, aburns@ksu.edu 
Aliesa Woods, Post Rock District, awoods@ksu.edu
Ross Mosteller, River Valley District, rmostell@ksu.edu
Tara Solomon, Neosho County, tsolomon@ksu.edu
Beth Hecht, Leavenworth County, bhecht@ksu.edu

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.  --Beth Hinshaw bhinshaw@ksu.edu

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SE AREA EXTENSION SPECIALIST, CROPS AND SOILS
K-State Research and Extension and KSU Department of Agronomy announces the Extension Specialist, Crops and Soils, Assistant Professor, tenure-track, 12 month, full-time extension position located in the Southeast Area Office, Chanute, KS. The position requires a PhD in Agronomy or related field at time of appointment.

View the complete position announcement at: 
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/operations/jobs/ExtSpecSECropSoil.htm  . Application deadline is July 20, 2007 or until filled. --Gayle Price, Search Committee Chair, 620-431-1530 Ext-22, gprice@ksu.edu

EXTENSION COUNCIL/BOARD RECRUITMENT MODULE
The Extension Board Leadership website has a module designed for use in recruiting candidates to serve on the Extension Council and/or the executive board. The Extension Council/Board Recruitment Module is designed to be presented early in the process of preparing for the Extension Council elections and annual meetings. May and June agendas are a good time to begin the process.

While most of the modules on the website are designed for presentation in a 15 to 20 minute time frame, the recruitment module may take a bit longer and will have some responsibilities for board members outside of the meeting.

The initial contact to recruit an individual to run for election should reinforce the importance the Program Development Committees and the Extension Board. A script has been prepared to clearly explain the role and importance of their work. The orientation can be presented by agents in cooperation with the board chair or other experienced board members.

The module includes a presenters guide, recruitment work sheet and recruitment script.

To get to the module, click on Board Leadership Modules, then Extension Council/Board Recruitment Module at this site: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/boardleadership . --Margaret Phillips Margaret@ksu.edu

PUBLICATIONS/PRODUCTION SERVICES UPDATE
FCS Publication Orders Due
Remember to complete and submit your orders for publications in this year's FCS/FCE series by May 31. Please order only those copies you intend to use in your own office and programs; the FCE group order for your area will be handled separately.

This year's series includes the following fact sheets and leader's guides (for more details, see the order forms at http://intranet.oznet.ksu.edu/ap_pub_preview .

Special FCS Annual Series Order Form (printed in yellow)
"Everybody to the Table: Family Meals Serve Us Well"
"Healthy Choices When Eating Out"
"Kansans Move Into Health"

August 2007 New Publication Order Form (Printed in lavender)
"Think Pink and Tell a Friend"
"Breaking the Code: Understanding and Intervening in Teen Bullying"*

*A new, professional series version of both the leader's guide and fact sheet for "Breaking the Code: Understanding and Intervening in Teen Bullying" will be announced in the September 2007 New Publications Order Form to be sent June 8.  The publications will contain more detailed information and references targeting educators and other leaders who work with teens, rather than a more general audience. These may be useful in working with schools in newly legislated anti-bullying programs. For more information about differences in the series publications, please contact author Elaine Johannes. --Nancy Zimmerli-Cates nancyz@ksu.edu

PUBLICATION REPRINT ORDERS CANCELED
Second-quarter orders for publication MF2560, "Healthful Whole Grains," have been canceled until a revision is complete. Availability of the revised publication will be announced on an upcoming order form after the author completes text changes. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. --Nancy Zimmerli-Cates nancyz@ksu.edu

Top