The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
(Vol. 17 No. 20)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Last week I did a post script with a link to an article in The Progressive Farmer Magazine, and for many of you who tried to read the article you found the need to subscribe or later found the article was not there at all. To paraphrase the article, it starts by simply stating the question of Extension’s relevance, and then uses a few examples as evidence of maybe yes, and maybe no. It builds on issues of a weak economy and slashed budgets, referring to Extension as venerable but weakened. And, it asks if our mission is sound and appropriately focused.
These are tough questions being asked, and those conversations are happening everywhere. I would submit that all of us need to be able to respond appropriately when asked. The Progressive Farmer article was essentially all focused to crop agriculture. For those working in that industry, that is their view of the entire Extension Service and all it needs to be. In fact, many references to Extension in the article should have been to the Agricultural Experiment Station. But, clientele don't know the difference, and probably don't care to understand that. It becomes yours and my duty to remind such individuals of ALL parts of Extension and the important audiences we serve and the important public issues we address, especially describing the important work of our colleagues. We have got to translate the benefits of the work we do into impacts and stories that stakeholders can understand with respect to importance, urgency, and relevance.
And, one might find comfort in the fact that it is Wisconsin, or Ohio, or Pennsylvania who are receiving the brunt of budget problems and not Kansas. Or, one finds comfort because the attacks are on a part of the Extension programs outside of your work. This is not a time to choose sides internally! I take no comfort in any of that, because we are all a part of the Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station systems, and that is us. If any part of the system unravels, the system suffers.
My suggestion, this is not a time to sit behind the desk and do nothing. This is time to broaden understanding of who we are and why we do the educational programs that we do. As an agronomist, I need to understand what we are doing in family nutrition, diet, and health related programs for people of all ages and why. As a specialist in family studies, I need to understand what we are doing in livestock systems and why. Each of us needs to become an advocate for the Cooperative Extension programs across the system. And, now is the time to be out with our stakeholders and clientele, delivering the important, urgent, and relevant educational programs. And, our clientele and stakeholders need to know those great programs are brought to them through K-State Research and Extension. Thanks for everything you do to keep your focus to the positive, important, relevant educational programs that clientele expect from K-State Research and Extension. Have a great week. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
CONNECT TRAINING - MARCH 28, 30 AND APRIL 4, 6
We
are offering more training on the new interface for the KSRE Connect
web conferencing system. At the start of 2011, we upgraded Connect to a
new version.
This interface is completely new and includes several additional
features.
If you are new to Connect, this free program is being used for on-line
webinars, research, educational classes, collaboration, and even KSRE District meetings.
Next training dates are offered March 28, 30 and April 4, 6 at 10 a.m. This is a
good overview for both new and experienced Connect users. No
registration is necessary. Simply go to http://connect.ksre.ksu.edu/connecttraining/ during the training time.
For more information, visit the TechWeb site, www.ksre.ksu.edu/techweb/, or contact Gerry Snyder, gsnyder@ksu.edu, IET, 785-532-6270. --Gerry Snyder
REGISTER NOW FOR THE 7TH ANNUAL EXTENSION HEALTHFEST! APRIL 1-2 AT ROCK SPRINGS 4-H CENTER
Groups of youth and adults (e.g., Get It - Do It! teams and others) are
invited to attend the 7th Annual Extension HealthFest! at Rock Springs
4-H Center (Hwy K-157 south of Junction City).
Registration and refreshments will begin at 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 1, in
the Weidemann Dining Center.
This year's HealthFest! highlights:
a) activities that strengthen youth-adult partnerships,
b) "old time" activity games from Bocce Ball to King Octopus,
c) hands-on Community Park audits with K-State's Department of Kinesiology,
and
d) fun!
Community partners and Extension agents will learn more about Healthy
Living programs and activities that can be introduced with local Walk
Kansas teams, 4-H clubs and youth groups.
For a fee of $68 per person HealthFest! participants receive materials,
refreshments Friday evening, lodging, Saturday breakfast and lunch and
fun! Invoices will be sent for payment after registrations are received.
REGISTER AT: 7th Annual Extension HealthFest! registration.
REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 29 (Tuesday).
More details will be sent when your registration is received.
For more information contact:
Elaine Johannes, ejohannne@ksu.edu>, 785-532-7720
Nadine Sigle, nsigle@ksu.edu, 785-532-5840
Paula Seele, pseele@ksu.edu, 785-532-5773
--Elaine Johannes
KANSAS WHEAT YIELD CONTEST DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 8
Extreme weather conditions throughout Kansas have
prompted the Kansas Wheat Commission to postpone the entry deadline of the
Kansas Wheat Yield Contest to April 8.
Justin Gilpin, chief executive officer of the KWC,
says the extra time will allow farmers to evaluate their wheat stands and give
the crop a chance to thrive, and thus make important management decisions to
maximize yield.
Three $1,000 cash prizes and several potential bonus
awards are at stake for wheat growers who enter the 2011 Kansas Wheat Yield
Contest, sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of
Wheat Growers.
Producers achieving the top yield receive a $1,000
cash prize and plaque. Contest winners will be announced next summer. The
contest includes three regions: Region 1 (Western Kansas), Region 2 (Central
Kansas), and Region 3 (Eastern Kansas). Entry deadline for the 2011 Wheat Yield
Contest is April 8.
Corporate sponsors of the Yield Contest include:
BASF, Syngenta, SFP, Kansas Wheat Alliance and the Kansas Grain Inspection
Service. Many of these partners are offering special rewards for qualified
entrants. For example:
*
The first 20 farmers who sign up for the Contest
receive a 2 gallon container of BASF's TwinLine fungicide, the frontline
defense against aggressive wheat diseases. Twinline helps wheat producers
achieve maximum yields, by offering both disease control and plant health
benefits. TwinLine's dual mode of action protects wheat against stripe and leaf
rust, blotch, tan spot and more. For more,
log onto www.basf.com.
*
Syngenta will pay an additional $500 to winners
using AgriPro wheat in the winning contest field. If growers use a blend
containing an AgriPro variety, the payment is $250. Wheat varieties become
AgriPro varieties only when they meet six important criteria: high yield
potential, good test weight, disease protection, regional adaptation,
consistent performance and quality. The AgriPro breeding program is
headquartered in Junction City. For more,
log onto www.agriprowheat.com.
Winning
farmers who use SFP's AVAIL Phosphorus Fertilizer Enhancer and/or
NutriSphere-N Nitrogen Fertilizer Manager as part of their fertility
program will receive $500 per product used. SFP's mission is to give
plants the nutrients they need so they have the potential to increase
yields and boost a farmer's return on investment. For more, log onto www.sfp.com.
*
The Kansas Wheat Alliance will award $500 to
winners using varieties from Kansas State University's wheat breeding program. The
Kansas Wheat Alliance was founded by Kansas wheat producers, seedsmen, and researchers
to create a variety delivery system that provides new funds for wheat research,
and ensures availability of improved wheat varieties to benefit farmers and
consumers. For more, log
onto www.kswheatalliance.org.
New for 2011, farmers
will be eligible to participate in a Quality Initiative of the Wheat Yield
Contest. Each contest participant will be asked to submit a 5-pound sample of
wheat from the contest field. The quality of that sample will be evaluated by
the Kansas Grain Inspection Service for dockage, test weight and protein. Top
scoring samples will be further tested at the Kansas State University Wheat
Quality Laboratory, where milling and baking attributes will be evaluated. The
sample with the top quality score will receive a $250 cash prize.
"High yields may capture the spotlight, but
high quality captures the market," Harries says. "As we learned from
the 2010 contest, good yields and quality can go hand in hand with the right
management practices. Ultimately, good quality is what can differentiate U.S.
wheat in a competitive global marketplace."
Folks who enter the contest will be asked to share
management information about their farm, including details about tillage and
agronomic practices, crop protection products usage and more. A third party
verifier will be employed at harvest to ensure the integrity of the contest.
Wheat farmers who are 18 years or older from
throughout Kansas are eligible to participate by enrolling a plot at least five
acres in size. The fee is $50 per entry. Producers may enter more than once,
but each entry must be submitted on a separate entry form. Kansas Wheat
directors, employees and spouses are prohibited from entering the contest. Contestants must use certified seed. The
contest is open only to dryland fields.
For those who are interested in accepting the
challenge, more details about the 2011 Kansas Wheat Yield Contest can be found
online at www.kansaswheat.org, by requesting an information packet via e-mail
at kswheat@kswheat.com, or by writing to Kansas Wheat, 217 Southwind Place,
Manhattan, KS 66503. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu
4-H FAIR JUDGES TRAINING
There will be two 4-H Fair Judges Training opportunities coming up in early May. These workshops are for judges, potential judges, staff, leaders and junior leaders. Registration for each will be
due on Friday, April 22, to the SE Area Office.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Community Building at Riverside Park
600 South State Street
Iola,
Kansas 66749
Subjects
covered include: foods, food preservation, arts and crafts, fiber arts
(knitting and crochet) and photography
Thursday, May 5, 2011
4-H Community Building
200 N Griffith
El Dorado,
KS
Subjects
covered include: foods, food preservation, fiber arts (knitting, crochet, rug
making, weaving and needlework), fiber arts (quilting), flowers/houseplants,
vegetables and photography
Fliers for each can be found on the State 4-H website under “What’s Hot.” Thanks for sharing this information
with your volunteers, past judges, potential judges and interested teens in your county or district. --Beth Hinshaw bhinshaw@ksu.edu
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