The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
(Vol. 18 No. 7)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
An Extension district summit meeting was held this past week in Salina. Attending were board chairs or a designee from each Extension district, and the district director or a designee. We also had Steve Long, Carolyn Harms, Janell Harman, Susan Bloom, Mary Bernhardt, Gary Thompson, and Tresa Jones from the State Extension Advisory Council attending either as executive committee or as coming from an Extension district. Participation came from 13 of the 14 districts. Facilitated discussions focused on experiences in the process of organizing, operations and programming outcomes as a result of being a district, and the vision for the future of each district. These discussions were recorded and summaries are being developed. The information gained from the summit will help us understand how to improve support to Extension districts, remove barriers to continuous improvement, and to provide factual information to Extension councils interested in becoming a district. Currently, all the notes are being summarized and reviewed. My thanks to all who gave us that day for a spirited and insightful dialog.
Have a great week! - Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
~~~~~~~~Quote for the Week~~~~~~~~~~~~
If
you envy successful people, you create a negative force field of
attraction that repels you from ever doing the things that you need to
do to be successful. If you admire successful people, you create a
positive force field of attraction that draws you toward becoming more
and more like the kinds of people that you want to be like. Brian Tracy
PURDUE WEBINAR: PROPOSED CHANGES TO YOUTH AG HAZARDOUS OCCUPATIONS ORDERS
Attention Extension Agents Planning Tractor Safety Trainings: The Purdue Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture (HOSTA) team is conducting a webinar to address changes proposed to the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order (AgHOs) by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, December 15.
The webinar will provide background information pertaining to the history and development of the AgHOs, available curricula designed to meet the current training requirements of the AgHOs, as well as key changes to employment of youth in agriculture as proposed by the USDOL. The public comment period for the proposed changes has passed but this does not reduce the need for continued training opportunities for youth, which is often done during winter and early spring.
Approximately 500 instructors who have received HOSTA training from Penn State and Purdue Universities have been invited to participate. The only material necessary for participation in the webinar is an internet connection. The webinar will be broadcast at https://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/hosta/ and you will be asked to sign in to the site with your name.
Some materials that are relevant to the webinar topic include:
Link to the USDOL fact sheet concerning the proposed changes to the AgHOs
U.S. Department of Labor - Wage andHour Division (WHD) - Child Labor - Side by Side NPRMLink to the original AgHOs
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:http://www.ydae.purdue.edu/tractor/AgHOs%20Final%20Letter%2012%201%2011.pdf
At this time, the Purdue HOSTA team is proceeding under the assumption that AgHOs safety training resources developed with support from USDA-NIFA are still of continued utility to youth, their parents, and their employers. As such, in the next few months, the Purdue HOSTA team will be conducting a series of webinars targeting instructors who provide agricultural safety and health education programs for youth whether or not related to the current AgHOs.
Prior to December 15, we may be reached with questions pertaining to the webinar at 765-494-1210.
If you have questions or experience difficulties during the webinar, please call 765-412-4200 for assistance. --Kerri Ebert kebert@ksu.edu
GLOBAL ASPECTS OF BIOBASED PRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY
During the January Intersession, Dr. Larry Erickson, Professor Chemical Engineering, and others will
be offering a class/workshop/conference on "Global Aspects of Biobased Products and Bioenergy."
This seminar will provide a forum for those involved in biobased products and bioenergy to present ideas and interact with others. Biobased products include cotton, wood, wool, paper, and newer products that are produced from agriculture, such as ink from soybeans. Bioenergy is energy from plants and biomass including ethanol, biodiesel, and methane from anaerobic digestion. The seminar will consider the next 100 years and sustainability issues associated with food, biobased products, and bioenergy. Posters and exhibits are invited.
Optional academic credit is available to serve the needs of the students in the Biobased Products and Bioenergy Certificate program and other students, both on campus and online. Optional continuing education hours are also available.
The goal of this three day program is to address issues related to the use of natural resources for production of food, energy and materials. As petroleum prices increase, the challenges of making good use of land, water, and energy are greater. This is an opportunity to listen to professionals speak on important topics related to global aspects of food, biobased products and bioenergy.
For more information and to register, go to http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/bioenergy/. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu
KANSAS 4-H SPACETECH TRAINING
The Kansas 4-H SpaceTech Action Team and K-State Research and Extension are sponsoring a Southeast Area SpaceTech Educators' Training on Saturday, January 7, at the Miami County Extension Office, 104 South Brayman, Paola, KS. Participants will get to attend two of the following in-depth workshops in one of three areas: Basic Junk Drawer Robotics, Basic Rocketry, and Basic Astronomy. For full details, go to the below website. Registration may be submitted by hard copy or through a Google Document's website link: http://www.kansas4h.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=52 or click on “What’s Hot” on the Kansas 4-H website home page: www.Kansas4-H.org.
Registration and payment of $15, made payable to the Kansas 4-H Foundation, is due postmarked by December 30, 2011. A current copy of your Kansas 4-H Participation Form is required prior to the training or may be brought the day of the training. The registration form requires a local Extension Office signature. The registration fee of $15 includes lunch, breaks, two workshops, workshop materials and training team costs. Registration fees are non-refundable unless KSRE cancels the workshop due to low numbers.
Submit your registrations to and for more information contact, Deryl Waldren, Northwest Area Extension Office, P. O. Box 786, Colby, KS, 67701; Telephone: 785-462-6281, or e-mail, dwaldren@ksu.edu. --Deryl Waldren
KANSAS ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (KELP), CLASS 12
Recruitment is under way for the Class of 2012, Kansas
Environmental Leadership Program (KELP). This will be the twelfth class since
1999. More than 240 local leaders throughout Kansas have participated in the
program, with 13 in the Class of 2011.
Emphasis is placed on including representatives from all
facets of Kansas life: agriculture, industry, government, and both urban and
rural communities. K-State Research and Extension agents are asked to nominate
producers who will be future agricultural leaders and who will benefit from
leadership and environmental awareness. Participation by two citizens from the
same area is especially encouraged. For example, a county or district agent could
attend with a local producer, landowner, or governmental official. Watershed
Protection and Restoration Strategy (WRAPS) project team members will also benefit
from the KELP experience.
KELP focuses on training participants in leadership skills
and in water-related issues. Five three-day sessions are held, with the first
session in February and the final session in October.
The five 2012 session locations and dates are Hays (February 8-10),
Topeka (March 7-9 and Oct. 24-25), Wichita (May 9-11), and Manhattan (July
11-13). Each session begins at noon on Wednesday and ends by noon on Friday. Additionally,
webinars will be scheduled to supplement the KELP curriculum.
Tuition is partially underwritten by a 319 grant, leaving $950
the responsibility of the participant. All meals, lodging (double occupancy),
bus trips, activities, and materials are covered. Each person is only
responsible for getting to and from each meeting and for time away from work to
attend.
KELP training qualifies for academic credit and continuing
education credits. More information is available on the KELP website, http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/kelp/p.aspx, or by calling Brandi Nelson at 785-532-3828.--Brandi Nelson
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