The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
(Vol. 19 No. 22)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
I am certain you have some questions with respect to what is
shaping out as our KSRE budget for this coming fiscal year, with consideration
for both the federal and state appropriations.
To begin, I am pleased to report that on the average the local unit
appropriations (district and county) were up 2.0% in 2012 and 2.8% for 2013. From one local unit to another, the changes are all over the board. But, it does
suggest continued support for local Extension and the impact you are having all
across the state. We appreciate the
great work of our local boards and agents in conveying the public value of
Extension in deliberations of budget. Keep up the great work!
At the federal level sequestration has indeed set in. For the current fiscal year the estimated
impact for federal capacity funds coming to both the Experiment Station and
Extension is a reduction of 7.61% across the board. With our total federal capacity funds being
roughly $10 million, that is roughly a $750,000 reduction impacting AES and CES
at Kansas State. Extension’s portion of
that is approximately $435,000. And,
these are all estimates, because at this time we’ve received no official
communication from USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
State legislature has yet to complete its appropriation
process and is still in deliberation. Therefore, we make no predictions with respect
to the outcome, and stand firm in support of the governor’s proposed funding
for higher education which would effectively provide for a flat budget. We anxiously await that outcome. Note the message below from President Kirk Schulz regarding the importance of public funding for Kansas State University. And, have a great week. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT HIGHER EDUCATION IS VITAL TO THE KANSAS ECONOMY
Message from Dr. Schulz on Friday, April 5.
Most employers in Kansas would agree that a robust higher
education system is important to our state’s economy, innovation and national
reputation. In recent years, however, we continue to see legislative attempts
to reduce funding in state universities.
Gov. Sam Brownback has repeatedly stated his commitment to
keep higher education funding at the same level as last year. Despite this pledge, the Kansas legislature
continues to put higher education budgets on the chopping block. This session
the House passed cuts that would reduce higher education funding by nearly $60
million in fiscal year 2014, which would place funding below 2005 state
appropriation levels.
Kansas State University has been asked to expand our
veterinary medicine and engineering programs to continue providing the state
with the next generation of leaders who will keep our food supply safe and
design our state’s infrastructure. Our enrollment continues to grow, even as
state support declines. It’s clear that these two trends are in opposition and
not sustainable in the long term.
Our university remains committed to providing an affordable
education. Last year the average debt for students earning undergraduate
degrees was $22,308 for those who had loans. While this number is certainly
significant to graduates paying off their loans, it’s also much lower than what
is often reported in the media. Students with less debt are better able to buy
homes, start businesses and raise families. If the cost of education increases,
the debt our students will be burdened with will also increase.
What does this have to do with state funding for higher
education? In order to continue providing educational opportunities to Kansans
at an affordable rate, we require stable state support. If efforts to reduce
funding to universities are successful, it forces us to make very difficult
choices among cutting services for students, limiting opportunity for others
due to increased costs, or raising tuition.
Kansas State University is celebrating 150 years as the
nation’s first operational land-grant university and the state’s first public
university. For 150 years we’ve been proud to serve Kansas and its economy by
educating our state’s future leaders. With a sensible budget that adequately
funds higher education, we will meet those objectives for the next 150 years. --By Kirk Schulz
JOIN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REVOLUTION
Do you want to be a better supervisor/leader/manager? Are
you seeking to increase your knowledge about poverty issues? If so, then
Wichita is the place to be on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 30 and May 1, for
the Kansas Association of Extension 4-H Agents spring meeting at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Wichita. Anyone in
Extension is welcome to attend. Cost for non members is $100 and $70 for
members or new members who have joined extension since last annual conference.
Registration includes three meals, breaks, and session handouts.
The meeting will begin late Tuesday afternoon with
business meeting and evening social, followed by workshops on Wednesday. We
will conclude about 2:30 pm. (Note: that this will immediately follow the Spring Action Conference. A block of rooms has been extended at the Hyatt, so that you don't have to change locations.)
Professional development sessions include:
“Supervision 101” by Dr. Jay Johnson, MBA director,
Friends University
“Understanding Poverty” by Danny Johnson, DFC, Wichita
Registration is due April 15. We will be using the
Google Documents registration system. You will need to mail your payment to
Beth Hinshaw, but you will register, sign up for meals, etc -- all on-line.
Checks should be made payable to KAE4-HA.
To find more information about the conference and to
register, go to http://tinyurl.com/2013KAE4HA
. For full details, go to http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/agent_association/p.aspx?tabid=59.
For more information, contact Brenda Taxeras, btaxeras@ksu.edu; or Deryl Waldren, dwaldren@ksu.edu . For registration payment
questions, contact Beth Hinshaw at bhinshaw@ksu.edu.
--Jodi Besthorn besthorn@ksu.edu
4-H POLICY REVISIONS AVAILABLE
The Department of 4-H Youth Development has recently revised
the Kansas 4-H Policy Document. The policy document is located on the
Kansas 4-H website under “About” http://www.kansas4-h.org/doc15288.ashx.
The Policy document is available in both a pdf version and
an e-publication. If you need assistance for downloading
the e-pub onto a mobile device, there are instructions on the 4-H
website.
All policy changes or revisions go into effect the
beginning of the next 4-H year, October 1, 2013.
We have scheduled a webinar to highlight the revised
policies and answer questions. The same webinar will be offered twice:
Monday, April 15, 1:30 p.m. (CDT)
Wednesday, April 17, 8:30 a.m. (CDT)
Audio and Webinar Information: http://connect.ksre.ksu.edu. There is no conference call number for this webinar. We will use the computer microphone and speakers.
Many thanks to all of the
people who provided input, insight and especially those who insisted that our
policy focus on meeting the developmental needs of young people through
positive youth development. Special thanks to Sarah Maass, Susan Schlichting,
Diane Mack and Beth Hinshaw for serving on the policy task force. Additional thanks to Pam Van Horn for leading sections related to educational
programming. Finally, thanks go to our
colleagues, Nancy Zimmerli-Cates, Janie Dunstan and Linda Gilmore, who helped
with layout and epub coaching, and Bob Holcombe, who produced the cover design. --Barbara Stone bjstone@ksu.edu
TBIOPTIONS: PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE WEBINAR (TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY)
TBIoptions: Promoting Knowledge is an educational program to promote public understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The program provides information about TBI and highlights the significance of individuals and community for people who have experienced a TBI (survivors) and their family members.
This program will be presented via webinar and in partnership with the eXtension Military Family Caregiving group. The webinar will include a series of topics including the “basics” of traumatic brain injury; the impact of TBI on survivors physically, cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally; the consequences of TBI for survivors in relationships, activities of daily living, and work; and how individuals and communities can support survivors and their families. This event will be recorded and available via eXtension after the session. Please feel free to share this information with your clients and networks.
Event Details
TBIoptions: Promoting Knowledge
Dr. Deb Sellers, Kansas State University
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 11: 15 a.m. (Central)
For information on how to join and access handouts, go to https://learn.extension.org/events/987 .
For more information about TBIoptions: Promoting Knowledge, please visit http://www.tbioptions.ksu.edu/knowledge/. For more information about this webinar, please contact Deb Sellers at dsellers@ksu.edu. --Deb Sellers
RAISE AWARENESS OF INVASIVE SPECIES IN APRIL
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a national initiative this month to
increase awareness of invasive species that infest America's agriculture, damage parks and forests,
and wreck gardens. See the USDA/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website at www.HungryPests.com.
K-State Research and Extension can help clients know what they can do with communications materials available at www.HungryPests.com/partner-tools. Materials are downloadable and some can be customized. Tools include a feature article and print-ready flier, brochure, bookmark, and bumper sticker; social media components including a blog post, e-news article, and copy/paste Facebook and Twitter posts; a PowerPoint presentation; audio and video public service announcements; and banners. Customization is available through USDA, and additional communications support - including printing, addressing, and distribution - remains available through the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education at commdept@ksu.edu.
For more information about the program contact USDA's public affairs specialist Gregory Rosenthal at Gregory.J.Rosenthal@aphis.usda.gov. --Nancy Zimmerli-Cates nancyz@ksu.edu
KARL CLASS XI TRIP TO PERU - #3
I was Chair on Day #3 of our trip. The chair introduces speakers, “wrangles” classmates from one place to another, and acts as a conduit for logistical information. Our agricultural workshop was with Dr. Nelly Pereda Leyva, director of the Estacion
Experimental Agraria Chincha operated by INIA (Institucion nacional de
Inovacion Agraria), or National Institution of Agricultural Innovation. Their sign said, (in
translation), “We believe in agricultural technology and its transfer to farmers.” Operated by the Minister of Agriculture, INIA
works to find ways for producers to use technology and improved practices for
greater crop yields and greater marketing. INIA employs “teachers” to work with farmers to adopt new practices and build technological capacity. Does
that sound familiar? The farms produced cotton, citrus and
grapes. Different kinds of production
depend on weather and time of the year, as you might expect. I had not seen cotton, for example in its
different stages. Upon closer
inspection, I was reminded of the dark musical, Little Shop of Horrors. Remember Audrey II? Aaron Harries and I wondered if the
man-eating plant in the musical was fashioned after the immature cotton
bowl. It’s a striking resemblance.
We spent the most time, that morning, on the farm looking at
grapes. Since Chincha is in the coastal region, the humid air is a challenge for producers because of fungus on the
very delicate grapes. Most susceptible to the fungus are new fruit and the very
mature grapes. The vines there are 29 years old, and they will bear fruit for another
31 years if well maintained. Most of the
grapes we saw at the experiment station are used locally as table grapes. The rest go to making Pisco. I will devote time to Pisco a little
later. Even though the signs prohibited
eating the fruit in the field, we were allowed to help ourselves. The ripened grapes are green in color and
called, “Italia”. Some had little brown
smudges on them. It was sunburn. I found the sunburned grapes to be the most
delicious and juicy sweet. They were the best I'd ever eaten, and I think I consumed about a pound!
About 18 people work on the experiment
station. During harvest time, there are
40 to 50 people employed to pick the grapes. The time from the vine to the table
is about 6 hours. They can be stored in
refrigerated containers up to three days, but it’s not a preferred practice. Transportation of this delicate
grape (Italia) is prohibitive, so exporting is
not a reality yet. The Italia grapes
taste like white grape juice: sweet and subtle.
Before our next stop
to another farm, we ate at a local restaurant called, El Batan. We were greeted by the proprietor who offered
us his special Pisco called, Mosto Verde Gran Pisco. He wanted our
opinion of the special drink. Remember, Pisco
is made from the Italia grape that we had gorged on at the experiment station
farm earlier that day. Pisco is a very
strong wine. Most of the wine we buy is
anywhere from eight to 14% alcohol. This
Pisco is measured in degrees GL. Pisco is 42 degrees GL (so called after a
French chemist, Gay Lussac), or 42% alcohol by volume. After tasting the proffered Pisco, my
classmate, Liesel Grauberger, described it thusly, “It has a floral bouquet
mixed with brandy and garlic (garlic’s aroma invaded the taste-test)” She
continued wincingly, “It’s very strong on the back of the tongue with floral
notes…smells like white wine with brandy floral notes, but I can’t get past the
burn.” We did not give this description
to the staff. We thanked them, and
said it was wonderful! Pisco is not
usually consumed on its own. Rather,
most people consume it as a Pisco Sour. That’s a mixture of lemon juice and egg white. The contemporary way is adding a mix to the Pisco
in a blender. After a good whirl, the
dehydrated egg white ascends to the top of the icy drink. The egg white-topped drink is dotted with a
small tincture of a brown spice, and it
goes down very smoothly. Next week, I
will talk about more farms and Peru’s exciting transportation systems. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu
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