Weather’s still the boss (video)
Wisconsin State Journal 9/16/2009
Mentioned: Sara Botham, Life Sciences Communication
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/vmix_7ec10b1a-a30d-11de-b6e2-001cc4c002e0.html

UW-Madison: Study reveals dynamic Wisconsin climate, past and future
Wisconsin Business News 9/14/2009
Quoted: Chris Kucharik, Agronomy
http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170069

UW-Madison study reveals changing of Wisconsin climate
The Daily Cardinal 9/16/2009
Quoted: Chris Kucharik, Agronomy
http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/uw-madison-study-reveals-changing-of-wisconsin-climate-1.475729

By 2055, state’s climate could look more like Missouri’s, study finds
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9/15/2009
Quoted: Chris Kucharik, Agronomy
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/59291612.html

UW-Madison Scientists Research Climate Change
WISC-TV Channel3000 9/16/2009 (video)
Quoted: Chris Kucharik, Agronomy
http://www.channel3000.com/goinggreen/20941291/detail.html

Biomass research tackles equipment needs
Wisconsin State Farmer 09/04/2009
Quoted: Kevin Shinners, Biological Systems Engineering
http://www.wisfarmer.com/content/ag_business_news/stories/Front-A-Jan-Shinners-9-11.php

Babcock Hall Dairy Store serves up sweet job for new grad
Wisconsin State Farmer 9/8/2009
Quoted: Sara Brummel, Babcock Store Manager
Quoted: Bill Klein, Babcock Dairy Plant Manager
http://www.wisfarmer.com/content/regional_wisconsin/stories/Front-B-Brummel-9-11.php

Late blight hitting mostly tomato crops
Wisconsin State Farmer 09/10/2009
Quoted: Amanda Gevens, Plant Pathology
http://www.wisfarmer.com/content/headline_news/stories/Front-B-Late-Blight-9-11.php

Babcock Dairy Store Serves Up Sweet Job for New UW Grad
Wisconsin Agriculturist 9/16/2009
Quoted: Bill Klein, Babcock Dairy Plant Manager
Quoted: Sara Brummel, Babcock Store Manager
http://wisconsinagriculturist.com/story.aspx?s=31559&c=9

Horticulture professor dies
Country Today 9/16/2009 (subscription) Pg 4B
Mentioned: Robert Newman, Horticulture (emeritus)
http://www.thecountrytoday.com/

Committee seeks host farm for Outagamie FTD
Country Today 9/16/2009 (subscription) Pg 8B
Mentioned: UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
http://www.thecountrytoday.com/

Report: Managed grazing good way to start farming
Country Today (subscription) Pg 3C
Mentioned: UW-Madison Center for Dairy Profitability
http://www.thecountrytoday.com/

Weisenberger New to Nutrient Management Program
Agri-View 9/17/2009
Mentioned: Amber Weisenberger, Soil Science
http://www.agriview.com/articles/2009/09/17/crop_news/crop_connection/cropconnect06.txt

Breeder’s Stained Glass Donated For Angus Juniors
Agri-View 9/17/2009
Quoted: Dusty Henningfeld, BS ‘03 - Agricultural Business Mgmt
http://www.agriview.com/articles/2009/09/17/farmlife/farmlife01.txt

Picking Right Grass Varieties For Pastures Can Pay Dividends
Agri-View 9/17/2009
Quoted: Dan Undersander, Agronomy
http://www.agriview.com/articles/2009/09/17/dairy_news/dairy04.txt

Tomato Late Blight: Will It Overwinter?
Agri-View 9/17/2009
Quoted: Amanda Gevens, Plant Pathology
http://www.agriview.com/articles/2009/09/17/crop_news/crop_connection/cropconnect07.txt

Chief ag economist to speak at UW-Madison
The Capital Times 9/16/2009
Mentioned: Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/article_f1de20ea-a2e2-11de-b7e5-001cc4c002e0.html

Of Interest

Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells
The New York Times 9/17/2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/us/18dairy.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper

Paying tribute to a great reporter: Mike Miller
The Capital Times 9/16/2009
Mentioned: Babcock Hall Dairy Plant
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/article_12a228d6-a233-11de-85f9-001cc4c002e0.html

USDA Economic Research Service puts Wisconsin’s January-June returns over cash costs averaged negative $2.81 per hundredweight. “Using rough Wisconsin current averages for milk per cow (20,000 pounds annually) and herd size (95 cows), this represents a cash flow deficit of $47 per cow per month and a monthly loss of about $4,500 per herd,” Jesse says.

The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science has allocated $4.099 million in Recovery Act funds for GLBRC plant cell wall imaging technology and DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is providing $4 million in funding to enhance and accelerate GLBRC sustainability research.

“These funds will be used to provide a new experimental core facility and computational resources to analyze and alter the structure of plant cell walls, the polymer-complex that provides the sugars for cellulosic biofuels,” says Tim Donohue, GLBRC director and University of Wisconsin-Madison bacteriology professor. “The new magnetic imaging and associated computational resources will allow new, high-throughput approaches that are crucial for teams across GLBRC.”

The new imaging platform provides a 2D NMR “fingerprint” of everything in the wall and will enable the development of chemometric methods which can inform research on optimal feedstock selection, help predict biomass conversion efficiencies, and aid in pretreatment and process optimization, says John Ralph, a UW-Madison biochemistry professor who leads GLBRC’s plant biomass research group.
“With this new analytical capacity, ‘whole-cell-wall NMR profiling’ is intended to become an integral part of the plant and preprocessing workflows,” says Ralph.

The 2D NMR fingerprint could ultimately aid analysis of cell wall composition by teams seeking to improve the properties of biomass plants, allow GLBRC to develop new assays for deconstruction of plant cell walls, provide methods for analyzing the composition of feedstocks used as substrates for biological or chemical conversion into fuels, and monitor the cell wall composition of sustainable biomass species from field studies.

“A portion of the funds will also provide new capabilities for existing NMR instruments, which will provide the flexibility to examine the most recalcitrant of samples,” says Ralph.

Donohue adds, “While this resource will initially be unique to GLBRC, we are committed to identifying resources to make it available for all the DOE Bioenergy Research Centers and external collaborators. This technology was not only a dream when the application for funding was submitted, it was not even a validated approach when GLBRC started in 2007. The Recovery Act funding allows us to move rapidly and deploy a new, state of the art, approach to the cellulosic biofuels portfolio of GLBRC and other DOE-funded centers.”

GLBRC scientists are studying the environmental benefits and consequences of alternative biofuel crops, and DOE EERE funds will be used to provide additional information on carbon cycling, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. Funds will also be used to enhance modeling activities, which require massively parallel computing in order to integrate satellite imagery and land use information into mathematical models of biofuel production for the entire U.S. These models, based on experimental field results, will allow researchers and decision makers to ask “what if” questions about different kinds of biofuel crops in different kinds of landscapes.
“Quantitative models, together with the underlying field research, will allow us to design biofuel cropping systems that are both profitable and environmentally sustainable,” says Michigan State University crop and soil sciences professor Phil Robertson, who leads GLBRC sustainability research. “We need to ensure that the crops we’ll be using for cellulosic energy really contribute to climate stabilization and cleaner air and water, as well as provide biodiversity benefits such as habitat for birds and beneficial insects. Recovery Act funding will allow us to make better decisions sooner.”

A new look online. The eCALS home page will be a news page rather than a blog

A post-it-yourself approach to newsgathering. Instead of emailing your announcement to an eCALS editor, you’ll put it up yourself, eliminating the time lag.

• If you contribute regularly, we’ll encourage you to sign up as a “contributor.” This will let give you access to the editing screens, meaning you’ll have more formatting control and can return to edit and update (we’ll show you how). Our most prolific contributor, the CALS research division, has been doing this for over a year now, and it’s worked well for all involved.
• For occasional contributors, there will be a “post announcements” link on the eCALS screen. This option offers less formatting and editing control, but it’s simpler.

A CALS calendar — basically a CALS-specific version of the UW Events Calendar.

Earlier, more frequent emails. After we get the new web format up and running, we’ll turn our attention to the eCALS emails. The plan is to send them out earlier in the week — probably late on Monday — and send them every week rather than every other.

If you have questions, send them to ecals@cals.wisc.edu or call Bob Mitchell at (608) 262-3172.

8/3-7/2009

News about or of interest to CALS faculty and staff…

‘The Unheard Voices’
Inside Higher Education 8/4/2009
Quoted: Randy Stoercher, Rural Sociology

Corn crop safe from cranes
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 8/4/2009
Quoted: Eileen Cullen, Entomology

DEET in Bug Spray Tied to Neural Damage in Mice
MSN Online 8/5/2009
Quoted: Susan Paskewitz, Entomology

DEET in Bug Spray Tied to Neural Damage in Mice
Austin-American Statesman 8/5/2009
Quoted: Susan Paskewitz, Entomology

Bill Berry: DDT battle 40 years ago is worth remembering
The Capital Times 8/4/2009
Mentioned: Joseph Hickey, Forest and Wildlife Ecology (emeritus)

Farm plastic recycling advances
Country Today 8/5/2009 (subscription) Pg 9A
Mentioned: Brian Holms, Biological Systems Engineering

World Dairy Woman of the Year humbled by honor
Country Today 8/5/2009 (subscription) Pg 7C
Quoted: Daphne Holterman, Life Sciences Communication (alumni)

Price-support increase boosts markets
Country Today 8/5/2009 (subscription) Pg 5C
Quoted: Robert Cropp, Ag & Applied Economics (emeritus)

Ag Generates $59.16 billion and 353,991 Jobs in Wisconsin
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Steve Deller, Ag & Applied Economics
Quoted: Rick Klemme, Dean and Director of UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension

Wisconsin Dairy Industry Subject of TV Program
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Mentioned: UW-Madison Badger Dairy Camp

Dodgeville Duo Shines in the Showring
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Mentioned: UW-Madison Dairy Science
Mentioned: UW-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course

Agronomy and Soils Field Day Set For Aug. 27 At Arlington
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Mentioned: Soil Science
Mentioned; Agronomy
Mentioned: Arlington Agricultural Research Station

Squash Vine Boror: Key Pest in Squash, Pumpkins
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Russel Groves, Entomology

Cutworm Moths Flying, Scout Field and Sweet Corn Now
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Eileen Cullen, Entomology

Harvest Aids For Winter Wheat
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Chris Boerboom, Agronomy

Safety and Software For Silage Producers
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Brian Holmes, Biological Systems Engineering

Sandhill Cranes and Field Damage: Prevention is Key
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Eileen Cullen

Take a Closer Look At Combine Management For Wheat Harvest
Agri-View 8/6/2009
Quoted: Matthew Digman, Biological Systems Engineering

Of Interest

Milking the dairy industry? Dean Foods reports hefty profit surge
Times Argus (Vermont) 8/2/2009

MADISON - Ask almost anyone the name of the best-known bear in the world and Smokey Bear would likely be the winner. If Smokey’s your favorite bruin too, why not come down to the Madison Farmer’s Market on Aug. 8 to help him celebrate his 65th birthday by sampling some free ice cream?

Smokey will be there along with examples of wildfire fighting equipment and while the supply lasts, Smokey and his helpers will serve free ice cream. “Smokey Bear’s Necessities,” a specialty ice cream made for his birthday bash by the folks at UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall, is flavored with things a bear would eat, honey, cinnamon, cranberries and pecans.

“For 65 years Smokey has symbolized wildfire prevention and education on the role of fire in nature,” said Catherine Regan, DNR wildfire prevention specialist. “His face and his slogan, ‘only you can prevent wildfires,’ have accompanied generations of campers, hikers, hunters and anglers in pursuit of their favorite pastimes.”

On August 9th 1944, illustrator Albert Staehle drew the first Smokey image. The real bear was found by firefighters clinging to a tree after a wildfire had passed, Smokey, as he came to be known, was just a cub in 1950. After his rescue and treatment by an area vet for burns he lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. for the remainder of his life, a living symbol for wildfire safety and prevention.

For more information on Wisconsin’s wildland fire fighting and prevention programs visit the DNR’s wildfire website http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry/fire/ where you can also learn about Firewise, a program designed to reduce your home’s risk from wildfire.

In the afternoon, CALS Dean Molly Jahn awarded certificates to Honduran dairy artisans who were the first participants in an internship bringing dairy artisans to Wisconsin to study with area cheese makers. That ceremony was followed by the first-ever reunion dinner of the Dairy Artisan Research Program, which provides local artisans opportunities to travel and study their craft.

The Honduran interns, Daniel Alexander Matute Berrios and Otho Francisco Tercero Maldonao, worked with cheese makers at Sassy Cow (Columbus) , Roelli (Shullsburg), and Cedar Grove (Plain), and with Ranee May at UW-River Falls gaining knowledge in procedures and techniques that may help them improve production in their home cheese plants. They also visited Joe Widmer and Widmer Cheese (Theresa), Anne Topham and Fantome Farm (Ridgeway), as well as the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant.

The Honduran internship was made possible through the support of the Babcock Institute, Jane and Dan Carter, the Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC), and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), as well as organizations within Honduras.

At the reunion dinner, past and future participants in the Dairy Artisan Research Program gathered to honor the program’s benefactors Jane and Dan Carter and to hear a report from Jon Metzig, a Wisconsin dairy artisan who recently returned from a trip that took him to Ireland, England, Switzerland and Germany. Also at the dinner were program coordinators Scott Rankin (UW-Madison Department of Food Science), Norm Monsen (DBIC & DATCP), Jeanne Carpenter (DBIC), and Karen Nielsen (Babcock Institute), and many program supporters.

The Dairy Artisan Research Program is a joint effort of the Babcock Institute, the UW-Madison food science department, the DBIC and DATCP.

Over the lunch hour, farm tax and law expert Phil Harris will discuss the tax consequences of financial distress.

If you want to see and hear everything offered, you’ll need to spend the day. The program includes three themed tours, each offered at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Those include:

- A crop management tour with presentations on managing corn for biofuel potential, alternative forage crops, the impact of climate change on corn and soybean yields, and soybean response to plant stress.

- A pest management tour covering soil-borne disease in soybeans. soybean weed management, winter-killing perennial weeds, and managing grazing height to suppress weeds in grass-based systems.

- A soils tour with information on 10-year study of tillage and rotation, nitrogen availability from treated manure, opportunities for biofuel production, and an update on monitoring runoff on single-use watersheds.

Certified crop advisors are able to obtain up to 6.5 CEUs for attending. Lunch and refreshments will be available at nominal cost. If it rains, all presentations will move indoors. The Arlington station is located on Hwy. 51, about 5 miles south of Arlington and 15 miles north of Madison. Watch for field day signs.

For more information, contact the UW-Madison agronomy department at (608) 262-1390 or the soil science department at (608) 262-0485.

“We are excited to be able to add the presentations on livestock research to broaden our discussion of the entire organic production system,” says Silva. “There are relevant, applicable findings to share from both new and continuing research projects.”

The field day will highlight work being done on the Arlington station’s roughly 70 acres of certified organic land as well as on private farms and other locations throughout the state.

The livestock sessions will focus on animal health and grazing. Veterinary specialist Pam Ruegg will discuss her study on organic dairy herd health. Jim Munsch, an organic beef farmer from southwest Wisconsin, will talk about pasture research being done on his farm in partnership with UW-Madison animal scientists. Rhonda Glidersleeve, UW-Extension grazing specialist, will speak on estimating pasture dry matter intake. Gary Oates, UW-Madison agronomy researcher, will talk about managed intensive grazing.

Field tours will leave from the Public Events Building beginning at 10 a.m. Tour presentations will include:

• No-till soybean and corn production using rolled/crimped rye and vetch
• The mineral balance fertility approach for controlling insect feeding in corn, soybeans and alfalfa
• No-till corn production using rolled/crimped hairy vetch
• Seed corn maggot management
• The latest economic analysis of the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial
• A sweet corn variety trial
• Fertility management for organic sweet corn, green beans and potatoes.

Over the lunch hour, participants will have time to view poster summaries of various research projects and take a look at various pieces of field equipment. Lunch will be available for $10.

If you plan to attend, please register in advance by contacting Erin Silva at 608-890-1503 or emsilva@wisc.edu. While registration is not required, it’s appreciated.

The Arlington Agricultural Research Station is about five miles south of Arlington and 15 miles north of Madison on U.S. Highway 51 in Columbia County. Exit Interstate 90-94 at Wis. Highway 60 or exit U.S. Highway 51 at Badger Road.

Project Budget Additions and New Award
The fiscal year 2010 project budget additions and new project setup are in progress. The project categorical budget amount awarded can be found in WISDM financial reporting. If you do not see the budget addition by October 30, 2009, please contact Angela Seitler, aseitler@cals.wisc.edu, or Jennifer Pang, jpang@cals.wisc.edu.

New project ID numbers
Please DO NOT continue using the previous project ID number for charges incurred beginning October 1, 2009. Each project period begins on a new project ID number and is set up for the new budget period October 1, 2009 - September 30, 2010. See WISDM financial reporting and click on the hyperlink to the Award ID number that will list associated project ID and budget periods.

Hatch Multi-state Travel
Please DO NOT use 142-PRJ15XT for travel occurring in fiscal year 2010, beginning October 1, 2009. Travel occurring within the fiscal year 2010 project budget period must be charged to the appropriate project ID and budget period. Please contact Jennifer Pang, jpang@cals.wisc.edu, for the correct project ID number PRIOR to incurring direct charges in advance of travel.

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation—Sofja Kovalevskaja Award
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=495

American Academy of Arts & Sciences—Visiting Scholars Program
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=475

American Cancer Society—Cancer Control Career Development Awards for Primary Care Physicians
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=46

American Cancer Society—Clinical Research Professor
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=52

American Cancer Society—Doctoral Degree Scholarships in Cancer Nursing
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=50

American Cancer Society—Doctoral Training Grants in Oncology Social Work
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=48

American Cancer Society—Master’s Training Grants in Clinical Oncology Social Work
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=49

American Cancer Society—Mentored Research Scholar Grant in Applied & Clinical Research
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=45

American Cancer Society—Postdoctoral Fellowships
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=5

American Cancer Society—Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Early Detection of Cancer
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=44

American Cancer Society—Research Proposals Directed at Poor & Undeserved Populations
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=57

American Cancer Society—Research Scholar Grants in Cancer Control: Health Services and Health Policy Research
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=3

American Cancer Society—Research Scholar Grants in Cancer Control: Psychosocial & Behavioral Research
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=2

American Health Assistance Foundation—Alzheimer’s Disease Standard Award
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=471

American Health Assistance Foundation—Glaucoma Research
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=462

American Lung Association—Biomedical Research Grants
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=249

American Lung Association—Clinical Patient Care Research Grant
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=250

American Lung Association—Lung Health Dissertation Grant
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=253

American Lung Association—Senior Research Training Fellowship
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=254

American Lung Association—Social-Behavioral Research Grant
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=251

American Philosophical Society—Fellowships & Research Grants
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=477

Center for the Health Professions—Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=457

Fulbright Student Program—Student Fulbright Competition
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=479

Gay & Lesbian Medical Association—Lesbian Health Fund
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=199

National Endowment for the Humanities—Summer Stipend Program
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=666

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development—Small Grants Program
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=739

Tinker Foundation—Field Research Grants
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=146

UW Madison Academic Personnel Office—Faculty Development Grant Program
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=487

UW Madison Academic Personnel Office—Research Service Grant Program
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=469

UW Madison Graduate School—Draper Technology Innovation Fund (TIF) Grants
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/research/funding/DisplayOpp.php?OppID=118

DHHS—Genetic and Genomic Analysis of Xenopus
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW

DOD—Lung Cancer Research Program
http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/lcrp.htm

DOD—Spinal Cord Injury Research Program
http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/pdf/09scirpreftable.pdf

DOD—Peer Reviewed Cancer New Investigator Awards
http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/archive/09prcrpnia_pa.pdf

NASA– Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions
http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do

NSF—Decision, Risk and Management Sciences
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5423&govDel=USNSF_39

NSF—Instrument Development for Biological Research
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=9187&govDel=USNSF_39

NSF—Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5421&govDel=USNSF_39

NSF—Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09573/nsf09573.htm?govDel=USNSF_25

NSF—Math & Science Partnership
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5756&govDel=USNSF_39

NSF—Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships & Follow-up Research Starter Grants
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09595/nsf09595.htm?govDel=USNSF_25

NSF—SBE Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13453&govDel=USNSF_50

NSF—Tribal Colleges & Universities Program
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5483&govDel=USNSF_39

NSF/DOE—Partnership in Basic Plasma Science & Engineering
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09596/nsf09596.htm?govDel=USNSF_25

USDA—Conservation Innovative Grants
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW

Please review the updated information regarding WAES fiscal year 2009 RA salary and fringe adjustments, deadlines, rebudget requests, and receipts/documentation for expenditures.

Research Assistant Salary and Fringe Adjustments for July 2009 - September 2009

The increase for the pay period July 2009 through September 2009 will be added to the budget as part of the fiscal year 2009 close out process.

Count down to project period year end

• August 1, 2009 was 60 days before the period end.
• September 1, 2009 is 30 days be before the period end.

Please refer to the WAES award management deadlines for quarter and year end close out procedures and timelines of the budget period end. Please be aware of time constraints so that we can better service your needs and requests.

Rebudget requests

Please review whether a rebudget between categories is needed. A strong justification is required along with a written request to Angela Seitler, aseitler@cals.wisc.edu, or Jennifer Pang, jpang@cals.wisc.edu. WAES will not accept rebudget requests after September 30, 2009. Only under extenuating circumstances will rebudget requests be accepted after September 30th.

Receipts/Documentation for expenditures

Please remember to forward copies of receipts/documentation for expenditures incurred to date, if it has not been done. We are requesting that all copies of charges incurred during September 2009 be routed by October 31, 2009.

• August 10-14: Memorial Union, TITU
• August 17 - August 21: Steenbock Library
• August 24 - August 28: WARF Room 132
• August 31 - September 4: UW Hospital Elevators near the cafeteria (H 4/1)

Please refer to the full description for additional information.

UW-Madison Libraries: What You Really Need to Know
Wednesday Sept 2, 4–5:15 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

An introduction to the many research tools and services the UW-Madison libraries offer: MadCat (the library catalog), journal databases, other electronic materials, conveniences such as book retrieval and your online library account, and ways to get help finding and using campus library resources.

Managing Your Citations with RefWorks
Wednesday, September 30, Noon-1:15 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105
Thursday, October 22, 3:00-4:15 p.m. Steenbock Library, Room 105

Covers the basic features of using RefWorks citation manager, which is free to all campus users courtesy of UW-Madison Libraries. Topics include organization of records, searching and sorting records, importing records electronically from MadCat and journal databases, and preparing bibliographies

Compiling a Lit Review: Life Sciences
Wednesday, Sept 30, 4-5:15 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

This workshop will cover the literature search process and is intended for those beginning a literature review for a research project, proposal, dissertation, or publication. It will cover resources and techniques that are useful in life sciences literature research. You will learn key steps in conducting a literature search and be introduced to core databases that are important for thoroughly mining the academic literatures in these fields.

Managing Your Citations with EndNote/EndNote Web
Friday, October 2, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105
Friday, October 23, Noon–1:30 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105
Tuesday, November 17, 3-4:30 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

Covers the basic features of using EndNote, including organization of databases and records, searching and sorting records, importing records electronically from MadCat and journal article databases, and instant formatting of bibliographies. Also covers EndNote Web (free to campus users courtesy of UW-Madison Libraries). Learn how to set up your EndNote database initially to avoid later style formatting hassles.

Google for Academic Research
Friday, October 16th —Noon-1:00 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

Power search with Google to remove the clutter and quickly locate quality resources. Get hands-on practice using Google, Google Scholar, Google Patents, and Google Book Search. Learn how to use Find It and RefWorks with Google Scholar and how to evaluate your search results to get the best information from the Internet.

Manage your References: An Introduction to Citation Managers
Wednesday, Oct 21st —4-5:15 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

Are you tired of formatting bibliographies and in-text citations by hand? Are article pdf files stored randomly on your hard drive with no hopes of retrieving them? Need a place to collect literature citations while you are researching? Citation management tools can help by allowing you to:

• Create and organize a personal research database of references gathered.
• Format manuscripts and reference lists instantly in a variety of styles (MLA, APA, IEEE, etc.).
• Share your research with colleagues.

This workshop will give an overview of the four citation managers supported by the campus libraries, RefWorks, EndNote, EndNote Web and Zotero, and help you decide which one is right for you based on your individual research needs.

Keeping Current with the Literature
Wednesday,November 11, 4-5:15 p.m., Steenbock Library, Room 105

Learn about several tools that can help you stay up-to-date in your field of research. Learn how to create a custom list of library databases to be always at your fingertips. Have table of contents of the most recent journals sent directly to your email. Be alerted to the most recent articles on a topic. Monitor Web sites, blogs, and other important resources with ease. Keep track of citations and make bibliographies quickly.

Over the past 25 years, Michael Carter has been a constant fixture in the University of Wisconsin at Madison community through teaching, serving as major advisor on more than 35 doctoral disserations, and his participation on several executive committees throughout a variety of interdisciplinary departments. Since 2001, he has served as the director of BASIS Assets and Market Access Collaborative Research Support Program.

Carter has continued to focus on his research, which falls into three primary areas: wealth-biased access to capital; land policy and poverty reduction in agrarian economies; and poverty traps and income distribution dynamics. He has conducted more than twenty household surveys around the world. Carter’s research has been published in leading development economics journals and policy conferences and has been quoted by international policymakers and major donor organizers such as the World Bank and the United States Agency of International Development. He has published more than 35 journal articles, co-authored 3 books, and written more than 25 book chapters.

Carter has also served as editor for Studies in Comparative International Development, World Development, and American Journal of Agricultural Economics and has refereed articles for many other publications.

Signs and symptoms. Although a majority of people with Lyme disease develop a “bulls-eye” rash, 20-40% of persons who have the disease do not have a rash. Other signs and symptoms may be non-specific and similar to flu symptoms such as:

• Fever
• Lymph node swelling
• Neck stiffness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Migrating joint aches, or muscle aches

Most cases of Lyme disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics. On the flipside, untreated Lyme disease may result in severe, chronic, and disabling symptoms.

Preventing Lyme disease. The first line of defense is decreasing the probability of tick bites. Here are some steps you can take:

• Have employees avoid brushy, overgrown, grassy, and woody areas in spring and early summer when young ticks feed.
• Remove leaves, tall grass, and brush from areas around work areas or residential areas to decrease tick habitats.
• Apply tick-toxic chemicals to surrounding work or residential areas in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and community standards.

What’s in a name? Quite a bit it turns out. A couple of years back, the faculty in the UW Department of Rural Sociology began a discussion about what we call ourselves. Was the term “rural” still meaningful? Did “rural sociology” adequately reflect the content of our research and our teaching? We held a retreat, we talked in the halls, we debated the meaning of the rural in a departmental seminar, and we continued our intellectually lively and institutionally consequential discussion over wine late one fall Friday afternoon.

The roots of rural sociology as a discipline can be found in early twentieth century efforts of the federal government to understand and improve the quality of rural life. The UW hired its first rural sociologist in 1911. In that year, Charles Galpin took up an appointment in Agricultural Economics. Our department was created in 1930 and so we’ve been a presence in CALS and on the UW campus for nearly eighty years.

Still, our collective sense in faculty discussion was that as we approach the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the term “rural” is confusing to many students, scholars, and citizens. Rather than lead undergraduates to seek out our rich array of course offerings in areas from “Food, Culture, and Society” to “International Development, Environment, and Sustainability”, too many undergraduate have tended to overlook us. Indeed, when students do find their way into our department, they often express frustration that they didn’t come across the department sooner and blame our name for missing us.

Our university colleagues too have indicated a lack of understanding of the work we do. When we talk about community supported agriculture, the politics of water, or rural industry, they get a sense of the breadth of our work, but “rural” doesn’t seem to them to encompass what we actually do. Finally, many citizens of the state who might find our expertise helpful would not likely find us as long as we held on to the label of “rural” sociology.

Given all of this, we decided to pursue university approval to change our name to the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology. In the spring, the University Academic Planning Council gave us the go ahead to change our name, and we are moving methodically to complete all of the tasks, large and small, required to fully establish our new departmental identity.

We think our new name is fully in keeping with the changes underway in the university broadly and CALS more specifically. We are set to help confront the array of tremendous societal challenges we face in areas of food, energy and sustainability to name and few. We relish the opportunity to teach a larger number and wider array of students, and we look forward to connecting with many of you who have overlooked us and reconnecting with our old friends and colleagues.

Daniel Lee Kleinman, Professor and Chair
Department of Community and Environmental Sociology

The Furlough Summary Report and updated Furlough Codes for Unclassified can be accessed on the CALS Business Services Payroll web page.

Contact CALS Payroll for assistance.

Susie Juncer 262-2034
Sandy Weigt 265-3092

The study shows that Wisconsin agriculture contributes in a significant way to the state’s economic base despite the acute financial pressures caused by low prices for several products including milk and cheese as well as high input costs. The study’s findings indicate agriculture’s economic activity increased 14.9 percent, up from $51.5 billion, from a similar study conducted in 2004 using data for 2000.

“This study clearly demonstrates agriculture’s huge role in our state’s economy and the importance of having a diverse agricultural portfolio. No other sector is so broadly based across the entire state,” said Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Here’s how agriculture’s $59.16 billion economic impact breaks down:

• The direct economic effect of agriculture is $38.8 billion. This figure represents the sales of all farm products and value-added products.
• Sales of agricultural products create another $13.6 billion in business-to-business purchases for items such as fuel, fertilizer, feed, farm equipment, veterinary services and crop consultants.
• This business-to-business activity then generates another $6.7 billion in economic activity, because people who work in agriculture-related businesses spend their earnings.

“This study shows that Wisconsin is an incredibly diverse agricultural state that makes many contributions to our food supply and economy,” said Bill Bruins, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. “This diversity has helped agriculture and many of our rural communities to stabilize and even grow.”

The research, conducted by Steve Deller UW-Madison professor of agricultural economics/UW-Extension community development specialist and David Williams, UW-Extension associate professor and assistant program leader for Agriculture and Natural Resources, uses a state-of the-art economic model to measure how dollars earned from sales of agricultural products multiply in the state economy. The study also provides an historical look at several economic measures of Wisconsin agriculture and a first of its kind look at the relative strengths of clusters of various agriculture sectors.

“This work represents the very best in the partnership between UW-Extension and the applied research in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences here at UW-Madison,” said Rick Klemme, Dean and Director of UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension.

Molly Jahn, Dean of UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences added, “These data show the strengths within Wisconsin agriculture and the potential opportunities of our various sectors helps us to provide targeted education, research and Extension leadership to the many stakeholders and audiences we serve through our many programs.”

James Robson, Chief Executive Officer, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc., said, “This new report is important because it underscores the tremendous economic contribution that our dairy industry makes to our communities and state every year. The milk that’s produced on our dairy farms is the starting point for a $26 billion dairy business that provides jobs, supports our local economies and gives our cheese and dairy processors the ability to craft more than 600 varieties, types and styles of award-winning cheese and hundreds of other nutritious dairy and food products. During the present economic downturn, it’s important to remind all state residents that the future success of America’s Dairyland begins on our dairy farms.”

About one out of every ten state citizens (10 percent) works in a job related to agriculture. These occupations include farmers, farm employees, veterinarians, crop and livestock consultants, feed and fuel suppliers, food processors, machinery manufacturers and dealers, barn builders and agricultural lenders. Every job in agriculture supports an additional 0.89 job elsewhere in Wisconsin’s economy.

About 9 percent of Wisconsin’s total income, or $20.2 billion, comes from agriculture. This figure includes wages and salaries, benefits and profits of farmers and workers in agriculture-related businesses. Each new dollar of agricultural income generates another $1.24 in state income.

The study confirms the tremendous strengths that Wisconsin has in many sectors including dairy production, dairy product manufacturing and animal production and suggests areas for future policy discussion to promote a stable and growing agricultural economy.

Possible plans for future analysis of this data include a more in-depth assessment of regional and county-by-county economic impacts to help policy makers and others as they plan for the future of Wisconsin agriculture.

The study was conducted by University of Wisconsin-Extension in cooperation with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. You can read the research report, “Agriculture and the Wisconsin Economy” on line at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/wisag.

Many kids gain weight in summer
Wisconsin Rapids Tribune 7/23/2009
Quoted: Susan Nitzke, Nutritional Science

UW-Madison gets $199,000 from USDA’s AgrAbility program
WKOW TV Madison 7/23/2009
Mentioned: UW-Madison AgrAbility Project

Wausau hit by Dust Bowl-like drought
Wausau Daily Herarld 7/23/2009
Quoted: Joe Lauer, Agronomy

UW-Madison: Turfgrass irrigation system helps manage stormwater
Wisconsin Business 7/29/2009
Quoted: Doug Soldat, Soil Science
Mentioned: O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research and Education Facility

More trails, shelters part of proposal in upgrade to Capital Springs Rec Area
Capital Times 7/28/2009
Mentioned: Department of Landscape Architecture

Curiosities: Why are there so many more Canada geese in Wisconsin now?
Wisconsin State Journal 7/27/2009
Quoted: Stan Temple, Forest and Wildlife Ecology

Creating life from scratch is topic of UW symposium
The Capital Times 7/23/2009
Quoted: Aseem Ansari, Biochemistry
Mentioned: Har Gobind Khorana, Biochemistry (emeritus, Nobel Prize)

UW symposium honors genetics pioneer
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 7/29/2009
Quoted: Aseem Ansari, Biochemistry
Mentioned: Har Gobind Khorana, Biochemistry (emeritus, Nobel Prize)

Controversial book focus of UW-Madison project
Country Today 7/29/2009
Quoted: Molly Jahn, Dean, UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Specialist team to focus on swine industry
Country Today 7/22/2009 (subscription) Pg 7C
Mentioned: UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Universities get ag grants
Country Today 7/22/2009 (subscription) Pg 4A
Mentioned: UW-Madison

Wisconsin youths compete at Guernsey convention
Country Today 7/22/2009 (subscription) Pg 6C
Mentioned: Melanie Balinas, Student, Dairy Science, Life Sciences Communications

Birthday girl takes the cake at Trempealeau fair
Country Today 7/22/2009 (subscription) Pg 5A
Quoted: Beth Nelson, Student, Farm and Industry Short Course

Collaborative series to focus on immigrants
Country Today 7/22/2009 (subscription) Pg 1
Mentioned: UW-Madison Program on Agricultural Technology Studies

Tracy’s Research Delivers ‘Supersweet’ Results
Agri-View 7/15/2009
Quoted: Bill Tracy, Agronomy

UW-Madison’s Organic Field Day to Highlight Crop, Livestock Research
Agri-View 7/30/2009
Mentioned: Pamela Ruegg, Dairy Science
Mentioned: Gary Oats, Agronomy
Mentioned: Erin Silva, Agronomy

No Good Reasons to Ignore SCN
Agri-View 7/30/2009
Quoted: Shawn Conley, Agronomy

HPPD Injury to Soybeans
Agri-View 7/30/2009
Quoted: Chris Boerboom, Agronomy

Of Interest

Stimulus funds research at Wisconsin universities
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 7/28/2009

CALS engineers- and ag-marketers-to-be learned how a piece of machinery goes from concept to product during a Farm Technology Days tour.

“If you come in here with a question and these folks can’t answer it, there is no answer.” That comment was made to CALS associate dean John Shutske by one of the thousands of visitors who passed through the UW-Extension pavilion at Farm Technology Days, where 40-some CALS faculty and staff members helped answer questions on topics ranging from weed identification to genomics to bioenergy to managing family stress caused by depressed dairy prices. Farm Technology Days, held July 21–23 at the Crave Brothers Farm near Waterloo, drew more than 75,000 attendees.

CALS welcomed more than 140 of its alumni and friends to visit with each other and special guests, including Troy Runge, director of the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, Ben Brancel, CALS state relations liaison, and Dean Molly Jahn at daily gatherings.

On Wednesday afternoon, 25 CALS students — majors in agricultural and applied economics and biological systems engineering — and a few more from UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls were guests of top execs of the equipment manufacturer AGCO. CALS Career Services teamed with AGCO to give the students a tour of a new AGCO traveling exhibit that demonstrates how a product makes it from concept to market.

Some of the students rode to the event in style. At AGCO’s request, the quarter-scale tractor teams from Madison, Platteville and River Falls fired up the engines on their pint-sized powerhouses and drove them in a procession into the AGCO booth. FTD visitors flocked around the tractors and peppered the students with questions.

On Wednesday night, CALS alums, faculty, staff and friends converged on the dairy farm owned and operated by Bob and Chris Topel and Jeff and Jenny Spoke for brats and burgers at the annual WALSAA Farm Technology Days picnic.