CSREES Update - November 28 , 2007

CSREES Update, from the Office of the Administrator, is a biweekly newsletter for research, education, and extension partners at land-grant universities and other cooperating institutions.

In This Issue

CSREES

• CSREES News
• CSREES Lists Open Requests for Grant Applications

USDA

• USDA Seeks Public Comment on Dairy Disaster Assistance Program
• Statement by Acting Secretary Chuck Conner Regarding Need for a New Farm Bill

Partners

• Ag Economists Make Headlines
• Kentucky Counties Raise Cancer Awareness through Partnerships

Opportunities

• 2008 Galaxy III Conference Call for Proposals

Awards and Recognition

• Financial Security Community of Practice Wins National Award

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CSREES

CSREES News

• Scientists Link Key Gene to Response to Sunlight Exposure in Corn

  Plants, like humans, suffer from increased exposure to the sun's rays. Scientists have discovered a unique feature of genes in corn that are affected by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Understanding how UV radiation affects corn at the genetic level will help scientists develop methods and approaches to help plants protect themselves from the harmful effects of UV-B radiation. As the ozone layer decreases and the amount of UV-B radiation reaching the Earth's surface increases, the ability to breed UV-B tolerant agricultural plants will lessen the harmful impacts on agricultural plant production and sustainability, which is crucial in this crop of agricultural and bioenergy importance. This new knowledge will improve crop growth, production, and yield. CSREES funded this research project through the National Research Initiative Plant Biology program. Visit the CSREES Newsroom to read Scientists Link Key Gene to Response to Sunlight Exposure in Corn release.

• USDA Grants Help to Quantify Conservation Benefits of Watersheds

  Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced November 26 that USDA is awarding more than $1 million to two land-grant universities to improve management understanding of the widespread benefits of agricultural conservation. A team of investigators, led by North Carolina State University (NCSU), will conduct the principal Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) synthesis. This team will develop a comprehensive framework to evaluate 13 previously funded watershed projects to better understand the influence of conservation practices and maintenance. A second team, led by the University of Idaho, will characterize these 13 CEAP watersheds for their benefit to the land as well as to the results of those benefits to the surrounding communities. NCSU and the University of Idaho received $600,000 and $420,328 for their project, respectively. The two grants are part of CSREES' commitment to the Conservation Effects Assessment Project. Visit the CSREES News room to read USDA Grants Help to Quantify Conservation Benefits of Watersheds release.

CSREES Lists Open Requests for Grant Applications

CSREES advertises all of its funding opportunities through "Find Grant Opportunities" on the Grants.gov Web site. This site is searchable and contains summary information on all federal funding opportunities with links to the full announcements. Users can search announcements by topic, funding agency, and date, as well as subscribe to an e-mail notification service based on these parameters.

USDA

USDA Seeks Public Comment on Dairy Disaster Assistance Program

USDA announced November 26 that dairy producers and the public have until December 26, 2007, to comment on a proposed rule concerning the new Dairy Disaster Assistance Program III (DDAP-III). USDA published the proposed rule in the Federal Register on November 26. The proposal sets forth rules governing how this program will be administered. Comments may be made on proposed eligibility requirements, proof of production history, loss determinations, payment rates, payment rate calculations, appeals, and other program provisions. Also, the proposal outlines the differences between this program and similar dairy disaster assistance programs carried out by USDA in recent years. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read USDA Seeks Public Comment on Dairy Disaster Assistance Program release.

Statement by Acting Secretary Chuck Conner Regarding Need for a New Farm Bill

Partners

Ag Economists Make Headlines

Two agricultural economists, Chris Goemans, Colorado State University and Brian Hurd,  New Mexico State University, made news from their research studies on water issues.  Both scientists are members of W1190-Interfacing Technological, Economic, and Institutional Principles for Managing Inter-sector Mobilization of Water, a multistate research group supported by CSREES. Their research findings, as reported in the Rocky Mountain News, included a reduction of water use by approximately 5 percent if prices are increased by using a simple tiered price system; mandatory water use restrictions may generate another 10 to 15 percent savings when tiered systems are in place; and households reduced water use by 10 percent when they took advantage of rebates on water-efficient toilets, clothes, and dish washers. The newspaper quoted Goemans as saying that these are important tools for water conservation; while restrictions are effective, it is most likely the cost that will keep water use down over the long-term. Goemans has authored a forthcoming article, "Residential Water Demand Management"  that will appear in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 

The Albuquerque Journal reported research results from, "Climate Change and Its Implications for New Mexico's Water Resources and Economic Opportunities" by Hurd and his co-author, Julie Coonrod, University of New Mexico. The study uses a hydro-economic approach to study the effects of climate change on water supply and the economy. It estimates that diminishing water supplies resulting from global warming could cost New Mexico's economy hundreds of millions of dollars a year over the next century. Taking uncertainty into consideration and using simulations, the study projected that by 2080, the water flow in the Rio Grande could drop 8 percent (the wettest scenario) to 23 percent (the worst scenario).

Kentucky Counties Raise Cancer Awareness through Partnerships

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in nine counties joined forces to raise awareness for breast and cervical cancer screenings with a project called Team Up. Team Up is a national project identified by CSREES and partners, the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service, Centers for Disease Control, and the American Cancer Society to promote breast and cervical cancer screening for rarely- or never-screened women. Breast and cervical cancers have two of the highest cancer mortality rates in Kentucky. Kentucky family and consumer sciences agents from Breathitt, Elliott, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Powell, and Wolfe Counties are working with local volunteers, churches, and their communities to present information on the benefits of regular cancer screenings. The counties partnered with county health departments, regional hospitals, local cancer coalitions, and Kentucky State University. Through donations from various federal, state, and local partners, Kentucky Team Up received about $45,000 for the project. This funding went toward television and radio advertising and the purchase of resources.

Since the counties receive little operating money, extension agents came up with creative, low-cost ways to increase cancer awareness. One such creative activity occurred in Floyd County, which created a DVD to increase screening rates. The movie was designed to reach the community through churches and nonprofits and featured local cancer survivors and doctors who discussed their experiences with cancer and emphasized early detection. Five area health care facilities partnered and made financial contributions to the DVD, and a local production company produced it at a discount. The Team Up program has produced results. The data received from the counties shows an increase in screenings. Each county will continue to raise awareness, and will have an opportunity to receive mini grants to keep the momentum going and strengthen the local cancer coalitions.

Opportunities

2008 Galaxy III Conference Call for Proposals

Joint Council of Extension Professionals invites proposal submissions to present at the 2008 Galaxy III Conference, September 15-19, 2008, in Indianapolis, IN. Participants will Celebrate the Extension System: Strengths, Diversity, and Unique Qualities as they learn best practices for Cooperative Extension programs and renew their personal and professional spirit for working together across organizational and programming lines. There are four types of presentations: research/evaluation, competency building workshop, poster, and roundtable. The proposal submission deadline is January 15, 2008. The conference program will be finalized and presenters notified no later than April 1, 2008. Late proposals will not be accepted. Visit the conference Web site for additional proposal information.

Awards and Recognition

Financial Security Community of Practice Wins National Award

The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) awarded the eXtension Financial Security for All Community of Practice Leadership Team the Outstanding Consumer Financial Information Award at its recent annual conference meeting in Tampa, FL. Team Chair Debra Pankow, North Dakota State University, accepted the award. Other team members are Nancy Porter, Clemson University; Barbara O'Neill, Rutgers University; Sharon Seiling, The Ohio State University; Judy Branch, University of Vermont; and Erik Anderson, University of Idaho. The team is advised by Jane Schuchardt, CSREES, and Linda Kirk Fox, Washington State University. eXtension is the Cooperative Extension System's electronic delivery system for timely, unbiased, peer-reviewed information and education. The financial security portion of the site includes learning and assessment tools, nearly 1,000 frequently asked questions, and the opportunity to ask questions of an extension personal finance expert. The Web site at www.extension.org, which includes the personal finance portion, will be formally launched at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum in Crystal City, VA, February 21-22, 2008.

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For a plain text copy of this newsletter, please contact Judy Rude. CSREES UPDATE is published biweekly. The next regular issue is planned for December 12. Submit news items to newsletter@csrees.usda.gov by December 5, 2007.

Editor: Judy Rude, Public Affairs Specialist, CSREES Communications Staff. If you have questions about Update, please contact her at jrude@csrees.usda.gov.

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Back issues of CSREES UPDATE are available on the CSREES Web site.

Colien Hefferan, Administrator

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Last Updated: 11/28/2007