CSREES Update - January 21, 2009
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
USDA
Partners
Awards and Recognition
Mailbox
CSREES
CSREES News
CSREES Awards $5.3 Million in Water Quality Grants
WASHINGTON, January 13, 2009 − CSREES announced $5.3 million in grants to 15 universities and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service to conduct research aimed at improving and maintaining healthy watershed habitat and water supplies. “Developing research-based information on water quality issues is critical for America's farmers and ranchers,” said Colien Hefferan, CSREES administrator. “Understanding the sources and fate of microorganisms in water used in agricultural production is critical to maintaining a safe food supply.”
The awards are administered through the CSREES’ National Research Initiative Water and Watershed competitive grants program. This grant program seeks to reduce pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in waters derived from agricultural and rural watersheds, as well as maintain adequate water supplies for agricultural crop and livestock production and rural use. The CSREES Water and Watershed program has awarded more than $24 million in the past 5 years. Visit the CSREES Newsroom to read CSREES Awards $5.3 Million in Water Quality Grants.
USDA Awards More Than $3.4 Million to Train Graduate Students in Food and Agricultural Sciences
WASHINGTON, January 8, 2009 − CSREES awarded more than $3.4 million to train the next generation of policymakers, researchers, and educators in the food and agricultural sciences. CSREES administers the funding through the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship grants program. Specifically, the National Needs Fellowship provides funding to support graduate training through a student stipend and a cost-of-education allowance to the institution. In addition, fellowships and travel allowances for special international study or thesis/dissertation research are granted to support traineeship programs that encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete degrees or obtain post-doctoral training in areas identified as a national need for the development of scientific and professional expertise. Visit the CSREES Newsroom to read USDA Awards More Than $3.4 Million to Train Graduate Students in Food and Agricultural Sciences.
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
Chief Economist Glauber Announces Selection of Carol Kramer-LeBlanc as New Director of Sustainable Development
WASHINGTON, January 15, 2009 − U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Chief Economist Joseph Glauber announced the selection of Carol Kramer-LeBlanc as USDA's new director of Sustainable Development in the Office of the Chief Economist. As the new director, Kramer-LeBlanc is responsible for advancing the principles and goals of sustainable development through partnerships, collaboration, and outreach. She is an agricultural economist with broad experience in the federal government, in academia, and with international organizations. After completing her doctoral work at Michigan State University, Kramer-LeBlanc held academic appointments at Kansas State and Cornell Universities and then worked for 4 years at Resources for the Future, a Washington, DC, think tank. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release Chief Economist Glauber Announces Selection of Carol Kramer-LeBlanc as New Director of Sustainable Development.
USDA Continues Efforts to Keep Invasive Species Out of the United States
WASHINGTON, January 14, 2009 − The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) plans to open a new Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection and Port Technology Methods Development Laboratory in South Miami, FL, later this year. Scientists at this new facility will work to develop and validate state-of-the art commodity treatments and port inspection technologies used by APHIS and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection to ensure that agriculture imports are free of invasive species.
This laboratory will help APHIS advance its mission to protect the United States' agricultural and natural resources from invasive plant pests and diseases. The scientists' focus at this facility includes developing alternatives to methyl bromide for fumigation, treatment methods and pest detection technologies for use in the ports, including chemical sensors and acoustic devices. In addition, work on controlled temperature and atmosphere treatments for commodities, as well as methods to trace a commodities origin, also will take place. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release USDA Continues Efforts to Keep Invasive Species 0ut of the United States.
USDA Fields Farm Bill, Prepares Ground for Next Administration
WASHINGTON, January 13, 2009 − In the 7 months since Congress passed the 2008 Farm Bill, USDA has put in place many of the key components and prepared the next items for action by the incoming administration. The 2008 Farm Bill, with 15 Titles and more than 600 provisions, is approximately 50 percent larger than its predecessor, the 2002 Farm Bill. In total, the department is required to complete to fully implement 170 regulatory actions and over 100 reports and studies. A summary of the 2008 Farm Bill accomplishments are posted on the USDA Web site, at USDA.gov/farmbill, in addition to other background information. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release USDA Fields Farm Bill, Prepares Ground for Next Administration.
Schafer Honors Creative, Caring Neighbors Helping the Hungry
WASHINGTON, January 8, 2009 − Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer honored creative and caring efforts to help the hungry in communities around the country by congratulating volunteers in the Fight Hunger Initiative. The initiative was patterned after efforts that raised 80,000 pounds of food bank donations in Schafer’s home state of North Dakota. Schafer initiated the Fight Hunger Initiative with a USDA.gov Web site of specific examples and resources of how to organize a food drive, provide help to the elderly, sponsor feeding programs, and find a local volunteer opportunity. Schafer said he hopes the next Secretary of Agriculture will adopt the initiative and its toolkit of resources. In letters of recognition, Schafer specifically highlighted contributions by community volunteers in Montana and New York, and 4–H Clubs in Maine and Kentucky. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read the full release Schafer Honors Creative, Caring Neighbors Helping the Hungry.
Partners
Henning Appointed University of Kentucky CES Director
Dr. Jimmy Henning was appointed director of the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) for the University of Kentucky, Lexington effective January 1. Henning earned his doctorate in agronomy from University of Kentucky in 1986. He served as CES associate director and associate dean from May 2007 to present.
Awards and Recognition
Hipp Receives the Spirit of Women in Blue Jeans Award
Janie Hipp, CSREES national program leader for Risk Management Education, Farm Financial Management, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and the Beginning Farmers and Rancher Development Program in the Economic and Community Systems Unit, was awarded the annual Spirit of Women in Blue Jeans Award from Women in Blue Jeans Inc. at its annual meeting in Mitchell, SD.
The award is given to organizations or individuals who support women in agriculture and the Women in Blue Jeans conference. Hipp was recognized for her advocacy work for women at the national, state, and local levels, and as an inspiration to all women in agriculture. She has helped launch several women in agriculture organizations and has spoken often with women in agriculture groups. Hipp began her work as an agricultural lawyer in the 1980s. She is an agricultural lawyer by training, having taught at the University of Arkansas for over a decade before assuming her current national leadership position. She currently serves as the chair of USDA Women and Working Lands group whose purpose is to find ways to better coordinate USDA services related to women.
Women in Blue Jeans Inc. started in 2001 as an effort to bring women together to learn about risk management and agribusiness in a supportive environment.
Mailbox
For a plain text copy of this newsletter, please contact Judy Rude. CSREES UPDATE is published biweekly. The next regular issue is planned for February 4, 2009. Submit news items to newsletter@csrees.usda.gov by January 28.
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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