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 AgComm
News Purdue Extension Purdue
Agriculture Purdue University 
Jay Akridge Olivia Maddox Cherryl Frederick 
Agricultural Communication |
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Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter for business and community leaders on research, academics and Extension across Indiana and around the globe. Research may help competing interests move forward together Corn is the common component in ethanol and livestock production. As these industries grow, they affect the dynamics of the agribusiness industry. As a result, Purdue Agriculture faculty have analyzed issues surrounding the expansion of Indiana's ethanol and livestock industries. Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) is the residue left from processing corn for ethanol in dry-grind ethanol plants. DDGS can be used as a feed additive for livestock, but there are concerns about meat quality, logistics and other factors. To address some of these concerns, Purdue Agriculture, with the help of Indiana's agriculture, business and commodity groups, is identifying areas of research interest regarding DDGS. We will commit available university resources and look for additional state and federal funding to support this cause in an effort to help support Indiana agriculture and to move our state's economy forward. Industry, C-SPAN leaders energize Lugar-Purdue summit The Chairman and president of BP America Inc. will be part of a blue-ribbon panel being moderated by the head of C-SPAN as part of an energy summit convened by U.S. Sen. Richard G. Lugar and Purdue University. Joining BP America Inc. chairman and president Robert A. Malone as part of the Aug. 29 panel discussion at the Richard G. Lugar-Purdue Summit on Energy Security will be Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University. Brian Lamb, president and CEO of C-SPAN, will serve as the panel moderator. The summit, which will take place on Purdue's West Lafayette campus, is expected to attract leaders from government, business and academic communities. Panelists will discuss what would be needed from an industry and policy perspective to implement strategies that would reduce foreign oil dependence. "Our nation's security and prosperity are tied directly to energy, and Indiana has much to offer in the biofuel and research areas," said Lugar, R-Ind., who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "This summit gives us the opportunity to share ideas from a broad spectrum of individuals representing the public and private sectors and help chart our course for the future." read more Host protein triggers infection by smallpox-related viruses Purdue University scientists found that poxviruses move to the second and third stages of development by recruiting a protein, called TATA-binding protein, in the nucleus of mammals' cells. "This protein is required for activation of the middle- and late-stage poxvirus genes," said Steven Broyles, a Purdue biochemistry professor. "In the past, we were just groping around. We now have a model for how the poxvirus growth process is orchestrated." Although the last naturally occurring case of smallpox was in Somalia in 1977, experts believe that the disease and related viruses could be used as biological weapons. In order to guard against a terrorist-planted or spontaneous outbreak, major scientific efforts are under way to learn how smallpox and similar illnesses so effectively can halt normal cell activity in mammals, including humans. If scientists understand the biochemical changes that allow pox viruses to cause illness, it may be possible to create new vaccines and treatments that could be used should outbreaks occur. read more Purdue survey: Farmers sold on grain marketing alternatives Farmers are savvier about selling grain today than they were a decade ago, according to a Purdue University survey. The survey of about 50 large-scale producers found that farmers not only are utilizing a wider variety of grain marketing practices than a similar survey group in 1994 but also are using those sales techniques for more of their production. Farmers asked about their marketing preferences in 2005 used a variety of price enhancement and price protection techniques, according to agricultural economists George Patrick and Corinne Alexander, who conducted the survey. "Farmers in general are more concerned about their marketing as time goes on, and they've learned more about these different marketing techniques, so that they feel more comfortable using them," Patrick said. "What we have found in our survey is that farmers are tending to make quite a bit more use of some of the techniques that are available, regardless of whether they consider them price enhancement or price protection. Farmers can go with cash or spot markets, cash forward contracts, futures hedges, take a position with options, do deferred pricing or look at basis contracts." read more Institute seeks applications for Hoosier environmental leaders Purdue University is accepting applications for the Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute's fourth annual fall program. "The program is designed to develop leaders within the natural resources communities who can build relationships with others around controversial issues," said Janet Ayres, a Purdue Extension specialist. "Participants will learn how to work collaboratively with others, build consensus and find sustainable solutions to complex environmental issues." Individuals from various state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations with a stake in the sustainability of natural resources are encouraged to submit an application. The Natural Resource and Leadership Development Institute is sponsored by Purdue's forestry and natural resources and agricultural economics departments. The application deadline is Aug. 1. More information about the institute is available online. read more Prices may be up, but farm income down Challenging weather and concerns about corn prices and farm income will be discussed by a panel of Purdue University and state agriculture experts who will talk about the harvest forecast on Aug. 11at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The 2006 crop briefing will take place at 9 a.m. in the Our Land Pavilion. The discussion, which is open to the public, will cover the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service crop futures report issued that morning. "This is our first real opportunity to make assessments of what the income from the crops will be and get an idea for price levels for the 2006 year," said Chris Hurt, a Purdue agricultural economics Extension specialist. Hurt projects that due to increased crop production costs, farm incomes will be squeezed this year. He does expect corn prices to be up, but the projected increase will likely not offset the cost of production. read more Upcoming Events
Aug. 1-3 -- Farm World Expo Aug. 9-20 -- Indiana State Fair Extension Exhibits Aug. 11 -- Purdue Crop Report Aug. 16 -- Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair Aug. 16 -- Women in Agriculture Award Presentation at the State Fair Aug. 23 -- Pinney Agricultural Center Field Day Aug. 24 -- Northeast Purdue Agricultural Center Field Day Aug. 26 -- Purdue Forestry Field Day
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For the first time, scientists have shown that a protein in the nucleus of victims' cells triggers progression of smallpox-related illnesses, a finding that could help prevent use of such viruses as bioterrorism weapons.