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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. The giant that threatens the fields of Indiana Glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed was first found in Indiana last year in one county, but it has now spread to 10 Hoosier counties. It is more fearsome than other herbicide-resistant weeds because it can overcome a crop resulting in major yield loss. Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service specialists encourage growers to use a diversified approach to weed control in an effort to combat giant ragweed and other troublesome weeds. Also this summer, Purdue researchers from a variety of disciplines will experiment in 20 to 30 Indiana counties to try to find the best strategies for weeds to optimize crop yields and farm profitability. Purdue also leads a 16-state effort with information posted on a Web site: Glyphosate, Weeds, and Crops, at http://www.glyphosateweedscrops.org. Fat chance: Research links ethanol byproduct to flabbier pigs Pork producers who expect to bring home the bacon by feeding their herds an ethanol byproduct could wind up producing bacon consumers don't want to bring home. Replacing large amounts of corn with dry distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) in swine diets adds excessive unsaturated fatty acids, said Mickey Latour, a Purdue University Extension animal scientist. Higher than expected levels of unsaturated fatty acids affect the appearance of bacon and sausage, and could affect taste, Latour said. In addition, the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the pork products are likely to be tipped toward unhealthy dietary levels, he said. Future farm bill sparks new Purdue Web site A new Purdue University Web site covers hot topics that will be affected by the 2007 farm bill, such as conservation, energy and commodities. "Our agricultural economics group felt it was useful to pull together as much information as possible to help inform the public, producers and agribusinesses, as well as commodity groups, about the future farm bill," said Mike Boehlje, a Purdue Extension agricultural economics specialist. "The Web site was designed to give viewers a general background about farm policies and alternative proposals." View the "2007 Farm Bill Issues and Analysis" Web site http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/farmbill/.
Tiny pores within plant cells may hold promise for green fuels. Researchers have discovered that particles from cornstalks undergo previously unknown structural changes when processed to produce ethanol, an insight they said will help establish a viable method for large-scale production of ethanol from plant matter. Producing ethanol from cellulose would be advantageous over existing industrial processes in several ways, said Michael Ladisch, professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "Cellulosic ethanol would allow industry to expand beyond the limits brought about by corn's other uses, like sweetener production, animal feed and grain exports." Week to raise awareness of devastating invasive menace The very existence of ash trees in North America hangs in the balance - threatened by a tiny green insect invader. This insect, the emerald ash borer, is spreading throughout the state and country at the hands of people moving ash wood from place to place.
In an effort to slow the spread, Purdue University is teaming up with Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA Forest Service, and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to declare May 20-26 Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week. The goal of this week is to raise public awareness about the dangers of emerald ash borer (EAB) and tell what people can do to help alleviate the problem. Related link: http://www.entm.purdue.edu/eab Upcoming Events June 7-9 : Global Trade Analysis Project Conference June 11 : Agritourism Workshop June 21: 2007 Indiana Farm Sustainability Tour June 26-27: Indiana Farm Management Tour
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