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 AgComm
News Purdue Extension Purdue
Agriculture Purdue University 
Jay Akridge Olivia Maddox Cherryl Frederick 
Agricultural Communication |
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April 2008 Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter for business and community leaders on research, academics and Extension across Indiana and around the globe. Moving on, but not far away Starting May 1, I will no longer be dean of Purdue Agriculture. It is with mixed emotions that I move across campus and assume the role of provost at Purdue University. I have absolutely loved being dean of this college. The commitment of our faculty and staff to the college, to our students and to our constituents is a key factor in the tremendous success that we enjoy as an academic organization. I look forward to the opportunities to continue to serve agriculture in my new role and to help guide the continued progress of our university as we push toward higher goals and expectations. Jay Akridge, professor of agricultural economics, has agreed to serve as interim dean of Purdue Agriculture. His leadership skills, management experience and vision will be extremely valuable to the College, and he will do a tremendous job of keeping the college on a positive course while a national search for the next dean is underway. Soybean contest teaches entrepreneurship to student inventors Two teams of Purdue University students captured top spots and cash prizes for innovative projects that produced healthier soy waffle bowls and environmentally friendly clay shooting pigeons for the Soybean Innovation Contest. Teams EcoDisc and Scoops worked for months on their projects and both have earned top honors in the 2008 competition, which is sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance. "The goal of this competition is really to allow students to take the knowledge they've gained in the classroom and apply it to understanding how new products are developed," said Bernie Tao, Indiana Soybean Alliance professor of soybean utilization at Purdue. "Many of the students who participate go on to start their own businesses or to be leaders in industry because they've gained the understanding and ability to practically apply what they've learned in the classroom." Manufactured Buckyballs don't harm microbes that clean the environment
Even large amounts of manufactured nanoparticles, also known as Buckyballs, don't faze microscopic organisms that are charged with cleaning up the environment, according to Purdue University researchers. In the first published study to examine Buckyball toxicity on microbes that break down organic substances in wastewater, the scientists used an amount of the nanoparticles on the microbes that was equivalent to pouring 10 pounds of talcum powder on a person. Because high amounts of even normally safe compounds, such as talcum powder, can be toxic, the microbes' resiliency to high Buckyball levels was an important finding, the Purdue investigators said. "This is a fundamental study to assess the environmental behavior of these important manufactured nanoparticles," said Ron Turco, professor of agronomy. "Our findings help to lay the groundwork for a larger research agenda, which includes timely risk assessment of many types of nanomaterials in different environments." Purdue expert explains three pricing alternatives for farmers Grain buyers and elevator operators, like producers, can't afford to take all the risk, and some have stopped offering cash forward contracts to price new crop corn, soybeans and wheat, said a Purdue University agricultural economist. Because wet spring weather is delaying the start of Midwest corn planting, Chris Hurt expects to see some good pricing opportunities early this spring for corn, and farmers need to be thinking about new crop pricing alternatives. Hurt said there are three primary pricing strategies a broker may outline when pricing 2008 crops: a simple futures hedge, buying put options and fencing. Treatment approved to fight emerald ash borer in Indiana Indiana soon will have a new weapon in the war on emerald ash borers. The Indiana State Chemist on March 28 approved the use of a new anti-emerald ash borer (EAB) treatment called Tree- äge™, an insecticide developed by Swiss agrochemical company Syngenta and Massachusetts firm Arborjet. Tree- äge™ has an active ingredient called emamectin benzoate and is injected directly into the ash tree's vascular system, which is the part of the tree EAB larvae feed on. Because of this direct-injection, the insecticide will not harm anything that contacts the tree, such as butterflies, birds and squirrels. Further information about Tree- äge™ and other treatments for emerald ash borer are available at the Purdue EAB homepage at http://www.entm.purdue.edu/EAB. Researcher deepens understanding of soil science, hydrology From India to Indiana and the Mideast to the Midwest, Rabi Mohtar's water and soil land-use models encourage conservation of natural resources and allow people to make informed decisions about development.
For his multifaceted research and dedication to the conservation of environmental and natural resources and sustainability at a global level, among other contributions, Mohtar will be presented with the 2008 Agricultural Research Award from the Purdue College of Agriculture. Distinguished Agricultural Alumni honored Eleven Purdue University alumni were honored with the title of Distinguished Agricultural Alumnus during a ceremony that took place on March 21 at the Purdue Memorial Union. “I’m always pleased to hear of the successes of our graduates,” said Randy Woodson, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. “We have a strong history and tradition of preparing students to be leaders in their fields, and these distinguished alums are great representatives of Purdue Agriculture.” This year’s distinguished alumni are: Akinwumi A. Adesina, New York; Jeffrey G. Arnold, Temple, Texas; Caula A. Beyl, Knoxville, Tenn.; Yonas Gizaw, Cincinnati, Ohio; Roger W. Hadley II, Woodburn, Ind.; David W. Howell, Middletown, Ind.; Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Chevy Chase, Md.; Michael R. Kanost, Manhattan, Kan.; Roy D. Riggs, North Salem, Ind.; Claire Sawyers, Media, Pa.; and Thomas R. Wiltrout, Plainfield, Ind. read more: Upcoming Events MAY 3: Beginning Beekeeping Series: Working With Bees in the Field MAY 8: Central Indiana Commercial Fruit Growers Twilight Meeting MAY 12 & 16: Operating An Efficient Farmers' Market
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