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 AgComm
News Purdue Extension Purdue
Agriculture Purdue University 
Jay Akridge Olivia Maddox Cherryl Frederick  Agricultural Communication |
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February 2009 Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter for business and community leaders on research, academics and Extension across Indiana and around the globe. Purdue Agriculture to stay the course during troubling times I assume the role as head of Purdue Agriculture during one of the toughest economic times in recent years. With the economy in bad shape, we at Purdue realize that some budget adjustments may be necessary. So we are looking into belt-tightening measures as we plan for the future. However, this doesn’t mean we anticipate any changes in serving our stakeholders, whether they are students, Purdue Extension clientele or industry leaders. And we still seek support from the Indiana Legislature for efforts such as the proposed life sciences building for animal sciences, which will help grow our economy. I am pleased to head an exceptional land-grant college of agriculture. This is a time when Purdue Agriculture is especially needed, and we will answer the call. Current interim Akridge named dean of Purdue Agriculture http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2009a/090107WoodsonAkridge.html Gene's past could improve the future of rice In an effort to improve rice varieties, a Purdue University researcher was part of a team that traced the evolutionary history of domesticated rice by using a process that focuses on one gene.
Scott A. Jackson, a professor of agronomy, said studying the gene that decides how many shoots will form on a rice plant allows researchers to better understand how the gene evolved over time through natural selection and human interaction. Understanding the variations could allow scientists to place genes from wild rice species into domesticated rice to create varieties with more branching, increased plant size or other favorable characteristics. "This is a way to find these valuable genes in non-domesticated rice and bring them into cultivated rice," Jackson said. "We need to grow more food to feed the human population, and it needs to be done on less land and with less water. This could be the way to do that." Economist: Recession adds uncertainty to 2009 farmland leases No business partnership seems unaffected by the recession, including one of agriculture's most common, said Craig Dobbins, a Purdue University agricultural economist. Farmland owners and their tenant farmers might have to negotiate longer and harder to come up with a mutually acceptable rental rate for the 2009 crop season, Dobbins said. He urged renters to do their homework before entering into negotiations, especially if they plan to reopen existing rental agreements. "Will cash rents come down? That's a big question," Dobbins said. "At this point I'm not so sure that we're going to see much of a decline, but I would expect that the increase we thought was going to occur last summer certainly isn't in the cards, either. This coming year may be the year where rates are pretty flat in terms of changes." For more suggestions on negotiating cropland leases in tough economic times, including creating flexible cash rent agreements, read "Establishing a Cash Rent in an Uncertain Economic Environment." http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/news/financial/leases_final.pdf Purdue expert offers advice to reduce credit card debt In today's economy, a Purdue University specialist says now is the time to cut back on credit card use and to start paying off some of those outstanding debts. "When purchases are made on credit, the consumer commits future resources to paying off that debt," says Elizabeth Kiss, Purdue Extension specialist in consumer and family sciences. "If something bad happens financially, such as a job loss or family emergency, and income is already committed to paying for past purchases, that's when the trouble really begins." For more information on credit card debt reduction, Purdue Extension offers the free fact sheet, "Getting Rid of Credit Card Debt." http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/CFS/CFS-714-W.pdf CAFO rule changes could impact Indiana farms
"While managing manure properly is very important, it would not be fair to existing CAFOs if the new rules resulted in financial burdens that would cause them to go out of business," Nennich said. "The rules need to protect the environment without placing unreasonable expectations on livestock producers." New "Corn & Soybean Field Guide" available
The guide, created and distributed by Purdue University's Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center, is a handy resource for determining stages of plant development and identifying weeds, insects and plant diseases, as well as plant injury and deficiency symptoms. Center director Corey Gerber said pictures in the guide have been especially helpful to its users. The 2009 guide includes a few new items, including updated nitrogen recommendations and photos of early stage lesions for plant diseases on corn. The guide is $6 and can be purchased online at http://www.extension.purdue.edu/store; search for product code ID-179. Gray named director of Center for Food and Agricultural Business
Gray joined the Purdue staff in 1998. He has received numerous awards, including the American Agricultural Economics Association's Distinguished Extension/Outreach Program Award, the Purdue University Dean's Team Award and the United States Distance Learning Association's Excellence in Distance Teaching Award. Center for Food and Agricultural Business https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/cab/
Upcoming Events February 3-24: Managing Margin Risk - Interactive Video Conference February 12: Cow-Calf Integrated Resource Mangement Workshop February 14: Purdue Lambing School February 19: Women in Ag - Annie's Project February 24: Smart Management Decisions That Yield Big Profits February 26: Estate Taxes and Succession Planning February 28: Indiana Bee School
Click here for more information on upcoming events |
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Changes to federal concentrated animal feeding operation rules have experts waiting to see how Indiana farms will be affected when the state updates its own rules this year.
The 2009 edition of the "Corn & Soybean Field Guide," a pocket reference that covers corn and soybean production issues, is now available for sale.
Allan Gray, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, has been named director of the Center for Food and Agricultural Business and the MS-MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management. Gray will provide strategic direction for the center, work with food and agribusiness managers in the center's professional development programs, and conduct research on agribusiness management and decision-making. The MS-MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management is a dual-degree, distance-delivered program offered in partnership by Purdue and Indiana University.