MAES News
August 1, 2008
- Field of Dreams: MSU Helps Build Portable Olympic Turf in China
- MAES Scientists Brief Congress on the Sustainability of Cellulosic Biofuels
- MAES Research Could Help Boost Michigan's Economic Spirits
- Vital Statistics: MSU, MDA and USDA Team up to Keep Michigan Agricultural Data Available
- China's Policies Treasure Both Environment and People
- Scientists from Across the Country Want to Emulate MSU's Long-term Research Success
- Ground is Broken for $3.5 Million Shooting Sports Center
- New Faculty Members
- Soil Health Focus of August Workshop
Chinese officials have tapped Michigan State University's preeminent turf scientists to help build a portable athletic field for this summer's Olympics in Beijing National Stadium.
The MSU team, led by MAES scientist John "Trey" Rogers, gained prominence by introducing portable turf at the 1994 World Cup at the Pontiac Silverdome -- the first time World Cup soccer was played indoors.
The current, months-long project has involved building and managing more than 5,500 modules of Kentucky bluegrass about 5 miles away from the new Beijing stadium. Immediately after the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies, the modules -- each weighing 1,100 pounds -- will be moved into the stadium. MSU is acting as a consultant on the project.
The turf will support the main track and field competitions and the gold medal soccer match, as well as future events at the 91,000-seat stadium, which is also known as the Bird's Nest.
For more information, see the MSU Special Report.
Rogers, an international expert on athletic turf and golf courses, said the knowledge gleaned from this and other major MSU turfgrass projects can benefit athletes all over the world.
"It has a wide range of applications," he said. "If they were going to do a renovation at a high school field in Lansing, Mich., for example, we would use these same principles."
Joining Rogers on the team are MAES turfgrass researcher James Crum, doctoral student Alec Kowalewski and Weijun Zhao, director of MSU's Office of China Programs.
Kowalewski has been in China since May to manage the turf-growing process. He and Rogers will help install the field after the opening ceremonies. Kowalewski is blogging about the experience at: http://msuolympicturf.blogspot.com/.
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Alec Kowalewski (left) and Trey Rogers in front of Beijing National Stadium (The Bird's Nest) in China. |
Zhao said his role in the project was that of a "bridge" -- connecting China's need for turfgrass technology with MSU's cutting-edge team of scientists.
"To host the Olympic Games in China is a 100-year-long dream of the Chinese people, and as a native of China, I wished to do something for this great event," Zhao said. "To MSU, this is the best chance to showcase its expertise and talent in front of millions of Chinese people."
MAES Scientists Brief Congress on the Sustainability of Cellulosic Biofuels
Two MAES scientists took part in an Ecological Society of America-hosted House and Senate briefing on the sustainability of cellulosic biofuels in June.
Phil Robertson, MAES crop and soil scientist and director of the Long-Term Ecological Research program at the Kellogg Biological Station, and Doug Landis, MAES entomology researcher, discussed the ecological and economic considerations surrounding the use of cellulosic biomass -- the leaves, stems and other fibrous parts of a plant -- to produce biofuels. Madhu Khanna, agricultural economist at the University of Illinois, also participated.
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Doug Landis presents information to legislators and their staff members in Washington, D.C. |
Landis spoke about the value, both environmental and monetary, of maintaining high levels of biodiversity in agricultural systems. Growing cellulosic crops can help maintain high biodiversity levels because farmers can grow a greater variety of crops and more complex mixtures of plant species than if they were growing only food crops. A mixture of native grass and tree crops can keep wildlife habitat intact and support vital ecosystem services, including those that help other crops in the landscape.
"Our research is focused on identifying the impact of various biofuel crops on the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes," Landis explained. "Carefully selected cellulosic crops could enhance agricultural landscape diversity, pest suppression, pollination and wildlife while reducing greenhouse gases. We have a historic opportunity to use science to guide policy in ways that would allow cellulosic biofuel crops to be a win-win for the agriculture and the environment."
Robertson spoke about the economic, environmental and social elements of biofuel sustainability. Cellulosic crops can be grown on land that is not suitable for food crops, so they would help to reduce competition for land in the food vs. fuel discussion. Cellulosic biofuel systems can help mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, as well as clean water and air, but achieving the benefits requires proper balancing of environmental aspects and economic incentives.
All three scientists cautioned that cellulosic biofuel environmental benefits are not guaranteed -- they depend on the crops chosen, the management practices used and the geographic location of the crops.
MAES Research Could Help Boost Michigan's Economic Spirits
A new law allowing small distilleries to market and sell their products on-site is expected to bolster the state's sagging economy by providing new markets for Michigan-grown agricultural crops and creating new jobs, according to an MAES researcher who played a key role in providing background research on the legislation.
The law is based on 11 years of by research by Kris Berglund, MAES scientist and university distinguished professor of forestry and chemical engineering. Microdistilleries are expected to add more than $400 million to Michigan's economy and create about 1,400 new jobs, according to legislators who supported the law.
"Before this law was passed, distillers could not sell their products by the bottle or by the glass on premises," Berglund said. "Michigan now has the most producer-friendly law in the country. We're expecting a number of entrepreneurs to start distilling businesses here."
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Left to right: Bobby Mason, owner of the Michigan Brewing Company; Rep. Barb Byrum, sponsor of the legislation; Gov. Granholm; and Kris Berglund show off the newly signed law. |
Berglund has been studying distilling processes and conducting how-to workshops since 1997, envisioning a bright future for microdistilleries that were similar to beer microbreweries. Much of Berglund's recent research has been conducted at the MSU Biorefinery Training Facility at the Michigan Brewing Company in Webberville. Berglund provided extensive background information to Byrum as she was crafting the bill and testified before both the House and Senate as they considered the legislation. Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the bill into law in July.
Public Act 218 creates a new license class that allows distilleries that manufacture less than 60,000 gallons a year to sell their goods on-site. The license costs $100 annually.
"The new law gives distillers more options," Berglund said. "In the past, distillers could only sell their products through the liquor distribution system. Now they can set up on-site retail operations, much as breweries or wineries do.
"Distilleries are another piece of growing Michigan's bioeconomy," Berglund continued. "We're taking renewable resources and turning them into a high-value, high-quality product."
For more information on MSU's work to grow the bioeconomy, visit the MSU Office of Biobased Technologies Web site.
Vital Statistics: MSU, MDA and USDA Team up to Keep Michigan Agricultural Data Available
To ensure that Michigan's agricultural sector continues to receive data critical to remaining competitive and profitable, Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) teamed up to keep key agricultural statistical services from being eliminated as state budget dollars for such activities dwindle.
This year, with funding for only one statistician and several projects on the front burner, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) and Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) forged a cooperative agreement with the MDA and NASS to fund the state statistician position within the USDA-NASS Michigan field office.
"The data provided by this position is essential to our research and outreach efforts," said Doug Buhler, associate dean of the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate director of the MAES. "We have a number of researchers who heavily rely on the agricultural statistician's work, so we're committed to collaborating with the MDA to make sure that this position continues and that a long-term, stable funding source for the program is established."
The field office -- which is also a part of the executive division within the MDA -- collects, verifies and analyzes data used to prepare Michigan statistical estimates. Program services include rotational surveys on Michigan's specialty commodities, collection and compilation of county data, special data compilations related to state legislative districts and compilation of the annual Agricultural Statistics Bulletin.
"The MDA is fortunate to have strong partnerships with NASS, MSU, Farm Bureau and others, especially during these challenging financial times," said MDA director Don Koivisto. "This collaborative, innovative agreement allows the Michigan field office to continue to provide valuable agricultural statistical information that underscores the important contribution of the agriculture industry to Michigan's economy."
"The services provided by this position are too important to lose," said Steve Hanson, chairperson of the MSU Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics. "Economic analyses of government policy changes, new technologies, markets, growth and future opportunities depend on this data. Mitigation, prevention, and disaster preparedness and response protocols for plant infestations and animal diseases also rely on accessing immediate and accurate information. Even the grant funds we receive depend on our ability to provide and access quality data."
Both the MAES and MSUE use the producer database maintained by NASS several times a year to conduct specialty commodity surveys.
"If the statistician position is eliminated, our ability to select quality samples is greatly diminished," said Steve Lovejoy, MSUE associate director for programs. "It's important to keep this database and other key statistical information current and available, especially in Michigan, where much of the data reflects the diversity of a cropping system that is second only to California in the number of commodities produced.
"Although there may not be a noticeable impact initially if this position wasn't funded," Lovejoy continued, "five years down the road, some commodity group will ask, 'Where is this information?' and, at that point, it will be gone forever. That's what we want to avoid."
"Agricultural statistics have been gathered in Michigan since 1886 and are the only source for up-to-date, comprehensive and scientifically sound third-party data on Michigan's agricultural economy, inventory, production, resources and food supply," said Bob Boehm, manager of the Michigan Farm Bureau commodity and marketing department. "Maintaining accurate tracking of the industry has been identified as one of the key priorities of the specialty crop sector. State funding of the agricultural statistics program has been a major challenge, and we congratulate MSU, MDA and USDA on the completion of this agreement."
NASS will continue to provide supplemental federal support to help administer Michigan's statistical program and provide statistical consultation services to the MDA and MSU.
"We are pleased to be included in this new partnership and look forward to serving industry users with current, statistically sound information that is essential to the economic viability of the specialty agricultural sector," said USDA-NASS Michigan field office director Dave Kleweno.
China's Policies Treasure Both Environment and People
Two of the world's largest environmental programs in China are generally successful, although key reforms could transform them into a model for the rest of the world, according to new research published in July in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Jianguo "Jack" Liu, MAES scientist and lead researcher on the project, and several colleagues reviewed China's Natural Forest Conservation and Grain to Green programs, which together represent a government investment of more than 500 billion yuan (more than $72 billion).
During the past three decades, China's economy has grown the fastest among all major nations, yet its environmental crises have been as supersized as its population. The two conservation programs were introduced after natural disasters -- drought in 1997 and massive floods in 1998 -- wreaked havoc on land weakened by deforestation.
"China has experienced many environmental crises; the 1998 flash floods alone affected more than 200 million people," Liu said. "This is a new way of thinking for China. They have begun to realize the importance of dealing with environmental issues in relation to social and economic issues, and it is paying off."
The forest conservation program was designed to rectify the damage caused by years of unfettered logging, which has led to soil erosion, devastation of habitat such as that of pandas and other environmental problems. The conservation program uses logging bans to replace forests through incentives to forest enterprises. The Grain to Green program works to convert cropland on steep slopes to forest and grassland by providing farmers with grain and cash subsidies.
Both programs seek to alleviate environmental problems and offer alternative ways for people to make a living. They also have important global implications because they increase vegetative cover, enhance carbon sequestration and reduce dust drifting to other countries by controlling soil erosion.
The bottom line: both programs are working for the environment and the Chinese people. Yet Liu and his colleagues point out that the complexities and the scale of the programs are not without problems. The forest conservation program, for example, put many loggers out of work and caused financial trouble for some small governments that rely heavily on the industry.
Among the authors' recommendations: establish endowments for the conservation efforts and seek funding from industry beneficiaries such as hydropower plants and even other countries such as the United States. They also recommend local governments and farmers become more involved in planning the programs, as opposed to the traditional top-down approach dominated by the central government.
But overall, the authors found that the programs are landmark efforts that reward cooperation to solve large-scale environmental problems and consider human well-being. Continuing both programs, they say, is important, as is using them as a model.
"Research has demonstrated that, if these policies don't continue, it's likely a lot of the land that has returned to forest and grassland will be converted to cropland again," Liu said. "The conservation benefits will be lost. It is important to take a comprehensive and holistic approach to sustaining these programs."
Liu added that many Chinese citizens depend on the forest for basic survival.
"In many parts of the countryside, there is no access to electricity or electricity is not affordable economically, so fuelwood is the main source of energy," he said. "Having no forest would result in no means of heating houses or cooking for their children. Environmental problems have tremendous economic and social implications and also create a lot of social conflict as people compete for resources. "You're talking about people's lives depending on the environment on a daily basis -- not just a weekend vacation."
Liu's co-researchers were Shuxin Li and Xiaodong Chen of MSU, Zhiyun Ouyang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Christine Tam at Stanford University.
The work was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key Basic Research Program of China and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.
Scientists from Across the Country Want to Emulate MSU's Long-term Research Success
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then researchers associated with the Michigan State University Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site at the Kellogg Biological Station should feel flattered indeed.
A paper in the July/August issue of the journal BioScience calls for the United States to use the internationally known MSU LTER site as a model for agricultural research and set up a network of LTER-like sites across the country. Typically, agricultural research projects are funded for 2 to 3 years.
"After more than 20 years of successful research at MSU and other LTER sites, many in agriculture are recognizing the substantial value of long-term interdisciplinary work at a single location and are suggesting that a network of agricultural sites could help to address many of the important challenges facing agriculture today," said Phil
Robertson, MAES crop and soil sciences researcher, who serves as director of the MSU LTER project. "Basically, scientists from around the country are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] to create a network of sites like MSU's."
The national LTER network, funded by the National Science Foundation, is made up of 26 sites studying ecology and environmental biology to provide a better understanding of the ecology of both natural and managed systems. The MSU site, established in 1988, is the only site in the network to focus on agriculture. Research at the MSU LTER site looks at how biodiversity -- plants, animals and microbes in agricultural landscapes -- contributes to farm productivity, environmental performance and profitability. The site attracts researchers from all over the world and is available to any scientist with a legitimate research interest.
Robertson, one of the paper's 17 authors, said there is widespread appreciation for the research being done at the MSU LTER site, as well as the realization that one site can't possibly encompass the diversity of U.S. agriculture. The BioScience paper is based on a white paper prepared for the USDA that calls for the establishment of a long-term agricultural research network.
"I've long said that having only one LTER site devoted to agriculture is a bit narrow- minded," he explained. "What we really need is a network, not just one or even two sites. We hope this paper will stimulate interest in both long-term agricultural research and the network concept in the same way that papers 25 years ago stimulated interest in LTER. And there are indications that the USDA is listening -- I've heard that an initial competition may be announced yet this year."
In addition to the National Science Foundation, research at the MSU LTER site is also supported by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.
A copy of the paper "Long-term Agricultural Research: A Research, Education and Extension Imperative" is available online.
Ground is Broken for $3.5 Million Shooting Sports Center
A new sports facility on the MSU campus will provide a home for shooting sports and archery teams, a regional venue for gun safety and law enforcement training, and a recreation destination for shooting sports enthusiasts.
The groundbreaking for the John and Marnie Demmer Shooting Sports, Education and Training Center was held July 18. The facility will be built on Jolly Road, midway between College and Hagadorn roads. Construction is expected to be completed by June 2009.
The facility is named in honor of MSU alumni and longtime supporters John Demmer and his late wife, Marnie. Demmer, who is founder and chairperson of the Lansing-based Demmer Corporation, provided principal support for the building.
The $3.5 million, 23,000-square-foot, multipurpose facility will support NCAA shooting programs and team sports, the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), and hunter safety and 4-H youth programs. It will also house club shooting sports -- including small-bore, air rifle and archery -- and academic programs in shooting sports, law enforcement and related curricula. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Glassen Foundation are also major supporters of the center and its allied activities. All funding for the center has come from contributions to the university rather than state or federal appropriations.
"The Demmer Shooting Sports, Education and Training Center is an important addition to both our competitive and educational programs. In addition to housing our NCAA teams, the new facility will promote firearms safety, wildlife management education and shooting sports skills development," said Jeffrey Armstrong, dean of the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "It is also an important extension of MSU training programs that serve local law enforcement agencies."
Demmer, who met Marnie while attending MSU, sees the facility as a way to honor her legacy.
"It has been our fondest wish that this spectacular facility will help inspire respect for the shooting sports and that it will be replicated at other institutions," Demmer said. "It feels great to be helping Michigan State University bring a world-class facility to its campus for the promotion of shooting sports."
The center will be the second largest indoor shooting facility in the Midwest.
It will integrate and expand academic and certification capacity for MSU programs requiring firearm safety and education certifications, including the conservation officer specialization and environmental crime certificate offered through the departments of Fisheries and Wildlife and Criminal Justice, and ROTC training and recruitment. It also will accommodate DNR conservation officer and MSU police officer certification training.
New Faculty Members
The MAES is pleased to welcome three new faculty members with MAES appointments.
Stephen Gasteyer, assistant professor of sociology, will become affiliated with the MAES in August. His research focuses on rural community leadership and decision making and management capacity, specifically around key natural resources and development sectors. More specifically, Gasteyer's research looks at the dynamic social networks and systems involved in water and wastewater infrastructure systems both in the United States and overseas, and the processes and systems around economic and agricultural development. His ongoing research includes a study of the dynamics of social networks in influencing groundwater and surface water use, a national initiative to research the design and impacts of rural community leadership development education programs, a study of social networks and systems in increasing entrepreneurship in rural communities, and a study of small community water infrastructure and operational and management capacity.
Before coming to MSU, Gasteyer was on the faculty in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of Illinois. Prior to that, he was research and policy director at the Rural Community Assistance Partnership in Washington, D.C., and a research consultant on issues of global water governance. Gasteyer was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali from 1987 to 1990, and he worked from 1993 to 1998 in the Palestinian territories. He received his bachelor's degree in international studies from Earlham College in 1987 and his master's degree in rural sociology and doctorate in sociology from Iowa State University in 1998 and 2001, respectively.
Brent Ross, assistant professor of food industry management, will become affiliated with the MAES in August. Ross is interested in the dynamics of entrepreneurship and, in particular, the identification and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities in the agrifood system. He is currently conducting research on the role of supply chain partners in the entrepreneurial process and previously worked on financing and governance issues associated with network formation among agrifood industry participants. Ross will also be developing a course in food industry management that will be taught in spring 2009.
Prior to joining MSU, Ross spent the past year at the University of Illinois as a postdoctorate fellow and visiting assistant professor of strategy in the Department of Business Administration. He received his doctorate in food and agribusiness management and his master's degree in agricultural finance from the University of Illinois in 2007 and 2002 respectively, and his bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Guelph in 2000.
Juan Pedro Steibel, assistant professor of animal science and fisheries and wildlife, will become affiliated with the MAES in August. He conducts research at the interface of statistical and molecular genetics, with application to domestic and natural animal populations.
Steibel is currently investigating the design of sequential experiments for transcriptional profiling and genetic association studies. He is also a collaborator in several swine model projects in which he develops and implements novel statistical methods and experimental designs to uncover the molecular basis of complex traits -- such as product yield, product quality and disease resistance -- in experimental and commercial animal populations.
Steibel has also been a visiting scholar at the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan since January of 2008. Prior to that, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the MSU Department of Animal Science. He received his doctorate in animal science from MSU in 2007, his master's degree in biometrics and animal breeding from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2002, and his bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering from the National University of La Pampa, Argentina, in 1998.
Soil Health Focus of August Workshop
Growers can learn how to improve the quality of vegetable and field crops by building healthier soils at the Innovations to Build Soils to Feed Sustainable Communities workshop, Aug. 20-21 at Morgan Composting in Sears, Mich.
The two-day workshop will feature educational sessions by researchers and expert farmers, a tour of the Morgan Composting Facility, a trade show and composting equipment demonstrations. Vegetable production will be highlighted on Aug. 20, and field crop production is the focus on Aug. 21.
Guest speaker Bob Schindelbeck, soil research specialist at Cornell University, will use attendees' soils to demonstrate how soil structure and water-stable aggregates affect crop production.
Registration is $30 for one day and $50 for both days for reservations made by Aug. 15. After that date, the cost is $40 for one day and $60 for both days. Registration is available online.
A detailed brochure is available online. For more information, call Vicki Morrone at (517) 353-3542.
Innovations to Build Soils to Feed Sustainable Communities is sponsored by the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU, Morgan Compost Ltd. and the USDA Farm Service Agency.
