MAES News
March 1, 2005
- MSUE Director Named
- MAES Scientists Honored at Founders' Day Celebration
- MAES Welcomes New Scientist
- U.S.-Canada Forestry Symposium to Address Trade
- March Water Policy Workshops Focus on River Science and Drinking Water
- Understanding Pesticides in Tree Fruit Is Topic of March Workshop
- Food and Agriculture Entrepreneur Workshops Offered Across Michigan
- MAES Research Contributes to Launch of New Bean Products
- MAES Scientists Awarded $1 Million for Swine Research
- Time to Rewrite the Species Rulebook, Scientists Say
- MAES Scientists Study Accelerated Heifer Growth Program
- Governor Appoints MAES-affiliated Researcher Chair of Michigan Environmental Science Board
- MAES Scientist Receives Lighthouse Award
- Potato Industry Director Honored
- Vet Dean to Work for CDC in 2005
- Kirk Honored by MPIC
- Buhler Honored by WSSA
Tom Coon, associate dean for graduate and international programs for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), has been appointed director of Michigan State University Extension (MSUE), effective March 1, pending confirmation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
He replaces Maggie Bethel, who served as acting director, then director of MSUE for more than four years. During her tenure, MSUE focused resources to meet the needs of Michigan communities despite significant and sustained budgetary pressure due to reduced state support and other factors. Under Bethel's leadership, MSUE undertook a process to identify key issues and deploy its resources to address areas of importance to the people of Michigan: building strong communities, strengthening agricultural profitability, encouraging responsible land use, building healthy families and helping youth succeed.
"Maggie has been part of MSU Extension's core administrative leadership team for more than 10 years and has served MSU Extension in various capacities for more than 28 years," said Jeffrey Armstrong, CANR dean. "She will work closely with Tom at least through the resolution of the governor's executive order and the 2005-06 budget process, and will continue serving MSUE regionally. I am extremely grateful for Maggie's continued willingness to dedicate her efforts to securing the future of MSU Extension."
Coon has been a member of the MSU faculty since 1989 and has been associate dean for graduate and international programs for the CANR since November 2002. As associate dean, he was closely involved in the budget process for MSUE, MAES and the CANR. He also co-chaired the strategic investment review for MSUE in 2002.
Before becoming associate dean, Coon was a professor affiliated with the MAES and associate chair of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. He served as acting department chairperson from 1999 to 2001. He has an extensive background in teaching and research, and he serves in numerous professional societies concerned with aquatic habitat, wildlife ecology and fisheries. He has also served on many college and university committees. He participated in the Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars program from 1997 to 2002 and received a Phi Kappa Phi Excellence Award for Interdisciplinary Scholarship for his work with the program in 2000. He was also elected to Phi Kappa Phi in 2000. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Fisheries Society in 1998; a Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award from Alpha Zeta Society, Kedzie Chapter, in 1994; an Outstanding Faculty Award from the University of Missouri School of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife Student Council in 1988; and the Distinguished Faculty Award from the MSU CANR Alumni Association in 2003. Coon received master's and doctoral degrees in ecology from the University of California-Davis, and a bachelor's degree in biology from Luther College, Iowa.
MAES Scientists Honored at Founders' Day Celebration
Four MAES scientists and the acting director of the Kellogg Biological Station were honored with Distinguished Faculty Awards at the Founders' Day celebration and award ceremony in February.
An MAES agricultural economist received a Teacher-Scholar Award and a researcher at the Kellogg Biological Station received a Distinguished Academic Staff Award at the same ceremony.
The Awards Convocation followed President Lou Anna Kimsey Simon's State of the University speech.
Stuart H. Gage, MAES entomology researcher; Katherine L. Gross, acting director of the Kellogg Biological Station; Stephen B. Harsh, MAES agricultural economics scientist; G. Philip Robertson, MAES crop and soil sciences researcher; and Alvin J.M. Smucker, MAES crop and soil sciences researcher, received Distinguished Faculty Awards. Judith M. Whipple, MAES agricultural economics researcher, received a Teacher-Scholar Award. Dale R. Mutch, MSUE district crops pest management educator at the Kellogg Biological Station, received a Distinguished Academic Staff Award.
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Stuart H. Gage is a world leader in complex biological systems analysis. His multidisciplinary research program addresses issues of organism distribution in space and time, such as gypsy moth invasion into the Midwest, corn phenology across the United States, and patterns of human development in Michigan and elsewhere. His contributions range from modeling the effects of environmental conditions on pest and natural-enemy ecology to examining atmospheric transport of insects and developing cutting-edge computational methods for predicting biological events. As a result of a unique research collaboration with the San Diego Supercomputer Center, he is at the forefront of assessing ecosystem health and predicting future pressures on natural resources. |
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Katherine L. Gross is one of the leading plant ecologists in the United States. Her research integrates population, community and ecosystem ecology. Her early work on colonization success and species composition after disturbance of ecological communities established a new and distinct research area, and her publications on this topic have become classics in the field. Subsequently, she has been making fundamental contributions to our understanding of how nitrogen availability and species composition affect species success or failure. Her recent work on applied issues in agriculture and restoration ecology is likely to result in more environmentally sound management practices. She is a leader and visionary in national and international organizations and was elected president of the Ecological Society of America. |
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Stephen B. Harsh is well known nationally and abroad as one of the first researchers to pioneer and advance the use of information technology and decision support systems in agriculture, especially in outreach programs for Michigan farmers. Harsh takes educational ideas and develops them into curriculum-based programs that have helped hundreds of Michigan producers accomplish short- and long-term goals. His computer program for income tax management saves producers more than $1 million each year. He is co-author of Managing the Farm Business, widely used in U.S. and European universities as a standard text. He often collaborates with U.S. and European colleagues on scientific articles and has helped organize international conferences on agricultural decision support systems and computer applications to policy formulation. |
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G. Philip Robertson is an international leader in the developing field of agroecology. He is founding director of the MSU Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program at the Kellogg Biological Station, funded by the National Science Foundation. The LTER program is an internationally recognized leader in applying ecological concepts to agricultural systems to foster economic sustainability and minimize environmental impact. He is also a leader in devising management processes that minimize agriculture’s contribution to global warming and has effectively communicated this knowledge to policy-makers. His pioneering work on geostatistics applied to agroecosystems and on understanding how multiple factors affect global warming is pacesetting. |
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Alvin J. M. Smucker is internationally recognized for his research in the fundamental mechanisms of soil science. His multidisciplinary projects have emphasized plant root responses to complex soil physical and environmental stresses. His research collaborations have resulted in a soil core seedling test, a new approach for washing roots and computer imaging of video-recorded root systems methods that have become the standard for many root and soil research programs. More recently, his laboratory teams have identified new mechanisms for increasing terrestrial carbon sequestration. |
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Judith M. Whipple is an enthusiastic and devoted teacher whose comprehensive approach to learning prepares students for success. She ably merges theory and practice to bring real-world experiences and applications into the classroom. These include exposure to cutting-edge theories from her award-winning research. |
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Dale R. Mutch embodies the spirit of the land-grant university, living the idea that education and information should be accessible to everyone and applied to meet life’s challenges. He is an advocate for bringing people, ideas and information together to improve lives, especially those of Michigan farmers. |
Each Distinguished Faculty Award recipient receives a stipend of $3,000. The award is presented in recognition of a comprehensive and sustained record of scholarly excellence in research and/or creative activities, instruction and outreach.
Teacher-Scholar Awards, which carry a $2,000 stipend, are given for devotion to and skill in teaching and scholarly promise.
Distinguished Academic Staff Awards, which carry a $2,500 stipend, are given for extraordinary academic achievement, excellence and exceptional contributions.
The MAES is pleased to welcome a new scientist to campus.
Joanne Riebschleger was named assistant professor of social work in January. Her research focuses on rural social work practice and children of parents with psychiatric disabilities. She is also the chair of the Research Committee of the National Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas, also known as the National Rural Social Work Caucus.
Before coming to MSU, Riebschleger was an assistant and associate professor of social work at Central Michigan University from 2000 to 2004. From 1995 to 2000, she operated her own counseling services organization. Before that, she held numerous positions in the social work field, including medical social worker, research coordinator, outpatient services supervisor, program coordinator, client services manager, case services manager and resident services worker, and she was regional director of the Northern Michigan Community/University Health Partnerships Project for MSU.
Riebschleger is a member of numerous professional organizations and has published many articles and presentations. She received her doctorate in social welfare from Case Western Reserve University in 2001, her master's degree in social work from MSU in 1990 and her bachelor's degree in human services from Ferris State University in 1979.
U.S.-Canada Forestry Symposium to Address Trade
Exchanging research results and discussing research needs related to forest products trade between the United States and Canada are the goals of a March 6-8 symposium at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development at MSU.
Speeches and presentations will cover market relationships and industry trends; impacts of past, current and future U.S. trade restrictions, including the current duties levied on Canadian softwood lumber imports; and views of and approaches to timber pricing in the United States and Canada.
The workshops feature internationally recognized speakers from the United States and Canada who are experts in various forestry-related fields, including law, policy, economic analysis and resource management.
The event, sponsored by the MSU Department of Forestry, the government of Canada and the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, begins with a Sunday evening reception and runs through Tuesday afternoon.
MSU President Lou Anna Kimsey Simon and Canadian Consul General Simon Rocco Delvecchio will deliver opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. March 7 followed by 1 1/2 days of presentations and dialog.
The symposium will be held at the Henry Center, 3535 Forest Road in Lansing. Registration is required, and student registration rates are available.
For additional information, visit the symposium's Web site.
March Water Policy Workshops Focus on River Science and Drinking Water
The second and third workshops in the "Shaping Future Water Policy: The Role of Science" series will take place March 4 and March 25 at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development on Forest Road. The morning lectures, from 8 to 10:15 a.m., are open to the public. The speakers then meet with the water resource fellows for an intensive question and answer session.
The March 4 workshop features Brian Richter, director of The Nature Conservancy's Sustainable Waters Program. His paper is entitled "Rivers for Life: Integrating Ecological Considerations into Water Policy." Richter has been involved in river science and conservation for more than 20 years. His work is focused on the global challenges of meeting human needs for water while keeping river and lake ecosystems healthy. He works with public agencies, academic institutions and other private organizations involved with river conservation, and leads a staff that includes hydrologists, aquatic ecologists, policy specialists, educators and communicators. Richter has developed numerous scientific tools and methods to support river restoration efforts, including the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration software, which is being used by water managers and ecologists worldwide. He has published numerous scientific papers on the importance of ecologically sustainable water management in international science journals, and he co-authored a new book with Sandra Postel, Rivers for Life: Managing Water for People and Nature (2003).
The March 25 workshop features Steve Hrudey, professor of environmental health sciences in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Alberta. His paper is "Safe Drinking Water: Converting Hindsight into Foresight." Hrudey served on the research advisory panel to the Walkerton Inquiry, was one of the architects of the catchment-to-consumer risk management approach of the new Australian drinking water guidelines and is currently the leader of the protecting public health theme for the Canadian Water Network. He has supervised more than 60 environmental graduate students from a wide variety of disciplines and is an active researcher with more than 200 scientific publications. Hrudey's latest book, Safe Drinking Water -- Lessons from Recent Outbreaks in Affluent Countries, an analysis of 70 case studies from 15 countries, was published in June 2004.
The water policy workshops are designed to create a forum for discussion on how to improve and invest in a science-based policy agenda for the future for water use, conservation and protection in Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
For more information on the workshops, including a complete schedule, visit www.espp.msu.edu/water/.
Understanding Pesticides in Tree Fruit Is Topic of March Workshop
Tree fruit growers interested in learning more about the role that pesticides play in integrated pest management (IPM) can attend an advanced training module designed for growers, farm workers and crop consultants.
“Understanding Pesticides in Tree Fruit IPM” is part of the 2005 Advanced IPM Scout Training Certificate Program series offered by MSU.
The training module will take place March 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MAES Trevor Nichols Research Complex near Fennville.
Course topics include conventional broad-spectrum insecticides and new insecticide chemistries (classes, modes of action, performance characteristics), pheromones, use of viruses to achieve insect control, use of fungicides to control tree fruit diseases and herbicide use in tree fruit.
Instructors are John Wise, research coordinator at Trevor Nichols and assistant professor of entomology; Larry Gut, MAES entomology scientist; and George Sundin, MAES plant pathology scientist.
“This advanced topic session is intended to build upon the foundation of IPM principles that students learned in basic IPM scout training modules,” Wise explained.
“This session focuses on the key performance characteristics of modern pesticides,” he said. “It will provide students with the knowledge they need to confidently integrate and optimize use of available control options into Michigan fruit production systems.”
The $75 registration fee includes lunch and refreshments. The cost is $10 for students who have completed or are registered for modules 1, 2 and 3 of the apple or cherry IPM scout training certificate program.
Registration deadline is March 11.
To request more information or to register for the advanced training module, contact Anne Hanley by phone at 269-561-5040 or by e-mail at hanleyan@msu.edu.
Food and Agriculture Entrepreneur Workshops Offered Across Michigan
Agricultural producers, agricultural organizations and those with ideas about new food, fiber and natural resource products can turn those thoughts into reality this spring during one-day workshops offered in Saginaw, Van Buren, Monroe, Mecosta, Otsego and Delta counties.
The free workshops, titled “Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Creating an Idea You Can Profit From,” are offered through the Michigan Agriculture Innovation Center (MAIC) and presented by the MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The workshops are designed to promote unique value-added products and Michigan’s overall agricultural economy. Presentation topics include market trends, new product feasibility assessments, the myths and realities of being an entrepreneur, and the basics of building a business plan.
Workshops will be offered in Frankenmuth March 2; Lawrence March 15; Dundee March 17; Big Rapids March 22; Gaylord March 24; and Escanaba March 30.
Though there is no registration fee, reservations are requested. For more information or registration materials, call 517-462-8751 or e-mail product@msu.edu. Information is also available online.
The MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources is organized to provide coordinated, universitywide assistance for agriculture, food and natural resource entrepreneurs and managers in improving economic opportunities for Michigan. The center’s mission is to envision, explore and empower a profitable future for businesses and industries engaged in Michigan agricultural, food and natural resources systems.
MAES Research Contributes to Launch of New Bean Products
The food industry and people on gluten-free diets now have an alternative to the bean flour previously used in dry mixes and pastas: a new, easily digestible dry bean flour made in a patented process that reduces levels of oligosaccharides, the gas-producing sugars naturally found in beans.
Kirk Dolan, MAES food science and human nutrition and biosystems and agricultural engineering scientist, studied three methods to reduce oligosaccharides: hydration (soaking), germination and the use of an enzyme treatment similar to that found in the commercial product Bean-O. His research findings will appear in the Journal of Food Science later this winter; the new flour will soon be available through Heartland Ingredients to retailers and wholesalers.
Jim LeCureux, general manager of Heartland Ingredients, said the MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources and Steve Edwards, associate professor of advertising, public relations and retailing at MSU, contributed significantly to marketing planning, logo development and brand implementation for the new flour. Because of feedback from consumer test marketing, LeCureux said the new flour and future bean products will be sold under the label Heartland’s Finest. The target market for these products, he said, is gluten-free bakers and retail outlets throughout Michigan and the United States.
The new bean flour is expected to be popular with people with celiac disease who are on gluten-free diets because it offers a good source of protein and fiber, and with diabetics because it is low on the glycemic index. Bean flour can also be used to add nutritional value to wheat flour in pastas, and in dry mixes such as cake, cookie and muffin mixes.
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, as many as one in 133 people has celiac disease; LeCureux said he has heard estimates that as many as 12 million people are affected. LeCureux estimates that Heartland Ingredients will produce at least 1 million pounds of bean flour over the next four years.
The flour also led to the development of a new pasta.
“We gave out pasta samples at a conference for people with celiac disease in Boston, and our samples were gone in an hour and a half,” LeCureux said. “Lots of gluten-free products are dry because they’re made from rice flour, tapioca, potato starch and corn starch -- but the baked products are moister. People diagnosed with celiac disease later in life said the pasta looks and tastes like what they used to eat when they were kids.”
The new pasta cooks faster, too -- in only 3.5 minutes, instead of the 7 to 16 minutes required by other gluten-free pastas.
“Working with MSU has been very helpful, and a very valuable exercise,” LeCureux said. “Everyone who was involved added to our knowledge base.”
MAES Scientists Awarded $1 Million for Swine Research
Meeting consumers' expectations for meat quality while keeping pork production profitable is one of the biggest challenges facing Michigan pork producers. Over the years, researchers have looked at various management strategies to produce leaner pork to increase consumer appeal. Genetic selection methods to improve lean growth rate in pigs, however, have caused a decline in meat quality.
Now a team of MAES scientists is looking at DNA markers and gene expression patterns to determine the genetic components that control lean growth and meat quality traits. The research team, led by Cathy Ernst, MAES animal science researcher, was recently awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct the study.
“This grant gives us the opportunity to broaden the scope of the research we have been doing here at Michigan State University,” Ernst said. “Locating and utilizing specific favorable genes for lean growth and meat quality will help overcome the natural antagonistic relationship and allow improvement in both efficient production and product quality.”
Collaborators on the project are MAES animal scientists Ron Bates, Matthew Doumit, Guilherme Rosa and Robert Tempelman; Udaya DeSilva, assistant professor of animal science at Oklahoma State University; and MSU animal science graduate student David Edwards.
“This particular research is an excellent example of how the investment made in the Animal Agriculture Initiative continues to benefit Michigan producers,” said Karen Plaut, chairperson of the Department of Animal Science.
The initial portion of the study used Duroc, a breed known for good meat quality, and crossed it with the Pietrain, one known for lean growth but low-quality meat. Ernst and her research colleagues are looking at genetic markers that differ between these breeds to develop genetic methods to improve growth and meat quality traits.
“We hope to make DNA marker associations with growth and meat quality traits to improve genetic change, which will help producers make sound breeding decisions,” Ernst said.
“We have made a lot of progress in the swine industry on traits that are easier to measure,” Bates added. “However, meat quality can’t be measured on a live animal and requires slaughtering the animal. Implementation of the results from this study will improve the rate of genetic progress for meat quality traits.”
The live animal portion of the project took more than four years to complete. The USDA grant is allowing the researchers to perform the genetic analyses, a process that will take about three years.
“The USDA grant extends the research to include the genetic marker and gene expression studies, to help identify which genes are controlling specific traits,” Ernst explained.
Once the research data analysis is complete, Bates will take the information directly to Michigan’s pork producers to help them utilize it in making selection decisions on their farms.
Time to Rewrite the Species Rulebook, Scientists Say
From person to piranha to petunia, it’s pretty easy to spot different species in the human-scale part of the plant and animal kingdoms. But a new study shows that species differences aren’t so clear, at least as currently measured, among microscopic bacteria.
MAES and other MSU researchers have spotted significant differences in genetic libraries among bacteria strains thought to be similar. The results, published in February in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that new definitions are needed to catalogue bacteria – single-celled organisms with at least a 3.5 billion-year history.
“It’s important to point out the importance of these small microbes on Earth -- even though they are small, their mass in soil and water is equal to that of all plants,” said MAES microbiologist James Tiedje, one of the study’s authors. “Furthermore, they are responsible for recycling the key elements of life so life on Earth can continue.”
DNA, used by all life, including bacteria, to store genetic information, is a double-stranded molecule. When a given DNA molecule is split in two -- for instance, by heating it -- its two strands will spontaneously find each other, or reassociate, when the temperature drops.
Scientists have long exploited this fact in their rough rule-of-thumb approach for saying just what makes up a species of bacteria. Single strands of DNA from two bacteria are mixed together. If most of these strands reassociate – specifically, if 70 percent of strands from bacteria A come together with strands from bacteria B – then the two bacteria strains are said to be members of the same species.
Tiedje and his MSU colleague, microbiologist Konstantinos Konstantinidis, set out to put this mix-and-match approach to the test. The two scientists selected 70 related bacteria whose genomes, or complete genetic libraries, had been fully sequenced.
A sequenced genome gives scientists what amounts to a card catalogue guide to an organism’s genetic information. The effort to sequence the human genome was finished with much fanfare in February 2001. Since then, hundreds of species, from viruses to rice to chickens, have had their DNA sequenced.
The scientists downloaded the already sequenced bacteria genomes from a variety of sites on the Internet. Then they did some cross-card catalogue comparisons.
To their surprise, many bacteria that are considered members of the same species by the current mix-and-match approach often share as few as 65 percent of their genes. Humans, in comparison, share 75 percent of their genes with fish.
No one’s calling for the species rules to be rewritten so that humans are lumped with their distant underwater relatives. And when it comes to bacteria, the authors say, the current species definition appears to be too liberal.
Many of the differences between genetically similar bacteria appear to be the result of environmental pressures. E. coli bacteria, for instance, exist everywhere, from the intestines of warm-blooded animals to paper mills. Any new way of tallying up bacteria species should “accommodate the ecological distinctiveness of the organisms,” the authors said.
“The point is about the value of a correct understanding of species – people expect a species to have certain traits and live in certain habitats,” Tiedje said. “If the species definition is not reasonably predictive of this, then it losses its value. This can be important for pathogen identification, quarantine or biotechnology, for example.”
Konstantinidis and Tiedje also noted that even bacteria with genetic card catalogues that were as much as 99 percent similar had enough outward differences to be separate species. This shouldn’t come as a shock. Humans and chimpanzees share 98.7 percent of their DNA. That small difference at the genetic level results in big differences in outward appearance and ability.
In the bacteria with nearly identical genomes, the small differences across strains were often the result of bacteriophages and transposable elements, the scientists found.
Bacteriophages are viruses that attack bacteria and can transfer genetic material across bacteria strains. Transposable elements are inherent in all genomes, including humans, and cause genetic sequences to be reordered.
“Occasionally, [phage and transposable elements] might be important, when carrying ecologically important genes, and lead to [the creation of new species of bacteria],” Konstantinidis and Tiedje wrote.
MAES Scientists Study Accelerated Heifer Growth Program
Studying the effects of an accelerated heifer growth program on age and body weight at puberty and future milk production is the focus of a long-term investigation conducted by MAES animal science researchers Miriam Weber-Nielsen and Mike VandeHaar.
“Replacement heifers are the future of the milking herd,” Weber-Nielsen said. “Optimal management of heifers from birth through calving is important to ensure their success as lactating cows.”
Ideal body weight before calving is important regardless of age at calving. Increasing prebreeding growth rates of heifers allows them to calve at a younger age, decreasing the amount of unproductive time for young dairy calves, and potentially reduces the cost of raising the calves. For accelerated growth programs to be effective, however, the calves need to reach adequate weight and size at calving without compromising mammary development or productivity.
“Intensive feeding or accelerated growth programs have been developed to increase preweaning growth rates of calves with one goal -- attaining breeding weight at a younger age,” Weber-Nielsen said. “Until recently, however, these programs had not been evaluated for their effect on the mammary development and future milk production potential of calves.”
Earlier MSU research demonstrated that rapid growth rates in heifers for more than three months between 4 months of age and puberty led to reduced milk production. This negative effect of rapid growth rates on milk production is likely related to decreased growth capacity of mammary tissue in response to high energy intake.
“If the calves reach puberty early, mammary development may be compromised unless mammary development also occurs at a faster rate,” Weber-Nielsen said. “We want to determine whether calves’ growth rate can be accelerated without compromising milk production.”
In the current study, MSU researchers are targeting the first six to eight weeks of life as a period in which increased heifer growth may be achieved without producing fat heifers. They will be analyzing the effects of using milk replacer containing 15 percent fat and 28 percent protein rather than the 20:20 percent milk replacer currently used on many dairy farms. The researchers predict that increasing the amount of protein without increasing the fat levels should produce lean growth at a faster rate.
The higher protein milk replacer is more concentrated than the traditional product and therefore needs to be fed with additional water. It is also more costly -- typically $50 to $80 more per 50-pound bag.
Several growth indicators from birth to first lactation are being observed and recorded through the course of the study. Milk production and health incidents during the first 150 days of lactation will also be recorded and included in the research findings.
In addition to studying the growth and production factors, the project is also looking at economics. MAES agricultural economist Chris Wolf will conduct a cost analysis for the accelerated growth program.
“We will look at all the factors before any recommendations are made for an accelerated growth program,” Weber-Nielsen said. “Ideally, we may be able to find a program that allows the heifers to begin their first lactation a month or two earlier than average for a particular farm, which eliminates 30 to 60 days of non-productive time.”
Governor Appoints MAES-affiliated Researcher Chair of Michigan Environmental Science Board
Joan Rose, holder of the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research and MAES-affiliated scientist, was named chairperson of the Michigan Environmental Science Board by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Rose was appointed to the board in February 2004, representing individuals with expertise in microbiology.
Other MSU scientists appointed to the board are:
- Norbert Kaminski, director of the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology. Kaminski represents individuals with expertise in environmental toxicology. His term expires Aug. 6, 2007. He succeeds Lawrence Fischer, MSU professor emeritus and former director of the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology.
- David Long, professor of geological sciences. Long was reappointed and represents individuals with expertise in geology. His term expires Aug. 6, 2007.
The Michigan Environmental Science Board was established in 1992 to provide scientific and technical advice to the governor about the protection and management of environmental and natural resources in the state.
MAES Scientist Receives Lighthouse Award
MAES tourism researcher Ed Mahoney received one of six Lighthouse Awards from the Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA) at the group's Recreational Boating Educational Conference in December in Traverse City.
Mahoney was honored for his work with MBIA on the development of the association's scholarship/internship program at MSU, the development and management of the university's recreational boating course, and his extensive statistical research on the boating industry in Michigan as well as nationally.
Created in 2004, the Lighthouse Awards honor individuals for special contributions that help the MBIA achieve its goals.
Potato Industry Director Honored
Ben Kudwa, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, was honored by the National Potato Council (NPC) at the group's annual meeting in Florida in January.
Kudwa received the Industry Award, which is presented to a person or organization whose service, concern and dedication to the entire potato industry deserve to be recognized.
Kudwa works closely with the MAES and MSU Extension on Project GREEEN, the state's plant initiative.
Vet Dean to Work for CDC in 2005
In February, Lonnie King, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, began a one-year term as director of the new Office of Strategy and Innovation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
King has been consulting with the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases for the past year on strategic planning and workforce planning, as well as helping the center build capacity in veterinary medicine and animal health.
The new Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI) was created to enhance and expand some aspects of the agency's strategic planning process and to accelerate the strategic, creative and innovative thinking spawned during that process, according to an agency memo.
"There's a lot at stake," King said. "The CDC has a $7 billion budget and 12,000 employees, and it is charged with a vitally important mission -- ensuring public health in this country. It's important that we be sure it's achieving what it is charged to do."
The CDC has developed and is now implementing a futuring initiative. The agency is committed to be more customer-focused, results-oriented and innovative and to operate with greater efficiency and an overarching purpose, according to King.
"Dr. King's unique skills in organization dynamics, change management and strategic planning, combined with his background as an outstanding scientist will make him an invaluable addition to CDC," said Julie Gerberding, CDC director.
"I strongly believe in public service and the importance of spending parts of our careers contributing to the efforts of government," King said. "I'm grateful to both MSU for allowing me to take this assignment and to the CDC for giving me this opportunity. Ensuring and improving the public's health is complex and challenging but a noble mission that undergirds our entire quality of life."
Janver Krehbiel will serve as acting dean during King's absence. He has been the college's senior associate dean for the past five years and has served in other administrative positions in the past, including that of acting dean.
Willie Kirk, MAES plant pathologist, was presented an Industry Service Award by the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC) at the commission’s annual Winter Potato Conference in February. During the past decade, Kirk has advised potato growers on control of potato late blight.
“During the summer of 2004, Dr. Kirk provided immediate assistance to growers as they attempted to salvage badly infested fields," said MPIC executive director Ben Kudwa. “His prompt action helped minimize damage and retain markets.”
Doug Buhler, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences chairperson, received a Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) Fellow Award in February at the group's annual meeting. The award recognizes significant meritorious contributions to weed science and to WSSA.
“This is just about the highest honor WSSA gives,” said Tracy Candelaria, of the WSSA.
