Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station

Michigan, Midwest Fueling Drive to "Green" Energy Biomass for Fuel

The reputation of the Midwest is anchored in agriculture. Now, thanks to agriculture, the Midwest is poised to become known for bioenergy production as well.

Michigan and other Midwestern states are home to abundant supplies of the raw materials -- crops and trees -- necessary for thriving biofuel and other bioenergy industries.

To ensure that the country’s shift from petroleum-based fuels and energy to those made from renewable resources is coordinated and collaborative, the North Central Bioeconomy Consortium (NCBEC) was created by the directors of state agriculture departments and university Extension and agricultural experiment stations from Michigan and 11 other Midwestern states.

"We’re all committed to leading the way in renewable energy," said Steve Pueppke, director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station at Michigan State University (MSU). Pueppke is also director of the MSU Office of Biobased Technologies. "At the same time, we want to protect our natural resources and boost our rural economies. Our region leads the country in ethanol production, and we plan to lead the country’s transition to cellulosic biofuels."

Besides Michigan, other states in the consortium are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Together, these states have the potential to produce half to two-thirds of the nation’s perennial bioenergy crops.

"Michigan’s strategy to develop a thriving, renewable energy sector requires pooling the expertise and resources of many diverse groups," said Mitch Irwin, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. "This consortium of Midwest states provides us with an opportunity to accelerate the work already underway and, ultimately, secure Michigan’s place in the national bioeconomy."

"Participating in the NCBEC is a natural for our organization," said Tom Coon, MSU Extension director. "We are already engaged in initiatives with our in-state partners, both public and private. Extending this model across the North Central Region will lead to improved research, information dissemination and management that will benefit economic sectors across the board, from agriculture to industry to service, as well as communities of all sizes. We really have an opportunity to establish this region as a centerpiece for this emerging economic sector.

The NCBEC has already received a $100,000 grant from the Energy Foundation of San Francisco to coordinate regional public policy development and research for a renewable energy future. The consortium is also collaborating with the Midwest Governors’ Association on policy review and development for a proposed energy summit to be held later this year.

For more information visit the NCBEC Web site.

MSU Leaders Laud Proposed Federal Legislation to Expand USDA-funded Extension, Research and Teaching Programs

Michigan State University leaders are praising legislation introduced in April by Senators Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) and Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Pennsylvania) that would create much greater opportunities for research, Extension and teaching programs funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Michigan and beyond.

Developed by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), the Creating Research, Extension and Teaching Excellence for the 21st Century (CREATE-21) legislation (S. 1094) would significantly change the Research Title in the 2007 U.S. Farm Bill. Key components would be a major increase in USDA funding for research, Extension and teaching programs and in the agency’s organizational ability to respond to pressing food, agriculture and natural resources problems.

"The CREATE-21 legislation will profoundly expand and enhance the impact of USDA programs on people and communities, not only here in Michigan but across the country," said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. "I applaud NASULGC’s leadership in building the framework for this legislation, and I commend Senator Stabenow and Senator Casey for introducing it."

Specifically, the CREATE-21 legislation would:

Expand fundamental USDA research funding by more than $1 billion per year, thereby increasing the number of competitively awarded, peer-reviewed grants.
Augment integrated USDA funding programs by more than $900 million per year.
Bolster university capacity, especially for the historically black (1890), tribal (1994), insular area and small 1862 land-grant universities, and members of the American Association of State Colleges of Agriculture and Renewable Resources.
Reduce programmatic duplication by consolidating four existing USDA units -- the Agricultural Research Service (ARS); the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES); the Economic Research Service (ERS); and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) -- into one single agency reporting directly to the Secretary of Agriculture. The new agency would be called the Institutes for Food and Agriculture. The goal is to eliminate program duplication and reduce budgetary and operating inefficiencies while protecting critical existing programmatic capacity.

"The introduction of this bill is an important first step in our legislative campaign to improve the structure of the USDA’s research, teaching and extension programs and enhance funding for these critically important efforts," said Ian L. Maw, vice president of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources for NASULGC.

Jeffrey Armstrong, dean of the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and co-chair of the NASULGC committee that developed the CREATE-21 proposal, said this legislation represents a tremendous opportunity for Michigan State University, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension.

These added resources will enable us to develop and support programs that will help address the prodigious agricultural, food and environmental challenges facing Michigan, the nation and the world," Armstrong said.

The CREATE-21 legislation will be discussed in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as part of the Farm Bill deliberations.

For more information on CREATE-21, visit www.create-21.org.

Conference to Focus on Trees as Biofuel Raw Material

The Michigan Upper Peninsula has a long history of tourism built on activities such as hunting, fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, skiing and kayaking, but it is also home to a vibrant forest products industry. Thanks to emerging technologies in woody biomass use, it could also become known for its ability to provide alternative fuels.

Foresters from Michigan and other Midwestern states with plentiful tree crops will gather in Escanaba May 8 to address alternative fuels strategies at the Emerging Technologies in Woody Biomass Use conference.

"This conference will examine energy issues and emerging biomass utilization technologies and their current status," said Ray Miller, MSU Upper Peninsula forest properties manager. Miller oversees forestry research projects at the Upper Peninsula Tree Improvement Center as well as two other MSU research forests.

"We’re all committed to leading the way in renewable energy," said Steve Pueppke, Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station director. Pueppke is also director of the MSU Office of Biobased Technologies. "Michigan has the potential to become a major source of renewable energy with its supply of woody biofeedstocks."

The Emerging Technologies in Woody Biomass Use conference, sponsored by the Michigan Society of American Foresters and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, takes place May 8-10 at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba. Registration information is available online.

MSU Technologies Names National Leader as Director Lisa Kuuttila

A national leader in both identifying winning technology and assessing business environments will be the first chief executive officer of MSU Technologies, the university’s new organization that will harness commercial talent and leadership to transfer MSU’s discoveries and innovations to industry.

Lisa Kuuttila, who most recently helped build the University of New Mexico’s Science and Technology Corp. into a thriving intellectual property hub, will be director of MSU Technologies, Ian Gray, vice president for research and graduate studies, announced. Kuuttila starts May 7.

"I’m excited to be joining MSU in this capacity leading a new organization," Kuuttila said. “MSU Technologies has great potential to stimulate economic growth within the state by helping to translate research results into new start-up companies as well as established businesses. MSU Technologies can provide a portal to the university for companies seeking access to expertise, facilities or other kinds of support that universities can provide."

MSU researchers routinely make important discoveries and develop new technologies that have commercial potential. MSU Technologies will assess the commercial value of those innovations and market the most promising to potential commercial partners throughout the world, including venture capital investors. MSU Technologies also will help MSU inventors start new businesses to develop the commercial potential of their discoveries.

"In the spirit of our land-grant heritage and our world-grant vision, Michigan State University embraces its responsibility to promote innovation and economic competitiveness for Michigan," MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. "Ms. Kuuttila has an impressive track record and vast experience. Drawing on her Michigan roots, we are fortunate to have her lead this exciting new enterprise at MSU."

A native of Traverse City trained as an electrical engineer, Kuuttila comes to Michigan State with nearly 25 years of leadership experience in technology commercialization and licensing. She was assistant vice president for technology commercialization at Purdue Research Foundation; director of technology commercialization at the University of Georgia; and director of the Office of Technology Commercialization, Center for Advanced Technology Development, at Iowa State University.

"The Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station is heavily involved in technology transfer at MSU, and we're delighted that Ms. Kuuttila has been named CEO of MSU Technologies," said Steve Pueppke, MAES director. "We look forward to working with her to make MSU discoveries available to business."

Her experience includes a consulting practice that provided strategic marketing and technology transfer consulting services for a wide variety of well-known technology corporations, universities and foundations, including Stanford University.

"Ms. Kuuttila brings a proven record of technology transfer expertise to Michigan State University," Gray said. "Her ability to work with faculty members, businesses and venture capitalists augurs well for a smooth initiation of MSU Technologies. Her leadership will give us a jump start to achieving our goal to be best of class."

MSU Technologies will be a cornerstone of economic development, working closely with such regional efforts as Prima Civitas, Lansing Economic Area Partnership Inc., Right Place and MSU Extension. Her salary is supported in part by the MSU Foundation, which Gray said will strengthen ties to MBI International and other commercialization efforts.

"The addition of Ms. Kuuttila to MSU Technologies positions this university and this region to achieve President Simon’s goal of leading the world in the post-petroleum economy," said David Hollister, president and CEO of the Prima Civitas Foundation. "With the new programs, policies and personnel in place, we now have the alignment necessary to achieve this important goal."

MSU Technologies will serve as a model business organization for career training of MSU students in the commercialization of science and technology. Its staff will work with the Institute for Entrepreneurship in the Eli Broad College of Business to define elements of a new curriculum to attract students to an entrepreneurial career path. Internships and other training opportunities also will be available through MSU Technologies.

Kuuttila brings skills in the marketing and start-up company aspects of technology commercialization. She significantly increased the number of spinoff companies at each university she has served. She has substantial expertise in university-based equity transactions and managed the seed capital venture fund on behalf of the Purdue Research Foundation, making investments in Purdue start-ups.

"I have worked for several universities in my career with research strengths in different areas, and I’m very comfortable working across a wide range of technologies – agriculture, life sciences, computer sciences and other physical science disciplines," she said. "I’m excited to be joining MSU because it has expertise and strengths in all these areas."

Kuuttila received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree in public administration from Iowa State University.

Michigan Tourism Industry Expected to Grow Pure Michigan

After modest growth in 2006, Michigan's tourism industry is expected to grow by about 2 percent this year, according to a forecast presented at the Driving Tourism 2007 Conference.

"We expect 2007 to be another challenging year for Michigan's tourism industry," said Don Holecek, director the MSU Tourism Center and MAES scientist, "but the industry has been coping rather well under very difficult circumstances."

Holecek said that, despite the struggling Michigan economy, high gasoline prices and an exceptionally wet fall color season, the tourism industry managed to increase sales by 3.3 percent in 2006. The increase was largely due to modest price increases rather than tourism numbers, which remained essentially unchanged from 2005.

"We were on track to registering a 6 to 7 percent increase in sales on modest increases in traffic through the peak summer season when the rains came and turned the fall season into a bust for most northern Michigan businesses," Holecek said.

A research team led by Holecek projects the number of travelers will increase by 1 to 2 percent in 2007 compared with last year, and travelers' spending will increase by 4 to 5 percent. The team reviewed a range of factors influencing travel activity in Michigan and surveyed industry leaders across the state.

Because travel prices are projected to increase only modestly -- 3 to 4 percent -- Michigan travelers can expect to receive a high value at a reasonable price again this year.

The factors expected to affect the industry negatively are the continuing weakness in the state's economy and high gasoline prices. MSU researchers found that as many as 70 percent of Michigan's tourists are state residents, and that more than 90 percent travel by private vehicle.

There are some positive factors expected to influence the performance of Michigan's tourism industry this year.

"First, it would be highly unusual, even in Michigan, to lose the fall color season again this year," Holecek said. "Second, the full benefit of increased advertising spending and post-Labor Day school opening legislation will be felt this year.

"And third, Michigan's tourism product offers high value for the money, making it the preferred choice for residents of Michigan, neighboring states and Ontario, where residents have the added incentive of a strong Canadian dollar to take vacations in Michigan," he added.

A strategic plan for the state's tourism industry was unveiled at the conference. The plan is designed to help shape priorities for Travel Michigan, the state's tourism marketing agency, as well as the more than 9,000 businesses, recreational attractions and groups that make up Michigan tourism. A 75-member tourism industry planning council, led by a team from MSU and Travel Michigan, created the plan.

"The plan boils down to three main areas," Holecek said. "First, we need all the Michigan tourism players involved, organized and directed toward a common goal of maximizing the industry's potential. Then we need to deliver a top-notch product. Finally, we need to spend more to make sure we promote what we have to offer."

Grafius Honored by ESA Ed Grafius

Edward J. Grafius, professor emeritus of entomology and former MAES scientist, received the 2006 Recognition Award in Entomology from the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA).

Grafius received his award at the branch's annual meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba. An MSU faculty member since 1977, Grafius was responsible for vegetable integrated pest management across the state. He conducted applied research to meet growers' immediate concerns and also studied long-term issues such as pesticide resistance management. Grafius served as chairperson of the Department of Entomology for 5 years and was also Extension program leader for the department. He has received awards for both research and service to the vegetable industry, and he has maintained an active research program even after retiring, collaborating with colleagues across the country and giving talks at grower meetings in Michigan and surrounding states.

Great Lakes Agritourism, Farm Market Bus Tour Set for June

Reservations are now being accepted for the first Great Lakes Agritourism Experience, a farm market bus tour set for June 12-13. Departing from Benton Harbor, tour goers will visit several southwestern Michigan farm markets and agritourism operations in what promises to be an engaging and educational experience for those interested in learning more about the ins and outs of managing a successful and profitable farm market or agritourism business.

The Great Lakes Agritourism Experience trip is sponsored by the Michigan Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism (MI-FMAT) Association, The Fruit Growers News and The Vegetable Growers News.

Launched last summer, MI-FMAT represents the collective interests of Michigan's farm markets and agritourism businesses at the local, regional and national levels, and helps solve industry-related problems and create new business opportunities. MI-FMAT efforts include addressing regulatory issues such as zoning and site inspections, and creating promotional and educational programs to encourage consumers to visit farm markets and agritourism operations.

The tour will provide a forum for participants to share ideas and network while visiting a variety of farm markets and agritourism operations throughout the state.

"Michigan is unique because it has so many types of agritourism venues, from the U-pick fruit farms to farm tours to corn mazes and haunted barns to farm museums and pumpkin patches, and the list continues to grow," said Patrick O'Connor, MI-FMAT Association executive director. "Though the state's farm marketing and agritourism industries face many unique challenges, working together to find solutions to these challenges is truly a win-win situation. This tour is the perfect opportunity for people to network with and learn from other agritourism and farm market operators, see innovative production practices at work and pick up some marketing tips to apply to their own businesses."

The tour kicks off June 12 with a welcome reception and dinner at the Lemon Creek Winery and Fruit Farm in Berrien Springs. Planned stops on June 13 are Barbott Farms and Greenhouse, Stevensville; Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant and U-pick, Fennville; Jollay Orchards, Coloma; L.H. Piggott and Girls Family Farm and Farm Market, Benton Harbor; the New Buffalo Welcome Center; The Chocolate Garden, Coloma; and Tree-mendous Fruit Farm, Eau Claire.

The tour costs $89 for MI-FMAT members and $139 for nonmembers, and space is limited. The registration fee includes the welcome reception and dinner, lunch, snacks and bus transportation. Tour participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements. To get more information or to register for the tour, call Sally Ostman at 616-887-9008, or register online.

For more information about the MI-FMAT Association and applying for membership, call 517-927-7675, or send an e-mail to mifmat@gmail.com. Information about membership opportunities, MI-FMAT goals and the association board of directors is available online.

Initial funding for research and the formation of the MI-FMAT Association was provided through Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), Michigan's plant agriculture initiative at Michigan State University (MSU). Additional support, including legal counsel, was provided by the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB). Staff members from MSU Extension, MFB and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) served as advisers throughout the association formation process and continue to provide in-kind support and advice.