May 2014

Volume V - Issue 2

Dan's ObservationsRecent NewsOSU UpdateGlobal Experiences
Our BestScholarship ProgramStudentsGraduate Students
ResearchMultimedia ConnectionsReaching Out

Faculty and Staff

Dan's Observations

Dan Arp

Your input is requested on our Strategic Intent

Readers of The Source,

I’ve mentioned before in The Source that I initiated a process for articulating a strategic intent for the College last Fall.  Our goal is to ensure that the priorities for the college are correct, that the things we are at work on as a college are "roughly right and directionally correct".  Phase I involved a series of 12 conversations focused on various topics of importance to the college (e.g. student success, research emphases, infrastructure).  The take-aways gleaned from each of those conversations informed Phase II, a discussion of strategic intent at our administrator's workshop in November 2013.  We are now in Phase III, which includes sharing a draft with internal and external stakeholders to seek input and comment.  Our goal is to complete the process with a shared vision for the College.

 The strategic intent is meant to guide investments of time and resources toward the year 2020.  Therefore, it is important to me to have input from a wide cross-section of stakeholders of the College.

Email(click on icon)

As a reader of The Source, you are a stakeholder, and I invite you to read the document and email me your thoughts and comments:

My hope is that you will find something in this document that will inspire you to take action to help us move the College forward in a positive and intentional direction.  

Sincerely,

Dan

Daniel J. Arp
Reub Long Professor and Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station

Recent News

Mark Chien and Bill Boggess

OSU hires Penn State viticulturist to head its wine research program

(By Tiffany Woods)  Oregon State University has hired Penn State's top wine grape expert to lead its wine research and outreach program.

Mark Chien (pictured with Bill Boggess, right) will take over as the program coordinator of OSU's Oregon Wine Research Institute on May 28. He was previously tasked with elevating the quality of Pennsylvania wines as the administrator of the Penn State Wine Grape Program. (Read more...)

SB 633John Kitzhaber convenes Oregon GMO task force

(Oregonian) Gov. John Kitzhaber on Wednesday announced the formation of a 13-member task force on genetically modified organisms that could lead to legislation on labeling and agriculture in 2015. Kitzhaber pledged to create the task force last October after the passage of a divisive bill that bars counties other than Jackson from regulating genetically modified crops. The inclusion of the legislation in a five-bill special session package on public pensions and taxes angered environmentalists and organic farmers. Leading the group will be Daniel Arp, dean of Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences, and Jennifer Allen, director of Portland State University's Institute for Sustainable Solutions. (Read more...)

Hermiston StationLegislation would allow OSU Experiment Station flexibility in future relocating

(AgInfo.net) More than 100 years ago the Oregon State University’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center was located out far from the city of Hermiston. Today however, Eastern Oregon’s largest city has been moving ever closer.

In order to be proactive for any future move, the Oregon U.S. legislators have helped to began the process to pass legislation in both U.S. House and Senate to release the property interest retained by federal government as OSU Professor Emeritus and Director of the Station Phil Hamm explains. (Read more...)

 

 

 

Jessica Budge, AITCOregon Ag in the Classroom gets new director

(Capital Press)  Oregon's Ag in the Classroom has a new executive director, Jessica Budge.  Oregon Ag in the Classroom, the highly successful hands-on program that teaches young people about the importance of agriculture, has hired Jessica Budge to lead the non-profit. 

Budge, who will graduate from Oregon State University in June, will receive degrees in agricultural sciences and communication.  (Read more...)

 

OSU Agricultural Experiment Station Levy keeps Extension/Experiment Station open

 

(The Argus Observer) ONTARIO—Faculty and staff at Oregon State University Extension and Malheur Experiment Station are breathing a little easier as money raised through a tax levy is coming in, allowing them to maintain their programs.

The district levy raises about $365,000 a year, which is split between the facilities. The money helps pay for staff and operations for both programs at the station, allowing them to continue to serve the community through such things as research, which supports the local agriculture industry, and 4-H programs, which serve area youths.

(Read more...)  

 

 

 

Oregon's Ag in the Classroom has a new executive director, Jessica Budge.

Oregon Ag in the Classroom, the highly successful hands-on program that teaches young people about the importance of agriculture, has hired Jessica Budge to lead the nonprofit.

Budge, who will graduate from Oregon State University in June, will receive degrees in agricultural sciences and communication.

Born in Vernonia and raised in Sherwood, her love of agriculture goes back to her childhood days on her grandfather’s farm.

- See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140314/ARTICLE/140319887#sthash.0N...

Oregon Ag in the Classroom, the highly successful hands-on program that teaches young people about the importance of agriculture, has hired Jessica Budge to lead the nonprofit.

Budge, who will graduate from Oregon State University in June, will receive degrees in agricultural sciences and communication.

Born in Vernonia and raised in Sherwood, her love of agriculture goes back to her childhood days on her grandfather’s farm.

- See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140314/ARTICLE/140319887#sthash.0N...

Oregon Ag in the Classroom, the highly successful hands-on program that teaches young people about the importance of agriculture, has hired Jessica Budge to lead the nonprofit.

Budge, who will graduate from Oregon State University in June, will receive degrees in agricultural sciences and communication.

Born in Vernonia and raised in Sherwood, her love of agriculture goes back to her childhood days on her grandfather’s farm.

- See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140314/ARTICLE/140319887#sthash.0N...

OSU Update

OSU UpdateOregon State ranks seventh worldwide in agriculture and forestry

(By Daniel Robison) Oregon State University has been recognized as a world-class center in agriculture and forestry, ranking seventh in a new international survey of more than 200 schools.

For the second year, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings has compiled a list of top agriculture and forestry institutions. The service considered nearly 3,000 universities in 30 subject areas in its overall review. In 2013, OSU's agriculture and forestry programs placed eighth in the world.“Our rising world ranking is a testament to the continued great work of our faculty and researchers,” said Dan Arp, dean of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. (Read more...)

Global Experiences

kim-preston OSU Abroad: knowledge without borders

Kimberley Preston is a junior in the Oregon State University Honors College studying both Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and International Studies. During Fall 2013, Kim studied Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management at the School for International Training (SIT) in Madagascar.

My whole life I have been a naturally fast walker. As soon as I decide on a target destination, I charge forward, taking long strides, and moving with purpose. After spending a semester in Madagascar, however, my technique has changed.

(Read more...)

 

Global Experiences Fund

Projects and experiences such this are made possible by the College of Agricultural Sciences Global Experiences Fund.  The Fund, established through the OSU Foundation, is intended to help introduce and broaden international perspectives--especially those related to agriculture--in the College’s teaching, extension, and research programs.  Support is appreciated. (Read more...)

Our Best

Dan EdgeOn the Edge of greatness:  Impacting lives on campus

Dr. Dan Edge brings laughter, cohesion to fish and wildlife department, Faculty Senate.

Oregon State fisheries and wildlife department head Dan Edge has an enviable collection of ties — an assortment that appears to be just as colorful and creative as the man himself. 

Yet perhaps even more impressive than Edge’s actual tie collection is the amount and quality of relationship ties he has amassed during his time at Oregon State University. (Read more...)

Carol Mallory-SmithCarol Mallory-Smith awarded for individual contribution to Oregon agriculture

Carol Mallory-Smith, Professor of Crop and Soil Science, was honored at the 22nd Agricultural Progress Dnner by the Oregon Department of Agriculture for her contributions to Oregon agriculture.  A weed scientist, she has helped Oregon farmers with on the ground weed management.

(See video on Carol-Mallory Smith)

 

OSU UpdateJohn Antle receives prestigious award

OreCal Principal Investigator John Antle has been selected to receive the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association’s prestigious Outstanding Choices Article Award for “A Regional Look at the Distribution of Farm Program Payments and How It May Change with a New Farm Bill.” OreCal issues brief #03 provides a summary of the major findings from the article. 

Both the article and the issues brief can be found at http://orecal.org/publications/  Antle is a professor in the Department of Applied Economics.

 

SIA Summer Ag Institute receives ODA Excellence in Education award

The Summer Ag Institute was awarded the Oregon Department of Agriculture Excellence in Education award at the 2014 Oregon Progress Dinner.  Teaching the teachers for 25 years, up to 1000 teachers have attended the Institute and passed on agricultural literacy back in their classrooms.

(See video on the Summer Ag Institute)

Brett TylerBrett Tyler elected 2014 Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society

Dr. Brett Tyler has been elected a 2014 Fellow of The American Phytopathological Society (APS). The society grants this high honor to members in recognition of "distinguished contributions to plant pathology or to The APS.  Brett was recognized for his "many and significant contributions related to research on the molecular basis of recognition between Phytophthora species and their host and to building genome resources for Phytophthora species".  The formal award ceremony takes place at The APS Annual Meeting and this year it will be held on August 9-13 in Minneapolis, MN.

Abstract | APS Fellow Award

Brett M. Tyler was born in 1955 in Vancouver, Canada. He received his Ph.D. in medical biology from the University of Melbourne in 1981, served as Professor at UC Davis and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, and now serves as director of the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing at Oregon State University. Tyler’s research into the biology of oomycetes has made major, seminal contributions to our understanding of the molecular basis of recognition between Phytophthora species and their hosts. His group cloned the first avirulence gene, Avr1b, from an oomycete. Tyler was lead-PI on the genome sequencing effort of P. sojae and P. ramorum,resulting in the discovery of a large family of RxLR effectors. He currently leads an international effort to sequence all Phytophthoraspecies. Tyler’s leadership is widely respected for his determination to infuse a strong spirit of collaboration and to actively foster the careers of junior scientists.

Scholarship Program Highlight

Seed a gift

Students receive financial support through scholarships

During the month of April, 2014, scholarship offers totaling $300,050 have been made to current and entering students for the 2014-2015 academic year.  CAS scholarships range from $500 to $12,500, many of which have the possibility of yearly renewal.

Entering freshman or transfer students are automatically considered for Agricultural Honors scholarships, a pool of scholarships intended to recruit future leaders in agriculture and related sciences, during the application process through OSU Admissions.  No separate application form is necessary!

Current students in College of Agricultural Sciences majors are eligible to be considered for over 100 scholarships when they apply by February 15th. http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/scholarships The CAS Scholarships and Awards Committee considers the applications and makes decisions during Spring Term.

The generosity of many people in providing scholarships to students is rooted in their own educational experience. They remember that someone helped them and how much it meant. Because of our donors, we are able to attract some of the best and brightest students from Oregon and around the world -- students for whom a college education might otherwise be out of reach.

OSU FoundationGiving scholarships through the OSU Foundation

Scholarships have been a priority in the OSU Capital Campaign, which has sought to raise $100 million in scholarships for students.  Your gift can help a deserving student achieve the dream of a college education. (Read more...)

For more information... 

Students

Jasmin UnrauApril Student of the Month: Jasmine Unrau

Jasmine has been volunteering at Linn-­‐Benton Food share and says it exposes her to a completely different world than she experienced growing up in a very small rural town. She’s gained a much deeper appreciation for people and their unique stories. There are a lot of people in this world who are hungry due to circumstances beyond their control, and they might be right next to us. Dropping preconceived notions has helped her to learn new communication skills not learned in a classroom.

She is majoring in Agricultural Sciences, and expects to graduate in June 2016.

Shao YunFebruary Student of the Month: Shao Yun
Study Abroad

Shao Yun’s study abroad experience was coming to Oregon State University from China! She attended an information meeting with a friend and thought, “why not learn a new language?” She says it has been a bittersweet journey with the language barrier and culture shock, but she pushed through and mastered English and meeting new people. “I have friends from all over the world. We speak different kinds of languages, and we share different cultures. However, put all the differences aside, we are similar, as we all want to be respected, understood and loved. I realized that life is an adventure. Everyone is unique, as they have their own unique personality, lifestyle and value, so being open-­‐minded to the world around me is significantly important.” She is a senior in Horticulture with a minor in Business, and expects to graduate in June 2014.

Ashley LuechauerFebruary Student of the Month: Ashley Luechauer
Study Abroad

Ashley’s study abroad experience was teaching English to elementary age children in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. She says the experience enlightened her on what a great privilege education is. “Seeing the excitement in these children about what I was teaching them made me realize the value of my knowledge. The appreciation I felt to share this knowledge was a huge part of the growth I experienced on these trips abroad.” She found that service to others is a vital aspect of her personal growth. She is a senior in Animal Science with the Pre-­‐Vet option, and expects to graduate in June 2014.

Alejandra Marquez LozaOSU Abroad student blog:  Facing Fears

(By Alejandra Marquez Loza) Fear is temporary, but regret is forever. That was the slogan for the Bloukrans bungee jumping advertisements that really got me to just go for it. Prior to arriving there I really did not think I would actually jump off the highest bungee in the world! Once there however, I just thought back to all my initial fears of what being in South Africa might be like, and how none of my worries had proven to be true. Just as I had conquered those initial worries and worked so hard to overcome the obstacles it took to be interning in Africa, I felt I could not pass up the opportunity to conquer another fear. I decided to jump. The first 2 seconds felt like the most terrifying moments of my life but afterwards came a strange calm followed by an extreme adrenaline rush. I was on the top of the world. I felt that if I had conquered that initial fear, I could really do anything I set my mind to.

(Read more...)

SealTaking the measure of seals and those who study them

(By Nick Houtman, Terra Magazine) In Antarctica, when you sedate a 1,000-pound Weddell seal, it can take a while for the animal to settle down. Before the drug takes effect, the seal might raise its head, flex its 9-foot-long body or even attempt an ungainly crawl toward an opening in the sea ice. Keeping it away from such holes is important. If it were to dive before drifting into unconsciousness, it could drown.

During a research trip to Antarctica last year, Mee-ya Monnin was concerned about seal movement for another reason. She was taking photographs for a research project and needed the animals to be still. (Read Terra Magazine article...)

2014/15 Ambassador Team2014/15 Ambassador Team named

The 2014/15 Ambassadors for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources have been selected.  The team will represent the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry.  The team consists of: Angela Carson, a Senior in Forest Engineering and Natural Resources;
Matthew Damiano, a Post-Baccalaureate student in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences; Hanna Gomes, a Sophomore in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences; Brooke Greenshields, a Sophomore in Animal Sciences; Lucia Hadella, a Junior in Natural Resources; Christine Mapes, a Sophomore in Agricultural Business Management and Environmental Economics and Policy; Tiffany Netz, a Senior in Forest Engineering/Civil Engineering; Rozalyn Patrick, a Junior in Environmental Economics and Policy; Jasmine Unrau, a Sophomore in Agricultural Sciences.

Graduate Students.

KBVR RadioKBVR FM wins national award for most innovative radio program, others

KBVR FM recognized by Intercollegiate Broadcasting System for Best College Radio Station at a university with over 10K students. The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System awarded KBVR FM as the winner for Best College Radio Station at a university with more than 10,000 students. The station was one of three college radio stations in the country, and the only West Coast station, to be nominated for this category. (Read more...)

Liz and BrianBPP students awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Elizabeth Bowman will graduate with a BS in Botany this June. She will then begin her Masters program at the University of Arizona with Elizabeth Arnold, studying fungal endophytes and mycorrhizae associated with Pinus ponderosa. Her research specifically is going to look at how environmental factors and host-symbiont genotypic variations affect the host-fungal relationship.

Brian Atkinson, began his PhD program in Fall 2012 with Gar Rothwell and Ruth Stockey in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology on the 'Phylogeny and Fruit Evolution in Early Diverging Asterids: Initial Radiation of Cornales'.  He is characterizing the explosive evolutionary radiation of the dogwood order, Cornales that occurred during the Late Cretaceous (100-66 million years ago) by focusing on a variety of fossil fruits and flowers from ancient ecosystems that date back to 89-86 million years ago.

(Read more...)

Research

Humpback WhalesSaving endangered whales

(The Daily Astorian) Bruce Mate took his wife, son and 9-year-old daughter whale tagging on the first expedition off the coast of Newport 35 years ago. There, they met a young gray whale. Mate named her Elizabeth. Last summer, Mate took his granddaughter, who is now 9 years old, out on to the sea last summer to meet the large female whale. Struggling through deep-set emotion as he looked at a recent picture of Elizabeth, awe-struck, Mate commented on her “wrinkled old eyes.” (Read more...)

Wine'Economic leaks' are costly

(Polk County Itemizer-Observer) What does Polk County need to do to expand and keep more money flowing locally? Discover an unexplored innovation or facet of the local economy? That’s not as likely as people would like to think, according to Bruce Sorte, an Oregon State University Extension  Service economist and OSU professor who has researched and consulted in most regions across Oregon. (Read more...)

HazelnutsOSU announces new hazelnut variety

(Capital Press) A new variety of disease-resistant hazelnut aimed at the kernel market has been released by Oregon State University. The cultivar, McDonald, was found to be “consistently productive with consistent quality” by a farmers’ advisory committee that evaluated the trees.

The cultivar, McDonald, was found to be “consistently productive with consistent quality” by a farmers’ advisory committee that evaluated the trees. - See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140129/ARTICLE/140129866/1318#stha...

(Read more...)

BeanThe seed of an idea

(Organic Gardening) In her work with Jim Myers, an Oregon State University professor of vegetable breeding and genetics, an enterprising agriculture researcher named Lane Selman noticed that the criteria for new varieties were usually uniformity, disease resistance, and high yield—not flavor. So in 2010 and 2011, she organized tastings of different varieties of peppers being evaluated in field trials with a group of local chefs.

(Read more...)

Sagar SathuvalliGenome helps breeders develop better potato

(Capital Press) Oregon State University potato breeder Sagar Sathuvalli says mapping of the potato genome is a boon for contemporary breeding efforts. Sequencing of the potato genome will aid the development of new varieties, Oregon State University’s breeder says.

Sagar Sathuvalli, based in Hermiston, Ore., said the use of genetic mapping can reduce the length of the potato breeding process, which typically takes 10 to 15 years, by two to three years.

“The main use of genomics is to find the better parents and the probability of finding the best progeny of the best parents,” he said. (Read more...)

Siva KolluriOsteoporosis drug may treat breast and liver cancers, OSU study finds

(Portland Business Journal) A drug used to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women may also be capable of treating some forms of breast and liver cancers, Oregon State University researchers found.

Clinical trial on patients are still needed, but in lab tests, researchers found that the drug raloxifene killed human breast cancer cells that are “triple negative,” as well as liver cancer cells, according to an announcement from OSU.

The drug is marketed under the brand name Evista by Eli Lilly and Co.

(Read more...)


 

 

wine in glassesWine becomes more like whiskey as the alcohol content gets high

(Scientific American) Alan Bakalinsky, associate professor of food science and technology at Oregon State University, who’s long studied wine yeast, says that winemakers have tried to tinker with S. cerevisiae for years to get it to reduce it’s alcohol production efficiency. But doing so can alter the yeast’s winemaking abilities or cripple it, and certain methods of doing it may involve genetic modification that consumers may not like. (Read more...)

WolfFor the first time since 1947, a wolf on Mt. Hood

(Willamette Week) That detail comes from a just-released report by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which includes a single line about the tracks of a lone wolf found in the "White River Unit" back in December.

The White River Unit is located south of Hood River, in the eastern foothills of Mount Hood. Russ Morgan, who runs Oregon's wolf program, confirms that wolf tracks were found in the snow in December, though he notes the wolf may have simply been passing through. More information on why wolves are awesome comes from the video and from research done at Oregon State University. (Read more...)

Juvenile Chinook SalmonMagnetic map sense

(The Columbian) “The evidence is irrefutable,” said co-author David Noakes of OSU, senior scientist at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center. “I tell people: The fish can detect and respond to the Earth’s magnetic field. There can be no doubt of that.”

(Read more...)

OystersAgricultural Research Foundation funds new OSU research

(By Daniel Robison) OSU makes raw oysters safer to eat by removing toxins, a project supported by the Agricultural Research Foundation. The Agricultural Research Foundation of Oregon has announced grants totaling $420,314 for projects in agriculture, chemistry, horticulture, and veterinary medicine at Oregon State University.

The 34 research projects funded this year represent a wide range of disciplines, from restoring sustainable environments to fighting disease in food crops, according to Kelvin Koong, the executive director of the Agricultural Research Foundation. (Read more...)

WheatOSU website tracks Oregon's economic, social and environmental health

(By Denise Ruttan) The gap between the richest and poorest Oregonians has widened over the past 20 years. On a brighter note, the rates of population and job growth have outpaced the national average.

These tidbits and other data are part of a new website created in part by the Oregon State University Extension Service. The Tracking Oregon's Progress website follows 88 indicators that describe economic, social and environmental progress in each of Oregon's 36 counties from 1990 to 2011. (Read more...)

Nancy KerkvlietOSU finds new compound that could treat autoimmune diseases

(By Tiffany Woods) Scientists at Oregon State University have discovered a chemical compound that could be a safer alternative for treating autoimmune diseases.

Although studies in humans are still needed, the finding could bring hope to people suffering from conditions caused by their immune system attacking their bodies. Autoimmune diseases can affect almost any part of the body resulting in diseases such as colitis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. (Read more...)

WristbandRubber wristbands show pollution in air, water and food.

(By Daniel Robison) Oregon State University scientists have created a fashion accessory that doubles as a pollution detector. Similar in style to the popular wristbands supporting various charitable causes, OSU's new silicone bracelets have a porous surface that mimics a cell, absorbing chemicals that people are exposed to through their environment.

"The wristbands show us the broad range of chemicals we encounter but often don’t know about and may be harming us," said Kim Anderson, a professor in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. “Eventually, these bracelets may help us link possible health effects to chemicals in our environment.” (Read more...)

Multimedia Connections

Ellie's LogEllie's Log receives national attention

"Ellie's Log,”  the children's science book that Judy Li and M. L. (Peg) Herring  produced last year, (OSU Press) has been noticed by the biggest prizes in children’s science books. The HJ Andrews Experimental Forest (the setting of the story) has included the book among its achievements for the year. Judy and Peg are faculty in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

1.One of three finalists for the AAAS Science Books and Films Prize for Excellence in Science Books  http://www.sbfonline.com/Subaru/Pages/2014Finalists.aspx

2. "Honorable mention" by the John Burroughs Association for "a children's book about natural history," awarded for the first time. Their Riverby Prize is given to non-fiction children's books, and "Ellie's Log," a fictional story, did not fit the category. But the committee liked the book so much they created a special category for this book this one time.  The American Museum of Natural History  is preparing the press release.  Judy Li received the commendation at a luncheon held last month at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.  

3. On short list for the Green Earth Book Award sponsored by "The Nature Generation," an environmental non-profit that seeks to reach the  nation’s youth through innovative environmental stewardship programs in literature, science and the arts.  The awards will be announced on Earth Day and awarded at their 10th Annual Read Green Festival in Washington D. C.  http://www.natgen.org/whats-new/2014-geba-shortlist-announced

Shut Up and EatCAS student publishes cookbook

Lauren Hollander, a student of agriculture at CCC, is releasing her first book online via Amazon for Kindle readers called Shut Up and Eat: A Foodie’s Guide to Growing, Cooking and Eating Food. Better know as the Honest Foodie, Lauren is a student passionate about providing cooks of all abilities the resources to better understand their food: from growing, to cooking to eating. Following the recent success of her online blog, the Honest Foodie, which received over 19,000 views online, Lauren has decided to extend her efforts to a full-length book, which is available now on Amazon for Kindle.

With a wide array of original recipes, Shut Up and Eat guides you through the cooking process like your sarcastic best friend of the culinary world. As a professional chef and agriculture extraordinaire, it is Lauren’s personal mission to educate and encourage all cooks to understand how to work with their food and how their food works for them. Shut Up and Eat chronicles many struggles we, the average consumers, face when answering the daunting question: “What’s for dinner?” From navigating the rocky waters of grocery stores to deciphering what “organic” food really is Lauren helps alleviate the stress of the cooking process.

Shut Up and Eat is the result of an eight - year learning experience. Lauren has been diligently insuring her value in culinary field by being as well rounded as possible. She has been cooking for 6 years now and has been gearing her studies toward cooking & agriculture for the past 2 years. Lauren first began cooking professionally while living in Los Angeles, worked her way up to kitchen manager and started networking her way into á la carte catering and personal chef gigs. It was during this time that Lauren first realized the need to close the gap between people and food. Lauren, a Portland native, has since moved back and has been working toward this goal ever since. (Honest Foodies blog) (Amazon kindle page)

ANRS Metalwork GateYou might not think of metalcraft artwork as a multimedia connection, but...

Dr. Jim Males explains:  Early in the construction of the Oldfield Animal Teaching facility, nothing had been worked out for the gate to the storage area loft. We wanted to depict animal production in Oregon, therefore we used the major food producing species that our Department (and Dr. James Oldfield) work with. There is a beef bull, dairy cow, sheep, pig, hen and rooster. 

As we discussed the animal figures with the contractor and architects, we thought it important to show the animal-human bond, because we are about training students to work with animals of all kinds.  So the figure of a herdsman and herdswoman were added.  Finally to depict Oregon and rangelands, we were going to have trees and mountains.  It ended up with the space that we had the mountains didn’t look right so we have trees on both ends of the panels.

The art piece was paid for out of the construction cost, of which one-half came from donor gifts.  Wade Skinner of Junction City is the metal artist.

MultimediaFacebook Pages

College of Agricultural Sciences
Biological and Ecological Engineering
OSU Beavers
OSU Extension
OSU Agricultural Executive Council
OSU Department of Horticulture
Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center
OSU Superfund Research Program

Oregon Small Farms NewsOregon Small Farm News

The latest edition of the Oregon Small Farm News has been published online.

This Vol. IX No. 2 Spring 2014 edition includes:.

-Audacious Plan Launched to Provide More Small Farms Extension Positions
-New 1000ft2 Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator Available
-Growing Local Food Businesses for Community Economic Development    
-Center Participates in CFS Convening
-Selling Direct to SNAP Recipients:  Strategies for Success
-Pregnancy Ketosis
-15 Ways to Help Mitigate Drought on your Farm this Season and Beyond
-Climate Risks in the Northwest
-What’s up in the North Willamette Valley Small Farms Program this Season?
-Food Modernization Act Update
-New Network Launches For Transitioning Farmers
-Growing Pains in the Willamette Valley
-Food Safety Train the Trainer Workshops
-Calendar

Terra MagazineTerra Magazine (Winter 2014)

(Nick Houtman, Editor) Language matters. It frames our relationships and defines our culture. It affirms common interests and ways of seeing the world. If you want to get something done, using the right language can make all the difference.

I learned that lesson early. At the dinner table, my parents would occasionally shift from English to their native Dutch. It often seemed to happen close to Christmas. My sisters and I, who spoke only English, knew the conversation was not meant for our ears.

As an ethnographer in Guatemala in the 1980s, Oregon State professor Cherri Pancake learned that understanding Mayan culture required extraordinary care in how she spoke during interviews and meetings. Later, when she became a computer engineer, she applied that skill to the world of software. She and her team in the Northwest Alliance for Computational Science and Engineering interview people who use computer algorithms (the steps programmers create to accomplish a task) to make decisions about everything from forest fires to crop insurance. The language of software — vocabulary, structure, logic — matters to them. (Read this issue...)

Reaching Out

StrawberriesPlant strawberries and boost your health

From strawberry jam to fruit salad, nothing says summer quite like the succulent strawberry.

What's more, these sweet berries are also packed with Vitamin C, fiber and potassium. So think about enhancing your edible landscape with healthful strawberries this spring. It's best to plant them in late March through April after the threat of hard frost has passed in western Oregon, said Bernadine Strik, a berry specialist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. "The key thing to remember about strawberries is that there are three main types grown in Oregon," Strik said. (Read more...)

IrrigationSustainabile Agriculture Techniques:  Dealing with Drought

(Clint Shock, Malheur Experiment Station and Lynn Jensen, Malheur County Extension) When water is plentiful, growers usually arrange work hours for irrigation practices around other farming practices. As an example, most growers change their furrow irrigation sets at 12 or 24-hour intervals because it is convenient and efficiently manages labor. When water is short, we need to rethink some of our practices and make water stretch to obtain the maximum benefit. (Read more...)

Strategies for Efficient Irrigation Water Use

Faculty and Staff

Carrie BurkholderCarrie Burkholder, new Regulatory and Safety Compliance Officer (RSCO)

Carrie Burkholder, new Regulatory and Safety Compliance Officer (RSCO) for the College, is here to support your unit as you deal with the increasing demands related to risk and compliance. CAS’s Safety Coordination Committee (SCC) also continues to meet regularly to consider safety issues and related policies and procedures. The SCC members serve as advisors to the deans and unit administrators, serve as resources to the units, will develop templates for use by units to maintain safety standards, maintain and update the CAS Health and Safety Training Manual, and will participate on third party safety audits. The SCC has expertise in most topical areas and works closely with OSU’s Environmental Health and Safety, Risk Management, and the Research Office and would be happy to assist in answering questions or researching topics.

The Safety Coordination Committee membership list and other resources are available on the CAS Safety Website

Sergio ArispeLivestock agent hopes to reduce feed costs

(Capital Press) Eastern Oregon livestock producers say they’re excited about working with Oregon State University’s new livestock and rangeland extension agent in Malheur County. The position, which had remained vacant for almost two years ago, was filled Feb. 18 by Sergio Arispe, who has a Ph.D. in animal biology, a master’s of science degree in agricultural education and bachelor’s degree in animal science.

“He’s extremely, extremely qualified,” said Jordan Valley rancher Bob Skinner, past president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. Skinner said Arispe hit the ground running. “One of the things that really impressed me about him is his energy,” he said. “You can just feel the energy when you get around him. I’m very encouraged after having visited with and talked to him a couple of times.” Arispe said one of his main goals is finding ways to reduce the impact of feed prices on cattle and dairy producers. That will include looking at alternative feeds such as potatoes and barley. (Read more...)

The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is Oregon's principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems, and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources, life sciences, and rural economies and communities worldwide. The College provides undergraduate and graduate education leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and extended education programs throughout Oregon and beyond. Its research programs create knowledge to solve problems and to build a knowledge base for the future. It is a source of information and expertise in integrating and applying knowledge with benefits that are felt in domestic and international settings.

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