News Update
August 16, 2010

Get Answers to Flood Clean-up Questions from Extension’s Answer Line

With mold on the walls and cloudy spots on the furniture, Iowans want to know what, if anything, they can salvage when they return to their flood-damaged homes. So they’re asking the professional family and consumer scientists at Iowa State University (ISU) Extension’s Answer Line, 1-800-262-3804.

ISU Extension’s professional family and consumer scientists answer questions about child development, cleaning, consumer management, food preparation, food preservation, food safety, home environment, household equipment, nutrition, textiles and laundry. For answers to your home and family questions, call Answer Line, 1-800-262-3804, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Or visit the Answer Line website, www.extension.iastate.edu/answerline, or e-mail answer@iastate.edu.

For additional flood clean up information, see ISU Extension’s Disaster Recovery website, www.extension.iastate.edu/disasterrecovery.

— Release by ISU Extension.

Ranch Management University Program Scheduled Oct. 12-15

New land purchases in Texas are often made by individuals with little understanding of how to manage soil, plant and animal resources, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.

To meet the need of this clientele, a new landowner workshop is scheduled Oct. 12-15 in College Station.

The Ranch Management University, sponsored by AgriLife Extension, is a four-day event designed to help new landowners have a better understanding of resource management, said Larry Redmon, workshop coordinator.

“The topics will begin with soils and soil fertility and cover other basic aspects of ranch management,” Redmon said. “Those include forage species selection, hay production, weed and brush management, beef cattle breed selection, nutrient requirements, and feeding strategies for livestock. We’ll also cover grazing management strategies and the popular chute-side talk and live-animal handling demonstrations of vaccinations, dehorning and castration.”

Other topics covered include how to keep good ranch records, how to develop a marketing plan and a look at alternative enterprises.

“Many properties today are purchased for recreation and in Texas this means wildlife,” Redmon said. “To address this need, wildlife management issues will also be covered. Wildlife management topics covered in the Ranch Management University will range from whitetailed deer management, dove, turkey, and quail hunting and management, ranch pond management and the ever-popular feral hog.”

Field demonstrations will include how to take a proper soil and hay sample, how to assess body condition scores for cattle, a look at forage variety trials, grazing management and hog trap construction.

Approximately one-half of the program time will be spent in a classroom setting, while the remainder of the time is spent in the field. Lunch and supper will be provided Oct. 12-14 and lunch will be provided Oct. 15. A resource CD containing dozens of publications covering ranch management will be provided.

Attendance is limited to the first 75 people. For additional information, contact Redmon at 979-845-2425. For registration information, please go to http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu and type in “Ranch Management” as key words. Registration may be completed online at the site.

— Release by Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

USDA Reminds Producers of Approaching Sign-Up Deadline for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that the deadline to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up is quickly approaching. Farmers and ranchers have until close of business on Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, to offer eligible land for CRP’s competitive general sign-up. Applications can be completed by land owners at the FSA county office where their farm records are maintained. The 2008 Farm Bill authorized USDA to maintain CRP enrollment up to 32 million acres.

In addition to producers signing up for the first time, CRP participants with existing contracts that are scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2010, may elect to re-enroll under a new 10-15 year contract. Cropland that is highly erodible, or within a national or state Conservation Priority Area, or is covered under an expiring CRP contract is generally eligible to be enrolled into CRP, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.

Contracts awarded under this 39th sign-up are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2010.

CRP is a voluntary program that helps farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers protect their environmentally sensitive land. Producers enrolling in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share and technical assistance.

In addition to the general sign-up, CRP’s continuous sign-up program is ongoing. Continuous acres represent the most environmentally desirable and sensitive land.

For more information on the general CRP sign-up, or the continuous CRP sign-up, producers should contact their local FSA county office, or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/.

— Release by USDA.

World-renowned Animal Scientist Temple Grandin to Speak at OSU Special Seminar Sept. 15

An Oklahoma State University (OSU) special seminar will feature world famous innovator, author, activist and autistic expert Temple Grandin.

Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a designer of livestock-handling facilities, will speak Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. in the OSU Student Union Ballroom, at the university’s Stillwater campus. The seminar is free and open to the public.

“I really like talking to students to get them turned on to animal behavior and animal handling,” Grandin said. “I will be talking about animal welfare, animal auditing, animal measurement, animal behavior, cattle handling and how autism helps with animal behavior.”

OSU’s department of animal science is sponsoring the event. The department is part of the university’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, comprised of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and two state agencies: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Steve Damron, OSU professor of animal production, is pleased that the seminar will bring one of the most celebrated and influential scientists of this time to campus.

“Students, faculty, staff and ranchers will have the opportunity to interact with the person who initiated major paradigm shifts in both animal handling and the world’s view of autism and autistics,” Damron said. “What a priceless experience.

“We all know what we see when we look at animals; Temple Grandin taught us what animals see when they look back,” Damron said. “She taught us better methods of livestock handling and changed livestock production forever. She also changed our view of autism. Both expanded our humanness.”

In addition, Ron Kensinger, head of the department of animal science, will discuss a new OSU endowed chair to be housed in animal science and named in honor of Grandin. The seminar will kick off the campaign to raise money for the Temple Grandin Endowed Chair in Animal Behavior and Well-Being.

Widely recognized as the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world, Grandin was diagnosed with autism in 1950. Because of her family’s timely interaction of working with Grandin’s special needs, she credits this early intervention to her professional success later in life.

Grandin has appeared on television shows such as “20/20,” “48 Hours,” “CNN Larry King Live,” “PrimeTime Live,” “Today” and many more. She has been featured in People magazine, the New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Time magazine, the New York Times book review and Discover magazine.

For more information about the Sept. 15 seminar, contact OSU’s Debra Danley by e-mail at debra.danley@okstate.edu or by phone at 405-744-6070.

“The opportunity to bring Dr. Grandin to campus and share her work with the Oklahoma State University community is wonderful,” Kensinger said. “Grandin-designed animal handling facilities are known to reduce stress on animals, and are the benchmark for the livestock industries. She taught us important lessons in how we should interact with animals today.”

— Adapted from an OSU Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.