In This Issue
- From CFANS Dean Allen Levine
- Peter Reich named Regents Professor
- Jim Linn named AnSci department head
- Two honored for outstanding service
- Project will test air quality on farms
- 'Speaking of Science' features Susan Galatowitsch
- Rep. Tim Walz tours St. Paul campus
- Construction nearly complete in Cloquet
- Associate dean presentations on Breeze
- Events
From Allen Levine: We did well at the Capitol 
This year’s legislative session brought good news to CFANS. Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s signature on the Higher Education Bill provides a $1.5 million per year increase in recurring funding for our college, Extension and the Minnesota Ag Experiment Station and a $1 million one-time increase for the next fiscal year. This is the first increase in the direct appropriation to agricultural and natural resources programs since 1999 and will help us strengthen our ability to respond to agricultural challenges and opportunities.
Read more
The legislators included an ambitious list of projects for us to accomplish with this new investment, including:
-- A renewed emphasis on the needs of the state's production agriculture community and a continued focus on renewable energy derived from Minnesota biomass resources
-- Extending the Minnesota vegetable growing season;
-- Treating and curing human diseases using plant and livestock cells;
-- Establishing and maintaining a statewide organic research and education initiative to provide leadership for organic agronomic, horticultural, livestock, and food systems research, education, and outreach.
You can read the complete text of the bill at http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1063.2.html&session=ls85 The Agricultural Research and Extension State Special section starts at 18.26.
The legislative session also ended with good news for the University overall. As President Bruininks put it, "The funding bill passed will ensure we can continue on the path to becoming one of the best public research universities in the world. Although the university did not get everything out of this legislative session that we sought, we are pleased with this outcome. I applaud legislative leadership and legislators from both parties for this strong bipartisan vote for addressing the future of higher education in Minnesota."
Our political leaders have given CFANS’ research, education and outreach efforts a strong vote of confidence and the partnership between CFANS, Extension and the Ag Experiment Station made an important difference. My sincere thanks to the faculty and staff who offered their time and expertise to speak on behalf of the college.
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Peter Reich named Regents Professor
 Peter Reich, a professor in the Department of Forest Resources, has been named a Regents Professor of the University of Minnesota. The Regents Professorship is the University's highest recognition for faculty excellence and includes the top 1 percent of faculty. Reich has been a faculty member since 1991 and was named a McKnight professor in 2003. He is an international leader in the sciences addressing forest resources, plant ecology and tree physiology. The announcement notes that "he is also an exceptional mentor and teacher, and is one of the most-cited ecologists in the world." University President Robert Bruininks appointed five new Regents Professors this year.
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Jim Linn named permanent AnSci department head
 Jim Linn, who has been interim head of the Department of Animal Science since February 2006, has been named permanent head of the department. Linn, a nationally prominent dairy nutrition researcher and educator, has been an Animal Science faculty member since 1979 and is the author of numerous scientific publications, many extension and popular press articles.
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Two honored for outstanding service
 Two CFANS professors -- Gyles Randall, left, of the Southern Research and Outreach Center and the Departm ent of Soil, Water and Climate and Philip Raup, right, professor emeritus in the Department of Applied Economics -- have been awarded the President's Award for Outstanding Service. Randall's nomination cites his ability to bring diverse groups together to find mutually agreeable solutions. Raup's nomination notes that even though he retired from the University in 1984, he's maintained an active presence in his department and in community engagement.
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Project will test air quality on farms
 Larry Jacobson of the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering is part of a nationwide 2.5 year, $14.6 million effort to monitor air quality at 20 farms in nine states. The project is the first nationwide study to measure amounts of various airborne substances emitted from livestock facilities, including poultry, dairy and swine operations. Equipment installation is currently underway at a western Wisconsin dairy farm. The monitors will continuously record levels of hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, ammonia, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds and non-methane hydrocarbons released from livestock facilities.
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A new "Speaking of Science"
 The latest installment of "Speaking of Science" is now online. This series of interviews between CFANS dean Allen Levine and key faculty and staff showcases the research and outreach work happening throughout the college. The latest interviewee is Susan Galatowitsch, a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science. Galatowitsch recently was named 2007-08 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs.
Read the Q and A with Susan Galatowitsch
Listen to raw MP3 audio of the interview:
Part 1
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
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Rep. Tim Walz tours CFANS test plots, labs
 Rep. Tim Walz, who represents Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, toured the St. Paul campus June 1. Stops on the tour included a look at soybean test plots on the north side of campus, a presentation on soybean varieties, and tours of both the Biosafety Level 2 and the under-construction Biosafety Level 3 facilities. The tour was organized by leaders at CFANS, Extension and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
At left: Jim Orf of the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics describes different soybean varieties to the congressman.
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Construction nearly complete at Cloquet
Remodeling and expansion of educational, office and conference space is continuing at the Cloquet Forestry Center. The $1.1 million project, expected to be complete in early July, will add 3,750 square feet of new space, and remodel nearly 1,500 square feet of existing space. The project will connect the Center’s dining center with the auditorium and classroom spaces. The Center hosts more than 10,000 visitors annually and is a key facility for experiential education programs, policy meetings related to forestry and other natural resources. The Center also hosts scientists and students who conduct long-term research in the Center’s 3,400-acre forest.
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Associate dean presentations on Breeze
Recordings of the presentations made by the two candidates for the position of Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Faculty Affairs -- Jay Bell of the Department of Soil, Water and Climate and Dan Philippon of the Department of Rhetoric -- earlier this month are available on Breeze (no password required; just follow the link).
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Events
Here are a few of the upcoming events of interest to the College of
Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences community. Visit www.cfans.umn.edu to
see more events.
Art to A-Maze Exhibition
Saturday, June 16-Sunday, Sept. 30
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska
Explore the relationship between people and the natural world on the Art to A-Maze Walk, featuring a juried collection of 15 installations of environmental art, sculpture and interactive exhibits. The walk leads visitors from the Oswald Visitor Center to the Arboretum's new Maze Garden.
Agronomy Field Tour
Tuesday, June 19
Southern Research and Outreach Center, Waseca
Corn and soybean growers in southern Minnesota, crop advisers, and others interested in crop production are invited to the Southern Research and Outreach Center’s Agronomy Field Tour. The event includes presentations on corn and soybean production and management issues as well as a cookout lunch. Cost is $30; registration begins at 8 a.m. and the field tour begins at 8:30.
St. Paul Campus Reunion
Thursday, June 21
St. Paul campus, U of M
Alumni from the colleges of Design; Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; , Biological Sciences; Education and Human Development and Veterinary Medicine, as well as the the School of Agriculture will reunite on campus for a day of fun and reminiscing.
National Compost Dairy Barn Conference
Thursday, June 21-Friday, June 22
Holiday Inn, Burnsville
Topics at the conference include composting dynamics, bedding material options, layout and design of compost barns, pack management, cow comfort and performance, economics, use of finished compost, and more. The program also will include a producer panel with three compost barn producers and a tour of compost dairy barns. Cost is $90; contact the Department of Animal Science for details and registration.
Golf Scramble for Scholarships
Monday, July 9
University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course
CFANS' annual Golf Scramble for Scholarships, organized by the college Alumni Society, helps raise scholarship money for new students in the college. The event also includes a silent auction.
Field Days
Wednesday and Thursday, July 11-12
Southwest Research and Outreach Center, Lamberton
Visitors to the Southwest Research and Outreach Center in Lamberton can get a firsthand look at the center's organic crops on Wednesday and at traditional crop production on Thursday.
Rat Fest
Saturday, July 15
Bell Museum
“Rat Fest,” an all-day expo, celebrates one of the most maligned and misunderstood creatures — the rat. Rat breeders, scientists, rat enthusiasts and prize winning rats will come together to celebrate the rodent’s agility and intelligence, as well as its history and place in our ecosystem. The event is part of the Bell Museum’s summer of celebrating “Animals Behaving Badly” —a series of events that playfully explores the quirks and calamities that can happen when wildlife and humans share each other’s back yards.
Agriculture Open House
Thursday, July 19, 4 to 7:30 p.m.
St. Paul Campus
Displays of field trials and other ag-related projects will be open to the public, with presentations from faculty and researchers. The event is sponsored by CFANS, Extension and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.
Horticulture Night
Thursday, July 26 , 5 to 9 p.m.
West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris
The West Central Research and Outreach Center hosts its annual Horticulture Night on Thursday, July 26. The event includes tours of the University of Minnesota's Horticultural Gardens as well as discussions on gardening topics, gardening technique demonstrations, games in the Children's Garden and a picnic dinner.
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