January 2013

Dan's Observations

Bright Spots

Greetings in 2013,

While life has its share of challenges for those of us who are entrusted as stewards of our education, research, and outreach enterprises, there is seldom a day when there’s not at least one bright spot and, sometimes, many that come to my attention. In introducing this first issue of The Source for the new year, I have the privilege sharing with you a wealth of those “bright spots.”

Some articles in this issue answer the question “What’s new?” One recounts the story National Public Radio told about our new OSU cheese, Beaver Classic. Another tells of our partnership in providing renewable energy to the campus with the establishment of a large array of solar panels on land managed by our College. And there’s always excitement in announcing new educator-scientists joining our faculty—and this issue introduces you to four of them. They bring expertise in turf management, potato breeding, entomology, and dairy.

(Read more at Dan's blog...)

Recent News

Oregon State's New Cheese Plant Aims To Break The Rind

(NPR) (Photo credit: Lynn Ketchum) It's football season at Oregon State University, and that means tailgating, grilling, and ... cheese?

When we think of Oregon, we don't necessarily think of cheese — maybe a nice Pinot Noir, but not cheese. But this fall, Oregon State University's new cheese plant rolled out its first batch of product: a specialty alpine cheese (like Swiss, Comte or Gruyere) dubbed by the students "Beaver Classic." It's a mild cheese, with nutty flavors like caramelized onions. (Read more...)

KCC, OSU continue work on agriculture degree partnership

(By Samantha Tipler, Herald and News)  (Photo credit:  Jordan Jones)  Officials at Klamath Community College and Oregon State University are still working on a partnership that could allow students to stay in Klamath Falls and earn a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from OSU.

“The goal is to better serve place-bound students,” Willie Riggs, director of the OSU Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center, said in a press release. “For local students to be able to complete both associate and bachelor degrees right here in Klamath Falls would open a lot of doors for people who otherwise may not have that opportunity. (More...)

OSU Update

OSU has on-site renewable energy

The two arrays cover about four acres combined. The larger site, with a capacity of 481 kilowatts, is located adjacent to Trysting Tree golf course just east of the Willamette River.  The second site size is 289 kilowatts and is located adjacent to the bike path just east of the Benton County Fairgrounds near 53rd Street.  (Read more...)

Our Best

Fisheries and Wildlife makes big showing at The Wildlife Society Annual Conference

OSU Fisheries and Wildlife made a big showing at The Wildlife Society 19^th Annual Conference in Portland, 13-18 October.  Over 30 undergraduates, including 15 Ecampus students (from as far away as NJ and HI) and at least 17 faculty and 11 graduate students attended.  Oral presentations were given by 11 faculty and 4 graduate students, and posters were presented by 2 faculty and 7 graduate students.

OSU was well represented in the awards program.  OSU Grad, Charlie Bruce received a Distinguished Service Award for his long-term commitment to The Wildlife Society.  Dan Edge received the Excellence in Wildlife Education Award.  Eric Forsman, Bob Anthony, Katie Dugger, Betsy Glenn, Steve Ackers, Steve Andrews, Tom Snetsinger and Stan Sovern received the Book Award for their book, Population Demography of Northern Spotted Owls.  OSU Grad, Bob Steidl won the Monograph Award.  Courtesy Faculty Member, Chuck Meslow was inducted as a TWS Fellow.  Last year’s Aldo Leopold Medal winner, Ken Burnham (OSU-Statistics grad) gave one of the plenary presentations.

(Read more...)

Willamette River Team wins 2012 Thiess International Riverprize

The Willamette River Team (submitted by Meyer Memorial Trust) won the 2012 Thiess International Riverprize for innovative river restoration.  This is part of a team effort with many participants throughout the Willamette Valley, spearheaded by OWEB and Meyer Memorial Trust.  “The Willamette River is a true American turn-around story and richly deserving of the world’s most valuable environmental award,” said Matthew Reddy, CEO of the International River Foundation. “Through the Willamette River Initiative, Meyer Memorial Trust has partnered with universities, NGOs and watershed councils as part of a concerted effort to restore the river and all organizations should be congratulated for their team effort.” Stan Gregory of OSU is a member of the team.  (Read more...) 

Faculty and staff honored during College luncheon

Dean Arp acknowledged the excellent faculty and staff during the College's annual awards luncheon on October 17.   A roster of award recipients may be found here, and a pdf copy of the full program which cited many other honors may be downloaded here.

Congratulations to the recipients.  Your outstanding contributions make all of us proud.

O&E Program  support award:  Linda Brewer

Linda Brewer serves many valuable roles in many units at Oregon State University, and in all of them she is known for her diligence and follow-through. The next time she lets something slip through the cracks will be the first time...

(Read more...)

O&E Innovation in online credit teaching award:  Brian Sidlauskas

(Read more...)

O&E Innovation in online noncredit Teaching Award:  Living on the Land Team

As increasing numbers of people move to small acreages in central and eastern Oregon, the need increases to help them live sustainably within this delicate ecosystem. This need inspired a team from OSU and three other experts from the Pacific Northwest to provide educational outreach that is relevant and accessible to these landowners.  The team is:  Brian Tuck, Ariel Ginsburg and Jeff Hino – College of Agricultural Sciences and Extension and Experiment Station Communications; and Susan Kerr, Washington State University; Shilah Olson, Soil & Water Conservation District; and Ellen Hammond, Oregon Department of Agriculture 

Program Highlight:  Agricultural Executive Council

What is the Agricultural Executive Council?

The Agricultural Executive Council is an elected group of student officers who serve as student government in the College of Agricultural Sciences.  Ag Exec is  the umbrella over  more than 25 clubs.  Students involved in club activities tend to do better than uninvolved students.  Clubs and activities provide learning outside the classroom and growth in social skills, as well as incubating future leaders.

What is Ag Exec doing this year?

Ag Exec is holding it's meetings in the new James E. Oldfield Teaching Facility using a board room format.  To improve relationships with clubs, they have instituted a wingman system with one officer to 4 clubs and an open door policy.  They are currently planning an etiquette dinner, a CAS dinner and dance, a leadership workshop, and an agricultural literacy event.  The annual Spring Industry Tour will travel to locations in central Oregon in April.  Ag Day on the Quad in May will finish out the year.

Clubs

The College of Agricultural Sciences has a wealth of more than 25 clubs and activities based on areas of academic interest. Additionally, outside of the college clubs, students can engage in athletics, social, spiritual and cultural groups.

There are several new clubs in CAS that began this year.  Take a look at the broad possibilities our clubs provide:

http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/student-clubs/

Funding for clubs

For many years, the Agricultural Research Foundation (ARF) has generously given the Agricultural Executive Council (Ag Exec) funding to distribute to active clubs within the college.  Each club registered with Ag Exec has the opportunity to apply for a portion of $11,700 in funding through an application and interview process which the Ag Exec/ARF Funding Committee facilitates. 

Advisor to Agricultural Executive Council

Kris Elliott is the faculty advisor to the Agricultural Executive Council.  He brings with him experience from the California FFA and the National FFA organizations.  "I encouraged the group to foster their own vision for the Executive Council. I think many of their goals came from having a great retreat back in the fall. The group identified several strengths and challenges that clubs face in our college, and identified five strategic goals to improve the Agricultural Executive Council this year. The team really had the students in our college in mind when they set out to plan this year, because they approached it from the perspective of being students themselves -- what would I want, what do the clubs I belong to need? Many of them ran for office to improve the interaction between clubs in our college, so the officers really approached the year as an opportunity to make a difference."

Kris is an instructor in the Agricultural Sciences/Agricultural Education program and is a  student pursuing his Ph.D. degree.

How Ag Exec communicates

Some old-timers remember that New Fields was an annual print publication.  In recent years it has evolved into a blog with photos that is a continuously open window into many student-driven activities in the college. 

New Fields Blog - Check it out and bookmark it!
Facebook:  OSU Agricultural Executive Council has a community page on Facebook.  Stop by and "Like" us!
Twitter:  OSU Ag Exec tweets frequently.
Pinterest:  Compelling boards for the visual audience.

Students

October Student of the Month: Joshua Etherton

Josh spent June through August 2012 doing an internship at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Lookingglass Hatchery. He worked with spring Chinook on the Imnaha River, determining sex, fork length and whether the fish were of hatchery or wild origins. His internship also provided a long list of other practical experiences.

He discovered that resource management must include sociology, ecology,
economics, cultural and historical context to be successful and inclusive. He said his
time on the Imnaha River will forever influence his views on what it takes to be a
successful manager, and how to promote healthy policies for resources.

Josh is a Fisheries and Wildlife major specializing in marine ecosystems. He expects
to graduate in 2014.

(Read more...)

November Student of the Month: Andrew Futerman

Andrew served his country for five years in the United States Army. He says he joined as a boy and left as a man. He learned that no matter the obstacles, there have always been worse things.

The Army gave him tools, experience and a model of self-discipline that is now carrying over into his educational pursuits. Skills he attained such as problem solving, thinking outside the box, punctuality, teamwork, compass, maps, GPS skills, and survival carry over into his academic work. He has succeeded in making good grades and being on the Dean’s List. Service learning continues in his volunteer work with the Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center where he is honing skills of animal care and husbandry, and being President of a non-profit men’s health and fitness organization, gaining people skills and focusing attention to detail.

Andrew is a Fish and Wildlife Biology major who, in his spare time, plays the drums and enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping, reading and cooking.

(Read more...)

December Student of the Month:  Hayden Bush

Hayden is currently the president of Collegiate FFA, vice president of the Ag Ed Club, a Leadership Academy fellow, and an active member of the Dairy Club. While a student, he also works actively on his family dairy farm in Tillamook. This high level of involvement has taught him that even with the best preparation, things do not always go as planned. He has become good at rolling up his sleeves and improvising. He prioritizes so that he can focus on the activities and relationships that are most valuable. He says “To me, getting involved is a good way to grow as a leader and a great way to give back to the OSU community.”Hayden is an American FFA degree holder, and is majoring in agricultural sciences, with a minor in animal science.  (Read more...)

Scholarships:  Seed Money

When you want something to grow, thrive and produce, a little help can make a big difference.  That's why the College of Agricultural Sciences offers nearly $500,000 in scholarships and other financial support every year.  For more information, go to agsci.oregonstate.edu/scholarships

Application deadline is February 1.

OSU awards $80,500 in agricultural honors scholarships

Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded 32 undergraduates $80,500 in Agricultural Honors scholarships for the 2012-2013 school year. The Agricultural Honors Scholarships Program, which is fostered by the E. R. Jackman Board and Savery Fund of the Agricultural Research Foundation, is designed to attract talented students to the CAS. Awards vary between $1,000 and $2,000. Gifts from donors to the college make the scholarships possible. (Read more...)

ECampus:  Claire Masing – Roller-coaster life is coming up all smiles lately

B.S. in Horticulture, OSU
From Sacramento, CA

What does earning your OSU degree mean to you?
It means that I am proud to show every employer in my future that Oregon is the place where honest, hard-working, wonderful people are born, raised and educated. It means that I am proud to be the first and only person in my family to have earned a degree. Earning a degree from Oregon State means that I have finally reached my goal despite overwhelming odds against me. I have endured homelessness, divorce, disownment from my family, and many other challenges during the years of seeking my degree. I didn’t let those hardships stop me from reaching my goal of earn a degree from Oregon State. (Read more...)

There are currently 396 distance students in the College of Agricultural Sciences studying majors of fisheries and wildlife, general agriculture, agricultural sciences, horticulture and environmental economics and policy.

BLOG:  Dylan McDowell:  Thoughts from under the Baobob Tree
A journey to Zimbabwe and Tanzania

Lightning struck in the distance as if the flash on God’s camera as he took photos of the Great Rift Valley wall while Emmanuel and I went to get cow leg soup for dinner. While it sounds a bit strange to Western ears, it wasn’t half bad. They make the broth from the cooked cow leg and they serve you part of the leg on the side to pick at as you eat. I will admit however, that a lot of it was tendon and muscle and I found myself telling him that it was great, but I was just way too full to eat any more... 

BLOG:  Helen Walters:  Voyages at Sea

Helen shares about her semester at sea experience.

I am an adventurer. I got this incredible opportunity to travel abroad through Semester at Sea during the 2012 Summer voyage. This voyage hits Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia) and Turkey, Morocco, and Portugal. Throughout the summer I will be updating on all of the insane, unique and awesome experiences that I encounter..

(Read blog...)

Exploring World Agriculture Tour of Italy

OSU/city workgroup member Tyler West plans for a career in agricultural business

(James Day, Corvallis Gazette-Times) Tyler West can almost see the day coming. The day when he will no longer be a student at Oregon State University. “I’m going to miss everything,” said West, an environmental economics major who will graduate next spring. “I’m going to miss all of the things I have been involved in. I made great use of my time here. I’m going to miss the variety ... new classes every quarter ... every year is a new year. (Read more...)

Research

OSU to test quinoa as Northwest crop

(By Daniel Robison)  Researchers from Oregon State University are exploring the potential for quinoa to grow in the Northwest’s diverse climates.

Growing demand for quinoa worldwide has more than doubled its price in the past decade – possibly creating an economic opportunity for Northwest farmers, according to Steve Petrie, one of the researchers on the project and the director of OSU’s Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center.  (Read more...)

Canola research funds sought

If funded, OSU likely will hire a post-doctoral professional to conduct the research, according to Russ Karow, head of the College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Crop and Soil Science.

(Read more...)

OSU demystifies how oat fungus kills plants

(By Tiffany Woods) Researchers at Oregon State University may have discovered why some grains are susceptible to a yield-reducing fungus.

They've mapped out the battle that takes place inside a cell when the fungus Cochliobolus victoriae infects Arabidopsis thaliana, a small plant in the mustard family that's used as a research model. They suspect that a similar process occurs in oats, barley, rice, beans and Brachypodium grasses because they are believed to share a similar gene. (Read more...)

OSU aims to spice up rice with thiamine

(By Daniel Robison)  Oregon State University aims to create rice with higher levels of vitamin B1 to make it more nutritious and at the same time, resistant to two crop-damaging diseases.

If the efforts are successful, it could mean higher yields for rice producers and a reduced use of pesticides.  (Read more...)

Multimedia Connections

Hendrick Martensz Sorgh (c. 1611-1670). The Vegetable Market (c. 1662). 20 by 28 inches.

Bounty and Community – Beginning with Food and Agriculture

To celebrate and be inspired by agricultural bounty and by people who are part of food and agriculture communities, the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is organizing its 31^st annual Art About Agriculture exhibition for 2013, embracing artistic perspectives on the theme, Bounty and Community – Beginning with Food and Agriculture. The College convened a committee of art professionals to nominate artists living in the Pacific Northwest region for this invitational. (Read more...)

Oregon Small Farm News

Oregon Small Farm News is a free online newsletter published by the OSU Small Farms program that concentrates on both commercial small farm entrepreneurs as well as non-commercial small acreage landowners. It's focus embraces organic/biological and conventional farming systems.

Read the Winter 2012 edition

Facebook 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 Wine Research Institute: 2012 Harvest Newsletter

The 2012 season was one of the driest in recent years with only 0.6-0.7” rainfall from July
through September in the Willamette Valley and eastern Oregon, 0.9” in Hood River, and 0.07” in Medford. This allowed some moderation of vine growth late season in dry-farmed vineyards across the Willamette Valley. While irrigation is commonplace in eastern and southern areas of the state, the Willamette Valley utilized more irrigation in high density vineyards and those on more shallow soils within the Willamette Valley.

(Read the newsletter)

Oregon's Agricultural Progress magazine, Winter 2013

In this issue, we explore how unexpected discoveries come from many people thinking about a problem from many angles.  The Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station is where discoveries happen.  It is where decision makers turn for the information they need to make critical public policy.  And it is where teachers come to discover how agricultural research can inspire the next generation of thinkers, doers, and discoverers.
-Peg Herring, Editor 

Dan Arp is Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.  (Read OAP...)

Reaching Out

Todd Einhorn

One of the ways OSU faculty extends science-based knowledge to Oregonians is through presentations in schools.  Recently Todd Einhorn, a tree fruit physiologist at Mid-Columbia Research and Extension Center,  kept a class of middle school 6th graders interested for over 90 minutes.  He demonstrated his work on apple tree problems and the importance of agricultural research.

OSU Science Pub:  The Science of Flavor 

Have you ever reminisced about the taste of a meal you ate the night before? You might have had stinky Limburger cheese, or maybe a spicy curry that made your mouth burn. But, if we are talking about the smell of cheese and the irritation from curry, why do we call them taste? The science of flavor is complicated. Some of the players include sweet and bitter tastes which are detected solely on the tongue. It also encompasses smell, such as the rich odor of vanilla, which is detected exclusively in the nose. And then there are tactile sensations, which include touch (the texture of crème brûlée), temperature (the warmth of soup) and irritation (the burn of hot peppers). Our understanding of how we perceive the flavor of foods and why we like some but not others is still in its infancy. At the Nov. 12 Corvallis Science Pub, Dr. Juyun Lim, a sensory scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology, covered this fascinating topic. (Watch her presentation...)

Faculty and Staff

BLOG:  Fulbright Distinguished Chair China by David Hannaway

David Hannaway of Crop and Soil Science is currently participating in The Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program in China.  The program comprises approximately forty distinguished lecturing, distinguished research and distinguished lecturing/research awards ranging from three to 12 months.  His program is “Creating curricula and teaching methodologies, and mentoring faculty and students in research projects to improve grassland management for sustainable forage-livestock systems.”

He has been maintaining a fascinating blog with photographs about his experiences.

(Read David's blog...)

Welcome Dr. Massimo Bionaz

Dr. Massimo Bionaz is Assistant Professor in Dairy Production and Management in the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, where he will be a valuable asset in both applied and fundamental research, and an enthusiastic addition to instructional and outreach activities.  Massimo’s wife, Dr. Elisa Monaco will be joining the laboratory of Dr. David Williams in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.

Welcome Dr. Stuart Reitz

(By Denise Ruttan)  An entomologist formerly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture aims to help growers in Malheur County control key pests while reducing their use of pesticides in his new job with Oregon State University.

Stuart Reitz, who was with the USDA in Tallahassee, Fla., since 1999, started work in August as a field crops expert in Ontario.

In his new position, he will help farmers increase the number of "good" insects that kill crop-damaging pests like thrips, an insect that transmits a virus and can seriously reduce the yield and size of onions. In potatoes, he'll identify and study insects that attack aphids and psyllids, also known as jumping plant lice. (Read more...)

Welcome Dr. Sagar Sathuvalli

(By Daniel Robison) – Oregon State University once again has a plant breeder leading its potato development efforts after filling a position that was vacant for nearly two years.

Sagar Sathuvalli, who started this month, is leading OSU's work to create new varieties of potatoes that are more nutritious and resist pests and diseases, including late blight. He is based at its Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. (Read more...)

Welcome Dr. Alec Kowalewski

(by Tiffany Woods)  Alec Kowalewski, Oregon State University's new turf specialist, jokes that two requirements for the job were to have a Polish-sounding last name and to be a graduate of Michigan State University.

That's because he replaces fellow MSU alumnus Rob Golembiewski, who left in March to work for Bayer Environmental Science after coming to OSU in 2008.

Kowalewski, formerly an assistant professor of turf management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Georgia, began work at OSU on Dec. 31. (Read more...)

Alumni, Donors and Friends

2012 ER Jackman Tailgater

The 2012 Homecoming Tailgater was held at the brand new James E. Oldfield Animal Sciences Teaching Facility. It was a great time to renew old acquaintances, make new ones and see what is new on campus.  Betsy Hartley was there with her camera.  Take a look at the photo album.

Bob Komoto earns OSU alumni honor

(by Larry Meyer, Argus Observer) Bob Komoto, manager of Ontario Produce, was honored with the 2012 Alumni Hall of Fame Award from the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences.

The award, presented during a luncheon on the OSU campus in Corvallis, was given for Komoto’s service to the college and community over the years, including his work as a member of the OSU’s Advisory Council For Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship, which he has been on for 13 years... (Read more...)

Western Innovator:  Dream leads way home to farm

"I always knew what I wanted to do, which was return back to the family farm," Pugh said. "And I always knew that I was going to go to Oregon State."

Pugh is the sixth generation of his family to run the family farm and the fourth generation to graduate from OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. (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.