College News

Iowa State’s graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering is ranked second in the country, according to the latest rankings of graduate programs published by U.S. News and World Report magazine. Amy Kaleita, interim department chair, noted new facilities like the Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, Soil-Machine Dynamics Laboratory and Off-Highway Vehicle Chassis Dynamometer, provide graduate students access to state-of-the-art resources. More

HORTICULTURE RESEARCH STATION GROWING SOD FOR JACK TRICE STADIUM

The Horticulture Research Station is collaborating with the turf program in horticulture and Iowa State Athletics to grow six acres of sod to replace the MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium. Updates are available on the research station’s Facebook page. Phase two involved installing an in-ground irrigation system. More

MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN PRIVATE GIFTS FOR NEW TURKEY FACILITY

A groundbreaking was held April 8 for the new Turkey Teaching and Research Facility, which will provide a living classroom for hands-on learning in modern production practices, flexible space and state-of-the-art equipment for research addressing current challenges facing the turkey industry. More

SPRING 2021 GRADUATION CELEBRATION

Iowa State University graduation celebrations for spring 2021 will take place Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8. All celebrations will be streamed live on the Iowa State University graduation website, and will be available to watch at a later date. Video messages from Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair; faculty/staff congratulations and undergraduate student speaker, Lexie O’Brien (above), microbiology, will be available on the CALS graduation website May 7, at 9 a.m. Read more about O'Brien's student experience. Information on day-of graduation celebration details are available on the Iowa State graduation website.

CALS STUDENT NAMED GOLDWATER SCHOLAR

Paiton McDonald, junior in agricultural biochemistry and international agriculture, was named a 2021 Goldwater Scholar, the premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. More

PAS CLUB EARNS TOP HONORS AT COMPETITIONS

Iowa State's Professional Agricultural Student Club brought home several top awards from recent state and national competitions. Club advisor, Nate Dobbels ('12 ag and life sciences education, international ag), said this year's results are the best he has seen the club achieve. More

NATIONAL CONVENTION HOSTS

The Iowa State Block and Bridle chapter hosted the 100th Block and Bridle National Convention April 8-11. The committee had to postpone the original 2020 date due to COVID-19. The Iowa State chapter is the largest club on Iowa State’s campus. More

SHARING THE CALS ADVANTAGE AT IOWA FFA

During the 93^rd Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, April 18-20, the college recruited high school students in several engaging ways. CALS Ambassadors led workshops, faculty and staff volunteered for Career Development Event judging and the college hosted pre-convention events and tours on campus. Students in the pictured workshop played Jenga pulling blocks from the stack, each of which included a question about Iowa State - everything from academics to student life. The CALS Ambassadors answered the questions and shared the advantages of pursing a degree at Iowa State and CALS. The college offered $40,000 in scholarships to Career Development Event winners and select attendees who won an online drawing. The college also was a primary session sponsor for the conference. More

WOMEN LANDOWNERS FOCUS OF NEW OUTREACH

ISU Extension and Outreach is beginning a three-year project to study the needs, challenges and opportunities of women landowners. Enhancing Conservation, Access and Generational Transition of Iowa Farmland through Women Landowners is funded through a $300,000 grant by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. More

CHALLENGES, RISKS OF EARLY SWEET CORN

While producing early sweet corn is attractive, early corn comes at a risk. In a recent article in the Acreage Living Newsletter, Ajay Nair, horticulture and extension vegetable production specialist with Iowa State Extension and Outreach, explains the challenges and risks of growing early sweet corn. More

IOWA STATE MEAT LAB TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING

The pandemic forced the Iowa State Meats Laboratory to limit many of its usual operations for several months last year, but the laboratory has found innovative new ways to feed Iowans and continue its mission. Now, the laboratory is gradually returning to normal operations and even planning to expand its programming. More

ISU EXTENSION AND OUTREACH RESOURCES, EVENTS

• 2021 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey
• Concrete Inspection in Swine Buildings
• Weed Science Program 2020 Weed Control Results
• Scaling Up Specialty Crop Processing Toolkit
• Getting Your New Business Idea Funded
• Soil Management Land Valuation Conference to Return in May
• Iowa Grain Quality Initiative Provides GEAPS Training
• Retail Produce Safety Checklist Available

These are just a few of the many new and updated resources and upcoming events from ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources. See more.

Alumni News

BULLARD APPOINTED TO WHITE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COUNCIL

Robert Bullard (’76 PhD sociology) was appointed to the inaugural White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. The council will provide advice and recommendations to the chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Bullard serves as a distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University. He formerly served as the dean of the university’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. More

HERTZ LECTURE AVAILABLE ONLINE

The Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture presented by Dhamu Thamodaran (’83 PhD ag economics), retired executive vice president, chief strategy office and chief commodity hedging officer for Smithfield Foods, is now available online. Thamodaran virtually presented “Emerging Issues in Global Markets and Trade” on April 12. More

CALS ALUMNI HONORED WITH GOLDEN OWL AWARDS

Mike Retallick (’05 PhD ag and life sciences education), professor and chair in the Iowa State Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, was honored as the state winner of the 2021 Golden Owl Award from the Iowa FFA Foundation and Nationwide Insurance. The award is designed to highlight the growing importance of educators and recognize the services of the country’s leading agricultural teachers. Regional Golden Owl honorees include:

• Elisa Russ-Poggemiller (’19 ag and life sciences education), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Clear Lake Community Schools
• Wyatt Forsyth (’18 ag and life sciences education), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Wapsie Vallie Community Schools
• Kylie Nettinga (’15 ag and life sciences education, ’19 MS), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Western Christian School
• Brittany Elmquist (’03 ag and life sciences education, ’08 MS), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Audubon Community Schools
• Marcia Kilgard (’02 ag and life sciences education), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Iowa Valley Community Schools 
• Monty Collins (’87 ag and life sciences education), ag instructor and FFA advisor with Pleasantville Community Schools

HORA HONORED WITH RENEW RURAL IOWA AWARD

Mitchell Hora (’17 agronomy, ag systems technology), owner of Continuum Ag and farmer near Brighton, Iowa, was awarded the Iowa Farm Bureau's Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur Award. Hora founded Continuum Ag as a student at Iowa State. The company uses soil data to generate tools that help farmers across the globe sustainably improve their land, increase productivity and protect the environment. More

Young Alum of the Month

Maddie Weathers ('19 ag studies) is proof that you don't have to grow up on a farm or have an agriculture background to find success in the agricultural field. Weathers serves as a sales agronomist for CHS in southeast Minnesota, helping growers make the most return on their investment.

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Email editor Melea Reicks Licht at mreicks@iastate.edu.