College News

TURNING BIOMASS, MANURE INTO FUEL

A new five-year, $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute for Food and Agriculture will power the Consortium for Cultivating Human and Natural reGenerative Enterprise (C-CHANGE) as it works to create new value chains on U.S. farms, with emphasis on the generation of renewable natural gas, improved rural economic outcomes and protection of the environment. More

EXTENSION OFFERS EMERGENCY DROUGHT PROGRAMMING

With most of western Iowa experiencing some form of drought, ISU Extension and Outreach is partnering with the USDA and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to offer a series of webinars on Thursdays, July 30-Aug. 30. The webinars are intended for crop farmers and livestock producers in drought-affected areas, ag service providers and ag retailers, farm managers, ag lenders and other Iowans impacted by drought. More

CONSERVATION ENGAGEMENT BY IOWANS REACHES RECORD HIGH

The 2018-2019 Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy annual report has been released by Iowa State, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The findings reveal increased farmer, landowner and community engagement, use of conservation practices and funding invested in soil health and water quality projects. More

4-H EXHIBITIONS CONTINUE - SOMETIMES WITHOUT THE FAIR

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, county fair boards across the state are partnering with county extension councils and ISU Extension and Outreach staff to create safe, quality 4-H county fair experiences for youth. In some counties, that means canceling many activities and focusing only on youth shows. Others are moving forward with some type of in-person experience for youth, though limited. More

SCOOPING UP CYCLONE PRIDE: ISU CREAMERY TO OPEN AUGUST 21

After a 50-year hiatus, the ISU Creamery will open on Aug. 21 on the second floor of the Food Sciences Building. Among it’s tasty offerings will be flavors representing each of Iowa State's seven colleges and the graduate college. Check out the CALS flavor – “Pasture Bedtime.” More

CALS STUDENTS SELECTED AS CARGILL GLOBAL SCHOLARS

Rebecca Johnson and Lien Tran have been selected as 2020 Cargill Global Scholars. The prestigious program offers a scholarship of $2,500 per year for up to two years. Johnson, a junior in agronomy, and Tran, a junior in environmental science, will join other scholars selected for the honor in receiving leadership training and mentorship. More

BLOCK & BRIDLE CLUB EARNS NATIONAL AWARDS

The ISU Block and Bridle Club received four awards from the National Block and Bridle Club including first in annual yearbook and fourth in club activities. Macy Marek (’19 animal science) won the Outstanding Senior Award, and Justin Swanton (senior, animal science) placed second in the outstanding junior category. More

GROWING SKILLS IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

Planning, plotting and planting approximately two-and-one-half acres of fruits and vegetables to sell this summer is a learning experience for Alice Paulson (’20 horticulture), a student intern at the Iowa State Horticulture Research Station. Each Friday during the growing and harvest season, Paulson can be found distributing produce to customers on campus. More

ISU-UGANDA PROGRAM TAILORS MASKS, NEW SKILLS

Using sewing machines to create face masks is one way the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods' ISU-Uganda Program staff members are finding to support communities in their district during the pandemic, while continuing to support job skill development and education. Six mothers and eight girls have been trained to make the masks and about 450 have already been distributed in the local area. More

INNOVATIVE SPIRITS: CALS STUDENTS HELP FAMILY DISTILLERY MAKE HAND SANITIZER

One day, the Hoffmann family was making whiskey. The next, they were churning out hand sanitizer to help frontline workers in the COVID-19 pandemic. The family decided to alter the distillery’s production following conversations with fellow distillers in Iowa and after the federal government changed laws to permit distillers to make hand sanitizer. More

COVID-19 GRANTS ALLOW CALS RESEARCHERS TO PIVOT

The Office of the Vice President for Research has selected seven high-impact projects to receive seed grants to support researchers in applying their expertise to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two involve CALS researchers: “Analysis and Therapeutic Targeting of the SARS-CoV-2 Frameshift Element” and “Point-of-Care Sensors for Rapid and Low-Cost Detection of COVID-19 Infections.” More

NSF GRANT FUELS RESEARCH ON RURAL RESPONSE TO COVID-19

The National Science Foundation’s Division of Social and Economic Sciences has awarded a $200,000 rapid-response grant to David Peters, associate professor of sociology and rural extension sociologist along with partners from the University of Iowa. The team will use the funds to document the health, socioeconomic and emotional impacts of COVID-19 in Iowa's rural communities. More

IOWA STATE HOSTS ONLINE POULTRY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM VIA THE MIDWEST POULTRY CONSORTIUM CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

For the first time, Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences hosted students taking part in the Midwest Poultry Consortium's Center of Excellence Scholarship and Internship Program. It also was the first time the program was held in an online format, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite moving classes online, program coordinators still were able to make use of the new Robert T. and Arlene Hamilton Poultry and Research Teaching Farm by filming laboratory videos for nutrition and physiology courses. More

ISU JOINS INTERNATIONAL AG MODELING INITIATIVE

The ISU Department of Agronomy is the first North American entity to join the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) Initiative. The partnership converges advanced modeling technology from APSIM with decades of agricultural knowledge and experience from Iowa State. More

RESEARCH GENERATES VALUE FOR FARMERS

Farmers and seed companies in Iowa and Illinois saved millions of dollars in recent years because of data generated by Iowa State field trials that tested soybean varieties resistant to the soybean cyst nematode. The economic analysis drew on data from the field trials, as well as a dataset of farmers' seed choices. More

MASTER GARDENER TRAINING MOVES ONLINE

Iowans who would like to expand their gardening knowledge and become community garden volunteers can do so by completing Master Gardener training offered by ISU Extension and Outreach this fall. Applicants must apply for the training before Aug. 1. All classes will be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More

SWEET CORN SEASON IN FULL SWING

Summer brings sweet corn season in Iowa, and ISU Extension and Outreach specialists offer helpful advice in picking, prepping and preserving the mealtime favorite. Get tips on production and preservation in this recent "Sow, Grow, Eat and Keep" webinar, and brush up on basic sweet corn preparation at the Spend Smart Eat Smart website. More

GOVERNOR'S CHARITY STEER SHOW COMES TO IOWA STATE AUG. 15

Due to the cancellation of the Iowa State Fair, the annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show will be held at the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on Aug. 15. Organized by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the event raises money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. The event is not open to the public, and COVID-19 precautionary guidelines will be followed. The show and auction will be streamed live online. Fans can donate to the cause and vote for the People’s Choice Award online. More

Events

• CALS Annual Barbecue Canceled: The annual CALS barbecue scheduled for Sept. 5 at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center has been canceled. The college looks forward to welcoming alumni and friends back to campus for the event in 2021.
• CALS Career Day to be Held Virtually, Oct. 13-14: Due to the current public health situation related to COVID-19, the ISU Career Services Council has recommended all campus recruiting activities and events be moved to virtual status. CALS Career Day will be run virtually over a two-day period on Oct. 13-14. More information on the university-wide recommendations is available online.

Alumni News

GOLDMON APPOINTED TO USDA ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Dewayne Goldmon (’91 PhD agronomy), executive director of the National Black Growers Council, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers. The 15-person committee advises the USDA on programs that offer challenges and opportunities for minority farmers and ranchers. Goldmon also was recently featured as a panelist for the National Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) webinar, "Exploring Racial Equity, Advocacy, and Social Justice in American Agriculture." More

SULLIVAN EARNS AMERICAN MEAT SCIENCE ASSOCIATION AWARD

Gary Sullivan (’05 animal science, international ag, ’11 PhD meat science), associate professor of meat processing in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Animal Science, has been honored with the American Meat Science Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award. More

AMARAL-PHILLIPS HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE IN EXTENSION

Donna Amaral-Phillips (’88 PhD animal science), extension professor for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment in the Department of Animal Science and Food Sciences, was honored with the DeLaval Dairy Extension Award from the American Dairy Science Association. More

WALLACE RECEIVES AWARD FOR WATERSHED WORK

Ben Wallace (’07 animal ecology), Iowa fisheries biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, recently received the American Fisheries Society’s Fisheries Management Section Award of Merit for his efforts in community-based watershed management and lake restoration projects. More

BEEF UP IOWA KICKS-OFF WITH ALUMNI, INDUSTRY SUPPORT

The first steer of the Beef Up Iowa program arrived at the ISU Meats Laboratory on July 8. The program is a collaboration between Iowa State, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and its foundation, the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Food Bank Association. Beef Up Iowa provides ground beef to food insecure Iowans by purchasing cattle from 4-H and FFA members and other producers then donating the processed beef to food banks. The initial steer for the program was provided by Herry McClure (above center), an Iowa 4-H member from Dallas County and son of Jon (above left) (’03 ag studies) and Kara McClure (’02 journalism and mass communication). More

A GROWING TRIBUTE TO HAROLD CRAWFORD

The college has gathered tributes and memories of Harold Crawford, retired agricultural education and studies professor who died May 27. Crawford (’50 ag and life sciences education, ’55 MS, ’69 PhD) served as department chair and CALS associate dean and director of international agricultural programs. Review the tributes and add one of your own or honor him via the Crawford Memorial Fund online. More

Young Alum of the Month

In Memoriam: Owen Newlin (’51 agronomy, ’53 MS), retired senior vice president and director of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., died July 12. Newlin’s list of honors and achievements serves as record of his significant contributions to society, especially to the seed industry, higher education and the state of Iowa. He served as president of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and on the Board of the Directors for the ISU Foundation, including service as campaign chair. He received the Order of the Knoll Campanile Award, and a number of college and university awards including the CALS Henry A. Wallace Award. Newlin was featured in the college’s STORIES magazine in 2010. More

Want to share career news or accomplishments with fellow alumni and friends?

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