Tuesday Morning Notes

July 24th, 2001


Proposals are due August 3 to Corky Poster for community architecture projects. The Community Planning and Design Workshop is supported by the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Applications are available on-line at http://architecture.arizona.edu/outreach/cpdw/default.htm

* We are exploring an opportunity to work with USDA's Agricultural Research Service as they develop methods to transfer technology to indigenous peoples. Joe Hiller is collaborating with Dr.'s Leonard Lane and Dale Fox at ARS's Southwest Watershed Research Center on a USDA Foreign Agriculture Service-funded project. The main objectives will be to discover how the Federal Agriculture Research Corporation (ARS counterpart) interacts with the native Maori Tribes in New Zealand with respect to technology transfer; and to use this information to enhance ARS programs with American Indian Tribes in the U.S. The U.S. model differs by proposing to utilize CALS via Cooperative Extension and Research along with Academic Programs and the Tohono O'odham Community College.

* Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education proposals and Professional Development proposals were selected to receive funding for farming techniques dealing with: disease and pest control; pollution prevention; water conservation; composting for soil building and nutrient waste management; alternative cropping systems (including agroforestry); market enhancement; and system diversification, among other related sustainable agriculture topics.
- This year, more than $1,400,000 was awarded to research and education projects; over $420,000 was allocated to professional education efforts for agricultural personnel; and over $200,000 Also, $160,000 will be split among Western states Cooperative Extension programs for state-level sustainable agriculture professional development.
- Congratulations are extended to CALS faculty who received grant funding from the Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE) for the coming year: Stephen Nelson, UA Environmental Research Lab, $95,200 - Tropical Ag; William McCloskey, Department of Plant Sciences, $175,227 - Agronomy; Kevin Fitzsimmons, UA Environmental Research Lab, $68,523 - Ag Systems; Patricia Vigil, producer, $2,768 - Ag Marketing; and Rick Gibson, UA Cooperative Extension, $10,000 - Professional Development Program - State Implementation. Grant Total Funding for Arizona was $351,718.

* Arizona Department of Environmental Quality awarded $25,000 for the Our Yard Recycling Garden. Cynthia Flynn will serve as PI on the grant and will be working with Patsy Waterfall, John Begeman and Linda Drew, a Master Gardener, on the project. The award is for one year. Funding provided will construct the garden and a corresponding educational program.

* The Family and Consumer Sciences In-Service will be held August 16-17, 2001 at Chapel Rock Church Conference Center in Prescott. Contact Patty Merk or Patti B. for details. The AEAFCS Association meeting will be held on August 15 at the same location. Contact Juanita Waits for details.

* Martin Lemon, Science Outreach Coordinator for Monsanto, will be the guest speaker at a biotechnology update seminar for faculty being held August 29, 10:00-1:00 on campus. Contact Patti B. for details.

* The Direct Farm Marketing working group will be holding a planning meeting on August 29 in Forbes 307 immediately following the biotechnology seminar. Please RSVP to Russ Tronstad (621-2425) if you plan to attend.




James A. Christenson, Ph.D.
(jimc@cals.arizona.edu)
Associate Dean and Director
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Forbes, Room 301
Tucson, Arizona 85721
520/621-7209
520/621-1314 FAX