Time to Renew Your Membership

Penn State Ag Council 2010 Membership renewals will be sent out via CVENT email shortly. The strength of the Penn State Ag Council is in its membership. Please take the time to renew today. Please contact Rhonda with any questions at 814-867-1816.

April 8 Delegate Meeting to Include Viewing of "Food Inc."

A viewing of Food Inc., a recently released movie about "America's industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers' rights," will take place at the April delegate meeting followed by a discussion on public perceptions of agriculture. American agriculture is under increased scrutiny, and the meeting will provide an opportunity for dialogue on perceptions, realities, gaps, and opportunities around ag issues and ag literacy. The meeting will take place on April 8th in Bellefonte - mark your calendars!

Dean's Industry Tours Resume

After a brief hiatus, the college's Dean's Industry Tours resumed in September in the southeast region with the Pa Landscape & Nursery Association, the American Mushroom Institute, and the Pa Winery Association co-hosting the tour. In an effort to stay connected with the college’s industry clientele and alumni, the Dean's Industry Tours were initiated years ago to provide the Dean with an opportunity to make a series of trips around the state visiting industry sites every year. Penn State Ag Council members assist in identifying tour stops and hosting the Dean. As part of the tours, the college holds an evening reception where local alumni, ag industry, and government representatives are invited. These receptions are co-hosted by the college’s Alumni Society and the Penn State Ag Council and allow time for people to informally meet the Dean, get an update on college activities, and provide input or ask questions.

Marcellus Shale Topic of October Program

The October 12 Penn State Ag Council Delegate Meeting was held at Celebration Hall with the program focusing on Marcellus shale activities. Speakers included Extension educators discussing the scope of the issue, economic impacts, and water quality considerations as well as Ross Pifer from the Penn State Ag Law Resource and Reference Center discussing legal issues. Dean Bruce McPheron was welcomed by the council and gave a college update and his vision moving forward. Presentations from the meeting are posted on the Penn State Ag Council Website under activities.

2009 Penn State Ag Council Leadership Awards

The Penn State Ag Council 2009 Leadership Awards were presented at the October delegate meeting. The awards honor outstanding leaders in the agricultural community in Pennsylvania. Excellence in three categories is recognized: Leadership Award, Youth Leadership Award, and Leadership in Action Award. This year's award recipients include:

• Leadership Award, Robert Steele
• Youth Leadership Award, Ayla Detwiler
• Leadership in Action Award, Lancaster Farmland Trust

2009 Research Tour Held

Approximately 100 college stakeholders from industry, government, and alumni attended the tenth annual College of Agricultural Sciences research tour, sponsored by the Penn State Ag Council. The tour took place on September 24th at the University Park campus. The college supports hundreds of research projects each year that address issues of importance to Pennsylvania agriculture and the public.

The research tour allows attendees to witness first hand the depth and breadth of the research done at the college and the practical application and importance of the research to the agribusiness community and Pennsylvania. It also provides an opportunity for council members to interact with legislators and reinforce constituency support for research projects. Our thanks to ag council members - Pa Farm Bureau, PennAg Industries, Northeast Equipment Dealers Association, and York Ag Products, Inc. - for sponsoring the tour luncheon.

Board of Directors Election

Nominating Committee Chair John Rodgers presented the nominees for the PSAC Board of Directors to the delegates at the October meeting for a vote. Reelected to the board were Amy Bradford, PennAg Industries Agronomic Products Council, and Rich Dexter, International Society of Arboriculture.

College Budget Update

Although the Pennsylvania legislature finally passed, and the Governor signed, the state budget bill on October 9th - 101 days late - Penn State still does not have a budget. The Governor noted they held back the non-preferred (state-related) appropriation bills that fund the four state-related universities (including Penn State), museums, art associations, hospitals and other state related entities until the table games revenue bill is passed, noting the revenues are needed to balance the state budget.

The state Senate has already approved appropriations of $333.8 million for Penn State, but the House still needs to approve the bill. If the Senate numbers hold, Penn State would receive a 6% cut in base funding from the state in FY 2009/10. Funds from the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) would then be used, as required by the legislation, to supplement state funding for higher education, which would leave Penn State with FY 2008/09 initial authorized levels.

For the college, this will likely result in $25,594,000 and $30,384,000 for agriculture research and extension lines respectively. Although this equates to level funding from the FY 2008/09 levels, it leaves the college with a $1.3 million deficit due to increases in operational costs, even with the current freeze on salaries. It also leaves the college facing a permanent decrease in state base funding of 6% into the future.

Although decreases in funding levels are always hard to enact, the college considers this a good budget under the current economic conditions and credits college advocates for communicating support for these lines throughout this difficult budget process. Advocates of college research and extension programs voiced strong support at both the state and federal levels and made a difference. On behalf of the college - thank you for your support !

Goddard Chair Search Underway

The college has published an announcement to fill the Maurice K. Goddard Endowed Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resources Conservation. This position is designed to provide leadership in sustainable natural resource conservation and utilization through programs of public service, education, and scholarship. Please feel free to distribute the announcement to potential candidates.

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar

• December 9 - PSAC Legislative Committee Meeting, Harrisburg
• TBA - College Capitol Day, State Capitol, Harrisburg
• April 7 - PSAC Board Meeting, State College
• April 8 - PSAC Delegate Meeting, Bellefonte
• April 24 - Ag Action Network Training, TBA
  
• April 27 - Dean's Tour Reception, TBA
• June 29 - Dean's Tour Reception, TBA
  

Council Hosts Farewell Dinner for the Dean

More than 300 guests attended a farewell dinner on April 7 hosted by the Penn State Ag Council in honor of Dean Robert Steele. Dean Steele is stepping down as Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences on June 30 after 12 years in the position and will join the college's faculty as a tenured professor in the Department of Food Science. Speakers highlighted Dean Steele's accomplishments during his tenure as Dean, praised him for building strong relationships with college stakeholders, and shared humorous stories from his years as Dean. Council president, Gregg Robertson, presented Dean Steele with a token of appreciation from the Council for his years of service - a black powder rifle. Photos of the event can be viewed at Dean Steele's Farewell Dinner.

New Dean of College of Ag Sciences Announced

The appointment of Bruce A. McPheron, associate dean for research and graduate education at the University's College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, as dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences was approved March 20, 2009, by the University's Board of Trustees. McPheron begins his tenure as dean effective July 1. He succeeds Robert D. Steele, who is stepping down after 12 years to return full-time to the college's faculty as a professor in the Department of Food Science. Click here for the full story.

College Capitol Day Addresses State Budget

The fourth annual College Capitol Day, sponsored by the Penn State Ag Council and PCCEA, was held on March 16 in Harrisburg with more than 170 college advocates attending. Agricultural advocates, including members of the Penn State Grassroots Network, visited every legislative office to encourage support of the college's agricultural research and extension budget lines found in the Penn State appropriation bill. A copy of the budget request can be seen at College Budget Request 2009.

Please contact your legislator and communicate support for the Penn State agricultural research and extension line items. Contact Mary Wirth in the College Relations Office for more information (mfw10@psu.edu).

College Research Tour Planned for September

This year’s PSAC research tour will be held on Thursday, September 24, on the Penn State University Park Campus from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Invitations will be sent via CVENT in August. Please remember to encourage your legislators to attend.

Ag Progress Days Quickly Approaching

Ag Progress Days will be held on August 18 - 20. Council members are once again encouraged to provide their organization's banner for display during the College's special guest luncheons. Please contact Rhonda Demchak (rrr11@psu.edu) in the College Relations and Communications Office for more information.

Council members are also invited to attend one of the College's special guest luncheons. Invitations will be mailed in early June, so watch for your invitation postcard and email. You will be able to register online at the College of Ag Sciences Alumni Society website after June 1.

Taylor Doebler Appointed as New PSAC Board Member

Taylor Doebler, T.A. Seeds, has been appointed by the Penn State Ag Council Board of Directors to fill the unexpired term of board member Marc Tosiano, who has resigned from the board after accepting a position with USDA in Washington, DC. Please join the board in congratulating Taylor for his appointment, which is effective immediately.

April Program Examines Federal Ag Perspective

Attendees at the April meeting of the Penn State Ag Council heard speakers discuss federal perspectives on agriculture and policy. Newly elected Congresswoman Cathy Dahlkemper and Congressman Glenn Thompson, both serving on the House Committee on Agriculture, gave their views on priorities and issues facing the agricultural community. Colien Hefferan, USDA CSREES, gave an overview of the vision for agriculture under the new administration. Details of their remarks can be found in the meeting minutes.

2009 Leadership Award Nominations

The Penn State Ag Council Membership Committee is seeking nominations for the 2009 PSAC Student Leadership and Leadership in Action Awards. You can view a list of past recipients and submit your nomination online. Nominations are due by August 1.

Tailgaters Wanted

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, Marcos Fernandez, is seeking Penn State Ag Council members to attend the college Undergraduate Education student tailgates held at the Ag Arena before each home game to interact with current students. We are looking for 2-3 members to attend each tailgate. Please contact Rhonda Demchak if you are interested in attending (rrr11@psu.edu) or call the College Relations Office at 814-863-2822.

College Career Fair October 27

Ag Career Day is the perfect opportunity to meet and talk with the college's bright and talented students face to face about your internship or full-time positions. Even if you are not looking to hire, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to promote your company and make connections through personal interaction with students, faculty, and staff. Click here for more information and to register.

College Launches New Student Internship Initiative

The college has created a new Career and Internship Initiative to better connect college students and potential employers. All Penn State Ag Council members are encouraged to inform their company members of this new opportunity. More information can be found at the College's Business and Industry Website.

H1N1 Info Available on College Website

Visit the college Website for comprehensive information on the H1N1 Influenza A.

ACRE Update

The Pa Supreme Court has reversed the Commonwealth Court's ruling that the Attorney General (AG) can challenge pre-ACRE township ordinances under ACRE only if the municipality takes action to enforce the ordinance (5-2 decision; Castille and Greenspan dissented.) The Court added that under ACRE the AG office acts on its own behalf, not on behalf of the complaining farmer, and that the AG can bring action with or without a complaint from a farmer. For more information see article.

View Creamery Cow to Cone Video

Penn State Ice Cream from the Berkey Creamery! A tradition for generations of Penn Stater's and their guests. But there's more than meets the eye, or the mouth for that matter. Every cone of 'Peachy Paterno', or cup of 'Death by Chocolate' begins with the cream provided by the cows at Penn State's dairy barns only a short mile north of the Creamery Store. Creamery Ice Cream represents the University's agricultural roots, and remains today a symbol of Penn State pride. View our new From the Cow to the Cone video!

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar

• June 3 - PSAC Legislative Committee Meeting
• June 3 - PSAC Membership Committee Meeting
• July 15 - APD Banner Forms Due
• August 1 - Leadership Nominations Due
• August 18 - 20 - Ag Progress Days
• August 19 - PSAC Board of Directors Meeting
• September 24 - PSAC College Research Tour
• September 29 - 30 - Dean's Industry Tour
• October 12 - PSAC Delegate Meeting
• October 12 - College Scholarship Banquet
• October 13 - PSAC Board of Directors Meeting
• October 27 - College Career Fair

Visit the College at the 2009 Farm Show

The many faces of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will be evident at the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Jan. 10-17 in Harrisburg. The showpiece will be an expanded exhibit with educational stage presentations, but the college's presence will be felt throughout the sprawling Farm Show Complex.

In the college's exhibit in the Main Exhibits Hall just off the Maclay Street entrance, a wide variety of displays will highlight the college's expertise and programs in areas such as land-use planning, bioenergy research, food-safety and preservation, and water quality. More...

You can also take a look at the college Farm Show exhibit via our WebCam

Time to Renew Your PSAC Membership

PSAC membership renewal notices were sent out in November for the 2009 calendar year. You should have received a CVENT email notice to renew your membership online with a check or credit card. Snail mail notices were sent to those who we do not currently have email addresses. The strength of the Penn State Ag Council is in its diverse membership – please renew today! If you did not receive an email renewal notice please contact Rhonda in the College Relations office at 814-863-2822 or rrr11@psu.edu.

Farewell Dinner for Dean Steele to be Held in Conjunction with April Delegate Meeting

Robert D. Steele, dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has announced that he will step down, effective July 1, 2009. Steele, who has served as dean since July 1, 1997, will join the college's faculty as a tenured professor in the Department of Food Science. More...

The Penn State Ag Council is hosting a farewell dinner for Dean Steele in conjunction with the council's April delegate meeting. The dinner will be held on Tuesday, April 7, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. This is an opportunity to show appreciation for all that Dean Steele has done for the College and the Ag Council.

The delegate meeting will follow on Wednesday, April 8, at Celebration Hall in State College. The program will be “The Changing Landscape of Agriculture: New Leadership, New Opportunities, New Challenges”. The program will focus on a federal perspective of agriculture under the new administration with speakers invited from the new administration, USDA, plus several Pennsylvania legislators.

You will receive one registration that includes BOTH events - you will be able to register individually for either one or for both. Please look for an email invitation soon.

College Capitol Day Scheduled for March 16, 2009

This year's College Capitol Day, sponsored by the Penn State Ag Council in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Council of Cooperative Extension Associations, will be held at the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg on March 16. Capitol Day provides an ideal opportunity for the agriculture community to educate legislators on the importance of agriculture to the state and the need to increase funding for agricultural research and extension programs. The day will include a morning training session for advocates, followed by legislative visits, and an ice cream social in the lower rotunda. You will be receiving a registration notice in January. Please plan on attending!

2008 Leadership Awards Presented

Jim Davis, Chair of the Ag Leadership Committee, presented the sixth series of leadership awards at the October 27, 2008, delegate meeting. The awards were created to recognize individuals in the agricultural community at large who demonstrate outstanding communications and advocacy skills; exhibit the highest levels of professionalism, performance, innovation, judgment, and problem-solving skills encourage personal development, partnerships, collaboration, and respect; and serve as a role model, mentor, diplomat, and inspiration. More...

Congratulations to the following recipients:

PSAC Leadership Award: Tom Wambaugh
PSAC Youth Leadership Award: Alex Lauffer, Senior, Agricultural and Extension Education
PSAC Leadership in Action Award: School of Forest Resources Alumni Group

You can submit a nomination for 2009 online here.

Ehrhart Elected to Council Board

Mathew Ehrhart, Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Foundation, was elected to the council board at the October delegate meeting. Ehrhart fills the vacant seat created with the rotation off the board of Past President James Shirk. Reelected to a second term were Kristen Goshorn, County Commissioners Association of Pa and James Davis, PA State Association of County Fairs.

Officers for 2009 were elected at the August board meeting to include:

Gregg Robertson, President, Pa Landscape & Nursery Association
Greg Kirkham, Vice President, Westfield Group
Joel Rotz, Treasurer, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
John Rodgers, Past President, Pennsylvania Forage & Grassland Council

Christ Named as New Senior Associate Dean

Barbara Christ, professor and head of plant pathology, has been named senior associate dean in the college, effective Jan. 1. She replaces Paul Wangsness, who retired earlier this year after serving the college as a faculty member and administrator for 37 years.

In her new position, Christ will have broad, college wide duties in planning and implementation related to programs, daily operations, budgets, safety, university policy and procedures, personnel, promotion and tenure, hiring and retention, facilities and land, external relations, and assistance for academic, regional and support units of the college. More...

Messina Named as New Director of School of Forest Resources

Michael Messina, professor and associate department head for undergraduate programs in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University, has been named director of Penn State’s School of Forest Resources, effective January 5, 2009. Messina will replace Charles Strauss, professor of forest economics, who is retiring after more than seven years as director and more than 47 years on the Penn State faculty. More...

Leadership Announced for Pennsylvania Legislative Committees

Legislative leadership elections have been held in both the house and senate for the state of Pennsylvania. Rep. Mike Hanna will continue to chair the House Ag and Rural Affairs Committee with Rep. Sam Rohrer as the new minority chair. Sen. Mike Brubaker will continue to chair the Senate Ag and Rural Affairs Committee with Senator O'Pake as vice chair. Sen. Jake Corman will chair the Senate Appropriations Committee with Jay Costa as minority chair. Rep. Dwight Evans is the chair of the House Appropriations Committee with minority chair Mario Civera.

On a federal note, two new Pennsylvania legislators, Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) and Glenn Thompson (R-5), have been appointed to the Ag Committee.

2008 Fall Meeting Addressed Water Quality Issues

The fall council delegate meeting was held on October 27 at Celebration Hall in State College. The focus of the program was Upstream Effort, Downstream Impact: Pennsylvania Agriculture and the Chesapeake Bay. For more info click here.

Dean Robert Steele gave a college update, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Marcos Fernandez, presented the new college enrollment numbers, and Ann Dodd, Assistant Dean for Strategic Initiatives, gave an update on the current strategic plan and implementation strategy. Presentations given at the meeting can be found by clicking below.

Ag and Environment
Foundation for Pa Watersheds
Pa Beef Council
College Strategic Planning
Undergraduate Education

2008 PSAC College Research Tour had Record Attendance

The ninth annual Penn State Ag Council Research Tour was held on Thursday, September 25, 2008, at the Snider Ag Arena at Penn State. The tour this year highlighted research in Bio-energy and Air and Water Quality. The groups visited a green roof and the olfactometer and attended presentations on nano technology, the Asian Long Horn beetle, water resources, and the Pennsylvania gas rush. The tour was attended by a record crowd of more than 100 people.

New College Blog

Steve Williams, photographer in the college of agricultural sciences, has started a new blog that presents a unique and insightful perspective of the college and agriculture. I highly recommend it!

Theoretical Agriculture - A camera view of agricultural research and science at Penn State.

Stay Connected to the College

To receive news releases from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences via electronic mail, send a blank e-mail message to join-agscinews-l@lists.cas.psu.edu, or call 814-865-6309 for more information.

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendars

January 10–17, 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show
January 23, 2009 PSAC Board Meeting
February TBA Legislative Committee
March 16, 2009 College Capitol Day
April 7, 2009 PSAC Board Meeting
April 7, 2009 Farewell Dinner for Dean Steele
April 8, 2009 PSAC Delegate Meeting
April 25, 2009 Ag Action Network Skybox Event