| [Image: Colyer, Harris, Holmes, Jordan, McDonald, Harris, Hampton, Weathers, Anderson] |
| [Image: Dr. Ellen Murphy, McDonald, Colyer] |
| [Image: Almond] |
Events
AgCenter walks with Williams
Dr. Patrick Colyer, regional director, and Vicky Chesser, associate extension agent, joined Rep. Patrick Williams for the first leg of his walk to Baton Rouge on his way to the Legislature.
Colyer veered off at the Pecan Station, 6.2 miles from LSUS, where the walk originated. Williams was cheered off by his spiritual adviser, a nephew, a Haughton Middle School class, a cancer survivor, School Board member Dottie Bell, Caddo Parish Commissioners Stephanie Lynch and Matthew Linn and representatives from CHRISTUS Schumpert Medical Center and the Northwest Louisiana Chapter of the Autism Society of America.
Colyer addressed the group to say that the LSU AgCenter supports Williams and offers nutrition programs.
Williams walked to draw citizens’ attention to the issues of childhood obesity and autism. Williams has been a guest blogger for the chancellor.
Cindy Smith meets Gov. Jindal
Cindy Smith, assistant extension agent for Red River Parish, had the pleasure of attending a luncheon for Gov. Bobby Jindal at First Baptist Church of Coushatta.
She presented him with an award in appreciation for his support for the LSU AgCenter and the 4-H Youth Development programs. He stated that he will be very happy to attend Red River's Hall of Fame.
Forestry Forum addresses family meeting, taxes, carbon credits
Conducting a family forestry meeting with open discussions to establish and maintain legacies and groom successors was the take-home message of Dr. Allen Nipper, regional director, LSU AgCenter North Central Region, at the 24th annual Ark-La-Tex Forestry Forum held March 13 in Shreveport.
He said failing to plan for intergenerational transfers is planning to fail, citing statistics that show 60 percent of landowners had not talked to their children about forestry. Sixty-three percent of Louisiana forest owners are over 55.
Children have concerns about taxes, time and distance, forestry knowledge and sibling rivalry, said Nipper. Some children do not want to think about taking management from their parents because it means having to go to a funeral, he said.
Meetings can share visions, solve problems and strengthen emotional ties. “How do you profit from your timber land? Long-term involvement,” he said.
Paul Spillers, a tax attorney, gave tax pointers. “When you plant trees, there are tax consequences,” he said.
Spillers said funds spent to site prep and replant are known as reforestation expenditures. “Generally, these expenses must be capitalized and then deducted many years later when the trees are cut. This is not a good tax result. A much greater tax benefit is realized if the expenditures can be ‘deducted’ in the year the money is spent. Detail and proper accounting are critical.”
Dr. Mike Blazier, assistant professor of forestry for the LSU AgCenter, addressed carbon credits and said foresters perform a social good by protecting the environment by playing a vital role in carbon dioxide levels.
He said carbon trading can provide supplemental income and is increasing at “a pretty impressive clip.”
Rep. Henry Burns made opening comments to the foresters, saying, “You are important to the state of Louisiana. We want to serve you any way we can.”
Ricky Kilpatrick, area forestry agent for the LSU AgCenter, said 352 people attended the event.
Sabine Babysitting Course addresses safety
The Sabine Parish Babysitting Certification Course was held April 28-30. Several guest speakers discussed safety issues and hints on working with children.
Awards/Recognition
Hanna makes cover of international journal with tomato study
A publication by LSU AgCenter scientist Dr. Hanna Hanna about releasing heated air near tomato plant roots to reduce production costs is on the cover of the American Society for Horticultural Science HortTechnology’s April-June issue, which has subscribers in 50 nations.
The quarterly publication provides science-based information to professional horticulturists, practitioners and educators; promotes and encourages an interchange of ideas among scientists, educators and professionals working in horticulture and provides an opportunity for peer review of practical horticultural information.
Employees receive service awards
Employees in the Northwest region of the LSU AgCenter received service awards March 12 prior to a visit by the chancellor.
They are Willie Harris, 15 years; Lisa Holmes, 10; Elizabeth Jordan, 15; Louise McDonald, 35; Nyphette Harris, 10; Dennis Hampton, 25; John Weathers, 10; Rusty Anderson, 10; Richard Shelton, 30; and Jesse West, 35 years.
Eleven from Northwest Louisiana inducted into Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame
Eleven people from Northwest Louisiana were inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame March 7.
The honorees and their parishes are Albert Doughty and Dr. Jack Bagent, Bossier; John Lowe and Mary Williams, Caddo; Beverly Bruce, DeSoto; Rick Hargis and Idell Snowden, Natchitoches; Nancy Nettles, Red River; Sheila Farmer, Sabine and Wayne Williams, Webster.
Joe Don Powell of Red River was inducted posthumously.
The 11 will join 89 other honorees who will be featured in a 4-H Museum in Avoyelles Parish when it opens in December as one of the culminating activities of 4-H’s centennial year in Louisiana.
Fond farewells
Dr. Jere M. McBride, regional director of the LSU AgCenter, was honored with a retirement dinner March 20 at the LSUS ballroom.
He was given a proclamation in his honor from Rep. Wayne Waddell and a key to the city of Benton from Mayor Albert Doughty, a former county agent, and a special song was written by Ricky Kilpatrick and performed by Kilpatrick and Ken Henderson to the tune of Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes," but renamed "Dr. McBride."
Grandson Will McBride also took to the podium to speak about spending more time with his grandparents. Others in attendance included McBride’s wife, Brenda, children Dr. Jere W. McBride and Brian McBride and their wives, both named Stephanie McBride; his college roommate, Dr. Jack Bagent; Dr. David Boethel; and Dr. Paul Coreil.
Attendees signed a matted photo of McBride then and now and presented a book of letters. A PowerPoint with pictures of his career played. Joan Almond made five cakes, including McBride’s favorite, caramel.
Seminars, Conferences
LEAFCS presents awards, installs officers at annual convention
The Louisiana Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences presented awards to 20 members at the annual convention in Shreveport on April 2.
Regional winners were:
Maxine Reeves Award--Cathryn Robinson, Caddo. The purpose of this award is to honor Maxine Reeves, a past state and national president who was working in LaSalle Parish at the time of her retirement in 1980. This award recognizes professional development in NEAFCS.
Continued Excellence Awards--Louise McDonald. She was recognized for active involvement in professional improvement programs, promotion of professional development and leadership.
Connie Aclin will serve as north regional director and Cathyrn Robinson, alternate north regional director.
While in Shreveport, the convention-goers began their meeting at the LSU AgCenter Pecan Station, visited the Louisiana Boardwalk, heard a talk on “Food as Medicine” at LSU Health Sciences Center, toured the Culinary Arts Department at Bossier Parish Community College and learned about the impact of the movie industry and tutoring on the set during an afternoon at Municipal Auditorium.
Tisha Hoaas, who tutors children on the movie sets, is a former 4-H leader at Broadmoor Middle School.
As part of its social project, each convention-goer was asked to bring two children’s books for Reach Out and Read, an organization at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport that promotes early literacy by giving books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.
The theme of the convention was Lights, Camera, Action! Focus on Louisiana Families.
LSU AgCenter osteoporosis program in DeSoto part of National Nutrition Month
Nutrition educators and homemakers learned they are never too old to improve bone health at Hats Off to Nutrition, a presentation by the LSU AgCenter held in DeSoto Parish March 27.
Joan Almond, LSU AgCenter agent, gave a presentation on osteoporosis and supplied booklets with sources of calcium, tips to ingest more of the mineral and recipes with dairy products.
Connie Aclin, associate extension agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, put the program together for National Nutrition Month.
Sheriff’s agroterrorism seminar held at LSU AgCenter Pecan Station
Participants in a seminar called Preparing Communities for Agroterrorism held April 3 at the LSU AgCenter Pecan Station learned how to respond to threats to the food supply.
Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy and Capt. Kenny Sanders coordinated the training in conjunction with the LSU AgCenter, the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training/Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education at LSU and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This is not law enforcement-sensitive but targets anyone interested in raising his awareness of the impact of agroterrorism, said Sanders, citing farm managers; grocers and food handlers; trade associations; emergency response groups; quality assurance, public health and environmental personnel; livestock boards and producers; plant and animal processing facilities; educators; extension services; veterinarians; healthcare providers and medical personnel; and consumers.
The agricultural industry itself can serve as a source for weapons of mass destruction used by terrorists. There are more than 90,000 chemicals classified as agricultural chemicals.
The components to build the vehicle-borne bomb used in Oklahoma City are of concern since the agricultural industry makes use of some of those same components, said Cliff Bland of the FBI, who at the conclusion of the seminar, along with the Bossier City Fire Department Bomb Squad, showed how commercially available products can explode and harm.
Producers were told they are on the front line of food defense and should know who their law enforcement officials and county agents are. Kowalski said county agents have a “pulse on what’s going on in the community and have their ear to what’s going on with suspicious activity.”
Lunch and Ag Discovery continues success
The LSU AgCenter's Lunch and Ag Discovery on April 22 at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City featured honey producers Bill Walker and Bud Evans. They brought a demonstration hive, and agents distributed honey recipes at the “sell-out” event.
Hanna presents at Sci-Port; Kilpatrick at Rose Center
Dr. Hanna Hanna was part of an afternoon of plant kingdom presentations at the Sci-Port Discovery Center on March 22.
He gave a presentation on hydroponic tomatoes as part of Spring Break activities. Much of his PowerPoint showed greenhouses in Canada that he has visited. He also discussed bumblebee pollination, harvesting, grafting and sanitation.
Ricky Kilpatrick presented a session on the maintenance and care of yard trees at the American Rose Center on April 19.