People and programs honored at ANR Week Luncheon

Lynn Harvey

Several MSUE staff members, and programs and one supporter received awards during the ANR Week Luncheon March 11 on campus.  Lynn R. Harvey, the MSU Extension associate director of operations and a professor in the MSU Department of Agricultural Economics, received the CANR distinguished faculty award. He has an excellent record of scholarship and outreach during his 36-year career at MSU.  Harvey has served as a board member of Epsilon Sigma Phi, the national organization for Extension professionals, and a member of the Michigan Political Leadership Program’s advisory board. He is the past president He is past president of the MSU Extension Specialists Association.  He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

MSU Trustee Don Nugent received the Friend of Extension award.  Nugent’s family has been active in the horticulture industry for several generations. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1965 and returned to his family farm to grow cherries and apples.  In 1973 he formed Graceland Fruit Cooperative, Inc. with a group of local farmers who came together to process their tart cherry crop. He has held many leadership positions in local and statewide organizations and has received numerous industry awards. Nugent has been a stalwart supporter of MSU research and Extension programs and has been a member of the MSU Board of Trustees since 1994.

Don Nugent

Michigan State University Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs, and opportunities.

In This Issue

People and programs honored

Retiree reception

Budget update

Land policy web site

New Agriculture Network

Hammerschmidt receives national nutrition award

Multicultural action mini-grants available

MSUE's 2003 top 10 accomplishments

College of Human Ecology transition

Genesee County earned diversity award

Upcoming Events

Dean Armstrong prior to the ANR Week Luncheon congratulated representatives from MSUE programs that received John Hannah awards. They are (left to right) Andrea Grix, of the 4-H Youth Conservation Council; Gayle Coleman and Barbara Mutch of the Family Nutrition Program, Dean Jeffery Armstrong, Dean Kiesling and Shari Dann of the 4-H Youth Conservation Council, and Cheri Booth, 4-H Youth Development State Leader.

John Hannah Award for Excellence in Extension Programming was awarded to the Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council and the Family Nutrition Program.

For the past six years, 13-19 year-olds have been honing their research skills, developing communication strategies and joining forces to highlight environmental issues through the 4-H Youth Conservation Council. The youths gather data from face-to-face interviews, Internet searches, written publications, professional experts, letter writing and phone conservations. Each year during Earth Day they present testimony to a Michigan Senate or House committee on a select issue. The Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council is an example of how 4-H can prepare young people for active civic responsibilities. 

For a decade the Michigan Family Nutrition Program (FNP) has provided educational services to food stamp-eligible families in every county. The program helps adults and youths learn to adopt healthy food choices, practice good food safety and gain access to nutritious food to improve their nutrition and health.    

Several MSUE employees will retire this year and are being honored at a reception hosted by Epsilon Sigma Phi on April 13 from
10 –11:30 a.m. in the Kellogg Center Centennial Room. Everyone welcome to attend the reception and congratulate the retirees.  The retirees who will be honored are Mary Andrews, Cynthia Brock, Cynthia Fridgen, Joseph Fridgen, Patrick Hart, Maynard Hogberg, Joanne Keith, James Kielbaso, Melvin Koelling, Joseph Levine, Theodore Louden, Susan Miereley, Andrew Norman, Joanne Schultink and Gerald Schwab.

The 2004-05 budget lines for MSUE and MAES would remain the same as in the current fiscal year under the plan approved by the Michigan Senate on March 31. The Senate completed action on the higher education budget bill (SB 1067) prior to begining a two-week spring recess. This budget plan differs from the governor's proposal to reduce the funding for MSUE and MAES by three percent each. House Appropriations Higher Education Sub-committee hearings on this measure will begin when legislators return from recess on April 20. The legislture is expected to complete work on the state budget by mid-June.

Soji Adelaja, the John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor on Land Use has a new Web page with resources for AoEs to CEDs and others looking for land use resources. It is www.landpolicy.msu.edu.

MSU is the lead institution for a new partnership with Purdue University and the University of Illinois called the New Agriculture Network. The network will be structured like the existing CAT-ALERT system. Twice a month through conference phone calls, nine organic growers will share crop updates and advice with Extension personnel from the three universities to generate information at a new Web site.

University specialists will also write articles about a variety of practices and new findings useful for organic growers. The result will be an online newsletter with a library of resources that can be read on the Internet or printed and distributed.

The Web site is hosted by the MSU IPM Program and will be available beginning April 15 at
www.ipm.msu.edu/new-ag.htm.

The American Farmland Trust and the Environmental Protection Agency fund the New Agriculture Network. MSU district agent Dale Mutch spearheaded the initiative.

Congratulations to Pat Hammerschmidt for receiving the Joanne Heppes Excellence in Nutrition Education award from the American Dietetic Association and Society for Nutrition Education. The award will be presented at the American Dietetic Association annual conference in Anaheim, Calif. In October.

The MSU Extension diversity office is offering mini-grants to support diversity and multicultural efforts. Staff members in all roles within Extension can apply for up to $1,000 to support staff development and programming initiatives centered on issues of diversity, multiculturalism, social justice or related areas.

Those interested must complete a short application form and submit it to Dionardo PizaZa no later than April 12. A review committee will determine the awards, and applicants will be informed of their status by April 23.

Special consideration will be given to applications that show a direct connection to program improvement and delivery to diverse audiences. An application packet was sent to every county office and campus unit in early March. Staff members can also apply online at: http://ceenet.msue.msu.edu/home/MulticulturalActionMini-Grants.htm.

Each year MSU President Peter McPherson and the Board of Trustees request that all MSU departments and units submit their top ten programs for the last year.  These programs are then used in speeches and engagements when MSU-leadership is referencing current cutting edge programs from MSU.  The top 10 accomplishments of MSU Extension for 2003 included:

The College of Human Ecology (CHE) at MSU is in transition as part of overall university restructuring plans.. MSU Extension administrators are aware of the challenges and are positioned to support these transitions in positive ways.

MSU Extension staff is encouraged to read Provost Lou Anna K. Simon’s proposal, “Realizing the Vision: Liberal Arts in the 21st Century Land Grant University” at www.provost.msu.edu. The plan provides insight on the potential repositioning of current programs and departments from human ecology. The CHE website www.he.msu.edu also contains information on the proposed transition, including the perspectives of various alumni, faculty, retirees and others.

A visioning group met for the first time on March 30 and developed a vision for the future for family and child ecology research, education and extension at MSU. Participants included Dawn Contreras, Cheri Booth and Janet Olsen from Extension. Other representatives were from the College of Human Ecology, Outreach & Engagement, Institute for Children Youth & Families, School of Social Work, College of Education, and the College of Social Science. Please share your thoughts with any of these Extension representatives.

Congratulations to the Genesee County MSU Extension office for winning an MSU Excellence in Diversity award. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding initiatives in diversity-related activities.

The Genesee County MSUE team was honored for its ongoing Commitment to Diversity Program. All staff members are involved in planning and implementing this program, which allows them to improve their awareness and sensitivity toward others, become a stronger work team and better serve the people of Genesee County.

The award will be presented during a convocation and reception set for April 15 at 4 p.m. in the Kellogg Center Auditorium.

The CED confernce is set for April 20-21 at the McMullen Center near Roscommon. The two-day event will feature sessions on FY 2005 budget projections, changes in fring-loading rates, managing county and MSU funds, and the potential impact on MSUE of the loss of state revenue sharing. Attendees will also receive program updates from state program leaders and updates on the portal. Register online at http://www.web2.msue.msu.edu/cedconference/ by April 7.

Ag Expo

Mark your calendars for Ag Expo, July 20-22 on campus. For more information about the 2004 Ag Expo, go to www.agexpo.msu.edu/.

Fall Extension Conference

The 2004 Fall Conference will be held Oct. 11-14 at the MSU Kellogg Center. A committee is being assembled.Conference costs and other information will be provided after the planning committee meets.