 Selective
Breeding Using Top-of-the-Line Stock
Patrick Doyle and Wes Patton
received a donation of 102 Silverdale ewes and two Silverdale
rams from Superior Farms to pursue research targeting the
development of a terminal ram to be used in the commercial
sheep industry. Patton and Doyle were also awarded a three-year
research grant titled “Genetic and Economic Evaluation
of Alternative Genotypes for U.S. Sheep Production”
through the Agricultural Research Initiative to match funds
provided by Superior Farms and the California Sheep Commission.
The student sheep management team, staff, and undergraduate
students in the college’s research course will join
Patton and Doyle in developing sheep that will meet the needs
of the producer, the meat processing industry, and the consumer.
In addition, Doyle and Patton will use a grant of $10,140
from the California Sheep Commission to investigate the effects
of grass finishing and grain finishing diets on the flock
of Silverdale sheep.
College of Agriculture Turns 50
The college celebrated its 50th anniversary during Fall Festival
October 2003, held at the University Farm. This event brought
together more than 500 alumni, faculty and staff members,
students, and supporters of the college.
Firsts
The College of Agriculture welcomed the largest group ever
of incoming freshmen and transfer students in fall 2004, representing
a 50 percent increase over the previous fall. Total enrollment
in agriculture is more than 400. The first-ever College of
Agriculture Career/Internship Fair was held in April 2004
and was attended by more than 25 agricultural businesses and
250 students.
Dean is State and National Leader
Dean Charles A. Crabb is president-elect
of the American Association of Schools and Colleges of Agriculture
and Renewable Resources. Crabb was also appointed to a four-year
term on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture
by Governor Gray Davis in October 2003.
Women in Agricultural Economics
Professor Annette Levi holds a two-year
post as chair of the Committee for Women in Agricultural Economics
(CWAE). CWAE is a permanent committee directly affiliated
with the American Agricultural Economics Association for more
than 25 years and is the only organization addressing the
needs of professional women in agricultural economics.
 Student
Achievers
Out of 21 student achievement awards presented at the spring
2004 University Awards Reception, students from the College
of Agriculture received four. Teresa Berg
received the President’s Award for the graduate with
the highest grade point average; Angela Browning
received the College of Agriculture’s Outstanding Student
Award; Kathleen Reed received Outstanding
Service to Student Government Award; and Patricia
Cotter, now a graduate student in Interdisciplinary
Studies, received the Chris Hilbert Outstanding Chico State
Friend Award.
Look, Ma—No Hands! Touchless Fruit Harvester
Lal Singh is directing a research project
that would revolutionize fruit and nut tree harvesting operations.
Bell-Carter Olive Company, the California Department of Food
and Agriculture, and the California Agricultural Research
Initiative have financed this project. A team of engineers
and students are developing a “touchless-harvester”
for olives, prunes, peaches, almonds, and pistachios.
Grant Awarded for Niche Marketing Research
Cindy Daley, animal biotechnology, was awarded
a 2004 national grant from Western Region Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education for $60,000 titled Adding Value
to Grass-Fed Beef Niche Marketing Efforts for Small to Mid-size
Ranching Operations. This is a joint grant with UC Cooperative
Extension professionals Glenn Nader and Stephanie
Larson.
Ag Teaching Moves into the Future
Mike Spiess presented California and
Its New Teachers: Prisms Through Which to View the Future
of Agricultural Education, 2004 (co-authored with M.
Trexler) at the National Agricultural Education Research Conference
in St. Louis, Missouri in May 2004.
Research and Teaching Go Hand-in-Hand
Nacer Bellaloui received a CSU Research
Award of $4,984 for Precision Nutrition Under Controlled
Hydroponic Production Systems in Tomatoes in spring 2004.
He also was awarded a Center for Excellence in Learning and
Teaching grant of $4,970 to develop a course about applying
global positioning systems and global information systems
to agriculture.
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