Sigma Alpha, the professional agriculture sorority, is putting together a CASNR cookbook and we need your recipes.  We want recipes from anyone and everyone!

You can email us your recipe at: sigma_alpha_ttu@hotmail.com or place it in any of the three drop boxes located in Goddard, Ag.ED/Ag.Com, and the New Animal and Food Sciences building.

We will take any recipes that you may have; there is no limit on how many recipes you may submit.  When you submit your recipe please provide us with the following:

STUDENTS:
Name, Major, Hometown

FACULTY & STAFF:
Name, Position, Department

ALUMNI:
Name, Major, Hometown, Year Graduated

You may also provide us with any information about your recipe or any story that may go along with your recipe.

Also, Sigma Alpha is putting together a CASNR t-shirt quilt and would like any t-shirt related to CASNR.  So if you would like to donate a t-shirt, you can give it to anyone in Sigma Alpha or just email us!

Please pass along to any Alumni. 
Thanks,
Sigma Alpha

On Feb. 6-8, faculty and graduate students in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications participated in two concurrent research conferences in Little Rock, AR. The conferences were under the umbrella of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists.

In the Agricultural Communications Section, AEC faculty and graduate students presented two papers, one of which was selected as the Outstanding Section Paper. This paper was entitled, “Cognitive Responses by West Texas Hispanic/Latinos to Agricultural News: A Comparison of Four English and Spanish Presentation Media,” and was co-authored by Drs. Chad Davis, Cindy Akers, Marvin Cepica, David Doerfert, Steve Fraze, and David Lawver.                      

In the Agricultural Education Section, AEC faculty and graduate students presented four papers, one of which was named Outstanding Graduate Research Paper. The paper was entitled, “Characteristics of Creative County Extension Programs in Texas: Comparison of Administrative Perceptions to Observations in Identified Creative Programs,” and was co-authored by Drs. Michael Womack, Matt Baker, and Kim Dooley.                                                                   

Also as a part of this conference, Dr. James Smith was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award and Dr. Todd Brashears was elected chair of the Southern – American Association for Agricultural Education Research Committee.

Diane Mashburn, a sophomore Interdisciplinary Agriculture major from Chandler, and Lacey Durham, a senior Agricultural Communications major from Kress presented papers at the Institute of Latin American Studies Student Association’s Annual Student Conference. The conference was held on the campus of the University of Texas, Austin, Feb. 11 – 13.                                          

Mashburn’s paper was entitled, “Challenges in Community Forestry Management: A Case Study of the Indigenous Tribal Village of Santa Teresita in Bolivia.” Durham’s paper was entitled, “Intrinsic Value: Indigenous Knowledge of the Forest of the Ayoreode of Santa Teresita, Bolivia.”  Both papers were co-authored by Carl Pomeroy and Ann Liberato, doctoral students at the University of Florida.

The Society for Range Management (SRM) recognitions came during the Society’s 58th Annual Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. Lance Vermeire was awarded a 2005 SRM Outstanding Young Range Professional Award. Vermeire is a rangeland scientist at the UDSA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory located near Miles City, MT. He earned his Ph.D. in Range Science from TTU in 2002. Vermeire was cited for demonstrating exceptional ability to identify important researchable rangeland management problems, a keen ability to organize and conduct required research to address problems, and an enviable ability to transfer new understandings using superior written and verbal communication skills. He is an author of nine refereed journal articles and numerous field day reports, abstracts, and proceedings.

Dr. Chad S. Boyd was awarded a 2005 SRM Outstanding Young Range Professional Award. Boyd is a rangeland scientist with the UDSA-ARS at Hines, OR.  He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from TTU in 1990. Boyd was cited for having the vision to address high profile rangeland issues and the ability to work effectively with diverse groups (livestock producers, environmentalists, state and federal resource managers, Native American tribes). He serves on the Oregon Governor’s Steering Committee for Sage-Grouse, and on the Southeastern Oregon Resource Advisory Committee. Boyd developed a strong research program focused on sensitive species habitat issues.

Dr. Larry D. Butler was awarded the 2005 SRM Outstanding Achievement Award for Stewardship. Butler is the State Conservationist for the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Texas. Butler earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from TTU in 1974. Butler was cited for his dedicated career to transferring rangeland management technology to ranchers and range professionals, his commitment to rangeland resources, and his contributions to the training and education of rangeland management specialists in professional organizations. His work and research in the areas of enterprise diversification and multiple uses of rangeland resources has resulted in 13 scientific publications and the development of a $4 million television public service announcements.

Dr. Robert A. Masters was awarded the 2005 Outstanding Achievement Award for Research. Masters is a research scientist with Dow AgroSciences, LLC at Lincoln, NE. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Range Science from TTU in 1985. Masters was cited for developing integrated systems to manage invasive plants and improving rangelands. He had a leadership role in the development of Aminopyralid, a new herbicide designated as a reduced risk pesticide by the U.S. EPA. He identified constraints to the establishment of grasses and forbs, developed practices to overcome those constraints, and determined the sequence and combination of technologies to reclaim invasive plant-infested communities with the goal of increasing the reliability of rangeland restoration programs.

Dr. J. Daniel Rodgers was awarded the 2005 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award by the Range Science Education Council and the SRM. Rodgers is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Wyoming. He earned his Master of Science in Range Management from TTU in 1966. Rodgers was cited for his exceptional skills as a classroom teacher and for his dedication to the students in his classes. Rodgers also works with his University’s Plant Identification Team and tutors the members of the Undergraduate Range Management Exam Team.

Dr. Steven G. Whisenant was recently appointed professor and chair of the Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management at Texas A&M University. Whisenant received his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from TTU in 1975. He is considered to be one of the world’s most influential restoration ecologists. His teaching and research activities have focused on improving the productivity, diversity, ecological services and sustainability of degraded rangeland, forest, wetland, and urban ecosystems. Most of these activities have been in Texas, but he has also been internationally with ecological restoration in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Poland, and Niger. Whisenant serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for Ecological Restoration International and is a contributing editor for the Native Plants Journal.

The Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team, a new competition team, returned from Brazos County Stock Horse of Texas Show. Kris Wilson, a Ph.D. student in Animal and Food Sciences, was the Open High Point Champion and received 2nd in Open Trail. Janene Evans is the Reserve Non-Pro High Point Champion and also received a 2nd in Non-Pro Trail and in Non-Pro Pleasure. Colton Daniels was 1st in both Open Cow Horse and Non-Pro Trail. Holly Roberts received 1st in Non-Pro Pleasure and 2nd in Open Cow Horse. Trevor Allen was 2nd in Novice Cow Horse. Other team members include:  Venessa Ramsower, Amy Bell, Brandy Daughterty, Melissa Levitt, McKenzie Brazile, Robin Morris, Ashley Maly, and Kevin Burns.

Mandy Gundlach, a second year TTU Law student and alumna of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, placed second at the ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition. Twenty-four teams competed in the event held in Salt Lake City, Utah in February 2005.

The dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Animal and Food Sciences building was held Friday, Feb. 25, 2005. The new building features state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms to enhance experiential learning. Departments across campus are welcome to use the facility to host specialty events and visit the Cow-Amongus retail shop for tasty treats. The building is located at the southwest corner of Brownfield and Indiana on the TTU campus.

Mark Anderson, a M.S. student in Animal and Food Sciences, placed 3rd in the Graduate Student Competition at the Southern Section of American Society of Animal Science meeting in February.  His paper was titled "Effect of ascophyllum nodosum supplementation in finishing cattle diets to improve overall quality grades."

The annual meetings of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association were held in Little Rock, Arkansas on February 5th through 9th.  The following papers were presented by member of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics:

1.  "The Mexican Market for U.S. Sorghum:  Is There Still Room for Growth?" presented by Jaime Malaga and Syam Pandrangi

2.  "Trends, Cycles, and Price Relationships in the International Fiber Market" presented by Mohamadou Fadiga and Sukant Misra