CASNR in Video

‘Doing It Right’ Pays Off At CASNR. Here’s a new message of generational continuity keyed to attending Tech’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Follow three generations of CASNR, one of which notes, “The folks at Tech opened up a whole new world... biotechnology, plant and soil science, natural resource management…. My family has a saying... ‘ if you’re gonna do this, then you’re gonna do it right.’ That’s why I’m here.”

Agriculture Degrees: The Hot Ticket for Job Growth? With the world’s population set to exceed 9 billion by 2050, global food production will need to increase by 70 percent. According to this news segment from Fox News, this means that jobs opportunities in agriculture will continue to grow. A related article in The Atlantic Monthly lists “Veterinarians” and “Animal Breeders” among their 13 jobs with the lowest unemployment rates in 2011 and 2012.

Keeping It Local: Hippotherapy. The South Plains community recently got an inside look at Texas Tech’s Texas Tech’s Therapeutic Riding Center with KTTZ-TV Channel 5’s Marcela Garcia. Formed in 1998 in collaboration between CASNR and the University Medical Center, the riding center provides therapeutic horseback riding and hippotherapy to children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.

Therapeutic Riding Center Expands. Tech’s Therapeutic Riding Center has officially completed phase one of a three-phase project to construct a new therapeutic riding, teaching and research facility. Once completed, the expanded facility will feature an indoor riding area, classrooms and waiting rooms. Executive Director Heidi Brady noted that the horse is a powerful motivation tool that’s known to stimulate cognitive and speech functions, along with improving walking capabilities.

Tech Hosts Texas FFA Convention. The Hub City extended a West Texas welcome to an estimated 10,000 FFA members and supporters July 11-15 as the 83rd Annual Texas FFA Convention rolled into action. CASNR faculty and staff were active in recruiting efforts throughout the event. In addition, participants attended leadership workshops and were recognized for their outstanding achievements as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association.

Bloomberg Television. Darren Hudson, director of the Cotton Economics Research Institute at Texas Tech University, talks about factors affecting the cotton market and the outlook for commodity prices. He spoke with Tom Keene on Bloomberg Television’s ‘Surveillance Midday.’ The impact of a one-year Chinese government purchasing price increase on U.S. farmers is only modest at best, Hudson said.

Food Safety Research. Texas Tech University food safety researchers are part of a $2 million grant from the USDA aimed at improving food safety by managing antibiotic resistance in beef and dairy cattle systems in the United States and Canada. Fox 34 News’ ‘Ag Day Lubbock’ program gets the details in an in-depth interview with Guy Loneragan, a professor and epidemiologist in Texas Tech’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences.

Imported Grape Varieties. Wine grapes that flourish in certain parts of Europe just might excel in West Texas. Texas Tech researchers are evaluating wine grape varieties from Spain, Portugal and southern regions of Italy and France that are growing at a research vineyard near the Lubbock airport. The concept is to try to match grape varieties to the local climate, so they’re evaluating varieties that should do well in this hot climate, but mostly have been untested here.

Reciprocal Meat Conference. Texas Tech is hosting the 2010 Reciprocal Meat Conference June 20-23. The event will focus on major issues facing the meat industry and meat science community, as well as providing excellent networking opportunities and a menu of some of the finest cuisine in the Texas Panhandle. Program highlights include the influence of science on policy decisions, meat quality, diet/health and meat plant validation and verification.

We've Got A Place for You. Since 1925, we’ve provided programs of excellence in teaching, research and public service to prepare students for employment in the modern agricultural and renewable natural resources industry. Awaiting you in CASNR is an outstanding faculty who will challenge you and prepare you to successfully meet the demands of a rewarding career in whatever field you choose.

There’s a COWamongus! To help with marketing efforts for the eatery, a partnership has been formed between COWamongus! and a retail promotion class in the Department of Nutrition, Hospitality & Retailing in the College of Human Sciences. The restaurant gets free promotion, and students get hands-on experience in advertising, event planning and promotion.

Extending the Ogallala. Here’s a suggestion for producers looking to turn a profit while preserving Ogallala Aquifer water: Put the cattle out to pasture. After three growing seasons, researchers have found that for growers looking to curtail their irrigation, grazing cattle on forage land could be the most profitable use of acreage.

Beat the Heat with COWamongus! Made right on campus, COWamongus! dairy treats are a great way to beat the heat this summer. But wait, Cowamongus! is not only a place to get your favorite desserts, it’s also a retail store where customers can buy meat and dairy products processed by the Animal and Food Sciences Department.

New Foodborne Pathogen Treatment. Watch Dr. Brashears discuss her 99.99 percent success rate in reducing foodborne pathogens in meat and poultry. Texas Tech researcher Dr. Mindy Brashears has developed a treatment shown to reduce foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in processed beef and poultry.

Healing with Horses. The Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding Center impacts the lives of many. Professionals, students and volunteers join together to help enrich the lives of disabled people of all ages and circumstances across the South Plains. Through therapeutic riding and hippotherapy, participants can begin to heal in mind, body and spirit. The Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding Center is built on donations and volunteer work.

Can They Save the Ogallala? (And the Farmer?). Scientists, farmers and others have set out to see whether Southern High Plains growers can pump less irrigation water and still maintain their profit levels. Watch CASNR’s Dr. Vivian Allen discuss the project.

Not Just Horsin' Around. Stephanie Miles, a junior agricultural communications, major has been with the equestrian team since 2004, and enjoys riding and taking trips to compete against other universities. The Texas Tech Equestrian Team is an organization for students who are interested in horses, improving their riding skills, and collegiate equestrian competition.

CASNR Scholarships Are Available for You. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources recognizes scholastic capability as well as qualities of leadership, citizenship, and character. Scholarships are available for all students. Entering freshmen and transfer students should submit their applications no later than February 1st of each year.

Growing Fresh Vegetables in Space. Texas Tech researchers are finding ways to grow salad onions on space crafts and space stations. Ellen Peffley, a plant and soil science professor at Texas Tech, has established an exact environment to that of a space craft and is growing salad onions effectively within those conditions. She plans to continue research and find the best kinds of onions to grow and submit the findings to The Kennedy Space Center.

Saving the Southwest from Salt Cedars. Watch Texas Tech researchers remove thirsty shrubs from waterways. Salt cedar is a very great consumer of water: a single large plant can absorb 200 gallons of water a day. This can result in the lowering of the ground water, drying up of springs and marshy areas, as well as reduction in water yield of riparian areas.

Is There Life after College?. At the Career Center, personal attention can get you where you want to go.The Texas Tech Career Center has many resources to make their job and career search easier. Your CASNR connection is Jared Lay, Assistant Director for the Career Center/CASNR Liaison. He can reached at jared.lay@ttu.edu or (806) 742-2808.