Agri News, MN
04-04-06
Iowa news and notes
ISU professor selected for national panel
AMES, Iowa -- Levon Esters, Iowa State University assistant professor in
agricultural education and studies, has been appointed to a national
committee to organize a leadership summit focused on helping universities
attract, retain and prepare students for careers in agriculture and science.
Esters was selected by the National Academies Board on Agriculture and Natural
Resources based on his expertise in career development. His research focuses
on identifying factors that influence the career choices of students enrolled in
secondary and post-secondary agriculture programs.
"This is an excellent opportunity to work with educational leaders in preparing
and attracting students into the agricultural sciences," Esters said.
The five-year outlook for agricultural graduates indicates that there are more jobs
than graduates. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, there will
be 52,000 job openings related to agriculture.
ISU is on guard against ash borers
AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University Extension is starting its third year of a
collaborative effort to survey the state for a destructive, exotic insect pest.
The emerald ash borer was first discovered in Detroit in 2002 and has killed more
than 15 million ash trees in Michigan.
Pockets of ash borer damage have been seen in Indiana, Ohio and Windsor,
Ontario. The costs to city governments, land owners and others runs in the
millions of dollars.