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e-Directions
9/17/08
Due to the length of this e-Directions, it has been divided into sections. Click on the
section you would like to read.
Response to hurricanes Gustav and Ike
AgCenter recovery efforts in the news
Annual Conference award nominations deadline October 1
LSU AgCenter names new administrator
LSU AgCenter faculty members honored by international communications organization
Becky White on governor’s Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board
Op-Ed Article from Senator Tom Harkin in ‘A Public Voice’
LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com announced at LMA annual convention
Family and Consumer Sciences News
CMS Recognized at Galaxy
Response to hurricanes Gustav and Ike
I want to personally thank all faculty and staff for their hard work, sacrifice and dedication over the past
few weeks in response to two major hurricanes that impacted Louisiana in a similar fashion to Katrina
and Rita in 2005. Thank God we did not see the significant loss of lives as experienced due to Katrina;
however, the economic losses to agriculture and natural resources are again widespread and serious.
There is no doubt that we will be feeling the impacts of Gustav and Ike for many years to come.
Louisiana people are strong and willing to help each other recover from disasters. Additionally, the LSU
AgCenter is again meeting the response and recovery needs of our citizens from north to south and east
to west! Our immediate responsiveness has again shown the people of Louisiana how relevant we are to
their everyday lives, both in normal as well as challenging circumstances.
We are assessing agricultural & natural resources damages, providing hurricane and flood recovery
information, assisting with stressed livestock rescue and care, assisting families to maintain their health
and nutrition, helping set up and mange evacuation and pet shelters, helping displaced citizens deal
with stress and helping communities rebuild using best building practices more resistant to wind and
harsh coastal environments. I assure you I am proud to be a part of such a great organization and can
only say that because of the quality and work ethic of our dedicated employees. Thank you!
At the following link are three documents about our preliminary estimates of lost agricultural & natural
resources-related revenues that will be potentially lost as a result from Hurricane Gustav: Preliminary
estimates of losses in Louisiana agriculture, forestry and fisheries from Hurricane Gustav. A Louisiana
delegation, which includes Chancellor Richardson, is delivering this information personally to
Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. Today we also are beginning to assess damages caused by
Hurricane Ike, and this will significantly increase the adverse economic impacts statewide.
I would like to thank our field agents, Dr. Kurt Guidry, Dr. Mike Salassi, Dr. Rex Caffey and all of our
commodity specialists for their excellent work assessing damage and helping in development of such a
quick Gustav loss report.
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AgCenter recovery efforts in the news
LSU AgCenter Communications is doing an outstanding job of putting out news releases about the
storms’ effects and our response. Please go to our News Web site and read the stories under Headline
News, Storm & Flood News and Radio & TV News. Here’s a sampling of three of the news stories:
High tech keeps LSU AgCenter connected after Gustav. Mike Carl and his IT crew set up our mobile
satellite unit at various spots in the storm-damaged area to provide much-needed communication. This
was the first use of our newly purchased equipment, and it was a success. “We set the equipment up in
Raceland on Friday before the storm hit, and our employees from Lafourche, Terrebonne and
Assumption parishes were able to come to the Raceland site, connect their computers and receive and
send information,” said Rick Louque, Assumption Parish county agent.
LSU AgCenter’s efforts at hurricane shelter praised. John Barnett did such a good job managing the new
evacuation center set up at the Dean Lee Research Station that the Red Cross has asked him to speak at
a national meeting about how to run a disaster shelter.
Gustav affects NE La. crops. Rains from Hurricane Gustav significantly affected a diversity of
crops in Northeast Louisiana – particularly with parts of Tensas and Franklin parishes getting 19
inches of rain. Bob Hutchinson said it was the worst flooding he has seen in his 29-year career.
Tara Smith said the preliminary loss estimated for sweet potatoes was 40 percent.
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Annual Conference award nominations deadline October 1
Recognizing outstanding faculty through award nominations is a responsibility we all share. With the
recent completion of the 2007-08 programming year, please take this opportunity to submit an award
nomination for your co-workers and/or colleagues who have and continue to develop and implement
excellent extension programs that have parish, regional, state and/or national impact. The deadline for
submitting award nominations is October 1.
This year, four LCES Professional Awards (which include a monetary honorarium) will be presented
during Annual Conference:
– Rosalie Bivin 4-H Youth Development Faculty Award (2008 focus: service learning)
– Extension Excellence Award
– Floyd Edmiston Award
– Denver T. and Ferne Loupe Extension Team Award
Nominations for the Rosalie Bivin 4-H Youth Development Faculty Award (2008 Focus: Service Learning)
are to be submitted by October 1, following the guidelines found in LCES PS-21 (See Attachment 2 for
nomination form). An appointed 4-H professional faculty committee will review all service learning
nominations and submit their recommendations to my office.
Nominations for the Extension Excellence, Floyd Edmiston and Denver T. and Ferne Loupe Extension
Team awards must submit one original hard copy to the director's office by October 1. (See Attachment
1 for nomination form). An eight-member faculty committee (four selected from the AgCenter Faculty
Council) will review all nominations and submit their recommendations to my office.
For an explanation of individual awards, guidelines and criteria, access LCES Policy Statement 21,
Extension Professional Awards, at the following Intranet site: LCES PS-21.
Again, the recognition of the outstanding work performed by our co-workers is something we must all
participate in. Please take the time to submit one or more nominations this year. Thank you for taking
the time to respond to this very important request. I look forward to receiving many excellent
nominations!
Source: Paul D. Coreil, pcoreil@agcenter.lsu.edu
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LSU AgCenter names new administrator
The LSU AgCenter recently announced the appointment of Dr. John Russin as associate vice chancellor.
Russin, who previously served on the LSU AgCenter faculty, most recently was associate dean for
research in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. “I always
enjoyed my time at the LSU AgCenter and living in Louisiana,” Russin said of his previous stay in Baton
Rouge. “People here are very supportive. This is a professional homecoming, and I welcome the
opportunity to return.”
Russin said his role will be to continue to strengthen LSU AgCenter research and extension programs in
plant sciences and to improve collaboration with various stakeholders throughout the state. Russin
received his doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Kentucky and spent several years as a
postdoctoral and private-sector scientist before initially joining the LSU AgCenter faculty in 1991. He
moved to Southern Illinois in 1998, where he continued his research in soybean pathology.
Source: Rick Bogren, rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu
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LSU AgCenter faculty members honored by international communications organization
LSU AgCenter faculty members and administrators were among those honored by an international
communicators group recently during its annual meeting in Traverse City, Mich.
Two from the LSU AgCenter won some of the top honors from ACE – the Association for Communication
Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences – during the June 10-13
meeting. Tom Merrill, a professor/editor in LSU AgCenter Communications, was recognized with the ACE
Media Relations Award of Excellence, and Fred Piazza, chief information officer for the AgCenter,
received the group’s Information Technology Award of Excellence.
In addition, Frankie Gould, director of communications and public relations for the LSU AgCenter,
became the international association’s president for 2008-09 after serving previous terms as the ACE
vice president and president-elect.
Other honors also went to LSU AgCenter Communications and Information Technology faculty and staff
members in the ACE Critique and Awards Program. Those included three bronze awards in the
categories of information technology, photography and marketing and media relations.
The bronze award for best innovative use of communication technology recognized the efforts Bruce
Schultz, Davis Dautreuil and Megan Smith on a new rice blog for the LSU AgCenter.
Another of the bronze awards went to Mark Claesgens in the service photo category for a shot of the
LSU AgCenter’s Smart Bodies program.
The final award recognized a team of LSU AgCenter Communications faculty members for their work in
promoting its AgMagic event. The award for that marketing communications campaign honored Elma
Sue McCallum, Tom Merrill, Tobie Blanchard, Craig Gautreaux and Linda Benedict.
Sources: Frankie Gould, fgould@agcenter.lsu.edu and Tom Merrill, tmerril@agcenter.lsu.edu
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Becky White on governor’s Children's Cabinet Advisory Board
Dr. Becky White, associate professor at the LSU School of Human Ecology and LCES family
development specialist, became the designee of Dr. Paul Coreil on July 30 to serve on Governor
Bobby Jindal’s Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board. The board will provide information and
recommendations from the perspective of advocacy groups, service providers and parents to the
Children’s Cabinet. The purpose of the cabinet is to facilitate and require coordination of policy,
planning and budgeting affecting programs and services for children and their families. The
cabinet assures the most efficient and effective use of resources, particularly through programs
for intervention and prevention and through services that assist and support children.
Source: Governor’s office
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Op-Ed Article from Senator Tom Harkin in ‘A Public Voice’
Dr. Ian L. Maw, NASULGC's Vice President for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, has asked that
we share with you a copy of the op-ed article, Farm Bill Advance's Nation's Land-Grant Universities,
which appeared in the August issue of “A Public Voice,” NASULGC's online newsletter. It is good to see
public and congressional recognition of the value of our nation's Land-Grant Institutions.
Source: Eddie G. Gouge, Associate Director, Federal Relations, Food and Agricultural Sciences/CARET
egouge@nasulgc.org
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LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com announced at LMA annual convention
At the Louisiana Municipal Association's (LMA) annual convention in Lafayette in August, Louisiana
Economic Development (LED) unveiled a Web-based resource – www.LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com
– to help local communities prepare for new business investment. This fully implementable tool kit,
including the process used to develop it, is the first of its kind in the nation.
LED developed the community development network portal with extensive input and testing by
Louisiana's local communities, economic developers and business leaders over the last two years. The
online resource offers cities, towns and parishes a set of modules on how to become more competitive
in economic development.
"One of our top priorities at LED is to improve our communities' readiness for business opportunity,"
said LED Secretary Stephen Moret. "Every community has different assets that can make them
competitive in the global economy. But not every community is ready to participate at the same level.
That's why we've invested significant time and effort into giving them the tools they have told us they
need to succeed. It's another step toward improving Louisiana's economic development product."
With 11 Web-based modules or sections, the tool kit found at LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com
consists of training tools, templates and resources in three key areas: community foundation processes,
development-focused areas and activities, and community differentiation. It can be used by civic and
business leaders or citizen groups to guide their communities’ development progress.
"By working through the tools of the new community development network, Louisiana communities will
empower themselves to be ready for investment, growth, sustainability, leadership and improved
quality of life," said Clarence R. Fields, mayor of Pineville and president of LMA.
LED developed the online network with the input and assistance of LSU and Southern University Ag
Centers, AEP Southwestern Electric Power, Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives, CLECO,
Entergy and community and economic development leaders around the state. LED and its
LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com portal have been recognized with an Outstanding Achievement
Award by the Council for Community and Economic Research for designing this comprehensive rural and
community development strategy.
LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com has also been endorsed by the Louisiana Municipal Association and
Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association.
Source: Karen B. Overstreet, koverstreet@agcenter.lsu.edu
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Family and Consumer Sciences News
Cheri Gioe, Casie Riche and FCS extension agents Terry Tombs, Beth Gamble, Jane Jones, Gisele Haralson
and Alexis Navarro have received their certification as Level III Trainers for Pathways. Pathways is the
program that encourages a career ladder for child care workers through partnerships with
community/technical colleges and state universities. It is an excellent example of how our research and
teaching in FCCS is making an impact on the quality of child care and workforce development.
Source: Ellen Murphy, emurphy@agcenter.lsu.edu
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CMS Recognized at Galaxy
At the Consumers & Technology pre-conference workshop at Galaxy, the LSU AgCenter Web site was
singled out as being "the" (CMS) Web site to check out as being state of the art. After all states’ sites had
been reviewed, LSU and the University of Florida were cited as the CES examples to emulate.
Congratulations to our IT staff and to our faculty who work so hard to place relevant content on our
Web site.
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