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K-State Today

July 19, 2012

Recent news from the College of Agriculture

Submitted by Debbie Webb

On YouTube, see "I’m Farming and I Grow It" by the PetersonFarmBros. Greg Peterson is a senior in agricultural communications and journalism, and Nathan is a freshman in agricultural technology management. The video was posted June 25. As of July 6, it had 3.2 million hits and had been featured on Fox News, "Good Morning America," the Huffington Post and other national and international media.

Kate Bormann and Bethany Bohnenblust, both agricultural communications and journalism, spoke at the May 2012 College of Agriculture commencement. Bormann served as student body vice president for 2011 to 2012. Bohnenblust served as a state and national officer in FFA.

Nineteen students and faculty from the department of grain science and industry experienced Germany and Switzerland. They visited Bakery Ingredients, the Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, the Department of Safety and Quality of Cereals, the German Milling School, a grain storage facility, and other sites. View the itinerary and blog at Germany Switzerland.

The American Meat Science Association honored Melvin Hunt, professor emeritus of animal sciences and industry, in June with the 2012 R. C. Pollock Award for his extraordinary and lasting contribution to the meat industry at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference in Fargo, N.D. Hunt is considered to be among the world’s top five meat color experts.

Three plant pathology graduate students — Christian Cruz, Bethany Grabow, and Rodrigo Pedrozo — received travel awards from the K-State Graduate Student Council to attend professional conferences.

Twenty youth participated in the Animal Sciences Leadership Academy in early June. They experienced hands-on leadership activities; toured K-State facilities as well as the Cargill Innovation Center, Mid-America Ag Network and Grandview Equestrian Center in Wichita; and learned how to appropriately handle current livestock industry issues. Before the academy, participants were given a current event topic to research. At the end of the week, they gave group presentations that were scored on content, delivery, knowledge of the topic and ability to answer questions.

K-State’s Powercat Tractors A Team took second place in early June at the American Society of Agricul­tural and Biological Engineers’ 15th annual International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Com­petition in Peoria, Ill. K-State has earned a top-three ranking in 13 of the past 14 years. The university’s X Team, composed of freshmen and sophomores who are new to the contest, took first place in the oral presentation and tractor-pull performance categories.

Greg Aldrich joined the department of grain science and industry as research associate professor and pet food program coordinator. He will provide guidance on course development and work with university and allied industry stakeholders to expand the feed science and management program to include pet food production.