Release No. 0193.98 Fund for Rural America Standard Grants Listing by State Alabama Improving Income of Socially Disadvantaged Forestland Owners in the South Through Technical Assistance Though Alabama's "Black Belt" is endowed with rich forest resources, forests have not contributed significantly to the household income of the landowners. Further, inappropriate management of forest resources has intensified environmental degradation in the region. This project will (1) identify the characteristics of socially disadvantaged forest land owners and their forest lands and (2) develop a pilot technical assistance program in forest management and marketing for these landowners. Collaborators: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund; Alabama A&M University; Alabama State University; Alcorn State University - $150,000 Contact: Thomas Harris (334) 727-8808 Program Contact: Jianbang Gan (334) 727-8321 A Biotechnical Experiential Learning Program for Rural Alabama This project will develop an experiential learning program consisting of basic exercises in biotechnology for teachers of K-12 and students in rural Alabama community colleges. The goal is to increase the scientific knowledge, enabling students to pursue careers in biotechnology and make rational decisions about practical applications of biotechnology. Collaborators: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Auburn University; Hortense Dodo; Alabama A & M University; University of West Alabama - $193,800 Contact: Thomas Harris (334) 727-8808 Program Contact: Edward J. Smith (334) 727-8028 Arizona Food Losses from the Farm to the Consumer This study will quantify food losses at major stages of the food marketing system, replacing existing data which is fragmentary and out-of-date. Collaborators: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Iowa State University; USDA Economic Research Service - $540,000 Contact: Roger Caldwell (520) 621-2010 Program Contact: Timothy W. Jones (520) 621-6299 A Community Gracilaria Enterprise for Rural Coastal Residents The project will develop a replicable model for rebuilding a traditional enterprise for a global economy. Although demand for red seaweed is strong, traditional services are over picked and production is declining. This project will address improved production, good stewardship of the local environment, and revitalization of the local economy. Collaborator: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Ke Kua'aina, a non-profit community development organization - $200,000 Contact: Roger Caldwell (520) 621-2010 Program Contact: Edward P. Glenn (520) 741-1990 Development of Guayule as A New Crop for the Production of Hypoallergenic Latex This project will develop the semi-arid lands shrub, guayule, as an industrial feedstock. Guayule is on the edge of commercialization. The information from this project will help increase international competitiveness and farm profitability, reduce economic and health risks, conserve and enhance natural resources, and increase economic opportunities in farming and rural communities. Collaborators: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Yulex Corporation; University of California-Riverside; Texas A&M University; New Mexico State University; USDA Agricultural Research Service; University of Akron - $500,000 Contact: Roger Caldwell (520) 621-2010 Program Contact: Dennis T. Ray (520) 621-7612 Revitalizing the Navajo Wool and Mohair Industry The Navajo sheep industry is in decline due to inefficiencies in the marketing system for wool and woven products that prevent producers and weavers from receiving desperately needed income. The tradition and artistry of Navajo weaving is rapidly disappearing while younger generations pursue non-agricultural vocations. In response to these trends, this project will develop short-term strategies such as redesigning markets for wool and mohair and improving herds; and long-term strategies such as youth and adult-education programs, value-added processing, new-product development, and expanded markets for woolen products. Collaborators: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ , Navajo Community College; Northern Navajo Organization for the Advancement of Animal Health and Humanity (NOAH2); Shiprock High School; Navajo Wool and Mohair Industries - $25,000 Contact: Roger Caldwell (520) 621-2010 Program Contact: Steven E. Etter (505) 368-5716 California Genetics and Biosynthesis of Sulforaphane, A Potent Plant Anticarcinogen This project will study one of the cancer fighting components of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, and lay the foundation for the long-term objective of designing and genetically engineering vegetable and fruit crops to increase their potential health benefits to the consumer. Collaborator: The Regents of the University of California, Davis, CA, Department of Nutrition, University of California at Davis - $300,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Steffen Abel (916) 752-5549 Planning for Sustainable Agriculture in the Central Valley of California This project will develop and test a computer-based resource and land use decision making tool for use by local governments, and distribute it with appropriate training. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California, Davis, CA,California Cattlemen's Association; American Farmland Trust; Local Government Commission; California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - $300,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Robert Johnston (916) 752-3015 Bringing Biotechnology to Wheat Fields This project will transfer new developments in biotechnology to wheat breeding and production through a better integration of public research, public and private breeding programs, and the wheat industry. It will take advantage of molecular markers developed in previous research plans to efficiently transfer genes and chromosome segments carrying important agronomic genes to elite adapted wheat varieties and wheat-breeding lines. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California, Davis, CA, Arizona Crop Protection Association; Arizona Grain Research & Promotion Council; California Wheat Commission; University of Arizona; University of Hong Kong; USDA Agricultural Research Service - $220,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Jorge Dubcovsky (916) 752-5159 Targeting Small Poultry Producers for Health and Management Programs The overall goal of this project is to promote health, food safety, positive public perception and the export potential of specialty and naturally grown poultry products. This project will survey and analyze poultry producers methods, and then develop materials for the education of the producers to best meet the safety regulations of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California-Davis, Tulare, CA, California Department of Food and Agriculture; Cooperative Extension University of California; Center for Consumer Research - $150,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Joan S. Jeffrey (209) 686-4231 National Student Food Salvage Program This project will establish ten new campus food salvage programs and further develop the model for replication in the future by providing technical assistance and training to student leaders through a conference, campus site visits, phone consultations, and training materials. Collaborators: Center for Public Interest Research, Santa Monica, CA, Occidental College; University of Southern California; Connecticut Public Interest Research Group; Pomona College; Mount Saint Mary's College; Youth Service America; Oxfam America; AmeriCorps; Congressional Hunger Center; Food Chain; Second Harvest; National Student Food Foundation; Public Interest Research Group Chapters; COOL - $64,400 Contact: Margie Alt (617) 292-4800 Program Contact: Julie A. Miles (202) 546-9707 Biological Control of the Brown Citrus Aphid and Citrus Tristeza Virus in the United States Brown citrus aphid is responsible for millions of dollars of losses in the U.S. citrus industry. This project will implement a biological control for the brown citrus aphid and other vectors of citrus tristeza virus, develop mass-rearing techniques for aphid natural enemies; deploy probes to detect economically important strains of citrus tristeza virus so they can be destroyed, and create a forum where stakeholders in the U.S. citrus industry may benefit from this technology transfer. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service Crops, Pathology, & Genetics Research Unit, Davis, CA, The National Citrus Research Council; USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; University of Florida; Texas A&M University - $220,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Edwin L. Civerolo (530) 754-8694 Adding Value to Agriculture-- A Collaborative Approach Based on Agricultural Tourism This project will develop a model to enhance farm income and strengthen the vitality of the rural sector and build community relations among small-scale growers by developing agricultural tourism. It will work with two pilot multi-county areas in California. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA, California Latino Agricultural Association; University of California Cooperative Extension-San Diego; Sunflower Strategies - $200,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Desmond A. Jolly (530) 752-7774 Increasing Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture and Positive Community Impacts This study will expand the adoption of biologically-based farming systems and strengthen their positive influences on the social and economic health of rural communities in California. This will be done by identifying farmers' goals and management styles and their connections to key community stakeholders, and strengthening the social and economic linkages between farmers and their communities through local leadership development and public education strategies. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California, Davis, CA, Community Alliance with Family Farmers; Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission - $400,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Karen Klonsky (530) 754-8548 Water and Land Management in Irrigated Ecosystems This project will study the agricultural area of the San Joaquin Valley in California using economic and water management models to measure the environmental and agro-economic impacts of irrigation and water management with differing agricultural enterprises. The model will also be used to measure the economic, environmental and social impact of reductions in permanent surface water supply, reductions in land irrigated, or reductions in Selenium discharge from the study area. Collaborators: The Regents of the University of California, Davis, CA, California Department of Water Resources; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey; San Joaquin Valley Drainage Implementation Program; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; CALFED Bay-Delta Program Community Alliance with Family Farmers; San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority - $320,000 Contact: Bob Sams (916) 754-8539 Program Contact: Wesley W. Wallender (530) 752-0688 Colorado Developing Soil C Sequestration as a Commodity for CO2 Emission Mitigation in U.S. Agriculture This project will assess the feasibility of increasing carbon in soil as a commodity for U.S. farmers. This will benefit climate by reducing harmful CO2 emissions, enriching the soil, and increasing the productivity of farms. Collaborators: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; USDA Economic Research Service; University of California-Davis - $400,000 Contact: Katherine Timm (970) 491-6432 Program Contact: Keith Paustian (970) 491-1547 Business Index Reporting Service for Irrigation District and Canal Companies This project will develop a prototype, or "beta" version, of a business index reporting service for irrigation districts and canal companies, carrying essential business information to assist irrigation districts and canal companies in financial, management and engineering decisions. Collaborators: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, Utah State University; University of Wyoming - $165,000 Contact: Katherine Timm (970) 491-6432 Program Contact: John Wilkins-Wells (970) 491-5635 Community-based Livestock Integrated Resource Management The goal of this project is to improve the economic and environmental health of rural Western communities by improving the competitive position and sustainability of independent livestock producers. Project participants will work with two selected communities to develop prototypical livestock enterprise management plans, and will develop an educational program to extend the findings to other producers and rural communities. Collaborators: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, National Cattlemen's Beef Association; Colorado Wool Growers; The American Sheep Industry Association; Colorado Cattlemens Association; Colorado Farm Bureau; USDA Farm Services Agency; Colorado Department of Agriculture; Livestock Marketing Association - $250,000 Contact: Katherine Timm (970) 491-6432 Program Contact: Gordon D. Niswender (970) 491-5621 Connecticut Agriculture in New England: Strengthening Economic, Environmental Quality, and Community Impacts This project will develop a coordinated extension and research approach to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of New England dairy farmers. The project will also address the broader producer, environmental, and community related issues and problems created in New England by the transition away from government commodity programs. Collaborators: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Connecticut Department of Agriculture; Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection; Connecticut Farm Bureau; Connecticut Forest and Park Association.; Connecticut Rural Development Council; University of Connecticut; University of Massachusetts; University of Vermont; many others - $350,000 Contact: Bruce Wilbur (860) 486-0099 Program Contact: Linda K. Lee (860) 486-1917 Delaware DNA Marker Technology in Commercial Broiler Breeder Selection Programs This project will evaluate the use of DNA marker technology for identifying economically-important genes in a competitively-produced, commercial broiler chicken population. Collaborators: University of Delaware, Newark, DE, University of Delaware; USDA Agricultural Research Service; Purdue Farms - $300,000 Contact: Garvin Quinn (302) 831-1125 Program Contact: Marlene G. Emara (302) 831-2522 District of Columbia Public WebMarket Expansion Project This project will create a virtual business incubator on the Internet to serve over 50 community-based organizations and 1,000 small businesses. The new system will be a model, replicable by others. Collaborators: Center for Civic Networking, Inc., Washington, DC, Center for Civic Networking partners; First Step Research Global Telematics; Appalachian Center for Economic Networks; Metasystems Design Group; Blacksburg Electronic Village at Virginia Tech University; the Center for Rural Development and Community Revitalization at the University of Nebraska - $112,000 Contact: Richard Civille (202) 362-3831 An Off-System Road to the Information Superhighway This project will enable small town government leaders to take advantage of the information available on the Internet. Project would build on previous work in this area and include nationwide distribution of materials and training for local officials. Collaborators: National Center for Small Communities, Washington, DC, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development; Southern Rural Development Center; Missouri Interactive Telecommunications Education (MIT-E) Network; Minnesota Association of Townships; Maine Rural Development Council; Michigan Townships Association; Idaho Rural partnership; Texas Municipal League; Association of Towns; University of Nebraska Lincoln; University of Minnesota - $75,539 Contact: Nancy Terry Stark (202) 624-3556 Market Development for Organic Agriculture Products This project will analyze the market for organic products and evaluate the effects of national organic standards and labeling on organic product markets. Collaborators: USDA-Economic Research Service Specialty Crops Branch, Washington, DC, University of Georgia; Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture - $200,000 Contact: Barry Krissoff (202) 219-1192 Florida Aging, Nutrition and Extension: An Integrated Network for Rural America This project will coordinate existing aging, nutrition, and extension services to establish an outcome-oriented home and community based service system for rural elders to reduce their risk of malnutrition. Collaborators: Florida International University, Miami, FL, National Policy & Resource Center on Nutrition & Aging; National Aging Services Network; USDA Nutrition Screening Initiative - $220,000 Contact: Catherine Thurman (305) 348-2494 Program Contact: Nancy S. Wellman (305) 348-3184 Georgia Internet and Computer Technology for Transfer of Information to Dairy Producers This project implements an information delivery system using Internet and computer technology as a model for disseminating management information to producers nationwide. The project maintains the important interactive link between experts or an expert system and producers. Collaborators: University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Four extension dairy specialists - $212,358 Contact: Barry Jones (706) 542-5580 Program Contact: James Smith (706) 542-9108 Hawaii New Forests for a New Century in Hawaii Declines in Hawaii's sugar cane production have left more than 200,000 acres of land underutilized or neglected and contributed to the net loss of 15,000 jobs in the past five years. This project will create a vigorous program in forestry extension which will lead to opportunities for conservation and use of forests and conversion of former agricultural land to trees or agroforestry systems. Collaborators: University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI Kanehameha Schools/Bishop Estate; Hamakua Timber; Maunakea Agribusiness; Hawaii Forest Industry Association - $250,000 Contact: James H. Fownes (808) 956-7508 Expansion of Pearl Farming in Hawaii and Micronesia Through Demonstration and Extension This project will develop a locally based training effort to transfer innovative hatchery techniques to small pearl farmers, demonstrating operations at new sites, and formulating operating and financial plans for satellite farms in Hawaii and Micronesia with the purpose of commercialization. This project will help the community by providing jobs, enhancing the community economically and socially, and increasing environmental stewardship of the lagoons. It will provide job training and production skills to low-income rural residents and increase the black pearl industry in the Pacific rim area. Collaborators: Black Pearls, Inc., Holualoa, HI, University of Hawaii; Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology; Sea Grant Pacific Aquaculture Development Program; Land Grant/CMI and Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority - $220,000 Contact: Dale J. Sarver (808) 322-7108 or (808) 331-1188 Idaho Developing Yellow Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) Into New Crops That Increase International Competitiveness, Rural Community Viability and Environmental Stewardship in Sustainable Production Systems This project will study the use of modified crop rotations using yellow mustard to increase yields, boost farm returns and competitiveness, and promote environmental stewardship. This project may also lead to reduced imports of canola oil and strengthen grower competitiveness in international markets. Collaborators: University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, Oregon State University; Washington State University; Montana State University; Colorado State University; Louisiana State University; Texas Tech University; Kansas State University; University of Nebraska; University of Missouri; University of Georgia; North Dakota University - $300,000 Contact: Corinne Lyle (208) 885-5883 Program contact: Jack Brown (208) 885-7078 Improved Marketability for Wheat Grown in the Pacific Northwest Universities working with wheat growers in the Pacific Northwest will develop wheat varieties and production and marketing practices designed to identify and capture new markets domestically, boost international competitiveness, and strengthen the profitability of wheat culture in the Pacific Northwest. Collaborators: University of Idaho, Aberdeen, ID, Western Plant Breeders; Pro-Mar Select Wheat of Idaho; Great Harvest Bread Co.; Pendleton Flour Mills; US Wheat Associates; Fisher Flour Mills; Montana Department of Agriculture; Montana Cereal Quality Laboratory; Aberdeen Wheat Quality Laboratory - $400,000 Contact: Corinne Lyle (208) 885-5883 Program contact: Edward Souza (208) 397-4162 The Nutritional and Environmental Value of Low Phytic Acid Grains Reducing phytic acid in grains may increase nutritional value and reduce phosphorous pollution attributed to animal waste. This project will study the effects of low phytic acid grains on human and animal models. The results of this study may enhance the competitiveness of U.S. grain growers in the international marketplace, and may result in improvements in the economy and environment in rural communities. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service National Small Grains, Aberdeen, ID, University of Missouri; University of Colorado; University of Idaho - $100,000 Contact: Victor Raboy (208) 397-4162 Indiana A Comprehensive Risk Management Education Program for Corn Belt Agriculture The project will implement a multi-state extension education program in risk management, to improve agricultural producers' risk management decisions. This is carried out by an integrated extension, research, and teaching team from three Midwestern universities. Collaborators: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, The Ohio State University; University of Illinois - $300,000 Contact: David King (765) 494-8396 Program Contact: Timothy G. Baker (765) 494-4237 Distance Delivered Master of Business Administration Degree in Food/Agriculture This project will design and develop an MBA program addressing the unique challenges of the food and agricultural marketplace and providing the necessary management concepts. Since it will be accessible to individuals in isolated rural areas, this distance-delivered educational program will minimize time away from the job. Collaborators: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, The Center for Agricultural Business, Department of Agricultural Economics, and The Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University - $400,000 Contact: David King (765-494-8396) Program Contact: Jay Akridge, (765) 494-9176 Iowa Telecommunication Education Partnership Program for Rural Development in Southwest Iowa This project will provide telecommunications experience to enhance rural development, to develop credit and non-credit programs to be delivered using, and to develop an educational program (also to be delivered using telecommunications) on the critical needs for rural and community development. Collaborators: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, IA, Twenty counties in southwest Iowa - $175,000 Contact: Barbara Woods (515) 294-9610 Program Contact: Harold R. Crawford (515) 294-7725 Implementation of a Food Safety Improvement System For Sustaining the Competitiveness of the Independent Pork Producer and Packer The project will develop, implement, and test-market a preharvest monitoring system for pork that will sustain the local and global competitiveness of the independent pork producer and the regional packers they supply. It will develop a monitoring system for farm management practices, three food-safety pathogens, and antimicrobial residues. It will educate producers by implementing pilot-test monitoring and feedback systems and testing intervention strategies. It will conduct marketing and economic studies that will determine the cost-benefit of this system to producers, regional packers and related communities. Collaborators: Boehringer Ingelheim/NOBL Laboratories, Inc., Sioux Center, IA, University of Minnesota; USDA Agricultural Research Service; Iowa State University; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development; PIC, Inc.; Pro Pork Associates - $340,000 Contact: G. Michael Daniel (712) 722-4696 A Model Research and Educational Project to Promote Pork Production This project will assess air and water quality, human health, and the socioeconomic health of rural residents and communities associated with contrasting forms of swine production. The second part of this project will develop an educational program promoting community-acceptable pork production based upon a combination of scientific assessments and community input. Collaborators: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, Franklin County Pork Producers; Friends of Rural America; Hardin County Citizens for Community Improvement; Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Iowa Environmental Council - $220,000 Contact: Kelley J. Donham (319) 335-4190 Legume Phytochemicals: Improving Utilization The goal of this project is to improve the use of legumes in the U.S. diet as a source of several potentially cancer-protective phytochemicals. Collaborators: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, IA, University of Nebraska; South Dakota State University - $490,000 Contact: Barbara Woods (515) 294-9610 Program Contact: Suzanne Hendrich (515) 294-4272 Development of Standard Method of Odor Quantification using Olfactory and Chemical Analysis Odors from agriculture are often the source of conflict between agricultural producers and communities. This project will develop a standard method of determining acceptable odor levels of manure which can be used for agricultural operations, primarily for swine farms. Collaborator: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, IA, University of Minnesota - $375,000 Contact: Barbara Woods (515) 294-9610 Program Contact: Dwaine S. Bundy (515) 294-1450 Kansas Implementation of Best Management Practices in the Blue River Basin of KS and NE This project will develop a plan to combat run-off problems affecting the quality of drinking water in the Blue River Basin of Kansas and Nebraska. The project will help farmers adopt best management practices. Collaborators: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, University of Nebraska; Kansas State University; Kansas State Conservation Commission; Kansas Water Office; Kansas Department of Agriculture; Kansas Corn Growers Association; Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association; Nebraska Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District; Nebraska Little Blue Natural Resources District; Nebraska Corn Growers Association; Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association; Nebraska Department of Agriculture - $400,000 Contact: Bob Furbee (913) 532-5804 Program Contact: Charles Rice (913) 532-7103 Expanding Local Markets for Environmentally Identified Products The goals of this project are to overcome barriers to an expanded market in environmentally identified products such as organically grown produce; to create stable and robust local markets able to compete nationally and internationally; to increase the profitability of small- to mid-sized farms at the urban-rural interface; to increase the use of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats in household diets; and to reduce the environmental burdens of farming. Collaborators: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, Kansas Rural Center; Rainbow Organic Farms - $130,000 Contact: David A. Burress (913) 864-3701 HACCP Implementation and Evaluation in Small and Very Small Meat/Poultry Plants This project will consider the use of existing processing technologies related to meat safety in small processing plants, including steam pasteurization, and develop materials which can be used to train plant workers and others in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approaches. Collaborators: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, North American Meat Processors Association; American Association of Meat Processors; Frigoscandia - $440,000 Contact: Bob Furbee (913) 532-5804 Curtis L. Kastner (913) 532-1234 The Heartland Sustainable Agriculture Network This project will work with more than 200 farm families to help farmers and ranchers work together to learn to plan, develop, and transfer sustainable farming systems into their communities. Collaborators: Kansas Rural Center, Inc., Whiting, KS,Kansas State University; Kansas Center for Rural Initiatives; Center for Management Development at Wichita State University; Tallgrass Prairie Producers Co-op; Kansas Organic Producers; Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance - $100,000 Contact: : Jerry Jost (913) 873-3431 Kentucky PLOW: People Learning Others' Ways This project will develop an outreach program for community enhancement and increased productivity by addressing needs of workers and producers in Western Kentucky, and will create a model for rural change that team leaders can incorporate into their communities. The results of the project will be shared through a unique Website. Collaborators: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, Kentucky Farm Bureau; University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service; Kentucky Farm Workers Network; Council for Burley Cooperatives; Kentucky Pork Producers; Kentucky Haygrowers Association; Kentucky Dairy Council; Kentucky Association of Fruit and Vegetable Growers; Kentucky Foreign Language Association - $220,000 Contact: Program Contact: David Coffey (502) 745-3151 Economic Development through Community Empowerment The program will motivate individuals to improve their health and coping skills, and help communities take ownership and responsibility for their health care systems. This project will provide training and support to participants and communities. Collaborator: University of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington, KY, Kentucky Homeplace Project - $220,000 Contact: Carla Craycraft (606) 257-4736 Program contact: Karen Main (606) 439-3557 ext. 283 Maine A Systems-Based Analysis for Land Use Change This project will develop a systematic approach to estimating land use changes between different users and applying this to address specific land-use policy problems. The results are then applied to three policy problems: urban development in Maine, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices while furthering environmental stewardship in Iowa, and the management of land-based carbon storage, such as forests and pastures. Collaborators: University of Maine, Orono, ME, Iowa State University; University of California-Berkeley; USDA Forest Service; Maine State Planning Office -$165,000 Contact: Gary Anderson (207)581-3420 Program Contact: Andrew John Plantinga (207) 581-3156 Maryland Eastern Gamagrass for Forage, Soil Improvement and Buffer Strips This project will use eastern gamagrass--a native crop that grows well in marginal soils-- to produce high quality forage, improve acid content of soil, and create buffer strips around croplands and along streams. This will reduce erosion, sedimentation, and movement of nutrients to streams and contribute to natural resource conservation, as well as provide a source of income for farmers from otherwise non-productive lands. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, USDA Agricultural Research Service; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Maryland Extension Service; University of Maryland Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture - $100,000 Contact: Donald Thomas Krizek (301) 504-5324 Integrated Manure Management on Dairy Farms for Conservation of Natural Resources and Profitability This project will develop management practices and decision aids to help sustainable whole-farm dairies profitably and efficiently handle manure while avoiding unsafe treatment of soil, water, and air quality. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, Pennsylvania State University; The Composting Council; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Cornell University; Rodale Institute; University of Maryland at College Park; Dairy Herd Improvement Association; University of Vermont Extension - $380,000 Contact: Barbara Glenn 301-504-9100 Implementation of a Novel Biological Control Strategy for Plant-Parasitic Nematodes This program will develop and promote a biologically based control strategy for plant-parasitic nematodes. This combines the efforts and expertise of scientists who specialize in insect pathology and nematology at the laboratory level, with applied research, education, and extension efforts in the field. Collaborators: University of Maryland, College Park Campus, College Park, MD, USDA Agricultural Research Service; Ohio Agriculture Research Development Center; University of Rhode Island; Iowa State University - $310,000 Contact: Edwin Lewis (301) 405-7525 Environmental Benefits and Costs of a Voluntary Riparian Forest Buffer Program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed This project will study the effects of having a riparian forest buffer between the Chesapeake Bay watershed area and farmlands. It will analyze the environmental costs and benefits of this buffer, and the type of educational and financial incentives needed to implement this voluntary program. Collaborator: University of Maryland, College Park, MD, Wye Research Center - $205,000 Contact: Ellen Varley (301) 405-4581 Program Contact: Andrew Baldwin (301) 405-1284 Massachusetts Integrating Economic and Ecological Goals on Private Industrial Forest Land in Maine This project will supply scientific information about forestry and the environment to the public, its leaders, and stakeholder groups, to address the conflicts between public environmental values and the increased demand for fiber and other forest products from North American forests which sometimes threaten the welfare of rural communities and the global competitiveness of the U.S. forest products industry. In addition, a 22-member team of foresters, ecologists, and forest economists from eight organizations will collaborate in developing forest management plans that simultaneously maintain wood flows and self-sustaining populations of native flora and fauna. Collaborators: Manomet, Inc., Manomet, MA, USDA Forest Service; University of Maine; Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences; S.D. Warren; the Great Northern Paper Company - $425,000 Contact: John M. Hagan, III (207) 721-9040 Michigan Latinos in the Rural Midwest: Community Development Implications This project will identify and measure the patterns of Latino population growth in the rural Midwest, its causes and consequences, and its implications for the enhancement of rural communities and rural policy. Collaborators: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI University of Nebraska; University of Iowa; University of Wisconsin; University of Indiana; DePaul University (Chicago); Wayne State University; University of Michigan - $185,000 Contact: Mary Harvey (517) 432-1555 Program Contact: Refugio I. Rochin (517) 432-1317 Enhancing Rural Economies Through Comprehensive Extension, Research, and Partnership Approaches Using Multi-county Clusters in Michigan with Application to National Rural Settings The heterogeneity of rural areas and their different degrees of dependency on farming make it difficult to formulate an effective national rural development policy. This project will develop a comprehensive approach to rural community enhancement, using a selection of cluster counties to replicate the project in other U.S. areas with similar characteristics. Collaborators: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USDA Rural Development Agency; Rural Council of Michigan; Michigan Department of Agriculture; Michigan Retailers Association; North Central Regional Center for Rural Development; Entrepreneurial Education Foundation; 18 County Extension Offices; Gogebic Community College; Kirtland Community College; Montcalm Community College; Montcalm Alliance; Montcalm-Gratiot Renaissance Zone; and Greater Gratiot Development, Inc. - $450,000 Contact: Mary Harvey (517) 432-1555 Program Contact: Colletta Moser (517) 353-3298 Great Lakes Region Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Assistance Program This project will study, analyze, and create a program to most effectively implement the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. This project will train personnel to most effectively comply with the safety regulations and help small meat processors maintain their economic viability. Collaborators: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio Departments of Agriculture; Michigan Meat Association; Indiana Meat Packers and Processors Association; Ohio Meat Processors Association - $150,000 Contact: Mary Harvey (517) 432-1555 Program Contact: Wesley N. Osburn (517) 432-0459 Increasing Forest Industry Competitiveness with Genetically Engineered Trees This project supports basic research to genetically engineer improved herbicide tolerance and reproductive sterility in larch and poplars in the Great Lakes states and New England, to overcome two of the main barriers to their expanded commercial use. The goal of the project is to increase the international competitiveness of the pulp and paper industry in northern regions. The investigators also will seek to determine the perceived environmental risks associated with the commercial use of transgenic trees. Collaborators Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, University of Minnesota; USDA Forest Service; White Water Associates, Inc.; Mead Corporation; S.D. Warren Company; Consolidated Paper Company; Blandin Paper Company; Monsanto; Michigan Department of Natural Resources - $300,000 Contact: David F. Karnosky (906) 487-2225 Minnesota Enhancing Rural Development Through Electronic Commerce The project will build on the work of the United Nations Trade Point Initiative and the Minnesota Secure Electronic Authentication Link laboratory to provide consulting, build community capacity, and develop connectivity needed to enable small- to mid-sized rural businesses to trade globally through electronic commerce. Collaborators: University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, State of Minnesota Office of Technology; local Internet service providers - $250,000 Contact: David M. Nelson (612) 624-0769 Program contact: William Bomash (612) 625-8776 Integrating World Wide Web Technology Into Our Teaching and Learning The goal of this project is to remove barriers to adoption and use of information technology by rural youth and the adults who work with them, by developing WWW courses and interactive environments which rural families are motivated to use. Collaborators: University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, University of Minnesota Extension Service; University of Missouri-Columbia Extension Service; Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service; Ohio State University Extension Service; Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service; The Cooperative Extension System Children Youth and Family Network; The Cooperative Curriculum Development Project; The Teaching Through the Web Project - $227,827 Contact: David M. Nelson (612) 624-0769 Program Contact: Trudy Clyde Dunham (612) 624-2247 Community Food Sourcing to Facilitate Rural Economic Development This community food sourcing project will integrate technical capacities to increase the incomes of hundreds of sustainable livestock producers through direct marketing, while expanding employment by supporting small, rural businesses seeking HACCP and Federal inspection compliance. The project will also improve consumer access to premium foods produced under favorable environment practices. Collaborators: Land O'Lakes, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, University of Minnesota; Lorenz Meats and Deli; Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota - $400,000 Contact: Ken Schamberger (612) 481-2965 Assessing the Impact of Integrator Practices on Contract Poultry Growers This project will examine the impact of integrator practices in the poultry industry from economic, sociological, and legal perspectives and develop a model for estimating costs and returns to contract growers under various contract terms. Collaborators: Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc., St. Paul, MN, National Contract Poultry Growers Association; Purdue University; Duke University - $300,000 Contact: Randi Ilyse Roth (612) 223-5400 Missouri Midwestern Agroforestry for Rural Development: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach This project will develop complementary but parallel research, teaching, and outreach programs in two significantly different agroecosystems of the Midwest. The four research objectives include studies of the important biological interactions affecting tree, forage, and animal yields, system profitability, and system adoption of agroforestry practices. The teaching objectives include the development of multi-disciplinary education in agroforestry. Outreach objectives include establishing a balanced agroforestry outreach program aimed at Midwestern practitioners and field-level professionals throughout the U.S. Collaborators: The Curators of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, Purdue University; Hammons Company of Stockton; National Agfoforestry Center - $300,000 Contact: Duane Dailey (573) 882-9181 Program Contact: Bruce E. Cutter (573) 882-2744 Innovation for Increasing Equity Capital in Rural Communities This project focuses on enhancing rural equity capital markets and institutions by bringing strategies for promoting rural community enhancement together with strategies for improving the competitiveness, profitability, and efficiency of agricultural producers and rural-based businesses. The project is designed to provide information and foster new partnerships to create new equity capital institutions that can serve rural regions across the country. Collaborators: The Curators of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, North Dakota State University; Oklahoma University; Clemson University; University of California-Davis; Iowa State University; University of Kentucky; Policy Research Group; University of Wisconsin; Arizona State University; Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City - $435,000 Contact: Duane Dailey (573) 882-9181 Program Contact: Marvin R. Duncan (573) 883-0316 Montana Nursing Intervention: Rural Dwellers and Chronic Illness The overall goal of this project is to use telecommunication technology for nursing intervention. Computer and Internet service will be used to (1) provide information and mutual and professional support to middle-aged isolated rural women living with chronic illness, and (2) evaluate the impact of participation in these support groups on the women's psycho social health. Collaborators: Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, American Cancer Society; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; American Diabetes Association; Arthritis Foundation; MSU College of Nursing and Burns Telecommunications Center - $200,000 Contact: Tana Kappel (406) 994-5132 Program Contact: :Kim Obbink (406) 994-6036 Nebraska International Tourism and Attraction Development for Rural Communities The goals of this project are to provide intermediate and advanced rural tourism development training in international marketing and attraction development to enhance the economic benefits of tourism to rural communities. Collaborators: University of Nebraska, Kearney, NE, Kansas Rural Center; Rainbow Organic Farms - $165,000 Contact: Dan Cotton (402) 472-2821 Program Contact: Brian Hill (308) 865-8727 Effective Use of Carbon and Nutrients in Manure Using Site-Specific Application This project will improve crop productivity in less-productive areas and reduce soil variability within fields while minimizing adverse environmental effects, using site-specific manure application guided by GIS remote sensing. Collaborators: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Akron, CO - $220,000 Contact: Dan Cotton (402) 472-2821 Program Contact: Bahman Eghball (402) 472-0741 Consumer Evaluation of Beef Classified for Tenderness This project will study the classification of tenderness of beef and the marketability of a system for grading beef tenderness by testing a small sample from the beef carcass at the same time as it is being processed in the slaughter plant. Such technology may help small niche beef packing companies compete in specialty markets. Collaborator: USDA Agricultural Research Service U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, PM Beef Group - $400,000 Contact: Steven D. Shackelford (402) 762-4223 New Jersey New Jersey Cooperative Food Gleaning Program This project will expand the productivity of an existing gleaning network in nine counties and improve the organization of food distribution through coordinated contacts with farmers, other food producers, and food banks. In addition, the recipients of gleaned foods will receive nutrition education and better access to a full range of comprehensive social services available through a statewide gleaning consortium. Collaborators: Tri-County Community Action Agency, Bridgeton, New Jersey, Community Food Banks in Hillside and Pleasantville; Farmers Against Hunger; Food Bank of South Jersey; Mercer Street Friends; NORWESCAP; Bonner Foundation; Cook College of Rutgers University - $574,591 Contact: Herbert DiMaio (609) 451-6330 Program Contact: Mike Cudemo (609) 451-6330 New Mexico Northern New Mexico Distance Education Project This project develops curriculum for delivery to rural schools and communities using distance education technologies. Offerings will include math and science, language arts, economic development, and general technology use. Project involves 25 school districts and 19 tribal school. Collaborators: Northern New Mexico Community College, Espanola, NM, Northern New Mexico Network for Rural Education; Rio Arriba County; Los Alamos National Laboratory - $204,427 Contact: Jose Griego (505) 747-2291 Rural Agricultural Enterprise Network This project will organize a structured network of eight to twelve agriculture-related enterprises, coupled with support services, to address issues concerning international competitiveness, profitability, efficiency, environmental stewardship, and rural community enhancement. It will organize a structured network of Hispanic and Native American community-based agricultural enterprises within one of the most impoverished rural areas in the country, building upon the concept of flexible manufacturing networks and introducing several innovations designed to overcome problems encountered in attempts elsewhere to transfer this model from an urban/industrial setting to a rural/agricultural one. Collaborators: University of New Mexico-Los Alamos, Albuquerque, NM, Industrial Network Corporation; La Jicarita Enterprise Community; Skyloom Development Services; NM Community Development Loan Fund; NM Community Foundation; McCune Foundation; USDA Market Access Program; Small Business Development Center; Alcalde Agricultural Research Center; NM Organic Growers Commission; Market 2000; FlexNet Native Heritage Foundation; Native American Trade Association; ten community-based enterprises - $330,000 Contact: Terry Canup (505) 646-2701 Program Contact: David S. Henkel, Jr. (505) 277-1276 Western Regional Evaluation of Social & Economic Impacts of Public Land Policy This project will develop common analysis techniques for assessing the economic and social impacts of applying public grazing policies to the lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and USDA Forest Service. The analysis technique will then be applied to other demands of the public lands, such as timber, mining, recreation, and water quality, and these impacts will be studied. The research and extension efforts will be coordinated across six Western states. Collaborators: The Board of Regents of New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Las Cruces, NM, Oregon State University; University of Idaho; University of Reno; University of Wyoming; Utah State University - $220,000 Contact: Terry Canup (505) 646-2701 Program Contact: L. Allen Torell (505) 646-4732 New York Off-Season Greenhouse Raspberry Production This project focuses on the production of off-season raspberries using seasonally idle greenhouses, offering growers of raspberries a new opportunity to produce a high-value off-season crop that is in great demand. Collaborators: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, University of Alaska; University of Minnesota - $300,000 Contact: David Watkins (607) 255-1551 Program Contact: Marvin P. Pritts (607) 225-1778 Retail Farmers' Markets and Rural Development: Entrepreneurship, Incubation, and Job Creation This project will demonstrate and promote the economic development potentials of farmers' markets and their effects on vendors and host communities. It will characterize how farmers' markets incubate rural enterprises, and disseminate these findings to enhance rural productivity and adaptability, creating businesses and jobs, increase household incomes, generate tax revenues, and improve residents' quality of life. Collaborators: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, University of California-Davis; Iowa State University - $325,000 Contact: David Watkins (607) 255-1551 Program Contact: Gilbert W. Gillespie (607) 255-1675 Safe Practice Assessments for Gleaned Fresh Produce in Food Rescue This study will investigate three safety issues as it relates to safely gleaning fresh produce. These include the exposure of volunteers to pesticide residues, damaged or overripe gleaned produce, and the potential dietary problems pesticides may cause for clienteles of the network of Prepared and Perishable Food Rescue Programs (PPFRP), and Food Chain. Collaborators: Cornell University, Geneva, NY, Food Chain; 150 Prepared and Perishable Food Rescue - Programs - $447,826 Contact: David Watkins (607) 255-1551 Program Contact: Terry D. Spittler (315) 787-2283 Optimizing and Delivering Dairy Herd Health and Management Decisions This project will apply and adapt business techniques to help the dairy industry discover new business efficiencies for individual dairy farms. Collaborators: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, University of Florida; University of Pennsylvania - $300,000 Contact: David Watkins (607) 255-1551 Program Contact: Yrjo T. Grohn (607) 253-3571 Native American Model of Ecological Restoration and Community Enhancement This project will create a program of education, extension, and research to empower Native American communities in undertaking environmental stewardship projects on their own lands using the foundation of their own cultural traditions. This project will also improve educational and leadership opportunities in environmental restoration for Native American students, community leaders, and scientists. Collaborator: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, Haskell Indian Nations University - $300,000 Contact: Robin Kimmerer (315) 470-6606 Reducing the Risk of Adverse Environmental Impacts from Northeast Dairy Farms The goal of this project is to better understand the environmental risks associated with the land application of manures and wastewater sludges in the Northeast, and to improve our capacity to recommend and implement protective management practices. Collaborators: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Cornell Cooperative Extension; National Sludge Alliance; New York Farm Bureau; USDA Dairy Forage Research Center; Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority - $220,000 Contact: David Watkins (607) 255-1551 Program Contact: Tammo S. Steenhuis (607) 255-5014 North Carolina Advanced Waste Treatment For Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Swine This project will provide technologies to improve the quality of rural life by reducing odor and pollution from swine operations. The project will focus on methodologies to separate solid and liquid components of animal waste, to improve the efficiency of subsequent treatments. The designed system will be evaluated for treatment efficiency and cost effectiveness. Collaborators: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USDA Agricultural Research Service; USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Hitachi Plant Engineering Company of Tokyo - $350,000 Contact: Thomas Knecht (919) 515-2800 Program Contact: Frank Humenik (919) 515-6772 Benchmark Practices at Rural Community Colleges: Accelerating Innovation This project will develop and strengthen programs and business services available at rural community and technical colleges. This will help colleges more effectively improve the competitive advantages, growth rates, and wages of small- and mid-sized rural enterprises, especially those involving value-added processing. This project will also help rural communities identify elements of business start-up and job-skill development practices used elsewhere which can be adapted to strengthen their own economies. Collaborators: Regional Technology Strategies, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, Community Colleges of Appalachia; Southern Growth Policies Board; National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers: Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, University of Missouri; TVA Rural Studies, University of Kentucky; Hibernia Learning Partnership, Ireland; Symonds Education and Design, Scotland; Scottish Council for Educational Technology - $220,000 Contact: Stuart A. Rosenfeld (919) 933-6699 Mobilizing National Resources to Combat Emerging Food Animal Diseases This project will establish a comprehensive, systematic approach for identifying and combating emerging food animal diseases, using Poult Enteritis-Mortality Syndrome as an example of a newly emerging disease causing significant economic and social problems in rural communities. Collaborators: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State Department of Agriculture; North Carolina Extension Service; several poultry companies and growers - $450,000 Contact: Thomas Knecht (919) 515-2800 Program Contact: John Barnes (919) 829-4330 Longleaf Pine Ecosystem/Animal Waste Research Project This project will examine the effects of animal waste application on longleaf pine forests. Long term goals include: improving water quality, increasing longleaf pine cultivation; improving habitat for plant and animals associated with this ecosystem, and generating new jobs and income for citizens and local government. Collaborators: Environmental Impact RC&D, Inc., Aberdeen, NC, Cole Foundation Endowment; North Carolina Pine Needle Producers Association; North Carolina Forest Service; Purdue Farms, Inc.; Sandhills Area Land Trust; USDA Natural Resources; Conservation Service; NC State University School of Forest Resources; Richmond County and Moore County Commissioners; USDA Forest Service-Uwharrie National Forest; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; North Carolina Department of Agriculture-Agronomic Services Division; North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Richmond County Board of Health - $25,000 Contact: John Caviness (910) 944-4787 Program Contact: Robert J. Gulledge (910) 944-4787 North Dakota 1994 Tribal Land-Grant colleges Information Infrastructure Development A regional collaborative project to develop information infrastructure for post-secondary programs that will expand American Indian agricultural and natural resource education programs. Collaborators include ten 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Institutions in the Northern Plains Bison Education and Training Project. Collaborators: United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, ND, Cankdeska Cikana Community College; Cheyenne River Community College; Fort Berthold Community College; Little Priest Tribal College; Lower Brule Tribal College; Oglala Lakota College; Sinte Gleska University; Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College; Sitting Bull College - $199,712 Contact: Phil Baird (701) 255-3285 ext. 345 Ohio Using Technology to Provide Nutrition Education for High Risk Students This project will use technology for nutrition education targeting pregnant and parenting teens in rural Ohio. The curriculum will be designed using interactive web-based technology and include both the teen mother and her mother. The project will study the effectiveness of this method with the target audience. Collaborator: Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus, OH, The Ohio Department of Education - $150,832 Contact: Larry Whiting (614) 292-2011 Program contact: Lydia Medeiros (614) 292-2699 Hopi/Israel/US Agricultural Initiative This five-year project will establish Hopi owned and operated working demonstration farms with state-of-the-art capabilities for sustained agricultural production and marketing. Collaborators: Arid Lands Development Foundation, Cleveland, OH, Hopi villages of Upper Moenkopi(AZ) and Kykotsmovi(AZ); Hopi Department of Natural Resources; Tuba City (AZ) High School; Coconino County (AZ) School System; Coconino County (AZ) Regional Training Center for Mathematics and Science; Navajo Community College; Ramat Negev Agroresearch Center; The Institutes for Applied Research, Ben Gurion University of Negev; Water Resources Research Center and Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Department of Biological Systems and Engineering, University of Nebraska; Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California-Davis - $200,000 Contact: Daniel Grosse (202) 244-4300 Program Contact: Sam Hoenig, Ph.D. (216) 691-9997 Integrated Approach to Manure Management and Biological Control of Plant Diseases This project will solve many problems associated with manure handling systems by enhancing the opportunities for redistribution of nutrients among farming systems. It will also develop value-added markets for manures and composts that will lead to reduced pesticide use. Much of the research will be performed on farms and in nurseries to facilitate technology transfer. Collaborators: Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus, OH, Michigan State University; Horticultural Research Institute; Michigan Department of Agriculture; Michigan Farm Bureau; Ohio Compost Association; Lake County Nursery Association; Bioworks, Inc.; Chr. Hansen Biosystems. - $220,000 Contact: Larry Whiting (614) 292-2011 Program Contact:Harry A. J. Hoitink (330) 263-3848 Competition for Land on the Urban-Rural Interface 5403 This project will study the urbanization and suburbanization of American's rural land. Two questions this project seeks to answer are: What evidence is there that existing land markets fail to result in the most economically appropriate use of land? What tools can be used to alter land markets so they are used more wisely. The results of this study will be used to educate citizens and policy-makers at all levels of government. Collaborators: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Pennsylvania State University; Otterbein College; Piketon Research Extension Education Center - $320,000 Contact: Larry Whiting (614) 292-2011 Program Contact: David Lynn Forster (614) 292-6340 Economic and Environmental Evaluations of Site Specific Farming Technologies This project examines the economic and environmental impacts of adopting site-specific farming technologies, and how farmers will use information provided by this technology to make farm decisions. Collaborators: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Farmland Industries, Inc.; IMC AgriBusiness; Top-Soil Precision Agriculture - $220,000 Contact: Larry Whiting (614) 292-2011 Program Contact: Marvin T. Batte (614) 292-6406 Oregon Rural West Internet Masters Project Development and testing of an Internet masters program for nine cooperating western states. The program will build on the work of the University of Missouri, and will train 45 Internet masters from Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. These Internet masters will then work with state Rural Development Councils to train others in their communities. Collaborators: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR University of Missouri Extension; Alaska Rural Development Council; Idaho Rural Development Council; Montana Rural Development Council; New Mexico Rural Development Council; Utah Rural Development Council; Washington Rural Development Council; Wyoming Rural Development Council - $123,121 Contact: Ken Kingsley (541) 737-0804 Program Contact: Thomas J. Gallagher (541) 737-3621 Developing Optimal Forage Crop Selection Tools This project will assess and develop forage crop selection strategies and tools to reduce economic risk and environmental hazards. This information can be adapted for other crops and will be made available via the Internet for other farmers, educators, and communities. Collaborators: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, Ft. Lewis College; Montana State University; Pennsylvania State University; Purdue University; University of Alaska; University of Idaho; University of Minnesota; Washington State University; USDA Agricultural Research Service; Chinese National Climate Center; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Science; USDA National Agricultural Library; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Central Oregon Hay & Forage Grower Association; Southwest Oregon Pasture Study Group; Oregon Seed Council; Oregon Tall Fescue Commission; International Seeds, Inc.; Pioneer HiBred, Inc.; Americas Alfalfa; Lane Livestock Services; Swaim Consulting Services - $220,000 Contact: Ken Kingsley (541) 737-0804 Program Contact: David B. Hannaway (541) 737-5863 Farmer Cooperative Genome Project The Farmer Cooperative Genome Project (FCGP) encourages farmers to participate in the preservation of seed resources. This project will facilitate farmer-owned, low-cost, value-added enterprise and explore the feasibility of cooperative marketing structures for seed distribution. It will introduce new and traditional plant varieties to the gardener, farmer, and consumer. Collaborators: Oregon Tilth, Inc., Tigard, OR, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute; New England Small Farm Institute; Oregon Tilth and Rural Advancement Foundation International $150,000 Contact: Yvonne Frost (503) 378-0690 Program Contact: John Haapala (541) 998-3069 Evaluation of Small-Diameter Timber for Value-Added Manufacturing Many Western U.S. forest lands carry small-diameter trees with higher potential for insect and disease infestation and wildfire. Land managers are looking for economic ways of treating these forests. This project will improve the efficiency of timber harvest and make it economically viable to utilize small-diameter timber, to facilitate stand management. Collaborators: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Products Laboratory, and Rogue River National Forest - $435,000 Contact: Ken Kingsley (541) 737-0804 Program Contact: John William Punches (541) 672-4461 Pennsylvania Improving Farmers' Access to Pest Management Tools Through Integration with the National Information Infrastructure This project will involve farmers and crop management professionals in developing appropriate delivery methods for new pest-management decision support tools linked with the National Information Infrastructure (NII). Collaborators: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, University of Vermont; Iowa State University - $219,645 Contact: William Devlin (814) 863-3452 Program Contact: James W. Travis (814) 863-7233 Improving the Health and Productivity of Honeybee Colonies This project will study how mites and related diseases affect the health and productivity of honeybees, and will develop appropriate control measures. It will develop up-to-date educational materials on honeybee health and a consolidated regional beekeeping extension program, and extend project findings to crop producers concerned with bee pollination problems affecting plant growth, development, and reproduction. Collaborators: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, University of Delaware; University of Maryland; Rutgers University; Cornell University; State Departments of Agriculture from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; State Beekeepers Associations from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; USDA Agricultural Research Service Bee Laboratory - $450,000 Contact: William Devlin (814) 863-3452 Program Contact: Scott Camazine (814) 863-1854 Economic and Environmental Benefits of Watershed Restoration in Rural Communities This project will study techniques for reclaiming streams and land damaged through acid mine drainage, as a way to improve communities and the environment. Collaborators: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, Pennsylvania State University School of Forest Resources; Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation; EES Consultants, Inc. - $365,000 Contact: William Devlin (814) 863-3452 Program Contact: Robert Brooks 914-863-1596 Ensuring the Microbiological Safety of Fresh Apples This project will focus on risk factors such as bruising and other defects in the apple skin which may contribute to establishment of colonies of the pathogen, E. coli, on the apple, and test the efficacy of various anti-microbial treatments. The focus is on safety of the fresh apples and of processed products such as cider, as well as on developing interventions usable by small- to mid-sized producers or processors. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Wyndmoor, PA, EPI Technologies, Inc.; U.S. Apple Association; Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Board; American Fresh Juice Council - $420,000 Contact: Gerald M. Sapers (215) 233-6417 Inhibitory Effects of Allium Foods on Nitrosamine Formation and Metabolism This research will evaluate allium foods for the ability to improve health and reduce cancer risk, using a variety of techniques. The findings will be shared with the general public through a variety of collaborative educational agreements. Collaborators: The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, Centre County Breast Cancer Coalition; the 5-A-Day Program in Pennsylvania; the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association; the Northern Appalachia Leadership Initiative on Cancer - $300,000 Contact: William Devlin (814) 863-3452 Program Contact: John Milner (814) 865-0108 Rhode Island New Tools to Guide Land Use Change in Rural Watersheds Using integrated teaching, research and outreach, this project will model the location of future development and its effects on fiscal stability, agricultural viability, and environmental quality. Projected population and employment growth will be allocated to areas within the 194,000-acre Pawcatuck Watershed of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Impacts of this development pattern will be modeled on fiscal soundness, open space, water quality, and agricultural viability. Collaborators: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, Pawcatuck Watershed Partnership; Washington County Regional Planning Council; Southern Rhode Island Conservation District; Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; Rhode Island Economic Development Corp.; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1; University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension - $220,000 Contact: Kathy Mallon (401) 874-2444 Program Contact: Rolf J. Pendall (401) 874-4485 Decision Information and Support Structure to Sustain Farm Forest and Open Space in Rural Communities of Southern New England This project will study and identify characteristics of growth desired by town officials, to help communities construct and maintain flexible growth management programs while their land-use and population change. This will teach town officials how to use the designed management program to preserve desirable features. Collaborators: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, University of Rhode Island Partnership for the Coastal Environment; Southern New England Forest Consortium; Southern Rhode Island Conservation District - $400,000 Contact: Kathy Mallon (401) 874-2444 Program Contact: Stephen Swallow (401) 874-2471 South Carolina Anti-Cancer Ellagitannins From Raspberry, Strawberry, and Grape This project will evaluate and compare the antitumor (chemopreventive) properties of three fruits in US agriculture and American diets. Data will help identify specific phytochemicals that have a likelihood of success in clinical intervention trials, and identify fruits with a high probability of success in the dietary prevention of cancer. Collaborators: Clemson University, Clemson, SC, Medical University of South Carolina; Hollings Cancer Center - $250,225 Contact: Bill Baker (864) 656-3875 Program Contact: David Wedge (864) 656-5729 A Modular System for High Yield Sustainable Aquaculture This project will study the effects of using a partitioned aquaculture system to increase fish farm yields by 4 times the amount that can be currently produced. This system couples high density raceway culture of fish with paddlewheel-driven high rate algae growth basins for treatment of wastes allowing 100% reuse of cultured water and less wastes. The results of this study will be compared to current intensive fish culture technology and distributed to the public and private sector through Clemson Extension Service. Collaborators: Clemson University, Clemson, SC, Kent Sea Farms of California; Goldkist, Inc. - $220,000 Contact: Bill Baker (864) 656-3875 Program Contact: David E. Brune (864) 656-0338 Tennessee Improved Beef Cattle Production, Management, and Marketing System Analysis This project will study prior research, extension, and producer experience and develop models, information systems, and improved management practices to help producers make integrated beef-cattle, forage-production, management, and marketing decisions in an increasingly uncertain economic environment. It will allow users to estimate the relative benefits and risks of alternative production methods and programs. Collaborator: University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Service, Knoxville, TN, University of Georgia - $200,000 Contact: LaRae Donellan (423) 974-7141 Program Contact: Emmit L. Rawls (423) 974-7271 Texas Conservation and Utilization of Pecan Genetic Resources This project will improve the conservation and utilization of the pecan and use this as a prototype for other activities to ensure biodiversity. The information developed will be publicized on the Internet. Activities will be coordinated with other genetic resource conservation programs. Collaborators: USDA Agricultural Research Service Pecan Breeding & Genetics Research Unit, Somerville, TX, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Texas A&M University; Kansas State University; Auburn University; Louisiana State University; University of Nebraska; University of Arizona; University of California; Arkansas State Department of Conservation; Texas Forest Service; Georgia Pecan Growers Association; Texas Pecan Growers Association - $310,000 Contact: Charles Onstead (404) 260-9346 Program Contact: L.J. Grauke (409) 272-1402 Low-Input, High-Output Sustainable Pork Production This project will develop, promote, and encourage an environmentally and community friendly competitive segment of the U.S. pork industry as a sustainable, low-input, high-output business. It will create a model for a labor-efficient, cost-effective sustainable outdoor production system, and use this to train pork producers to increase output in ways which are economically and environmentally sound. Collaborator: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, Pork Industry Institute - $475,000 Contact: Robert Sweazy (806) 747-3790 Program Contact: John J. McGlone (806) 742-2533 New Crops for the Southern Great Plains This project will capitalize on earlier research which developed commercial cultivars of castor buffalo grass, evening primrose, and nature grapes. The project's educational process will help develop the infrastructure necessary for successful production of new crops among growers who can benefit from crop diversification. Collaborators: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX Frontier Hybrids; Inc.; Castor Oil Inc.; Texas Wine and Grape Growers; Texas Department of Agriculture - $100,000 Contact: Robert Sweazy (806) 747-3790 Program Contact: Dick L. Auld (806) 747-3790 Vermont Balancing Economics and Environmental Impacts of Phosphorus Management This project will evaluate the financial and water quality trade-offs associated with alternative farming practices, to reduce excessive phosphorus run-offs from farms into Lake Champlain, and will provide this information to farmers, agricultural service professionals, and policy makers. The goal is to enhance farm profitability and environmental quality. Collaborators: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Burlington, VT Associates in Rural Development, Inc.; Addision County Regional Planning Commission; USDA Farm Services Agency; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - $395,000 Contact: Kim Parker (802) 656-0385 Program Contact: Catherine Halbrendt (802) 656-0291 Improved Greenhouse Technologies Supporting New England Family Farms Greenhouse ornamentals are supplementing or replacing traditional sources of agricultural income as agricultural production in northern New England becomes more diversified. This project combines research and extension objectives to improve greenhouse production methods, increase crop quality and marketability, and reduce chemical pesticide use. Collaborators: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Burlington, VT Dramm Corporation; Cornell University; Maine Cooperative Extension; Claussen's Greenhouses; University of New Hampshire; Paul Ecke Ranch; Electrostatic Spraying Systems, Inc.; Pleasant View Gardens; Mycotech Corporation; Koppert Biological Systems; Elliot's Greenhouses; Vermont Department Of Agriculture - $140,000 Contact: Kim Parker (802) 656-0385 Program Contact: Bruce L. Parker (802) 658-7710 CyberSkills: A Prototype for Regeneration in Rural Communities CyberSkills for Rural Communities will establish enterprises for rural regeneration in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and Windham and Windsor counties. Cyberskills focuses on leadership, workforce development, and small/micro business development as the engines of the local economies and necessary for regeneration to occur. Collaborators: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Burlington, VT, Old North End Community/Technology Center; Youth and Family Development Specialists; Extension Women's Small Business Program; Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity's Micro Business Development Program (MBDP); Vermont Association of Business Industry and Rehabilitation; Snelling Center for Government; Northeast Kingdom Community Action-MBDP; Southeastern Vermont Community Action-MBDP - $300,000 Contact: Kim Parker (802) 656-0385 Program Contact: Frederick E. Schmidt (802) 656-3021 Virginia "Premium Diesel" - Evaluating U.S. Market Opportunities for Biodiesel as a Motor Fuel Additive This project will analyze biodiesel's potential as a diesel additive for the premium diesel market. Project director will participate in ongoing deliberations concerning a definition for premium diesel. Collaborators: Peeples Consulting Associates, Inc., Falls Church, VA, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Fats & Proteins Research Foundation, Inc.; American Society for Testing & Materials; National Conference on Weights & Measures; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; Society of Automotive Engineers - $31,000 Contact: James E. Peeples (703) 578-3655 A Vision System for Hardwood Sawmill Edging/Trimming of Rough Lumber This project will develop a prototype scanning system that can identify important defects on rough hardwood lumber and recommend optimal edge and trim cuts to maximize lumber value for each board. Implementing this prototype would enable rural sawmills to produce lumber with consistent quality and higher value, enhancing their competitiveness in a global economy. Collaborators: USDA Forest Service Brooks Forest Products Center, Blacksburg, VA, Hardwood Manufacturers' Association - $180,000 Contact: Carol Ferguson (704) 257-4389 or Pam Bowman (704) 257-4388 Program Contact: Daniel L. Schmoldt (540) 231-4674 The Forest Bank: Concept to Reality Many rural areas in the United States are experiencing conflicts between traditional land uses and environmental concerns. To help address these conflicts in forested areas, The Nature Conservancy and the Center for Compatible Economic Development developed the forest bank concept, through which forest landowners can deposit the timber rights and development rights to their land in the bank, which pays them. This project will support a private-sector initiative that has the potential to greatly enhance environmental quality and the quality of rural life. Collaborators: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, Purdue University; The Nature Conservancy; Center for Compatible Economic Development; Virginia Cooperative Extension Service; Indiana Cooperative Extension Service - $420,000 Contact: Charles Stott (540) 231-6676 Program Contact: James E. Johnson (540) 231-7679 Washington Rural Schools, Careers, and Community Development This project will provide career information through an online, interactive career center to develop and implement a multi-school micro-enterprise program and provide a forum to link business, schools and economic development organizations. Collaborators: Eastern Washington University, Spokane, WA , Educational Service District 101; Junior Achievement of the Inland Northwest; TRICO Economic Development Council; Community Colleges of Spokane-Colville Campus - $161,539 Contact: Karen Michaelson (509) 623-4242 Development and Feasibility of Perennial Wheat for Highly Erodable Lands This effort to develop perennial wheat as a crop will help to find sustainable and environmental alternatives to traditional methods of farming. The crop may offer resistance to most pests, a source of straw for new fiber products, and an opportunity to reduce soil erosion and solve many other problems. Collaborators: Washington State University, Pullman, WA , Washington State University Extension; Washington Wheat Commission; Washington Association of Wheat Growers - $370,000 Contact: Scott Fedale (509) 335-2952 Program contact: Stephen S. Jones (509) 335-6198 Salmonella DT104: Emerging Disease of Animals, Farm Families and the Ecosystem This project will determine the ecology of a serious emerging infectious agent, Salmonella typhimurium (DT104), which is resistant to most antibiotics and can infect humans, wildlife, and farm animals. This will be accomplished by studying the cycle of infection on the farm and in the rural community to learn the best ways to control contamination of food products and prevent human exposure. Collaborators: Washington State University, Pullman, WA, University of Washington; USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services - $400,000 Contact: Scott Fedale (509) 335-2952 Program Contact: Clive C. Gay (509) 335-0819 Distance Delivery of B.S. Degree in General Agriculture in a Tri-State Region This project will deliver distance course work in agriculture to community colleges and other designated learning centers. This course work would be accepted by three participating land grant universities toward a Bachelor of Science degree in general agriculture. Collaborators: Washington State University, Pullman, WA, Oregon State University; University of Idaho - $450,000 Contact: Scott Fedale (509) 335-2952 Program Contact: Michael Brooks (509) 335-4562 Wisconsin Leveraging Community and Industry-wide Resources to Foster Biointensive IPM This project will use a partnership of growers, food processors, crop consultants, research organizations, environmental groups, and universities to advance the development and adoption of biointensive integrated pest management systems in high-value vegetable production. Collaborators: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Madison, WI, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association; World Wildlife Fund; Pest Pros; Michael Fields Agriculture Institute; Farm Credit Services; National Farm Medicine Center; International Crane Foundation; Del Monte Corporation - $50,000 Contact: Terry Gibson (608) 262-4877 Program Contact: Jeffrey A. Wyman (608) 262-3322 Are Value-added Cardiovascular Health Claims Valid for Vegetables? Case Study of Onion-Induced Antiplatelet Activity This project will determine whether vegetables such as onions carry value-added cardiovascular health benefits, making it possible for onion producers to market this commodity as hearth-healthy. Collaborators: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Madison, WI, USDA Agricultural Research Service; American Society of Horticulture Sciences; American Society of Agronomy; Midwest Food Processors; New York Vegetable Growers; Organic Vegetable Growers - $378,918 Contact: Terry Gibson (608) 262-4877 Program Contact: Irwin L. Goldman (608) 262-7781 Value Added Composites from the Rural Southwestern United States This project will expand the potential uses of juniper and develop technologies for industrial application of juniper fiber materials. It will study and develop the technical and market feasibility for a juniper/ polymer material system engineered for highway signs. Collaborators: USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI, P& M, Inc.; RYCAIR, Inc.; Howard Shanks; New Mexico State University; State of New Mexico; Southern Ute Indian Tribe $125,000 `Contact: John A. Youngquist (608) 231-9398 Diversifying Corn-Soybean Rotations for Profit and Environment in Upper Midwest This project will diversify upper-midwest cropping systems to improve profitability and resource stewardship through practices such as reintroducing production of small grains and cover crops into corn-soybean rotations. The project will also look at implications for international competitiveness and rural community enhancement. Collaborators: Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Inc., East Troy, WI, The Quaker Oats Company; Sharon Interstate Grain; Oatlink; Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District; American Oat Association; La Crosse Milling Co.; Tri-County Farmers Co-op; Illinois Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Project; University of Wisconsin-Madison Research and Extension; Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems - $420,000 Contact: John Hall (414) 642-3303 (morning) (608) 262-5201 (afternoon) Wyoming Farm/Ranch Recreation Partnership Systems Enhance Rural Development and the Environment This project will enhance rural education, community development, and environmental stewardship with state, regional, and national partnership systems for farm and ranch recreation. The project will identify, evaluate, and provide data, resources, expertise, and assistance strategies for farm and ranch recreation as a new agriculture industry. The goal is to facilitate coordination and promote the development of effective strategies to help this growing industry. Collaborators: University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, Laramie, WY, University of Wyoming; Off the Beaten Path; University Extension Educator; Great Basin Ranch Recreation; Oregon Department of Agriculture; Utah Division of Business & Economic Development; Wyoming Homestay & Outdoor Adventures; RLS International; Division of Tourism, Idaho Department of Commerce - $220,000 Contact: Randy Anderson (307) 766-6345 Program Contact: Jeff Powell (307) 766-5164