NAL Announces New Director

It's official.

Dr. Simon Liu, currently an Associate Director of the National Library of Medicine and the Director of their Office of Computer and Communications Systems, has been named the new Director of the National Agricultural Library.

In a memo (PDF|57 KB) to NAL's friends and stakeholders, Dr. Edward Knipling, Administrator of USDA's Agricultural Research Service, wrote glowingly of Dr. Liu's diverse background and impressive accomplishments.

In addition to a wealth of leadership, program development, management, and other executive experience at NLM, Dr. Liu brings a rich portfolio of professional credentials and skills to the NAL.

His wealth of experience in information technology is expected to shape the library's future.

Dr. Liu has demonstrated those visionary qualities sought in the new Director to provide innovative techological and strategic approaches to the development and operation of NAL's next generation library and information systems for effective customer service, partnerships, and stakeholder support.

Posted by Mary Ann Leonard

Added to Biography and Libraries on January 20, 2010 EST | Permalink

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Best Ag Inventions

What ranks as last year's best agricultural invention?

A few suggestions come courtesy of TIME magazine, who marked the turn of the year with their selections for the 50 Best Inventions of 2009.

By my count, their list includes eleven agriculturally-related innovations -- where "agriculturally-related" covers the gamut from aquaculture to entomology, from gardening to environmental issues, from biotechnology to alternative fuels.

Sharing the spotlight this year are:

2. Tank-Bred Tuna: Succulent sushi meets sustainability.
12. Personal Carbon Footprint: Conservation begins at home.
13. Solar Shingle: A farm house power plant.
16. Vertical Farming: Growing up. [A topic not new to InfoFarm.]
17. Planetary Skin: Global environmental data.
23. Cyborg Beetle: A bionic bug infestation.
24. Biotech Stradivarius: Fungi-altered wood makes beautiful music.
29. Dandelion Rubber: Where the weed meets the road.
31. Living Wall: Camo for condos.
36. Meat Farms: Beef grown in beakers.
40. Edible Race Car: Well, not quite, but with parts made from carrot fibers, potato starch and cashew-nut shells -- along with an engine that runs on a biodiesel mix of chocolate and vegetable oil -- it can at least be called a rolling pantry.

So, which of these is your favorite? What great ag inventions did TIME miss?

Or bringing things a bit closer to home, what was USDA's best contribution to ag research in 2009?

Posted by Mary Ann Leonard

Added to Technology Transfer on January 15, 2010 EST | Permalink

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Seasons Greetings!

Posted by Mary Ann Leonard

Added to Libraries on December 23, 2009 EST | Permalink

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Winter's Workload

It's 10°F in Bismarck, North Dakota right now. Flurries are in the forecast, with a high of 33°F projected. The wind chill in Mason City, Illinois makes it feel like 21°F, and in Gladwin, Michigan, folks are still walking through crusted snow. It's freezing in middle America, blustery and frigid in New England too, but the farmers and ranchers who live there aren't slowing down.

Cattle need to be fed, cows milked, fences mended. The work doesn't stop just because it's cold outside. The tasks just become harder to do with stiff fingers, recalcitrant lifestock and diminishing light.

To see what I mean, dip into America's Heartland, a news magazine program focusing on agriculture.

In "No Downtime" (5:15 runtime), the show delivers a taste of how one family of ranchers gets through a Wyoming winter. Their key lessons: Don’t rest on your laurels. And don’t be deceived by a mild winter’s day.

The segment "Cold, Cold Milk" (4:57 runtime) delivers on its title's promise as we see the round-the-clock work involved in tending an 800-head dairy herd in Michigan, and how that work goes on even in February's painful grip.

Clearly, the list of chores on a farm is a mile long, but it's gotta feel endless when the icy wind is howling, banging its bulk against the barn door. Fortunately, I got to watch from the comfort of my office chair -- for that, I #thankafarmer -- but for the farmers and ranchers making a go of it this winter, there is no such luxury.

So, watch, learn and appreciate. And if you're a farmer or rancher yourself, stay warm, and let us know how things are going out there for you. Winter is just beginning, I know, so what are you doing to get through this vicious season?

Posted by Mary Ann Leonard

Added to Animals and Rural Life on December 16, 2009 EST | Permalink

The Holiday Harvest from Christmas Tree Farms

Seventeen days til Christmas.

Many of you already have your trees up, I'm sure, but for just as many, if not more, your tree will be making it's way home sometime over the next week or two.

The National Christmas Tree Association estimates that 25-30 million trees are sold in the U.S. each year. All but a tiny percentage of those are grown for harvest on Christmas tree farms in 49 of our 50 states. (The 2007 Census of Agriculture indicates no tree farms in Wyoming now, though it had 8 in 2002. I can't say that none exist, only that none are reported. But doesn't that seem odd -- no Christmas tree farms in Wyoming, but 37 in Hawaii? Who would have thought?)

As for buyng a tree, I know you don't need me to tell you about all the commercial options at your disposal. You probably passed a handful on your latest trip to the grocery store. But if you like the idea of selecting and cutting your own tree, check out this directory of u-cut farms. In addition, many National Forests, particularly in New England and the West, allow you to select and cut your own tree with a pre-purchased permit. (Rules are set and permits sold by regional forests, so do your research before heading out.)

Once you get the tree home, follow the resources for keeping it green that my plant-loving colleagues have pulled together. Water, you might guess, is the key.

So, what's your favorite type of tree to use at Christmas? Blue spruce? Douglas fir? Scotch pine? Something else?

And, dare I ask, are you pro- or anti-tinsel?

Posted by Mary Ann Leonard

Added to Agritourism and Plants and Crops on December 08, 2009 EST | Permalink

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