IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED JULY 31, 2003:

1. SUMMERTIME FOOD SAFETY
2. STATEWIDE FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM
3. WEST NILE VIRUS
4. CORN GENE IDENTIFICATION PROJECT
5. COMPUTER SOFTWARE HELPS INCREASE FARM PROFITS
6. DIRECT FARM MARKETING HELPS KEEP FARMS PROFITABLE
7. VALLEY FEVER PROJECT
8. GREENHOUSE AGRICULTURE
9. PROJECT CENTRL: EDUCATION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
10. EVENTS

Hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on your backyard barbecue--tuna and chicken salad sandwiches for the picnic--or if you're in a hurry, food from your favorite fast food take-out restaurant. Delicious, but is it safe? Periodic reports of Salmonella and E. coli-caused illnesses have raised concerns.

To help prevent food poisoning, Cooperative Extension faculty conduct food safety programs to educate cooks--whether they work in the family kitchen or backyard, at a restaurant, or with a school. Safe Food 2010 is a multi-year project that includes classes, conferences, news columns, an 800-number hotline, and food safety information packets.

Here's a sample of the good advice being offered: keep mayonnaise-based salads refrigerated 3-5 days at 40-degrees. These salads don't freeze well. Never leave them out more than 2 hours, including preparation time.

Scottie Misner, Department of Nutrition Sciences
Food Safety Hotline: 1-800-611-3410, press 2

To learn more: http://foodsafety.gov

Foodborne illness and related deaths continue to happen in Arizona; 2,039 cases were reported in the year 2000. Risks are increasing. Yet, the National Centers for Disease Control estimates that only one-tenth of all cases are reported.

Safe Food 2010 is a multi-year Cooperative Extension project focusing on educating the general public, school food service staffs, food banks, group home staffs, and other community groups. The program uses both written information and workshops. Services also include an 800-number food safety hotline, weekly columns in a Phoenix area newspaper, and food
safety information packets.

More than 2,000 low-income families have attended EFNEP (Extended Food and Nutrition Education Program) classes. Nearly 95 percent have made positive changes in their food behaviors. Similar results occurred with school and institutional food service staffs.

As the program spreads, the total potential number of elementary students affected by safe food lunch practices could total more than 562,000 youngsters.

Thanks at least in part to the food safety program, the reporte cases of foodborne illness in Arizona have decreased from 5,200 in 1995 to 2039 in 2000.

Sharon Hoelscher Day, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/impacts/2_1.html

It's not in Arizona yet, but the West Nile Virus will probably be here soon, according to CALS entomologists. The state has expanded its longstanding mosquito-borne virus surveillance to detect, monitor, and control the virus.

The Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is screening flocks of sentinel chickens to find out if they were bitten by virus-infected mosquitoes. Also, they're testing mosquitoes, dead birds, and sick horses.

The virus causes significant disease and death among horses; last year, the death rate was more than 20 percent. Common symptoms in horses include wobbly gait, stumbling, leg weakness, and lying down. Thus far, all testing for the virus in Arizona has been negative.

Entomologists are also studying the mosquito's life cycle and feeding habits. Cooperative Extension veterinary programs focus on educating the state's livestock industry and general public.

Mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds spread the virus. To help prevent the disease, get rid of standing water in which mosquitoes breed. Use insect repellents yourself. Also, physicians and veterinarians need to report cases of mosquito-borne disease in humans and horses.

Peder Cuneo, Cooperative Extension Veterinarian
Paul Baker, Pesticide Coordinator
Henry Hagedorn, Department of Entomology
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/7.3.html

In 1998 plant scientists from CALS and five other universities began working to discover all 50,000 genes in corn, the nation's most important economic crop. To improve crop yields and nutritive values in cereal crops, plant breeders need to know more about how specific genes work.

The scientists are using a new method for discovering and sequencing genes in corn. They share their findings with public and private researchers working to develop improved traits in corn and other agronomically important grasses.

The corn genomics project is expected to lead to a greater fundamental genetic understanding of cereals that worldwide contribute roughly 70 percent of the calories in the human diet.

As the sequence of each targeted gene is characterized, the information is entered into a computer base available to plant breeders, plant genetic engineers and researchers in basic biology around the world. Several thousand people have already requested these genes and other resources.

Vicki Chandler, Department of Plant Sciences
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/impacts/1_4.html

Ranchers need to be well informed about their range, producing livestock, and financial management. The last category is most often neglected, but in the current drought and with low beef prices, managing finances can be a critical strategy to ensure the ranch stays in the family for another generation.

CALS faculty members have developed diagnostic computer software tools that pinpoint problems and provide hands-on workshops. The software helps with record keeping and cash flow analysis. Ranchers can check out options to reduce the affects of drought and the best way to restock their herd when they are forced to remove all their cattle from public lands.

Data used for the computer workshops is based on actual figures from the university's V Bar V ranch. Each software tool has been designed and written with rancher input to make it user-friendly and relevant.

However, using computers can be a barrier to ranchers who have never learned how. Training is conducted using a portable 20-machine wireless computer laboratory that travels to remote communities.

Approximately 80 percent of the ranching industry (based on total market sales in Arizona and Utah) have been reached by the workshops--a total of 341 ranchers and agribusiness professionals. Nearly 90 percent of the participants said they would change their record-keeping methods based on what they had learned.

Trent Teegerstrom, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/impacts/1_9.html

It's hard for farmers to make a profit these days. That's especially true for those living near potential housing developments. Global competition and modern production technologies have pushed down prices for raw agricultural commodities.

Farmers are fighting back by selling directly to the consumer. CALS faculty put together the first annual Arizona Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Conference in 1995, and it's still being held every year. Using a 250-page educational publication and their own experiences, farmers
investigate trying direct farm marketing.

A recently formed Arizona Farmers' Direct Marketing Association will look into being a collective voice, developing educational programs, collectively buying insurance, coordinating with the state organization Arizona Grown, developing a market directory and a website.

All the 2002 conference participants said the conference enhanced their knowledge and that they would share it with colleagues, family, and friends. As one said, "I found the section on business planning extremely helpful."

Russell Tronstad, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/impacts/1_10.html

The CALS Valley Fever Project is working to find out how many humans and pets come down with valley fever in the state, and to discover the environmental and behavioral risk factors (including smoking) that contribute to catching the desert disease. Also they want to know about preventive measures and to find out how to isolate and identify the pathogen, C. immitis.

Valley fever is caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus growing in Southern Arizona soils. It's a particular problem for pregnant women, visitors, and people with impaired defenses, including the elderly.

More cases of valley fever have occurred in Arizona for the past several years, but researchers don't understand why. The only practical preventive measure is avoiding regions where the fungus grows, which include the outhwestern U.S. where the climate is arid and warm. The scientists associate the increase in valley fever with dust storms.

Researchers from several CALS departments and the Office of Arid Land Studies are working with an investigator from the College of Public Health.

Mary Kay O'Rourke, Principal Investigator, College of Public Health
Joe Tabor, Office of Arid Lands Studies
Mark Orbach, Department of Plant Pathology
Lisa Shubitz, Veterinary Science and Microbiology
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/oals/oals/arsc/fromnews/joefever.html

As always, farmers and vegetable growers are continually looking for ways to reach top crop yields, and of course, to make more money. Unfortunately, in many communities prime agricultural land is being developed or housing and industry.

One way to produce more food on less land is greenhouse hydroponic vegetable growing. Two hundred acres of greenhouses in Southern Arizona produce 600,000 pounds of tomatoes per acre versus 60,000 pounds in the field.

CALS scientists estimate that more than $100 million has been added to Arizona economy in the past 8 years using this method. How? In a controlled environment greenhouse, every aspect of a plant's environment is analyzed and adjusted as needed. These include irrigation, nutrient uptake, lighting, and humidity.

UA students are cultivating and harvesting tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Faculty from plant sciences, entomology, and agricultural and biosystems engineering are involved.

They hope to teach and send employees to the workforce who are better able to solve hydroponic-growing problems where the environment is controlled through the marvels of engineering.

Gene Giacomelli, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/ceac/

More than ever, rural and agricultural leaders must be better trained to meet the challenges of small communities. Their leaders seek solutions to complex problems, such as rural-urban interface, managing natural resources, economic development, regional planning, and communicating about key public policy issues.

The mission of the Center for Rural Leadership (CENTRL)is to help highly motivated leaders expand and improve their leadership skills.

Project CENTRL is a partnership between Cooperative Extension and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan. The program consists of 12 interactive seminars taking place over the space of 2 years. In addition, class members also engage in a 5-day in-depth visit to another state that has a similar project. At the end of the second year, students attend a
national seminar in Washington, D.C. Each CENTRL student must take an active part in all seminars.

The program is a proven success; participants have later become more active in their communities by running for local offices, joining task forces, and involving themselves in local organizations.

Everett Rhodes, Project CENTRL director
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/centrl

2nd Annual Arizona Weed Day, August 13th, Maricopa Agricultural Center,
call 520-568-2273

10th Annual Maricopa County Short Course, An Invasive Plant School, August 27-28
For topics, go to
http://cals.arizona.edu/crops/counties/all/meetings/2003/shortcourse082703.pdf

V Bar V Ranch Explorer's Field Day, Saturday, August 23rd.
Contact David Schafer, V Bar V Ranch
Email: dschafer@ag.arizona.edu,
Phone: 928-646-9113

Santa Rita Experimental Range: 100 Years of Accomplishments and Contributions. October 30-November 1, 2003. More information is available at: http://cals.arizona.edu/SRER/conference.html

New Mexico Symposium on Hydrologic Modeling will be conducted at Macey Center, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM, Aug. 12. Registration deadline for the one-day technical symposium is August 8. For additional information and to register check the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute's web site at http://wrri.nmsu.edu/index.html.

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