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| This Week's Titles: |
| Certificate
Program Helps Pest Management |
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Students Near Atlanta Learn
Important Leadership Skills |
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| Laurens
County Farmer Receives State Honor |
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| Program
Helps At Risk Boys And Girls |
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| Food
Prices Expected To Continue Increasing |
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| Certificate
Program Helps Pest Management |
1:51 |
A certificate program that
recently began at the University of Georgia will help the state
do a better job keeping pests under control. |
Insects, weeds, and plant
diseases threaten row crops every year, as well as fruits, nuts
and turf. As the green industry continues to grow in the state,
there are concerns pests could hit them with a one-two punch.
In 2007, an undergraduate integrated pest management certificate
program was approved at the University of Georgia to train students
in this area. John All, an entomologist with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
says students are required to take a variety of courses in pest
management. "Well the certificate is to recognize expertise
in pest management, and it basically requires students to take
courses in insect pest management, and plant pathology, the
introductory plant pathology course, and the weed science course,
and an additional six credits in courses related to pest management."
John All with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, who adds those that complete the training receive
a certificate in integrated pest management. Students on the
Tifton, Griffin, and Athens campus can all take part in the
certificate program. Improved pest management, resulting from
better information flow and documented knowledge levels in newly-hired
professionals will help to stabilize production levels, and
enhance profits throughout Georgia. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Students
Near Atlanta Learn Important Leadership Skills |
1:36 |
Students in a county in metro-Atlanta
are learning important leadership skills necessary for adulthood.
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If students are going to
develop skills they will need when they become adults, they
must learn basic skills for everyday life. In Fayette County,
students in grades five through twelve took part in several
leadership and officer training sessions, beginning in the fall
of 2006. Lauren Mosher, a county extension agent in Oconee County
says the training covered several important issues. "There's
a lot of conflict management that needs to be developed, the
ability to work as a team, to influence others in a positive
way instead of a negative way." Lauren Mosher with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
who adds there was also training on how to lead effectively.
Around 260 fifth graders in Fayette County received leadership
training and served as club officers during the 2006-2007 school
year. Fayette County youth in grades seven through twelve took
part in a Teen Leader Certification Program. The certification
discussed the characteristics of a teen leader, developed decision-making
and communication skills, and gave students the chance to plan
and lead team building activities with the group. John Harrell,
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Laurens
County Farmer Receives State Honor |
1:58 |
A Georgia farmer that takes
care of his land was recently honored. |
Danny Hogan always tried
to leave the land in better shape than he found it. For his
efforts, Hogan was awarded the third annual Governor's Agricultural
Environmental Stewardship Award. His 950 acre farm in Laurens
County near Dexter grows wheat, oats, peanuts, cotton, and soybeans.
They manage pasture and timber, and raise Black Angus, Limousine,
and Belgian Blue cows. Duran Bell, a program coordinator with
the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences says the Laurens County farmer works very carefully
with pesticides. "He has one of the few that I have seen across
the state a pesticide mixing location and what he can do is
go in and mix his pesticides for application to whatever crop
or whatever he is applying to and if he gets any kind of a spill
whatsoever, he can reclaim that rinseate and use it in the manner
it was supposed to be used rather than it just spilling out
on the ground." Duran Bell with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. There were five district winners
from across the state, and the competition was extremely close.
But on March 17 in Atlanta, Danny Hogan was named the state
winner because he embodied the whole picture, from his forestry
program, to conservation tillage in row crops, and his protective
practices in his livestock operation. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Program
Helps At Risk Boys And Girls |
1:39 |
Boys many people considered
losers are now winners, thanks to a program in a Southeast Georgia
county. |
There are over seventeen-hundred
students in grades K through 12 in Candler County. When the
‘05-‘06 school year ended, seventeen percent of eighth graders
failed to meet math standards, and nineteen percent failed to
meet social studies standards. In 2003, a program began called
Building Our Youth's Skills, designed to work with and track
a group of at-risk boys for five years. Angie Daughtry, a county
extension agent in Candler County says the boys they work with
are considered at risk in several ways. "They were either deemed
academically at risk or socially at risk, but there were factors
within their home that would indicate that they had risk factors
that would keep them from being successful, and some of them
had both, they were academically struggling and did not have
the support they needed at home." Angie Daughtry with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
who adds girls were added to the program in 2004. Results from
the program have been positive. Sixteen of the youth are active
Candler County 4-H'ers. One has completed Teen Leadership Training,
two have completed 4-H Ambassador Training, and one currently
sits on the Candler County 4-H Advisory Leadership Council.
John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Food
Prices Expected To Continue Increasing |
1:44 |
Expect food prices to take
a bigger bite out of your wallet this year. |
Georgian's are paying record
prices for diesel and gas to fuel up their vehicles. Farmers
are also paying record high prices for fertilizer products to
feed their crops. Market prices for corn and other grain crops
have gone up, because of the demand for ethanol. John McKissick,
an agricultural economist with the University of Georgia's College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says food prices
are already up 6.5 percent, compared to February, 2007. He predicts
energy and commodity prices will continue to go up, which will
ripple over to food prices, and cause them to increase. "But
a hidden factor is in fact this competition that's going on
for acreage across the U.S. primarily for corn to feed the ethanol
increases that we've had now about one out of every four acres
of corn that we produce in the U.S. is going into ethanol production.
So that's taken acreage away from other food crops." John McKissick
with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
who adds growing food and getting it to tables takes a lot of
energy. That's why energy is a big influence on food prices.
The university economist says the best grocery buys this year
will be found in farmers markets and other stores that sell
local products that don't have to be transported long distances.
John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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