Nominate Purdue animal sciences alumni
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences is accepting nominations for the 2010 Distinguished Animal Sciences Alumni awards.

The three awards are based on the number of years since nominees earned their first degree from the department. The awards are Early Career, 5-15 years; Mid-Career, 6-16 years; and Lifetime Award, more than 31 years.

Nominees must have earned a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in animal sciences and have demonstrated excellence in industry, academia, governmental service or other endeavors through leadership, community service and professional accomplishments.

The deadline for nominations is May 10 and should include a completed nomination form, the nominee’s vitae or resume and a typed, one-page description of the nominee’s accomplishments. Nominations may be made by any person or group affiliated with the Department of Animal Sciences or the animal science industry.
The nomination form can be found online at www.ansc.purdue.edu/alumni/ANSC_DAA2010.pdf

Nofziger president of Westchester Auctions
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Westchester Group announced the addition of Ken Nofziger as president of Westchester Auctions, LLC and Westchester Real Estate. In this role he will be responsible for providing strategic guidance and spearheading business development efforts for the land and agricultural real estate company.

Nofziger has 19 years of experience in providing investment banking and consulting services to shareholders and managers of middle-market businesses. In his most recent position, he served as managing director and co-head of food and agribusiness investment banking for Duff & Phelps, LLC in Los Angeles, Calif.
A graduate of Western Illinois University with a bachelor of science in accounting, Nofziger completed his master of business administration in strategic management at DePaul University. He is a CPA and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California CPA Society.

ISDA honors 2009 Photo Contest winners
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Lt. Governor Becky Skillman and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Joe Kelsay recently honored the winners of the 2009 ISDA State Photo Contest.
ISDA launched the contest in April 2009 and received an overwhelming response of more than 750 entries from Hoosiers with an appreciation for agriculture. The 2009 Grand Champion was Matt Williams from Warsaw, Ind.

Participants competed in five different categories: conservation on the land; water uses and impacts; faces of conservation and agriculture; on the farm; and Indiana agritourism. The entries were evaluated based on relevance to the categories and overall impression of the photo.

The winning photographs will be in ISDA’s traveling photo gallery over the next year. All submissions will be considered for future ISDA publications, websites and newsletters, and will be made available to agriculture and conservation organizations statewide for their use.

The list of other winners is below. To view the winning photos, go to www.in.gov/isda and look under “Photo Contests & Galleries.”
“Conservation on the land:” First Place, Michael D. Holcomb, LaGrange County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD); Second Place (Tied), Michael D. Holcomb and Jim Carpenter, Zionsville, Ind.; Third Place (Tied), Eric Ott, Greenfield, Ind., and Genevieve Borden, West Lafayette, Ind.

“Water uses and impacts:” First Place, Lorri Sweeney, Wilmington, Ohio; Second Place, Genevieve Borden; Third Place (Tied), Mary Hagan, Ft. Wayne, Ind. (two photos).

“Faces of conservation & agriculture:” First Place, Phillip Reismiller, Frankton, Ind.; Second Place, Renee Collins, Butler, Ind.; Third Place, Martin A. Franke, LaGrange County SWCD.

“On the farm:” First Place, Gail Seest, Mulberry, Ind.; Second Place (Tied), Deb Washler-Jackson, Ft. Wayne, Ind., and Genevieve Borden; Third Place (Tied), Mia Beach, Bloomington, Ind., and Sarah Brechbill, Auburn, Ind.

“Indiana agritourism:” First Place, Tammy L. Bowling, Indiana Soybean Alliance; Second Place, Teri Christman, Wabash, Ind.; Third Place, Gail Seest.

Groups mark $50K for Jersey research

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The AJCC Research Foundation, managed by the American Jersey Cattle Assoc., and National All-Jersey, Inc. have committed a total of $50,250 to fund six scientific investigations related to Jersey dairy cattle.

Five of the projects were selected from proposals received in response to the Foundation’s annual Request for Proposals. The sixth is directed research to develop a genome-guided computer-based mating program for Jersey cattle.

Since 2000, the USJersey organizations have invested $491,890 in Jersey-specific research. Financial support for 2010 from the AJCC Research Foundation was $40,750, with the remaining $9,500 allocated by National All-Jersey, Inc.

The researchers include: Dr. Michael R. Murphy of the University of Illinois-Urbana, Dr. Sam Prien of Texas Tech University, Dr. Aurora Villarroel of Oregon State University, Dr. Gabriel Calderon, practicing veterinarian in Boardman, Ore., Dr. Eran Raizman of Purdue University, Dr. Holly L. Neibergs of Washington State University and Dr. Kent Weigel of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Detailed information about the Competitive Grants Program is posted on the Foundation’s website at http://jerseyresearch.usjersey.com or may be obtained from Cari W. Wolfe, director of Research and Genetic Programs Development, at 614-861-3636.