Joint Committee Committee on Joint Agriculture and Natural Resources (04/07/2010)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	04/07/2010	ATTENDANCE

Time:	07:48 AM to 08:57 AM	Baumgardner
		Brophy
Place:	HCR 0107	Curry
		Gardner C.
This Meeting was called to order by		Gibbs
	Representative Fischer	Harvey
		Hullinghorst
This Report was prepared by		Kester
	Lauren Ris	Looper
		McKinley
		Pace
		Ryden
		Schwartz
		Solano
		Sonnenberg
		Tipton
		Vigil
		Whitehead
		Hodge
		Fischer
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Colorado State University		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

07:48 AM -- Colorado State University

Dr. Tony Frank, Colorado State University (CSU) President, introduced the college deans with him and distributed outreach materials to the committee (Attachment A). He discussed CSU's core areas of teaching and research and explained that CSU experienced record enrollment in 2010. Dr. Frank provided an overview of the agriculture related programs available through the College of Natural Resources and their outreach efforts to the agriculture community. He also discussed some of the university's funding challenges.

08:05 AM

Representative Curry discussed the importance of getting young people interested in the agricultural industry. She suggested that CSU create a jobs board or database to bring students onto farms for hands on experience or partner with Western State University to reach out to students outside of Fort Collins. Senator Schwartz expressed concern about the closure of some of the Agriculture Experiment Stations in Colorado, specifically in Delta county.

08:14 AM

The committee discussed some university funding models in other states and ways to attract first generation students. Representative Gardner discussed ways to provide incentives for donors to fund programs.

08:27 AM

The committee discussed CSU's involvement in agricultural communities and the reasons for Agricultural Experiment Stations closures.

08:28 AM

Craig Beyrouty, Dean of Agricultural College, provided and overview of CSU's Agriculture Experiment Stations (Attachment B). He also discussed the College of Agricultural Sciences priorities, outlined in Attachment C.

08:42 AM

Kathy Rennels, Office of Rural Economic Engagement, discussed educational opportunities for individuals interested in integrating agriculture and education.

08:54 AM

Raegan Waskom, Director of CSU's Water Institute, distributed Attachments D and E. He discussed the mission and research priorities of the Water Institute and discussed the upcoming Water Science Day on June 23, 2010 to be held in partnership with with the University of Colorado, School of Mines, and CSU. He also discussed other upcoming events, including a tour of the Dolores and San Juan river basins organized by the Colorado Foundation for Water Education.

08:57 AM

The committee adjourned.