newsletter - 2013 may (4.5 mb) - northeastern weed science society
TRANSCRIPT
NEWSS NewsNortheastern Weed Science Society
May 2013
COMMENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dwight Lingenfelter
It was only a little over a year ago in Hawaii,
that I was making initial program plans with the
WSSA folks to host our first ever joint meeting
between WSSA and NEWSS. And now as I look
back, the 67th
Annual Meeting of NEWSS and the
53rd
Annual Meeting of WSSA held February 4-7,
2013 at the Hilton Baltimore was a success. The
two societies worked well together and most of the
sessions were seamlessly combined yet we were
able to maintain our identity during certain sessions.
Thanks to all from our Executive Committee and to
those from WSSA, namely Jim Kells, Joyce
Lancaster, and Kate Counter, whose efforts made
this a worthwhile event. The attendance at the
overall meeting was 508, and of those, about 135
were affiliated with NEWSS.
We again boasted a very successful NEWSS
student contest in which 24 students from our
society participated in the oral contest and 12 were
involved in the poster session. Dispersed among
the topical/commodity sections there were several
symposia including: 1) Herbicide Application in the
21st Century; 2) Herbicide Resistance Management
– The Path Forward; 3) Re-aligning your Course to
Improve Student Learning; 4) Environmental
Assessment of Herbicide Resistance; and 5) Holistic
Invasive Weed Management: Integration of
Science, Regulation, and Public/Private Policy. In
addition to the meeting sessions, there were two
social events including our popular nightcap/dessert
gathering. Thanks to Renee Keese and the industry
sponsors (BASF, Bayer, Monsanto and Syngenta)
for making this dessert social a great success!
During the meeting, several of our members
were presented with NEWSS awards and/or WSSA
awards. Award recipients at the 2013 meeting were
the following:
William Curran – NEWSS Fellow and WSSA
Outstanding Extension Award
James Brosnan and Richard Stalter – NEWSS
Outstanding Researchers
Henry Wilson – NEWSS Award of Merit
Randall Prostak – NEWSS Outstanding Educator
Angela Post – Robert D. Sweet Outstanding
Graduate Student and WSSA Outstanding
Graduate Student
Quintin Johnson – M. Garry Schnappinger Service
Recognition Award
Glenn Evans, Robin Bellinder and Russ Hahn –
Outstanding Paper in Weed Technology
Graduate Student Presentation Awards went to the
following students:
Morning session: Kelly Patches (First place) and
John Orlowski (Second place)
Afternoon Session: Katherine Ghantous (First
place) and Dan Tekiela (Second place)
The Graduate Poster Awards went to: Kate Venner
(First place) and Rachel Atwell (Second place).
Photo Contest winners were: Larissa Smith (First
place) and Farnaz Kordbacheh (Second place).
Other memorable moments from the meeting
included having Anne Schnappinger and her
daughters Lee and Amy dedicate the M. Garry
Schnappinger Service Award. Anne gave a very
gracious and heartfelt speech thanking the society
for bestowing this honor to her late husband, Garry.
She presented the award to its first recipient,
Quintin Johnson. Also during the business meeting,
Greg Armel updated the membership on the
approval of establishing an NEWSS endowment.
He mentioned that the NEWSS board had approved
the allocation of $5,000 from a budget surplus to
help fund the endowment. Information on ways to
donate to this endowment fund can be found on the
NEWSS website (www.newss.org).
We welcome the following new members to the
Executive Committee: Rakesh Chandran as our
Vice President, Erin Hitchner as our Treasurer, Art
Gover as our Editor, Keith Burnell as our
Membership Chair, Todd Mervosh as our Public
Relations Representative, Bryan Dillehay as our
Research & Education Coordinator, and John
Orlowski as our Graduate Student Representative.
Thanks also go to out-going Treasurer/Secretary
Melissa Bravo, Editor Darren Lycan, PR Rep Javi
Vargas, Res. & Ed. Coordinator John Willis and
Grad Student Rep Adam Smith for jobs well done!
The Executive Committee is a great group of
volunteers who donate their time for the benefit on
the NEWSS. The EC is listed on the website if you
need to contact anyone.
As a result of last year’s poll to select a new
NEWSS logo, we are in the process of transitioning
our emblem to the new design. It is a fresh looking
logo that will be used on letterhead, websites,
banners, plaques, apparel, and the like. (Ed. note:
the new NEWSS logos are displayed on the first
page of this newsletter.)
In 2012, the NEWSS Weed Science Contest was
held at Rutgers University's Snyder Research Farm
located in Pittstown, NJ. Overall, it was a very
good event and well attended. The 2013 Contest
will be a combined event with the NEWSS and
NCWSS hosted by Monsanto at their research
facility in Monmouth, IL, on July 24 and 25. It
should be a great experience for those involved.
More details will be posted on the NEWSS website
very soon.
The Board has already begun working on the
68th
Annual Meeting to be held January 6-9, 2014 at
the Sheraton Society Hill in Philadelphia, PA.
Please note this is one week later than usual, due to
New Year’s Day falling mid-week. Greg Armel is
working on the General Session and some symposia
and workshops. We are pleased that the Northeast
Region of the American Society of Horticulture
Science (NE-ASHS) will join us again. This
partnership has worked well in the past and should
allow for some opportunities to interact once again.
Make plans this year to participate in the Weed
Contest in July and our Annual Meeting next
January. Be thinking of titles to submit, and if you
have ideas for a symposium or workshop, please
forward those to Greg Armel. It takes input from
the membership to keep the NEWSS a functioning
and relevant society in order to deal with current
issues. I look forward to graciously serving as your
president this year.
Dwight Lingenfelter
NEWSS President
PAST PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Antonio DiTommaso
I thank all of you who attended the 2013 Joint
Annual Meeting of the NEWSS/WSSA in early
February in Baltimore, MD. The meeting was well
attended and Program Chairs Dwight Lingenfelter
and Jim Kells did a masterful job in putting together
a most interesting and varied program. I would also
like to thank all of you for approving the creation of
a NEWSS Endowment Fund to support educational
programs for our graduate and undergraduate
students. I encourage you to contribute to the Fund
what you can by visiting our NEWSS website.
CALL FOR AWARD NOMINEES
As Past-President, my duties include Chair of
the Awards Committee. As such, I am looking for
nominations for the following NEWSS awards to be
presented at the 2014 Annual meeting in
Philadelphia. This is the first call for nominations:
• Fellow Award
• Award of Merit
• Outstanding Educator
• Outstanding Researcher
• Robert D. Sweet Outstanding Graduate
Student Award
• M. Garry Schnappinger Service Recognition
Award
Please consider nominating a worthy colleague for
one of our NEWSS Awards.
Criteria and nomination forms for all awards are
posted on-line at:
http://www.newss.org/publications.php
Scroll to the bottom and click on the Manual of
Operating Procedures and Addendum 6.
Please contact Antonio DiTommaso 607.254.4702
or [email protected] for more information.
More details to follow in our August Newsletter.
Another duty of the Past-President is to announce
the opening for nominations for Vice-President.
The Chair of the Nomination Committee is Mark
VanGessel: [email protected]
Please provide him with names of any individuals
you think we should consider.
Toni DiTommaso
Past President
PRESIDENT-ELECT’S REPORT
Gregory Armel
Our annual NEWSS will be meeting at the
Sheraton Society Hill on the week of Jan 6th 2014.
This venue was used for one of our previous
meetings and it turned out to be a great meeting
venue for a fantastic time near the historic district of
downtown Philadelphia. Once again we are
fortunate to be meeting jointly with the
Northeastern American Society for Horticultural
Sciences (NEASHS). The theme of our 2014
meeting will revolve around “Weed Control in the
Future.” As always, we would like your input and
ask for your ideas and insights for specific
workshops or symposia you would like to see at this
meeting. If you have any topics of interest please
let me know as soon as possible
([email protected] or 919-547-2674).
Also, I recently initiated some polling to
determine our 2015 location for the NEWSS
meeting. It was my hope to take us to a location
either outside our region or in our region where we
have never been or have not been for a long time.
Through two rounds of surveying, we have
identified three locations that a vast majority of our
membership have found acceptable for an NEWSS
meeting. Those locations are Williamsburg, VA;
Raleigh, NC; and Orlando, FL. Professional groups
in each location have offered assistance and the
desire to participate jointly with us in some fashion
so this could be an outstanding opportunity for us to
network and educate weed enthusiasts (or weed
haters depending on your perspective) in new
geographies. Over the next several months we will
be assessing costs and determining which venue
offers the best chance for a positive educational and
networking experience in the most cost effective
way.
Greg Armel
President-Elect
NEWSS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2013
OFFICERS
Dwight Lingenfelter PRESIDENT Penn State University Ph.: (814) 865-2242
Greg Armel PRESIDENT-ELECT BASF – The Chemical Company
Ph.: (919) 547-2674 [email protected]
Rakesh Chandran VICE PRESIDENT West Virginia University
Ph.: (304) 293-2603
Erin Hitchner TREASURER Syngenta
Ph.: (609) 980-8832 [email protected]
Antonio DiTommaso PAST PRESIDENT Cornell University
Ph: (607) 254-4702 [email protected]
COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIVES
Randall Prostak CAST REPRESENTATIVE University of Massachusetts
Ph.: (413) 577-1738
Art Gover EDITOR Penn State University Ph.: (814) 863-9904
John Orlowski GRADUATE STUDENT REP University of Kentucky
Ph.: (518) 596-9311 [email protected]
Todd Mervosh PUBLIC RELATIONS REP The Connecticut Agricultural Exp. Station
Ph: (860) 683-4984
Bryan Dillehay RESEARCH & EDUCATION CHAIR Monsanto Company
Ph.: (814) 404-2683 [email protected]
John O’Barr SUSTAINING MEMBER CHAIR BASF - The Chemical Company
Ph.: (717) 386-8259
Jacob Barney WSSA REPRESENTATIVE Virginia Tech
Ph.: (540) 231-6323
Keith Burnell MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Syngenta
Ph.: (315) 209-7580 [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Rakesh Chandran
As I begin to write this report, I have to reflect
and recall how quickly the years have gone by since
the first NEWSS annual meeting I attended back in
1994. Ron Ritter presided that meeting over a
packed audience in the Baltimore Hyatt Regency
ballroom. Although the attendance at our annual
meetings reduced since then, partly due to leaps in
weed management technology and communication,
we continue to meet as a core group and provide
cutting edge scientific information to weed science
professionals as well as end-users.
To keep up this trend the Executive Committee
is working hard to come up with suitable topics for
the symposia and workshop for the 2014 meeting.
For the 2014 meetings the program chair is working
to put together a symposium related to weed
management in the future. We are exploring the
idea of inviting several experts regarding innovative
methods to manage weeds. A workshop on weed
management in ornamentals is also being planned.
It is never too early to plan for subsequent meetings,
and suggestions towards future meetings are kindly
requested from the membership.
As a member of NEWSS, you play a critical
role to maintain the high level of scholarship and
service we provide as a society. As we try get a
handle on herbicide-resistant weed biotypes in row-
crops, please consider presenting relevant research
or literature to address this important issue, as well
as other developments in row-crop weed
management in the Agronomy Section. The
Northeast region has a strong history of delivering
state-of-the-art information in ornamental weed
management, and we have a symposium planned in
2014 to boost this effort. Also consider presenting
recent important developments related to weed
management in Turfgrass and Plant Growth
Regulator Section. Our region can boast again
being home to the Headquarters of the IR-4 Project
and advances in weed control in the diverse minor
crops of are always well-received in the Vegetables
and Fruit Section.
Invasive weeds are becoming more of a concern
in both natural and disturbed systems in the region
research findings related to their biology and
management will be timely for the Vegetation
Management and Restoration session. Some of the
most interesting research in Weed Science is
presented in the Weed Biology and Ecology
Section. The poster session has always served as a
stage for stimulating discussions and interaction for
the attendees of the meeting. Please consider
presenting your important work to your friendly
peers, especially if you have not done so recently.
Collectively, we play an important role to meet
the basic needs of our fellow citizens locally and
globally, while protecting our environment. Most
everything we do is of practical relevance and is
worthwhile information. The society thrives on
your energy and dedication!
Rakesh Chandran
Vice President
TREASURER’S REPORT
Erin Hitchner
NEWSS Financial Report
Account Balances on March 31, 2013
Savings Balance $66,772.29
Checking Balance $14,191.32
CD Balance (meeting in reserve) $24,979.98
CD Balance (weed contest) $10,105.82
Total Net Assets as of March 31, 2013 $116,049.41
Hardcopies of the 2013 NEWSS Proceedings
are still available for purchase. Go to
www.newss.org for ordering information.
Front row (L to R): Erin Hitchner, Rakesh Chandran,
Toni DiTommaso, Dwight Lingenfelter, Greg Armel.
Back row (L to R): Todd Mervosh, Bryan Dillehay,
Randy Prostak, Art Gover, Keith Burnell, John
Orlowski, Jacob Barney. Not in picture: John O’Barr
and Lee VanWychen.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dwight Lingenfelter President
Greg Armel President-Elect
Rakesh Chandran Vice President
Erin Hitchner Treasurer
Antonio DiTommaso Past President
Keith Burnell Membership Chair
Art Gover Editor
John Orlowski Graduate Student Rep.
Bryan Dillehay Research & Education
John O'Barr Sustaining Membership
Todd Mervosh Public Relations Rep.
Jacob Barney WSSA Representative
Randy Prostak CAST Representative
Lee Van Wychen Science Policy Director
PROGRAM COMMITTEE: 2014 ANNUAL MEETING
Greg Armel President-Elect / Chair
Rakesh Chandran Vice President
AGRONOMY SECTION
Richard Richtmyer Chair
Bryan Dillehay Chair-Elect
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION SECTION
Jon Johnson Chair
Javier Vargas Chair-Elect
ORNAMENTALS SECTION
Kathleen Hester Chair
Jeff Dobbs Chair-Elect
POSTER SECTION
Jennifer D'Appollonio-Cote Chair
TBD Chair-Elect
TURFGRASS & PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS SECTION
Aaron Patton Chair
Matt Elmore Chair-Elect
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SECTION
Dan Kunkel Chair
Jennifer D'Appollonio-Cote Chair-Elect
WEED BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY SECTION
Steven Mirsky Chair
Katherine Ghantous Chair-Elect
SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE
Greg Armel President-Elect / Chair
Dwight Lingenfelter President
Erin Hitchner Treasurer
Keith Burnell Membership Chair
AWARDS COMMITTEE
Antonio DiTommaso Past President / Chair
Mark VanGessel
Hilary Sandler
David Yarborough
Jerry Baron
NOMINATION COMMITTEE
Mark VanGessel Chair
Sudeep Mathew
Katherine Ghantous
William Curran
Larissa Smith
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE
Andy Senesac Chair
Courtney Stokes
Jennifer D'Appollonio-Cote
COLLEGIATE WEED CONTEST
Dwight Lingenfelter President / Chair
Antonio DiTommaso
Greg Armel
John Orlowski
TBD (2)
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Erin Hitchner Treasurer / Chair
Melissa Bravo
Jim Steffel
Todd Mervosh
ARCHIVES COMMITTEE
Dan Kunkel Chair
Antonio DiTommaso Past President
PHOTO AWARD COMMITTEE
TBD Chair
Matt Mahoney
Erin Hitchner
Javier Vargas
Art Gover
TBD - volunteer
STUDENT PAPER AWARDS COMMITTEE
Antonio DiTommaso Past President / Chair
Mark VanGessel
Hilary Sandler
David Yarborough
Jerry Baron
POSTER AWARDS COMMITTEE
Keith Burnell Chair
Quintin Johnson
Donald Ganske
Art Gover
Todd Mervosh
WEED SCIENCE FIELD DAYS COMMITTEE
Bryan Dillehay Chair
Quintin Johnson
PAST PRESIDENTS' COMMITTEE
Roy Johnson Chair
Antonio DiTommaso
HERBICIDE RESISTANT PLANTS COMMITTEE
Mark VanGessel Chair
Russ Hahn
Bill Curran
Brian Olson
Dan Kunkel
Dave Mayonado
ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE
Greg Armel Chair
Renee Keese
Jeff Derr
Erin Hitchner
Hillary Sandler
John O’Barr
GRADUATE STUDENT REP REPORT
My name is John Orlowski from the University
of Kentucky and I am your newly elected NEWSS
Graduate Student Representative for the next two
years. Let me start off by thanking Adam Smith of
Virginia Tech for being an outstanding Grad
Student Rep for the past two years. I would also
like to thank everyone who organized, judged and
participated in the student paper and poster contests
at the NEWSS/WSSA joint annual meeting held in
Baltimore. All of presenters did an excellent job.
As we get ready for the field season, make sure
you make some time this summer to attend the
summer Collegiate Weed Science Contest. This
summer’s contest will be held in conjunction with
the North Central Weed Science Society’s summer
contest. It will be hosted by Monsanto at their
Learning Center in Monmouth, Illinois.
Check it out:
http://www.monsanto.com/products/Pages/mon
mouth-learning-center.aspx
I know it may seem like quite a hike from some
of your schools, but the experience is worth it. The
summer contests are a great way to sharpen your
weed identification, herbicide identification, sprayer
calibration and weed science problem solving skills.
Support for travel to the contest may be provided by
NEWSS, so if you are planning on going please e-
mail me so we can get an estimate of attendees
Finally, I will be working on planning a
graduate student program for our 2014 annual
meeting in Philadelphia. PLEASE, PLEASE
PLEASE, if you have any ideas or suggestions for
activities that you would like to see at next year’s
meetings, let me know. I wish you all a stellar
growing season and hit me up if you need anything.
John Orlowski
Graduate Student Representative
CAST REPRESENTATIVE REPORT
April 2013
Randall G. Prostak
NEWSS CAST representative
News from CAST
Upon the retirement of Dr. John M. Bonner,
Executive Vice President/CEO in January 2013, the
Board of Directors of the Council for Agricultural
Science and Technology has appointed Linda
Chimenti, current Chief Operating Officer (COO)
of CAST, as the next Executive Vice President of
the 40-year-old organization. Ms. Chimenti has
years of experience as a CAST administrator, and
she is committed to the organization's mission. As
she says, "It is an honor to have the opportunity to
take on a new role in CAST, an organization that I
have served for twelve years with growing
responsibilities." In 2008, Ms. Chimenti was
promoted to Director of Council Operations and
added staff supervision and management duties to
her responsibilities. She assisted the Board of
Directors and Board of Representatives with a
major restructuring of the organization's governance
in 2009. Since 2010, Ms. Chimenti has served as
COO, working closely with Dr. Bonner on
initiatives to expand CAST's impact and broaden its
audience. According to Dr. Phil Stahlman, CAST
President, "We are very pleased that this transition
of leadership will take place within the CAST
organization now that Dr. Bonner is stepping down
to pursue other interests. We are deeply grateful for
all he has done for CAST, and we wish him all the
best. We welcome Ms. Chimenti to her new role
and look forward to working with her in this
capacity."
Issue paper now available in Spanish:
Herbicide-resistant Weeds Threaten Soil
Conservation Gains: Finding a Balance for Soil and
Farm Sustainability Issue Papers - February 2012,
additional online video
Herbicides were developed during the 20th
century to be used with conventional tillage for
weed control. Conservation (or minimum) tillage
subsequently evolved, which enabled less soil
damage when used with herbicides. Selection
pressure, however, has resulted in weed species that
have made adaptations for survival in conjunction
with tillage. The U.S. government has put several
federal policies and programs in place that help
determine the selection and implementation of crops
and conservation programs in relation to herbicides
and tillage. This Issue Paper examines the impact of
certain weed management practices on soil
conservation objectives and addresses ways to
mitigate negative effects. Chair: David R. Shaw,
Office of Research and Economic Development,
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
News from the NEWSS CAST representative:
The 2013 CAST board meeting will be held in
October in Atlanta, GA.
Western Society of Weed Science’s Phillip
Stahlman, professor of weed science at the Kansas
State University, became CAST president for 2012-
2013.
Randy Prostak finished his term as chair of Plant
Agriculture and Environmental Issues Working
Group in October 2012. At the request of CAST
leadership, he will chair a new committee that has
been created to mentor individuals new to the
CAST board. Randy will also serve on the 2013
CAST nominating committee.
Forthcoming Publications:
Agricultural Innovation to Sustainably Feed the
World by 2050 (Issue Paper)
Animal Feed vs. Human Food: Challenges and
Opportunities in Sustaining Animal Agriculture
Toward 2050 (Issue Paper)
The Contributions of Pesticides to Meeting the
Global Need for Food Production and Public Health
by 2050 (Issue Paper)
Food, Fuel, and Plant Nutrient Use in the Future
(Issue Paper)
Impact of the Precautionary Principle in Feeding
Current and Future Generations (Issue Paper)
(Chair) Gary Marchant, Arizona State University
Integrated Nutrient Cycling: Key to Long-term
Food Production (Issue Paper)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Health Benefits and Dietary
Recommendations (Special Publication)
WASHINGTON REPORT
April 1, 2013
Lee Van Wychen
Science Policy Director
Congress Approves Final FY 2013 Spending Bill
The federal government ran on a continuing
resolution for the first six months of FY 2013 as
Congress punted any spending decisions into the
new year well after last year’s elections. On March
21, the House of Representatives voted to adopt the
Senate amended spending plan, H.R. 933, to fund
the federal government through the remainder of the
fiscal year to Sept 30, 2013.
Depending on how you look at the numbers, most
USDA research, education and extension programs
took a 7.8 percent cut compared to their FY 2012
appropriations. This includes Hatch Act, Smith
Lever Act, the IR-4 program, the Sustainable Ag
Research and Education program and the Regional
IPM Centers. The Senate did pick a few programs
to get more money than they did in FY 2012 which
included the Agriculture and Food Research
Initiative (AFRI) that will get $275 million in FY
2013, compared to $264 million it received in FY
2012. There were also some programs like the
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) and the
Organic Agriculture and Extension Initiative
(OREI) that did not get any funding for FY 2013
because Congress did not pass a new Farm Bill, nor
did they extend funding for those programs in the
FY 2013 final spending bill.
One provision in the FY 2013 Consolidated and
Further Continuing Appropriations Act of, 2013
(H.R. 933), that has generated some controversy is
the “Farmer Assurance Provision” under Sec. 735
and stems from past litigation over procedural
issues unrelated to sound science or the safety of
biotech crops such as RR sugar beets. Basically,
the provision says that if a farmer plants a crop that
was legal to plant at planting, the Secretary of
Agriculture will ensure that the farmer gets to
harvest it, even if some lawsuit is upheld in a court.
This provision has been supported by many
different trade associations over the past couple of
years, including the Biotech Industry Organization
and the American Seed Trade Association. The
trade groups contend that environmental activists
and judges have “inappropriately” interfered with
already-approved products that are being planted,
and that the provision “provides certainty” to
farmers, even if a court ruled against the USDA’s
approval of the product. This provision will expire
on Sept. 30, 2013. In the meantime, Secretary
Vilsack has asked USDA’s Office of General
Counsel to review the farmer assurance provision
“as it appears to pre-empt judicial review of a
deregulatory action which may make the provision
unenforceable.”
New Ag Appropriations Committee Chairman
With the new Congress, comes new chairman of
both the House and Senate Agriculture
Appropriations Subcommittees. On the House side,
Rep. Bob Aderholt from Alabama’s 4th
Congressional District will take over as chair from
Jack Kingston of Georgia. Rep. Aderholt will be
serving in his 9th
term from northern Alabama and
served as chair of Homeland Security Approps in
the 112th Congress. Prior to his election to
Congress, Aderholt served as an aide to Governor
Fob James and as a Municipal Judge in Haleyville,
Alabama. Educated through Alabama's public
school system, Aderholt went on to graduate from
Birmingham Southern College and from the
Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.
On the Senate side, Sen. Herb Kohl from Wisconsin
has retired from Congress after 24 years in office.
Senator Mark Pryor from Arkansas will take over as
the new chair of the Senate Ag Approps
Subcommittee, with Sen. Roy Blunt from Missouri
serving as the ranking member. Pryor grew up in
both Arkansas and the Washington D.C. area. He
received a B.A. in History and his law degree from
the University of Arkansas and worked in private
legal practice for over ten years. Pryor was first
elected to public office in 1990 as a member of the
Arkansas State House of Representatives. In 1998
he was elected Arkansas' Attorney General. He was
first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002 and was re-
elected in 2008, where he received more votes than
any statewide elected official in Arkansas history.
Vilsack Stays, but EPA and Interior Will Get
New Leaders
USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will
remain Secretary of Agriculture during the second
term of the Obama Administration. There was
speculation that the former Iowa governor would
run for the U.S. Senate seat in Iowa being vacated
by the Sen. Tom Harkin in 2014.
At EPA, Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced
she was leaving about a month after it was revealed
she was using an alias email account to conduct
official business. Jackson used a private email
under the alias “Richard Windsor” to correspond
with EPA colleagues, a decision her staff defended
by saying that her official email account received
too many messages for her to use it efficiently.
Jackson spearheaded efforts to begin regulating
greenhouse gas emissions, including setting new
standards to clean up mercury and other toxic
emissions from coal power plants, and established
new fuel economy standards for motor vehicles.
Many of those initiatives occurred under Gina
McCarthy, the agency’s assistant administrator for
air and radiation, who was nominated in February to
take over the EPA reign’s from Jackson.
McCarthy has worked for Democrats and
Republicans alike in state governments. However,
her role as the point person in developing rules
limiting emissions from industrial sources like
power plants and boilers is likely to make her a
proxy during the confirmation process for the
administration’s broader efforts to address climate
change.
Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar also
announced he will be leaving the administration this
spring. In his place, President Obama nominated
Sally Jewell, head of the outdoor recreation
equipment cooperative REI. The nomination of
Jewell, a high-profile business executive with
strong support among conservation groups, marks a
departure from the recent tradition of naming
Western political figures to lead the Department of
Interior, which manages millions of acres of public
land. Jewell is president and CEO of Recreational
Equipment Inc., a retailer with $2 billion in annual
sales based in Kent, Washington. She spent 19 years
in the commercial banking industry before joining
REI, the nation’s largest consumer cooperative,
with more than 100 stores.
EPA Excludes Arundo and Pennisetum From
Biofuel Rule
For the past year, EPA had been working to finalize
a federal rule which would allow fuel made from
two known noxious weeds, Arundo donax (giant
reed) and Pennisetum purpureum (napier grass or
elephant grass), to count toward federally-mandated
renewable fuels targets. The National and Regional
Weed Science Societies are opposed the rule and
have been working with other stakeholder groups to
prevent parts of the rule from becoming law.
Much to our relief, EPA announced on February 22
that it EXCLUDED Arundo donax and Pennisetum
purpureum from its final rule. Other parts of the
rule were approved, which included the use of
camelina and energy cane as eligible biofuel
feedstocks under the Renewable Fuel Program.
EPA said they would continue to consider
determinations on biofuels produced from Arundo
donax and Pennisetum purpureum and make a final
decision at a later time. The final rule is at:
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/docu
ments/new-fuel-pathways-under-rfs-fr.pdf
EPA definitely made the right decision at this time,
but I have no doubt that they will continue to look
at Arundo and Pennisetum going forward. In our
meetings with EPA, we have stressed that if EPA
approves Arundo donax and similarly high risk
feedstocks, we believe that the a federal rule must
include – at the very minimum— guidelines or a
permit process that requires stringent best
management practices to reduce the risk of escape.
These guidelines should be written with the
guidance of the National Invasive Species Council
and relevant federal agencies.
NPDES Bill Reintroduced in 113th Congress
The National and Regional Weed Science Societies
were among the 90 plus public and private
stakeholder groups that supported the introduction
of the “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2013”,
H.R. 935, in the 113th Congress. The legislation
clarifies Congressional intent that Clean Water Act
permits are NOT required for the lawful application
of FIFRA-approved pesticides. In 2009, the 6th
Circuit Court of Appeals screwed up and double
regulated pesticide applications in, over, or near
water. This legislation has had over 2/3’s majority
support by the House and Senate in the last session
of Congress, but unfortunately the Senate leadership
would not allow to it come to floor for a vote.
Federal Court Says NOAA Must Use “Sound
Science” for Endangered Species Rules
The U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals out of
Richmond, Virginia threw the book at NOAA’s
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for not
using sound science in their decisions on
endangered species protections. Quite frankly,
NMFS has had a terrible activist driven track
record. Basically, the court ruled that NMFS lied in
its 2008 biological opinion claiming twenty-seven
species of salmon were jeopardized by agricultural
practices, when they were not. And that significant
data and standards used in the biological opinions
were not logical or even rational.
The Chair and Ranking Member of the House Ag
Committee have a great summary of the court case,
as well as background information, that you find at:
http://agriculture.house.gov/press-release/hastings-
lucas-peterson-praise-federal-court-ruling-
noaa%E2%80%99s-salmon-opinion
Lee Van Wychen, Ph.D.
Science Policy Director
National and Regional Weed Science Societies
5720 Glenmullen Place
Alexandria, VA 22303
cell: 202-746-4686
www.wssa.net
The historic “Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Clock
Tower” built in 1911 in downtown Baltimore.
The building has been converted by the
Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts into
the “Bromo-Seltzer Arts Tower.”
WEED TOUR DATES 2013
Compiled by Bryan Dillehay
Research & Education Representative
University Location Date Time Contact Email Additional
Virginia Tech Painter, VA June 25 Henry Wilson [email protected]
Penn State Landisville, PA June 26 4:30 pm Bill Curran [email protected]
U. Delaware Georgetown, DE June 26 Mark VanGessel [email protected]
U. Maryland Queenstown, MD June 27 8:30 am Ron Ritter [email protected]
U. Maryland Beltsville, MD June 27 2:00 pm Ron Ritter [email protected]
Penn State Rock Springs, PA July 10 8:30 am Bill Curran [email protected]
Cornell Aurora, NY July 17 1:00 pm Russ Hahn [email protected] BBQ: 11:30
Rutgers By Appointment Brad Majek [email protected]
SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP REPORT
John O’Barr
We have 19 sustaining members for 2013. This is an increase of one organization from 2012 as well as an
increase in sustaining revenue of $250 over last year.
The 2013 Sustaining Membership breakdown is as follows: 2-Platinum, 6-Gold, 5-Silver, and 6-Bronze
confirmed for a total commitment of $15,000, of which $5,000 will be committed to the weed contest fund.
On behalf of the NEWSS, I would like to personally thank these 19 organizations for their contributions for
2013. These contributions are critical to the financial health of the society and I invite other companies and
organizations to consider becoming a sustaining member today!
All membership levels receive a copy of the proceedings and an exhibit table and recognition at the annual
meeting and in the quarterly newsletters. The tiered fee structure provides benefits such as complementary
conference registration(s) (depending on the level of support,) company link on the NEWSS website, etc.
Platinum and Gold Sustaining members automatically make a contribution to the collegiate weed contest.
Silver and Bronze members are encouraged to make a separate donation for the collegiate weed competition. If
you are interested in becoming a sustaining member or would like to contribute to the weed contest, please
contact John O’Barr ([email protected], 717-386-8259).
Please see last page of Newsletter for list of our Sustaining Members.
( )
Mark VanGessel, NEWSS Awards Committee Chair
Mark presented the NEWSS Fellow Award to Bill
Curran of Penn State University
William Curran, NEWSS Fellow
Henry Wilson of Virginia Tech was honored with the
NEWSS Award of Merit (received by Kurt Vollmer)
The NEWSS Outstanding Educator Award was
presented to Randy Prostak of UMass Extension
Randall Prostak, Outstanding Educator
James Brosnan of University of Tennessee was
given the NEWSS Outstanding Researcher Award
(received by Matt Elmore)
Richard Stalter of St. John’s University was also
honored by NEWSS as an Outstanding Researcher
Mark presented the M. Garry Schnappinger Service
Recognition Award to Quintin Johnson of the
University of Delaware
Quintin Johnson, recipient of the M. Garry
Schnappinger Service Recognition Award
Mark presented the Robert D. Sweet Outstanding
Graduate Student Award to Angela Post, a Ph.D.
candidate at Virginia Tech
Angela Post, recipient of the Robert D. Sweet
Outstanding Graduate Student Award
James Kells, President-Elect
(now President) of WSSA
Dwight Lingenfelter, President-Elect
(now President) of NEWSS
John Jachetta presented the WSSA Outstanding
Extension Award to Bill Curran
Angela Post, recipient of the WSSA Outstanding
Graduate Student Award
Robin Bellinder accepted the award for
Outstanding Paper in Weed Technology
Mark VanGessel with Edward Kee, Secretary of
Agriculture for the State of Delaware, who gave the
Welcoming Address to WSSA and NEWSS
Antonio DiTommaso presided at the NEWSS
Business Meeting
Kelly Patches (Penn State)
1st
Place, Student Paper Presentation (A.M.)
John Orlowski (Univ. of Kentucky)
2nd
Place, Student Paper Presentation (A.M.)
Toni DiTommaso presented his Presidential
Address about his early years in Italy and Canada
before becoming a weed scientist at Cornell
University, then President of NEWSS
Katherine Ghantous (Univ. of Massachusetts)
1st
Place, Student Paper Presentation (P.M.)
Daniel Tekiela (Virginia Tech)
2nd
Place, Student Paper Presentation (P.M.)
Kate Venner (Virginia Tech)
1st
Place, Student Poster Presentation
Rachel Atwell (North Carolina State Univ.)
2nd
Place, Student Poster Presentation
Melissa Bravo, outgoing Treasurer, received an
Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Service
from Toni DiTommaso.
Larissa Smith (Virginia Tech)
1st
Place, Photo Contest
Farnaz Kordbacheh (Univ. of Tehran / Cornell Univ.)
2nd
Place, Photo Contest
Anne Schnappinger (right) thanked NEWSS for
naming the Service Recognition Award in honor of
her late husband, M. Garry Schnappinger. With
Anne are her daughters and Quintin Johnson,
current recipient of this award.
Near the end of the Business Meeting, the
Presidency of NEWSS was passed from Toni
DiTommaso to Dwight Lingenfelter.
New President Dwight Lingenfelter with
his copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order.”
At the WSSA Business Meeting, transfer of the Presidency
from Rodney Lym (left) to Jim Kells.
Front row (L to R): David Yarborough, Joseph Neal, Hilary Sandler, Prasanta Bhowmik, James
Parochetti, Robin Bellinder, Renee Keese. Back row (L to R): Jeffrey Derr, William Curran,
Mark VanGessel, Brian Olson, Bradley Majek, Roy Johnson.
NEWSS NEWS was compiled by Todd Mervosh, Public Relations Representative.
Please contact Todd at 860-683-4984 or at [email protected] with any corrections,
suggestions, or items to include in the next newsletter (August 2013 issue).
Gold
Platinum
Bronze
Gylling Data Management Crop Management Strategies
ACDS Research TeeJet® Technologies
Weeds, Inc. LABServices
Silver
NORTHEASTERN WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY
2013 Sustaining Members