Senior Lab Agronomist Fred Vocasek recently traveled to Baltimore last week and chaired a meeting of the ASA ‘Water Security for Agriculture’ Task Force.
From Fred:
“The Task Force heard presentations from officials of the NRCS, USDA-Economic Research Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and the US-EPA.
“These officials discussed various policy issues regarding water quality, water use, and how they are impacted by production agriculture. On Tuesday, the Task Force began formulating actions to develop policy positions about water shortage, water excess, water quality, and the respective roles of agronomy and the agronomist. Water Security will be an ongoing effort by the Agronomy Society.”
Task Force members: Jim Gaffney (Biotech Affairs and Regulatory. Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl.), Bob Beck (Regional Agronomist, Winfield Solutions), Bill Heer (Agronomist, Kansas State University), Gary Peterson (Professor Emeritus, Colorado State University), and Karl Anderson (ASA Science Policy Office, Washington DC).
John Sadler (USDA-ARS Research Leader, Cropping Systems & Water Quality, University of Missouri), Bruce Knight (Strategic Conservation Solutions, Washington DC) and Neil Hansen (Professor of Agronomy, Colorado State University). Knight was Chief of the NRCS during the Bush administration.
