February 17, 2005

C-FAR Elects 2005 Leadership at Annual Meeting

SPRINGFIELD--The Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) met for its annual meeting on February 15 at the Northfield Inn, Suites & Conference Center in Springfield. C-FAR board members and committee leaders provided updates on the state of the organization. Chairman Alan Puzey addressed the membership on the beneficial impact C-FAR continues to have for Illinois and its citizens. "As we, as members of C-FAR, advocate for an increased state appropriation for food and agricultural research, we can anchor this advocacy on a track record we can each be extremely proud of," said Puzey.

During the meeting, the C-FAR membership re-elected four individuals to serve on the seven-person board of directors: Fred Bradshaw (Griggsville), David Downs (Allerton), Nels Kasey (Paris), and Karen Little (Pleasant Plains). They join Larry Fischer (Quincy), Alan Puzey (Fairmount), and Steve Scates (Shawneetown). The C-FAR working groups elected chairs and vice chairs to serve in 2005. The new working group leadership includes

Expanding Agricultural Markets:
Jim Charlesworth (Bloomington), chair and Heather Hampton Knodle (Fillmore), vice chair

Rural Economic Development:
Kae Hankes (Galesburg), chair and Linda Wikoff (Oneida), vice chair

Agricultural Production Systems:
Molly Ann Godar (Rochester), chair and Anne Builta Crider (Arrowsmith), vice chair

Human Nutrition and Food Safety:
Jeanne Harland (LaFayette), chair and Jim Fraley (Bloomington), vice chair

Natural Resources:
Byford Wood (Breese), chair and Walt Townsend (Geff), vice chair

"C-FAR is uniquely positioned with having over 60 stakeholder-based associations as organizational members, almost 40 public entities as affiliate members, and over 130 individual members who believe in and support a viable publicly-funded food and agricultural research program. States throughout the nation look at C-FAR and marvel at the coalition we have been able to forge and sustain," said Puzey.

Meeting attendees heard presentations given by C-FAR-funded researchers on the effects of soy isoflavones on human health, potential new alternative crops for Illinois producers, and the development of advanced bio-composites using agricultural byproducts. In addition, principal investigators of C-FAR's three strategic research initiatives (SRIs) provided updates on their research programs. The SRIs address the economic and social challenges facing Illinois' livestock industry, the use of biomass energy crops for power and heat generation in Illinois, and water quality in Illinois including the development and implementation of total maximum daily loads.

"C-FAR research investments are able to secure leveraged funding, attracting additional dollars to Illinois. Often, the C-FAR appropriation serves as seed money to begin a particular initiative, which can lead to substantial federal, corporate, and other funding. This leveraging of C-FAR dollars has brought millions of additional dollars into our state's economy," said Nels Kasey, C-FAR research chair.

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