AMES, Iowa -- As waters recede from farmland that has been covered for several months by Missouri River flooding, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension are jointly planning a workshop for Monday, Sept. 12 to address cropland issues. The workshop will be conducted via webinar at several viewing sites in both states from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Extension agriculture staff will host the workshop sites and facilitate questions to the panel.

Topics to be covered during the webinar and extension presenters include : sedimentation and debris removal, Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension ag engineer; managing post flooding soils -- flooded soil syndrome, Mahdi Al-Kaisi, ISU Extension soil specialist; cover crops for soil health, Paul Jasa, UNL Extension engineer; and leases and crop insurance on flooded land, William Edwards, ISU Extension farm management specialist. Rick Koelsch, UNL associate dean of extension, will moderate the panel.

"It is important for us to share information with those tasked with caring for farmland post flooding, but it is also important for Extension to hear the concerns and specific issues these folks have on their land," said Shawn Shouse, extension ag engineer and planning committee member. "There is science that we can apply to this situation, but there is much that comes from farmer experience."

Physical damage to farm ground may include obvious things like erosion and sand deposition. But some effects are invisible, having to do with the loss of soil microbes and soil structure. Land managers need to start planning and acting as the waters recede so that the soil can be productive again for next year.

"Using webinar technology helps us reach the most people on both sides of the river without having them travel great distances," said John Wilson, UNL Extension educator and event co-chair. "It also allows for informal discussion at each site among those who have been most affected by the flood and with extension staff."

In Iowa, the workshop will be held at the following ISU Extension offices: Fremont County in Sidney, Harrison County in Logan, Mills County in Malvern and Monona County in Onawa. ISU Extension in West Pottawattamie County is hosting the session at the Lied Multipurpose Center, 3501 Harry Langdon Blvd, Council Bluffs and Woodbury County Extension is hosting at a site to be determined. Nebraska viewing sites will be in Auburn at a site to be announced, in Blair at the Blair City Hall Council Chambers, in Dakota City at the USDA Service Center, in Falls City at the Courthouse, in Omaha at the Douglas/Sarpy Extension Office and in Tekamah at the City Auditorium. The Extension agriculture educator hosting the workshop at each location will be available after the webinar to address additional questions and concerns, if needed.

The webinar also will be available in South Dakota at the Davison County Extension Complex in Mitchell and in Kennebec at the Lyman County Courthouse. Further information on the Flood Recovery for Cropland Workshop, including additional sites and information as it becomes available, is available on ISU and UNL extension websites:  www.extension.iastate.edu/topic/recovering-disasters and flood.unl.edu.

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Scott County will offer the Ornamental and Turfgrass Applicators Continuing Instructional Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Wednesday, November 9, 2011. The program can be seen at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension Pest Management and the Environment (PME) program.

The local attendance site is the ISU Scott County Extension office. Registration begins at 1 p.m., and the course runs from 1:30 to 4 p.m. The registration fee is $35 on or before Nov. 2 and $45 after Nov. 2. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the ISU Extension office in Scott County by phoning 563-359-7577.

The course will provide continuing instructional credit for commercial pesticide applicators certified in categories 2, 3O, 3T, 3OT and 10. Topics to be covered include effects of pesticides on groundwater and other nontarget sites; phytotoxicity; pesticide stewardship; Iowa forest health update; and turfgrass herbicide research updates.

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Scott County Extension office will host an Aquatic, Forest, and Roadside, Continuing Instructional Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators on Wednesday, October 5, 2011. The program can be seen at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension Pest Management and the Environment (PME) Program.

The local site for the Oct. 5 CIC is the ISU Scott County Extension office. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by sessions 9 to 11:30 a.m. The registration fee is $35 on or before Sept. 28 and $45 after Sept. 28. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the Scott County Extension office by phoning 563-359-7577.

The 2011 course will provide continuing instructional credits for commercial and public pesticide applicators certified in categories 2 (Forest Pest Control), 5 (Aquatic Pest Control), 6 (Right-of-Way Pest Control), and 10 (Demonstration and Research). Topics to be covered are water quality and phytotoxicity, nontarget organisms and pesticides, pesticide stewardship, thousand canker disease, snakegrass and teasel control, Japanese beetle update, and an aquatic weed update.

Additional information and registration forms for this and other courses offered through the PME Program can be accessed at www.extension.iastate.edu/PME.

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LISLE, IL (08/30/2011)(readMedia)-- Marquis Ray Rodgers of Rock Island earned a B.A. in Sociology from Benedictine University.

Benedictine University awarded Associate of Arts (A.A.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degrees to 679 students who completed their degree requirements on or before May 2011.

The University also awarded Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Master of Science (M.S.) degrees to 800 students who completed their requirements on or before May 2011.

Twelve students were awarded a Ph.D. in Organization Development and five were awarded an Ed.D. in Higher Education and Organizational Change.

Benedictine University is an independent Roman Catholic institution located in Lisle, Illinois just 25 miles west of Chicago. Founded in 1887, Benedictine provides 53 undergraduate majors, 13 graduate and four doctorate programs. Forbes magazine has named Benedictine University among the top 20 percent of America's colleges for 2011. Benedictine University is also ranked as a "Top School in the Midwest" by U.S. News & World Report.

On the web: http://readabout.me/achievements/Marquis-Ray-Rodgers-of-Rock-Island-Earns-Degree-from-Benedictine-University/2983165.