2002ConferenceFinalBooklet

BUTLER/CUNNINGHAM

This page collects the material for a booklet describing the 2002 conference; it is a web-site (electronic) booklet of the conference. How to obtain a paper booklet should be available on request from the site developer. Please see the bottom of the page for a list of the speakers and summaries of their presentations.

This site will change from time to time. Basic organization will remain constant.

click here to contact Mike Polioudakis, site developer

polioej@acesag.auburn.edu

LEVEL 2

2002 CONFERENCE

FINAL BOOKLET

Selection of Similar Pages

Selections from the Home Page

First Conference on Agriculture and the Environment:

Common Misbeliefs About Alabama Agriculture

November 2002, Birmingham, Alabama

Introduction

The first sections below introduce: the Butler/Cunningham grant to the College of Agriculture of Auburn University; Claude E. Boyd, the current Butler/Cunningham Eminent Scholar in Agriculture and the Environment; and the conference series begun by Dr. Boyd. The next section summarizes agriculture in Alabama as discussed in the conference, so as to make the summaries of the individual presenters more clear. The remainder, the bulk of the page, presents material from speakers at the first conference.

Brief History of the Butler/Cunningham Grant to the Auburn University College of Agriculture and the Eminent Scholar for Agriculture and the Environment

Mr. Eugene Butler and Dr. Emory Cunningham

Mr. Eugene Butler was the long-time editor of the Southwest version of Progressive Farmer Magazine. His father began the magazine about 1900, and it has since grown into a major chronicler of agricultural activities in the nation. Besides American rural life, Eugene Butler loved baseball.

Dr. Emory Cunningham graduated from Auburn University, receiving his degree in Botany. He was the President of Southern Progress Corporation, which published Progressive Farmer Magazine and Southern Living. For twelve years he served as a trustee of Auburn University. He was an avid gardener, and a landscaper. He helped design the setting for the offices of Southern Progress Corporation and the grounds for his extensive family home, both near Birmingham. He was keenly interested in wise use of the environment and in outdoor beauty.

For photographs of Mr. Butler and Dr. Cunningham, please click on the buttons below:

Eminent Scholar(s) in Agriculture and the Environment

The endowed positions for various Eminent Scholars at Auburn University resulted from a program of the Alabama legislature in the 1980s. Mr. Eugene Butler and Dr. Emory Cunningham jointly contributed the majority funding to establish an Eminent Scholar in Agriculture and the Environment under that program. Specifically, they contributed money through the Auburn University Fund, and the position is administered through the College of Agriculture. Since their initial endowment, the position has become largely self-sustaining. According to the position announcement, the primary responsibilities of the Scholar are to develop strong research, teaching, extension and outreach programs that integrate agricultural and environmental issues for improving the quality of life in rural and urban communities. The scholar will be expected to collaborate with faculty and students in various disciplines and established programs to develop those projects and to seek extramural support for those projects. Targeted programs may include:

-Effects of agriculture on water quality, biological diversity and other environmental parameters.

-Environmental education.

-Enhancement of ecological stability in areas such as parks, forests or human communities, especially at the rural/urban interface.

The first Butler/Cunningham Eminent Scholar in Agriculture and the Environment was William Davies, a Fisheries scientist, of the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, who had the position from about 1991 to 1995. In collaboration with Dr. William Deutsch of the Fisheries Department, Dr. Davies helped to start and promote Water Watch (please see their website at www.alabamawaterwatch.org). This outstanding program was a national pioneer in promoting organized citizen action for the environment; in training citizens to gather research-quality data; and in fostering cooperation between citizens, business groups, and government agencies. It has led to many students in Alabama learning about the environment and actively participating in monitoring the environment. It continues strongly today.

The current scholar is Claude E. Boyd, also of the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures. Dr. Boyd's term is three years. For more information on Dr. Boyd, please click on button:

Other Activities Facilitated by Butler/Cunningham:

Dr. Emory Cunningham contributed significantly to establishing the Environmental Institute of the College of Agriculture of Auburn University. For more information on that Institute, please see its website through the website of the College of Agriculture, or contact the current Director, Dr. L. Upton Hatch.

Claude E. Boyd and the Environmental Institute jointly have begun a series of annual Forums on aspects of the environment and/or agriculture. Each year will be guided by a different theme. The forums will feature frequent guest speakers from outside Auburn University. The theme for the school year 2001-2002 was "Food Safety". The Eminent Scholar and the Environmental Institute have also instituted a series of lectures on topics of environmental importance, held every month during the school year. The topic for the school year 2001-2002 was "Water Quality". Further information on both these series can be found at this website as available.

Conference Series

The Butler/Cunningham conference series will explore issues related to agriculture and forestry, the environment, and rural life in Alabama. The aim is to identify problems and seek realistic solutions.

MATERIAL SPECIFICALLY ON THE FIRST CONFERENCE

Purpose of the First Conference

The First Butler/Cunningham Conference on Agriculture and the Environment is entitled "Common Misbeliefs About Alabama Agriculture". The following paraphrase from the brochure describes it. The results of the poll commissioned for the Conference (see below) can be accessed through web site.

"Agriculture is often touted as Alabama's major industry. Agriculture is indeed important to the state's economy, yet many Alabamans are not aware of the complexities of modern farm life and agriculture. Long gone are the days of 40 acres and a mule. Today's farmer must be a production scientist, engineer, accountant, environmental specialist, etc. Future generations will be even less familiar with agriculture and rural life in Alabama.

What does Alabama agriculture look like now? What will it look like in the year 2020? What effect does it have on the environment? How can the rural-urban interface exist in harmony in the years ahead, particularly given the issues related to the environment?

Even without definitive answers, these questions seriously merit our consideration. This conference will help make all of us more aware of the state's agricultural industry, and help all of us gain new insights for dealing with current issues and with changes on the horizon."

Brochure

For the conference brochure (in MS Word format), with a list of the speakers, click this button:

Copy of the Paper Booklet

Two summaries were prepared of the information of the conference. The first summary follows the conference fairly closely and condenses much of the material that appears below. The second summary describes the state of Alabama agriculture in general, and can serve as a background on issues of land use and taxation. The second summary will also be available through the Land Use Issues page for the second conference.

For an electronic copy of the booklet which serves as a synopsis of the conference (in MS Word format), click the following button:

For an electronic copy of the booklet which summarizes Alabama agriculture, click the following button:

Particular Speakers

This section contains material from most, but not all, the speakers at the conference (in MS Word or MS Powerpoint format). The listing under the name gives the title of the talk. For each speaker, when possible, there is a Full version of his or her written material, a Brief version (or Entry), and his or her Visuals. A short description of the speaker, taken primarily from the brochure, can be found with his or her written material. The order of speakers follows the brochure.

Carol Goodloe

Current and Long-Term Outlook for U.S. and Alabama Agriculture

Wayne Shell

A Short History of Alabama Agriculture

Lavaughn Johnson

The Public's Opinion of Agriculture and the Environment - Results of a State-Wide Opinion Poll

Dr. Johnson described the results of the opinion poll taken for this conference. Those results can be accessed by going to the pages devoted to the poll.

Ronnie Murphy

Where Your Food Dollar Goes

Herb Vanderberry

Historical Trends in Alabama Agriculture

William Hardy

How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm, Given the Economic Perspective?

John R. Christy

Climatological Effects on Alabama Agriculture

George Martin

Alabama Soils

Linda Hutton

How Does Alabama Agriculture Compare to That of Other States?

Robert Jones

Resource Conservation and Development Program Initiatives

Wes Wood

The Phosphorus Problem in Animal Production

Wes Wood is a Professor in the College of Agriculture of Auburn University, where he teaches many aspects of soil science. He and his students have done considerable work in identifying and tracking the major components of animal wastes and fertilizers. His work has much importance for evaluating the expanding animal industries in Alabama. Rather than attempt to summarize his work here, the reader is referred to a statement from him in the Environment Facts pages of this site (see button above), and to his website (www.auburn.edu/~woodcha ).

Walter Hill

Introduction to Current Land Use in Alabama