Alcester Union & Hudsonite Online

North Central Sun Grant Center sees expanding role for agriculture
BROOKINGS - Land-grant universities and the federal government see an expanding role for American agriculture in producing bioenergy and other non-traditional products in addition to food and fiber.
That was the message Director Jim Doolittle of the North Central Sun Grant Center at South Dakota State University shared Thursday, Dec. 20.
Doolittle was among the speakers at the ribbon cutting for the center’s new offices. The North Central Sun Grant Center’s new quarters are at Suite 201 of the Enterprise Center, 815 Medary Ave., Brookings.
Computer users can see video footage of Doolittle and other speakers at the North Central Sun Grant Center’s ribbon cutting by visiting an SDSU Web site, http://agbiotvradio.sdstate.edu/video.cfm.
The center is one of five regional Sun Grant centers around the United States that help coordinate land-grant university work on biofuels and bioproducts.
“Our mission that is authorized is to help enhance energy security, to help promote better, sustainable and diversified agriculture in the nation, and also to promote economic prosperity in our rural communities through teaching, research and Extension,” Doolittle said.
SDSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Peterson said the practical result will be more activity at land-grant institutions such as SDSU, with far-reaching benefits.
“What all this means is that there are going to be great opportunities for our faculty teachers, our faculty researchers, our students -- undergraduates and graduates -- and most importantly, down the road, for our citizens,” Peterson said.
The Sun Grant Initiative is a nationwide effort that began at South Dakota State University. At Thursday’s event former SDSU President Peggy Miller remarked that Kevin Kephart first proposed the idea of the Sun Grant Initiative several years ago during his time as director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Kephart is now vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at SDSU.
Kephart, who also spoke, said the Sun Grant Initiative is working increasingly with federal agencies on bioenergy and other issues. From its initial authorization through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Sun Grant Initiative has grown to include additional support and funding through the federal Transportation Department and the Department of Energy.
Doolittle said one important new development is an expanded partnership with the Department of Energy to focus on developing feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol.
The North Central Sun Grant Center office at SDSU currently has a staff of three people currently and soon will hire a fourth.

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