Job announcement: Research Assistant for Corn Project

Scope of work

Organic layer and egg production in the Nation tripled between 2000 and 2003 and quadrupled since then. Corn is the major ingredient of poultry food but it is naturally low in methionine. In protein, the content of methionine is critical and limiting for poultry health and egg production. To meet the nutritional needs of their birds, organic poultry producers supplement their rations with synthetic methionine. Recent rulings by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) stipulate that organic farmers may not feed synthetic methionine after October, 2008.

Our ad hoc research team is working to avoid an abrupt disruption in the supply of organic poultry and eggs by creating a reliable supply of high-methionine corn for farmers, grain handlers, and feeders. Ongoing activities include:

• breeding and production of seed;
• field trials;
• supplying high methionine corn for feeding trials by organic poultry and egg producers; and
• developing an NIR calibration for methionine in corn for grain elevators.

The team is led by Dr. Walter Goldstein from Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) and includes Dr. Linda Pollak and Dr. Marvin Paul Scott from the Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Unit of USDA/ARS in Ames, Dr. Charles Hurburgh, Prof. Agric.Engineering at Iowa State University responsible for the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, Derrick Exner from the Practical Farms of Iowa (PFI), Nick Levendoski from the Organic Valley Egg Pool, researchers from the University of Minnesota, staff of Prairie Hybrid Seed Company, and several others.

With financial assistance from the Ag Marketing Research Center (AgMRC) in Ames, Iowa, we are seeking a research assistant for a one-year appointment primarily to broaden outreach activities.

Job location

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Report to

The assistant will work under the supervision of Dr. Walter Goldstein, MFAI Research Program Director.

Employment period

One year, beginning October, 2007.

Essential duties and responsibilities

The assistant will work under the supervision of Dr. Goldstein at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and will participate in the following tasks:

• helping to publicize information on high-methionine corn and to write a report that will be published in the AgMRC website;
• facilitating acceptance of high methionine corn by farmers, grain handlers, and feeders;
• interacting directly with the NOP, with the NOP Methionine Task Force, with relevant companies, and with farmers through literature, meetings and seminars;
• encouraging feeding trials by companies;
• assisting in the coordination of the team’s activities; and
• broadening our interaction with industry and farmers. In addition to this the assistant may also assist in critical parts of the corn breeding.

Qualifications and requirements

Inquiries from people with experience and interest in communication and sustainable agriculture are encouraged. The assistant should be articulate, responsible, intelligent, possess writing skills, and have an interest in the task.

To apply

More details on work responsibilities, working hours, and salary may be obtained by contacting Dr. Walter Goldstein directly at 262-642-3303 ext. 112, or by writing him at wgoldstein@michaelfieldsaginst.org.