Before Iowa State University (ISU) takes on Minnesota in the Insight Bowl tonight, we wanted to wish all of the players and coaches good luck!

John and I both graduated from the College of Ag at ISU. Because we’re die-hard Cyclone fans, we’re proud to support our team at every opportunity. One way we support the Cyclones is by sponsoring the Latham Hi-Tech Seeds Locker Room Show, a post-game show during which analysts, coaches and players share their thoughts. Since we help provide inside information after the game, we thought you might be interested in a little inside information before the game, too. Click here to see how the Cyclones are preparing for tonight’s match-up.

Please join us and cheer for the Cyclones as they pair up against the Minnesota Gophers in the Sun Devil Stadium at 4 p.m. Mountain Time. And, be sure to tune in to the Latham Locker Room Show following the game. For a listing of which stations air the Latham Locker Room, click here.

(P.S. Don’t worry, Latham products work for Iowa fans, too).

At left: Jesse Smith autographs a football for Ian Latham after ISU defeated Colorado to become “bowl eligible,” 11-26-2009.

Rich Pope, Program Specialist at the Iowa State University Extension (ISU) Department of Plant Pathology recently provided a recap of the unusual temperatures and rainfall that affected Iowa’s 2009 growing season.

Temperatures in July, August and October were very cold compared with historical records, Pope said. July ranked the coldest July on record, while October ranked in the coldest five. The cold temperatures were consistent throughout Iowa, with northwest and central Iowa faring only slightly better than the remainder of the state.

While most of Iowa saw average rain fall, east central and southeast Iowa saw above average rain from July forward. There were exceptions with summer thunderstorms that brought heavy rain to small areas, Pope noted. Two of these storms brought devastating hail that destroyed crops as well as causing additional damage. The first storm occurred July 24, making its way from Calmar in Winnesheik County to Western Dubuque. The second storm was incredibly strong, stripping crops from Ida to Grundy County, causing particularly intense damage in Hardin County near Eldora and Callendar in Webster and Calhoun Counties. ISU researchers have been analyzing damaged ears from these areas for ear rots and potential mycotoxin formation.

To read more and view pictures taken by NASA of the damaged areas, click here.

The future of agriculture looks bright as the enrollment in ag-related bachelor’s degrees has increased substantially in the past few years. A growing number of students are being drawn to ag schools around the country, not necessarily because they grew up on a farm or want to farm land, but because of the science programs within ag and the job opportunities it brings.

Enrollment in bachelor’s degree programs in agriculture across the country grew by 21.8 percent from 2005 to 2008, from about 58,300 students to nearly 71,000, according to surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And the numbers are likely higher as not all schools responded to the survey.

National enrollment figures for 2009 aren’t yet available from all schools, but numbers from major schools make clear the trend continues: The University of California-Davis has more than 5,490 students enrolled in agricultural majors – a jump of 210 from a year before. Purdue University has 2,575 ag students this fall, up 40 from last year.

Keeping with the trend, Iowa State University saw nearly a 21 percent increase in enrollment in agriculture between 2005 and 2008.

The growing numbers are coming at a time in our history when it couldn’t be more important – United Nations reports an expected population of 9 billion in 2050, a population that will need advancements in agriculture and technology more than ever before. 

Have you noticed an increase in students choosing ag-related fields in your area?