The overriding theme of most issues in agriculture today is sustainability in all its various facets - environment, economics, and social impacts. Each winter term, the department of Crop and Soil Science presents an undergraduate seminar series entitled Farming Today for Tomorrow that will deal with a specific theme of agricultural sustainability.
This is a one-credit pass/no-pass class consisting of nine videotapes each approximately one hour in length. Each tape is a recording of a seminar pertaining to Soil Quality and was presented during the on-campus CSS199 seminar series offered Winter Term 2001 by the Crop and Soil Science Department of Oregon State University. This particular seminar series focuses on the interaction between soil quality and agricultural sustainability. The intent of this seminar series is to present both results from scientific research on sustainable agricultural and from the experience of growers seeking to use sustainable agricultural methods in their operations. Agricultural sustainability involves many factors, and scientists and natural resource users have always recognized the importance of soil tilth and soil chemistry. There is also a recognized need to determine the relationships between physical, chemical and biological soil properties with regard to their effects on plant growth and soil quality. This seminar series explores some of these relationships and presents research involving soil quality in agricultural settings.
The course requirements are simple - watch each tape, take a short on-line quiz, and write a 3-5 page final paper on some aspect of Soil Quality. Details on these requirements are given below. A web site is maintained for the class with information links.
This class can be accessed through the OSU's teaching and learning portal (Blackboard). Students enrolled in CSS 499/599 classes are encouraged to use this system to participate in on-line discussion groups about issues related to Soil Quality with other students in the course.
Students will need to order the videotapes for this course from the OSU bookstore, by calling the toll free number (800) 595-0357. The videos will be sent by mail, or they can be picked up at the textbook counter on the lower level of the bookstore. There is a $25 rental fee for the videos for each class. If the videos are not returned, there is an additional $50 charged to the student’s account. This fee is nonrefundable.
The class is graded pass/fail. To pass students must do the following:
| Video Number |
Speaker Occupation |
Subject |
| 1 | Dr. Benno Warkentin, Professor Emeritus, OSU Dept. of Crop and Soil Science Former Director of the OSU Water Institute |
An overview of soil quality |
| 2 | Jay Noller, Assistant Professor, OSU Dept. of Crop and Soil Science |
Structure: The tie that binds soil's qualities |
| 3 | Peter Bottomley, Professor, OSU Soil Microbiology |
Soil microorganisms: The real stewards of the earth |
| 4 | Cathy Seybold, Soil Scientist, USDA/NRCS |
Measuring soil quality |
| 5 | Bill Jepsen, Dryland Crop Producer |
Soil quality in a 12 inch rainfall zone |
| 6 | Dan Sullivan, Assistant, Professor, OSU Extension Soil Science |
Bio-availability of nutrients and metals in soil |
| 7 | Steve Albrecht & Ron Rickman, Professor, USDA Crop and Soil Science Columbia Plateau Conservation Resource Center |
Carbon cycling and sequestration in Agricultural Soils |
| 8 | Peter Kenagy, Producer Western Oregon |
A Growers Perspective of Soil Quality in Western Oregon |
| 9 | John Buckhouse, Professor, OSU Rangeland Resource |
Soils and Watershed Management |
Kimberly Hannaway
Expertise Area: Educational Design
Office: Crop Science Building 022
Phone: 541-737-5036
Fax: 541-737-1589
Email: kimberly@oregonstate.eduMailing Address:
Department of Crop and Soil Science
Crop Science Building 107
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-3002
