By Dr. Mike Walden
North Carolina Cooperative Extension

A recent headline in a major national newspaper caught my eye. The headline read, “Government Getting Smaller in the U.S.” Could this have been a misprint or a joke, although this national paper is not known for its practical jokes? With the record levels of spending, especially at the federal level, and sky-high government deficits and debts, how could anyone make the case that government has been shrinking?

Well, believe it or not, an argument can be made that the government sector has recently been contracting. To understand how, I need to give some background on what exactly is meant by government spending.

A long time ago, economists found it useful to think of what government does in two broad categories. The first category is government production. Government production means the government sector is actually generating a product or service that citizens use. The military, police and court system, all of which provide protection; roads, which allow the movement of products and people; and the educational system, which makes learning and skill acquisition possible; are all good examples.

The second category is government transfers. Here government acts as a middleman for shuffling money from one person to another. Who gets to spend the money changes, but the government has no hand in making anything. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the various social-support programs like TANF (Temporary Aid to Dependent Families), Food Stamps and the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) are examples of government transfer programs.

So with government production, a tangible product results — an aircraft carrier or tank, a trained soldier, a road or bridge or a high school graduate. Government also “owns” the final product (tank, road) or facility (K-12 school) producing the outcome. But with government transfers, the government only determines who pays and who spends. Individuals still make the specific spending decisions and own the purchased products or service.

With this distinction in hand, we can better understand the headline. When the writer stated, “Government Getting Smaller in the U.S.,” he was referring to the first category of government, government production. And he was correct. Usually, government spending on production rises over time, as when the road system expands and school capacity grows to accommodate a larger population.

However, for the first time in 17 years, this wasn’t the case last year (2011). After taking out inflation, government production fell more than 2 percent. The drop was consistent across-the-board for federal as well as for state and local government production and for military and non-military production alike.

In contrast, government transfer spending continued to rise in 2011. Indeed, over the last decade, government transfer spending has increased almost twice as fast (after inflation) as spending for government production.

So what does all this mean? I think there are three important implications, for the economy both short- and long-run and for how people view government.

First, the reduction in government production spending gives support to those concerned about government belt-tightening (austerity measures) contributing to the apparent slowing of economic growth. Some economists argue the significant government production cutbacks in Great Britain have already led to a British double-dip recession. These economists worry the same could happen in the U.S. Of course — and this should not be a surprise — not all economists agree with this assessment.

An assessment that economists almost universally agree with is that total government spending is being driven by government transfers. For example, a decade ago government production spending was almost 50 percent larger than government transfer spending. Today, spending levels are virtually equal, and projections show future government transfer spending far outstripping government production spending.

The conclusion is obvious. If we are to move toward a balanced government budget, particularly a balanced federal government budget, by moderating spending, much of this moderation will have to occur in transfer spending.

Last, I think the dichotomy between spending on government production and spending on government transfers has a big impact on how people view government. Most everyone is aware of government production spending because we all drive the roads, most families use the public schools and we see (especially here in North Carolina) or hear about our military. Yet transfer spending mainly benefits those directly receiving the transfers.

So as government grows and more of this growth goes to transfers and less goes to production, this trend may contribute to more people concluding they are paying more for government but receiving less.

Is government getting larger or smaller? The answer may depend on how you define and combine government spending, but as always, you decide!

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Dr. Mike Walden is a William Neal Reynolds Professor and North Carolina Cooperative Extension economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics of N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He teaches and writes on personal finance, economic outlook and public policy. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences communications unit provides his You Decide column every two weeks. Previous columns are available at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/tag/you-decide

Related audio files are at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/category/economic-perspective/

Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds individuals worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges.  Julie Willoughby’s project is one of over 100 Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8 grants announced today by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Grand Challenges Explorations encourages individuals worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas where creative, unorthodox thinking is most urgently needed,” said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery and Translational Sciences at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  “We’re excited to provide additional funding for select grantees so that they can continue to advance their idea towards global impact.”

To receive funding, Willoughby and Lommel along with other Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8 winners demonstrated in a two-page online application a bold idea in one of five critical global heath and development topic areas that included agriculture development, immunization and nutrition. Applications for the current open round, Grand Challenges Explorations Round 9, will be accepted through May 15, 2012.

A key initiative is addressing global food security, specifically for this project, the team is focused on the rapidly growing Eastern Africa population.  Cassava, corn, potato and sweet potato are among the major food crops of these countries providing income and meeting staple needs for households. Poor plant health due to pests and diseases is a major contributing factor to low crop productivity. Unfortunately, subsistence farming practices in sub-Sahara Africa such as use of land-raised seeds, mono-cultivation, and virtually non-existent seed treatment techniques, result in nutrient-deprived soil and plant pathogenic nematode infestation.  As these parasitic roundworms attack crop root systems, they feed upon crucial growth nutrients reducing crop yields.  The surviving plants also are more vulnerable to secondary infections, drought, and lodging due to severely compromised root systems. It is essential to reduce the nematode population in these farming communities to increase crop yields to help improve the people’s prosperity and well-being.

This project aims to develop and validate a biodegradable cellulose matrix platform technology for seed treatment with active ingredients for crop protection enabled by nano-cargo delivery vehicles and traditional cellulosic pulping processes. The incorporation of active ingredients into a cellulose matrix, such as tissue paper, allows for widespread distribution of crop protection agents without interfering in subsistence farming practices.  The shelf-stable light-weight tissue paper can be applied at the point of seed planting where farmers can use the concept of “wrap and plant” with their own seeds.  An integral part of the project will be for  the team to establish the scientific foundation with host communities in Eastern Africa ensuring translational implementation of the prototype concept, ultimately eliminating the biotic stresses in subsistence farming that reduce crop yield and quality.

About Grand Challenges Explorations

Grand Challenges Explorations is a US$100 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Launched in 2008, over 600 people in 45 countries have received Grand Challenges Explorations grants.  The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization.  The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page online applications and no preliminary data required.  Initial grants of US$100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US$1 million.

About NC State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: www.cals.ncsu.edu

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the second largest college at NC State University and one of the largest colleges of its kind in the nation, with nearly 6,000 students pursuing associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. In the classroom, we equip students for productive careers. Through research, we find solutions and develop systems with economic, environmental and social. Our extension programs are helping people in all 100 North Carolina counties and with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians use knowledge to enhance their lives and livelihoods.

About NC State University College of Textiles: www.tx.ncsu.edu

The College of Textiles has 113 years of teaching, research, and extension.  Undergraduate degrees can be obtained in textile engineering, polymer and color chemistry, fashion and textile management, fashion and textile design and textile technology. Graduate degrees such as master of science and master of textiles and two doctorate degrees in fiber and polymer science and textile technology management are available as well as a graduate certificate in nonwovens. The new world of textiles at the College includes research and education in nonwovens, medical textiles, protective clothing, nanotextiles, smart textiles, transportation textiles, fashion, marketing, merchandising, and traditional textiles. We are home to the Nonwovens Institute and the Textile Protection and Comfort Center who also offer research and testing capabilities to the industry.  The College of Textiles has proven to be the leading textile college in the world covering all aspects of textiles from molecule to market.

Richard Brooks of Apex recently received the Honorary American FFA Degree during the 58^th annual State FFA Land Judging Career Development Event in Robeson County. The award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment.

A dedicated volunteer with a long history of involvement with FFA and the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Brooks provides technical soil and education services as a soil scientist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Raleigh.

“Richard embodies all that FFA stands for, and he couldn’t be more deserving of this honor,” said Jason Davis, North Carolina FFA coordinator. “As a professional and a volunteer, he has served the organization for years, paving the way for the next generation of agriculturists.”

In 1979, Brooks began his career with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Soil and Water Conservation as a soil scientist. He later became the Raleigh regional soil specialist from 1993-2001.

In 2001, Brooks became a soil data quality specialist with the NRCS in Raleigh. In 2007, he accepted a position as resource soil scientist in the NRCS Area 3 office, and he is currently responsible for conducting wetland determinations and delineations in 20 southeastern counties.

Brooks earned a 1979 bachelor’s degree in soil conservation from the NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He has been a member of the Soil Science Society of North Carolina since 1978. He is a past president and has been recognized by the society with the Soil Science Society of North Carolina Achievement Award. Brooks also is a three-term president of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Alumni and Friends Society,

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 523,309 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business, and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,487 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.

Written by: Suzanne Stanard, 919-513-3126 or suzanne_stanard@ncsu.edu

And that wasn’t the only milestone being marked. This year is the 150^th anniversary of the passage of the Morrill Act which enabled the creation of the nation’s land-grant universities. It is also the annual garden gala’s 20^th anniversary, and later this year the JCRA will host a celebration of the 10^th anniversary of its Ruby C. McSwain Education Center complex.

Terri Leith Photo

A quilt depicting historic North Carolina scenes was a popular item among browsers in the silent auction tents.

Held May 6, the ever-popular event at the JCRA – internationally renowned for its diverse gardens, plant collections and horticultural research and education sites – drew 525 registered guests.

On a comfortably cool spring day, garden enthusiasts browsed among eight silent auction tents which featured eclectic collections, botanicals and “finer things.” Guests were served garden drinks and locally grown gourmet selections, to the accompaniment of live music by the Joy Recorder Ensemble.

As befitting the university’s birthday, red and white were dominant décor colors – from the frothy tablecloths and matching umbrellas to the red lion amaryllises brightening grassy paths to tree-shaded glades.

Terri Leith Photo

Blending well with the colorful surroundings are Dayle Oakley and Sheri Schwab.

In the evening, guests moved to the McSwain Center for coffee and dessert of N.C. State ice cream and cupcakes, followed by a program themed around the 125th anniversary.

Dr. Johnny Wynne, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, welcomed guests and recognized the efforts of the 2012 gala event chair, Charlie Kidder, a landscaping business owner, gardening columnist and longtime JCRA volunteer.

Serving as the gala’s honorary chair was Frank Grainger, member of the UNC Board of Governors and of the N.C. Tobacco and Agricultural Foundations, who was introduced by N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson.

Photo by Terri Leith

The Joy Recorder Ensemble played soothing music throughout the day. In the background is the arboretum's newly renovated Lath House, a shelter for rare plants.

Woodson also spoke about the roots of N.C. State and the efforts of the Watauga Club, the group of North Carolina leaders who fought to establish the state’s land-grant institution for higher education in Raleigh. After honoring the university’s past and ongoing transformational impact, Woodson turned his attention to Dean Wynne, who will be retiring this summer after eight years as CALS dean and 50 years of affiliation with N.C. State, as student and faculty member. Listing the many accomplishments of the College during Wynne’s tenure, Woodson said, “Thank you, Johnny, for your dedicated service and leadership.”

Dr. Ted Bilderback, JCRA director, also thanked Wynne and conferred upon him a lifetime membership at the arboretum. He invited the dean to take part in “some terrific volunteer opportunities,” as he presented Wynne a JCRA volunteer “uniform” hat and shirt.

Terri Leith Photo

A guest bids on a hand-made scarf.

By day’s end, there was something else to celebrate: The silent auction had raised more than $31,000, and sponsor gifts totaled $52,000, according to Anne Porter, CALS director of development for the JCRA.

“When the pre-gala plant sale totals are included, I feel very comfortable saying that we reached our net goal of $80,000 this year,” she said. “Of course this event is the arboretum’s main fund-raising event of the year, and the net proceeds support garden development, maintenance and plant collections – plus many staff salaries — all vital to the daily operations of the JCRA and ultimately the enjoyment of our many visitors.”

Those daily operations include the arboretum’s ongoing workshops, symposia, lectures and family programs – and all the things that grow in the place that is “Raleigh’s Garden.” – Terri Leith

Below are more scenes from the gala:

Marc Hall Photo

Dr. Ted Bilderback (right), JCRA director, presents a lifetime arboretum membership to CALS Dean Johnny Wynne.

Marc Hall Photo

N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson and Susan Woodson arrive at the JCRA.

Marc Hall Photo

Local gourmet foods were served during the gala.

Marc Hall Photo

Judi Grainger and Charlie Kidder greet guests.

Marc Hall Photo

Enjoying the garden party.

Marc Hall Photo

Among the unique silent auction items: A framed uncut sheet of dollar bills.

Terri Leith Photo

Shopping for botanicals.

Terri Leith Photo

Gathering at the McSwain Education Center.

Dubbed the “Best All You Can Eat Feast in the Country” by Bon Appetit magazine, this year’s Farm to Fork picnic will feature the combined talents of 28 farms, 28 chefs, and 11 food artisans whose creations range from farmstead cheese to local mint julep jelly.

Proceeds from the event will support new and beginning farmer programs at CEFS and the Breeze Farm Incubator, including apprenticeships, education, and mentoring for aspiring farmers. With the average age of North Carolina farmers at 59, recruiting new farmers is necessary to meet the state’s future food needs.

“Providing new farmers with training and opportunities to have access to land is critical in maintaining our local capacity to raise food,” said CEFS Director Nancy Creamer. “Everyone loves fresh farm products, but unless we address this shortage of farmers, we won’t be able to meet the growing demand.”

“The Breeze Farm has done so much with the funds raised from the Farm to Fork Picnic and other sources. From a new well to a new tractor, two new hoop houses and new waterlines and fencing for livestock grazing, these funds are equipping the farm to train new farmers to become stewards of our land and producers of our food,” said Noah Ranells, agricultural economic development coordinator for Orange County.

Tickets for the event are $100 per person, which includes drinks, and may be purchased through the Farm to Fork Picnic website. Since the inaugural picnic in 2007, the event has sold out each year to ever-growing crowds. Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food International, was a distinguished guest at the first Farm to Fork picnic.

One of the event’s participating chefs — and farmers — is Isaiah Allen, Chef de Cuisine at Il Palio restaurant and a new farmer who, along with his wife, established Rocky Run Farm in Hillsborough. Says Allen, “With a culinary background, growing good honest food just makes sense. Farming has fallen into place for us and has been heavily influenced during my time spent at Il Palio. Our plan for Rocky Run is to grow produce as sustainably as the land and resources will allow.”

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of N.C. State University, N.C. A&T State University and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. CEFS develops and promotes food and farming systems that protect the environment, strengthen local communities and provide economic opportunities in North Carolina and beyond. For more information, visit www.cefs.ncsu.edu.

Slow Food Triangle is a local, volunteer-run chapter of Slow Food USA with the simple mission to work toward a world in which all food is good, clean, fair, and accessible to all. Through advocacy, education, and special events, the organization also seeks to celebrate food as a social and cultural connector of people to each other, their food traditions, and the land. Learn more at www.slowfoodtriangle.org.

The Breeze Farm was donated to NC State University by Colonel Bill Breeze and his family to support sustainable farming system programming. It conducts an 8-week new farmer training workshop series in January and February and leases land to aspiring farmers and livestock producers. For more information see www.orangecountyfarms.org/PLANTatBreeze.asp.

To read the story by Bon Appetit, visit: www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/bafoodist/2009/06/two-food-events-worth-planning.html.

Additional sponsors include Whole Foods and North Carolina Farm Bureau. For a complete list of all Farm to Fork sponsors and information on the picnic, visit www.farmtoforknc.com.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Kevin Concannon will be on hand in Goldsboro Wednesday for the launch of an innovative program designed to get fresh, local produce into city neighborhoods with limited access to fresh food.

The kickoff event will be held May 9 at 12 noon at the City Market in Herman Park on Herman Street in Goldsboro. The event will feature singing by Dillard Academy Charter School’s veggie chorus, cooking demonstrations and special give-a-ways. Other special guests will include Goldsboro officials, community partners and former N.C. Congresswoman Eva Clayton.

Produce Ped’lers, a program initiated by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, will employ eight youths to peddle – literally – bicycle rickshaws with fresh produce to neighborhoods across the city. Like the bicycle ice cream deliveries of yesterday, the Produce Ped’lers hope to become a welcome sign of good things to eat across Goldsboro.

The main goal of the program is to increase access to fresh produce in food desert neighborhoods, said Shorlette Ammons, community-based foods systems outreach coordinator at the CEFS Small Farm Unit in Goldsboro. To make it easier for consumers to purchase produce, the City Market has received permission to accept cards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps. Ammons’ goal is for the Produce Ped’lers to be able to accept the cards as well.

The Produce Ped’lers program will extend the reach and promote Goldsboro’s two farmers’ markets. The City Market has moved down the street to its new location in Herman Park. It is open Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. ‘til dusk and on first Sundays, 1-4 p.m. The Plum Tree Market, located on George Street, has been in operation for two years now and is open Fridays, 4-7 p.m. The market offer arts and crafts from local artisans, in addition to freshly baked breads, jams, jellies and produce.

At the event Wednesday, Ammons hopes to have a demonstration rickshaw to show. The Produce Ped’lers program will actually get underway in late June or early July, once the infrastructure is in place to accept SNAP payments.

The project is funded by a USDA Farmers’ Market promotion grant. Community partners — including Dillard Academy Charter School, the Wayne County Health Department, the Wayne Food Initiative, the City of Goldsboro, Plum Tree Marketplace and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems — teamed up to launch this pilot program that will also employ young people and train them in farmers’ market management.

For more information about the Produce Ped’lers program, contact Ammons at sammonss@ncat.edu or 919.288.0192. Growers interested in selling at the City Market, should contact Mark Wilson at mwilson@ci.goldsboro.nc.us. For the Plum Tree Market, contact Joanne Lesak at grandpachildren@earthlink.net.

Award winners were recognized at a May 3 ceremony at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on the Centennial Campus.

Dr. Barry Croom, professor of Agricultural and Extension Education, and Dr. John Meyer, professor of Entomology, were named 2012 Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors, while Dr. Jennifer Campbell, assistant professor of Biology, and Dr. David W.W. Jones, assistant professor of Agricultural and Extension Education, received Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards.

In addition, Dr. Grady Miller, professor of Crop Science and N.C. Cooperative Extension specialist, received an Alumni Association Outstanding Extension and Outreach Award.

Miller was eligible for the Alumni Association award by virtue of his receipt of an Outstanding Extension Service Award given by the N.C. State University Office of Outreach and Engagement and his inclusion in the Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged in Extension.

Three CALS faculty members were selected to receive Outstanding Extension Awards. In addition to Miller, Dr. Ben Chapman, assistant professor of 4-H Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences, and Dr. Lisa Guion Jones, assistant dean for diversity, outreach and engagement, received Outstanding Extension Awards.

Outstanding Extension Award winners are eligible for inclusion in the Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged in Extension, and both Miller and Chapman were selected for the academy.

Written by: Dave Caldwell, 919.513.3127 or dave_caldwell@ncsu.edu

Honored as faculty initiates from CALS were Dr. K.S.U. (Jay) Jayaratne, assistant professor, Agricultural and Extension Education; Dr. David W.W. Jones, assistant professor, Agricultural and Extension Education; Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton, assistant professor, Crop Science; and Dr. Sheri Schwab, associate director, N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Named 2012 alumni initiate was James H. Howie, a 1979 CALS graduate in biological and agricultural engineering, who is manager of Dairy Development and Organic Sales at Southern Marketing Agency. And CALS honorary initiates were Robert L. Ford, executive director of the North Carolina Poultry Federation, and state Sen. Brent F. Jackson, a Sampson County agribusinessman.

They were recognized during GSD’s annual banquet at the McKimmon Center, along with 19 seniors and graduate students from CALS and the College of Natural Resources, as well as 21 initiates from N.C. State’s College of Veterinary Medicine who were inducted into the honor society.

Becky Kirkland Photo

Dean Wynne was featured speaker at the event honoring academic achievement and contributions to agriculture.

Dr. Johnny Wynne, CALS dean, was featured speaker at the event. His topic was “Global Challenges with Agricultural and Agro-bioscience Solutions: Opportunities for N.C. State.”

The N.C. State University Gamma Sigma Delta chapter began in 1955. The organization’s objectives are the advancement of agriculture in all its phases, the maintenance and improvement of the relations of agriculture and related sciences to other industries, and the recognition of the responsibilities of those engaged in all aspects of agriculture to humankind. — Terri Leith

The Dr. Randy Rose Memorial Garden, part of the Toxicology Building Plaza on Centennial Campus, features four benches with inscribed plaques and new landscape plantings, including crepe myrtles behind each bench, set near a scenic waterfall pool under shade trees. The garden, intended as a tranquil gathering spot for students and faculty, is in front of the building that houses the CALS department where Rose, an internationally renowned toxicologist, taught and conducted research beneficial to human health.

Dr. Randy Rose

His work included studies of the molecular basis of pesticide metabolism and resultant interaction in mammals and insects. Rose, who came to N.C. State in 1988 as a post-doctoral fellow, helped to found the CALS Department of Toxicology, now the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.

“As time goes on, we dwell less on our loss, and we think of the good times with our friend and colleague Randy Rose,” said Dr. Gerald LeBlanc, head of the department, who welcomed guests and shared his memories of the late 1980s, when he and Rose were both newcomers to the N.C. State faculty. “We relied upon each other and learned from each other, and it was such a valuable experience for me. Randy had an incredible compass. Those of us who knew Randy knew the goodness he had.”

Rose’s former student, Dr. Ed Croom, who also worked in Rose’s lab, recalled him as a scientist, teacher and boss, who “spent a lot of time making courses understandable.”

Terri Leith Photo

Dr. Andrew Wallace spoke about his former colleague.

And Dr. Andrew Wallace, assistant professor of environmental and molecular toxicology, talked about the significance of his colleague’s studies of the toxicology of agricultural chemicals, research critical to farm worker health.

“He was dedicated to his disciplines of toxicology and entomology,” said Wallace, who also spoke about Rose’s many interests, including birds, beekeeping and working with the Boy Scouts. “This memorial represents Randy’s values: The benches, the trees for shade, where people can gather, all speak to Randy’s core values of community.”

LeBlanc acknowledged the work of Julia Storm, agromedicine information specialist in the department, who chaired the memorial committee and led efforts to fund and build the memorial garden. Storm, for her part, thanked landscape project manager Lynn Swank of the university design and construction services office. The garden was made possible by donations from many alumni, friends and members of Toxicology, she said, as well as a grant from Pi Alpha Xi-Iota Chapter, the horticulture honor society.

Terri Leith Photo

Julia Storm (right) presents a memento of the dedication to the Rose family. From left are Rose's daughter, Karen, holding his grandaughter, Addison; his wife, Eileen; and his son Brian.

Storm then presented a gift of framed and inscribed photographs of the garden to Randy Rose’s wife, Eileen Rose, and to two of their five children, Karen and Brian, and baby granddaughter, Addison.

“I’m grateful to have this place to remember Randy and his accomplishments,” said Eileen Rose. Taking the podium, she directed attention to Addison, noting that “she has her grandpa’s eyes.”

Rose then talked about her husband’s youth in Utah, where his father was a 4-H agent. Randy’s interest in beekeeping became useful to his father, who would take the boy along when extension work required collecting and identifying bees. “He stood me up for our first date because he was collecting bees!” she told the audience.

His love for the outdoors inspired his teaching work with the Boy Scouts, in which their four sons were active. “The last conversation we had, he called me from here with a question about our boys’ Eagle Scout project,” she said.

Terri Leith Photo

Eileen Rose shares memories about her husband, as their granddaughter listens.

That project was the building of an elementary school playground, which her sons completed the summer after their father passed away. “Now this garden is a nice and comfortable place to go enjoy the quiet,” she said.

Randy Rose came to N.C. State in 1988 to work with Dr. Ernest Hodgson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, who also spoke at the dedication. “We should remember we are celebrating Randy’s life and dedicating a memorial to his life,” Hodgson said. “When we lost Randy, his family lost a dedicated father and husband. I lost a very close friend and the ideal collaborator. He understood that toxicology is a science that exists in the public welfare.”

Terri Leith Photo

The inscription on one of the garden benches.

Hodgson then shared lines from Robert Binyon’s “For the Fallen” that he adapted for the occasion: “[He] shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary [him], nor the years condemn./At the going down of the sun and in the morning/We will remember [him].” – Terri Leith

Schulman will receive the award in recognition of his work “in the sociology of agriculture, rural labor markets, community, and now more recently, youth and occupational safety,” wrote Wynne Wright, Rural Sociological Society awards committee chair, in a letter informing Schulman of the honor.

Schulman’s research focuses on occupational health and injury among young workers, the public health impacts of farm vehicle accidents on public roads and the interrelationships between labor market restructuring and changes in community quality of life, including occupational injury.

Wright went on to note that Schulman’s “willingness to help others advance their scholarship through your editorial duties with our flagship journal, Rural Sociology, is further evidence of the critical role you have played in advancing rural sociology.”

Schulman edited Rural Sociology, the journal of the Rural Sociological Society, from 2008 through 2011. In 2011, he was elected society president-elect. He will begin serving a year-long term as president July 30.

Schulman has been a member of the N.C. State faculty since 1977. From 1992 until 1997 and again in 2005-2006, he served as director of graduate programs in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Since 1998, he has served as adjunct professor in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

From 1999 through 2006, Schulman was a member of the Board of Collaborators of the North Carolina Institute for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. He has also served as a senior research fellow with the N.C. State University Research and Professional Ethics Program.

While Schulman spent the vast majority of his N.C. State career in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, he moved to a new departmental home in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of 4-H Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences in 2011 with departmental reorganization.

Written by: Dave Caldwell, 919.513.3127 or dave_caldwell@ncsu.edu