MI fruti growers ALERT

To: sustag-public@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: MI fruti growers ALERT
From: news-relay.ncren.net!newsgate.duke.edu!agate!spool.mu.edu!howland.erols.net!ix.netcom.com!news@fddinewz.oit.unc.edu
Date: 2 Feb 1997 03:10:55 GMT
Organization: Country Jack's Honeybee Farm
Sender: london@sunsite.unc.edu
Howdy Fruit Growers,               1 Feb 1997
  
I am a Michigan based Beekeeper.  At Michigan State University a great deal
of research has been done over the years that has helped us learn more
about pollination and how very important it is.  Dr. Roger Hoopingarner has
been involved with a great deal of this research.  Dr. Hoopingarner is
retiring this Summer and MSU at the moment is planning to leave his
position unfilled.  He is the Apiculture Specialist but many of you are
probably well aware that he is also a valuable expert of pollination of
many crops - he has authored a great deal of material and spoken a LOT on
pollination to grower groups not just beekeeper groups throughout the
country.  I feel it is important that we do all we can (we meaning growers
and beekeepers) to convince MSU to fill Dr. Hoopingarner's position with a
qualified faculty person ASAP after he retires.  Please help me get the
word out - and please help put the friendly pressure on those parties that
can influence the decision.  Let's not lose this position because we just
sat back and did nothing.
  
Please take the time to write and/or call and/or e-mail the following
people at MSU.  Also please forward this to other growers of bee pollinated
plants and grower groups that you have e-mail addresses for (also any MI
beekeepers particularly or those that pollinate in MI).  Dr. Hoopingarner's
position at MSU is still not scheduled to be filled.  He retires in June or
July 1997 - this
year - we need to put some friendly but SERIOUS heat on the folks that are
directly involved in determining if MSU eliminates the Apiculture
Specialist position.  I inquired directly with Hoopingarner about who to
put pressure on and have enclosed his reply below.  

Do you know of any Grower newsgroups this could be posted on as well?

Thanks, Jack
quote begins here
Jack:   The apiculture position MAY be filled with a specialist.  It hasn't
happened yet and, in fact, the Department doesn't even have approval to do
that at the moment.  If you want to put pressure on various people, the
following are the leaders in Agriculture.

     Dr. Fred Poston, Vice Provost and Dean
     College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
     102 Agriculture Hall
     Michigan State University
     East Lansing, MI 48824
     517-355-0232
     e-mail poston@pilot.msu.edu

     Dr. J. Ian Gray, Director
     Agricultual Experiment Station
     109 Agriculture Hall
      Michigan State University
     East Lansing, MI 48824
     517-355-0123
     (I got e-mail returned w/
fatal errors when trying to send to this one but it is the address sent me
by Hoopingarner) e-mail grayians@pilot.msu.edu  

     Dr. Arlen G. Leholm, Director
     MSU Extension Service
     108 Agriculture Hall
     Michigan State University
     East Lansing, MI 48824
     517-355-0118
     e-mail leholm@msue.msu.edu


This ends Dr. Hoopingarners reply on this subject.
This is important to beekeepers and those that raise bee pollinated crops. 
We are a small but important group.  WE are going to have to be a BEE IN
THEIR BONNET if we are going to succeed in getting MSU to fill Dr.
Hoopingarner's position because the university has arranged things so the
financial incentive to the department is to cut out the position.  Keep
after this until these folks know you on a first name basis - better yet
until they put you on their Christmas Card list.  Thanks for your help.

Jack & Susan Griffes
Country Jack's Honeybee Farm
Ottawa Lake, MI 49267
USA
e-mail   Griffes@ix.netcom.com
Web page  http://www2.netcom.com/~griffes/