www.cpp.edu/agri | msholzclause@cpp.edu | (909) 869-2200 1

October 2015 | From Dean Mary Holz-Clause

ARI Research Showcase

The Annual ARI Research Showcase will take place Thursday, Nov. 5.

The event will run from 3 to 6 p.m. at AGRIscapes. For more information contact Wei Bidlack at wwbidlack@cpp.edu.

New Rose Float Lab Site Won’t Take Ag LandUniversity officials have settled on a site for the new Rose Float Laboratory that will not use agricultural land.

The chosen site for the new lab is northeast of Parking Lot E1 and Building 45 (apparel merchandising and management). It is currently occupied by three sheds used by facilities and university procurement.

It was one of four sites that university officials reviewed. Facilities planning and student affairs officials worked with the College of Agriculture to ensure that it was not on agricultural land.

The new lab will provide 13,000 square feet of space, including a fully enclosed construction bay that will protect the float from bad weather, create space to improve student learning, and secure equipment, electronics and tools.

It will replace the older, open-air, warehouse-sized building to the southeast that currently serves as the Rose Float Lab. A feasibility plan is underway to create a site plan, renderings and cost estimates. A fundraising campaign is expected to begin in January.

Ag Career Day at the BSC

Students and agricultural industry representatives will meet Thursday, Nov. 5, at the fall quarter Ag Career Day.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bronco Student Center. For more information, contact Danielle Townley at drtownley@cpp.edu or (909) 869-2869.

Two College evenTs onnovember 5, 2015

www.cpp.edu/agri | msholzclause@cpp.edu | (909) 869-2200 2

College of Agriculture Newsletter | October 2015 | From Dean Mary Holz-Clause

Jeanne Brooks Abernathy was named the new director of the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center

A Tennessee native, Abernathy comes to Cal Poly Pomona from Brookhill Farms, an Arabian horse breeding and training center she founded in 2003. Since its founding, the farm has grown from three horses to more than 50. Prior to that, she worked as a marketing consultant for a specialty glass company and in various management and sales positions with Xerox Corporation.

“We’re excited to have Jeanne join us as the new director of the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center,” says Mary Holz-Clause, dean of the College of Agriculture. “She brings a passion for horses that started in her childhood. She has managed breeding operations, foaling and animal care at an Arabian horse farm, and has run businesses large and small. She brings a unique set of skills to the center. We look forward to having her here at Cal Poly Pomona and the energy she will bring to the Arabian Horse Center.”

Brooks Abernathy’s passion for Arabian horses began at 13 when she received a half Arabian named Abus Fancy Ben as a gift. Her first job, which paid for the horse’s board, consisted of cleaning stables. Years later, that same horse joined her in founding Brookhill Farm on the rolling countryside outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

Veteran Equine Breeder to Lead W.K. Arabian Horse Center

Pumpkin Festival & Insect Fair Draw Thousands Thousands of visitors flocked to the Cal Poly Pomona campus the weekend of Oct. 17 and 18 for the annual Pumpkin Festival and Insect Fair.

The Pumpkin Festival featured the theme “Celebrating California Agriculture” and included all new contests and an Ag Discovery Lane with exhibits and displays aimed at educating the public about agriculture. The corn maze, petting zoo and pumpkin patch also remained the top draws.

The Insect Fair gave visitors a chance to see hundreds of live and preserved insects at the

Bronco Student Center, ranging from tarantulas to hissing cockroaches. Insects, books and framed items were offered for sale. The event was organized by Plant Sciences Professor Dick Kaae.

www.cpp.edu/agri | msholzclause@cpp.edu | (909) 869-2200 3

College of Agriculture Newsletter | October 2015 | From Dean Mary Holz-Clause

Continued

Share your GOOD NEWS!Contact Dan Lee by the 30th of the month to be included in the next newsletter.

Still Named ARI Executive Director of CSU-ARIPlant Science Professor David Still was named the new executive director for the CSU’s Agricultural Research Institute.

ARI helps create university-industry partnerships to support research on high-priority issues facing California agriculture. It includes the CSU’s four colleges of agriculture at Fresno State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona. ARI distributes about $8 million in research funding annually.

Prior to his appointment, Still had served as the ARI campus coordinator and director of research and graduate programs at Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Agriculture for a decade.

Sunday Horse Shows Resume at the Arabian Horse CenterThe Sunday exhibitions at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center have resumed this academic year.

Shows are scheduled for Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 6, April 3 and May 1.

Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and children ages 6-17. Children 5 and under are free. Cal Poly Pomona students, staff and faculty are free with ID.

Parking is $4 on Sundays.