The Newsletter for A&M System Employees and Retirees
March 2006
The Newsletter for A&M System Employees and Retirees
March 2006
President
George W. Bush presents a National Medal of Science to Norman Borlaug
on Feb. 13, 2006. (White House photo by Eric Draper)
Norman Borlaug, who turned 92 on March 25, recounts a lifetime of work in agriculture, targeting food for the world's hungriest, poorest nations.
His much-touted talent for agricultural development, coupled with his keen awareness of societal ailments in Third World countries, have brought many honors from around the world. The most recent is the National Medal of Science, the highest awarded to scientists in the United States, given by President Bush on Feb. 13.
Borlaug has had several buildings and organizations named in his honor, including Borlaug Hall at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota (where his athletic prowess resulted in membership in the Wrestling Hall of Fame), and the Norman E. Borlaug Center for Southern Crop Improvement at Texas A&M. He has even been immortalized in a rap song, called “The Norman Borlaug Rap (Thank You, Norman).”
Borlaug is known as the father of the Green Revolution that resulted in high-yield, disease-resistant wheat plants and the training of hundreds of workers who spread the technology to more than 20 nations to stave off what was thought to be an inevitable famine in the 1950s and ‘60s.
The results were unprecedented. Mexico went from having to import half its wheat to self-sufficiency by 1956 and, by 1964, to exporting half a million tons of wheat. The program was expanded to India and Pakistan where it is credited with saving more than 1 billion people from starvation. Borlaug won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
Since joining the international agriculture program at Texas A&M in 1984, he has turned his attention to Sub-Saharan Africa, where his programs to revolutionize farming have resulted in yields that are nearly always triple, and sometimes quadruple, those produced by traditional methods.
On Dec. 27, 2005, furious wildfires swept across the West Texas town of Cross Plains, killing two and leveling homes, businesses and a Methodist church.
“We lost 116 homes but were able to save the downtown,” said Abilene Fire Chief Brad Fitzer. “I’ll never forget that night,” he said.
Neither will Jim Hull, Texas state forester and director of the Texas Forest Service.
Two
of the 116 homes destroyed in Cross Plains by wildfire on Dec. 27.
“The Cross Plains Fire was the beginning of what is turning into one of the worst wildfire sieges I have witnessed in my entire 40-year career with the agency,” said Hull. On Jan. 1 alone, Texas lost more than 150,000 acres to wildfires, more than during all of 2005!
The events in March have been grim as well. Eleven people in the Texas Panhandle had died and nearly 850,000 acres of grassland had burned by March 15. The fires killed about 10,000 horses and cattle, destroyed 15 homes and closed at least one highway.
“As the director of the state agency responsible for protecting Texans and the state’s forest resources from wildfire, I can tell you I’m extremely concerned and appalled at the devastating loss of lives and property we’ve seen in less than two months,” he said.
A combination of extreme drought, high winds and careless human behavior is causing the wildfires. While TFS’ comprehensive prevention programs and proactive, aggressive planning and preparedness can decrease the number of human-caused fires, extreme weather conditions, which create the greatest threat, cannot be controlled.
“Texas is in the midst of a 25- to 30-year dry period, meaning even with the recent rain events, we can expect a long term situation with an increase in the number and severity of wildfires, unlike anything we’ve seen in 50 years,” says Tom Spencer, TFS’ predictive services coordinator.
Tarleton remains true to its
agricultural heritage
Surf’s up: A&M-Corpus
Christi students ride the waves for credit
Drilling
to discover earth’s history