Released: March 31, 2005

Consulate General to Japan Visits K-State, Learns About Ag, Vet Med Programs

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Chicago-based consul to the Consulate General of Japan traveled to Kansas State University’s Manhattan campus recently to learn about education and research programs in the university’s Colleges of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.

Keiichi Sugita was accompanied by Junichiro Yamakuchi -- a Chicago-based director of JETRO, a Japanese government-related group that promotes trade and investment -- and Yuji Tsushima -- export manager of AGREX, a food trading subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp. that handles grain, feed ingredients, hay, oil, oilseeds and sugar. Tsushima is based in Overland Park, Kan.

“Japan is such an important trading partner of the United States. We value that relationship and were pleased to be able to discuss with Mr. Sugita, Mr. Yamakuchi and Mr. Tsushima what we are doing here at K-State to protect and enhance food and feed that might be exported to Japan and elsewhere,” said Fred Cholick, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension.

Ralph Richardson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, provided an overview of the work being done in infectious and zoonotic diseases, including Transmissible Spongiform Enchephalopathies (TSE’s) such as Scrapie of sheep, Chronic Wasting Disease of deer and elk, and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, “Mad Cow Disease”) of cattle; rabies detection; and the RSVP-A project being developed by Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico State University and K-State.

Rapid Syndrome Validation Project for Animals (RSVP-A) is a system that will help scientists and regulatory agencies determine where clusters of animals are showing similar, but unusual symptoms that could be attributable to normal infections or intentional introduction of disease into the nation’s livestock populations. Richardson also discussed the “trail of evidence” followed when tissue samples are taken, transported and documented from animals suspected to have a disease.

At K-State’s International Grains Program Conference Center, Harvey Kiser, agricultural economist, and Ron Madl, director of the university’s Bioprocessing and Industrial Value-Added Program, gave presentations on K-State’s work in grain science, including the IGP and BIVAP programs.

The Japanese group was welcomed and heard luncheon presentations by K-State Provost Duane Nellis, Cholick, and Associate Director for Research Forrest Chumley.

The visit ended with a trip to the K-State Beef Stocker Unit west of Manhattan, where animal scientist Dale Blasi showed the Japanese contingent how K-State’s Livestock Identification Knowledge Laboratory is evaluating existing and new technologies developed to track livestock.

Hikaru Peterson, assistant professor of agricultural economics, and Steven Graham, assistant to the agriculture dean, organized and facilitated the tour.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Mary Lou Peter
mlpeter@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News