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(L - R) Dr. Roger Beachy President of the Danforth Plant Science Center explained the significance of plant research during Gov. Nixon's tour of the new Bio-Research and Development Growth Park.

Danforth Center President Joins Obama Administration
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), September 24, 2009 - Dr. Roger N. Beachy, the founding President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO, has been appointed the first Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) by President Barack Obama. Beachy will join the agency on October 5, 2009.

According to the formal agreement, Beachy will be "on loan"to NIFA from the Danforth Plant Science Center. On assuming the new position, he will transition to his new role of Vice Chairman of the Center's Board of Trustees, a move that was originally scheduled to occur next year.

"This exciting new agency is critical to growing our agriculture economy and ensures that innovation in plant science and agriculture research will flourish. I have been a strong proponent of the NIFA as have the scientists at the Danforth Plant Science Center, and of course our Chairman, Dr. Danforth. I am honored to have been selected for this position by the President and am committed to sharing my knowledge and experiences to help shape research and its applications that will impact agriculture and food in the U.S. and in developing economies," Beachy said.

The mission of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is to stimulate and fund the research and technological innovations that will enhance and make American agriculture more productive and environmentally sustainable while ensuring the economic viability of agriculture and production.

The Institute was developed as a result of a task force chaired by William H. Danforth and appointed by then Secretary of Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman. The Danforth Task Force recommended that Congress authorize the creation of NIFA as a way to strengthen agriculture research and to attract additional highly competitive research scientists to this field of endeavor. A growing program in competitive research grants will be a hallmark of the new agency.

"I am thrilled and sad at the same time." said William H. Danforth, chair Danforth Plant Science Center Board of Trustees. "Working closely with Roger Beachy has been one of the privileges of my life; he has lead and orchestrated the success of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. I hate to see him less active in St. Louis even for a little while. On the other hand I believe strongly in the NIFA. No one in the world would be a better founding director. Our board saw the situation the same way."

See related article: Bio-Research and Development Growth Park to Lead in Promoting the Future of a 'Green Society'

Gov. Nixon Initiates Massive Water Cleanup at Lake of the Ozarks
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), September 24, 2009 - Gov. Jay Nixon has announced a sweeping enforcement initiative aimed at improving water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The enforcement action will include a prompt and comprehensive baseline study of contaminants in the lake, enact a zero-tolerance policy for water quality violations, perform an inspection sweep of existing wastewater permit holders in the Lake of the Ozark watershed and apply rigorous scrutiny to applications for new wastewater discharge permits.

"The Lake of the Ozarks is a tremendous asset to our state, with hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors coming here for recreation every year. It is critical that the quality of the water in that lake and the health of those who use it are protected," Gov. Nixon said. "Unfortunately, it is not in dispute that present water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks is unacceptable. That's why I am ordering action that will gather data on precisely what is in the lake, find the sources of those contaminants, and stop more of those pollutants from entering the water."

The initiative ordered by Gov. Nixon calls on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to take four specific actions to improve water quality:

A massive inspection sweep of about 400 area facilities that hold current wastewater permits nearby the Lake of the Ozarks or major tributaries. A zero-tolerance standard for permit violations will be applied and violators found during the sweep will receive administrative penalties issued by the DNR Director Mark Templeton or referred to the office of the Attorney General for enforcement action. The sweep will take 8 to 10 weeks to complete.
The implementation of a zero-tolerance policy, resulting in administrative action or referral for prosecution for any violation of state clean water policy or of the conditions of a permit. No violation which leads to deterioration of water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks will be treated as too minor for action.
Simultaneous with the inspection sweep, DNR will complete a comprehensive baseline survey of water quality at the lake, testing for all relevant contaminants -whether bacteriological or from petroleum or pesticide-in locations across the entire lake. The comprehensive baseline survey will be submitted to the governor on December 31, 2009, and will illustrate what contaminants are present in the lake and where future enforcement efforts should be focused.
DNR will institute the most rigorous possible standard of review of every application for permit in the Lake of the Ozarks watershed. The department will apply a strict scrutiny standard when reviewing requests for permits that would allow discharge of wastewater or land disturbances that might affect water quality in the lake.

In order to improve water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks, Gov. Nixon has instructed DNR to make full use of its authority to deny permit applications or to revoke existing permits where appropriate.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways to Be Featured on New Quarters
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), September 24, 2009 - The Ozark National Scenic Riverways, located in south central Missouri, will be honored in the Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters program. Over the next 12 years, the U.S. Mint will strike and issue 56 circulating quarters with designs on the reverse (tails side) showing a national park or other national site in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways and the other sites recommended by the U.S. Mint to be featured on the quarters were approved by the U.S. Department of the Treasury after consultation with Gov. Nixon and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

"The natural beauty of Missouri is exemplified by the clear streams of the Ozarks," Gov. Nixon said. "I've spent many days canoeing on the Current and the Jacks Fork, so I heartily agree this is a fitting site to represent the Show-Me State on these quarters."

The coins will be struck and issued in chronological order of when the featured national park or national site was created. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways was created by an act of Congress in 1964 to protect the Jacks Fork and Current rivers in south central Missouri. The riverways include parts of Carter, Dent, Shannon and Texas counties. Missouri's coin will be struck and issued in 2017.

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