Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
 | |
| Abbreviation | CAST |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1972 |
| Founder | Charles A. Black |
| Location |
|
| Services | Scientific publications, editing services |
Key people |
Linda Chimenti, EVP |
Staff | 9 total - 1 full-time, 5 part-time, 3 student |
| Website | www.cast-science.org |
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization composed of scientific societies and many individual, student, company, nonprofit, and associate society members. CAST's Board is composed of representatives of the scientific societies, commercial companies, and nonprofit or trade organizations, and an executive committee.
 CAST Office | |
History
CAST was established in 1972 as a result of a 1970 meeting sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council.
Purpose
Mission: CAST assembles, interprets, and communicates credible, science-based information regionally, nationally, and internationally to legislators, regulators, policymakers, the media, the private sector, and the public.
Vision: CAST will be recognized as a credible and objective source of science-based information on agricultural issues across the urban–rural continuum—especially those issues regarding food, fiber, landscape environments, and agriculturally related natural resource, societal, and environmental concerns.
Scientific Publications: The primary work of CAST is the publication of task force reports, commentary papers, special publications, and issue papers written by scientists from many disciplines. The CAST Board is responsible for the policies and procedures followed in developing, processing, and disseminating the documents produced. These publications and their distribution are fundamental activities that accomplish their mission to assemble, interpret, and communicate credible science-based information regionally, nationally, and internationally to legislators, regulators, policymakers, the media, the private sector, and the public. The wide distribution of CAST publications to nonscientists enhances the education and understanding of the general public.
Topics: CAST addresses issues of animal sciences, food sciences and agricultural technology, plant sciences, and soil sciences, and with inputs from economists, social scientists, toxicologists or plant pathologists and entomologists, weed scientists, nematologists, and legal experts.
Board of Directors
President: David Songstad
President-Elect: Mark Armfelt
Past President: Lowell T.Midla
Treasurer: Dan Gingerich
Executive Vice President: Linda M. Chimenti
Animal Work Group Liaison: Dan Gingerich
Food Work Group Liaison: Richard Cavaletto
Plant Work Group Liaison: Todd Peterson
Company Liaison: Dirk Drost
Nonprofit Liaison: Paul Sundberg
Society Liaison: Don Beitz
Trustees Liaison: Wendy Wintersteen
Sustaining Members
Member Societies
American Association of Avian Pathologists
American Association of Bovine Practitioners
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources–Agricultural Management
American Dairy Science Association
American Meat Science Association
American Meteorological Society, Committee on Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
American Society for Nutrition
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
American Society of Animal Science
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Veterinary Medical Association
Aquatic Plant Management Society
Council of Entomology Department Administrators
Crop Science Society of America
North Central Weed Science Society
Northeastern Weed Science Society
Poultry Science Association
Society for In Vitro Biology
Weed Science Society of America
Western Society of Weed Science
Companies and Cooperatives
Bayer CropScience
Campbell Scientific, Inc.
Cobb-Vantress
The Coca-Cola Company
Compliance Services International
Dow AgroSciences
DPI Global
DuPont Pioneer
Elanco Animal Health
Feed Energy Company
GROWMARK, Inc.
Hoard’s Dairyman Magazine
ISK Biosciences Corp.
The McGregor Company
Merck Animal Health
Monsanto
Morningstar Farms
Nutra-Flo Company
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Inc.
Riceland Foods, Inc./Riceland Foods Foundation
Syngenta
Van Diest Supply Company
Winfield Solutions, a Land O’Lakes Company
Zeigler Brothers, Inc.
Nonprofit Organizations
Agribusiness Association of Iowa
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Sheep Industry Association
American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists
Animal Agriculture Alliance
Animal Health Institute
Association of American Plant Food Control Officials
Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Biotechnology Industry Organization
California Citrus Quality Council
California Dairy Research Foundation
California Farm Bureau
CropLife America
Farm Foundation
Illinois Crop Improvement Association
Indiana Crop Improvement Association, Inc.
Indiana Horticultural Society
Indiana Soybean Alliance, Inc.
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
International Plant Nutrition Institute
Iowa Beef Industry Council
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Soybean Association
Mid America CropLife Association
National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance
National Association of Animal Breeders
National Chicken Council
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council of America
National Grain and Feed Association
National Pork Board
National Renderers Association
National Turkey Federation
North Carolina Pork Council
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council
Rice Research Board
Southern Crop Production Association
Texas Cattle Feeders Association
U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, Inc.
United Soybean Board
United States Animal Health Association
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation
Subscribers
Alberta Government Library
Brigham Young University–Harold B. Lee Library
California Department of Pesticide Regulation Library
Canadian Agriculture Library
Clark University–Kasperson Library
Colorado State University Libraries
Evergreen State College–Daniel J. Evans Library
Iowa State University–Parks Library
North Carolina State University Hunt Library
Nova Scotia Agricultural College–MacRae Library
Purdue University Libraries
South Dakota State University–Hilton M. Briggs Library
Texas A&M University–Evans Library
Texas Tech University Libraries
Université Laval
University of California, Berkeley Library
University of California, Davis Library
University of Georgia Libraries
University of Guelph, McLaughlin Library
University of Illinois Library
University of Kentucky–William T. Young Library
University of Maryland–McKeldin Library
University of Minnesota Libraries
University of Tennessee Libraries
University of Wisconsin at Madison–Steenbock Memorial Library
Wageningen University and Research Centre Library
Associate Societies
American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Ohio Dairy Vets
Philadelphia Society For Promoting Agriculture
Education Programs
Iowa State University
Kansas State University
Mississippi State University
Texas A&M University
The Ohio State University
University of Arkansas
University of California–Davis
University of Florida
University of Kentucky
University of Nebraska
University of Nevada
Winfield Solutions, for support of National Association of Agricultural Educators
Grant/Event Sponsors
DuPont Pioneer
Elanco
Institute for Feed Education and Research (I-FEEDER)
Merck Animal Health
Monsanto
USDA–Agricultural Research Service
Ex Officio Members
Agricultural Institute of Canada
National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research
Awards
Borlaug CAST Communication Award
The Borlaug CAST Communication Award is presented annually for outstanding achievement by a scientist, engineer, technologist, or other professional working in the agricultural, environmental, or food sectors for contributing to the advancement of science in the public policy arena. The Bourlaug CAST Communication Award Ceremony is held during the World Food Prize Event every year in Des Moines, Iowa.
CAST President’s Award
The President’s Award is a CAST honor that recognizes those individuals who have personally contributed to the advancement of CAST and who have furthered the cause of agriculture, science, and technology in a world so dependent on all three disciplines. The award is a bronze medallion, crafted by artist Jerry Palen. The inscription reads: "Sun, Earth, Water, Mankind. In synergy with science and technology to create a sustainable world supported by plants and animals."
CAST Champion Award
The success of CAST is dependent on strong volunteer efforts of people in many roles. Some individual members serve CAST on the board; other members and some nonmembers provide CAST with quality publications and workshop proceedings as chairpersons, authors, and reviewers. All of these people are invaluable to the success of CAST. There are citations, speaking opportunities, and personal recognition for serving in these positions. Each of these inputs is critical, and while it is sometimes challenging to acquire people with time to devote to these tasks, it is even harder to find “active” members who are willing to promote CAST by working to secure funding, new members, and support for special projects such as, but not limited to, the Charles A. Black endowment fund. It is critical that CAST reward and encourage these members who contribute their time, talent, and personal contacts to benefit CAST in extraordinary ways.
CAST Distinguished Service Award
The purpose of this award is to honor people who have made a long-term service commitment to CAST and exhibited a long-standing dedication to the CAST mission.