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Dr. Tony E. Windham |
Division of Ag Trains National Guard to Rebuild Afghan Farms, Economy
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is training a National Guard Agricultural Development Team in advance of a yearlong mission to help Afghanistan rebuild its farms and economy after decades of conflict.
The first training, held November 30-December 4 at the Cooperative Extension Service headquarters and the Poultry Commission office, offered technical updates to the Agricultural Development Team, or ADT, on grain, livestock, vegetable and fruit production; irrigation and water conservation; food processing and food safety; and small-scale power generation.
A second round of training on beekeeping and veterinary issues for cattle, goats, sheep, poultry and horses was held in addition to a session on biosecurity and public health. “This is a unique opportunity for our faculty to not only extend its expertise to a nation that is recovering from a long period of conflict but also contribute to rebuilding a nation,” said Dr. C. Michael French, assistant vice president for special programs. “Arkansans have come to rely on the research and education from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, and we are honored to be able to bring that knowledge to others.
“We are pleased to be invited partners with Col. Steve Redman, commander of the team, and the Arkansas National Guard,” French said.
“The ability to access the research and experience of the university professionals will help ensure the success of our team in dealing with unique farming issues,” Redman said.
Arkansas is one of 10 states fielding ADTs, along with California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Members for Arkansas’s first ADT were drawn from units across the state and from both the Army and Air National Guard.
U of A Division of Agriculture faculty members providing the courses are: Dr. Tom Troxel, professor/associate department head; Steve Jones, associate professor; Jack Boles, Newton County extension staff chair; Dr. Craig Andersen, associate professor; Dr. Nathan Slaton, professor; Dr. Samy Sadaka, assistant professor; Dr. Jason Kelly, associate professor; Dr. Denise Brochetti, assistant professor; Dr. Steve Seideman, professor; Dr. Elena Garcia, professor; Dr. Dustan Clark, professor; Dr. Susan Watkins, professor; Dr. Jeremy Powell, associate professor, Dr. Nick Anthony, professor; Scharidi Barber, program associate-poultry; Jon Zawislak, program associate-apiculture; and Dr. Steve Breeding, director of the veterinary diagnostic lab.
- Tony E. Windham
Show Your Support for Our Military Family
Division of Agriculture employees have an opportunity to show and share support of a loved one in the military on a new display in the lobby of the State Office.
The display has room for photos and captions. There are cards on the table for the name and location of your loved one and red, white and blue push pins to add photos and information about service personnel to the board.
– Bernadette Hinkle
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| Ken Smith |
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| Terrie Treadway |
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| Donna Rinke |
Rinke, Smith, Treadway Honored With Division Awards
Congratulations are in order for Donna Rinke, Ken Smith and Terrie Treadway for earning Division Awards from the Division of Agriculture.
The three received the honors on Jan. 8 at a luncheon at the Embassy Suites in west Little Rock.
Smith, professor of weed science at the division’s Southeast Research and Extension Center, Monticello, earned the John W. White Outstanding Extension State Faculty Award. He conducts research and educational programs on weed management in row crops, including management of herbicide resistance, and he helps county agents with local weed management educational programs.
Treadway, Lafayette County extension agent, won the John W. White Outstanding County Extension Educator Award. She works with local residents to design and implement a range of information and education services in health, nutrition, financial management, parenting and youth development.
Rinke, extension web master, earned the Division of Agriculture Classified Support Personnel Award for the Cooperative Extension Service. She was instrumental in creating the Cooperative Extension Service Web site with a consumer orientation and accessibility for users with disabilities.
We’re proud to see their hard work rewarded with the Division’s highest honors.
February 19 Deadline for Retiree Scholarship Fund
Noon on February 19 is the application deadline for the second annual Cooperative Extension Service Retiree Scholarship. To qualify, applicants should:
Applicants will also be required to submit a two-page proposal to the Associate Vice President for Agriculture that includes details of the program in which he/she will enroll. The proposal should:
For an application to be fully considered, letters of support must be received by the application deadline.
The award recipient(s) will be recognized at the annual Retiree Luncheon scheduled for April 15.
Questions about application criteria may be directed to Merritt Royal, director of development 479-575-2322, 501-658-2753, 501-671-2156, mjroyal@uark.edu.
– Merritt Royal
Arkansas Attends National 4-H Agents Conference
Members of the Arkansas Association of Extension 4-H Agents traveled to Rochester, N.Y., where they attended the NAE4HA Conference. Arkansas extension faculty attending were Dr. Anne Sortor, Shannon Caldwell, Angie Freel, Amy Heck, Terrie James, Mike Klumpp, J.J. Pitman, Rich Poling, Mary Poling and Casey Scarborough.
Rich Poling received the Distinguished Service Award; Casey Scarborough, Alicia Henderson, Leigh Helms, Jeanie Zerr, Ed Brown, Robbie Rye and Vicki Shadell received the Southern Regional and National Natural Resources and Environmental Education Team Award. Jesse Bocksnick and Dustin Blakey received the Southern Region Video Program Award.
Klumpp served the 2009 year as Chair for the National Program Committee Camping and Environmental Education Task Force. Shannon Caldwell was elected as 2010 Chair-Elect for the same committee. Pitman and Scarborough both served on the National Camping and Environmental Education Task Force. James served on the Diversity Committee.
Klumpp and Freel presided over an ATV Safety workshop, and Amy Heck offered a poster presentation on ATV Safety.
Attendees were able to build networks with extension staff in other states and bring home new programming ideas. The 2010 NAE4HA Conference will be held in Phoenix.
– Casey Scarborough
Rural Life Conference Set for Friday, February 26
The 54th annual Rural Life Conference will be held February 26 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the opening session at 8:45 a.m. at the Convention Center auditorium. The conference theme is “A New Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Communities.”
Sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, this year’s conference features 12 workshops. Topics include broadband Internet education and community access; creating a farm legacy; and identifying soils, their properties and uses using the web-based soil survey. Other workshops cover an update on new UAPB aquaculture initiatives (alligator gar and largemouth bass), sustainable living, fighting obesity, information on crop insurance and a new disaster program that provides financial assistance to producers with crop losses in disaster years.
In addition to workshops, the conference features a poster session highlighting UAPB research projects and exhibits by governmental and community agencies.
J. Thomas “Tommy” May, chairman and CEO of Simmons First National Corp. in Pine Bluff and Simmons First National Bank, will be the keynote speaker; Dr. Joe Leonard Jr., assistant secretary for civil rights, will be the luncheon speaker.
Preregistration is requested of everyone even though the conference is free to producers, homemakers and retirees. The cost to professionals and agency personnel is $50; after February 12, $75. To preregister or for more information, contact Almetris Cobbs at (870) 575-8141 or acobbs@uaex.edu.
– Carol Sanders
Employees of the Quarter for the Quarter Ending December 31
Delta District
Eric Grant, CEA - Agriculture, Craighead County: With 125,000 acres of soybeans, 25,000 acres of wheat, and over 6800 head of cattle in Craighead County, Eric Grant stays really busy. Recognized for his work with soybean rust monitoring, Brucellosis vaccination programs and verification fields, Eric is also known for his dedication to the Buffalo Island Junior Livestock Show and has crossed county lines to assist with 4-H Shooting Sports. Eric goes the extra mile to make Craighead County a better place to live. He has been recognized by the Lions Club, Salvation Army, and other charitable groups for his dedication to civic causes. Countless youth have learned about animal science through his Ag in the Classroom activities. Eric is our go-to person when we need creative assistance with a difficult project. His commitment to citizens of Craighead County and to Extension is worthy of recognition.
Ouachita District
Melissa Fleming, 4-H Program Assistant, Grant County: Missy assists with school enrichment programs and 4-H in-school clubs. She organized a new technology club. As a former 4-Her, she works well with youth and knows the benefits of the program. She is a team player with enthusiasm and is willing to share new ideas for programs.
Linda Sims, CEA – Staff Chair, Calhoun County: Linda has successfully implemented the first Body Walk program and 4-H rally within Calhoun County. She has been nominated for and awarded the New Professional Award through NEAFCS. She successfully started and restructured Calhoun County’s first Strong Women program to fulfill the needs of men, as well. She secured a grant through UAMS for Healthy Cooking Programs. Linda is able to connect with clientele on a personal basis, which makes her programs so successful. Her ability to work on a team is phenomenal. She worked with three surrounding counties in preparing and implementing programs to suffice a 4-H grant. Linda is highly goal-driven and is an excellent representation of this award.
Ozark District
Dustin Blakey, CEA – Interim Staff Chair, Sebastian County: Dustin guided the River Valley Master Gardeners as they obtained over $50,000 in land and facility donations for “The Learning Fields” project. He has provided great leadership as the interim staff chair. He is constantly trying to improve the team aspect of the office as well as aiding in increasing performance and productivity. Dustin is an upstanding member of the community by always helping community leaders and local citizens.
State Office
Pamela Ferrill, Print Shop Manager, Print Shop: Pam is committed to Extension and the pursuit of perfection by always going out of her way to ensure jobs are printed quickly with an eye toward quality. Pam never leaves work unfinished and will stay until it’s completed. She has completed exhaustive off-site training in new hardware and software, while still performing her everyday duties. She is a great team player in the Print Shop.
Lisa Ferris, Instructor, Program and Staff Development: In addition to her Moodle administration and online course development responsibilities, Lisa designed the fall “Check-In and Tune-Up” event, designed and developed an entirely new online New Employee Welcome Center, and worked to develop a comprehensive on-boarding system, based on common core competency needs for all employees. She sets a high standard for herself and demonstrates a commendable commitment to making new employee on-boarding a meaningful experience. Lisa has learned how to engage internal stakeholders in meaningful ways, develop strategies to reach targeted learner outcomes, and make a systemic difference in the support for CES faculty and staff across the state
Patricia Maddox, 4-H Foundation Accountant, Financial Services: Patricia always puts her clientele first. Whether a fund manager is asking for information about an account or an agent trying to understand accounting principles for their county foundation, she is always willing to help. Patricia’s teamwork with Dr. Brad Davis and the 4-H Foundation Board members assisted greatly in updating obsolete foundation policies to ones that now meet or exceed IRS and auditor recommendations. With her winning attitude and professional manner, Patricia has proved to be a great asset.
– Amy Hedges
Sign up today for the Arkansas Galaxy Conference at the University of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller Institute (former Winrock facilities) atop beautiful Petit Jean Mountain. Galaxy Conference is an annual professional development activity for Extension employees and will be held on March 10-12.
A variety of 45-minute workshops and posters in five tracks (self-management/refresh, renewal, innovation, the cutting edge and scholarship) will allow you to:
Featured speakers include Rebecca White (Employee Assistance Program), Kathy Boswell (Princeton Baptist Medical Center, Ala.), as well as Dr. Milo Shult and Dr. Tony Windham.
Early bird registration ($100 per person) is available until Feb. 8. Part-time registration is also available. Lodging rates are $69 for rooms in the Meadows and $79 in the President’s Lodge, tax not included. Registration and other information can be found online at http://intranet.uaex.edu/galaxy.
To reserve lodging, call WRI at 501-727-5435 and ask for the Galaxy Conference Group Rate. Sign up today to take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to Retreat, Relax and Renew!
– Stacey McCullough
Grants and Contracts
| Project Title | Award Amount | Principal Investigator | Granting Agency |
| Women and Working Lands | $15,000.00 | Dr. Tamara Walkingstick | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) |
| USDA/Army Youth Development Project - KS | $100,000.00 | Maureen Rose | Kansas State University |
| State Fiscal Stabilization Fund-Government Services | $451,010.00 | Dr. Milo Shult | Arkansas Department of Higher Education/ARRA |
| Using Social Networking and Web 2.0 Tools to Enhance Small Business | $24,000.00 | Stacey McCullough | Mississippi State University |
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TOTAL = |
$590,770.00 |
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
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