Regenerative Agriculture

Alejandro Plastina

Aug. 15, 2024

Alejandro Plastina

Plastina is the Director of the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) at the University of Columbia-Missouri. His area of specialization is agricultural production and technology, with an emphasis on farm business and financial management. He has received multiple awards, including the 2023 Iowa State University (ISU) ANR Extension Team Award, the 2023 Outstanding Choices Magazine Article Award from the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, the 2022 Dean’s Citation for Extraordinary Contributions to the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the 2021 Farm Foundation Agricultural Economics Fellowship, the 2021 ISU Office of the President Excellence in…

Carson Roberts

June 3, 2024

Carson Roberts

Roberts is an Assistant Professor and State Extension Specialist for Forage Agronomy at the University of Missouri. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Science from Mississippi State University. Roberts leads an applied research program on forage-livestock systems to support one of the largest beef herds in the U.S. He has a particular interest in in regenerative systems that improve drought resiliency. Educational background Ph.D. Plant and Soil Science, Mississippi State University M.S. Plant Science, Utah State University B.S. Agronomy, Crop and Soil Science, Brigham Young University – Idaho…

Stephen Mukembo

March 20, 2023

Stephen Mukembo

Mukembo’s interdisciplinary research aims to advance entrepreneurship and innovation as a tool for addressing societal challenges, promoting economic growth, and improving community livelihoods. His work focuses on cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurial and innovative thought leaders, equipped to tackle existing and emerging issues in agriculture, food, and natural resources, as well as rural economic development challenges in Missouri and beyond. Mukembo’s interdisciplinary interests include entrepreneurship and innovation in agriculture (agripreneurship), entrepreneurship and workforce development, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainable food systems, rural entrepreneurship and ecosystem building, and international agricultural development. Educational background Ph.D., Agricultural Education (Minor Entrepreneurship), Oklahoma State University MBA.,…

Kelly Wilson wearing blue shirt

Feb. 6, 2023

Kelly Wilson

Educational background Ph.D. Agricultural Communications, Education, and Leadership, 2019 Courses taught Advanced practices in sustainability and regenerative agriculture…

Morgan Davis

June 5, 2020

Morgan P. Davis

Davis’ research is centered around soil biogeochemistry in the context of ecological sustainability. The objective of his research is investigating nutrient and energy cycles in both managed and natural ecosystems. This work provides insights for improving sustainability and contributes to foundational biogeochemistry knowledge. He is particularly interested in nitrogen and carbon transformations in forested and agronomic ecosystems. Specific research interests include the following: soil greenhouse gas emissions, soil health, soil organic matter, cover crops, tillage management, nitrate leaching, microbial communities, denitrification, indirect nitrous oxide emissions, and riparian buffers. Educational background Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2018 M.S., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,…

Robert Myers smiling.

Aug. 22, 2018

Robert Myers

Dr. Rob Myers is Director of the MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture and an Extension Professor in the Plant Science and Technology Division. Since 2010, he has also served as Regional Director of Extension Programs for the USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program. In his leadership role with the Center for Regenerative Agriculture, he administers a $25 million USDA climate-smart grant called the Missouri CRCL Project and also the $10 million National Cover Crop Variety Development Project.  He also oversees several other grants with the Center supporting research, education, and extension programs.  The…

Jordan Thomas

March 5, 2018

Jordan Thomas

Jordan Thomas is an assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri. Dr. Thomas is a Missouri native and University of Missouri alumnus, having earned his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences with an emphasis in Reproductive Physiology in 2017. Dr. Thomas maintains an active applied research program in reproductive management of beef cattle, coordinating the breeding program for cattle across the University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Research Center herds. Additionally, Dr. Thomas is active in collaborative efforts in education and outreach, such as the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program, the National Center for Applied Reproduction and…

Mary Hendrickson

Feb. 26, 2018

Mary K. Hendrickson

Hendrickson is Professor in Rural Sociology at the University of Missouri and serves as Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security. She is a rural sociologist whose passion is making the world a better place through food. As Director of the ICFS, she focuses on building resilient, food secure communities across Missouri and beyond. Hendrickson has been a leading scholar on consolidation and concentration in the food and agriculture system, the impacts of such a system on farmers, workers and communities, and new ways of conceptualizing policy responses around anti-trust. She is also recognized for her work examining food…

Felix Fritschi

Jan. 9, 2018

Felix Fritschi

Educational background Ph.D. Plant Biology, University of California, Davis…

Eric Bailey smiling.

Nov. 13, 2017

Eric Bailey

Eric Bailey is an Associate Professor and State Beef Nutrition Specialist at the University of Missouri. Bailey holds a Ph.D. in Beef Cattle Nutrition from Kansas State University. Bailey leads applied research on backgrounding and stocker cattle, with an emphasis on management of them on tall fescue pasture systems. Bailey leads the MU Extension Feedlot School program, is co-coordinator of the Missouri Grazing Schools, and the co-director of the Forage-Livestock Program of Distinction. Educational background Ph.D., Kansas State University…