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CAFNR Research Digest
CAFNR Office of Research Newsletter // June 17, 2021 // 3(12)
Feature Stories
The Center for Agroforestry Debuts New Website (click to read)
The Center for Agroforestry Debuts New Website »

The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, established in 1998, is one the world’s leading centers contributing to the science underlying agroforestry, land-use management combining trees and/or shrubs with crops and/or livestock. Recently, the center unveiled a new website to highlight is various programs, events and resources.

The Center of Agroforestry is one of CAFNR’s Programs of Distinction. Together with the academic programs, CAFNR’s Programs of Distinction define the current impact on Missouri’s agriculture and natural resource economies, providing understanding for how CAFNR is addressing challenges facing Missouri agriculture and natural resources.

Welcome to Kate Preston, New Research News Strategist!

Kate Preston recently joined the CAFNR Marketing and Communications team as a research news strategist.

Kate is originally from a small town in Upstate New York called Cooperstown (if you’re a baseball fan you’ve probably heard of it, as the National Baseball Hall of Fame is located there!) Growing up, Kate got involved in agriculture through 4-H, raising and showing dairy goats, beef cattle and horses.

Kate‘s passion for agriculture led her to the State University of New York at Cobleskill to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management. After her undergraduate degree, she decided to continue her education, and received a Master of Science in Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership from CAFNR this past May.

Agricultural Research Centers
Science Night to Focus on Importance of Pollinators (click to read)
Science Night to Focus on Importance of Pollinators »

Jefferson Farm and Garden will share information regarding pollinators during educational and scientific event.

Grant Spotlight
Harvey James, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics (click to read)
Harvey James, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics

Harvey James, professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics, recently received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). James was awarded $446,453 for his project titled “Assessing Fairness and Expectations in Agricultural Markets.”

The grant was part of a recent $14.5 million USDA investment into two key programs (Economics, Markets and Trade, and Environmental and Natural Resource Economics) through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. James was one of 18 recipients in the Economics, Markets and Trade category.

The goal of this project is to enhance the understanding of fairness in agricultural food markets and the impact of perceptions of fairness may have on resources and the efficiency operations of agricultural markets.

“A fair marketplace is necessary because misallocations of resources can occur if market participants alter their production and marketing behavior due to concerns about fairness, especially if these perceptions are invalid,” said James.

With the outlined objectives, James seeks to develop and evaluate a mechanism for assessing claims of unfairness as well as to link fairness concerns to the distribution of resources. Outcomes of this project support the program priorities of agricultural market structure and performance, production and resource use and agricultural policy design. By getting a better understanding of unfairness claims by market participants, it can provide insight into improving supply chain management, managing contract disputes and to develop new anti-trust approaches.

Research Roars

Mary Hendrickson Receives Excellence in Instruction Award

Mary Hendrickson, associate professor in Rural Sociology, received the Excellence in Instruction Award at the Agriculture, Food and Human Value Society (AFHVS) virtual conference on Thursday, June 10. The Excellence in Instruction Award honors a member for outstanding teaching related to agriculture, food, and human values at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.

CAFNR faculty members have received the following recent grants (listed by Principal Investigator):

Kevin Rice, Fall Armyworm Lab Trials, Trece Inc., 5/15/2021-5/14/2022, $11,172

In The News

Watch for Symptoms of Ergot Intoxication in Cattle

Missouri Ruralist

6 Things to Review on Farm Liability Insurance Policy

Farm Progress

States Struggle with Quality Hay Supply

Feedstuffs

The header photo showcases a recent sorghum sudan and forage sorghum variety test planting at the Southwest Research Center, located in Mt. Vernon, Mo. Southwest will have an open house and plot demonstration event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20. Interested individuals can learn more about these varieties during that event.