Welcome back everyone! I am excited for the new semester and what lies ahead for our college in 2019. Although it has been quiet on campus, I recently attended several events around the state. I was invited to present at the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture Jan. 15 about the Show-Me-State Food, Beverage and Forest Products Manufacturing Initiative, the first of our “Grand Ideas” set to launch. The recently completed study showed there is significant opportunity for manufacturing of our ag and natural resource commodities in Missouri. I was also honored to have a meeting with Governor Mike Parson in early January to discuss that same initiative. I attended the 104th Missouri Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in December, spoke last week at the Missouri Forest Products Association’s Industry Summit, and attended the Heart of America Dairy Expo in Springfield. The “busy season” for attending our Research Centers’ Advisory Board meetings has begun and will continue over the next couple of months. Our Research Centers are so important to CAFNR and serve as the front door to MU for much of the state. I enjoy hearing how they are working closely with local landowners and natural resource managers to share and implement our research findings. For the remainder of January, I look forward to being at the Annual Boone County Legislative Forum on Higher Education hosted by the Boone Country chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association; the Missouri Agriculture Quarterly Luncheon hosted by Missouri Farm Bureau; and the MU Center for Agroforestry’s 10th Annual Symposium. This symposium on Jan. 30-31 is focused on innovation and entrepreneurship and includes two speakers who are former colleagues of mine, Rodolphe Barrangou and Kelly Sexton. I know it will be a robust discussion and encourage everyone to attend. (See the full schedule of speakers and how to register online.) Here’s to another successful semester for CAFNR! Let’s make it a great one. CAFNR Proud! Christopher R. Daubert
CAFNR Vice Chancellor & Dean |