The South Farm Research Center will host its annual South Farm Showcase Saturday, Sept. 30, in Columbia. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. New this year is the Taste of Mizzou sampling tent and passport stamp collection — kids can visit different locations at Showcase and collect stamps to receive a free pumpkin. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the corn and sunflower mazes, mule rides, kite flying, baby animal exhibits, parade of foals, MDC Discover Nature Fishing, milking a cow and much more!

It has been an enjoyable, albeit busy, first month for me as the Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources! Beyond our students, alumni, and friends, I’ve enjoyed meeting so many of you at meetings, field days, and functions across Missouri. I share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned in my first 30+ days!

I witnessed that MU Extension specialists are the face of CAFNR to rural Missouri. Our specialists and agents have the relationships with the public and policy makers throughout our state. I also noticed that our Research Centers are sensational, proudly representing Mizzou to the agricultural and natural resource communities. In fact, these Centers are Mizzou.

I observed that our alumni are extremely CAFNR Proud! They continue to support future generations of students with their time, talents, and treasures, working to preserve that precious CAFNR experience for the next class of freshmen.

Our CAFNR students are wonderful, the best ambassadors for our college. The subjects of agriculture and natural resources are hot right now, and students have a desire to impact the planet by contributing sustainable solutions that will feed, fuel, heal, and clothe the world.

The college is lean in terms of personnel, and our faculty and staff are asked to do more today with fewer resources. WE appreciate the dedication to our mission that our faculty and staff show Missouri. Today our Chancellor refers to Mizzou as the University FOR Missouri. I love that moniker…and I would add that we too are the College FOR Agriculture, FOR Food, and FOR Natural Resources.

We are preparing to roll out our strategic planning process, and data from the recent climate survey will contribute to our understanding of who we are and what we value as a college and a university. We will work to improve our relationships with on and off campus stakeholders and partners, to secure our legacy as a distinct college of agriculture, food and natural resources.

I truly appreciate the support and hospitality shown to me and my family since our arrival in July. Our college is blessed with great people and effective leadership throughout all phases of CAFNR with a shared interest in advancing CAFNR to distinction. Change will come, but it will take time. We are working to lay a foundation that will support a stronger college.

CAFNR Proud!

Christopher R. Daubert
Vice Chancellor and Dean

I am pleased to announce the hiring of Teresa Davis as senior executive staff assistant. Teresa joins us from the Office of the Provost, where she was a senior program/project support coordinator for administrative searches, promotion and tenure, and MU Faculty Council. She joins us starting Monday, Sept. 18. I know she will be a great asset in the Dean’s Office and a great partner to all of your offices. Please help in giving Teresa a warm CAFNR welcome when you see her!

Congratulations to:

• Leon Schumacher, professor, agricultural systems management, who was named a Fellow by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers at its annual meeting July 16-19. The award honors a member who is providing outstanding academic leadership while serving as a department chair.
• Peter Sutovsky, professor, animal sciences, who received an honorary professorship at the Latin American science congress organized by Universidad Nacional San Marcos, Lima, Peru, in August.

This month we recognize the following faculty and staff members for their years of service at CAFNR!

• Jared Decker, assistant professor-state beef extension specialist, animal sciences, celebrated five years of service June 1.
• Amber Edwards, program/project support coordinator, School of Natural Resources, celebrated five years of service June 1.
• Daniel Madison, senior research associate, agricultural and applied economics, celebrated 20 years of service June 1.
• Wayne Mayfield, senior research associate, Division of Applied Social Sciences, celebrated five years of service June 1.
• Daniel Obrecht, research specialist senior, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 20 years of service June 1.
• Hank Stelzer, associate professor, Ag Extension-Natural Resources, celebrated 15 years of service June 10.
• Jay Thelen, professor, biochemistry, celebrated 15 years of service June 10.
• Jill Moreland, instructor, agricultural and applied economics, celebrated 10 years of service June 11.
• Jinrong Wan, research scientist, plant sciences, celebrated 15 years of service July 18.
• Michelle Enger, strat comm associate II, celebrated 10 years of service June 25.
• Christine Elsik, associate professor, animal sciences, celebrated five years of service July 1.
• Abe Koo, assistant professor, biochemistry, celebrated five years of service July 1.
• Matt Massie, research specialist senior, Southwest Research Center, celebrated 30 years of service July 1.
• Mark Morgan, associate professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 15 years of service July 1.
• David Vaught, associate teaching professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 20 years of service July 1.
• Bryon Wiegand, professor, animal sciences, celebrated 10 years of service July 1.
• Craig Payne, associate extension professor, Extension Vet Med, celebrated 10 years of service July 2.
• Matthew Stanley, system administrator-expert, biochemistry, celebrated 20 years of service July 3.
• Michelle Li, office support assistant IV, plant sciences, celebrated five years of service July 9.
• John Tanner, professor, biochemistry, celebrated 20 years of service July 14.
• Trent Haggard, director, Fisher Delta Research Center, celebrated five years of service July 16.
• Mary Streit, research/lab technician, biochemistry, celebrated 15 years of service July 22.
• Marci Crosby, instructor, animal sciences, celebrated 10 years of service July 30.
• Francisco Aguilar, associate professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 10 years of service Aug. 1.
• Andrew Biggs, superintendent, Bradford Research Center, celebrated five years of service Aug. 1.
• Johnette Blair, office support assistant IV, Division of Applied Social Sciences, celebrated five years of service Aug. 20.
• Zhen Cai, assistant research professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrates five years of service Aug. 1.
• Shari Freyermuth, associate teaching professor, biochemistry, celebrated 25 years of service Aug. 1.
• Jere Gilles, associate professor, rural sociolgy, celebrated 40 years of service Aug. 1.
• Joe Horner, extension associate, agricultural and applied economics, celebrated 25 years of service Aug. 1.
• Ben Knapp, assistant professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated five years of service Aug. 1.
• David Larsen, professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 25 years of service Aug. 1.
• Hanna Pippin, executive assistant, Ag Extension, celebrated 10 years of service Aug. 1.
• Judith Stallmann, professor, agricultural and applied economics, rural sociology, and public affairs, celebrated 15 years of service Aug. 1.
• David Trinklein, associate professor, plant sciences, celebrated 40 years of service Aug. 1.
• Phillip Hanberry, geo information system technician, School of Natural Resources, celebrated five years of service Aug. 6.
• Kevin Wells, associate professor, animal sciences, celebrated 10 years of service Aug. 9.
• Andrew Clarke, associate professor, food science, celebrated 30 years of service Aug. 10.
• Anne McKendry, associate professor, plant sciences, celebrated 30 years of service Aug. 11.
• Kristin Whitworth, research scientist/academic, animal sciences, celebrated 20 years of service Aug. 11.
• Tony Lupo, professor, School of Natural Resources, celebrated 20 years of service Aug. 16.
• Brent Booker, agriculture associate senior, Wurdack Research Center, celebrated 35 years of service Aug. 23.
• David O’Brien, professor, rural sociology, celebrated 30 years of service Aug. 24.
• Jim Reese, strat comm associate II, animal sciences, celebrated five years of service Aug. 27.
• Rocio Rivera, associate professor, animal sciences, celebrated 10 years of service Aug. 27.
• Aaron Duke, user interface designer-specialist, celebrated five years of service Aug. 28.