Category: CAFNR

Feb. 19, 2023

Q&A with Ray Massey

What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? I am an extension economist in the Division of Applied Social Sciences. My primary responsibilities revolve around crop production economics. I tend to focus on the intersection of production and the environment. So, I have done research and education on manure value, biosecurity, managing under extreme weather events and insurance decisions. I am fortunate to be able to work with faculty from other departments to create programs that meet the needs of Missouri farmers and businesses. Some programs that I have contributed.

Feb. 9, 2023

Q and A with Christopher Daubert

As he celebrated his five-year anniversary as dean of the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Christopher Daubert reflected on the college’s biggest accomplishments since 2017 and discusses top priorities moving forward. Q: How does CAFNR research support Missouri’s agriculture industry? A: CAFNR researchers are making discoveries and producing knowledge that help improve the production of Missouri commodities: beef, swine, corn, soybean and poultry. They have paved the way for genetic testing of cattle that can look for the presence of specific adaptions, such as heat resistance. They found zinc is a key regulator of sperm…

Feb. 6, 2023

Get to Know TaylorAnn Washburn

What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I am the program manager for the newly formed Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF). In this role, I manage relationships with our collaborators at other land-grant universities, oversee all communications and public relations efforts for the center to gain visibility, and generally keep all our projects on track! I also offer communications and PR assistance to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). How long have you worked in CAFNR? I joined CAFNR in May 2022 –…

Jan. 31, 2023

CAFNR Plant Scientist Named AAAS Fellow

In recognition of nearly two decades of work creating rice varieties resistant to certain types of bacteria, Bing Yang, professor of plant sciences, was named as a 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow. “The recognition of my work and my group inspires me to work harder – to do a better job,” Yang said. The recognition from AAAS did not come without a long list of accomplishments, however. Fueling his work along the way was Yang’s desire to make an impact on global food supply issues. “Years of work for my lab…

Jan. 18, 2023

Q&A with Nick Wesslak

What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? I am an agronomy field specialist based in Marion County. I cover the eight northeast counties of Missouri. How long have you worked in this position? I have worked in this position since April 2022. What is your favorite part about the work you do? It is hard for me to pick one favorite part, so I will list a few. I thoroughly enjoy working with my Extension team. It is very much an all-for-one, one-for-all environment. I also appreciate my…