CAFNR
Oct. 28, 2020
Reflections: Mike Smith
It has been my privilege to serve on the faculty of the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri for 40 years. In particular, I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Bill Day, who I met as a PhD student at Texas A&M University. He was a member of a review team that evaluated the reproductive physiology program at A&M and he encouraged me to apply for a research/teaching position in beef cattle reproduction in the Department of Animal Husbandry. At the time, I questioned whether I was ready to initiate an independent research program, but Bill…
Oct. 27, 2020
CAFNR Proud, Column Strong
The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources has honored the 2020 recipients of the CAFNR Column Award for Distinguished Alumni. Although the recognition process looks different for this year, CAFNR’s outstanding alumni were still celebrated for their notable accomplishments. The Column Awards are the highest honor given by the College to recognize outstanding achievements of its accomplished alumni. The awardees represent graduates from each of CAFNR’s six divisions, reflecting the six historic columns at the University of Missouri. Animal Sciences Eldon Cole // MS Animal Husbandry ’63, BS Agriculture ’62 Eldon Cole has been a long-time presence in southwest…
Oct. 27, 2020
A Full Farm View
When Nichole Anderson joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Animal Sciences in the fall of 2018, she was focused on bringing more technology into the classroom. With the help of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant, Anderson is taking a big step in that direction. The grant, worth more than $270,000, is focused on using virtual reality to increase student understanding and interest in farm animal welfare. The four virtual reality modules that the grant will help develop will focus on…
Oct. 8, 2020
Division of Animal Sciences Receive 2020 Research Equipment Grant
A trio of researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Animal Sciences recently received a 2020 Research Equipment Grant from C-Lock Inc. to purchase one GreenFeed Pasture System, which measures the amount of methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide gases released by cattle. Jared Decker, associate professor and state beef Extension specialist, Eric Bailey, assistant professor and state beef Extension specialist, and Derek Brake, assistant professor, are the trio leading the project for CAFNR. Their focus will be on using GreenFeed for the prediction of cow efficiency genetic…
Oct. 8, 2020
Q&A With Tavair Tapp
What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I am the office support assistant for the Office of Academic Programs within the School of Natural Resources. My responsibilities include: helping get grad plans approved and submitted, keeping students informed of job/internship opportunities, and I do the schedule changes for the courses offered in the upcoming semesters. I am also a member of our social media team, helping operate SNR’s Facebook and Instagram. How long have you worked in CAFNR? I happily rejoined the University of Missouri family in April 2020. What do you…
Oct. 2, 2020
Cultivating Inclusivity
By population, the United States is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Counting both bilingual and native speakers of Spanish, the U.S. has more people who can speak Spanish than Spain itself. How do MU Extension specialists make sure they serve Missourians who speak Spanish? “I first started doing a home gardening webinar series at the beginning of the year because of COVID-19 and potential food supply shortages,” said Juan Cabrera-Garcia, an MU Agriculture and Environment Extension horticulture specialist in southeastern Missouri. Amaya Carrasco, a St. Louis resident with experience in urban agriculture,…
Oct. 1, 2020
Q&A With Ben Luebbering
What are opportunities in CAFNR for students interested in the swine industry? The best opportunity for students in CAFNR who are interested in pigs is the MU Swine Club. The Swine Club allows students who are interested in the swine industry to connect with other students that have similar interests. It also serves as a great way to meet industry leaders and learn about hot topics involving pigs, not to mention that the club makes time to take field trips to various businesses that involve pigs. What was it like being the 2019 Pig Farmer of Tomorrow? Being a Pig…
Sep. 25, 2020
Remembering the Legacy of Dr. William Danforth
The passing of William H. “Bill” Danforth, M.D., last week at age 94 brought to the spotlight his work in academic administration, medicine and science, and outreach in the St. Louis area. His contributions also can be felt here at the University of Missouri. Dr. Danforth, chancellor emeritus of Washington University, was the founding chairman of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (DDPSC). Mizzou, including the Division of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), and the Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG), has had a long partnership with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. In 1998…
Sep. 16, 2020
Developing Student Leaders
Nearly a decade ago, and just one year into his teaching career at the University of Missouri, Jon Simonsen traveled with a handful of MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) faculty and administrators to Chillicothe, Mo. The purpose of the trip was to meet with board members of the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation, which was created in 1976 after the tragic passing of Jerry, his wife and their two children. Over the years the Foundation has supported the development of future leaders in the agricultural industry and beyond. CAFNR was interested in partnering with the Foundation…
Sep. 11, 2020
Q&A With Alex Munoz
What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I’m the student support specialist for the Division of Plant Sciences where I am the main point of contact for prospective students who are interested in our programs. I work to help with Division of Plant Sciences’ recruitment and outreach efforts as well as help with general recruitment for CAFNR. During normal times, I would be on the road visiting schools, college fairs and hosting visitors to campus. On top of this, I run the division’s social media accounts and help out faculty transitioning to…