Stories
March 20, 2025
Q&A with Ivair Valmorbida
Ivair Valmorbida is an assistant professor in entomology for forage and field crops.
March 14, 2025
Students see success at Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting
Animal sciences students attended the Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting March 9-12 in Omaha, Nebraska. At the meeting, the Academic Quadrathlon Team secured their fourth consecutive first-place finish. The team includes seniors Kaylee Spencer (Griggsville, Ill.), Shannon Draper (Sedalia, Colo.), Grace Lloyd (Ellington, Mo.), and Ben Byrd (Troy, Mo.), who participated in the two-day event consisting of lab practical stations for a variety of species, oral presentations to industry professionals and scholars, a written exam, and a quiz bowl. Two students also earned honors in the research presentation contest. Angela McClaskey, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., won…
March 13, 2025
Get to know Shannon Mulvania-Beck
Shannon Mulvania-Beck What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I am the research writer on CAFNR’s communications team. I work with faculty and graduate students across the college to tell the stories of all of the amazing research that happens in CAFNR and the impact of that research. How long have you worked in CAFNR? Almost three years. What do you enjoy about working for CAFNR/Mizzou? I am a naturally curious person, and because of the nature of my role here along with the vast variety of the disciplines studied in CAFNR,…
March 13, 2025
Catch Up with CAFNR – March 2025
Catch Up with CAFNR, February 2025: A photo gallery of CAFNR happenings!
March 13, 2025
Mako shark trekking patterns reveal a hidden impact of changing ocean temperatures
Shortfin mako sharks, an endangered species, are among the fastest and most elusive predators in the ocean, and new research led by Michael Byrne, associate professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources (SNR) sheds light on the limitations of their habitat availability caused by oceanography. The research tracked mako sharks over vast distances using satellite telemetry. Byrne’s findings reveal a pattern in movements and distribution of the apex predators spanning thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, highlighting the sharks’ dependence on one very specific factor — oxygen levels in the water. “I love…
March 7, 2025
MU Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center to host second Digital Agriculture Symposium
2024 DAREC Symposium participants discuss a poster presentation. The University of Missouri’s Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center (DAREC) is hosting its second Digital Agriculture Symposium, “Empowering Agriculture Using AI and Digital Agriculture Technology” in April. “The landscape of agriculture is changing rapidly as digital technology advances,” said Jianfeng Zhou, associate professor of Agricultural Systems Technology in MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “We are delighted to be able to share these advances and some of our research in that space and help Missouri’s agricultural producers make informed decisions about incorporating these new technologies into their farming practices.”…
March 7, 2025
Strengthening Missouri agriculture through partnership
Soybeans ready for harvest at the Farm for Soy Innovation. The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the University of Missouri and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC) share a steadfast commitment to research and innovation that drives the future of soybean farming in Missouri. Their long-standing partnership focuses on sustainability, agronomic advancements, developing the next generation of plant scientists and increasing the efficiency and profitability of soybean production. “Our partnership with CAFNR has been beneficial in driving research, innovation and sustainability efforts that impact Missouri’s soybean growers.” said Missouri Soybean Association CEO and Executive Director…
March 6, 2025
Plant Science & Technology welcomes new faculty
Emily Althoff has joined CAFNR as an assistant extension professor and state extension specialist in urban entomology. Hers is a joint position with Lincoln University in Jefferson City, where Althoff serves as an assistant extension professor. Her extension program focuses on the intersection of insects in our everyday lives (our homes, gardens and trees), and her research is in insect chemical ecology; how insects use their sense of smell to navigate the world around them. Althoff received two graduate fellowships, and has interned at both the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Illinois Natural History Survey: Insect…
March 5, 2025
CAFNR students earn Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39 honors
This week, the Mizzou Alumni Association and Alumni Association Student Board named the 2025 Mizzou 18 Award and Mizzou ’39 Award recipients.
March 4, 2025
MU Center for Agroforestry patents first black walnut cultivar, marking a milestone for Missouri’s tree nut industry
After a quarter of a century of development, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry made a significant step toward a long-term goal of furthering the black walnut industry in Missouri with a recent patent for its first black walnut cultivar — The UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut.