Stories
Sep. 28, 2021
An Opportunity to Share Missouri Agriculture
When Samantha Turner first declared an agricultural education major within the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), she was focused on educating future generations of agriculturists as a high school teacher. Once Turner got into the program and got more involved, she knew that agricultural education was the right path. However, she realized that instead of communicating agriculture to only high school students, she wanted to share that knowledge with individuals throughout Missouri outside of the classroom. After multiple internships and professional work experiences related to agriculture communications – and numerous leadership opportunities within CAFNR…
Sep. 27, 2021
Seeds of Change
Humberto Castro BS Ag ’50, MS ’59 is not one to normally boast about himself. Even with all of his both business-related and personal successes and accomplishments achieved in the more than nine decades of his life, Humberto prefers to not have the limelight pointed at him. Instead, the man who is still very active at 98 years old, normally lets his actions do the talking. “So we’ll do it for him,” says his oldest son, Leslie Castro. Talk to his family members and they will tell you of a Peru native who first came to the United States in…
Sep. 24, 2021
Q&A with Kendra Graham
What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? Kendra speaks at Pearls of Production Women in Agriculture. In my role, I provide Missourians with unbiased, research-based information about livestock. I also help producers understand how they can then take that information and apply it specifically to their operation. MU Extension programs I am involved in as a livestock specialist include Pearls of Production Women in Agriculture, Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer, youth livestock education, and managing forages and livestock. How long have you worked in this position? I…
Sep. 24, 2021
A Blooming Passion for Teaching
After graduating with a degree in agricultural education, with an emphasis in plant sciences and agricultural economics, from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) in 2013, Lesleighan Cravens soon joined the CAFNR faculty as an instructor of floral design in the Division of Plant Science and Technology. Cravens is still instructing MU students – and was recently honored for her dedication to teaching with the CAFNR Golden Apple Award. The award is designed to recognize faculty in CAFNR who go above and beyond in teaching and/or advising. Cravens teaches five courses in CAFNR…
Sep. 23, 2021
Ben Knapp Named Buddy Temple Visiting Scholar
Ben Knapp, associate professor in the School of Natural Resources, was named the first Buddy Temple Visiting Scholar through the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. The Temple Foundation first purchased a parcel of land in 1902, which is now part of the Boggy Slough Conservation Area (BSCA) in Lufkin, Texas. To honor Buddy Temple, who acquired BSCA in 2013, the foundation named three programmatic elements of BSCA after him: The Buddy Temple Visiting Scholar, The Buddy Temple Graduate Fellow (graduate student), and the Buddy Temple Symposium. Knapp was named as the first Buddy Temple Scholar. Through this opportunity, Knapp will partner with…
Sep. 23, 2021
A New Partnership
Greg DeLine speaks at the event, held Thursday, Sept. 16, at the research site northwest of Columbia. DeLine Holdings and the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) celebrated the grand opening of the DeLine Community Research Site Thursday, Sept. 16, at the site northwest of Columbia. The site is a new collaboration developing outdoor research and educational opportunities to facilitate a better understanding of natural systems and processes. The 94-acre site, which includes a cave, forested areas, and a creek, is owned by DeLine Holdings and will be loaned to the University for a period of…
Sep. 22, 2021
Justine Mucinski Receives Highly Competitive Dissertation Fellowship
Justine Mucinski, a PhD student in Food, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, received a highly competitive dissertation fellowship through the MU Graduate School for the 2021-2022 academic year. Mucinski is a senior graduate student in Elizabeth Parks’ lab. Mucinski will be completing experiments for her dissertation, “Quantifying Ceremide Synthesis in Vivo, Impact on Liver Health and Mitochondrial Function.”
Sep. 21, 2021
New Director Joins the Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center
Aaron Brandt joins the Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center (FD-REEC), one of the four research, extension and education centers of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), on Oct. 11, as the director. Brandt is no stranger to Missouri agriculture. He grew up in Linn, Missouri, working on his family’s farm. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to join FD-REEC,” said Brandt. “I am excited to come back to Missouri and looking forward to playing an important role in Missouri agriculture.” Brandt will help direct the unique research opportunities…
Sep. 16, 2021
Agriculture Education on the Move
Agriculture Education on the Move (AEOTM), a program of Missouri Farmers Care, began in 2011 as a way to bring free, hands-on agriculture education to third and fourth grade students throughout the state. John Tummons, an assistant teaching professor of agricultural education and leadership in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS), has been involved in the program since 2014. Tummons has partnered with the program in a variety of ways, including serving as a curriculum advisor. A total of five CAFNR students led the discussions throughout…
Sep. 14, 2021
Q&A with Jim Humphrey
Jim teaches grain bin safety to elementary school students. Photographed are youth testing their strength to see how difficult it is to escape grain waist-deep. If stuck in grain waist deep, it takes twice your weight to pull yourself out of the situation safely. What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? I work with forage and livestock producers in northwest Missouri. With my position, I present unbiased research-based information, while developing timely and relevant programs and resources for their use. I provide expertise for the following areas: carcass evaluation, co-product utilization, ration balancing, cattle…