Land-grant faculty, staff earn honors at annual Ag Awards

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Outstanding land-grant faculty and staff were honored Friday during the annual Agriculture Awards, held at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences.

AG AWARDS — Amanda McWhirt, associate professor and extension specialist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture,  spoke on behalf of the Expanding the Fresh-Market Blackberry Industry Team, which won the John W. White Outstanding Team Award. (U of A System Division of Ag photo.)

The event recognizes the achievements of those from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, representing the extension, research and teaching missions of the nation’s land-grant system in Arkansas.

“These awards do more than recognize the excellence in our ranks. Since our winners are nominated by their colleagues, these awards are an acknowledgement of the esteem in which their peers hold them,” said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System. “Nothing could be more gratifying for our professionals and our organization.” 

The following were honored with John W. White Awards, which commemorate the first head of the Division of Agriculture.

• John W. White Outstanding Research Award – Kristen Gibson, professor of food safety and microbiology, who joined the Division of Agriculture in 2010 as a postdoctoral research associate in the Center for Food Safety.

• John W. White Outstanding Teaching Award – Nathan Kemper, an associate professor of community and rural economic development and the director of undergraduate and online programs in the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness.

• John W. White Outstanding Extension State Faculty Award – Laura Hendrix, professor, department of family and consumer sciences.

• John W. White Outstanding County Extension Educator Award – Brad McGinley, Grant County extension staff chair.

• John W. White Outstanding Team Award – Expanding the Fresh-Market Blackberry Industry Team: Aaron Cato, extension specialist-horticulture integrated pest management; Amanda McWhirt, extension specialist-horticulture crops, Jackie Lee, director of the Fruit Research Station, and Margaret Worthington, fruit breeder, all of the department of horticulture; and Renee Threlfall, associate professor, department of food science.

The following were honored with Outstanding Support Personnel Awards.

Program Area Awards

• Daniel McCarty – Rice breeding program associate based at the Rice Research and Extension Center.

• Julian Abram – Program technician in the biological and agricultural engineering department.

 Support Function Awards

• Dwain Ober – Farm foreman, Fruit Research Station.

• Karen DiCicco – Assistant director of information technology, Cooperative Extension Service.

Support Staff Awards 

• Genean Butler – Associate for administration for agriculture and natural resources.

• Tonya Foster – Administrative manager for the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness

EXTENSION — John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service and senior associate vice president-extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, speaks at the 2024 Agriculture Awards. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

John Anderson, head of the Cooperative Extension Service, said that “our Agriculture Awards give us an annual reminder of the exceptional work being done in the Division of Agriculture and in Bumpers College across all or our land-grant mission areas. 

“This year’s awardees are all highly deserving of recognition for the quality and the impact of their work. Our Extension winners – both individually and in their contribution to interdisciplinary teams – have clearly earned the respect of their colleagues,” he said. “Their work in linking the UA System directly to our stakeholders with practical, relevant, and impactful programming deserves to be recognized and celebrated. These awards give us an opportunity to do just that.”

“The faculty and staff we recognize this year are a testament to the level of achievement we aim for as an institution. They reflect our values and our mission to innovate and improve people’s lives,” said Jean-François Meullenet, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. “I am grateful for how these awardees set the standard for excellence with their impactful work.”

The following were honored with Bumpers College Awards:

• Outstanding Honors Thesis Mentor Award – Gisela Erf, an immunologist and holder of the Tyson Endowed Professorship in Avian Immunology in the department of poultry science and with the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science.

• Alumni Society Outstanding Advising – Stephanie Hubert, a senior instructor of apparel merchandising and product development in Bumpers College’s School of Human Environmental Sciences.

• Jack G. Justus Teaching – Christopher Estepp, associate professor in the department of agricultural education, communications and technology.

• Dean’s Award of Excellence for Professional Staff – Kristin Seals, associate director of facilities and special events with the Bumpers College dean’s office.

• Spitze Land Grant University Faculty Award for Excellence – Walter Bottje, professor in the department of poultry science.

BUMPERS COLLEGE — Jeff Edwards, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, speaks at the 2024 Agriculture Awards. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

Jeff Edwards, dean of Bumpers College, offered his “congratulations to everyone who is receiving an award. It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge members of the college faculty and staff who are being honored.

“We have the best faculty and staff on campus and these awards are a small way of recognizing all that they do,” Edwards said. “Their dedication to serving students, and others, stands out and I’m proud to have them representing Bumpers College as recipients of their respective awards.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

New department head Nalley puts land-grant mission integration high on priority list

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.  — Lanier Nalley, the new head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department, plans to continue to build on his predecessor’s foundation and work toward a fuller integration of land-grant research, extension and teaching. 

FULL APPOINTMENT — Lanier Nalley will take the reins of the Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness Department in October 2024. He had been serving as interim. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Nalley has served as interim department head since the beginning of 2024 and will begin his new position — without the interim title — on Oct. 7. Nalley succeeds John Anderson, the previous department head, who went on to become director of the Cooperative Extension Service in January.

“We saw him grow and develop as a leader. One of the things we noticed during his time as interim is how good of an advocate Lanier was for his faculty, even making significant personal sacrifices to benefit the whole unit,” said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System and head of the Division of Agriculture. “He will be missed in the role he’s played. He’s a top researcher and educator and has extension experience. He really gets all three land-grant functions.”

No longer a stepping stone

“When I first came here, Arkansas seemed to be a place where professors came and then went to quote-unquote better schools,” Nalley said. “It’s been so nice to see a transformation where this is now a destination, not a stepping stone for academics. John Anderson really laid that foundation. I hope to carry that on.”

Nalley also said he was keen to continue serving stakeholders in all three of the land-grant missions: research, extension and teaching.

When he started with the Division of Agriculture as an assistant professor in 2008, Nalley had an extension appointment.

“I have a deep passion for extension,” he said. “I’m really excited not only to strengthen our outreach programs, but also to promote the extension work we do in our department.”

Nalley highlighted a desire to strengthen the links between research and extension work in the department.

“I want faculty to be thinking that regardless of what your research is, it can be extended in some facet, to a stakeholder in Arkansas.”

Another goal of Nalley’s is to further promote the work being done by the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence, of which Andrew McKenzie is associate director, Fryar Endowed Professor in Risk Management.

“McKenzie is phenomenal,” he said. “The work he does is not just regionally great, it’s nationally and internationally great.

“It will be high on my list of priorities to highlight his work and the work of the Fryar Center to make it more visible, not just to the stakeholders of Arkansas, but nationally,” Nalley said.

Nalley has earned a litany of honors for his work, including three John W. White Awards — a 2013 team award; 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award, 2023 Research Award plus earning the Jack G. Justus Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017. 

International reputation

“Lanier Nalley has built an international reputation as a production economist,” Anderson said.

“One of the most impressive things about Dr. Nalley’s research program is that he really demonstrates how a faculty member can have global impact while working on problems that are relevant to stakeholders in Arkansas,” Anderson said. “He has made tremendous contributions to the Arkansas rice industry, particularly on global rice demand issues and on the economic impacts of new technologies. Dr. Nalley has amply demonstrated that he understands and values the university’s land-grant mission, and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead the department to new heights.”

Jean-François Meullenet, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, said that “Lanier has a proven track record of producing high quality research and supporting student success. He has done an admirable job as interim department head, and I am excited to continue working with him to advance our research mission and support our stakeholders.”

Jeff Edwards, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, said “I’ve had the opportunity to work with Lanier as an interim over the past year. He brings an even-keeled approach to leadership and is a strong advocate for the students, faculty, and staff in the department. Lanier has been a valuable member of our Bumpers College team for a while, and it is exciting to see him transition to this new role full time.”

Edwards said that from an undergraduate enrollment perspective, agricultural economics is one of the largest academic departments in Bumpers College.

“I am pleased that we have someone with Dr. Nalley’s experience and student-focused perspective to lead the department. It is a big job and I am confident that Lanier is up to the task,” Edwards said.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Trailblazer, former Arkansas extension director Ivory Lyles dies at 65

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Ivory Lyles, who became the first African-American to head an extension service in a predominately white university system when he was appointed director of the Cooperative Extension Service in Arkansas, has died. He was 65.

TRAILBLAZER — Ivory Lyles served as Arkansas' Cooperative Extension Service director from 2000 until 2009.

A native of Mississippi, Lyles obtained a master of science in agriculture education from Mississippi State University and a Ph.D. in agriculture education from The Ohio State University.

“Ivory Lyles was a trailblazer who opened a lot of doors,” said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System, and head of the Division of Agriculture, which is home to the Cooperative Extension Service. Fields is the first African-American to become head of the Division of Agriculture.  “As I saw him at various Land-Grant meetings, I appreciated hearing about his experiences.”

A funeral for Lyles is set for Saturday at the Holifield Funeral Home, 962 E. 4th Street, Forest, Mississippi. A celebration of life service is planned for Sunday at the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 341 Ephesus Road, also in Forest.

“Dr. Lyles devoted his career serving agriculture as an educator and administrator within the Land-Grant system,” said Ron Rainey, assistant vice president for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “He served in four states as a visionary leader committed to serving agriculture and rural communities.”

John Anderson, current director of Arkansas’ Cooperative Extension Service, said, “Dr. Lyles enjoyed a relatively long tenure as extension director in Arkansas and his impact is still felt throughout the system.  

“Many of the county agents, extension specialists, and administrators currently in senior positions in the organization were hired during Dr. Lyles’ time and are part of the outstanding cohort of extension professionals who have shaped extension’s work today,” Anderson said.

Before coming to Arkansas, Lyles was a district supervisor for the University of Tennessee and Cooperative Extension Program administrator for Tennessee State University.

Lyles also served as director of the Cooperative Extension Service and was associate dean of engagement for the University of Nevada, Reno. He was hired by Oregon State University in September 2021 as vice provost for extension and engagement and director of Oregon State’s extension service. He retired in March 2024.

Edward Feser, provost and executive vice president of Oregon State, said Lyles reinvigorated the university’s community engagement and strengthened its statewide presence. In a Feb. 13 statement about Lyles’ retirement, Feser said Lyles helped secure a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture focused on youth development and bolstering Native American programs.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Barber named interim AVP for agriculture, natural resources for extension service

LITTLE ROCK — Tom Barber has been named interim assistant vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the Cooperative Extension Service.

Barber, an extension weed scientist and director of the Jackson County Extension Center, will step into the role on Feb. 26. The position came open with the retirement of Vic Ford at the end of January. The extension service, the land-grant outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will conduct a nationwide search for a new assistant vice president.

Tom Barber will be interim assistant VP for agriculture and natural resources in the wake of Vic Ford's retirement. (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo)

“I am excited to have Tom Barber joining the administrative team as interim agriculture and natural resources program leader,” said John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service. “Tom brings many years of experience as a highly effective and highly respected state extension specialist. He knows what it takes to develop and deliver quality, research-based, high-impact programs, and he is well-connected, not only to his research counterparts within the University of Arkansas System, but also around the country. 

“I am grateful that he is willing to step into this temporary role to provide program stability and continuity as we make a thorough search for our next ANR program leader,” Anderson said.

Barber earned his bachelor’s and master’s in weed science at the University of Arkansas and his doctorate in weed science at Mississippi State University.

Barber joined the Division of Agriculture in 2007 as an extension cotton specialist and assistant professor. He moved to extension weed scientist in 2012 and in 2016, Barber was promoted to full professor, adding a research appointment from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station to his duties.

“All of us in extension’s agriculture and natural resources appreciate the hard work Vic did on our behalf,” said Barber. “I’m committed to working with my colleagues to ensure the continuity of the programs and outreach that are part of our land-grant mission. I’m looking forward to being able to serve our stakeholders and will be glad to work on a smooth transition once we have our new assistant vice president.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Four States Ag Expo set for Feb. 8

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

TEXARKANA, Ark. – Growers and producers from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma will find the latest research-based information on row crops, livestock and forages, forestry, horticulture, integrated pest management, pollinators, mushrooms and more at the Four States Ag Expo on Feb. 8.

EXPO TIME — The Four States Ag Expo in Texarkana brings together ag industry professionals from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. (UADA graphic)

The expo is scheduled from 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. at the Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th St. in Texarkana. The event is a joint project of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Experts from both agencies will host workshops throughout the day.

 “We’ll be offering a variety of educational sessions to help our growers and producers learn best practices for their operations,” said Jennifer Caraway, Miller County extension staff chair and one of the organizers. “It’s also a great time to network with others in the agriculture industry.”

Organizers are expecting 350 attendees, Caraway said. She and Arkansas extension agents in Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Sevier, Polk, Howard and Hempstead counties served on the expo planning committee along with agents from Bowie, Morris, Cass and Red River counties in northeastern Texas.

“We’re proud to partner with Texas A& M AgriLife Extension on this event that has been growing in scope for the past several years,” said John Anderson, director of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. “Our collaboration helps us both of our agencies get research and resources for best practices into the hands of those who make their living in the agriculture industry.”

The expo is free, open to the public and includes a hamburger lunch. Texas Restricted Use Applicators can obtain up to five continuing education units (CEUs) at the expo.

Concurrent sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include the following topics and speakers:

8:30 a.m.

• Controlling Biting Flies through Cattle Minerals containing IGRs — Dr. Shane Gadberry, Livestock and Forestry Station director, UADA

• Managing Common Household Pests around the Farmstead — Dr. Jon Zawislak, entomology and plant pathology instructor, UADA

• Native Plants for Pollinators — Phyllis Ballard, Texas Master Gardener

9:45 a.m.

• Growing Cucurbit Crops — Dr. Joe Masabni, assistant professor and extension horticulturist (vegetables), Texas A&M

• Easy Cattle Forage Calculator, Dr. Shane Gadberry, Livestock and Forestry Station  director, UADA

• Corn and Wheat Insect, Disease and Weed Updates — Dr. Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist, UADA

11 a.m.

• Oak and Loblolly Pine Tree Decline, Dr. Vic Ford, associate vice president of agriculture and natural resources, UADA

• Controlling External Parasites of Livestock — Sonja Swiger, professor and extension Entomologist, Texas A&M Greenhouse Management

• Joe Masabni, assistant professor and extension horticulturist, Texas A&M

1 p.m.

• Mushrooms in the Wild — Dr. Vic Ford, associate vice president of agriculture and natural resources, UADA

• Reversing Declining Forage Stands — Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, professor and extension forage specialist, Texas A&M

• Controlling House Flies around Livestock Barns — Sonja Swiger, professor and extension Entomologist, Texas A&M

2:15 p.m.

• Following the Pesticide Label to Ensure Applicator Safety — Ples Spradley, pesticide assessment specialist, UADA

• Arkansas Restricted Use Pesticide Applicator Training — Jennifer Caraway, Miller County extension agent, UADA

• Texas Auxin Training — Dr. Brian Triplett, Red River County agent, Texas A&M

For more information, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/4-states-ag-expo.aspx.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

Stone County native Anderson to take Cooperative Extension Service reins in 2024

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — An agricultural economist raised in the tiny Stone County community of Timbo is set to become the next director of the Cooperative Extension Service.

John Anderson will assume his new role as senior associate vice president-extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture on Jan. 2, said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System.

John Anderson will take the reins of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in January 2024. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

As director, Anderson will oversee the extension service land-grant outreach mission across all 75 counties.

“With his broad experience, outstanding record of innovation and achievements and just plain enthusiasm for the outreach mission, John is set to strengthen the work the Cooperative Extension Service is doing to improve lives in Arkansas,” said Fields. “John’s background in agriculture, economics and policy will be of great use as leader of the extension service.”

Anderson has been head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department since January 2020, with appointments in both the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and the Division of Agriculture. He is also head of the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence. Before that, he worked for the American Farm Bureau in Washington and is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve.

For more than 20 years, Anderson has worked as an agricultural economist in both academic and industry positions. His work has involved describing and assessing the farm- and agricultural sector-level impacts of policy, regulatory and market developments across a wide variety of agricultural commodities and markets. Anderson has served as a faculty member, with primary appointments in extension, at the University of Kentucky and Mississippi State University.

Anderson has a B.S. in agribusiness from College of the Ozarks, a Master of Science in agriculture degree from Arkansas State University and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University. He also went back to school to earn a master’s in Christian leadership from the Dallas Theological Seminary in 2020.

Earlier this year, Anderson was elected to become the next president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, a role in which he will continue.

Introduction to extension
Raised on a family farm with beef cattle, broilers and a custom hay harvest operation, Anderson grew up with extension.

“I remember being a little kid and us having a field day on our farm with extension,” he said. “We were early adopters of bermudagrass varieties, and we had some variety trials that the county agent ran on our farm.”

His family “had a fertilizer business and we were constantly running soil tests to the county office,” Anderson said. “My first exposure to extension was on the agriculture side.”

Far from being outdated, “extension as important as it's ever been,” he said. “If you look at what's going on in our rural communities right now, if you look at what's going on in the world, there’s a desperate need for unbiased, reliable information to help people make decisions across all aspects of their lives. That’s what extension does.”

Scott’s legacy
“I want to thank Bob Scott for his years of service as director of the Cooperative Extension Service,” Fields said. “Our outreach efforts are better for the work he’s done, and I know his accomplishments will have a lasting effect in the state of Arkansas.”

Scott became extension director in July 2020 and is returning to his faculty role. He has been with the Division of Agriculture since 2002.

The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Arkansas native elected next president of Southern Agricultural Economics Association

By Lauren Sutherland
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Starting next year, John Anderson will be in a position to provide strategic guidance to the Southern Agriculture Economics Association, an organization he says has helped shape him professionally for more than two decades.

Anderson, a native of Timbo in Stone County, is head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences.

John Anderson was elected president of the Southern Agriucltural Economics Assocation. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Fred Miller)

In February, Anderson was elected to be the next president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association for 2024.

“It is an honor for me to have this opportunity to give back to an organization that has done so much for me,” Anderson said. “I am looking forward to working closely with them and the rest of the SAEA Executive Council over the coming year.”

Anderson has been a member of the SAEA since he was a graduate student in the late 1990s. His participation and involvement in the organization have helped shaped his professional outlook and provided him with countless opportunities.

“I have made lifelong friendships among my SAEA colleagues,” said Anderson. “I have known the current president, Marco Palma at Texas A&M, and past president, Rodney Holcomb at Oklahoma State, for many years and have the utmost respect for them both.”

The SAEA is a non-profit association comprised of economists striving to understand and explain the values and impacts of factors related to agricultural production, agribusiness, rural development, and natural resources management in the Southern United States.

“John is a very respected leader throughout the land-grant system,” said Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and a past president of SAEA. “He will do a great job implementing programs for the SAEA. This is a great recognition of John’s leadership that will provide tremendous visibility for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.”

Encouraged to run

Rodney Holcomb, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, encouraged Anderson to stand for election.

“I’m a big fan of John Anderson. He’s an outstanding agricultural economist who is greatly respected by peers in both academia and industry,” said Holcomb. “He’s also a strategic thinker with excellent people skills, which is why he’s a good department head. That combination of talents is exactly what the SAEA needs, and that’s why I encouraged him to run for the office.”

Anderson was elected by a vote of the membership that includes 400 members of SAEA. The organization has a three-year rotation for the president's office where the candidate-elect will serve as president-elect for one year, president for the second year, and past president for the third year.

For that three-year period, Anderson will sit on the SAEA Executive Council to help provide strategic leadership to the organization and assist in managing the association’s functions, the primary functions being the organization and execution of the annual meeting and management of the SAEA’s peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

For more than 20 years, John has worked as a professional agricultural economist in both academic and industry positions. His work has involved describing and assessing the farm- and sector-level impacts of policy, regulatory, and market developments across a wide variety of agricultural commodities and markets. John has served as a faculty member, with primary appointments in extension, at the University of Kentucky and Mississippi State University. He received his Bachelor’s in Agribusiness from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, a Master of Agriculture at Arkansas State University, and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.