Monday, November 24, 2008

THE NEW FACES OF NCR-SARE

David Baker, Rhonda Janke, Hans Kandel, Tim Kautza, Juan Marinez, Tricia Wagner have been elected to serve as Administrative Council (AC) members for the North Central Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (NCR-SARE).

Assistant Dean for the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Colombia, David Baker, has been elected to serve as the Extension Director’s Representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. From 1975-1994 Baker held the extension appointment for Extension Safety and Occupational Health Specialist at the University of Missouri-Colombia. He has previously served on the NCR-SARE Professional Development Program Committee, the Research and Education Program Review Panel, and the Evaluation Committee, among others.

Rhonda Janke is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist for Cropping Systems at Kansas State University (KSU) in the Department of Horticulture. She has been elected to serve as the Kansas Research Representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. In 2006, Janke developed two new courses at KSU, “Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture” and “Organic Farming Systems.” In 2005, Janke interviewed more than 70 leaders in sustainable agriculture. Those interviews are currently being transcribed for a full-text web site, as well a print publication.

North Dakota State University Extension Broadleaf Agronomist, Hans Kandel has been elected to serve as the North Dakota Research Representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. Kandel has previously served as the Minnesota research representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council and is a member of the North Dakota State Variety Release Committee.

Doug Karlen, Supervisory Soil Scientist and Research Leader for the National Soil Tilth Laboratory and Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University has been elected as the Regional Agricultural Research Service Representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. Karlen has previously served on the NCR-SARE Administrative Council and the National Academy of Science as a Panel Member for Alternative Liquid Transportation Fuels, among other activities.

A Science and Environmental Education Specialist for the National Catholic Rural Like Conference in Des Moines, IA, Tim Kautza has been elected to serve as the Regional Non-Profit representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. Kautza critiques and educates about the environment and social implications related to confined animal feeding operations, agricultural pesticides, water supply and quality, bioenergy, and global climate change.

Juan Marinez, Assistant Director for Outreach with the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University and Regional Director of Michigan State University Extension has been elected to serve as the Michigan Extension Representative to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council. Marinez has previously served on SARE’s Sustainable Agriculture Network Steering Committee. Among other activities, Marinez has served as a panelist for the Hispanic Serving Institution Education Grants Program and the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Competitive Grants Program.

Tricia Wagner has been elected to serve as the Missouri Farmer Representative for NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council. Wagner operates Yellow Wood Farmers in Hermann, MO and a 100 share CSA in partnership with Lee Farms of Truxton, MO. Among other activities, Wagner is a member of the Missouri Vegetable Growers Association, the Missouri Organic Association, and recently worked as a Community Development Specialist for Local Food Systems with the University of Missouri Extension.

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council represents various agricultural sectors, states and organizations. It sets program priorities and makes granting decisions for the region.

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