2019 SPEAKERS
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Adams, Stacy
University of Nebraska—Lincoln 279 Plant Science Hall Lincoln, NE 68583-0915 [email protected] 402-472-2577 agronomy.unl.edu/adams Stacy is an Associate Professor of Practice in Horticulture with a research emphasis in specialty crop production tools and techniques and provides extension education to support value added plant products. Current efforts focus on evaluating the potential for hops as a viable specialty crop for Nebraska through evaluation of eight commercially proven hop cultivars at four locations across NE. Teaching responsibilities include introductory plant science, greenhouse management, hydroponics and floral design as art. Amidi-Abraham, Djavid 40 Bushwick Ave Brooklyn, NY 11211 [email protected] 631-946-9471 agritecture.com Djavid Amidi-Abraham is Lead Systems Design for Agritecture Consulting where he serves as a senior technical consultant on controlled environment agriculture projects globally. Prior to his involvement with Agritecture, he served as Vice President at Infinitree where he developed carbon capture tools for CO2 enrichment in greenhouses and biofuels production applications. Previously, he spent several years in commercial hydroponic crop production and equipment sales. Djavid holds degrees in History and Environmental Studies from SUNY Binghamton. Baker, Tim 102 Main, Suite 1 Gallatin, MO 64640 [email protected] 660-663-3232 extension.missouri.edu/nwhort/home.aspx Tim joined University of Missouri Extension in 1992 as a Horticulture Specialist located in Southeast Missouri. He received an undergraduate degree in horticulture in 1986 and Master's degree in horticulture in 1988, both from the University of Arkansas. Post graduate experience included working for the University of Idaho in their potato variety development program before coming to University of Missouri Extension. In 2006, he transferred to Northwest Missouri, where he continues his work with University of Missouri Extension as a Horticulture Specialist. Bergefurd, Brad 1864 Shyville Road Piketon, OH 45661 [email protected] 740-253-0998 southcenters.osu.edu/horticulture Brad is the Co-Coordinator of the 25 member multidisciplinary Ohio State University Specialty Crops team, which partners with the $180 million dollar fruit and vegetable industry in Ohio. He is past Director of the Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group a 70 member multidisciplinary team of commercial vegetable researchers and educators . Co-Coordinator of the Ohio Apprenticeship council-approved Ohio Specialty Crops Growers Apprenticeship Program that trains new specialty crop students and growers. His teaching and field research centers on crop diagnostics and management, season extension (high tunnel, plasticulture, row covers), strawberry, hops, pawpaw and direct marketing. Bilenky, Moriah 2206 Osborn Dr. 260 Horticulture Hall Ames, IA 50011 [email protected] 215-384-3239 Moriah is a Masters Student majoring in Horticulture. She received a B.S. in Horticulture from Iowa State University in 2013 and has several years of experience in agriculture production varying from row crops to vegetables and livestock from her time on the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) school farm and managing small scale, diversified vegetable operations. Bishop, Nahshon 700 Main Street Cassville, MO 65625 [email protected] 417-846-3948 www.lincolnu.edu/web/programs-and-projects/innovative-small-farmers-outreach-program Shon grew up in southwest Missouri around small family farms. In 2011, Shon graduated from College of the Ozarks with a degree in Horticultural. Mr. Bishop has been working for Lincoln University Cooperative Extension in the Southwest Region of Missouri since 2011 under the 2501 Initiative (Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers). Currently, he is the Small Farm Specialist for the Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP). Bode, Beany & Joanne 2304 140th Avenue Algona, IA 50511 [email protected] 515-341-3667 www.bodemoonlightgardens.com Bode’s Moonlight Gardens is located just a few miles north of Algona, Iowa. Owners and operators of the farm, Beany Bode and Joanne Roepke Bode, chose to return to their home state of Iowa in 2003 to start their own vegetable farm and a family. Beany's background as a biology teacher and Joanne's experience working in public relations helped launch their business from one small garden plot to 10 acres of pumpkins and produce, including two high tunnels in production. Together they raise wholesale pumpkins, as well as fresh vegetables for direct-to-consumer sales through farmers market, a local restaurant and a 70-member CSA. Buller, Tom K-State Research and Extension - Douglas County 2110 Harper Lawrence, KS 66046 [email protected] 785-843-7058 Bush, Michael 1603 Pollard Dr. Nehawka, NE 68413 [email protected] 402-294-9553 bushfarms.com/bees.htm Michael has been keeping bees since the mid 70's, usually from two to seven hives up until the year 2000. Varroa forced more experimentation which required more hives and the number has grown steadily over the years from then. By 2008 it was about 200 hives. He is active on many of the Beekeeping forums with last count at over 60,000 posts between all of them. Byers, Patrick 800 S. Marshall Ave Marshfield, MO 65706 [email protected] 417-859-2044 Patrick is Commercial Horticulture Field Specialist with University of Missouri Extension, serving nine counties in southwest Missouri. His educational background includes degrees from the University of Nebraska, University of Missouri, and University of Arkansas, all in horticulture. Job experience includes three years at the University of Arkansas Fruit Substation, 18 years as Fruit Grower Advisor at the MSU State Fruit Experiment Station and 10 years in his current position. Current job responsibilities include advisement to fruit and vegetable farmers with the goal of supporting sustainability and profitability. Research interests include berries and garlic. Cochran, Diana 106 Horticulture Hall 2206 Osborn Drive Ames, IA 50011 [email protected] 515-294-0035 Diana is an Assistant Professor at Iowa State University and serves as state-wide Extension Fruit Specialist. Diana works closely with Iowa fruit and hop growers through on-farm collaborative research and demonstration projects as well as one-on-one consultation around the state. She brings expertise in water use efficiency, weed management, integrated pest management, and whole plant physiology. Dr. Cochran’s research focuses on evaluating sustainable production systems, nutrient management and environmental variables (light, temperature, and water use), with the goal of reducing production costs without sacrificing plant quality. Cowan, Jeremy 2021 Throckmorton 1712 Claflin Rd Manhattan, KS 66505 [email protected] 785-532-1414 Jeremy is an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Food Production Systems at Kansas State University and oversees the Willow Lake Student Farm. A recent Midwest transplant from Washington State, Jeremy is dedicated to finding alternatives to heavy pesticide use and has been working with biodegradable plastic mulch films for vegetable production in one capacity or another for nearly a decade. Daniels, Kara Southeast & Southern Midwest Territory Manager BCS America 5001 N. Lagoon Ave. Portland, OR 97217 (503) 420-3711 bcsamerica.com Kara has always been a supporter of localized food production and is thrilled to now be a link in the chain that makes it possible! Her territory includes AL, GA, MS, LA, TN, KY, AR, MO, OK, KS and some parts of IL & IA Davis, Mimo 4736 Tennessee Avenue St. Louis, MO 63111 [email protected] 573-999-6293 citygrownflowers.com Mimo has been growing specialty cut flowers in Missouri since 1994. Her first farm was called WildThang located in Ashland, Missouri. Her current project is Urban Buds: City Grown Flowers, an acre urban specialty cut flower farm located in the south St. Louis Dutchtown neighborhood. Season extension techniques feature prominently in the Urban Buds production, as does diversity of plant varieties grown, typically 70 different beauties annually. The flowers are sold at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, wholesale to florists and are used in Urban Buds wedding and event design. Mimo holds a graduate degree in horticulture from North Carolina A & T University. Demler, Drew 9929 Lakemere Dr. Dallas, TX 75238 [email protected] 512-743-7028 bigtex.com/supporting-texans/big-tex-urban-farms Drew is the Director of Horticulture for the State Fair of Texas. As part of his role, he is the head grower and co-founder of the Big Tex Urban Farms. The Big Tex Urban Farms is an urban farming project with a focus on creating fresh produce and food education for the South Dallas food desert. Before this experience Drew was a horticultural manager at The Dallas Arboretum. Prior to that, he co-owned Seasons Garden and Landscape service in Leander Texas. He has 24 years of experience in the green industry. Dintelmann, Brian 5 Waters Hall Columbia, MO 65221 [email protected] 618-741-4031 weedscience.missouri.edu Brian is a second year Master’s student in the Weed Science program at the University of Missouri under Dr. Kevin Bradley. His thesis research primarily focuses on determining the sensitivity of various plant species to driftable fractions of 2,4-D and dicamba. Originally, he is from Southern Illinois where he grew up working at Dintelmann Nursery and Garden Center, a family-owned and operated nursery since 1891. Dixon, Linley 31417 Highway 550 Durango, CO 81301 [email protected] 970-317-0309 realorganicproject.org Linley owns a mixed vegetable farm in Durango Colorado, marketing through Southwest Farm Fresh (a farmer-owned cooperative), farm to school, and at farmers markets) She holds a MS in Plant and Soil Science from West Virginia University and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida. In addition, she held a 2-year post-doctorate with the USDA’s Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory where her research involved studying the impact of farm biodiversity on plant disease levels, providing perspective on the various inputs required given different production practices. Dixon is now the Associate Director of The Real Organic Project, which helps educate and connect farmers and eaters by providing more transparency on organic farming practices. The Real Organic Project is an effort to save the organic family farms that are struggling due to the increasing number of factory farms now being certified organic that are at odds with the original intent of organic farming. Eaton, Touria 900 Chestnut Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 [email protected] 413-687-1044 Touria is Assistant Professor of Horticulture and State Horticulture Specialist at Cooperative Extension and Research at Lincoln University of Missouri. The focus of her teaching, research and extension work is sustainable production of horticultural crops. Her research includes agricultural strategies to increase the nutrient density in vegetable crops, production of Brussels sprouts for marketing on stalks and the use of organic fertilizers in the production of greenhouse crops. Her extension program consists of applied research and educational programs aimed to help farmers increase income and profitability through sustainable agricultural practices. Fisk, Connie Produce Safety Alliance Cornell Agricultural Sciences Research Laboratory 665 W. North Street Geneva, NY 14456 [email protected] 541-250-6227 producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/ Connie is the Produce Safety Alliance’s (PSA) Northwest Regional Extension Associate. Based in Plattsmouth, NE, she serves as a food safety resource for growers of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, sprouts, nuts, and herbs and supports the university researchers, educators and government agencies tasked with providing training and resources to help them understand Good Agricultural Practices (buyer requirements) and how to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (regulatory requirements). Connie is one of the designers and instructors of the PSA Grower Training Online Course through eCornell. Follow her on Twitter @connie_fisk. Gieringer, Frank 39675 west 183rd street Edgerton, KS 66021 [email protected] 913-893-9626 gieringersorchard.com Frank farms with his wife and son. They are first generation farmers having grown up in town. They are transitioning from a typical midwest row crop and livestock farm into an Agritourism-based u-pick fruit farm. The Gieringers raise peaches, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and have a pumpkin patch and corn maze. They are seeking to capitalize on the increasing interest in on-farm visits from urban dwellers. Frank will present on his experiences with establishing blueberries. Graznak, Liz Happy Hollow Farm 17199 Happy Hollow Road Jamestown, MO 65046 [email protected] 573-268-6394 www.happyhollowfarm-mo.com Liz is a Columbia native whose love of gardening and the outdoors is primarily the result of time spent outside with her grandparents as a child. It was in grad school at Cornell University that Liz discovered CSA farms and realized she too wanted to grow vegetables. After working on a number of different farms out east, Liz decided to move back to the Columbia area. After six years of working at Superior Garden Center, Liz and Katie were able to purchase their farm. CSA farming has provided the opportunity to fulfill Liz’s long-anticipated goal of growing beautiful, healthy food and sharing it with a community of people that share her enthusiasm and commitment to a local food system. Grimm, Jason 920 48th Street Amana, IA 52203 [email protected] 319-270-3890 www.iowavalleyrcd.org Jason is Deputy Director with Iowa Valley RC&D. Jason Grimm is a leader in Iowa’s food system work with more than a decade of experience in community food systems. He cultivates local and statewide networks, farm-to-business supply chain coordination and collaborative project development. Grimm acts as a Value Chain Coordinator connecting producers to each other, to viable markets and institutions, and cultivates relationships within the food system. Jason also farms with his family near Williamsburg. Grimm Family Farm has enterprises that include dry beans, produce and pastured poultry. Guinan, Pat University of Missouri 113 Waters Hall Columbia, MO 65211 [email protected] 573-882-5908 climate.missouri.edu Pat received his Ph.D. in Soil, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences in 2004 at the University of Missouri and, in addition to his Extension and campus activities as an Extension Associate Professor in Climatology, he serves as the State Climatologist for Missouri and Director of the Missouri Climate Center. Pat also maintains and operates the Missouri Mesonet, which consists of 36 automated weather stations in Missouri that monitor several environmental variables on a 5-minute, hourly and daily basis. The primary purpose of the network is to enhance technology, provide information for research and aid in decision making for agricultural intensive processes. |
Hall, Beth
2204 Griffith Dr. Champaign, IL 61820 [email protected] 217-418-7403 mrcc.illinois.edu Beth is the Director of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC). Since joining the MRCC in 2012, she has dedicated her efforts toward identifying opportunities for climate data to be transformed into decision-support tools and resources for a variety of sectors across the Midwest including agriculture, urban flood management and public health. Her research interests throughout her career have predominantly focused on climate applications and operational climate tools for stakeholders and decision-support needs. Hannan, Joseph ISU Extension - Dallas County 29059 Fairground Rd Adel, IA 50003 [email protected] 515-971-9503 ncrfsma.org Joe is a Commercial Horticulture Field Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. His goal is to increase the quantity, quality and safety of fruits and vegetables grown in the state through workshops, field days, media and personal relationships. He has worked in the industry for over 15 years conducting research, providing education to fruit and vegetable farmers and selling into local wholesale markets. His areas of interests include high tunnel production, irrigation systems and food safety. Most recently, he received funding from the USDA to direct and co-lead the North Central Region Center for FSMA Training, Extension and Technical Assistance. Hirtz, Jason 17679 Lawrence 2090 Mount Vernon, MO 65712 [email protected] 314-952-5611 boxturtlefarm.farm Jason raises an acre of certified organic vegetables at Box Turtle Farm in SW Missouri. With 12,000 square feet of high tunnels, his production focuses on salad production for sale to grocers and restaurants. Jason will discuss how he and his wife decided to streamline their operation by limiting the number of crops they grow and catering to a small group of customers. Hitt, Alex 9418 Perry Road Graham, NC 27253 [email protected] 785-320-3033 https://peregrinefarm.net/ Alex is a graduate of Utah State University and has been farming with his wife Betsy near Chapel Hill, NC for 37 years, producing cut flowers, small fruits and vegetables. They have both been full-time on the farm since 1990 and make their entire living off of two acres in production. Alex has been an active advisor of CEFS, RAFI-USA and SR-SARE. Alex and Betsy have won several sustainable agriculture awards including the Patrick Madden award in 2006, and were inducted as fellows in the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans and Chefs in 2008. In 2010, their farm was included in the National Academy of Sciences report, "Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century." Jamerson, Cal 22201 W Innovation Drive Olathe, KS 66061 [email protected] 913-307-7394 K-State Research & Produce Safety. Third generation farmer with extensive background in managing food safety in production and post-harvest operations. Veteran USAF. Jones, Ethan 12780 SE Hwy TT Osceola, MO 64776 [email protected] 619-339-3388 Ethan is a long time flower farmer growing flowers for florists in the Kansas City area. He grows and harvests flowers year round. Keay, Justin 15 Henson Ln. Florissant, MO 63031 [email protected] 314-518-6294 Justin has spent his adult life involved with the local foods economy and agricultural production. He ran a vegetable farm in Florissant, Missouri, and recruited local producers at Whole Foods Market in St. Louis. He has an M.S. in Integrated Agricultural Systems from Lincoln University, where he performed research on cucumber beetle trapping, living mulch cover crops and particle film mulch for sustainable production systems. He sold produce at the Ferguson Farmers Market for seven years, ran a C.S.A. and sold to various small restaurants and grocers. He has an Organic Inspectors Certificate and a passion for understanding the ways in which agriculture can exist in symbiosis with the natural world. Kelly, Debi PO Box 497 301 Third St Hillsboro, MO 63050 [email protected] 636-797-5391 Debi is the Horticulture Field Specialist with University of Missouri Extension in Jefferson County. She has been with MU Extension for 24 years working in the areas of small farms, beginning farmers, alternative agriculture and marketing. Kemble, Joe Department of Horticulture Auburn University Auburn, AL 36849 [email protected] 334-844-3050 www.aces.edu/dept/com_veg Joe is an Extension Vegetable Specialist and Professor in Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture. Dr. Kemble’s appointment is 25% research/75% Extension working in the area of applied vegetable production focusing on BMP’s for vegetables crops in the field and greenhouse. Dr. Kemble is originally from NJ and received his BS from the University of Delaware. He received his MS and PhD at NC State University studying plant breeding and physiology with Dr. Randy Gardner (breeder of Mountain series of fresh-market tomatoes as well as many others). He has been at Auburn now for over 25 years. Kilmer, Norman Morgan County Seeds 18761 Kelsay Road Barnett, MO 65011-3009 573-378-2655 www.morgancountyseeds.com Prior to 1989, Norman Kilmer was a dairy farmer and part-time seed corn salesman who provided gift packets of sweet corn to farmers purchasing their field corn seed from him. The farm wives were interested in buying the sweet corn seed, so in 1989, Norman offered four varieties of sweet corn and one variety of shell peas. That fall, he sent out questionnaires on varieties of seed desired and Morgan County Wholesale was started. Along with the name change, the size and scope have also changed. The knickknacks, handmade wooden farm animals and novelty items they originally handled have been dropped. Morgan County Seed is now the largest retail vegetable seed dealer and the largest wholesale dealer in Missouri. They now handle over 1,000 varieties of seed and ship world-wide. Kirkpatrick, Danielle USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station 2217 Wiltshire Road Kearneysville, WV 25430 [email protected] 304-725-3451 Danielle holds a Ph.D. degree in Entomology from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; a B.S. Degree in Zoology from the Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; and a B.S. degree in Marketing from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. She has been employed by the USDA-ARS, AFRS in Kearneysville, WV as a Postdoctoral Research Entomologist. Her research has focused on development of behaviorally-based management tools for invasive and native pests of fruit crops. Kremer, Robert 302 Natural Resources Bldg. School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 [email protected] 573-356-3665 cafnr.missouri.edu/person/robert-kremer Bob is an adjunct Professor of Soil Microbiology in the School of Natural Resources and the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri. He was a USDA-ARS microbiologist for 32 years, retiring in 2014. His original research includes biological control of weeds; pesticide fates; soil microbe-plant-pesticide interactions; soil health assessment in various ecosystems; and impacts of genetically-modified crops and glyphosate on soil ecology and biology. Dr. Kremer is a Certified Soil Scientist, is active in numerous professional societies and served on advisory panels for US-EPA and NRCS. He was raised on a diversified farm in Osage County, MO and continues working there. Kreuser, Katie 6735 Wildrye Road Lincoln, NE 68521 [email protected] 402-430-9017 agronomy.unl.edu/nebraska-hops Katie is originally from Tennessee, and received a B.S. degree in biology from Samford University, and a Master’s degree in Public Garden Management from Cornell University. She has worked with the University of Nebraska in a variety of roles for 5 years in both research and extension. She served as the Hop Program Coordinator through September 2017. Katie is currently an Extension Educator focusing on vegetable, fruit and specialty crop production as part of the Nebraska Extension Regional Food Systems Initiative. Kuhn, Dan 1101 30 Rd. Courtland, KS 66939 [email protected] 785-614-1339 depotmarket.net Dan is a first-generation, full-time specialty crop grower who graduated from KSU in 1978 and has been farming in Republic County, Kansas ever since. His main crops are pumpkins and squash, watermelons, summer squash and tomatoes, but he also grows asparagus, cucumbers, peppers, cantaloupe, specialty melons, sweet potatoes, onions, and most recently, raspberries and blackberries, mostly for wholesale. The operation has a retail market, located in an old Santa Fe train depot located on US 36 at Courtland, which also serves as the galactic headquarters for the entire farm operation. Dan is the father of seven kids! Krzton-Presson, John 550 N 2nd Ave W Newton, IA 50208 [email protected] 270-929-9866 John is an Extension Horticulturalist and Local Foods Coordinator with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. In this role, John works to support local food systems through consumer outreach and provides technical assistance and workshops for specialty crop producers. John earned an undergraduate degree from University of Kentucky and completed an MS in Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University where his research focused on reduced tillage, cover crops and food safety in commercial vegetable production systems. Luke, Andy 1505 Main Street Courthouse Basement Bethany, MO 64424 [email protected] 660-425-6434 Andy grew up on a family farm in Stanberry, Missouri and obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Agri-Business Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He then pursued a Master's Degree in Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences from Mizzou with an emphasis in Weed Science. His graduate research focused on Dicamba damage to soybeans through tank contamination. He has been with the University of Missouri Extension since June of 2017 as an Agronomy Specialist. Massey, Ray 223 Mumford Hall Columbia, MO 65211 [email protected] 573-884-7788 Ray holds a B.S. in Animal Science and M. Ag. in Agricultural Economics from New Mexico State University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. He was on the faculty of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1990 to 1995. In 1995, he came to the University of Missouri. Dr. Ray Massey is an agricultural economist with University of Missouri Extension. Dr. Massey’s economic specialty is risk management with an emphasis on the impact of production agriculture on the environment. Middleton, David 10091 Lawrence 1100 Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 [email protected] David Middleton joined Lincoln University Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP) in 2014. A graduate of the University of Missouri with a B.S and M.S in Animal Science, he has grown Middleton's All Natural Meats into a direct marketing company through farmers market, on farm and online sales. Working with small farmers in Southwest Missouri he has led several high tunnel construction workshops and instrumental in developing Lincoln University's Jesup Wagon 2.0. He works one on one with farmers to educate, encourage and help farmers to become more profitable in all endeavors. David also is the state Missouri AgrAbility Project level II assessor. Morganthaler, Jennifer Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station 9740 Red Spring Road Mountain Grove, MO 65711 [email protected] 417-547-7517 ag.missouristate.edu/mtngrv Jennifer Morganthaler is a Clinical Instructor at Missouri State University. Her current research at the State Fruit Experiment Station involves High Tunnel Raspberry Production and Black Walnut Production. She teaches courses in Plant Science at Missouri State in Springfield, Missouri and has had experience working in a commercial greenhouse and nursery. She manages the Orchards at the State Fruit Experiment Station. Jennifer received her Master's degree in Plant Science from Missouri State University. Nair, Ajay 145 Horticulture Hall 2206 Osborn Drive Department of Horticulture Ames, IA 50011 [email protected] 515-294-7080 extension.iastate.edu/vegetablelab Ajay is an Associate Professor working in the area of Sustainable Vegetable Production in the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University. The focus of his research, extension and education program is on cover cropping, conservation tillage, nutrient management, soil amendments and health, and season extension strategies in vegetable production. He also has an interest in local food production and works on production aspects and techniques needed to meet the rising demand of locally grown produce. Nelson, Rex 5985 G Road Nebraska City, NE 68410 [email protected] 402-873-3166 Rex is an Extension Educator with the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, located at the Kimmel Center for Education and Research in Nebraska City. His work includes Business Development in Regional Food Systems and building Rural Community Vitality. O'Mara, Judy 4601 Throckmorton PSC Manhattan, KS 66506 [email protected] 785-532-1385 www.plantpath.k-state.edu/extension/ Judy has been Director and lead Diagnostician for the K-State Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab for close to 30 years. She also teaches landscape diseases and crop diseases at K-State, as well as, contributes to the Extension Master Gardener Program. Porter, John 8015 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68124 [email protected] 402-444-7833 John is the urban agriculture program coodinator in the Omaha Metro area, which is a joint appointment with Nebraska Extension and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. He is a SARE Sustainable Agriculture Fellow, a participant in the National Extension Leadership Development Program and the national chair of Sustainable Agriculture for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. He provides leadership for the Cooper Farm Urban Agriculture Education Center (in partnership with Omaha Home for Boys), local food efforts in the Omaha Metro area, and regional food systems work with Nebraska Extension. Powers, Rae 8000 S. 15th Street Suite D Lincoln, NE 68512 [email protected] 402-263-0112 xerces.org Rae is a partner biologist with the Xerces Society and NRCS based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Rae works with farmers, agencies and conservation groups to promote pollinators and other beneficial insects on farms. In collaboration with NRCS staff, she works with farmers and ranchers to identify wildlife conservation opportunities; pollination and pest control needs and determine strategies and funding sources to best meet those needs. Rae provides technical support to hundreds of farmers, NRCS staff and other farm agency professionals in the Great Plains and Midwest as they navigate questions surrounding pollinator habitat needs, plant selection, site preparation and monitoring. |
Quinn, James
2436 Tanner Bridge Road Cole County Extension Center Jefferson City, MO 65101 [email protected] 573-634-2824 James has been a Horticulture Specialist for University of Missouri Extension in Jefferson City for 12 years. He was a wholesale greenhouse salad green and herb grower for 9 years in Michigan. Since moving to Missouri he has been involved in a wide range of agriculture projects, including greenhouses, vegetables, alternative agronomic crops, IPM, high tunnels, and medicinal herbs. He has been a contributor to the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for over 5 years. Rodriguez Salamanca, Lina 2445 ATRB 2213 Pammel Dr. Ames. IA 50011 [email protected] 515-520-2441 clinic.ipm.iastate.edu Lina is an extension plant pathologist and diagnostician with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic, a member of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN, www.npdn.org). Lina’s responsibilities in the clinic include diagnosis of diseases and disorders of ornamental and horticulture plants and crops, as well as tree problem diagnosis. As part of ISU Extension and Outreach, through the clinic and extension programs directed to specialty crop producers, Lina focus her efforts on disease diagnosis and its importance in disease management and IPM implementation. Rivard, Cary 35230 W. 135th St Olathe, KS 66061 [email protected] 785-320-3033 Cary is a Fruit and Vegetable Extension Specialist at Kansas State University in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, and is Director of the Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center located near Kansas City. His research program focuses on sustainable vegetable farming practices and current projects include: high tunnel production systems, vegetable grafting, annual strawberry production, no-till and minimum tillage systems and reducing postharvest losses. Rogers, Taylor and Suzy 168 N Rd. Douglas, NE 68344 [email protected] 402-320-6641 inseasonomaha.com Taylor and Suzy are first-generation farmers! Working in restaurants, they were inspired by the relationships their chefs had with local growers. They started by experimenting with microgreens, following techniques from farmers like Curtis Stone, Jean-Martin Fortier, Joel Salatin and Eliot Coleman. Within a year, In Season was up and running on just 1/3 of an acre. They expanded to grow baby lettuces and root vegetables for local restaurants. After two seasons at the farmer's market and consistent demand from numerous chefs, they bought their first acreage in Douglas, Nebraska where they continue to provide Omaha with fresh, local produce and microgreens grown with flavor, nutrition, and soil health as a priority. Samborski, Jeff 11724 NW Plaza Circle #300 Kansas City, MO 64153 [email protected] 816-770-7100 extension.missouri.edu/platte/ Jeff is the Community Engagement Specialist in Community Economic Development for MU Extension, Platte County. A major emphasis of his work is on farm and food related issues. These range from food production and processing to food-deserts. He regularly offers courses on urban and specialty crop farms and selling local foods. He serves on farm and food committees across Missouri and the Kansas City region and has owned and operated various farm/food-centric ventures. Jeff has over 25 years of full-time work experience in helping grow all types of Missouri businesses including four years as a business development specialist (consultant/coach) with MU's Business Development program (SBTDC). Seaman, Abby 630 W North St. Geneva, NY 14456 [email protected] 315-787-2422 nysipm.cornell.edu Abby worked with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program since 1993. Her program focuses on supporting and encouraging the adoption of IPM practices by vegetable farmers, and developing and demonstrating new practices as a need arises or new information becomes available. She accomplishes this through a combination of applied research, demonstration projects, educational programs and networking, in collaboration with Cornell faculty and vegetable extension colleagues throughout New York. She has also targeted educational and applied research programs to the needs of organic vegetable producers. Schutter, Jennifer MU Extension—Adair County 503 E. Northtown Road Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-9866 [email protected] Jennifer is a horticulture field specialist for University of Missouri Extension, located in the Adair County Extension Center in Kirksville. She covers 11 counties in northeast Missouri. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, and has been involved in agriculture all her life. For the past 18 years with Extension, she has worked with home gardeners, commercial fruit and vegetable growers, farmers' markets, Master Gardeners and youth. Scott, Karen 1775 Old Hwy. E Granby, MO 64844 [email protected] 417-472-3859 www.oakwoodsfarm.com Karen, with her husband Doug, started OakWoods Farm in 2007. They have been farming full-time since 2013. It’s a “human-scale” farm near Granby, MO where they use sustainable, organic methods, practice no-till and focus on soil building. The farm raises a mix of vegetables and herbs year round. The farm also produces some value-added products. They sell direct to consumers at Webb City Farmers Market, Joplin Empire Market, CSA, on-line, on-farm sales and wholesale to local natural food stores and restaurants. The farm includes four market gardens and 6,000 sq. ft. under cover in three unheated high tunnels. The farm also raises beef cows and meat goats on a rotational grazing system. Shane, William SW Michigan Research and Extension Center 1791 Hillandale Rd Benton Harbor, MI 49022 [email protected] 269-208-1652 canr.msu.edu/people/william_shane William is a native of Michigan with a BS from Michigan State University, Masters from North Carolina State University, PhD from University of Minnesota. He is a Senior Tree Fruit Specialist at Michigan State University, Coordinator of the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center, specializes in applied research and Extension outreach for peaches, apples, cherries and pears. He directs the Michigan State University peach breeding program. Areas of interest include fruit varieties and rootstock, tree training systems, pest management and predictive models for diseases and insects. Shannon, Kent Field Specialist in Agricultural Engineering University of Missouri Extension 1012 N. Hwy UU Columbia, MO 65203-9545 [email protected] 573-445-9792 Smith, Kelly National Drought Mitigation Center, UNL 33rd & Holdrege Lincoln, NE 68583-0988 [email protected] 402-472-3373 Kelly was one of the original employees of the National Drought Mitigation Center when it was established in 1995, contributing experience in journalism, PR and environmental communication and she helped launch the center's award-winning website and the U.S. Drought Monitor map. Smith took time off in the early 2000s to earn a degree in Community & Regional Planning and work with African refugees. Back since 2006, she now focuses on helping people plan to avoid drought impacts. She is also working on an interdisciplinary Ph.D. to develop methods for finding the drought signal in different kinds of data. Most of the food she eats at home is from the local organic co-op. Stein, Michael 110 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 209 Washington, D.C. 20002 [email protected] 202-930-3183 ofrf.org Michael is an attorney and a scientist who is passionate about sustainable agriculture. He has focused his career on implementing legal and policy tools to address environmental, health and economic issues in our food systems. He has worked extensively on food law and policy issues around the country. Currently, Michael is based in Washington, D.C. where he works with members of Congress and the USDA to advance organic and sustainable agriculture policy. He holds a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Stoeckel, Don Cornell Agricultural Sciences Research Laboratory 665 W. North Street Geneva, NY 14456 [email protected] 614-634-0884 producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu Don joined the Produce Safety Alliance in 2015 to serve as the Midwest Regional Extension Associate and he is based in Columbus, Ohio. Don is a PSA trainer of trainers. He has past experience as a research scientist at the US Geological Survey and Battelle Memorial Institute. He has authored peer-reviewed research articles as well as extension publications, government reports, review articles and book chapters. His expertise includes water quality monitoring methods and data interpretation, risk mitigation and Good Agricultural Practices for safe produce. Thomas, Andrew 14548 Highway H Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 [email protected] 417-669-2976 Andrew is a Research Assistant Professor in Horticulture/Agroforestry at the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center at Mt. Vernon, where he conducts research on a wide variety of horticultural crops. He received his B.S. in Horticulture from the University of Missouri, and his M.S. in Agronomy from Iowa State University. Before coming to the Southwest Center in 1996, Andy worked for two agricultural biotech companies in California and Wisconsin, the Center for Plant Conservation at Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis and the Rwandan Agricultural Research Institute as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Andy, his wife Diann, and sons Donovan and Avery live near the southwest. Thomas, Candy Central Regional Soil Health Specialist USDA, NRCS, Soil Health Division Salina, KS [email protected] 785-823-4553 Tidgren, Kristine Iowa State University 211 Curtiss Hall Ames, IA 50011 [email protected] 515-294-6365 Kristine is an adjunct assistant professor in the Agricultural Education & Studies Department and the director for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. Kristine’s work focuses on studying and interpreting laws impacting the agricultural industry. In particular, she focuses on agricultural taxation. Todey, Dennis National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment 1015 N. University Blvd. Ames, IA 50011-3611 [email protected] 515-294-2013 www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/hubs/midwest Dennis is the director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub, joining the hub in 2016. Previously he was the state climatologist for South Dakota and president of the American Association of State Climatologists. He speaks frequently across the Midwest and Plains about agriculture and climate issues including improving decision-making at various time scales and using outlook information. He also works at understanding and educating users about the interaction and impact of weather and climate on various agricultural issues including row and specialty crops and livestock. He is originally from Iowa and currently resides in Ames IA. Trott, Doug 28874 180th Street Starbuck, MN 56381 [email protected] 952-454-5641 pgfarm.com Doug owns and operates Prairie Garden Farm with his wife Robin. 2019 will be their tenth season as a flower farm, and Doug's sixth as a full time job. They purchased their twenty-five acre farm in 2001, and now grow flowers on a little over four acres. They explored a lot of ideas for farm enterprises before the urge to grow flowers hit them hard in early 2010. They started very small, growing on an eighth of an acre, and selling bouquets on consignment at their local grocery story. Today, Prairie Garden Farm grows for many of Minnesota's top florists and designers, delivering four days per week in their refrigerated van. Wager, Douglas 8212 NE 73rd Terrace Kansas City, MO, 64158 [email protected] feedmelocl.com Doug has a background in using technology to help people accomplish real-world goals. Coming from a background in health information technology, Doug began exploring opportunities to help local farmers improve their sales and marketability of products by creating a centralized online marketplace called FeedMeLocL.com. Through this experience, Doug began a relationship with Kansas State University, and has worked on applications with KSU to help farmers more easily track and use growing information. Wander, Michelle 2184 Cr 1700 E Urbana, IL 61802 [email protected] 217-493-8486 Michelle is the Director of the Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Program in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois where she has studied soil stewardship, organic matter management and soil quality in partnership with farmers, consumers and policy makers for over 20 years. Warmund, Michele 1-31 Agriculture Bldg. Division of Plant Sciences, Univ. of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 [email protected] 573-882-9632 Michele has a research and extension appointment at the University of Missouri where she has statewide Extension responsibilities for fruit and nut crops. In the past five years, Dr. Warmund has been working on enhancing winter survival of fruit crops, developing strategies for disease management in elderberry plantings, evaluating rootstocks for improved cropping of peach and apple trees, and establishing nitrogen recommendations for chestnut producers. She also collaborates with University of Missouri Extension weed scientists on a project to determine the impact of herbicide drift on horticultural crops. Wiesen, Dan Empire Hops 11242 Fredrickson Road Empire, MI 49630 www.facebook.com/empirehopsfarm/ Dan is owner of Empire Hops, managing 185 acres of hop yards and a graduate of Michigan State University in 1977 with an Agricultural Degree. Dan has been involved in agriculture his whole life. Dan is also a partner in Empire Orchards, growing high density fresh market apples. Dan is a board member of Hop Growers of America. He has also spoken at many Hop Grower meetings in several states and at the National Hop Grower Convention. Wortman, Sam University of Nebraska—Lincoln Department of Agronomy/Horticulture 362F Plant Sciences Hall Lincoln, NE 68583 [email protected] 402-472-6404 agronomy.unl.edu/wortman-research Sam Wortman is an assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture with teaching and research activities focused on cropping systems innovation across the Nebraska landscape to meet changing local and global demands. He teaches Plant Propagation and has developed two new courses, including Innovations for Agriculture and Plants, Landscapes and the Environment. Sam’s research aims to leverage Nebraska’s wealth of natural and human resources to develop new economic opportunities through specialty crop production and the development of bio-based crop inputs. |