Farm Credit to elect four directors this fall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Eight farmers have been nominated to fill four board of director positions at Farm Credit Services of Mid-America (FCS), serving farmers and agribusinesses throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee. The cooperative’s 58,000 voting stockholders will be casting ballots starting mid-September, through mid-October.

During the summer, Farm Credit’s offices hosts Customer Appreciation Events with the purpose of introducing candidates to the membership and providing membership updates. These events are wrapping up over the next few weeks, just prior to the mailing of the election ballots in mid-September.

The board is comprised of 16 elected directors, four from each state FCS serves. Two independent directors also serve. Board terms are four years.

On the same ballot, voting stockholders will elect members to the 2011 FCS Nominating Committee. Representatives of the Nominating Committee will meet next June to select candidates for the 2011 elected positions.

More information about the candidates can be found on the cooperative’s website at www.e-farmcredit.com

GROWMARK CEO announces intent to retire in 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Bill Davisson, CEO of the regional agricultural cooperative GROWMARK, Inc., announced his retirement, effective after Jan. 1, 2011.

According to GROWMARK Chair of the Board and President Dan Kelley, the GROWMARK board of directors has formed a selection committee to implement an orderly selection and transition process. The board will consider candidates for the CEO position who have GROWMARK System experience.

Kelley said he looks forward to working with Davisson through the end of the year and to beginning the process of management leadership transition.

UK Department of Forestry names new chair
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Terrell T. “Red” Baker recently assumed the position of chair of the University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Forestry in the College of Agriculture.

Baker came to UK from New Mexico State University, where he served as professor and riparian management specialist, focusing on ecology and management of riparian areas, rangeland and woodlands. He also was the coordinator/director of the Range Improvement Task Force, which required a thorough understanding of public land policy and management.

Baker, who spent his youth in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, received a bachelor’s degree in economics from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., completed his master’s in forest resources at Clemson University and his doctorate in forest biology at Auburn University.

Marketing communications pro joins the NCBA
DENVER, Colo. — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA) announced Kim Cooke recently joined as vice president of communications.

Cooke, a veteran of agricultural marketing and communications, leaves a 20 plus-year career at Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications, a leading agri-marketing and communications firm. She will be based in NCBA’s Washington, D.C., office and will lead the overall communications strategy for the organization. She will serve on the association’s Senior Leadership Team.

Cooke grew up on a diversified grain and livestock farm in Iowa and received a bachelor’s of science in agricultural journalism from Iowa State University.

Indiana farmer selected to ‘See for Yourself’
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff announced the 10 soybean farmers, including a farmer from Indiana, who took part in the third annual See for Yourself program this summer.

The Farm World-area participants, listed with their home states, include: Loren Hylton of Indiana, Barry Alexander of Kentucky, Brian Cassady of Iowa and David Williams of Michigan.

The program began July 26 in St. Louis and ended July 31 in Mexico, the number-one importer of U.S. soybean meal. Participants toured several facilities that represent various end users of U.S. soy and had the opportunity to interact with USB famer-leadership and provide their perspective and feedback on the checkoff.

Thissen named Community Affairs director of OCRA
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — David Terrell, executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), has named Michael Thissen OCRA’s Community Affairs director. He works with town and city leaders to help rural Hoosier communities build economic capacity.

Thissen was employed by OCRA as the agency’s East Central Indiana Community Liaison. Prior to joining OCRA’s staff, he served as an economic development planner in Iowa for the Poweshiek Iowa Development Organization and has also done consulting work in community development.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in history and anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis and has formal training as an archaeologist and surveyor. Thissen is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.

Alltech appoints Duren as official nutritionist
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech, the title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, has named Dr. Stephen Duren the company’s official nutritionist.

Duren, owner of Performance Horse Nutrition, LLC, is recognized as a preeminent expert on equine health and nutrition by feed manufacturers and horse owners throughout the world. He earned a bachelor of science in animal sciences at the University of Idaho as well as his M.S. and Ph.D. in equine nutrition and exercise physiology from the University of Kentucky.

UT appoints food safety scientist as assistant dean
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has appointed Dr. Stephen P. Oliver assistant dean for research and assistant director of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station.

Oliver retains his rank as professor in the UT Department of Animal Science. A member of the faculty since 1984, Oliver is well known nationally and internationally for his dairy research programs. He has served as director of the Tennessee Quality Milk Laboratory since 2006 and prior to that was co-director of the UT Food Safety Center of Excellence.

Oliver is the founding and current editor-in-chief of Foodborne Pathogens & Disease and a member of the board of directors of the National Mastitis Council. He replaced Dr. John Wilkerson, a professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, who returned to his nationally recognized teaching and research program.