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Cross named new dean of Tennessee Extension

By TESA NAUMAN
Tennessee Correspondent

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Dr. Tim Cross takes over as the new dean of the University of Tennessee extension on Aug. 1, he and extension will face several challenges brought on by a sluggish American economy. However, Cross believes agricultural-based universities are in a unique position to be able to help.

“The economy is giving many institutions a challenge right now, with tax revenues declining,” he explained, adding that dealing with declining budgets without seriously reducing programs offered by extension is another important challenge he will face as dean.
UT extension maintains offices in every county across the state and serves the citizens of Tennessee through educational programs geared for farm and agricultural business management; consumer, nutrition and food science; and youth development.

The statewide 4-H youth program managed by extension is among the largest in the nation, with more than 335,000 young people participating in 4-H clubs, summer camps and after-school programs.

Cross is optimistic that institutions such as extension can help ease many of the challenges the United States faces because of economic woes.

“Those are challenges that we in agriculture and we at land grant universities have an opportunity to address. Maybe we can be part of the solutions to dealing with things like increased energy costs, increased health care costs, increased food costs. Those are all areas that we in agriculture should have researched-based information to help address those issues,” he said.

An agricultural economist by training, Cross has served UT for the last 14 years. In 1994 he began as an associate professor of agricultural economics with extension, in which he was responsible for developing and delivering educational programs concerning the economics of livestock management, animal waste management, forage production and sustainable agriculture.

By 1998 he had achieved the rank of professor, and in 2001 he was named assistant dean of extension. In 2006 he became extension’s associate dean.

Cross said his childhood gave him a love of agriculture.
“I was brought up in a very rural location. Both my grandfathers were involved in agriculture. I always had an interest in farming – in livestock, in particular – and that caused me to pursue my degree in agriculture,” he said.

Cross received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Oklahoma State University and served as an instructor of agricultural economics, marketing and policy at Fort Hayes State University. In 1991, he received a PhD from Oregon State University.

While he was raised in a rural area, Cross also experienced city living. He was born in rural upstate New York but moved near Oklahoma City after his father, an engineer with General Electric, was transferred there.

“Contrary to what most would think, I was in the country in New York, and then moved to the city in Oklahoma,” Cross said.
He’s seen several areas of how extension serves farm families today, that differ from how it served them in the past.

“I think for farm families in particular, compared with in the past – everyone has to approach farming as a business,” he said.

“So first and foremost, I think we have to adopt a more economic-based approach to our educational programs. Those practices that make sense from a cultural standpoint, we also have to make sure they make sense from an economic standpoint.”

Cross realizes that some farmers’ goals may not be only economic, but, “in the long run if we’re not profitable, we won’t remain competitive.”

Another changing extension service area is the nature of the programs it offers, Cross said.

“We increasingly see ties between what happens at the farm and what happens in our homeowners’ kitchens; the effects of consumption patterns, demand for various commodities and products, increasing desire for local products, for products whose production practices are known,” he said. “That certainly is changing what we teach and how we teach farmers with regard to agricultural products.”

In these days of rising concern over gas prices and interest in alternative fuel sources, UT extension is helping farmers grow plants that will aid in the production of biofuel.

“We are in the process of helping farmers in one area of the state to plant and produce switchgrass for use exclusively as a biofuel crop,” he said.

Cross said switchgrass, which could be used in addition to petroleum fuel, can grow in areas that are less conducive to other crops; thus, its production doesn’t take up valuable land that can be used for prime crops.

Dr. Joseph DiPietro, UT vice president for agriculture, said Cross is the right person for the job as extension dean.

“We are pleased that Dr. Cross will step into this new role. He brings a wealth of academic, outreach, administrative and leadership talents and experiences to the position,” he stated.

6/4/2008