Tapping Into the World of Coke®

southUniversity of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences SpringFall 2008 2011

Tapping into the world of Coke®

TEACHING • RESEARCH • EXTENSION a publication for our alumni and friends Spring 2011• Southscapes • 1 From Ag Hill Volume Seven • Issue One

Southscapes is published semiannually Dear Alumni and Friends, for alumni, friends and supporters of the University of Georgia College We had an interesting start to 2011. By Jan. 15, Athens had On the Cover of Agricultural and Environmental seen 60 times its usual snowfall for the year, according to Sciences by the CAES Office of College state climatologist David Stooksbury. For the first time in Behind the Label Advancement and produced by the 30 years, the university was closed for three consecutive CAES Office of Communications and days due to snow. But the great thaw has arrived, and we As the director of scientific and regulatory affairs for Coca- Technology Services. welcome it. 8 Cola North America, Lucy Reid (BSHE – Experimental Foods, ® The same can be said for the economy. We have seen a ’82, MS – Food Science, ’84) helps keep Coke afloat with slow-but-steady rise in state revenues since June 2010. That her knowledge of what makes a successful product, both Amanda E. Swennes news is as welcome as springtime in Georgia. behind the scenes and on the label. Managing Editor U.S. economists continue to remind us the recession was Maria Bowie/Juli Fields

officially over in June 2009, but we have to be patient Amis John Stephanie Schupska through what promises to be a slow recovery that could Copy Editors Scott Angle take two to three more years to fully materialize. However, Cindy Allen agriculture delivered much good news early in this recovery process. Graphic Designer Stephen Morton Cover PHOTO BY Stephen Morton Many of Georgia’s top commodities are seeing record-high market prices. Most of Sharon Dowdy/Juli Fields/Brad Haire/ the price increases are being driven by increased demand around the world. That’s Sarah Lewis/Faith Peppers/Stephanie a positive sign the world economy is on the rebound. High prices and record-setting Schupska/April Sorrow/ Extension: Agents help grow the Features exports for food and agricultural products have set the stage for Georgia agriculture Amanda E. Swennes 4 urban face of Georgia’s agriculture Contributing Writers to be an economic star. We expect to see the farm economy remain strong and help stabilize the state as the rest of the economy pulls slowly out of the recession. industry. Brad Haire/Stephen Morton/Stephanie Schupska/April Sorrow/ Sweeping changes are also afoot in Georgia. We inaugurated a new governor, Nathan Research: From fighting insect Amanda E. Swennes Deal, in January. And, CAES alumnus Gary Black was elected Commissioner of 14 invaders to keeping cruise ship Contributing Photographers Agriculture – our first newly-elected ag commissioner in more than 40 years. We look 4Extension passengers healthy, CAES researchers forward to working closely with Governor Deal and Commissioner Black. J. Scott Angle are on the front lines. Dean and Director College of Agricultural Implementation of the new UGA Cooperative Extension delivery model is well under and Environmental Sciences way. Everyone associated with Extension, from administrators to county agents to 4-H Student Spotlight: Internships April Sorrow and Master Gardener volunteers, is working hard to continue to offer high-quality 18 offer students real-world learning Rodney Miller educational programs that help improve Georgians’ lives. They’ve had to make some Director of Development hard choices. I am proud of the innovative ideas they put into place that will keep opportunities beyond the classroom. Office of College Advancement Extension strong in the coming years. Juli Fields Teaching: Tifton campus field days Director of Alumni Relations Finally, the college welcomed Rodney Miller as our new development director at 20 give kids a hands-on introduction to 14 Office of College Advancement Research the end of 2010. Rodney’s extensive business experience and deep knowledge of agriculture. agriculture will serve us well as we seek funding and support through these lean budget Chris Adcock years. The commitment that our donors and friends have shown has been encouraging. Interim Director I am confident that under Rodney’s leadership we will see exciting new projects take Office of Communications and Q&A: What’s one thing about your root. Technology Services 22 field that you wish everyone knew? Dean Kemp

Suggestions? Questions? As spring ushers in a new growing season, we hope to watch the economy prosper, our [email protected] students flourish and research and Extension bring innovation and energy to Georgia Lead Dogs: Alumni news, updates agriculture and our college. 23 and accolades. Sincerely, Kudos to amazing CAES Notes: 20Teaching 26 alumni, plus ways you can give back to CAES. J. Scott Angle Dean and Director College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Line: CAES Alumni 31 Association president Charles Hall Brad Haire challenges you to seize common

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution opportunities and make them great. 2 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 3 Extension Agriculture “Cityfied” Ag Extension agents offer expertise to industry, community in urban areas

t’s just another day at the office for Gary Peiffer, a By Amanda E. Swennes Cooperative Extension agent in DeKalb County. The morning starts with a visit to a landscape company to give advice Iabout tree planting and protection, pesticide safety, storm water and urban sprawl issues. Then he’s off to a Rotary luncheon to talk about community gardens and farmers markets. After that, it’s back to the office to answer phone calls and e-mails from homeowners wondering how to winterize their lawns and get rid of the squirrels in their attics. Throughout the day, homeowners and green industry representatives bring in samples for identification or control methods. But the workday doesn’t always end at 5 p.m. Evenings may be spent preparing for a Master Gardener training or delivering presentations to civic groups about basic gardening skills like diagnostic and pest control issues, soil preparation and plant watering. The next morning, it’s back to work in one of the most the faint of heart. But helping all of those groups, as different as densely populated Georgia counties to do it all again. they are, is what Georgia’s urban agriculture Extension agents Scenes similar to this one play out every day in many have signed up to do every day. counties across the state, urban and rural. Extension agents “What a lot of people don’t stand ready to answer all sorts of questions — from a Industry understand is that urban ag is homeowner trying to figure out why her azaleas won’t bloom to The University of Georgia’s Center for Urban Agriculture, a farmer staring down a disease that’s threatening to decimate located on the UGA campus in Griffin, Ga., is essentially a not that different from traditional his soybean crop. melting pot of information from disciplines including crop and agriculture. To be successful, you “What a lot of people don’t understand is that urban ag is soil sciences, plant pathology, entomology, horticulture and not that different from traditional agriculture,” Peiffer said. “To biological and agricultural engineering. More often than not, have to have good soil, plant the be successful, you have to have good soil, plant the right crops urban issues cut across those boundaries. For example, when it right crops where they’re where they’re supposed to go, water them correctly and manage comes to addressing a plant disease, pathologists can identify pest and disease control.” and design a treatment for it, engineers can create a new supposed to go, water them According to the U.S. Census, nearly one-third of Georgia’s irrigation system that delivers the proper amount of water at the correctly and manage pest and 9.7 million people lived in the metro Atlanta counties of correct time to lessen disease pressure and horticulturists can Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Cobb and Clayton in 2009. But help make sure the right plant is installed in the right place. disease control.” there are several urban pockets across the state, from Atlanta While traditional agricultural crops like cotton, soybeans to Macon, Columbus to Albany and Savannah to Valdosta. and peanuts are considered commodities, urban agriculture is ~ Gary Peiffer, DeKalb County Cooperative Providing assistance and research-based advice to homeowners, based primarily on products and value-added services, such as Extension agent green industry companies caring for landscapes and myriad landscape architecture and farmers markets. subdivision, city, county and state organizations is not a job for

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4 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 5 Extension

“Cityfied,” continued from previous page April Sorrow In Muscogee County, more than 300 Community Gardens small businesses are green industry- Community gardens seem to become related. And that’s “green” as in growing popular during times of great social things, not “green” as in recycling or and economic change, from the Great Farmers markets, like this one in saving energy. Depression to today. During World War Athens, Ga., allow consumers to connect directly with local A Garden Grows in Brooklyn, N.Y. Green industry businesses include II, American families grew 80 million farmers like Todd Lister (left) of landscape designers, arborists, irrigation pounds of food in Victory Gardens, Veri Best Farm. A rising interest “Urban agriculture” doesn’t get much more “urban” than New York City. One experts and retail nursery owners. which people planted across the country in locally grown foods has made farmers markets and community of the most densely populated, concrete and asphalted cities on Earth is home to more than 600 Employees run the gamut from career to help ease the strain on the nation’s gardens popular across the community gardens – and that’s down from nearly 1,700 during the 1980s. Over the past 35 horticulturists working at diversified food supply. This meant more food for country. years, CAES alum John Ameroso (BSA – Agronomy, ’68) has had a hand in the soil at, “oh, a couple landscape companies to firemen the troops. Victory Gardens represented hundred” of them. Ameroso started his career as New York City’s first agricultural Extension agent who work a seasonal second job as nearly 44 percent of the country’s entire in 1976. He had recently completed a two-year commitment in Vietnam as part of the International landscapers. food supply during the war, according Voluntary Service helping farmers with small vegetable and animal production and rice irrigation “It’s beyond just cutting people’s to the New York Restoration Project. and home and community systems. He found IVS through CAES agronomy professor Jack Perkins, who Ameroso said “got me grass,” said Todd Hurt, the Center’s Today, roughly 15 percent of the world’s gardening in Georgia. in my career” by handing him a brochure about the organization one day in class. training coordinator. “These people food is grown in urban areas, including “People want fresher fruits and in his area and has also noticed a Today, after more than three decades working in are professionals and have a highly backyard, rooftop and balcony gardens, vegetables and want to know where their growing interest in raised bed gardening. Extension, he sees urban community gardens as oases specialized knowledge of what they’re according to USDA. food is coming from,” Hammond said. “Raised bed gardens have many of fresh produce in what is otherwise a city of “food doing.” During the current economic “Origin seems to be more important than benefits,” he said. “You can easily Amanda Swennes deserts”— areas with fast-food chains and corner stores To help the green industry be recession, Sheldon Hammond, the organic right now. People want to know grow vegetables in a six-by-twelve plot but no supermarket. Surrounded by low-rises and housing successful in a competitive market, the agriculture and natural resources the farmer they’re buying from, and some and plant things like squash that will projects, the Hattie Carthan Community Garden in Brooklyn’s Center administers two professional program development coordinator for are even interested in growing their own replenish themselves throughout the traditionally low-income Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood certification courses: The Georgia UGA Cooperative Extension’s Northwest food. I don’t see the momentum on that summer.” And, raised beds don’t have the has 43 members who tend individual plots of lettuce, Certified Landscape Professional District, has noticed an increased slowing down.” Hammond attributes the same nematode and weed problems as collards, tomatoes and beans: “simple foods,” as the program and the Georgia Certified interest in local foods increased popularity of locally grown traditional gardens. They’re also easier to For more than 30 years, John Ameroso (right) garden’s vice president and market project director, Yonnette Plant Professional certificate. Both are foods to the economy and an increased maintain for the elderly or people who worked with community garden leaders like Fleming, calls them. They also host a new farmers market Yonnette Fleming (left) to create oases of fresh voluntary programs officially awareness of food safety. have a hard time bending and kneeling. on Saturdays, which distributed more than 20,000 pounds of produce for Brooklyn, N.Y. residents. recognized by the Georgia In metro areas, there’s a renewed Although Morgan spends about 75 food to the surrounding community during the 2009-2010 season. Produce for the market is grown Department of Agriculture. interest in community gardens and percent of his time helping homeowners

Brad Haire Brad in 10 garden plots and the greenhouse, which Ameroso provided expert advice for building, as well The Center also offers pesticide farmers markets on both the county and the rest assisting local green industry as in milk crates, boxes, containers, old dresser drawers and even on the roof of the chicken coops. applicator and safety trainings, and municipal levels, as well as with professionals, the demand for information “We grow lettuce, eggplants, bitter melon, collards, including materials geared non-profit organizations. Several cities can often be overwhelming. That’s bok choy, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, garlic, specifically toward Hispanic have set aside sections of parkland where Master Gardeners come in. A potatoes, Swiss chard and broccoli,” Fleming said. landscape workers. These programs for community gardens. Non-profit volunteer force trained in a broad range The market also has a new alternative distribution provide employees with greater organizations are using available of horticulture topics, they help agents program similar to Meals on Wheels that makes weekly knowledge, which can give companies plots at churches and shelters. In extend their reach in the community. deliveries to 35 seniors living within a mile of the garden. a stronger reputation. DeKalb County alone there are “Master Gardeners are involved in The basket contains five varieties of fresh-grown produce Extension agents also help their local somewhere between 50 and 75 everything we do, down to answering plus recipes, herbs and an occasional half carton of eggs green industry businesses maintain their community gardens, including phones and e-mails, talking to office

Amanda Swennes from the garden’s flock of 20 chickens. certifications and provide employee those at 26 county parks and 15 visitors, being speakers at public and The Added Value Red Hook Community Farm Across Brooklyn, located next to an industrial park safety training. senior centers. civic groups, writing brochures, talking to in Brooklyn, N.Y. supplies local residents and and overlooking an IKEA, is the Added Value Red Hook “We try to let them know how to James Morgan, an urban the media and teaching,” Peiffer said. restaurants with more than 60 fresh vegetable varieties every year. Community Farm. Ameroso helped start the farm in 2003 get involved in the state’s green industry horticulture and ag agent in While Extension agents in urban and serves on the board of directors. Planted in soil spread over an abandoned baseball field and association and stay on top of current Dougherty County, knows of at counties may not deal with row crops, asphalt parking lot, the 1.2 acre garden produces between 60 and 80 varieties of vegetables a year. issues and continuing ed opportunities,” least nine community gardens corn and cows on a daily basis like some The produce is sold through farmers markets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), as well said Jennifer Davidson, a Muscogee of their rural counterparts, their primary as in six local restaurants. County agent. Keeping their pesticide mission remains the same: teach people “This isn’t a typical 9-to-5 job — there are long days and nighttime meetings — but every day licenses current is an ongoing process. how to grow things, solve problems is different,” he said. “People feel like this farmer stuff is simple, but it’s a science. Even in the “If you spray another person’s lawn for John Whiddon (left), UGA Cooperative Extension agent in Brooks County, helped residents at a and make the best-informed decisions residential alcohol and drug rehab center (Bridges of Hope) rebuild their small therapy garden. city, you have to know about soil pH, nutrition and fertilizer.” a fee, you’ve got to be certified by the possible about the environment we live “The garden helps us keep our doors open,” said center manager Karen Mitchell (right). “And our Although he’s supposed to be officially retired, Ameroso still spends his days advising local state,” she said. vegetables taste a whole lot better that the ones from the supermarket.” in. civic organizations, community gardens and the city’s urban farming network about the ins and

outs of profitable, sustainable urban agriculture.

6 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 7 L ucy Reid knows her Coca- Cola products. Even before the sharp crack of a tab breaking into a Coke® can or the snap of a Powerade® bottle being opened fills the air, she knows what those beverages are made of — their ingredients, nutritional values, packaging and even their regulatory requirements. While at-home baristas can mix drinks like tea with vitamin C and honey for their own consumption, companies that manufacture beverages or foods for sale don’t have that luxury. Ingredients have to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use or demonstrated to be safe by experts before mixing them with each other. This practice helps keep food in the United States safe — and Reid hopping. Reid (BSHE – Experimental Foods, ‘82, MS – Food Science, ‘84) is the director of scientific and regulatory affairs (SRA) for Coca-Cola Refreshments. Her life revolves around science, regulations, beverages, communications, family and Georgia football.

® By Stephanie Schupska Tapping into the world of Coke Photos by Stephen Morton Continued on next page Food science alum keeps beverages tasty and safe

8 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 9 Coke, continued from previous page 4-H communication skills, I wouldn’t be For about 20 years, she spent her Elizabeth likes the “huge polar bear in where I am today. And that’s what has football seasons in the land of the the Coca-Cola store,” she said. Longhorns. And while she and her

Stephanie Schupska been really exciting about coming back Her team is responsible for making to Georgia and reconnecting with 4-H husband Bob, who left his alma mater’s sure “our products, labels, claims and and UGA.” territory “kicking and screaming,” miss ingredients we’re using comply with Houston and the many memories their Finding Food federal regulations, which, for the most family made in Texas, Reid is glad to be Science part, are FDA regulations,” she said. “4-H is what prepared back in her home state. While Herschel Walker was leading They monitor what goes on at the “This past year, my children got their me for my job here at UGA football through its glory days, FDA, working through trade associations picture made with Russ (Uga VII’s brother Reid was walking the halls as an to have Coca-Cola’s voice heard on and temporary UGA mascot). Now I get Coke. Without my 4-H undergraduate in experimental foods federal initiatives like food labeling and to introduce them to [where I grew up].” in the College of Family and Consumer nutrition claims. communication skills, I She hopes both Elizabeth, 10, and her Sciences. Through that program, she son Charlie, 8, will be involved in 4-H studied food and nutrition. But that wouldn’t be where I am as they get older. Right now, their days career path wasn’t exactly what she revolve around schoolwork and sports. Adding today. And that’s what has wanted to do with her life. They also have something many kids And then she discovered food vitamin D been really exciting about only dream about: A refrigerator full of science. From Reid’s office located within Coca-Cola products in their basement. “Dr. John Powers came and lectured Coca-Cola headquarters’ vast Atlanta coming back to Georgia Lucy doesn’t let them crack a can of in one of my experimental foods classes,” complex, she can see a view of the Coke® whenever they want to, but they and reconnecting with 4-H she said. “That’s when I knew this is what entrance and the multi-storied North still think it’s pretty cool that their mom I had been looking for.” Powers was key American wing. Her office is filled with works at Coca-Cola. and UGA.” in both founding and recruiting students paper, binders, tacked-up product labels, “I like it when my mom brings home family photos and a collection of empty ~Lucy Reid new products for us to try,” Charlie said. Continued on next page bottles ranging from Coke Zero™, her drink of choice, to Sokenbicha®, a new Lucy Reid thumbs through her set of the Code of Federal Regulations before finding the entry for unsweetened blended tea drink from vitamin D. On the corkboard behind her are labels used for different Coca-Cola packaging. Japan. After talking about her first days with Coca-Cola, she hefts a stack of the Code “Once we started looking at the grade, she made a move toward both of Federal Regulations onto her desk. It regulations, we realized we would have through her county 4-H program. guides her scientific and regulatory affairs to file a food additive petition with the “I always knew I wanted to do work, and a box arrives with a new set of FDA,” she said. It usually takes a few something with food, but I didn’t know the multivolume book every year. years for food additive petitions to go anything about food science,” she said. After a few minutes of flipping, she through the system. But after a year of “4-H played a critical role in all of this. I finds the entry for vitamin D, which was consideration and research, the FDA went to every leadership camp. And my part of her first great achievement with approved the request. project (for district project achievement) Coca-Cola. “We had the first national brand of was dairy foods.” Reid’s Coca-Cola journey first took orange juice with vitamin D,” she said. Her last year in 4-H, as a UGA her to Houston, Texas, in 1988 and the “That was exciting. That was a regulatory freshman, her project on foods and fruit-juice-filled world of Minute Maid, success and a win for consumers.” nutrition gave her a first place finish at which was already selling orange juice the state level and allowed her to master, with added calcium. “If people didn’t like the highest achievement for a 4-H’er. milk or if they were lactose intolerant, Reid spent three summers as a here was another source of calcium,” she 4-H Beginnings counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center, and said. Reid’s interest in food started way just last summer she took her daughter But to help with absorption, calcium before she attended UGA or helped add Elizabeth there to watch the Native needs vitamin D. At the time, vitamin vitamin D to orange juice. City life also American pageant. D was only approved for limited use in had its draws for the girl growing up on a “4-H is what prepared me for my job foods, not juice beverages. Mitchell County peanut farm. So in fifth here at Coke,” she said. “Without my

10 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 11 Coke, continued from previous page Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices as part of the U.S. “Every time we do delegation led by the FDA and USDA. to UGA’s Department of Food Science “All the major juice companies had a a promotion on our and Technology, and with that lecture, representative there,” she said. “We had he hooked a new student and changed packages, such as a a five-year timeframe to develop juice Reid’s future. standards.” Disney movie, we After finishing her experimental foods With countries like Australia, degree, she jumped into life as a food Thailand, Costa Rica, France and others review the label again to science graduate student in the then- in attendance, she said it was like a UN named UGA College of Agriculture. Her make sure the essential summit — complete with headphones coursework in Athens was followed by and translators. information hasn’t been peanut research in Griffin. Even now, Now she’s involved in Clear on food science and technology students altered.” Calories, an initiative the American follow the same path, with some Beverage Association started in ~Lucy Reid remaining in Athens to do their research. support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Retired food science and technology “Let’s Move!” campaign addressing professor Manjeet Chinnan helped Reid childhood obesity. Coca-Cola made the with her peanut processing research and, commitment to the White House along when a position as a research coordinator with several other companies. They’re me to Atlanta, and now I’m responsible With everything that she has going on, opened up at UGA, worked with her as now working with the FDA to comply for scientific and regulatory affairs work the work/life balance, she never shirks she studied black-eyed peas. with federal regulations. for all of the U.S. business.” responsibility. She’s always asking what “Knowing her, I thought she would “Part of the commitment was to place Reid works with a team that includes she can do to help.” do a good job, and she did,” Chinnan calorie information on the front of all chemists, nutritionists, food scientists and said. She strengthened her knowledge packaging by February 2012,” she said. scientific and regulatory affairs directors of statistics through her research project, They already had some products with from several different countries. At the “and I think that’s one of the reasons she’s One Big Food calories declared on the front packaging, head of that team is Coca-Cola’s chief with Coca-Cola.” as Cocal-Cola had previously made scientific and regulatory officer, Rhona Science Family a global commitment in 2009. “You Applebaum. Today Reid is giving back to another can look now, and it’s on the front of “We make sure that the products generation of food scientists. She met Labels and the Coke Zero™ package. And we will we put out are first and foremost safe,” up with UGA food science graduate continue to do this for all the different Applebaum said, “and that whatever we coordinator Mark Harrison when she was Calories products we sell.” For 20-ounce drinks say about them anywhere in the world is in Athens for UGA’s Woodruff Lecture. In 1994, the FDA started requiring and smaller, they’re putting the calories in compliance with local regulations and Harrison was on her graduate committee nutrition labels on food and beverage contained in the entire bottle. the claims made are substantiated by the when he first started at UGA; now Reid products. Minute Maid itself had about But it’s not just big projects that facts and science.” guest lectures in his food law class. 600 different types of packaging that require Reid’s label-scrutinizing eye. Reid calls Applebaum the “rock star “I have trouble convincing my needed labels. “We might have orange “Every time we do a promotion on of scientific and regulatory affairs.” students that food law is actually an juice in a 64-ounce carton, a 16-ounce our packages, such as a new Disney But Applebaum said that if she’s exciting, dynamic area,” he said. “Lucy carton and a 10-ounce bottle,” Reid movie, we review the label again to the rock star, she has “a rock band comes in and emphasizes that. said. “In my group, I was the scientist make sure essential information hasn’t organization, because I have people like “I tell my students when I meet with developing all the nutritional information been altered,” she said. Lucy who are helping put out the music. them for the first time that this is the based on nutrient data we had gathered “In addition to being theoretically most important class that they’ll take. If from government databases and internal smart, Lucy is practically smart, not just you don’t do something legally and get laboratory analyses. knowing what needs to be done, but how caught, you’ll be in trouble. Then all the “In my team today [at Coca-Cola], A Rock star Team it needs to be done,” she said. “She’s also other stuff doesn’t matter.” we [still] develop these numbers for our Three years ago, Reid “was extremely ethical. She’s always going to products.” responsible providing scientific and do what’s right. And she’s funny. She’s Lucy Reid shows off the nutrition facts for an aluminum bottle of Coke Zero™. It’s part of her Starting in 2000, Reid flew to job to gather all the information for the bottle’s label, including any facts or claims the beverage regulatory support for the juice business, got a good sense of humor. She’s an Brazil twice a year for meetings of makes about its contents. not only for North America but also excellent team player. It’s always about Codex Alimentarius Commission’s globally,” she said. “Then Rhona brought the product or project, not about Lucy.

12 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 13 Research

GA entomologist Dan Suiter believes the pest in soybeans, All said. Dean Kemp U the bug arrived here by accident. “In terms of economic damage, we “We do have one of the world’s busiest “It eats kudzu, set up simple field experiments where we airports, but we’ll never know how the which is good, but treat portions of fields and leave portions bug first got here,” he said. “When it it also stinks and untreated. Then we carry the crop to yield and record yield differences,” he said. found kudzu here, it found a food source, gets on homes, and it doesn’t have any natural enemies Data from six of the team’s trials which is bad. And tiny here that we are aware of. It’s an invasive revealed a 19 percent reduction in yield species feeding on an invasive species.” the ominous threat is in untreated plots compared with plots The bug was first reported in Barrow, that it eats soybeans protected with insecticide. “This is an Clarke, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, and other legume obvious concern for the potential damage Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton crops.” these insects may cause on soybean,” he counties. It can now be found in 78 said. ~ Phillip Roberts, UGA entomologist counties as far south as Dooly County. It All and Roberts continue to search for has also been found in Alabama, North other ways to reduce the insect’s impact invaders and South Carolina and is expected to on soybean and other Georgia-grown arrive in Tennessee soon. Although not a major crop in legume crops. “It’s a true bug, but with “We recently had a gentleman from Georgia, All calls soybeans the “third needle-like mouthparts,” Roberts said. Kudzu-eating pest Atlanta call us to say the bugs were most important crop” in the world. “As “It feeds on stems, primarily sucking munches its way all over the patio plants outside his far as farm crops go, soybean is one of plant sap. The one observation we have the major crops of the world, ranking up made is it does not appear to feed on the across the South there with rice, corn and wheat,” he said. developing pods, thank goodness.” Top Left: CAES entomologist John All uses a It’s mostly grown in the Midwest, but As its numbers grow, the bug is sweep net to collect samples of kudzu bugs in a soybean field. All sat in wait for the large amounts are also grown in the mid- becoming a homeowner pest, too. bugs to show up in fields last summer and South and Carolinas. Following in the footsteps of the Asian was amazed to see them literally appear in While researchers expected the bug lady beetle, it shows up in droves droves overnight. Dan Suiter to show up in their fields last summer, and overwinters around homes. “The By Sharon Dowdy Left: Bean plataspids, pea-sized insect they were still surprised to find it. “I difference is, the bean plataspid doesn’t immigrants from Asia, are attracted to light- had been watching for it, and one day seem to want to come indoors,” Gardner colored homes and vehicles. I couldn’t find it, and the next day they said. It likes to congregate on the sides were all over the place,” All said. “It of light-colored homes and vehicles. The 33rd floor condominium,” said Wayne literally seemed like they showed up insect is most active in the afternoon and Gardner, the UGA entomologist tasked overnight in huge numbers.” when temperatures are warm. with tracking the pest’s march across the All and Roberts’ team also conducted A team of USDA Forest Service state. a headcount test. They found up to scientists in Athens led by Jim Hanula is On the UGA campus in Griffin, Ga., 100 kudzu bugs feeding on individual studying the bugs’ long-term effects on Gardner and his staff are raising kudzu soybean plants. An acre of soybeans kudzu and have recorded a 33 percent bugs in small plastic arenas filled with consists of about 80,000 plants. “If decrease in kudzu yield or dry weight tiny, smelly immigrant the size of a pea has University of Georgia scientists on kudzu leaves. “In our labs, we’re trying you do the math, that’s a whole lot of after only one year of bug feeding. Hanula A edge. On one hand, it’s a godsend since the bug eats kudzu, Georgia’s most to determine if they die from anything insects,” All said. hopes the bugs’ effect on kudzu will be prolific weed. On the other hand, it’s bad news since its menu also includes naturally,” he said. UGA scientists are working to cumulative so there will be a lot less soybeans and other legumes — plants Georgia farmers rely on for their livelihoods. UGA entomologists John All in determine how to control the pest around kudzu infesting forests in the future.“It eats Athens and Phillip Roberts in Tifton are homes and whether or not to control it kudzu, which is good, but it also stinks on agricultural crops. First spotted in northeast Georgia in the fall of 2009, the bean plataspid (Megacopta studying the bugs’ effect on soybeans. and gets on homes, which is bad,” Roberts All conducted a sort of kudzu-bug’s All and Roberts established field said. “And the ominous threat is that it eats cribraria) is a native of southeast Asia. The insect is also called the lablab bug and favorite foods test using kudzu, soybeans, trials to determine whether it’s more soybeans and other legume crops.” globular stink bug because of the chemical odor it releases when threatened. Here in field peas and peanuts. “It seems to like economical to apply pesticides for the Georgia, it’s simply referred to as the kudzu bug. soybeans as much as kudzu,” he said. “It pest or leave the fields untreated. Trials The UGA team collaborated with the will get on the other legumes, but doesn’t conducted during 2010 revealed several U.S. Forest Service, Georgia Department seem to like them nearly as much.” viable treatment options for controlling of Agriculture and USDA APHIS-PPQ.

14 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 15 Research Research

Cannon, an assistant professor with the an important characteristic for a soccer Killing the UGA Center for Food Safety in Griffin, Get a Whiff of This World Class Grass field. It is widely used to create American Ga. Trained wasps respond to UGA TifSport won out as the turf of football fields across the Southeast and “Cruise Ship Virus” specific scents choice at the 2010 World Cup Hand sanitizer could reduce stomach Approximately 60 percent of golf courses around the world. American cases of foodborne illness Soccer Tournament “Wayne Hanna’s reputation as a bug cases are caused by the norovirus, which is Story and photos by Brad Haire world-class turfgrass breeder is really linked to uncooked foods like salads, deli Story and photo by Brad Haire unmatched,” said J. Scott Angle, CAES By Sharon Dowdy ver the years, Glen Rains and his meats, fresh produce and raw oysters. O wasps have received both national dean and director. “And TifSport being ll-you-can-eat pizza, sunsets The virus-killing hand sanitizer and international media attention. But he World Cup is the premier stage used at this type of prestigious event is A over an ocean horizon, relaxing on developed by CAES food scientists has its when National Geographic called, he T for the world’s most popular sport: another example of how the innovations the lido deck – these are typical cruise roots in research done by UGA Center was excited to get back under the lights. soccer. The most recent tournament was and technologies we’re developing in ship vacation memories. One memory for Food Safety director Michael Doyle “As a scientist, I felt like National held last summer in South Africa. The Georgia are being appreciated and used vacationers don’t want to make is being and assistant research scientist Tong Geographic’s interest would focus more players who stepped onto the pitch at the around the world.” quarantined in their cabin because a Zhao. Doyle and Zhao created a similar on the science of things rather than Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban dug To create TifSport, Hanna took the stomach virus has spread across the ship. formulation for use as a fresh produce just the novelty of this project, which is their cleats into TifSport, a bermuda grass germplasm of a cold-tolerant bermuda A hand sanitizer created by University wash. Many times more powerful than something I’m much more interested in,” released in 1997 by Wayne Hanna while grass and irradiated it — a practice of Georgia scientists could reduce the commercially available chlorine-based said Rains, a biological and agricultural he was a crop and soil science professor used in plant breeding to alter plant number of stomach bugs on land and at antimicrobials, the wash is licensed to Think of it like a metal detector for scents: The with the UGA College of Agricultural and characteristics — to get a finer grass engineer on UGA’s Tifton campus. “Wasp Hound” relies on wasps’ keen sense of sea by killing the norovirus, which is the the maker of FIT Fruit and Vegetable In May 2009, a film crew traveled smell to detect the presence of anything from Environmental Sciences and a research texture. This yielded 57 fine-textured leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, Wash through an agreement between to Tifton to interview Rains and film his corpses to chemicals, according to Glen Rains. geneticist with the U.S. Department bermuda grasses that were grown and or stomach flu, in the United States. the UGA Research Foundation Inc. research, which conditions wasps to of Agriculture, Agricultural Research tested. A dozen years later, TifSport was Commonly called the “cruise ship virus” and HealthPro Brands Inc., FIT’s parent detect various scents, like those released Service. born. for the public attention it gets when it company. by a stressed plant or even a corpse. “We’re pleased that a turfgrass Since 1983, Hanna has released sickens hundreds or even thousands of UGA has submitted a patent Using sugar water to train the wasps developed in Georgia, in Tifton, was four turfgrass varieties: the popular cruise passengers, far more outbreaks application for the norovirus-killing hand to associate scents with food, six years used,” Hanna said. “We work hard to do TifEagle, TifSport, TifBlair and, recently, are actually associated with hospitals, sanitizer, which could be available to ago Rains developed a machine called such broad testing over many areas in TifGrand. He’s also been working with nursing homes, schools, daycares consumers by the summer of 2011. the Wasp Hound. This portable “nose” our breeding program, and our releases Brian Schwartz, a crop and soil science and food, said project leader Jennifer monitors the behavior of wasps trained to do well in many parts of the world.” assistant professor on the UGA Tifton respond to a particular scent. TifSport was bred to be rugged, campus, since 2009 to develop new and Hanna said. The dark green grass is dense better turfgrasses that are more stress- The Wasp Hound is made from a The Wasp Hound connects to software that and disease-resistant, tolerates cold and and drought-tolerant. Stanley Leary 3-inch pipe that’s 10 inches long. A fan turns data from “sniffy” to scientific. and a Web camera fit over one end. does well in many environments and TifSport is licensed by the University Inside, a tray places four or five wasps “I lost some of that interest when I soil types. And, it holds up well and of Georgia Research Foundation Inc. over a pinhole in the removable white went to college, but have found that I recovers quickly from a lot of foot traffic, cap that covers the other end. am still just as interested in why insects The fan sucks air through the pinhole. behave the way they do and how they If the scent they’ve been trained to sense odors as I was when I was a kid,” recognize wafts through, the wasps he said. crowd around the pinhole. If the scent’s In the future, the Wasp Hound could not there, they just hang out. be used to help find traces of dead The camera sends an image to bodies, sniff out dangerous chemicals software that analyzes the amount of and even detect bombs or biological dark space the wasps create around the weapons. pinhole, giving a more objective view and answer to their behavior. Rains and co-inventor Joe Lewis, a retired Wayne Hanna’s TifSport As a kid, Rains did his 4-H project on USDA Agricultural Research Service bermuda grass, developed how fire ants lay chemical trails to find entomologist, are working with the on the UGA Tifton campus food and believes his wasp research has Georgia Centers of Innovation to attract in 1997, covered the pitch at Moses Mabhida Stadium Jennifer Cannon (above), an assistant professor with the UGA Center for Food Safety in Griffin, brought him full circle. investors and market the Wasp Hound as in Durban, South Africa, Ga., led a project to develop a hand sanitizer that kills norovirus, a.k.a. the “cruise ship virus,” an alternative scent-detection device. during the 2010 World Cup. which sickens thousands of people every year. Continued on next page

16 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 17 Student Spotlight Courtesy of Phillip Stice Practical, but priceless Internships give students experience, employment opportunities

By Sarah Lewis

I n the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the dean promises students one thing: enrichment Stephanie Schupska During a three-month internship at Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Phillip Stice learned about running a successful winemaking business first-hand, from opportunities. The Deans’ Promise the field to the tasting room. encourages students to take advantage of experiences they may only have while that operates 24 hours a day, seven days Stevenson agrees that classroom researching the college’s website and they’re in college, including internships, a week, 365 days a year and that has knowledge helped him in the grain discovering the Winegrowers Association study abroad and service-learning and exported 300 million bushels every year business. of Georgia. Even before his internship, research opportunities. for the past three years. I was able to “Even though the internship was in he was able to explore his interest in Austin Suggs, a senior majoring in learn the logistics of how a plant that size maintenance, it was still economics. If learning about wine in another way – by agricultural communication, interned operates.” something is not running, you are losing studying abroad. Stice took a course in at Dow AgroSciences in summer 2010. money. For the plant to run efficiently enology and viticulture in Cortona, Italy Suggs worked as a southeastern territory and keep costs down, you’ve got to and was able to visit different vineyards sales representative, visiting farmers and A Vineyard Education understand economics,” Stevenson said. overseas. dealers throughout Georgia, Alabama Phillip Stice (BSA – Biological Stice’s horticulture background “I’ve had employers tell me that if and the Florida panhandle to discuss and Sciences, ‘10) spent a summer interning allowed him to understand the vineyard’s they see a resume without internship promote PhytoGen cotton. at Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Tiger, plants and how to care for them. experience, that’s one of the first “I was told what I was expected Ga. Stice lived at the vineyard for three “My horticulture classes prepared ones they throw out,” Suggs said. “I to accomplish and they cut me loose months, working in the fields, crush pad me with knowledge about the soils, root recommend [doing] one summer or one on my own,” Suggs said. “I was really and tasting room with the customers. systems and nutrients affecting grape semester in an internship. Anything like treated like a full-time sales employee Scott Angle, dean and director of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and “Making wine is easy. Making great vines and the scientific aspect of the that is invaluable.” and not an intern, and I thought that was Environmental Sciences, talks to (left to right) Andrew Stevenson, Austin Suggs and Phillip Stice wine is very hard,” Stice said. “Actually career,” Stice said. “A lot of chemistry CAES dean and director J. Scott great.” about their internships and career plans. getting hands-on and working in the goes into winemaking and that can be Angle agrees that the experiences and vineyard really gave me a good base for a intimidating to people who don’t know knowledge students gain from working in career in wine.” science.” real-world settings can open the door to Maintenance and “Internships give companies and businesses a Stice found his internship by new opportunities. Management chance to test ride candidates. With the economy and From Intern to Employee Andrew Stevenson, a senior majoring Having an agricultural background recession, companies are being more selective, and in agricultural business, interned at and education helped prepare Suggs, Where are they now? an Archer Daniels Midland plant in internships make a difference. Most students with Stevenson and Stice for their internships. Louisiana where raw commodities “I felt that my overall classroom Andrew Stevenson – Archer Daniels Midland offered Stevenson a full-time job are shipped all over the world to be internship experiences are getting the jobs they want. knowledge and the fact that I have a very at a plant in Arkansas, a year prior to his graduation. used in food, beverage, industrial and solid agronomic background gave me an I encourage every student to do an internship.” Austin Suggs – Dow AgroSciences offered Suggs another internship for the animal feed markets. Stevenson worked upper hand over the other interns,” Suggs summer of 2011. in maintenance for grain terminal said. “Also, being able to get up and operations management. ~ J. Scott Angle speak [in front of a group] is something Phillip Stice – Stice is working in California and Argentina at vineyards during Dean and Director “I learned both the management that I’ve learned as an agricultural their harvest. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and maintenance sides of the plant,’’ communication major and in my years as Stevenson said. “I worked in a plant a 4-H member.”

18 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 19 Teaching

he hungry calf almost stole the milk bottle from Hanna Grace as she and her daddy, Stacey Abell, fed it through the fence, but Hanna Grace held on tight. T The Abells, and the calf, were at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Animal and Dairy Science First Grade Field Day. But this wasn’t Stacey’s first visit to the campus. “A long time ago,” when he was a Tift County grade-schooler, he came to field days on the campus, too. Returning with his daughter to learn about and see many of the same things was “kind of neat,” he said. The field day, held every spring, began on the campus 23 years ago. Since then, more than 15,000 first-graders – or virtually every Tift County first-grader in the past two decades – have attended the event, said Joe West, who spearheaded the event in 1987 when he first came to Tifton as a UGA animal scientist. Hanna Grace Abell and her dad, “At that time, we were getting call after call from schools that wanted to come out Stacey, feed a hungry calf at the 2010 to see the baby calves at the dairy. But instead of it just pretty much being a petting UGA Tifton campus Animal and Dairy zoo, we decided to organize it better and add a real education session,” said West, Science First Grade Field Day. now the UGA Tifton campus assistant dean. In addition to feeding dairy calves, the kids now learn how a real dairy works and get to see and learn about fish, cattle, goats, horses and freshly-hatched baby chicks. Prior to the field day, teachers use lesson plans developed by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to go along with the day’s activities. At the end of the field day, teachers get additional materials, including coloring books and short stories about agriculture.

Another Field, A Different Day In the late 1990s, sitting around various “breakfast tables” in Tift County, Benjie Baldree and several local young farmers discussed how sad it was that so many kids really didn’t know where their food comes from. Their solution? Start a small program to get local school kids on farms and show them working agriculture. They tried to Children get hands-on lessons about start the “something” on privately owned land, but couldn’t get it off the ground, said agriculture and animals, like these Baldree, a UGA Tifton campus research coordinator. baby chicks, during field day programs on the UGA Tifton campus. Then, in spring 2001, with a group of 50 Omega, Ga., third graders as their guinea pigs, Baldree and a few other farm experts set up a half dozen learning stations at the UGA Tifton Rural Development Center. Agricultural and Environmental Awareness Day was born, another program targeted to local school kids. Now, twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall) dozens of school buses filled with more than 1,000 students swarm the campus’s arboretum, where they see as many as 50 learning stations covering subjects from peanuts to poultry, solar panels to snakes and pretty much everything else between the dirt and the sky, all with a Having a focus on agricultural production and environmental stewardship. “It has gone well beyond my wildest imagination,” Baldree said. The whole event is designed to help students meet standards for third- and fourth-grade proficiencies in science and is a valuable learning tool for teachers, said Stephanie Estes, a fourth- grade teacher at Omega Elementary, at the recent fall Agricultural and Environmental Awareness Day. “This is our one field trip a year; and as long as they keep having it, Cook County third-graders learn about vegetable farming, particularly peppers this is where we will choose to come,” she said. Field Day and tomatoes, at the 2010 spring Though the UGA Tifton campus is geared toward higher education and research, edition of the UGA Tifton Agricultural programs like these that reach much younger students fit perfectly into the campus UGA Tifton campus educates and Environmental Awareness Day. mission, West said. “We are simply in the business of education. These two programs and the people who dedicate their time are a window for these kids to see how their local grade-schoolers about farm life food and fiber are made. You never know what positive things can happen by just reaching out and sharing this.” Story and photos by Brad Haire

20 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 21 Lead Dogs

60s1960s 70s1970s 80s1980s Gary Fagan, BSA – Rick Jasperse, BSA – Food Glenn Smith, BSA – Ag Teri Hamlin, BSA – Agriculture, ’68, of Spokane, Science, ’79, MAL – Ag Economics, ’82, is the vice Agriculture, ’83, Ph.D. – Washington retired in 2010 Leadership, ’03, was elected president of operations for Education, ’98, is currently from USDA. Georgia State Representative, Laser Pharmaceuticals, a horticulture specialist in District 12. He is a retired a 55-year-old, family- agriculture education for Extension agent from Pickens owned specialty branded the Georgia Department County. pharmaceutical firm based of Education in Athens, as What’s one thing about your field in Greenville, S.C. Glenn well as an adjunct professor and his wife Terri continue to in the CAES Agricultural that you wish everyone knew? 1970s reside in Macon, Ga. Their Leadership, Education and 70s son Josh is a senior at UGA Communication department. Compiled by April Sorrow and Amanda E. Swennes Hiram Larew, BSA – majoring in Recreation and She is the UGA Sigma Alpha Horticulture, ’75, received the 1980s Leisure Studies (Education), advisor, serves on the Georgia Legacy Alumni Award from 80s their second son Matthew Farm to School Alliance Oregon State University (MS is a sophomore majoring executive board and USDA ’77, Ph.D. ‘81) in recognition in Biological Sciences in Nutrition Gardens advisory of his work in international UGA’s CAES, and their board and is the Georgia agricultural development daughter Mary Margaret is Green Industry coordinator and in poetry. Larew’s award a high school junior with for the junior certification cites his leadership at USDA plans to continue the UGA program. and USAID to promote food legacy. Glenn recently security, improve food aid completed service on UGA’s Phillip Edwards, BSA – Ag nutrition, jump-start youth Alumni Association board Economics, ’84, of Ocilla, April Sorrow Stephanie Schupska UGA Photo Service UGA Stephanie Schupska development programs of directors. He and the is the county Extension and build higher education family are active members at coordinator in Irwin County. Animal manures are a resource, Food shortages and starvation Ag communication does People occasionally ask me,

capacity both overseas and Courtesy of Gary Black Ingleside Baptist Church in not a waste. Land application are always closer than the NOT involve talking to cows “So your major is about here at home. He currently Macon. Jody T. Strickland, BSAE – Ag Gary Black, BSA – of animal manures to grow general public realizes. A and corn. It’s a niche area of studying the economics of directs the Center for Engineering, ’86, took a new Agricultural Education, crops, when done correctly, single point mutation in either communication that helps cows and chickens?” It always International Programs within Hank Griffeth, BSA – position with Weyerhaeuser ’80, is Georgia’s newly is great for soil quality, soil a major food source or a share the story of agriculture makes me laugh because I USDA’s National Institute of Horticulture, ‘83, has as the U.S. Timberlands elected Commissioner of fertility and water quality. pathogen can result in a plant with those who matter most: wish people understood how Food and Agriculture, and been serving as acting Acquisitions and Divestiture Agriculture. Black began University of Georgia disease epidemic, and the result consumers and politicians. It’s interlinked into society the has guided programs in Iraq, vice president of academic Manager in 2010. She has his career in 1980 with Extension works closely with can spell disaster. Only through something that everyone in the field of agricultural economics Armenia, Afghanistan, South affairs for Central Georgia 19 years of experience Georgia Farm Bureau, livestock producers to teach constant vigilance and research agriculture field can participate truly is. For example, increases Africa, the Congo, Nicaragua, Technical College in addition with Weyerhaeuser. She where he supervised the them how to properly land are we able to feed our nation in. We must be advocates for in demand for alternative Haiti and elsewhere. Many of to his regular duties as vice also serves on the Georgia young farmer leadership apply their manure to achieve and the world. We are blessed agriculture. fuel sources like ethanol also these efforts are carried out president of satellite campus Forest Foundation Board desired agronomic yield while in the United States with many create an overall increase in development program. Andrea Gonzalez by Extension experts, teaching operations since November 1. of Directors, Georgia FFA at the same time protecting the food prices. While the cows In 1989, he was selected sources of nutritious plants for Senior, agricultural professors and researchers He lives in Milledgeville. Sponsors Board, Georgia Agri- as the president of the environment. food, but this is not universally communication and chickens are important, at American land-grant Leaders Board of Directors true. If I make a wrong Woodstock, Ga. ag economics is much more Georgia Agribusiness Melony Wilson universities, and Larew’s office and continues to volunteer for complex and socially integrated Council. He served in that Animal waste specialist decision in my job as a plant works closely with colleagues the CAES Alumni Association. role for 21 years. Biological and agricultural pathologist, farmers will lose than people realize. like Dr. Ed Kanemasu, director She lives in Perry. engineering money; in many countries, the Elizabeth “Libby” Carter of the UGA CAES Office of inability of a plant pathologist Senior, agricultural economics Global Progams, to make sure Continued on next page to solve a problem rapidly will Jersey, Ga. that U.S. agriculture benefits result in the death of many from these overseas activities people. and partnerships. Larew Phillip Brannen has also received numerous Find us on Facebook and become a friend of the Extension fruit disease specialist awards for his poetry, UGA CAES Alumni Association. Plant pathology including the Louisiana Search “Ag Alum.” Literature poetry prize.

22 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 23 Lead Dogs Lead Dogs

80s1980s 90s1990s 00s2000s Tim Daly, BSA – Horticulture, Todd Jarrett, BLA – Elliott Marsh, BSA – Ag Anna Kelso, BSA – Lauren Ledbetter Griffeth, Aynsley Folkard, BSA – Billy Skaggs, BSA – ’87, MS – Entomology, ’03, Landscape Architecture, Economics, ‘02, of Statesboro, Environmental Economics BSA – Ag Communication, Agribusiness, ‘09, is an Agronomy, ’96, MAL – Ag was awarded the 2010 ’90, operates Arbor Hill was recently selected as and Management, ’03, of ’05, married Timothy environmental specialist for Leadership ’06, of Gainesville, Education Award by the Nurseries in Marietta. Todd the grand prize winner in Frederick, Md., works with the Carl Griffeth (MAL – Ag the ADM Ag Services group. Ga., was appointed Chief Metro Atlanta Landscape & credits his work ethic to the Next Generation of Ag US EPA as an environmental Leadership, ’10), in May She began her career with Operating Officer of the Turf Association. The award growing up on a farm in north category for AgConnect protection specialist. 2009. She works as a member ADM in Texas in 2009 as Georgia Department of recognizes the University Georgia and working his way Expo’s 2011 “Advocating for of the Regional Development a grain terminal operations Agriculture. Skaggs will of Georgia Cooperative through UGA at the poultry Agriculture” Awards, which Team under the leadership management trainee, where oversee all external functions Extension agent who has research farm. “There were recognize and celebrate of UGA’s Office of the Vice she spent eight months of the department, including developed and implemented no weekends or holidays in Courtesy of Billy Skaggs farmers, ranchers and other President for Instruction. supervising the loading and animal industry, consumer the most innovative and the dairy business, or at the individuals under the age unloading of railcars and protection, marketing and plant industry. Skaggs previously successful educational and poultry research station,” he of 35 who have embraced John Peters, BSA – ocean-going vessels with served 13 years as a UGA Cooperative Extension agent. applied research programs said. “At least now the plants the enormous responsibility Agribusiness, ’05, of Moultrie, different grains. In the spring that support Georgia’s urban let me have Sundays and the of feeding and clothing the is the branch manager with of 2010, she was promoted to agriculture industry. An occasional holiday off.” Bryan Tolar, BSA – Ag Jennifer Whittaker, BSA – world by committing to a AgGeorgia Farm Credit, ACA. the regional safety coordinator Extension agent in Gwinnett Business, ’92, was recently Ag Communication, ’94, career in agriculture. Marsh in Illinois before moving up County, Tim was recognized Steve Morgan, BSA – Ag named president of the of Macon, was presented is the agribusiness program Stephanie Ring, BSA – Poultry to assist all grain facilities for his Commercial Pesticide Economics, ’90, MS – Ag Georgia Agribusiness Council. the Georgia Peanut Media coordinator and instructor at Science, ’06, was named across the United States with Applicator Exam Preparation Economics, ‘92, of Carrollton, Courtesy of Brandon Boone Tolar joined the council in Award by the Georgia Peanut Ogeechee Technical College. the 2009-2010 teacher of environmental permits. and Training. has been a financial advisor 1997 as the member services Commission at the annual He is also the first president of Brandon Boone, BSA the year for both Commerce for Invest Financial in the representative serving GAC Georgia Peanut Farm Show in the UGA CAES East Georgia – Poultry Science, ‘04, City Middle School and United Community Bank and AgriTrust of Georgia. In Albany. Jennifer is the editor Alumni Chapter, a member married his college the Commerce City School System since 2002, covering 2001 he was named director of the Georgia Farm Bureau of the Statesboro Bulloch sweetheart and honorary System. She’s spent the last branches in Carrollton, Villa of marketing, education and News and Georgia Neighbors Co. Chamber of Commerce Poultry Science Club five years teaching science. Rica and Douglasville, Ga. environmental programs; in magazines. (serving as 2010 co-chair on member Brianna Wallace The Rings welcomed daughter He specializes in retirement 2010s 2003 he became the vice the Agribusiness Committee), last December. Since Azalee Charlotte on January 10s and wealth management president of public affairs. Joy Carter, BSA – Ag a member of the Kiwanis Club Brianna had worn the 7, 2010. Jesse Patrick, BSA – Animal planning. He has served on Prior to joining the GAC, Tolar Communication, ’97, MS of Statesboro, a member of the Georgia Poultry Federation Science, ’10, joined the the board of directors of the was employed by the Georgia – Ag Leadership, ’07, was board of directors of Bulloch chicken costume on several Stephanie Porter Aarstad, Georgia Farm Bureau Douglas County Chamber of Department of Agriculture honored during the 2010 Co. Farm Bureau, a graduate occasions and they both BSA – Animal Science, ‘08, commodities/marketing Commerce since 2006 and is Pesticide Division. National FFA Convention of the Georgia Agri-Leaders continued wearing it at Sigma Alpha alumni from the department as a marketing currently the chairman of the with the Honorary American Forum Foundation, where he the poultry world booth Lambda class and a member specialist. The Eatonton native board. In 2007, he served on John Benefield, BSA – Ag FFA Degree. Joy is currently was honored with the Ron after Brandon’s graduation, of the Sigma Alpha National works with Farm Bureau

Courtesy of Brian Kemp the Downtown Douglasville Economics, ’93, has been serving as past president Hart Memorial Leadership he decided that when he Alumni Association, is a full- programs related to feed grain Master Plan Committee and Brian Kemp, BSA – a technology consultant for of the Georgia FFA Alumni Award, and a graduate of proposed it would have to time animal control officer in and soybeans and manages is a 2009 graduate of the Agricultural Mechanization, Hewlett-Packard since 2000. Association and works as Leadership Bulloch. He is a be “eggstraordinary.” Clarke County, Ga. She and the grain desk. Leadership Douglas Class. ’87, is Georgia’s newly He has more than 15 years director of communications 2008 recipient of the Young He hid Easter eggs husband Robert welcomed He also serves as an adjunct elected Secretary of State. of progressive experience for the Georgia Peanut Alumni Achievement Award containing clues that led Zachary Thomas Aarstad on faculty member at West He owns Kemp Properties, in information technology, Commission in Tifton, Ga. presented by the CAES Alumni her to one of his family’s July 31, 2010. Georgia Technical College, a small business primarily in agricultural and Association and the J.W. broiler houses where he teaching economics. specializing in real estate manufacturing industries. Fanning Distinguished Young was waiting, dressed in investments and property Professional Award presented the chicken costume. “I management, and serves by the Agricultural Economics was waiting with the final on the board of St. Mary’s Association of Georgia. In “golden” egg that contained Hospital in Athens, GA. 2009, he was named to the a nice surprise,” he said. annual Savannah Business Instead of asking, “Will you To include your professional class Report and Journal “40 Under marry me?” he said, “Don’t notes in the next issue of Find us on Facebook and become a friend of the 40” list. you think it’s time we put all Southscapes, please e-mail our eggs into one basket?” UGA CAES Alumni Association. Juli Fields at [email protected], She said yes! The Boones Search “Ag Alum.” or call (706) 542-3390. reside in Jefferson, Ga. Jay Bauer

24 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 25 CAES Notes CAES Notes

DuVall, Ragan named to Georgia CAES Alumni Association Ag Hall of Fame Young Alumni Achievement Award

Compiled by Juli Fields By Sharon Dowdy

The CAES Alumni Association Young Alumni Achievement Clay Ward (BSA – Environmental Economics and al DuVall and Gene Ragan, two Award recognizes College of Agricultural and Environmental Management, ’98, MS – Agricultural Economics, ’00) T pioneers in Georgia agriculture, Sciences alumni who are 35 years old or less and who have worked as county Extension agent in Dooly County until were inducted into the Georgia achieved excellence in their chosen field and/or in their 2006, when he became co-owner of Evans & Ward Crop Agricultural Hall of Fame during a community. Services, LLC, a full-service crop consulting business. Ward ceremony in Athens Sept. 17, 2010. prides himself on using the training he received at UGA The Hall of Fame is a program of Sam Watson (BSA – Agricultural Education, ’02) has to help his clients maximize the benefits of every input, the University of Georgia College worked in sales at Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetables minimize their chemical and fertilizer use and enhance soil of Agricultural and Environmental since 2003. He is a founding partner in Chill C Farms, and water quality. Sciences. LLC, a vegetable grower/packer operation, and works at Rho Farms, a small 70-head cow/calf operation. Watson Marianne Robinette (MS – Entomology, ’01, Ph.D. – Entomology, ’09) has worked as the program coordinator From Dairy Farm to Dean is chairman of the Colquitt County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee, a member of the CAES Alumni in UGA’s entomology department since 2001, helping DuVall (BSA – Agronomy, ’54, Association Finance and Development Committee and a undergraduate and graduate entomology students with MAEX – Ag Extension, ’70, DPA – Public 2009 graduate of Georgia Agri-Leaders. pre-advising, job placement and recruitment. In 2006, Courtesy of Tal DuVall Tal Courtesy of Administration, ’75) grew up on a dairy Courtesy of Gene Ragan she created two service-learning courses and developed farm in Greene County, Ga. After serving Tal DuVall (left) and Gene Ragan (right) devoted their lives to growing Georgia’s agriculture Christopher Stripling (BSA – Agricultural Education, ’05, entomology’s first study abroad course, Insect and Bird in the U.S. Army in Panama in 1956, industry. They were honored for their service and named the newest inductees in the Georgia MAL – Agricultural Leadership, ’06) is working toward his Natural History in Costa Rica. She has received numerous Agricultural Hall of Fame in September 2010. he began his Extension career as an Ph.D. in agricultural education at the University of Florida, accolades for her work, including the Graduate School assistant county agent in Carroll County. where he has assisted with graduate teaching and is a Interdisciplinary Certificate in University Teaching in 2009. Over the years, he was promoted research assistant. He worked as an agricultural education Ag On Air to county agent, district agent and teacher at Ola High School from 2006 to 2009 and First as a county Extension agent, Grady, Stewart and Seminole counties. assistant director. He capped his career received the school’s 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year award. then as a farm broadcaster, Ragan (BSA With Extension, Ragan excelled in as director of the Georgia Extension – Agronomy, ’45) has devoted his life to preparing and presenting radio shows Service and dean of the UGA College of informing others about agriculture and and quickly recognized the potential of Agriculture, positions he held until his helping Southern farmers. radio and television for delivering critical retirement in 1988. As a young man in Early County, information to farmers. CAES Alumni Association DuVall used his position to support Ga., Ragan exhibited champion cattle In 1953, he garnered sponsors and Georgia agriculture and Georgia 4-H and earned Master 4-H Club status after created two radio programs: “The Ragan Award of Excellence across the state. He led the efforts to becoming the Georgia 4-H Meat Animal Report” and “The Gene Ragan Farm establish the Jekyll Island 4-H Center Champion. Show.” Five years later, he transitioned to Compiled by Juli Fields and helped pave the way for the After two years of college at Abraham television with “The Noon Farm Report,” Chuck Williams (BSA – Agricultural Economics, ’77) renovation of the Rock Eagle 4-H Center The CAES Alumni Association Award of Excellence recognizes Baldwin Agricultural College, he which ran on Dothan, Al.’s WTVY. “The was elected to the Watkinsville City Council at 21 years in the ‘80s. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences alumni transferred to UGA, where he served Noon Farm Report” is believed to be the who have achieved excellence in their chosen field and/or in old while he was a UGA student. Following graduation, DuVall felt county agents should as president of the Collegiate 4-H club, longest running TV farm program on a their community. Williams worked as an agricultural and rural development be storehouses of vital information vice-president of the Intercollegiate 4-H single station in the U.S. The broadcast leader for the USDA/Farmers Home Administration, serving on the county they served. This belief club and was inducted into the Alpha reached farmers in south Alabama, Bruce A. Kotz (BSA – Food Science, ’83), vice president of Baxley, Alma, Lyons and Tifton, Ga. He is currently helping manifested itself in his obtaining the with the transition of North Georgia Bank to BankSouth. Zeta agricultural fraternity. south Georgia and north Florida. Ragan specialty products for Golden Peanut Co., is a professional personnel and data analysis resources member of the Institute of Food Technologists and holds He chairs both the credit committee and agriculture After earning a bachelor’s degree in broadcasted an estimated 30,000 shows to publish the annual Georgia County positions on the Peanut Institute Board, UGA’s Food committee of the Georgia Bankers Association, serves agriculture from UGA in 1945, Ragan before retiring in 1998. Guide, a reference tool that remains Science and Technology Department Advisory Council on the agricultural committee of the American Bankers worked for the UGA Extension Service in widely used by agents, farmers, ag and Georgia’s FoodPac Food Processing Advisory Association and the regulation and taxation committee of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia, and is educators, bankers and researchers Council. He is active with the American Association of Candy Technologists and the Pennsylvania Manufactures the current chairman of the Georgia Bankers Association. today. Confectioners Association. He has worked with the He served as president of the CAES Alumni Association in American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure and the 2000. He has recently been appointed to serve on the State American Cancer Society’s Mothers and Daughters Against Forestry Commission’s Board of Directors. Cancer annual Gwinnett County Relay for Life campaign.

26 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 20112011• • Southscapes • 27 CAES Notes CAES Notes

A bark goes out to … New fellowship funds critical cotton studies

By Stephanie Schupska By Faith Peppers

even alumni from the University or 24 years, Gary Herzog worked implementation in Georgia. We wanted vital to agriculture, including cotton. S of Georgia College of Agricultural F as a research scientist for the to recognize that publicly, and this “Agricultural water use, and the and Environmental Sciences were University of Georgia in Tifton, Ga., endowment will help provide that sort of allocation of our water resources, is one honored as Bulldog 100: Fastest studying insects that affect cotton. expertise well into the future.” of the major issues facing the agriculture Growing Bulldog Businesses on Jan. 22 During his lifetime, he made enormous In 2009, Georgia farmers harvested industry across the nation,” Angle at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta. impact on the sustainability of the state’s an average of 900 pounds of cotton said. “Finding workable solutions will The Bulldog 100 ranks the businesses cotton industry. A new endowment per acre, a new state record. Farmers determine which areas of the country will based on their average three-year growth fund in the College of Agricultural and planted an estimated 1.24 million acres continue to produce the abundance of rate, regardless of company size. Environmental Sciences will ensure his in Georgia in 2010, a 25 percent increase our food, fiber and fuel.” Branch Carter of Grovetown, who work continues. over the previous year, according to a The Herzog Fellowship will help UGA graduated from UGA with a degree in The Gary A. Herzog Fellowship Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service put young scientists to work finding those agricultural communications, credits Fund for Applied Research in Cotton report. critical solutions. both his education and the friends Agroecosystems will provide fellowship Much of the comeback in Georgia’s “Providing the education, research he made in college with some of his support to UGA graduate students cotton industry is due to new pest- and Extension programs that keep business’s success. conducting thesis or dissertation research resistant varieties that make growing agriculture growing is our mission,” “It all goes back to people,” said the in cotton production systems. Graduate cotton profitable again. However, a Angle said. “This important fellowship owner of Branch Carter Photography. research will focus on critical issues in menacing new pest — Palmer amaranth, program will give us access to the “Knowing the UGA College of Stephanie Schupska applied research facing the industry. or pigweed — now threatens to deal a brightest students who can continue Gary UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences alumni honored as Bulldog 100 include Agriculture, even though it’s large, it still Students will investigate integrated pest fatal blow to industry growth. Herzog’s work to provide answers to (front) Zeke Harvey, Harold Still, Hardy Edwards, Branch Carter, (back) Jim Moore and Charles has a smaller feel to it. It’s a place where Hall. Also pictured at back left is J. Scott Angle, CAES dean and director. management of insects, diseases and Water is another critical issue. The Georgia cotton farmers’ problems.” you feel like you know the people and weeds, and irrigation technology. right amount of water at the right time is “The Herzog Fellowship program feel like you know them as friends.” • Thomas Zeke Harvey (BSA – The Bulldog 100 is in its second year. will help us address the critical shortage “It’s thrilling to see our CAES Landscape Grounds Management, Winning businesses must be in operation of applied scientists in production alums recognized in this way,” said ’01), owner of Chappell Mill Trees in for at least five years, owned or operated orporate giving helps agriculture, especially in cotton,” said J. C Juli Fields, CAES director of alumni Milner, at #42 by a UGA alumnus and have had a Scott Angle, CAES dean and director. relations. “We know the College of yearly revenue of more than $100,000 in hard economic times • Harold Still (BSAE – Agricultural The shortage of scientific expertise Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for 2007. Engineering, ’66), owner of Southern is projected to continue to grow unless griculture is important business in Georgia, contributing more than $57 successfully prepares its graduates for Bob Pinckney (’82) and Justin AGCOM Inc. in Blakely, at #45 universities can provide funding to recruit billion annually to Georgia’s $350 billion economic output. One in seven lucrative careers, and the Bulldog 100 Niefer (’05) of protective sportswear A • Mark Tribby (BSA – Biological Science, exceptional students in several vital Georgians works in agriculture, forestry or agriculture-related fields. Almost half of program allows us to showcase those manufacturer Evoshield in Bogart came ’84, DVM, ’88), of Saint Frances areas. Areas of concern include research the state’s manufacturing jobs are in agribusiness. alums who have hit a homerun in the in first place. Pinckney is a former Animal Hospital in Augusta, at #60 and Extension programs in the U.S. land- For more than 100 years, CAES has educated and trained Georgia’s agricultural business world. … These alumni-owned Georgia 4-H’er. Evoshield had a growth grant university system, state and federal workforce. Our research has helped the industry grow into one of the most vibrant, businesses have a tremendous impact on • Jim Moore (BSA – Agricultural rate of 130.48 percent from 2007-2009. sustainable agricultural systems in the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs the economy of this state.” Economics, ’78, JD ’81) of Moore, agency positions, research and related have helped Georgia producers and businesses use that research to increase 2010 winners who graduated from Clarke, Duvall & Rodgers PC in industry support. The Herzog endowment sparked the profitability, efficiency and environmental stewardship. CAES (and their rankings) were: Albany, at #62 Nominations for the 2012 interest of Monsanto Company, and the As other states’ agricultural systems face growing challenges from weather, • Hardy Edwards (BSA – Agricultural • Charles Hall (BSA – Horticulture class of Bulldog 100 businesses agricultural firm made the first major shrinking resources and depleted infrastructure, Georgia is poised to become the Economics, ’85, MS – Food ’72, MS – Horticulture, ’74), owner of opened Jan. 24. For more contribution of $250,000. breadbasket of the world. CAES is working to ensure Georgia agriculture is ready Science, ‘94), owner of Vitamin Association Services Group in information visit www.uga.edu/ Doug Rushing, who works with to face the challenges of exploding world food demand and to keep the state’s Derivatives Inc. in Winterville, LaGrange, at #80 alumni/bulldog100. the company’s cotton business, said, industries and businesses at the forefront of the global market. Through corporate at #2. “We hope other CAES alums will take “Contributions from the public sector donations, partnerships and matching gift programs, CAES programs can continue to • Branch Carter (BSA – Agricultural the time to nominate their businesses for have been an important part of the help our college and our state remain strong. Communication, ’94), owner the 2012 class,” Fields said. “Being a part success of the cotton industry. Gary If your company is interested in contributing to Georgia’s agricultural success, of Branch Carter Photography in of that group of successful businesses can Herzog played an integral role in the we’d like to hear from you. Contact Rodney Miller, director of development, at Grovetown, at #34 only be a positive.” introduction of biotechnology and its (706) 542-3390 or [email protected]. ~ Faith Peppers

28 • Southscapes • Spring 2011 Spring 2011• Southscapes • 29 CAES Notes Alumni Line

CAES welcomes new development director From Four Towers

By April Sorrow Alumni and Friends,

odney Miller was named Assistant to the Dean and Director of the Office of American writer and physician Orison Swett Marden said, “Don’t wait for extraordinary R Advancement for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.” Every day at the UGA Environmental Sciences in December 2010. In his new position, Miller will lead the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, great men and women seize common college’s fundraising efforts and oversee alumni relations. occasions to teach, to research, to serve, to advocate and to make all of our lives better. Miller replaces Rob Cooper, who left the college in July 2010 to become executive And every day, great men and women around this state and nation volunteer their time director of the National FFA Foundation. and resources to assist CAES in its mission of teaching, research and extension. “Rodney has a long history in agriculture,” said J. Scott Angle, CAES dean and I am proud that several CAES alumni have seized the opportunity to serve the great state director. “He is on many boards and foundations and has also served as a member of of Georgia in key leadership positions. Two CAES alumni hold constitutional offices: the CAES advisory council. We look forward to his leadership in this crucial time for Brian Kemp, Secretary of State (BSA – Ag Mech, ’87) and Gary Black, Commissioner the college.” of Agriculture (BSA – Ag Economics, ’80). Three CAES alumni serve in the Legislature: Miller was born into agriculture in Benton, Ill., where he still operates a 1,400- Tom McCall (BSA – Agronomy, ’80) was re-elected State Representative, District 30; acre row crop farm. He also operates a small farming operation in Buford, Ga., which Rick Jasperse (BSA – Food Science, ’79, MAL – Ag Leadership, ’03) was elected State Courtesy of Charles Hall Representative, District 12; and Ellis Black (BSA – Animal Science, ’65) was re-elected includes a corn maze, and a small farm in Athens. Charles Hall He serves on the Georgia FFA sponsor board, the Georgia Agribusiness Council State Representative, District 174. and the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum board of directors. He also has served as a As we all know, our state continues to have significant budgetary problems. While we have a new governor at our state’s member of the board of directors for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. helm, our university and college will continue to be challenged by budget reductions and cutbacks. I hope your 2011 His professional career includes positions at several tractor companies. Most New Year’s resolutions included becoming more active in the CAES Alumni Association and offering support to our college recently, Miller was CEO of McCormick International USA in Duluth, Ga. He also was through your time, talents and financial contributions. As president of the CAES Alumni Association, I pledge to continue to Courtesy of Rodney Miller CEO for Montana Tractors and worked in management for Valtra, Long and Mahindra Rodney Miller seize common occasions and make them great for CAES. Collectively, we can make 2011 a year of growth and prosperity tractor companies. for our college. Miller is considered an expert on trends in the agriculture industry. He is currently developing a national TV show, “Inside the Barn,” which will feature agriculture in the Sincerely, Southeast, antique tractors, women in agriculture and a farm-to-table food segment. The show will air later this year on RFD-TV. L S A U M E N

A I C

Charles Hall A BSA – Horticulture ’72 S N S O I O And the winners are… MS – Horticulture ’74 C I A T

Flavor of Georgia food product contest spotlights the CAES By The Numbers Compiled by Amanda E. Swennes best foods from across the state.

Barbecue and hot sauces, confections, Study Abroad dairy products, meat products, snack 100 CAES undergraduate students foods, and jams, jellies and sauces studied abroad in more than 39 different programs in 2010. 4 3 take center stage at the state capitol for an annual food contest. See this Top Destinations 7 6 year’s winners at www.flavorofgeorgia. Your food product 1. Costa Rica (31) 2. Australia and New Zealand (16) caes.uga.edu. 1 deserves the limelight, 3. Italy (12) and the annual Flavor of Georgia food product contest can 4. Spain (7) help give it the exposure it needs. In 2009, 8 out of 10 Flavor 5. Cape Town (5) of Georgia finalists saw increased interest in their 2 products following the contest. 6. Thailand (5) 5 7. Nicaragua (5)

Source: UGA Career Center Graduate Survey, 2010 Spring 2011 • Southscapes • 31 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 11 Athens, Georgia Office of College Advancement Four Towers University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-4352

Your Southscape

Ag Tag Benefits Georgia 4-H and Georgia FFA

Did you know? The “Support Agriculture in Georgia” specialty license plate tag benefits two of Georgia’s leading youth organizations: Georgia 4-H and the Georgia FFA Association. The two groups each receive $5 for every tag purchased. Since the program started in 2007, it has raised more than $100,000 for Georgia Mike Parsons 4-H and Georgia FFA. Funds, which are distributed by the Georgia Department of Revenue, help promote agriculture, agricultural awareness, environmental education and youth. Tags are available from your local county tag office.

~ Compiled by Amanda E. Swennes

32 • Southscapes • Spring 2011