Kyle Smith Named Associate Executive Director of Extension
byMike Jackson, Agnews
August 1, 2008

COLLEGE STATION — Kyle Smith, a veteran of nearly 36 years with the Texas A&M System, was named executive associate director of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service on Friday by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

Smith, who has served as the agency’s associate director for county programs since 1993, succeeds Dr. Margaret Hale, who announced her retirement earlier this year.

Smith’s appointment takes effect August 1.

“We are fortunate to have a person of Kyle’s experience to oversee vital functions of our agency,” said Dr. Ed Smith, director of AgriLife Extension. “With his many years of experience and fine performance as an agent and associate director of county programs, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better person for the position.”

As executive associate director, Kyle Smith will serve as chief operating officer and AgriLife Extension’s second-in-command. He will be responsible for developing and coordinating staffing, supervisory and budgetary recommendations for the entire agency.

Smith will collaborate with the director and contribute to agency oversight. He also will directly oversee operational management of several support units and special programs, including communications, information technology and program development.

Smith said his primary goals are “to provide administrative support and assistance to ensure Texas AgriLife Extension Service maintains its prominence in providing relevant information and educational programs.

“I will ensure Texas AgriLife Extension Service staff and faculty have the resources they need to be successful in problem solving and providing continuing education to improve the lives of Texans,” he said.

Smith joined AgriLife Extension in 1972 and served for 15 years as an agent for agriculture in Gaines, Crosby and Lubbock counties. He was then promoted to a district supervisor position, a post he held for five years. In 1993, he was appointed the agency’s associate director for county programs, which carried the responsibility of overseeing the staff of 250 county offices across Texas.

Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and master’s degree in agricultural education from Texas Tech University.

AgriLife Extension is charged with delivering high quality, relevant educational programs to the people, businesses and communities of Texas and beyond. Although an agency of the Texas A&M System, the agency is separately funded by the state and has more than 1,500 employees statewide.

Agricultural Conference to Address Industry Challenges
by texagnet
August 1, 2008

AUSTIN — Texas agricultural organization leaders are invited to attend an important conference that will identify and address major challenges to Texas agriculture. The Agricultural Challenges Conference is scheduled to be held September 25-26 in Austin, Texas.

The conference is sponsored by the Texas Farm Bureau. Other significant contributors Include: Farm Credit Bank of Texas, Monsanto and Texas Ag Workers Auto Mutual Insurance.

Agriculture faces many challenges in the very near future. The purpose of the conference is for the leadership of Texas Agriculture to discuss these challenges and to begin a dialogue about how to address the important issues that will confront the industry in the not-to-distant future.

The conference will go beyond listening to speeches. The last day of the conference, break-out groups will be formed to begin a dialogue on confronting the identified challenges. The dialogue that begins at this conference may be critical to the future success of the industry.

Elected officers and executive staff representing Texas agricultural organizations are invited to attend and participate.

A draft conference agenda and registration form are available at the following texagnet web site hyperlinks:

* Draft Conference Agenda

* Registration Form

Each organization or individual is responsible for making reservations with the host hotel.

For reservations please contact: Marriott Airport South, 4415 South IH-35, Austin, Texas at 512-634-2036.

The deadline for registration for the conference will be Friday, August 15, 2008. There is a $50.00 per person registration fee.

Note: This conference is limited to Texas agricultural organizations' staff and leadership.

Please contact your local, regional or statewide agricultural organization if you wish to attend and participate at the conference.

Anyone desiring additional information, or for media information, contact:

Billy Howe
Texas Farm Bureau
Austin, Texas
512-472-8288 or
email: bhowe@txfb.org

AgriLife IPM Professionals Receive Recognition
by Steve Byrns, Agnews
July 22, 2008

THE WOODLANDS — The excellence of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s integrated pest management program was recognized recently with three awards presented during the 87th Texas Pecan Growers Association’s annual conference.

The July 13-16 conference was held at The Woodlands.

Honorees were the Texas AgriLife integrated pest management program, (also known as IPM) team, Dr. John Jackman, Dr. Marvin Harris and Bill Ree.

All were honored by their peers for their educational efforts in integrated pest management in the southern U.S., according to Dr. Tom Fuchs, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management leader for Texas. Fuchs participated in the conference and accepted the award for Outstanding State IPM Program.

“I was very proud to be able to represent our AgriLife Extension team in accepting the Outstanding State IPM Program Award,” Fuchs said. “This is the first time this award has been presented, so it is indeed an honor.”

The awards were presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Region IPM Center located at North Carolina State University. The center represents land grant university scientists from 13 Southern states, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

In addition to the Outstanding State IPM Award, the Southern Region IPM Center presented the IPM Teacher Award to Harris and Ree for their outstanding work in pecan integrated pest management. Harris is an entomology professor in the department of entomology at Texas A&M University at College Station, and Ree is an AgriLife Extension program specialist located at Bryan.

“Through their IPM teaching efforts which emphasize the wise use of pesticides only when necessary, Texas pecan growers have realized a 35 percent reduction in insecticide use and a 30 percent reduction in fungicide use, resulting in an estimated $4.4 million annual cost savings compared to levels used in the early 1980s,” Fuchs said. “This is a major accomplishment, not only economically, but also environmentally.”

Jackman, an AgriLife Extension entomologist at College Station, was awarded the inaugural Friends of IPM Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given by the group for years of significant contributions to integrated pest management work in the southern region.

Jackman’s honor stemmed from his pioneering efforts in using computers for providing educational materials and predicting insect outbreak problems, and for later using the Worldwide Web to expand his and others' educational programming.

The Texas Integrated Pest Management Program is operated as a private/public partnership involving the Texas A&M University System and its agencies and the Texas Pest Management Association, which is made up largely of growers. The IPM program operates 28 units across the state. Twenty-three of the units address agricultural crops, four deal primarily with urban issues and one coordinates the IPM in Schools program. For more information on Jackman and his work, go to: http://insects.tamu.edu . For general information on integrated pest management, go to: http://ipm.tamu.edu