Joe Schwarcz

Keynote speaker

Joe Schwarcz is well known for his informative and entertaining public lectures on topics ranging from the chemistry of love to the science of aging. Professor Schwarcz has received numerous awards for teaching chemistry and for interpreting science for the public and is the only non-American ever to win the American Chemical Society’s prestigious Grady-Stack Award for demystifying chemistry. He hosts “The Dr. Joe Show” on Montreal’s CJAD and has appeared hundreds of times on The Discovery Channel, CTV, CBC, TV Ontario and Global Television. Dr. Schwarcz also writes a newspaper column entitled “The Right Chemistry” and has authored a number of books, “Radar, Hula Hoops and Playful Pigs,” “The Genie in the Bottle,” “That’s The Way The Cookie Crumbles,” “Dr. Joe And What You Didn’t Know,” “The Fly In The Ointment” “Let Them Eat Flax” “An Apple A Day,” “Brain Fuel,” “Science, Sense and Nonsense,” “Dr. Joe’s Brain Sparks,” “Dr. Joe’s Health Lab” and his latest, “The Right Chemistry, ”all of which have made it on to the best seller list. He is also an amateur conjurer and often spices up his presentations with a little magic. Dr. Schwarcz has been awarded the 2010 “Montreal Medal” which is the Canadian Chemical Institute’s premier prize recognizing lifetime contributions to chemistry in Canada. In the spring of 2011 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cape Breton University. He also hold a previous honorary degree from Athabasca University. In November of 2011 the McGill Office for Science and Society received the largest gift ever in Canadian history ($5.5 million) from philanthropist Lorne Trottier to further its work in promoting scientific education and critical thinking.

Bob Weaber

Keynote speaker

Cow-Calf Extension Specialist,
Kansas State University

Bob Weaber, Ph.D. joined the faculty of the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University in August of 2011 as Cow-Calf Extension Specialist. Previously, Weaber served in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri (MU) as Extension Specialist-Beef Genetics and was responsible for educational programming in the area of beef cattle genetics. Dr. Weaber also serves as central regional secretary of the Beef Improvement Federation, is a co-coordinator of the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium education programs and has served as a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division Board of Directors. The focus of his extension and research programs have been to broaden the availability, use and understanding of genetic selection tools (Expected Progeny Differences, DNA markers and selection indexes) as well as performance data collection schemes implemented by cattle producers. Dr. Weaber grew up on a cow-calf operation in southern Colorado and went on to earn a BS in animal science followed by a Master of Agriculture degree in the Beef Industry Leadership Program at Colorado State University. He completed his doctoral studies in the Animal Breeding and Genetics Group at Cornell University. While there, he served as the Interim Director of Performance Programs for the American Simmental Association for three and a half years. Previously, Weaber was Director of Education and Research at the American Gelbvieh Association. Bob and his wife, Tami, and their young children, Maddie, Cooper and Wyatt, reside near Wamego, Kansas.

Rita Emmett

Speaker & Author

Rita is a “recovering procrastinator”, professional speaker and author of three award-winning, best selling books, including “The Procrastinator’s Handbook”, “The Procrastinating Child: A Handbook for Adults to Help Children Stop Putting Things Off” and “The Clutter-Busting Handbook”. Rita’s web site (cleverly named http://www.RitaEmmett.com) provides help for procrastination, clutter and stress in the form of books, CDs, DVDs, and on-line courses plus a free Tip Sheet that offers short, quick help with these topics.

Shawn N. Casteel

Extension Soybean Specialist,
Assistant Professor of Agronomy Purdue University,
Department of Agronomy

Shaun is a farm boy raised on the family farm in east-central Illinois. He earned his B.Sc. in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois, M.S. in Crop Science from North Carolina State University, and his Ph.D. in Soil Science from North Carolina State University. Shaun joined the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University in 2009. He is the Extension Soybean Specialist where he trains and educates growers and crop professionals. His applied research program is the foundation for his recommendations. He evaluates various cultural practices, new and upcoming inputs, and integrated management.

Frank Gibbs

Wetland and Soil Consulting Services, LLC,
Ohio

Frank is an Honors Graduate of the Ohio State University with a Major in Agronomy and Soils. He recently formed Wetland and Soil Consulting Services, LLC (WSCS) after retiring on August 1st from working 36 years for USDA in Ohio and teaching for The National Training Center across the Country. Frank has an extensive background in Hydric Soils, Wetlands, Water Tables in the Soil, Soil Compaction, Soil Quality, Cover Crops, Manure Disposal, Preferential Flow, Septic Systems and Drainage Problems. He has conducted numerous soil training sessions for farmers, environmentalists, crop advisors, sanitarians, contractors, soil scientists and agency personnel. Frank is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist, Professional Wetland Scientist, Certified Professional Soil Classifier, Certified Crop Consultant, a Certified Interagency Wetland Delineator, a National Interagency Hydric Soil and Wetland Delineation Instructor, Past President of the Association of Ohio Pedologists and Past Chair of the Ohio Soil Scientist Certification Board for the Soil Science Society of America. Recent travels have taken him to Holland visiting Dutch Dairies and giving presentations at the University of Wageningen, also to Nepal, trekking to the highest Buddhist Monastery in the world, Tengboche, which is a 2 hour walk below Base Camp of Everest. In 2008 he visited the Andes in Ecuador and the Amazon Basin. His last trip was to Western Tibet in June 2011. He has received so many Awards that he couldn't fit them all on the walls of his little cubical! Frank is the 5th generation to reside on and operate the family farm near Rawson, Ohio. He also makes stained glass windows.

Willie Huot

Extension Agent/Farm Business Management and Economics,
North Dakota State University

Willie's responsibilities are primarily in the area of Farm & Family Economics. He does educational programming in the areas of crop, budgeting, marketing, managing agricultural risks, land costs, farm financial management and alliances. In addition he coordinate the classes for his office's computer lab and works closely with marketing clubs, the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce and the Township Officers Association.

Joseph G. Lauer

Agronomist & Professor,
University of Wisconsin

Joe grew up in north central Minnesota and holds degrees from St. John’s University and the University of Minnesota. From 1985 to 1994 he was faculty extension agronomist at the University of Wyoming. In 1994 he joined the agronomy faculty at the University of Wisconsin as a corn extension agronomist where he is responsible for developing education programs and materials on corn hybrid selection; integrating changing technologies and cultural practices into corn production systems; determining the influence of management decisions on profitability and risk; and assessing yield impacts of management and environmental factors during corn growth and development. Joe is recognized for his work in corn grain and silage production and management. He is involved in regional, national and international agronomic activities and has authored over 200 scientific articles, book chapters, proceedings, and bulletins.

Odette Menard

Soil and Water Conservationist Specialist,
MAPAQ direction régionale Montérégie Est

Odette is an agricultural engineer from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. She has been promoting soil health through better agricultural practices since 1988. “Her efforts, which have contributed greatly to increased awareness and adoption of soil conservation practices, led to her nomination for the Hall of Fame.” Odette has been instrumental for years in promoting soil conservation throughout southwestern Quebec. She has been active on many committees, boards and producer clubs where soil conservation issues have been raised and promoted. Actively involved at the producer level Odette helped establish a no-till network among producers, was involved in developing informational fact sheets and has helped organize meetings, conferences and information sessions for producers and crop advisors. She was also instrumental in creating a no-till drill rental program for producers, and a database that compares the economics of various tilling practices. As well she established a regional soil conservation hall of fame for producers.

Jack Rabin

Associate Director,
Farm Programs, 
Rutgers University Agriculture Experiment Station,
New Jersey

Jack has a reputation of doing whatever needs doing to solve practical problems sustaining mid-size family farmers. Like most who work in sustainability, he knows ‘footprints-in-the-field’ practices on farms are far clearer than muddled public policies. In his 30 years in extension he’s been attacked in the press, fined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), worked on wholesale produce distribution and postharvest facilities, testified to his state legislature on wildlife crop damage, and been sued by animal rights advocates. Jack is a believer in the role private property rights play in a free and prosperous society. By barely managing to keep his job, he must be doing something right. Jack currently administers four horticulture research and extension farms, on-campus greenhouses, and ag engineering support. Jack grew up on a farm and received his degree in entomology–because someone told him he could get paid killing insects. He worked at University of Illinois and plant breeding in Israel before the University of California for a degree in vegetable crops.