Snelling presented BIF Pioneer Award
The Beef Improvement Federation presented Warren Snelling, Lawrence, Neb., the BIF Pioneer Award July 5 during the group’s annual research symposium in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the improvement of beef cattle, honoring those who have had a major role in acceptance of performance reporting and documentation as the primary means to make genetic change in beef cattle.
Snelling is a pioneer in developing methods for identification of functional polymorphisms, a key technology for increasing the accuracy of future genetic predictions and expanding our understanding of the genomic mechanisms in cattle. As a research geneticist in the genetics, breeding and animal health research unit of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center at Clay Center, Neb., he has authored and coauthored more than 80 peer-reviewed and other research papers, including work that is part of the key concepts used in understanding of livestock genomics and genetic prediction. Snelling’s career has always been focused on what is useful and directly applicable to producers.
More than 350 beef producers, academia and industry representatives attended the organization’s 55th Annual Research Symposium and Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. BIF’s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation.
Lefore named associate director of Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute
The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska recently named Nicole Lefore as associate director of Sustainable Agriculture Water Management.
In her new role, which began earlier this month, Lefore will strengthen and expand the institute’s global program by developing, managing, and leading new activities on accessing and managing water for sustainable agriculture, particularly for smallholder farmers.
Lefore is dedicated to contributing to equitable, sustainable outcomes through agricultural water management and intensification. She has more than 30 years of international experience in research for development, policy advocacy and project implementation, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and the developing world. Lefore has worked with policy think tanks, the International Water Management Institute (Ghana and South Africa) and previously served as director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation at Texas A&M University.
“We are pleased to have Nicole join DWFI’s leadership team,” said Peter McCornick, DWFI executive director. “Her extensive background in small scale irrigation development and sustainable water management complements the institute’s mission well. Nicole’s past collaboration with the institute make us confident she is the right person for this role and can help extend our important work in these areas.”
Lefore’s expertise includes water and land institutions and governance; markets and finance in small scale irrigation; equity in development; and gender. Her commitment to smallholder farmers globally is rooted in her family’s farm in Oregon. Lefore completed a PhD in government at the University of Virginia and MSc in development from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
