Howdy,

Texas A&M AgriLife Research has accomplished a lot in our first quarter of 2024. We began the year with AgriLife Connect in January, where the agencies of Texas A&M AgriLife shared our accomplishments and plans for the new year. I appreciate this opportunity to strengthen and forge new relationships with our partners across Texas A&M AgriLife. 

I am particularly moved by the roles these agencies have assumed in controlling recent wildfires in the Panhandle. Their efforts have saved considerable infrastructure and acreage along with animal and human lives. Our farmers, ranchers, and regional communities will take years to recover from some losses, and AgriLife Research will be a primary resource in facilitating recovery through data-based solutions. Those affected by the wildfires can find resources from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service online.

Faculty promotions

This January, we were pleased to notify several faculty members about well-deserved promotions. Many of their appointments to agency-split roles represent AgriLife Research's continuing commitment to harnessing all the resources of Texas A&M to benefit Texans. I'm proud to congratulate the following faculty:

• Katie Lewis – Associate Professor to Professor – Lubbock (Research).
• Kranthi Mandadi – Associate Professor to Professor – Weslaco (Research).
• Bart Fischer – Assistant Professor to Associate Professor – Department of Agricultural Economics, Bryan-College Station (Research; Teaching).
• Tammi Johnson – Assistant Professor to Associate Professor – Uvalde (Research).
• John Cason – Assistant Professor to Associate Professor – Stephenville (Research).
• Anish Jantrania - Associate Professor to Professor – Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station (Research; Extension).
• Zong Liu – Assistant Professor to Associate Professor – Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station (Research; Extension).
• Ronnie Schnell – Associate Professor to Professor – Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station (Research; Extension).

Research capacity support

The AgriLife Research leadership team continues to work on initiatives that increase opportunities across more than 500 faculty programs supported by AgriLife Research. We received more than 200 requests in response to our agency’s recent call for capacity support of current and future research staff, including graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and residents. Additional calls will be forthcoming in late spring and early summer. If you do not have a Hatch, Hatch/Multi-State and/or McIntire-Stennis project, please work with our project records team to establish one. Contact Chad Houston at chad.houston@ag.tamu.edu or Kylie Daniels at kylie.daniels@ag.tamu.edu.

Modernizing our research infrastructure

Progress continues on multiple infrastructure projects across AgriLife Research: 

1. The Animal Reproductive Biotechnology Center, to be constructed on the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus in Bryan, is on track for completion by late 2024 or early 2025.
2. Construction has been initiated for the relocation of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Amarillo to Canyon, with completion on track for late 2025.
3. Construction has begun on tornado repairs to the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon, which will be completed in summer 2025.
4. A program of requirements, or POR document, is in the initial stages of approval for establishing the AgriTech Innovation Hub at our research facility in McGregor. 
5. Another POR is in process to expand controlled-environment space at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. 
6. Board of Regents approval is being sought to initiate the design of the new Meat Science and Technology Center at Texas A&M RELLIS.

Securing federal funding

Our Federal Relations team deserves significant credit for working on federal funding opportunities that will positively impact AgriLife Research initiatives. Some highlights include:

1. $500,000 for Texas A&M AgriLife Research from U.S. Rep. August Pfluger for Conservation Crop Management Research in San Angelo.
2. $1 million for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde from U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales for the AgriLife Education Community Center.
3. $3 million for Texas A&M AgriLife from U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions for Livestock Sustainability Monitoring at McGregor.
4. $1.5 million for Texas A&M AgriLife from U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul for the Bioenvironmental Security and Training Program in College Station.
5. $23 million for nutrition and responsive agriculture research was included for collaborations between USDA-Agricultural Research Service and the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, within Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

I look forward to another outstanding quarter for AgriLife Research, and I appreciate the role you all play in the success of our agency.  

Gig 'em!