LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture teamed with the Arkansas National Guard to train a Guard Agricultural Development Team in advance of a year-long mission to help Afghanistan rebuild its farms and economy after decades of conflict.

The training, Nov. 30-Dec. 4 at the Cooperative Extension Service headquarters in Little Rock, offered technical updates to Agricultural Development Team, or ADT, on grain, livestock, vegetable and fruit production; irrigation and water conservation; food processing and food safety; and small-scale power generation.

“This is a unique opportunity for our faculty to not only extend its expertise to a nation that is recovering from a long period of conflict, but also contribute to rebuilding a nation,” said Dr. C. Michael French, assistant vice president for special programs. “Arkansans have come to rely on the research and education from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and we are honored to be able to bring that knowledge to others.

“We are pleased to be invited partners with Col. Steve Redman and the Arkansas National Guard,” French said.

Arkansas is one of 10 states fielding ADTs, along with California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Members for Arkansas’s first ADT were drawn from units across the state and from both the Army and Air National Guard.

U of A Division of Agriculture faculty members providing the courses are: Dr. Tom Troxel, professor/associate department head-animal science; Steve Jones, associate professor - animal science; Jack Boles, Newton County extension staff chair; Dr. Craig Andersen, extension horticulture specialist; Dr. Nathan Slaton, professor/crop, soils and environmental science; Dr. Samy Sadaka, assistant professor/extension engineer; Dr. Jason Kelly, associate professor/wheat and feed grains agronomist; Dr. Denise Brochetti, assistant professor-nutrition; Dr. Steve Seideman, professor/extension food processing specialist; Dr. Elena Garcia, professor/extension horticulture specialist-fruit; Dr.Dustan Clark, professor/extension poultry health veterinarian; Dr. Susan Watkins, professor/extension poultry specialist; Dr. Nick Anthony, professorpoultry science and Scharidi Barber, program associate-poultry.

News, Pages 10 on 12/09/2009