Texas A&M AgriLife

Today, we proudly celebrate National Ag Day. Commissioner Sid Miller knows just how important this day is—not just for our farmers and ranchers, but for every Texan. Agriculture is the backbone of our state and our nation, powered by the hardworking men and women who put in long hours, weekends, and holidays to feed, clothe, and fuel the world. Here’s to the producers we know and love—and to an industry that means everything to us Texas Agriculture Matters #TexasAgricultureMatters #AgDay #Agriculture #Celebrate

Agriculture impacts every part of our lives, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. On National Ag Day, we recognize the dedication of those who make it possible. This year’s theme, "Growing Together," reflects Texas A&M AgriLife’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and sustainability. Guided by our land-grant heritage, we work across disciplines to strengthen agriculture in Texas and beyond. Happy National Ag Day! Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service | Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL) | Texas A&M Forest Service | Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dr. Julie Piccione is a veterinary clinical pathologist who is Assistant Agency Director for Clinical Pathology at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL). She earned her DVM from the University of Florida and completed her residency and master’s degree at Texas A&M University. Dr. Piccione is interested in laboratory management, endocrinology, digital microscopy and tick-borne relapsing fever. She enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband (who is also a veterinarian), their two young children and three cats. In her free time, she loves doing Zumba and relaxing. -- The LEAD AgriLife program was created to develop the collective strength of faculty and staff across the organizations under Texas A&M AgriLife. The bridges created will lead to more research, programs and projects that are multi-department. Learn more at tx.ag/LEAD2425

Jamie Norgaard is a 2002 graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Agricultural Development. After graduation, she worked in retail management for eight years before starting her new journey in the Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications. Jamie worked her way up as a staff member for over nine years in ALEC before moving to the Dean’s Office in 2019. Since 2019, Jamie has assisted all of the Associate/Assistant Dean’s at some point in time. -- The LEAD AgriLife program was created to develop the collective strength of faculty and staff across the organizations under Texas A&M AgriLife. The bridges created will lead to more research, programs and projects that are multi-department. Learn more at tx.ag/LEAD2425

The Hatch Act of 1887 laid the foundation for agricultural innovation by funding land-grant colleges like Texas A&M University to establish experiment stations. This milestone led to the creation of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, driving discoveries that continue to shape agriculture and the life sciences today! Happy Birthday, AgriLife Research! ??

Dr. Chad Nelson is an instructional associate professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He transitioned to the Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications in the fall of 2022. With a background in managing non-profit youth camps, he focuses on undergraduate and graduate youth development courses. Dr. Nelson, a proud father of two and husband, previously served as a faculty member in the physical education and recreation departments before his current role in ALEC. -- The LEAD AgriLife program was created to develop the collective strength of faculty and staff across the organizations under Texas A&M AgriLife. The bridges created will lead to more research, programs and projects that are multi-department. Learn more at tx.ag/LEAD2425

Srini Ale is a Professor and Agrohydrologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon. He is an agricultural engineer by training and obtained his Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has extensive experience in hydrologic, ecosystem and crop modeling over three decades in the USA, India and the Netherlands. He has chaired/co-chaired 15 graduate student committees and supervised 10 postdocs. He has secured $16.8M in grant funding as principle investigator/co-principle investigator, published 103 journal articles and delivered 184 conference presentations and 33 invited talks. -- The LEAD AgriLife program was created to develop the collective strength of faculty and staff across the organizations under Texas A&M AgriLife. The bridges created will lead to more research, programs and projects that are multi-department. Learn more at tx.ag/LEAD2425

The latest Texas Land Trends report from the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute reveals significant changes in the state's agricultural landscape over the past 25 years. Drawing from extensive sources—including the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, independent school district land value and land use data, and the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Census of Agriculture—the report comprehensively examines how Texas' working lands are evolving. Take a look here: tx.ag/TXLandTrends25

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has honored seven Texas A&M AgriLife professionals for their exceptional contributions to the people of Texas. The 2023-2024 Regents Fellow Service Award recipients include: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: - Dan Hale, associate director for agriculture and natural resources and meat specialist within the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science. - Jana Osbourn, regional program leader for family and community health in the South Region. Texas A&M AgriLife Research: - Daniel Leskovar, director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers at Dallas and Uvalde, and professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Horticultural Sciences. Texas A&M Forest Service: - Travis Zamzow, chief financial officer and associate director. - Joel Hambright, regional operations chief. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL): - Jordan Brod, operations program director. Additionally, William Murphy, a faculty member in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and the James E. Womack University Professor of Genetics, is the new director for the Center for Comparative Genomics, was recognized as a Regents Professor. These honors reflect the dedication and impact of Texas A&M AgriLife professionals and exemplify their excellence in their fields. Please help us in congratulating them on the much-deserved recognition! Continue reading about these outstanding professionals at tx.ag/RegentsHonors25

By integrating artificial intelligence, this tool developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and IBM is helping researchers and producers make smarter, data-driven decisions to improve water efficiency, soil health and overall agricultural sustainability!