CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/03/19

Centennial celebration a time of reflection, looking forward for UGA-Tifton

By Clint Thompson

For 100 years, the University of Georgia Tifton campus has been committed to agricultural research that benefits the state of Georgia and the world. As the campus turns the page to its next century, UGA-Tifton is focused on cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders who will help feed and clothe a growing population.

On Friday, May 3, UGA-Tifton held a centennial celebration that was as much a time of hope and excitement for the future as it was a day of reflection on past accomplishments.

“Agriculture is Georgia’s No. 1 industry, and the UGA Tifton campus has played a vital role in helping our farmers build this industry and sustain its success,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I am confident that the positive impact of our faculty, staff and students at UGA-Tifton will be even greater over the next 100 years.”

A glimpse of that future was provided by a research poster competition representing the work being done by undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at UGA-Tifton. Students shared individual projects and met with UGA administrators and industry leaders.

“Since the first class of students graduated from UGA-Tifton in 2004, we have seen some of the brightest scholars in the region grow and explore the science of agriculture on our Tifton campus,” said CAES Dean Sam Pardue. “These students have a tremendous opportunity to earn a UGA degree close to home while working alongside some of the very best agricultural scientists in the world. After seeing their presentations, we are all assured that the future of the industry is in good hands.”

Pardue spoke about his vision for the future, which includes the continued success of the campus in helping to maintain agriculture as the top industry in Georgia.

“Cutting-edge science has been our tradition in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for more than a century. Our scientists are ready to lead the way to the great discoveries ahead,” Pardue said.

“We will move forward from the days of creating the first mechanical peanut combine to developing new precision agriculture tools, such as robotic technology that can harvest a whole host of crops. We will use what we have learned from generations of irrigation research to ensure that we have the technology at our fingertips to conserve and protect our essential water resources in the future while improving crop productivity. We will explore vast opportunities in the newest areas of agricultural science, including the role of the microbiome, genetics and genomics, controlled-environment farming and other new technologies that will make us better scientists, better teachers and better stewards of agriculture,” Pardue added.

Originally known as the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, UGA-Tifton has been home to world-renowned scientists such as National Medal of Science award winner Glenn Burton; peanut scientist Frank McGill, whose package approach to peanut production increased peanut yields in Georgia; turfgrass pioneer Wayne Hanna, who produced cultivars that are grown throughout the world; and peanut researcher Peggy Ozias-Akins, who helped map the peanut genome.

“This day of celebration is an opportunity to look in the rearview mirror and see what’s happened on our campus, but as scientists, we always have to be looking forward,” said UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West. “May 3 is not an end; it really is a beginning.”

The day’s festivities also included the dedication of the Centennial Garden, a two-acre re-creation of a garden that existed in an earlier era. Located behind the Tift Building in the center of campus, the garden contains 100% UGA-generated genetic plant releases.

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, UGA-Tifton is host to more than 400 employees, including scientists focused on various research projects dealing with crops, insects and plant diseases. The campus covers more than 5,000 acres in south Georgia. UGA-Tifton research projects also are conducted on farms and at research and education centers throughout the state in Attapulgus, Camilla, Midville and Plains.

To read the Georgia Groundbreakers profile on Glenn Burton, see https://news.uga.edu/glenn-burton-a-leader-of-the-green-revolution/.

Clint Thompson is an agriculture writer based in Tifton, Georgia.

Authors:
Clint Thompson
Experts/Sources:
Joe W. West
Samuel L. Pardue
A group photo of the speakers at the UGA-Tifton centennial celebration included, from left: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Scott Angle, UGA CAES Dean Sam Pardue, UGA President Jere Morehead, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) and USDA Southeast Area Director Archie Tucker. UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West displays the campus' new centennial book, which documents the last 100 years of agricultural research and impact. UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West shakes hands with Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) as he gets ready to speak during the centennial celebration. UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West poses for a picture with Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) during the campus' centennial celebration on May 3, 2019.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry 10/10/24 Claire Sanders Kinnard, Matthew Agvent
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion.
Some of the University of Georgia's extended campuses saw damage from Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy of Adam Fouche) CAES News
Relief efforts continue after Hurricane Helene 10/04/24
The University of Georgia community has rallied in the wake of Hurricane Helene, coming together to address damage done to campus facilities while also lending a helping hand to friends and neighbors hit hardest by the storm. While UGA’s main campus weathered the storm with relatively minor damage, the same could not be said for the Tifton campus, where heavy rains and high winds brought down trees and power lines, leaving the campus and surrounding area without power.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.
Yangxuan Liu, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics, reflects on her journey from medicine to agricultural economics. Her work supports farmers across Georgia while also empowering residents in her local community of Tifton. CAES News
CAES economist recognized as emerging leader for work supporting farmers 09/09/24 Claire Sanders Kinnard
For Yangxuan Liu, her career as an associate professor of agricultural and applied economics feels like equal parts coincidence and fate. “I was initially involved in agriculture because of my family farm in China. During breaks from school as a child, I would go visit my grandparents and work in their fields where they grow corn, wheat, cotton and other crops. This really gave me respect for the value of working the ground,” Liu said.
Nino Brown stands in front of a peanut field holding up a red net bag of harvested peanuts above his head as he speaks to participants in the Georgia Peanut Tour in 2022. CAES News
CAES experts study oil production to boost Georgia’s peanut power 09/05/24 Maria M. Lameiras
A new study by experts in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is seeking to increase the value of Georgia’s peanut crops for new markets while reducing losses caused by aflatoxin, a consistent threat to the No. 1 peanut-producing state in the United States. The four-year, $490,000 grant will take a systems-based approach toward developing high-oil peanut varieties bred to withstand the unique climate and pest pressures of the Southeast.
Recent rankings from Forbes and The Princeton Review demonstrate continued excellence. CAES News
UGA ranks among best universities in the nation 08/30/24
The University of Georgia continues to solidify its position among the nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education. “The University of Georgia’s impressive rankings by a host of national publications reflect the tremendous talent and hard work of our exceptional faculty, staff and students,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “While individual rankings can fluctuate from year to year, UGA’s consistently strong performance across a wide range of criteria speaks to our position among the nation’s leading universities.”