Vern Anderson, Ph.D., P.A.S. (Professional Animal Scientist)

Emeritus Animal Scientist, Carrington Research Extension Center, and Adjunct Professor, Animal Science Department, North Dakota State University

Education
BS (1970) and MS (1979), South Dakota State University
Ph.D., North Dakota State University, 2000.  Animal Science with specialty in Ruminant Nutrition

During a 35 year career at NDSU in beef cattle research and outreach, Vern worked with beef cows and feedlot cattle, focusing on nutrition and animal stewardship, with emphasis on feeds and feeding.  Additional studies addressed beef production systems, mitigating winter weather effects, and crop-livestock integration.  His feedlot research focused on grains, co-products and crop residues produced in the temperate regions, all of which are useful for feedlot cattle during growing and finishing phases.  Vern coordinated research collaboration on environmental studies, meats evaluation, and economics.  He has also researched bison nutrition and feedlot management in purpose built facilities at NDSU Carrington. Several new livestock facilities were developed under Vern’s direction.  In addition to domestic research and education, Vern has traveled internationally to lecture on beef production, feeds, animal care and management and has been involved in livestock enterprise development around the world. He has authored numerous research reports and extension circulars as well as presented many talks to beef and bison producers around the world.   Retired from NDSU as an emeritus animal scientist, Vern has been appointed as an adjunct professor and consults on an array of beef and bison issues individually and with colleagues as Dakota Global Livestock Solutions, LLC.

Dan Eckert

Graduate in Architectural Design. Self-employed for 45 years in agriculture receiving awards as Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year and ND Polled Hereford Man of the Year. Retired. Developed and part owner of Cattleana Corporation. A research and development international livestock program addressing “Conception to Consumption.” Our company was one of the first to develop “Pre Cook Microwaveable” beef products. Genetics which produced 900 lb weaning calves in early 90’s. Mr. Eckert was directly involved in designing livestock facilities for beef, sheep and dairy internationally. These facilities were designed to feed by-products and waste used for producing energy. Most of our efforts were focused on third world and developing countries. Mr. Eckert traveled and efforts were in Southeast Asia.

Timothy C. Faller,  Assistant Director NDSU Agricultural Experiment Station

MS in Animal Science and served as Director of the NDSU Research Extension Center at Hettinger for thirty eight years prior to retiring and from that job and becoming half time Assistant Director of the NDSU Experiment Station. His office is located at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory at Mandan, North Dakota.

He has served as co-leader of one Cochran project within the last year after joining the MACI one year ago. His current responsibilities include fostering collaborative relationships between NDSU and the Laboratory and proving administrative support to the North Dakota out state Research Extension Centers. He manages an agricultural equipment procurement program for all departments of NDSU.  Special emphasis is given to bio-mass energy production and attracting new grant funded scientists to the location to research biomass production from field to fuel.  He has lead or co-led development of a number of multi-year, multi-discipline agricultural investigations in the past.

Tim and his wife Kathy live north of Bismarck and they have three children two of which reside in North Dakota and one in Wisconsin. Tim enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, and old vehicles.

Duane D. Hauck - MS in Agricultural Systems Management

Currently, Emeritus Director, NDSU Extension Service.

Mr. Hauck served 35 years with the NDSU Extension Service where he held various positions including County Agricultural Agent, State Agricultural Engineering Extension Specialist, District Director, Agriculture Program Leader and State Director. While State Director, he was responsible for providing leadership to the NDSU Extension Service in educational program direction and budget management of a $42,000,000 biennial budget. He also was responsible for working with the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, county, district and state advisory groups, the North Dakota State Soil Conservation Committee, NDSU administrators, department heads, faculty and staff to identify program needs and budget priorities. Mr. Hauck also worked with county commissioners and state legislators on Extension funding needs and he collaborated with North Central Region state Extension directors on federal funding needs. As County Extension Agent, he was responsible for organizing, implementing and evaluating educational programs in cropping systems, livestock, farm management and 4-H youth development. He has served as project leader for several Cochran programs with special emphasis on Agriculture Extension Service design and implementation.

Russell B. Johnson

Mr. Johnson is a semi-retired professional from the from the financial and estate planning industry.  He is a past president of both the Red River Valley Estate Planning Council and the Fargo Dome Authority.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Red River Valley Fair Association.  A native of Watford City, ND, Russ was raised on a livestock and small grains farm in rural McKenzie County.  Russ graduated from NDSU in 1969 with a degree in Animal Science.  He is a Vietnam Veteran.  In 2008 Russ formed SaLeKa Ag Services, an independent seed dealership serving farmers and ranchers in eastern North Dakota.  Russ is an avid outdoorsman and a Life Member of Pheasants Forever, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the NRA and the ND Bowhunters Association.  He and his wife Sandy own a hobby farm southwest of Fargo in the Sheyenne River Valley where they do a small-scale rotation of corn, soybeans and grain sorghum.  Russ and Sandy live in West Fargo, ND and are the parents of two adult daughters.

James E. Jost – Bachelor of Science in Soils from North Dakota State University

He was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 36 years. He held various positions including Soil Scientist with the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), County Executive Director with Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Agricultural Program Specialist with Farm Service Agency (FSA). He was responsible for administering most U.S. farm programs in North Dakota during his career. During the last 17 years of his career with USDA, he was the Chief Agricultural Program Specialist for conservation and livestock programs for the North Dakota State FSA Office. He helped develop national and State policies for the Conservation Reserve Program which resulted in North Dakota having the second highest CRP acreage among States at one time. He has worked closely with various wildlife, agricultural groups and tribal governments throughout his career. He has conducted training on farm programs for government employees and the public and wrote numerous articles and informational materials to explain farm programs to the public. He is currently a mediator for the North Dakota Mediation Service.

Dr. Ron Larson

Dr. Ron Larson grew up in rural Minnesota and earned graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota, Stanford, and Purdue. He worked as a marketing research at Kellogg’s and Oscar Mayer. As an extension-teaching faculty member at N.C. State, he assisted many agribusiness organizations and taught economics and agribusiness management. More recently, he taught courses at Western Michigan University on food marketing, sales promotion, and marketing research topics. His expertise includes developing and marketing food products, constructing and analyzing surveys, developing pricing strategies, and building promotion plans that mesh with the food system.

H Roald Lund - PhD Plant Genetics

H.R. Lund is a Professor Emeritus of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University with expertise in genetics and plant breeding of HRS wheat, durum, oats, corn and potatoes. He was also active in teaching courses in crop production and genetics and he was active in Agricultural Administration at NDSU for 25 years. He led efforts to raise state, federal, and private funds to construct over $40,000,000 of new agricultural research facilities on the NDSU campus. He actively recruited and hired faculty and staff for agricultural teaching and research increasing faculty FTE from 87 to over 134 during the period 1979-1994. H.R. Lund was also responsible for securing funding for a research budget that grew from $2.7 million to $21 million annually in a 15-year period up to 1994. He was advisor to over 25 undergraduates per year and is listed in 1994 Who’s Who in America. He serves on many boards including: Gate City Savings Bank – Fargo ND; ND Rural Rehabilitation Corp. – Bismarck ND; Amity Technology LLC – Fargo ND; ND Livestock Endowment Fund – Fargo ND; Northern Great Plains Botanic Garden Society – Fargo ND; and Pelican Group of Lakes Improvement District – Pelican Rapids MN. H.R. has led several Cochran teams interested in crop improvement, and soil management, mined land reclamation and has presented lectures on crop genetics. In more recent years he and his wife, Janet, have opened their Minnesota Lake home to the Cochran guests on the weekend that we share. These home visits are very well received by guests and often lead to e-mail visits over the years.

Travis Maddock, Ph.D.

Mr. Maddock owns and operates Dakota Global, a food and feed system consulting company. Dr. Maddock specializes in the areas of food safety, regulatory food and feed systems, food and feed nutrition, and process verification programs. Business activities include supporting small business regulatory and customer compliance, due diligence of existing programs, and business development. Dr. Maddock is a certified train-the-trainer in HACCP and HARPC systems. Additionally, Dr. Maddock is a certified animal welfare auditor and consultant.

In addition to Dr. Maddock’s service activities, he is the planning and marketing partner for Angle M Cattle Company, a large, family-owned, beef-cattle ranch located in north-central North Dakota which has been recognized multiple times by state and industry organizations as exceptional for its conservation practices and operational management of natural resources.

Dr. Maddock earned his baccalaureate degrees in Animal Science and Education from North Dakota State University, a M.S. in Meat Science from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition from North Dakota State University. Dr. Maddock also served as a post-doctoral research fellow with the University of Florida, studying the economics and biology of nutritional efficiency in beef cattle systems. Dr. Maddock’s professional affiliations include the American Society of Animal Science, American Meat Science Association, and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

Iven Ose – MS in Agricultural Economics

Mr. Ose is an international consultant specializing in the areas of rural and micro finance and sustainable business-based cooperative development. His early career included serving regional and local cooperatives while with the St. Paul Bank for Cooperatives, one of the twelve regional banks that serviced agricultural cooperatives throughout the USA (these are now merged into CoBank in Denver, Colorado). His overseas work included the establishment and strengthening of microfinance institutions that provided credit to farmers, small-scale manufacturers and small traders. It also included development of rural cooperatives to provide marketing and farm input supply to rural stakeholders. Mr. Ose has spent approximately 20 years in overseas development in long and short term assignments in a total of 20 countries in Africa, South America and Asia. The thrust of Mr. Ose’s work is the promotion of agribusiness, cooperative and microfinance institution sustainability.

Dr. Al Schneiter - PhD Crop Production and Physiology

He is the retired Chairman of the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University. Prior to becoming department chair he managed the NDSU experiment research crop land at several sites. He has conducted research in numerous crops that was directed to address producer production problem. He also taught a class in crop production and served as advisor to 26 national and international M.S. and PhD students. Dr. Schneiter has traveled nationally and internationally to consult and attend scientific meetings. He has been involved in several Cochran programs. ‬

Dr. Jim Tilton - PhD in Animal Science and Reproductive Biology

He was a NDSU faculty member for 38 years serving as Interim-Chair from 1992-1994 and 2000-2002. During his faculty time, he conducted research related to swine reproduction resulting in the publication of 105 referred papers. He taught Reproductive Biology 65 times plus teaching at various intervals Endocrinology, Swine Production and Senior Seminar. Dr. Tilton has presented scientific information in 20 different countries at various times. Dr. Tilton has coordinated approximately 35-40 Cochran programs during the last 25 years as a member of MACI.‬

Larry White

Larry White is owner of LL-International an international consulting and marketing company that is marketing specialty crops around the globe. Prior to starting his own business he was the International Agribusiness Manager at the North Dakota Trade Office. He also served prior to that as the Marketing Director for the Northern Pulse Growers organization. He also marketed value-added food and feed for Paulson Premium Seed of Bowman, ND. Larry has over 15 years of marketing value-added agriculture around the globe. At the North Dakota Trade office he was instrumental in establishing the beef develop program and help write their animal health protocol for the country of Kazakhstan. Larry has worked in many developing countries to help improve their livestock and agricultural conditions. He worked in Ethiopia with the USDA Farmer to Farmer program to help local farmers with value–added agriculture. His strategies include developing market research, international trade missions and producer to buyer education initiatives. Larry’s background in North Dakota agriculture includes raising purebred cattle and producing over 15 different crops. Larry is a graduate of North Dakota State University, College of Agriculture.

Dale Zetocha – MS in Agricultural Economics

Mr. Zetocha received both his M.S. in Agricultural Economics and B.S. in Business Economics from North Dakota State University.  He retired after nearly 38 years with NDSU where he held various positions including Director of Technology Transfer and Executive Director of the NDSU Research Foundation (an affiliated non-profit); Business Management Specialist with the NDSU Institute of Business and Industry Development (including as Director of the Small Business Institute at NDSU); Small Business Management Specialist with the NDSU Extension Service; Research Associate with the Department of Agricultural Economics.  Prior to his NDSU career, he spent nearly 2 ½ years with the Federal land Bank of Fargo (farm real estate loans).  As Director of the NDSU Research Foundation (NDSURF) and NDSU Technology Transfer Office for the 22 years prior to retirement, he handled all university intellectual property (IP) stemming from research at NDSU.  This involved evaluating inventions for patent and other IP feasibility and market feasibility, intellectual property protection such as plant variety protection (PVP), patents, trademark of names of woody plant releases, negotiating various internal and external research and IP related agreements with NDSU and the NDSURF, and licensing IP through the NDSURF to industry, including taking equity with start-up companies.  Through the NDSURF, he ran one of the most successful small technology transfer offices in the USA, especially in regard crop variety licensing and revenue generation from licensing.