Providing the forage and livestock industry with solutions that provide sustainability, food security, environmental stewardship, and economic viability and stability based on applied research that focuses on forage diversification, legume integration, nutrient management, grazing strategies, forage quality and utilization, and ecosystem services to improve meat, milk, and fiber production.

My forage program provides technology transfer to livestock producers using research-based information along with on-farm demonstrations, and educational programs focused on issues and needs related to grazing management, hay production, nutrient management, soil health, and regenerative grazing to enable them with informed decisions to develop sustainable and economic enterprises.

My international experience expands over 12 years developing forage and livestock production programs with USAID, the Farmer-to-Farmer Program, Partners of the Americas, SSARE, and the USDA-FAS in Nicaragua, Panama, Cost Rica, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, China, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. Working internationally helps producers in marginal areas to be responsive to changing demands and critical needs that help them compete in a global economy while sustaining environmental stewardship.

I am member of different professional organizations including the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC), the American Society of Agronomy (ASAS), Crop Science of America (CSA), Soil Science of America (SSA), the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), the National Association of Agricultural County Agents (NAACA). I have served as president of the National Forage Association and the NIRS Feed and Forage Testing Consortium. Currently, I served in the AFGC board of directors, Technical Editor for the journal of Forage, Crop, and Turf Management, and Technical Reviewer for USDA and SSARE competitive grant programs.

Experience working with integrated forage-livestock systems. I grew up on a cattle ranch and currently co-own Cole’s Ridge Farms with a focus on dairy goat production. We maintain a herd of Nubian and LaMancha dairy goats focused on milk to produce soft and aged cheeses. Our farm also participates in performance programs such as DHI and Linear Appraisal.