TCGA Expands Its Member Services Representative Staff
Editor’s Note: Julia New has joined the staff at the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association. Below, she tells everyone about her background and her current position at TCGA:
As most of you may know, there is a fairly new face here at the TCGA office. If we haven’t already met, my name is Julia New, and I have the honor of being TCGA’s newest Member Services Representative. After my internship with TCGA, I knew I wanted to work full time in cotton, and I am beyond excited that my first step into the industry is with this association.
I am a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a major in agribusiness and a minor in agricultural systems management. As a sixth-generation Texan, I was raised with an appreciation for agriculture and a passion for protecting the farmer. Although I grew up in the city, I made every effort in FFA to fully immerse myself in the industry.
I was raised in Houston by my parents, Allison and Gregory. Their recent endeavors include working on our new property in Snook, while my older brother, Bennet, is coaching football at Austin College. In my free time, I have a photography business that keeps me busy most weekends. I also enjoy painting and designing to be creative in any way I can, which should explain why some pages on the website have been revamped recently.
Other than redesigning the website, my first few orders of business have included working on the TCGA Gin Show site and helping prepare the flyers and other material for this exciting event. The rest of my position is dedicated to helping TCGA do a better job of communicating with our members and increasing efficiency with communication. This includes automating internal processes as well as creating more efficient ways for our members to utilize their resources within our website.
I am looking forward to seeing you all soon in Lubbock for the TCGA Gin Show! Until then, if you have any questions or would just like to introduce yourself, my email is julia@tcga.org and my phone number is 512-615-1101. I am very excited to be a resource for our members and look forward to getting to know you all.
Brown Named 2024 Cotton Reseacher Of The Year
Steve M. Brown, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System cotton agronomist, was named 2024 Cotton Researcher of the Year at the 27th Annual Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference in Arkansas.
Brown is a 1978 Auburn University graduate who earned his Ph.D. in agronomy and weed science from Texas A&M University in 1986. After serving in various industry and Extension roles, Brown returned to Auburn in 2019 as the Extension cotton agronomist.
His role at Auburn is critical to the evaluation of cotton seed quality, seeding rates, planting patterns and other cotton-related issues. Brown oversees numerous on-farm trials and spends much of his time assisting producers in their fields.
Brown said it is an honor to be nominated for such an award.
“While I’ve been involved in some novel research projects, including some that were actually conceived and initiated by others, I’ve enjoyed exploring ways to improve production efficiency on the farm,” Brown said. “Even more, I’ve relished my role as an Extension scientist whose job it was to take research-based information and apply it to issues and questions generated in the field, farm, shop, ag dealership and gin.”
Alabama Extension Director Mike Phillips said Brown has had a long, productive career devoted to cotton production and managing the crop — including marketing once it’s ginned.
“Dr. Brown has provided outstanding leadership in advancing the knowledge of cotton and is highly respected by many — nationally and internationally,” Phillips said. “Most importantly, he has always had the incredible ability to communicate at the level of his audience, a personal characteristic and gift possessed by that of an outstanding agricultural educator.”
Apply For Project CENTRL Class 33 By March 15
If you look through the Arizona Farm Bureau family from county board volunteers to the staff team and members in elected offices, several have walked along the leadership path known as Project CENTRL — an Arizona rural leadership program.
Now is the time to encourage the next generation to apply for Project CENTRL’s Class 33 by March 15.
Current Arizona Farm Bureau member, Kirk Dunn — Project CENTRL Class 32 — is a part of the Arizona Center for Rural Leadership’s flagship program. He helps others without a background in production agriculture learn about precision agriculture, entrepreneurship and natural resource stewardship done by farming and ranching families.
Project CENTRL is a competitively selected and tuition-free experiential-learning leadership development program for 16 people connected to rural Arizona. Over the course of nine seminars across Arizona, Washington, D.C. and Sonora, Mexico, participants build leadership skills, learn about issues facing rural Arizona and connect with leaders and experts.
As a public-private partnership between the non-profit center and the University of Arizona Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences and Cooperative Extension, participants and alumni are backed by organizations invested in and committed to rural Arizona.
If this program to benefit rural Arizona sounds interesting, consider applying for Class 33. All the details and application materials are found at www.centrl.org/apply.
You can connect with the organization in person during events open to all and learn more from the people in the program or some of the 700+ graduates since Class 1 in 1983. Calendar and complimentary registration are available at www.centrl.org/events.