Statement by Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau and Jeff Kirby,
Friday, May 21st, 2010
New York Farm Bureau, the state's largest family farm organization, welcomes Dr. Kathryn Boor to her new position as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Dr. Boor will be appointed for a five year term on June 30th, 2010 to lead one of the most prestigious agricultural and life sciences colleges in the world.
Dean Norton, President of New York Farm Bureau, said, "Our farmer members could not be more pleased that Dr. Boor's tremendous talents will be put to work in a new direction, that of leading the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences through a very challenging time. At no time have we seen such a confluence of events that will shape the future of the College for generations of students and alumni. From the difficult fiscal environment, the challenging farm economy, and the overarching need to ensure that students are educated to become the next generation of farmers and food entrepreneurs, it's clear that now is the time for continued solid and inspirational leadership at the College."
Jeff Kirby, Executive Director of New York Farm Bureau, said, "Dr. Boor comes to the Deanship with a very strong knowledge of both agriculture and New York State policy. Her family has a long established dairy farm in Central New York, and she has excellent relationships and knowledge of our farming community which will be invaluable to her as she leads the College forward. The general public is now much more interested in farming and food policy, the importance of nutrition and life sciences, and in buying locally, which is great for our farmers. However, state and federal resources for higher education and cutting edge research and extension are less available, and Dr. Boor's agricultural background and knowledge will be real assets in advocating for and advancing the College's land grant mission."
Dean Norton continued, "The direction of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is critical to our family farms, as the College is one of the main reasons why family farms are able to be competitive in New York's high cost environment. NYFB welcomes the opportunity to work with Dr. Boor in the months and years to come, and looks forward to her continuing to involve stakeholders to maintain Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as a preeminent leader in the field of educating students and providing cutting-edge research for agriculture and life sciences."
New York Farm Bureau also wishes to extend our deepest appreciation and thanks for Dr. Susan Henry, the outgoing Dean, who is retiring this year. Dr. Henry's guidance, passion for agriculture, and hard work will leave a lasting and indelible impression on the livelihoods of farm families throughout the state and I wish to extend all of our appreciation for her efforts, continued Norton.
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New York Farm Bureau is the statewide lobbying/trade organization that represents thousands of member families. Its members and the public know the organization as "The Voice of New York Agriculture." New York Farm Bureau is dedicated to solving the economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural community.
