UT engineer scoops prestigious ASABE award

Sep 24, 2024
By Farms.com

Lori Duncan earns top honors for sustainable farming impact

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has recognized Lori Duncan, a specialist at the University of Tennessee, with the Larry W.

Turner Young Extension Professional Award. This honor acknowledges her exceptional contributions to the field of agricultural engineering, particularly her efforts to enhance sustainability in row crop production.

Duncan's role as a crop sustainability specialist involves leading cutting-edge research and promoting sustainable practices among row crop farmers. Her work focuses on the adoption of best management practices that not only preserve the environment but also boost farm profitability. Her research has led to significant advancements in precision farming technologies and sustainable crop management techniques.

Her contributions to agricultural sustainability include developing tools like the Field to Market Fieldprint Calculator and advocating for national sustainability programs.

Duncan's outreach extends through various platforms, ensuring that her research impacts a wide audience, from local farmers to national stakeholders.

As an active member of ASABE and a dedicated researcher and educator, Duncan's career is marked by her commitment to improving agricultural practices through engineering solutions.

This award from ASABE is a testament to her success in making sustainable agriculture a viable and profitable option for farmers across the United States.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.