June 2023 issue

Greetings from the new Dean

For those who do not know, my name is Michael Orth and I started as the new Dean of CAFES on June 1. As I write this, I am in my first week and getting adjusted to life at UWRF. I thought I would give you a brief background on my academic journey as well as my excitement for this position. After attending the University of Iowa for my undergraduate degree, I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study nutrition and cancer. However, very early on I met Mark Cook, a professor in poultry science, who got me excited about the nutrition and health of broiler chickens. He was the one who sparked my interest in agriculture. After getting my Ph.D. in Nutritional Science and a 3-year postdoctoral research position, I joined the faculty in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. I started with a majority appointment in research with some teaching. My research focused on skeletal biology and health of livestock species. I really enjoyed research but realized that I wanted more interaction with students, so I modified my appointment to include more teaching and advising. Around that time I also had the opportunity to serve as the Associate Chair in the department. I realized then that administration was something I wanted to pursue. After a few years an opportunity arose to become the Department Chair of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University. The time at Texas Tech really crystallized my two primary passions, student development and academic leadership, with a focus in agriculture.

So why the Dean’s position here at UWRF? Let me give you two of several reasons. One, the college has a rich history of excellent undergraduate education programs. I have known many over the years who received their undergraduate degree in CAFES and have talked very highly of their time at UWRF, including one of my colleagues and great friends at Michigan State, Dr. Brian Nielsen. The opportunities for experiential learning via internships, teaching facilities and farms, competitive teams, and clubs is great for the students, especially when combined with great faculty and staff. Two, I appreciate research projects, such as the Humane Handling Institute led by Dr. Kurt Vogel, with a focus on training undergraduate students while addressing industry and societal needs. On a selfish note, the fact that the college has both dairy and meat processing plants is great since I really enjoy meat, cheese, and ice cream! I am looking forward to trying the great products from the newly renovated dairy plant.

This summer I will spend my time getting to know the faculty and staff in the college as well as navigating my way around the campus and farms. If you happen to be in River Falls please feel free to stop by and say hello. I do hope over this first year to visit many alumni and businesses in Wisconsin. Many great things are happening in CAFES and my goal will be to see that CAFES builds on its great tradition to be even more impactful in Wisconsin, the country, and the world.

Upcoming events where you can meet Mike!

CAFES Summer Picnic

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Join us at Ski Hi Fruit Farm in Baraboo for the alumni picnic. We'll have burgers, brats and sides along with Ski Hi pie for dessert. We'll gather starting at 4pm, with the meal about 5pm. Find out more and register! It's FREE. Note: the link to the landing page may say it is not secure but the registration page itself is fully secure, and no payment information is requested since the event is free!

World Dairy Expo Reception

Thursday, October 5, 2023

Join us for the annual alumni reception at World Dairy Expo from 5-7pm in the Waubesa Room in the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center.

International Travel - - -

It's Back

Over spring break, a group of students visited the Netherlands, which is internationally recognized for how they deal with natural hazards, particularly those related to climate change. They visited a floating farm in Rotterdam Harbor and Deltaworks, the system of dams, dikes, and other infrastructure that protects them from the ocean. They spent time in Almere, a city built on land reclaimed from the sea and enjoyed a bike tour of different development types in Amsterdam. The Cube Houses in Rotterdam provided a unique lodging experience!

Helping Students Meat Future Careers

Last fall with funding from the Meat Talent Development program in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), UWRF launched a program to help make high school students aware of the career opportunities in the meat industry. The High School Meat Science Curriculum Project is off and running. This spring 14 schools piloted the program with kits containing equipment, supplies, and classroom instructional materials, such as video recordings, laboratory guides, and quizzes. Kally Koch's ('12) class in the Riverdale School District was one of the pilot programs. The pilot schools are providing feedback which will be used to update the curriculum materials. The full curriculum packages will be available by late summer and free of charge to all Wisconsin schools. The application for the laboratory kits is still open, go to:

Meats lab kit grant application

Patterned Pastures

The new mural on the back wall of the Dairy Learning Center lobby was designed and painted by Ann E. Lawton, MS, ATR-BC. Ann is a 2008 alumnus, an artist, art therapist, and since 2011, an art educator at UW-River Falls.

“The methodology in art making and dairy farming (and agriculture in general) are more similar than one may think—both take focus, drive, dedication, labor, and collaboration to yield effective results in process and product,” said Ann. “Additionally, both industries are stereotyped and misunderstood, yet influence our everyday lives and choices.”

The mural from design to artist signature took a total of approximately 90 hours.

"While creating the mural was an exciting opportunity, it was the conversations and relationships with the faculty, staff, and students which made the labor and results a true success.”

UW-River Falls College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences | Website