Associate Dean Invited to Lecture at NMSU

Dave Daley, associate dean and professor of agriculture at California State University, Chico, spent Feb. 23-25 in Las Cruces, New Mexico as the invited guest lecturer for the Gerald Thomas Endowed Chair lecture series at New Mexico State University.

Daley was asked to lecture on “Building Coalitions or Fighting the Enemy – Can We Do Both?”  Daley said his seminar focused on the changing perspective of agriculture and the need to broaden coalitions on issues rather than demonizing those who disagree. Meanwhile, Daley told the audience, they must recognize that there are some who would like to modify agricultural production systems so much that they become unrecognizable.

Daley said, “We had a very good dialogue about methods to build coalitions that allow for progressive change of agriculture, without destroying those currently involved as farmers and ranchers.”

In addition to his lecture, Daley also spoke to two graduate courses in ruminant nutrition and range ecology. In both classes he discussed the differences between California production and the arid Southwest.

“We focused on common issues that connect the different ecosystems as well as the contrasts, discussing a wide range of issues that impact animal and plant agriculture,” Daley said. “Land grant university programs and universities in general, tend to be focused on basic research and teaching, so a discussion of real-world issues was well received.”

After the lecture, Daley was recognized at a reception and had the opportunity to interact with NMSU faculty, staff and students.