Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources Bob Goodman addresses the Rutgers NJAES Board of Managers at the July 17 Listening Session
A Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Board of Managers Listening Session was hosted by NJAES, the NJAES Board of Managers (BOM), the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture and the New Jersey Farm Bureau at the Rutgers EcoComplex in Bordentown on July 17. The BOM is an advisory body to the Executive Director of NJAES comprised of members represent each New Jersey each county and appointed by Rutgers Board of Governors. The current board members primarily represent commercial agriculture.
The session addressed the engagement of all NJAES stakeholders in the future make-up of the BOM. The six areas of the NJAES mission are: commercial agriculture; environment and natural resources; fisheries and aquaculture; food, nutrition, and health; home and garden; and youth, community and economic development.
At the session, representatives from private industry, as well as state and local organizations presented impacts of Extension programs on their operations, highlighting how essential the environmental and food safety services and the cost savings are to their companies. Youth development representatives spoke of Extension’s role in providing much-needed direction to youth and teens through 4-H and TEEM Gateway programs.
A representative from the BOM presented the findings of a survey of its membership that was conducted by the board to determine their roles in other Extension areas outside of agriculture. The results indicated that BOM members were active in other Extension mission areas beyond production agriculture.
