John Foltz said he has been preparing for his new position as the Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Initiatives for 25 years.
That”s how long he has been at the University of Idaho – first as faculty in the agricultural economics department, then associate dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences for nine years and finally interim dean of the college for three years.
When Michael Parella assumes his position as the permanent CALS dean Feb. 1, Foltz will transition directly into his new role.
“It”s very encouraging for me personally that (UI President Chuck Staben) is so supportive of agriculture,” Foltz said.
Foltz said agriculture is a huge part of not only Idaho”s culture, but also its economy. He said Idaho is the third largest producer of cheese in the U.S., and both crop and livestock-based agriculture make up roughly 25 percent of the state”s economy.
Staben said as the state”s land-grant university it is important for UI to stay connected to the state”s agricultural base.
“We are the major agricultural training and research center for Idaho,” Staben said. “We run extension throughout Idaho in every county, so we really are one of the major players in Idaho, and certainly the major academic training player.”
Foltz said one of the first initiatives he plans to address is a dairy research center in southern Idaho, which he said has been in the works for over a decade.
Foltz said the Idaho legislature gave the university $25 million to research dairy 10 years ago, but when UI couldn”t come up with donations to fully fund the project, the funding was withdrawn.”But the need of dairy producers hasn”t gone away,” Foltz said.
“The dairy industry continues to grow. It”s become a part of our state”s economy.”
Foltz said he intends to explore different funding options, such as finding a partner with similar research interests. He estimated that today the same project will cost closer to $30 million, but he said he feels optimistic.
“There are positive vibes coming out of it,” Foltz said.
Mark McGuire, director of the UI Agricultural Experiment Station, said he has high hopes Foltz will have a strong positive impact on connecting the university to state agriculture.
“Ultimately what we want to do is help (state agricultural communities) address issues leading them through science, research, outreach and the training of the next generation of ag professionals,” McGuire said. “It”s great the president has identified the need for someone to head up large initiatives and important agricultural issues in the state.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @itshannah7