Purdue Extension dairy management specialist Michael Schutz has been appointed director of Extension’s agriculture and natural resources programs in Indiana.
Schutz will oversee Purdue Extension programs in such areas as farm management and safety, livestock, crops, energy, youth in agriculture, environmental stewardship and wildlife.
The appointment, effective June 1, was announced Tuesday (May 27) by Purdue Extension Director Jason Henderson.
“Dr. Schutz has earned the respect of county Extension educators, campus specialists and Purdue partners through his dairy Extension programs,” Henderson said. “His collaborative leadership style will strengthen those relationships, which are essential to delivering world-class research-based education programming to build vibrant communities, strong families and profitable businesses on Main Street and at the farm gate.”
Schutz succeeds Jim Mintert, who is now director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture.
Schutz also is a professor of animal sciences at Purdue University and is associate head of the Department of Animal Sciences. His areas of expertise, in addition to dairy management, are in animal breeding and genetics.
Schutz has benefited the dairy industry by organizing individuals to provide leadership to the growing industry in Indiana, helping to improve milk quality, guiding dairy producers through major changes in economic conditions, engaging young people preparing for careers related to dairy, and improving the ability of dairy producers to select appropriate genetics for their herds.
Schutz received the Sharvelle Award as Purdue’s outstanding Extension specialist in 2008 and the Steven Atkisson Indiana Dairy Service Award in 2012. He was named a member of the Dairy Extension Executive Council for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
Source: Purdue Ag Communications