The leader of Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Dean William Brown, presented a status report detailing the stunning growth of the college and the positive scope of its current research efforts to the Texas Farm Bureau's Board of Directors on Tuesday (Feb. 25) in Waco, Texas.

During the session Brown outlined is the college's decade-long enrollment growth trend with 2,572 students signing up for classes signing up to classes last fall (2,174 undergraduates/398 graduate students). A positive job market, coupled with continued increase in people moving to Texas, resulting in the growth of graduating high-school students has signaled an environment for continued growth in CASNR students into the future, he reported.

In addition, he detailed the launch of CASNR's newest scientific team - the Center for Functional Genomic of Abiotic Stress. Led by Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella, the high-profile research group will examine how plants adapt to thrive in the presence of environmental stresses such as extreme heat and cold, drought and in the presence of brackish water sources.

Herrera-Estrella's arrival at Texas Tech last year was made possible by a $5 million grant from the State of Texas Governor's University Research Initiative and matched by the university to bring the best and brightest researchers to Texas.

Some members of the board on hand for the meeting were Texas Tech graduates, and in several cases CASNR alums. Among those were Director Whit Weems (2011 EDD, Agricultural Education); Walt Hagood, State Director, District 2; Sam Snyder (1975 BS, Animal Business) State Director, District 7; Val Stephens (1976 BBA, Rawls College of Business) Secretary-Treasurer, District 6; Pat McDowell (1982 BS, Agricultural Economics) State Director, District 1; Stephanie McMullen (1989 BA, Arts and Sciences) Corporate Secretary/Counsel; and Gary Joiner (1986 BA, Media & Communication) Director of Communications.

Established in 1933, the Texas Farm Bureau is one of the state's largest farm organizations. It represents the interests of agricultural producers and rural communities for its 500,000 member-families. According to program officials, the bureau supports farmers and ranchers, and advocates for a safe and affordable American food supply, in addition to creating and shaping the organization's position on policy.

Texas is a high-production agriculture state. It leads the nation in cattle, cotton, sheep and wool, goats and mohair and hay production. In addition, it has the most farms and ranches and the highest value of farm real estate in the United States. Texas agriculture yields some $24 billion annually in cash receipts with its most profitable commodities being cattle, poultry, eggs, cotton and cottonseed, dairy, grains, oilseeds and dry beans, nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and hay.

CONTACT: William Brown, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or william.f.brown@ttu.edu

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