CALS Agricultural Research Stations will honor two of its own staffers and two faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the ARS program at it’s annual Recognition Awards reception and dinner on Thursday, January 6.

This year’s award recipients include

• John Stier (Horticulture) – ARS Research Award
• David Kammel (Biological Systems Engineering) – ARS Service Award
• Judith Reith-Rozelle (West Madison ARS) – ARS Staff Award
• Richard Weidman (Peninsular ARS) – ARS Staff Award

John Stier conducts more than one-third of the approximately 80 studies underway at the O.J. Noer turfgrass facility. His research focuses on cold and shade stress tolerance of turfgrasses; pesticide and nutrient runoff; species, cultivar, and mixtures evaluations; weed management and growth regulation; and environmental issues in turf production and management. He has also be the prime mover in a number of station improvements, including: doubling the size of the Noer Facility from 13 to 26 acres; doubling the irrigated plot space; adding a new high-capacity well to triple irrigation capacity; installing weather monitoring equipment; improving service roads and building two new greenhouses.

David Kammel has provided invaluable effort and expertise in many upgrades of station facilities. His help was key to the successful design and construction of pesticide management facilities on several stations. With his guidance, station superintendents were able to act as general contractors. They’re not trained for that job, but with Kammel’s help, they did it well. Without that help, the facilities would have been prohibitively expensive and so might not have been built.

Judy Reith-Rozelle plays a key role in ensuring that all aspects of the West Madison station’s research and support missions are carried out efficiently, accurately and on time. She has been particularly successful in expanding the scope of the station’s research and demonstration gardens.  She has secured funding for garden research projects and internships and has worked with seed companies to obtain substantial donations of new seed lines.  She established a collaboration with the Dane County Master Gardeners that yields over 1,800 hours of volunteer service annually.  She has worked to make the station’s annual Horticulture Field Day one of the area’s premier garden events (it typically draws more than 1,400 participants), and helped develop the station’s Family Horticulture Day. She partners with many community and school groups and media outlets in a wide variety of community outreach efforts.

Richard Weidman has deep ties and a deep commitment to the Peninsular Research Station. He has served as superintendent for 30 years, but his involvement goes back even farther: He was picking fruit on the station long before he graduated from high school.  As a long-time veteran of the Agricultural Research Station program, he readily shares his expertise with others. He fosters a team approach at the station and ensures that everyone on that team gets due credit. He has provided leadership under difficult financial times to ensure the station continues to operate efficiently and maintains its showplace appearance. Some of his accomplishments include developing the state’s first trials for wine grapes and table grapes,  working with growers on the expansion of the stare’s wine industry, and working with Extension staff to develop IPM training for grape growers. Weidman has also expanded research in specialty grains on the station, developed new research in small fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, established a landscape Garden and worked with Door County Master Gardener to insure its continuation, and assumed responsibilities for Door and Kewaunee Extension horticultural services.