CALS Agricultural Research Stations will honor three individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the ARS program at its annual Recognition Awards reception and dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. Details about the reception and dinner event will be shared in a future eCALS newsletter.

This year’s award recipients include:

• Jason Cavadini (Marshfield Agricultural Research Station) – Staff Award
• Amanda Gevens (Plant Pathology) – Research Award
• Adam Roth (Agronomy) – Service Award

JASON CAVADINI – Staff award
Jason Cavadini, agronomist and assistant superintendent at Marshfield Agricultural Research Station, is the manager of crop production and agronomy research at MARS. Under his leadership, MARS has become a strong advocate for promoting soil health in central Wisconsin and beyond. Cavadini has explored strategies for successful farming in the heavy, poor draining soils in the area. Over the years he’s initiated or expanded no-till planting, managed grazing, cover crops, perennial grass forages, sustainable crop rotations, and deliberately placed pollinator gardens for the MARS farm. Cavadini has turned MARS’ field days into more casual, non-scripted walks. His template for field days allows the participant to be active, hands-on learners. Farmers and industry professionals walk the fields, stand among the cattle, get to know equipment, and offer their perspective and experience with the goal of learning not only from the experts, but from the successes and failures of others. He has obtained grants to purchase or update equipment including a new forage research harvester, new rainfall simulator, updated corn planter (with precision technology and functionality), and updated research plot drill (with precision technology). He holds leadership positions in agricultural organizations, has received various awards for his conservation work, co-authored scientific manuscripts and regularly share information via agricultural media.

AMANDA GEVENS – Research award
Amanda Gevens, chair, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology, runs a high-quality and prolific research program focused on disease development and management in potato and vegetable crops. A major focus of her program is late blight of potato and tomatoes. In Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, late blight reappeared in 2009 after a six-year hiatus. When that happened, Gevens engaged county extension personnel, crop consultants, regulators, and growers to educate them on late blight lineages – old and new – and how they would impact management. Her research group continues to provide rapid responses to growers on clonal lineages, describe fitness traits, host specificity, and the epidemic potential of lineages on both potato and tomato, and they test the sensitivity of strains to conventional and organic-approved fungicides. Recent work has focused on development of remote hyperspectral technology in detecting pre-symptomatic late blight in potato. She disseminates findings and recommendations through her website and social media, and her “STOP Late Blight Plant Share Program” distributes late blight-resistant tomato plants to gardeners, who report back on plant health and quality. Gevens also engaged and aided state lawmakers in drafting two bills – that were signed into law – to help control late blight in the state. In addition to late blight, Gevens’ comprehensive research program spans a large range of pathogens that attack vegetables and emerging specialty crops. Each year she shares results from fungicide trials aimed at identifying the most effective, environmentally sound, and economical treatments for numerous crop diseases.

ADAM ROTH – Service award
Over the years Roth, a research support staff in the Department of Agronomy, has played a big roll in the success of the Conley Lab’s soybean and small grain research program. He is appreciated for his professionalism, positive attitude, good communication skills, and the high quality of his field work and other work. Roth goes well above his expectations. A case in point is how he helped managing the Conley Lab program during the COVID-19 pandemic while Conley was on sabbatical. Roth was deemed an essential employee during that time, and, due to hiring restrictions at the time, he picked up extra slack to continue ongoing sensitive research within the program and keep things moving forward. Roth has also contributed significantly to several recent scientific journal manuscripts involving soybean and small grain research. Beyond agronomy, he has also worked hard to raise his awareness of campus climate issues and foster a more inclusive work atmosphere for his co-workers and the students around him. His attention to detail and high quality of work have significantly contributed to the success of the agricultural research stations.