Monticello Live

After nearly a quarter-century of teaching agriculture business and policy, one of the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s storied agriculture professors is retiring.

In recognition of his 24 years of service, on Tuesday, April 20, Dr. Bob Stark, along with other retiring faculty members, Dr. Richard Clubb, Dr. Farrok Abedi and the late Dr. Ted Hammett were honored with a brief reception by UAM faculty, staff, and family.

Agricultural Economics Professor Dr. Bob Stark announced that June 30, 2021, will be his last day. Dr. Stark came to UAM in August 1996.

His teaching responsibilities at the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources have spanned fourteen separate courses, including farm management, commodity marketing, contract marketing and futures trading, and agricultural policy site-specific farm management.

His extension and research efforts have included soybeans and corn, where he publishes weekly Arkansas Market Reports. He has compiled data and written the economics section of the Arkansas Soybean Research Verification Program annual report for the past seventeen years.

In a letter he shared with staff and faculty, Stark said, “My decision was not easy to make because I love teaching and extension. More directly, I love working with each of you and will miss sharing the joys of your future accomplishments — individual, as a college, and as a university.”

During his 24-year tenure, Stark has also conducted studies in fresh market heirloom tomato production economics and marketing and various aspects of beef cattle economics. Dr. Stark has served the Tri-State Soybean Forum, a nonprofit soybean association with members in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, as secretary/treasurer since 2004.

Dr. Stark has received multiple recognitions over his career, including a 2004 Teaching Award of Merit from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2019 Faculty.

Excellence in Teaching Award from the UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture, & Natural Resources, 2017 Service Award from the Tri-State Soybean Forum, and the 2016 John W. White Outstanding Team and Extension Excellence Unit Team Awards from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture for his work on the Crop Sciences Blog. Dr. Stark has been recognized multiple times as a UAM Outstanding Academic Advisor.

“As Professor Emeritus, I intend to keep an office for the immediate future, if possible, while I conduct studies of some soybean and corn economic issues. I have had these interests for many years but never found the time to adequately pursue them in depth,” said Stark.

A native of Kentucky, Dr. Stark holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and a doctorate in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Stark and his wife, Teresa, met and married during graduate school. They have two married children and four grandchildren who all live in Arkansas.

About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center

The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 7th, 2021 at 12:31 am and is filed under Announcements, UAM News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.