Contact: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Corrie Bowen, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Wharton County, has received a Texas A&M AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Award.
Bowen, who has been with AgriLife Extension for 14 years, received the award in the county agent category during the Jan. 8 Texas A&M AgriLife Conference in College Station.
The Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence were established in 1980. The awards program recognizes the commitment and outstanding contributions of faculty and staff across Texas A&M AgriLife and provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those honored.
According to his nomination, Bowen’s work in providing beef cattle research and profitable management systems was highlighted by leading a four-week forage management series for the Texas Upper Gulf Coast, attracting producers with operations from 28 acres to 3,000 acres. The economic benefit resulted in $1,139 per participant, increasing their knowledge and understanding of forage and variety selection, harvest management, forage fertility management and weed control practices.
Bowen was also noted for leading the annual Brazoria County legislative tours, and landowner education programming through the Urban Rancher Landowner Education Series. The program helped address the issue of land fragmentation in Brazoria County.
“(Corrie) has been an invaluable resource to the agriculture producers of the county,” wrote Mary Rhodenbaugh in a letter of support. “He has worked tirelessly not only with large producers in our county, but small acreage ones as well.”
Bowen was also recognized for his work with agricultural producers in Brazoria and surrounding counties following Hurricane Ike.
“He spent many hours educating the agricultural producers of the possibility of landfall and possible effects,” wrote L. M. “Matt” Sebesta Jr., Brazoria County Precinct 2 commissioner in his support letter. “He was instrumental in arranging for feed to be flown in for those animals which were stranded after Ike hit Brazoria and surrounding counties.
“He has continually demonstrated his commitment to ensure that agriculture producers are provided the best information for use during a natural disaster. He is an asset to Brazoria County and the entire Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M University System.”
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