The Crop Science Society of America announced it will award its 2019 Early Career Award to Cody Creech, dryland cropping systems specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center.

The award will be presented at the CSSA awards ceremony in November. It recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in crop science within seven years of completing their final degree. The award includes a certificate, a complimentary ticket to the ceremony and $2,000.

Creech, an assistant professor in UNL's Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State University and a Ph.D. from UNL.

His research and Extension efforts focus on enhancing agronomic practices to increase profitability, optimizing soil water conservation, and delivering weed management solutions. His research has refined seeding recommendations for winter wheat and evaluated wheat residue's role in soil water conservation.

Harveson receives APS Distinguished Service Award

Bob Harveson, Extension plant pathologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award for the American Phytopathological Society's North Central Division.

The award recognizes outstanding effort or contribution in teaching, control of a significant plant disease, or service to the science of plant pathology beyond the recipient's job or responsibility. Harveson was recognized at the APS meeting in August.

Harveson has been the Extension plant pathologist at the Panhandle center since 1999. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, a master's degree from Texas A&M University, and holds bachelor's degrees from Tarleton State University and Trinity University.

In the Panhandle, Harveson works locally with producers and industry members to identify, prevent and manage diseases of specialty crops such as sugarbeets, sunflowers and dry edible beans.

In Harveson's lab, he and his staff have conducted more than 25 projects with diseases of nine crop species in 2019. His lab also provides disease diagnostic services for more than 300 samples per year.

UNL senior interns with CAB

Natalie Jones, the fifth generation on her family's Diamond Bar Ranch near Stapleton, Neb., joined the Certified Angus Beef LLC producer communications team this fall as an intern.

The internship fits into Jones's last semester at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she's completing her Bachelor of Science in agricultural and environmental sciences communication with a minor in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars Program.

Working from Nebraska, Jones helps the CAB team across the country develop stories about Angus producers and inform audiences through technical articles, features, news releases, video scripts and social media.

Jones formerly interned with Superior Livestock Auction in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up showing livestock in 4-H. A member of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, she also served UNL student government as a senator for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Fortenberry receives Golden Triangle Award from Farmers Union

Nebraska Farmers Union presented U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry with the Golden Triangle Award, National Farmers Union's (NFU) highest legislative honor. The award was presented as part of the annual NFU fall fly-in that brought 380 members from across the country to Washington, D.C., to share views and concerns with elected officials. Fortenberry was one of 26 House and Senate members honored this year.

The Golden Triangle is an annual award presented to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership and support policies that benefit America's family farmers, ranchers and rural communities.