Q&AGR

THE AGR WHO MAKES ‘BIG RED’ GO AND GROW IN NEBRASKA

Dr. Ronnie D. Green is Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) where he has overseen an enrollment of 25,000 students, and 6,000 faculty and staff since he was appointed in 2016. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from Virginia Tech where he was initiated into the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho in 1981. Green completed a Master of Science degree in animal science at Colorado State University. His doctorate program in animal breeding and genetics was completed jointly at UNL and the USDA-ARS U.S. Meat Animal Research Center.

Green has served on the animal science faculties of Texas Tech University and Colorado State University. He also has served as the national program leader for animal production research for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, and as the executive secretary of the White House’s interagency working group on animal genomics within the National Science and Technology Council. Prior to returning to UNL, he served as a global executive for Pfizer Animal Health’s animal genomics business.

Green is a past member of the AGR national Board of Directors. He and his wife Jane are the parents of four children and have one granddaughter.

What experiences did you enjoy as a youth?

I was raised on a farm near Fincastle, Virginia, which is in the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My family roots in that area go back to the 1700s. As an adult, I became the first person in my family to leave my home area in many generations. We ran about 200 beef cow-calf pairs. I was in 4-H and FFA, where I was a state officer, and loved showing beef cattle. I enrolled in animal science as a pre-vet student at Virginia Tech. I quickly figured out as a freshman being a veterinarian was not what I wanted to do after working for our local vet as an intern. I became more interested in genetics in animal science and the rest is history.

How did your AGR experience begin?

My home county was the home to a number of men who went on to be AGRs. AGR was a leading fraternity at Virginia Tech, even though fraternities were fairly new to the University at that time. I enjoyed the great networking and brotherhood of men at Beta Eta Chapter. I happened to be there with many ag leaders on campus who have gone on to be accomplished leaders in many sectors of agriculture, both locally in Virginia and nationally. The brotherhood, learning from brothers and the sense of community were the key things that AGR instilled in me. I grew as a leader, as a chapter officer on the executive council and as president of Block and Bridle, the largest and most active student organization on campus.

What’s it like to lead a major university today?

It is an interesting time to be leader in any capacity and that is certainly true in higher education, with many current unique challenges. Leadership abilities in all activities require a higher level of acumen to successfully move things forward. It is more important than ever before. Leaders must think critically, analyze and then make often highly challenging decisions to lead their institutions to even greater success and impact.

What’s the future for animal protein?

In my career as an animal scientist, I worked in the high-tech area of animal genomics. Over all of those years, I never imagined another system or process replacing animal protein — especially beef. Now, rapid advancements have already been made in creating products that are alternative (or synthetic) protein substitutes. I’m not convinced animal protein will reduce as a food choice. I absolutely know real meat is the best source of protein, and a very wise and sustainable use of resources. Continued advancements in both livestock and alternative meat-like products — as well as marketing — will determine the choices consumers will make.

“Leaders must think critically, analyze, then make the decision.”