In the News - March 2008
Extension's French inducted into Agriculture Hall of Fame
 CONWAY
- C. Michael French, associate director-programs for the University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, was honored
Friday for his educational achievements with induction into the Arkansas
Agriculture Hall of Fame.
French, 56, of Conway, joined the extension service in 1993 as associate
director- agriculture and natural resources. He was promoted to his current
position in August 2005.
Since coming to Arkansas, French has served on numerous boards and committees
in his field of expertise. In the last 14 years, as a liaison to the state Rice,
Soybean, Wheat, Cotton and Corn/Sorghum promotion boards, he successfully
secured funding to support extension and experiment station projects. In
addition, as liaison to the Arkansas Farm Bureau, he has helped develop Arkansas
agricultural leaders and sound agricultural policy.
"Mike French has dedicated his career to the development, implementation and
evaluation of top quality Extension programs to support Arkansas agriculture,"
said Dr. Milo Shult, vice president for agriculture with the U of A's Division
of Agriculture. "His leadership abilities have proven he is staunchly loyal
supporter of Extension, the Division of Agriculture and the entire University of
Arkansas System."
Among his high-profile awards and appointments, French was elected chairman
of educational, regulatory and environmental aspects of weed control with the
Southern Weed Science Society. French was elected chairman of teaching and
extension with the Weed Science Society of America in 1986. Two years later, he
was appointed to the board of the Agricultural Chemicals Association of Georgia,
where he served for five years. In 1988, he was given an Achievement Award by
the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. He was named Outstanding
Young Weed Scientist by the SWSS in 1989.
The Lake Providence, La., native learned the field from the ground up -
growing up on a farm that grew cotton, soybeans and wheat. He earned his
bachelor's degree in agronomy from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in
1973, earning his master's in 1975 and his Ph.D. in agronomy-weed science at
Oklahoma State University in 1978.
"Mike has pursued his entire career of servicing agriculture through the
extension service," said Ewell Welch, executive vice president of the Arkansas
Farm Bureau.
After earning his doctorate, French worked at the University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension Service where he was responsible for developing and
conducting educational programs in weed science. In 1989, French was named head
of the extension agronomy at Georgia.
The other 2008 inductees are: the late Esther Hill Chapin of Trumann, William
"Bill" Dorough of Sweet Home, the late George Dunklin of Pine Buff and Leland
Stratton of Stuttgart.
The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Arkansas State
Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas Farm Bureau.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of
Agriculture.
March 18, 2008
Media Contact: Elizabeth Fortune
Extension Media Relations Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
efortune@uaex.edu
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