Dr. Garcia Receives Volunteer Service Award

Dr. Alvaro Garcia South Dakota State University Extension Dairy Specialist, was awarded the 2008 President's Volunteer Service Award.

Garcia was recognized for his work with Winrock International. The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation issued the award on behalf of the President of the United States. The awards recognize the best in American spirit and serve to encourage all Americans to contribute through volunteer spirit.

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the U.S. and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources.

Garcia was honored for his work through Winrock International with dairy producers in Central America, where he served during four volunteer assignments, including two in 2007. He helped develop improved hygienic milk production in Honduras and El Salvador.

The United States Agency for International Development measured the impact of his work in Honduras and found a 15-percent increase in milk production. In El Salvador, hand-made milk cooling tanks Garcia helped construct were in place and working.

Vikram Mistry, department head of the SDSU Dairy Science Department, said Garcia's honor shows his noteworthy work as an Extension dairy specialist.

"This honor is the definition of excellence, and Alvaro is taking it beyond our state boundaries," Mistry said. "It speaks well not only for him, but for our department, our college, and our university."

Garcia took part in Winrock's John Ogonowski Farmer-to-Farmer Program. The program fields approximately 350 volunteers each year to assist farmers, agribusinesses, and local nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Winrock matches innovative approaches in agriculture, natural resource management, clean energy, and leadership development with the unique needs of its partners.

Garcia is an associate professor of dairy science at SDSU, as well as an Extension dairy specialist. He began his career at SDSU in 2001.

Jarett C Bies, Associate Editor
AgBio Communications Unit
South Dakota State University
ACC, Box 2231, Rm 200
Brookings, SD 57007
Telephone: (605) 688-4642
Jarett.Bies@sdstate.edu

Story from http://agbionews.sdstate.edu/story.cfm?id=4335

14 May 2008

South Dakota State University / Dairy Science Department
Dairy Microbiology Rm 109 / Phone: 605-688-4116
College of Agricultural and Biological Sciences