Thirty Years Of Service To The Agricultural Community Coming To A Close

After thirty exceptional years of serving the area agricultural community, the Eastern Agricultural Research Center's (EARC) superintendent and agronomist Dr. Joyce Eckhoff, will retire from the MSU university system, effective May 15. She and her husband will move from the area to begin their retirement years in Dayton, Washington.

Throughout her three decades at the EARC Eckhoff never lost her enthusiasm for the work at hand and she dedicated herself to providing outstanding science and research results to agricultural producers. "I've known Joyce for twenty eight years, and she is the most can-do person I know," says Dr. Barry Jacobsen, plant pathologist and Department Head for the MSU research centers. "She will do whatever she sets her mind to do; she has given her heart and soul to improving durum breeding and she has done everything put in front of her with a smile and with dedication. I can't say enough about her."

He chuckles and adds, "She and her husband have also supplied me with some great hunting dogs."

Eckhoff's service to the EARC began in 1986 when she arrived at the research center as a bright eyed eager young lady, anxious to begin her duties as an agronomist. She credits her hiring at the EARC to the equal opportunities law for women and minorities. The first three people on the hiring lists were men. As the fourth candidate on the list for interviewing, she would never have obtained an interview without the equal opportunities law. "It turned out that of the three people they brought in to interview, all men, the first one was totally unqualified for the position, the second one was so introverted that he would never work out in a research center situation, and the third man took one look at Sidney and said they couldn't pay him enough to move here," Eckhoff explains. "Because of equal opportunity laws, and since I was the fourth candidate, by law they had to interview me because I was a woman. So I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the equal opportunities laws."

Over the course of the next thirty years, Eckhoff proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that of course a woman could succeed in a research situation. She began her duties doing general agronomic research, working with alternate crops, and conducting small grain variety testing. Her duties and responsibilities increased through the years as she gained experience and proved her effectiveness as a researcher. By the time she decided she would retire from the university system, she was working with nearly every crop except oil seeds. "I started out doing small grain variety testing, alternate crops experimentation, and general agronomic research," Eckhoff recalls. "I then took on variety testing for all crops except oil seed crops. This included peas, lentils, chick peas, dry beans, corn, alfalfa, vegetables, and alternate crops as well as my spring wheat and durum work. I had the responsibility for the off-station nurseries as well. After Jerry (Bergman) retired, I assumed the administrative duties while continuing my other responsibilities."

Sixteen years ago Eckhoff became heavily involved with durum breeding. In 2000 she began a durum breeding project that has continued right up to her retirement and has brought huge benefits to growers. Her research has produced one new durum variety for durum growers, and she also has several advanced durum lines that she will pass along to spring wheat breeder Luther Talbot in the hopes he will be able to develop new varieties from these lines in the near future. "No release is perfect," Eckhoff notes. "That is why I don't have a lot more releases as I wanted something perfect. "

She continues, "Most of the durum varieties grown in Montana and North Dakota are day length sensitive. My release Silver durum is early maturing and day length insensitive. I have a number of advanced lines that are solid stemmed for sawfly resistance and some that are low cadmium. Spring wheat breeder Luther Talbot will carry this research along for me and release the lines as varieties down the road if they are deserving. I hope he can release one or more solid stemmed varieties and one or more low cadmium lines that I developed."

Not only has she released varieties of her own and has several advanced lines that she hopes will one day become releases for growers, she also assisted in the developement of many spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, oat, and alfalfa varieties. As well, her research in other areas has resulted in the accumulation of valuable information that growers use to improve quality and quantity yields. "When we first got the linear irrigation system we looked at nitrogen on sugarbeets under sprinkler and flood irrigation," she remarks. "Our research showed that sprinkler irrigated sugarbeets do not need as much applied nitrogen because not as much nitrogen is lost to run-off and leaching."

She continues, "I developed three composite cross durum populations; one under dryland conditions, one under irrigated conditions and one with the solid stemmed gene. All three populations have been crossed with germplasm that has the resistant gene to UG99, the newest race of stem rust. Crosses were made to develop lines with the low cadmium character. I also was involved in the release of eight spring wheat varieties, twenty-five winter wheat varieties, six barley varieties, two alfalfa varieties and one teff variety."

Change seems to be the only constant in life and in the working environment. Eckhoff has seen many changes, some beneficial and others detrimental to research during her years at the EARC.

"One good change I've seen was when MSU changed the policy for farm sales," says Eckhoff. "We originally were required to give all the money we made selling the crops grown at the research center (sugarbeets, wheat, malt barley, and safflower) to the Dean's office. About ten years ago policy changed to allow research centers to keep those dollars. That was huge as we can use that money for equipment repair, building and ground maintenance, and matching funds for grants for new equipment. We can use it for just about anything except wages. Another big step was in 2011 when we moved into the new facility. We really appreciate the legislature for approving the funding for this facility as the building we used prior to that was literally falling down around us. The lab and the greenhouses in our new building are state of the art and will make research here attractive to new scientists."

"On the down side," she continues, "I've seen many times when funding was cut. We also have endured a lot of pay freezes which were particularly hard on the staff. We have also had difficulties hiring because the state does not pay enough to compete with surrounding businesses, and we are not allowed to offer higher wages."

Eckhoff cannot emphasize enough the importance of agricultural research. "The research conducted on the research centers is applied research that growers can use now," she observes. "Probably one of the most important things done on the research centers is variety testing, both on-station and off-station. The results give growers information as to how experimental lines and varieties perform in their area, and give plant breeders information about which experimental lines do best. This helps researchers to release superior varieties."

Eckhoff appreciates the people she has worked with and believes many people have helped her succeed at her job. "The crew at the EARC is the best," she emphasizes. "They know what needs to be done and they get it done. You can't do research without the hired help paying attention to detail and being meticulous about data collection."

She continues, "Jerry Bergman taught me a lot about research centers, vision, and politics. Gregg Carlson, who was the agronomist and then the superintendent at the Havre research center, was supportive of me from day one. He was always helpful and he was accepting and available when I had questions. I also did quite a bit of research with Barry Jacobsen and learned a lot from him."

Eckhoff has delighted in her time at the EARC and will miss the community and its surroundings. "I have really enjoyed my years with the EARC and in Sidney," she remarks. "I have appreciated the growers and I hope that I have helped some of them improve their bottom lines. I think eastern Montana is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to live and work here."

Eckhoff has no definite plans for retirement, other than to enjoy this next phase of her life and to meet it with the same exuberance she has exhibited in her time in Sidney. "My future plans?" she queries. "Grow a garden, maybe do field inspection for foundation and certified seed fields. Perhaps I'll volunteer at the Salvation Army or help out in the soup kitchen. Maybe I will learn to dance. Who knows, I have my whole life ahead of me."

Dr. Joyce Eckhoff, you will be missed. The Roundup joins with the community to wish you a wonderful retirement, and we thank you for the many contributions your research had provided for the agricultural community.