meet your neighbors
A Journey into Agriculture
University of Missouri-Extension photo
By Rachel Harper
Reagan Bluel once considered vet school, but soon discovered other interests
Reagan Bluel didn’t grow up on It is 100 percent student-run; then it was a farm, and her high school in La myself and one other full-time staff memMonte, Mo., didn’t have an FFA ber. We managed 100 Jerseys; my job was Chapter, but Reagan knew she to coordinate all the educational efforts wanted a career working with of hands-on learning.” From there, Reagan said it became apanimals; she just wasn’t sure what diparent she needed to be home with her rection she wanted to go. An educator guided her toward the an- aging parents, and she and decided to imal-driven career of a veterinarian and pick the family up and move to Southsuggested she attend the University of Mis- west Missouri, taking a job as a dairy souri, the closest vet school. From there, field specialist in 2014. “One of my favorite projects with the she began her journey in agriculture. “I needed to learn more about ag be- University of Missouri-Extension has fore I could even consider being a vet. I been my Women in Dairy program that’s thought I wanted to be a large animal vet, specific to dairy producers,” Reagan said, but as soon as I got into the department adding that dairy is different than any of animal sciences, I quickly realized I other commodity. “It really is hard for was much more interested in produc- folks to understand the dairy culture untion agriculture and improving the dairy less you’re in it and around it. The develcow’s health through nutrition rather opment of the Women in Dairy program created a group of women who underthan always working with sick cows.” She became involved in the College of stood and dealt with daily dairy.” The group meets for lunch once a Agriculture at the University of Missouri and later graduated with a bachelor’s month and talks about an emerging topdegree in animal science and a master’s ic They also do periodic farm tours, as well as hands-on learning. in ruminant nutrition. “I am highly motivated by watching Today, Reagan lives on a small farm in Southwest Missouri with her husband all the women in ag doing great things,” Neal Bluel and their two girls Ada (13) Reagan said. “I really enjoy how ladies and Lily (10), where they raise and cus- in agriculture build each other up and tom graze replacement Holstein heifers. foster a positive community that tranShe is also a University of Missouri-Ex- scends multiple states. It is awesome to tension field specialist in dairy, interim see across the nation all these ladies in superintendent for the Southwest Re- agriculture.” In August 2020, Reagan was named search Center, and education director interim superintendent of MU’s Southfor Missouri Dairy. Following the completion of her mas- west Research Center, where she oversees and coordinates all efforts of the ter’s, Reagan went to Colum893-acre research farm in Mount bus, Ohio, to manage the Vernon, Mo. Ohio State Waterman Dairy. “My driving passion for the “That was an amazing phase last year has been making sure of my life,” Reagan recalled. that we are providing sound “The university is in the middle research for southwest Misof 1.3 million people, and the Monett, Mo. sourians. The research farm dairy is in the center of Columis 100-percent dedicated to the bus surrounded by boulevards.
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After entering college, University of Missouri-Extension Field Specialist in Dairy Reagan Bluel discovered she was more interested in production agriculture and improving a dairy cow’s health through nutrition than becoming a veterinarian and working with sick cows.
land grant mission of teaching, research, and outreach,” Reagan said. “Extension specialists utilize the facilities for teaching, and local producers can trust the data from the research we conduct there because our soil is similar to their soil. The ability to do true agriculture agronomic research in Ozarkian soils is a huge benefit and perk for the University of Missouri to be able to provide that service for Missourians.” At the center, Reagan and the staff conduct beef cattle research, which for the last three years has included State Beef Specialist Dr. Eric Bailey’s research behind stocker operations and how producers can best manage stockers throughout the year. The goal, Rea-
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
gan said, is to try to feed them to the 700-pound mark as affordably as possible, so maximizing grass utilization. “If you can manage your forage, you almost become a grass farmer more than a cattle producer,” Reagan said. “Dr. Bailey is looking set stock versus rotational stock. We are the boots on the ground for Dr. Bailey’s project, conducting the daily care on-site.” After the third year, they now have a good idea of the profitability margins, which will have great benefits. “Some of the things we do on the research farm do not always make sense because it always has that research component to it,” Reagan said. “For example, JULY 12, 2021
