By Marlee Jackson and Maggie Edwards

Two Auburn University (AU) and Alabama Extension staff members were honored Aug. 16 by the Alabama Farmers Federation for tangible impacts on agriculture and forestry.

Dr. Rishi Prasad received the Rittenour Award for Excellence in Production Agriculture & Forestry Research, while Eddie McGriff was presented the Duncan Award for Excellence in Production Agriculture & Forestry Extension. They were recognized in front of 600 farmers during the Federation’s Farm & Land Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Both awards come with a cash prize to fund research or extension projects, courtesy of the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation. 

“It’s important we, as farmers, recognize folks like Rishi Prasad and Eddie McGriff for jobs well done,” said Federation President Jimmy Parnell, a farmer from Chilton County. “It’s a tough time to be in agriculture, but their work is helping create bright spots in our industry.”

Practical Research

Prasad’s nutrient management research is at the intersection of two Alabama agriculture behemoths. An AU associate professor and Alabama Extension specialist, Prasad is seeking a sustainable sweet spot for using poultry litter as natural fertilizer on fields and pasture land.

“I really enjoy what I do at Auburn,” Prasad said. “I’m a problem solver. My clients are poultry producers whose farms generate the litter, row croppers who apply the litter and, eventually, all these different agencies who create policies.”

Prasad joined AU’s faculty in 2017. In the decade since, he and his team of research assistants have used high-tech laboratory equipment to analyze soil, water and other resources gathered from Alabama farms and research stations.

Projects include reducing ammonia emissions in poultry houses, evaluating the Phosphorous Index and studying the Phosphorus Saturation Ratio. He’s now researching a technique that pelletizes litter to create a slow-release fertilizer.

Prasad’s sharp instinct for problem-solving extends his scope across stakeholder groups — from farm organizations like the Federation to state and national agencies. 

“We appreciate Dr. Prasad’s proactive work to help both poultry and row crop farmers,” said Federation Poultry Division Director Colton Christjohn. “Adding value to a byproduct like poultry litter is especially important during the current tight farm economy. We’re pleased to recognize his commitment to solving real problems.”

Prasad holds degrees from the University of Florida, West Virginia University, and G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in India.

Impactful Extension Efforts

McGriff’s passion for service is evident in his 30-year career with University of Georgia Extension and subsequent decade-long journey working for Alabama Extension.

“Helping farmers is what I have always wanted to do,” said McGriff, an Extension agronomic crops agent. “I come from a long line of farmers myself, so this is in my blood.”

McGriff helps a plethora of north Alabama row crop farmers increase yields and improve profitability. He serves Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Madison and Marshall counties. 

“When Eddie performs a trial or tests a new product, he not only is looking for improved crop health and yields, but he most notably strives to see a positive return on investment for farmers,” said John Bevel, the Marshall County Farmers Federation president and award nominator. “In turn, that assists all producers in his region as we make decisions on our farms. He is always easy to work with. He puts information in front of farmers to make us better.”

On-farm trials are McGriff’s trademark, said the Federation’s Carla Hornady. 

“All my growers appreciate what he does,” said Hornady, the division director for cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat. “He even has farm trials in his front yard. Everyone in the state knows they can call Eddie. His ability to grow corn yields in this area is astonishing. He also works diligently on standability utilizing fungicide research and has started implementing drones.”

Though McGriff now spends time in corn and soybean fields, he once played football on Pat Dye Field as an Auburn University (AU) football player in the ‘70s. That’s when he received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences. He earned a master’s in crop sciences from AU at age 65. 

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The Rittenour Award is named after the Alabama Farmers Federation’s first president, Charles Rittenour. The Duncan Award honors Luther Duncan, an Alabama Extension director who was pivotal in helping found the Federation in 1921.

The Federation is the state’s largest farm organization with over 365,000 members across all 67 Alabama counties. It’s a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation.