Local MSU extension educator receives national honor.

Werling receives his award from NACAA President Richard Fechter and Erin Bain of Special Risk Division of American Income Life, the sponsor for the NACAA Achievement Award.

Local MSU extension educator receives national honor.

#MSUExtensionOffice

FORT WAYNE, INDIANA – Ben Werling recently received the Achievement Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents during the 2019 Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference.

Werling was one of several honorees who represent the top one percent of the membership selected by their peers and the director of extension.

He has served as West Central Michigan’s vegetable extension educator with Michigan State University for the past six years. This region includes national leaders in production of diverse vegetables, from asparagus to zucchini. Werling has engaged in partnerships between these producers, industry members, and university researchers, all with a shared vision of using research to keep the vegetable industry moving forward.

Werling serves commercial vegetable producers in 18 West Michigan counties. These counties include the largest concentration of asparagus acreage in the US, as well as nationally-leading producers of carrots, celery, onions, root crops and squash. Werling works with these growers to identify challenges and form teams with university faculty to conduct on-farm research.

“These partnerships – and the good people and produce they involve – have made for a rewarding six years of his early career,” states his award. “Ben’s home office is in Hart and is a resident of Fruitport with his wife and two children. Ben and his family enjoy Oceana Asparagus Day which is arguably the largest asparagus educational event in the country.”