Dave Pratt, an authority on sustainable agriculture and profitable ranching, has been named the 2024 King Visiting Scholar by the Department of Animal Science in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Pratt will be on campus to meet with faculty, and undergraduate and graduate students to discuss his areas of expertise. His visit includes an open seminar to the department, college and U of A System Division of Agriculture, as well as other opportunities for students, faculty and staff. Others associated with cattlemen's, livestock and poultry associations, along with the Arkansas Beef Council, Arkansas Farm Bureau and other organizations are also invited to attend.

An open seminar is set for at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, in Hembree Auditorium (room E107) in the Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Building. His presentation is "Three Secrets For Increasing Profit: Economy vs. Finance."

"Animal science is excited to bring Dave Pratt to the University of Arkansas campus," said department head Mike Looper. "Sustainable practices on the ranch and farm are more important now than ever. These practices prioritize conservation of natural resources, preserving water and soil quality, along with fostering the wellbeing of livestock. To have someone with Mr. Pratt's expertise on campus to engage students, staff, faculty and stakeholders is quite the treat. I encourage all those interested in sustainable ranching practices to come to this lecture."

Pratt has taught the Ranching for Profit School in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia and Africa.

He grew up on a small ranch and worked for cattle and sheep ranchers in Northern California where he learned ranching from the bottom up. In addition to his practical roots, Pratt holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of California and Washington State University, respectively. A range and livestock adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension Service for 15 years, he researched cell grazing and strategic issues impacting the sustainability of ranches.

In 1991, he began working with Stan Parsons, the founder of Ranch Management Consultants. He started teaching the Ranching for Profit School in 1992. When Parsons retired in 2001, Pratt and his wife, Kathy, bought RMC. In 2019, after many successful years, they sold the company to Dallas Mount.

"I thank the Animal Science Graduate Student Association for coordinating this event, and the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation for supporting our programs in animal science," Looper said.

The King Visiting Scholar program is supported by the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation. It was created to contribute academically to Bumpers College by giving students and others access to national and/or international authorities in their field. The Kings had a long-standing and dedicated interest in improving Arkansas' beef production industry.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.