The Budget and Advocacy Committee and the Committee on Legislation and Policy of the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly
CARET Awards
The Lifetime of Service to CARET Award
The Lifetime of Service to CARET Award is an award given to a longstanding CARET delegate who has concluded their service to CARET and who has made significant contributions to CARET over many years to enhance the national support and understanding of the importance of the land-grant university system’s agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs. This award is presented only when individuals have exemplified extraordinarily rare service to CARET and the land-grant university community.
2024 Lifetime Service Winner
Robert (Bob) Kidd
University of Wyoming
Bob joined CARET in 1988 and served until his death on June 14, 2022 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Bob was a Casper, Wyoming native, businessman, rancher, and a downhill ski racer. As a graduate of the University of Wyoming (B.S. Agriculture Economics, 1972), he was named “Outstanding Alum” in 1994.
He was the first president of Leadership, Education and Development (L.E.A.D) Class One in Wyoming and was also a Fellow in the Atlantic-Pacific Businessman’s Exchange, International Business. This gave him the opportunity to travel abroad and participate in agriculture in many different countries.
In 1985, Bob became involved with the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Board and since 1988 was a delegate to the Council of Agriculture Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) for 34 years. During this time Bob was Chair of Western Region CARET and national CARET Chair in 1993 and 1994. His CARET involvement allowed him to take many trips to Washington D.C. and other states learning and supporting agriculture. He was a delegate and board member from Wyoming to the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC) and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU).
Bob received numerous awards throughout his years of service. In 2011 he received the prestigious Friend of Extension Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi, the only recipient in the nation. This national award recognized his contributions to the land-grant Extension Service and the University of Wyoming.
The Meritorious Service to CARET Award
The Meritorious Service to CARET Award is an award given to an individual who has supported CARET and the land-grant university system. The award also may be given to a CARET delegate who has concluded their service to CARET or other individual who has made significant contributions to CARET to enhance the national support and understanding of the importance of the land-grant university system’s agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs.
2024 Meritorious Service to CARET Award
Dr. Mortimer H. Neufville
Maryland
Dr. Neufville is President & CEO Emeritus of the 1890 Universities Foundation, which represents the 19 Historically Black Land Grant Universities. Dr. Neufville has served in numerous positions in higher education for 53 years.
Dr. Neufville was the first Executive Vice President and Director of Federal Relations for the National Association of State Universities of Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC—now the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities- APLU); and Dean and Research Director of the School Agricultural and Natural Sciences; Vice President for Academic Affairs and President of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
As an educator and administrator in the 1890 land grant system, and as the Executive Vice President of APLU, Dr. Neufville has made extraordinary impact on food systems for over 50 years. His remarkable career has been marked by innovation, engagement, and service. While at APLU, and more recently at the 1890 Universities Foundation as the founding President & CEO, Dr. Neufville was an effective spokesperson and advocate ensuring that the U.S. Congress and the Administration were aware of and provided commensurate resources to the land-grant system whose research, education outputs and outcomes were critical to American agricultural productivity and competitiveness.
During his tenure at APLU, Dr. Neufville was actively engaged in the reorganization of APLU to create Councils and Commissions and guided the creation of the Commission on Food Environment and Renewable Resources and the Board of Agriculture Assembly (BAA). In his role as Executive Vice President, he provided leadership for the activities of the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources and its five associated boards.
Dr. Neufville is an effective spokesperson and respected advocate to ensure that the U.S. Congress and the Administration were aware of and provided commensurate resources to the land-grant system whose research, education outputs and outcomes were critical to American agricultural productivity and competitiveness, which aligns well with well with the mission and core principles of CARET.