Meet Dr. Milton B. Daley : African Americans in Agriculture Spotlight Series
From Jamaica to Hockley,TX, meet Dr. Milton Daley!
Dr. Daley, give us a little bit of your agricultural background. What does Agriculture mean to you?
Currently, I serve as an Assistant Professor / Coordinator of the Agriculture program and Program Chair for the Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary Medicine Programs in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). In my role as Program Coordinator and Chair, I provide academic advisement, course selection support and graduation audits for students. I also assist the Dean and Associate Dean in determining course rotations, and faculty teaching and advising assignments. Additionally, I teach undergraduate level courses in Animal and Food Sciences and conduct research in the area of Mycotoxicology and Animal Nutrition and Diseases as part of my affiliation with the Animal and Food Systems Groups in the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC) in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences. Currently, I have attracted over $2 million in extramural grants to support my research efforts. I also serve as the faculty advisor for the PreVet club. In this role, I mentor and prepare students for the Veterinary School admissions process and provide guidance and assistance for students to engage in community and professional services. I have initiated numerous Memorandum of Agreements with several Colleges/Schools of Veterinary Medicine to enhance the admissions pathway for students in the college.
I have received several recognitions, including induction as an Associate Member in the Society of Toxicology. I have been recognized for outstanding teaching in the college and at the university. I have received my Associate of Science Degree in General Agriculture from the College of Agriculture in Jamaica, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Animal Science from PVAMU and my Doctorate degree in Animal and Poultry Science /Biomedical Toxicology from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
In my opinion agriculture is the mother of all sciences! It is through agriculture that we have the basic necessities of life (food , shelter and clothing); therefore, without agriculture, life as we know it today would be non-existent.
I got started in agriculture from kindergarten and have attended all agricultural schools in my life and am well trained in all five branches of agriculture. I have only one job which is the one I currently hold. My main duty is to teach and train young minds to be agriculturists like myself.
Wow! That’s quite the extensive background. Let's dig a little deeper. What's a day in the life of your profession like? What are some of your responsibilities? What is your favorite part about what you do?
When I first joined, the Prairie View A&M University in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, I identified three main goals for teaching. These goals were to: 1) provide students with quality instruction to facilitate and enrich their opportunity for learning, 2) promote the active involvement of students in the learning process, and 3) to enhance my knowledge to improve my teaching skills. After ten years on the job, I feel I have achieved these goals, though I continue to refine each objectives annually. I am very proud of my teaching accomplishments at Prairie View A&M University as judged by favorable student evaluations, and recognition for outstanding teaching by the University. I look forward to more productive years and hope to continue to strive for excellence in my teaching endeavors. My educational responsibilities include, teaching undergraduate courses in Animal Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences. Courses I teach are: General Animal Science, ANSC 1513 (Spring and Fall), Meat Science, ANSC 3523 (Fall only), Dairy Science, ANSC 2533 (Spring and Fall), Food Microbiology, FDSC 3593 (Fall only) and Animal Nutrition, ANSC 3503 (Spring only). Totaling, twenty-one semesters credit hours per year.
I also participate in research, grantsmanship and extension services. My lectures usually begin with a recap of the previous lecture to build continuity followed by responses to questions from students on the subject matter. To help determine their knowledge and background of the day’s lecture material, students are then subjected to thought-provoking questions (critical thinking) or quizzes related to the subject matter, followed by a thorough discussion of key concepts in the lecture outlines. To promote active learning and a more dynamic classroom, I frequently ask and entertain questions from students. Another objective I strive for is for students to be able to relate principles discussed in class to real world situations. This is accomplished through discussions of current journal articles or newspaper clippings, field trips and by inviting guest speakers to my class. My classes are well organized in a structured way. I rely upon syllabi detailing students’ responsibilities in a clear and concise manner. However, within this structured format, I attempt to remain flexible and innovative, introducing new topics as necessary during the course of the semester. Additionally, while I am aware that students’ agendas may not always be consistent with my own or any other in terms of my teaching objectives and strategies, I strive to seek students’ inputs and pay attention to their concerns. For instance, about two to three weeks into the semester, I ask students to evaluate my teaching strategy and to offer suggestions for improvement. I have found this exercise to be helpful as I make every effort to improve and refine my teaching skills. I try to maintain an unbiased stance and show students that I respect different viewpoints and opinions, but do not tolerate racial, ethnic, gender or other slurs in class. Codes of acceptable classroom behavior are outlined on the first day of class. Students who fail exams are strongly encouraged to consult with me for re-examination of their performance. I strive to be readily accessible to students to discuss materials and other matters related to the course.
Student success is the most favorite part of my job. At the end their four year degree, watching my students successfully matriculate into the jobs of their desires or getting acceptance into veterinary medicine school of their choice or even to graduate school is the ultimate joy to me. This, to me, supersedes gifts and money because when your students are successful then you know that you, along with the other faculty, have done something right!
Tell me, what is it like being an African American in Agriculture in today’s society?
With the many challenges we face today as African American in Agriculture, it has been clear to me that we as a people need to come together and help each other to be successful in key areas such as land ownership, formation of agricultural cooperatives and financial institutions. Being self sufficient in these areas will reduce the disparities among minorities today. Therefore, as an educator it is my duty to highlight these disparities within the African American farmers and find solutions to these issues so that we can be in a better position decades to come.
How do you think the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the agricultural industry?
It is in my opinion that Covid 19 has affected the agricultural industry both in a negative and a positive way. “Positive way?” you might be asking, but I always try to see some positive in every situation; although the negative might far outweigh the positive. I have seen where tons of food have gone to waste due to a downfall in manpower because of the pandemic. This not only affected one industry or sector but all sectors ranging from the farmers, the retailors and consumers alike. On the other hand, the pandemic has forced individuals to be creative in seeking solutions to survive, hence, creating solutions such as various types of back yard farming, develop new farming techniques, food preservation and cooking methods and strategies. Therefore, at the end of the rain cloud there is a silver lining.
With that being said, what words of encouragement or advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in Agriculture?
Never give up on their dreams and aspirations. Don't procrastinate! Be a doer and not a talker. At all costs, be determined to achieve, be dedicated to what you want to achieve and, most of all, be disciplined after you have achieved. Always look back and give a helping hand to those in need and never be ungrateful. Be humble and not prideful. Live is short always have fun in all you do.
Do you provide any agricultural services? If so, what are they and how can others learn more?
Yes, I do provide agricultural services to the community. Currently, I am assisting a farmer on their aquaponic project. I provide technical information in terms of production operations, growth promotion, and harvesting of both plants and fish. In addition to that, I am also working on my grant project in bridging the gap between minority farmers and ranchers and local veterinarians within Texas counties. The information gathered from these projects will be published in a refereed journal. To learn more about these projects individuals can contact me at the university.
Any additional words you’d like to share?
Working at Prairie View A&M University in the College of Agriculture is both exciting and rewarding. Being able to impart knowledge to the students and help them to take the next step to achieve their goals and aspirations is a big deal. Working with great faculty, staff and scientists of all nationality, religion and color for the betterment of our students, the college, the university and by and large the stake holders is also a big deal for me. Finally, being interviewed by one of my successful students at the current moment is an even bigger deal for me. "PVAMU produces productive people!"
Dr. Milton B. Daley Professor/Coordinator. College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Prairie View A&M University
Hockley, TX (Prairie View, TX)
Phone: 832-388-9817. Email: mdaley@pvamu.edu; randolf04@hotmail.com. Website: www.daleynaturals.com
