Welcome Aboard!

The 17th Annual Fluid Forum signaled a changing
of the guard at the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation (FFF).

Dr. Dale Leikam, formerly associate professor of agronomy at Kansas State University (KSU), has been elected to succeed Dr. Larry Murphy as the FFF’s new president. Dale comes to the FFF with a long history of association with the fertilizer industry.  He completed his Ph.D in agronomy (soil fertility) at KSU in 1980, working with Dr. David Kissel and Dr. Larry Murphy.  His Ph.D focused on preplant banding of fluid N and P for winter wheat.  From 1980 to 1982 he was associated with the National Fertilizer Development Center (NFDC) of the Tennessee Valley Authority as an area director with the Test and Demonstration Branch of the NFDC.  From 1982 to 1999 he served as an agronomist for Cenex and Farmland Industries.  From 1999 to 2001 he was chief agronomist for Agriliance.  From 2001 to 2008 he was a nutrient management specialist for the Department of Agronomy at KSU. 

Throughout his career, Dale has been recognized as a leader in agronomic education and research, working extensively with both dealers and growers.  His expertise in education and dispensing agronomic information led to the development of an electronic newsletter sent from the KSU Department of Agronomy to recipients across the region.  That expertise will be of significant value to the FFF as the Fluid Journal becomes a digital publication and as communications with FFF members are improved.

The FFF is fortunate to have a person with Dale’s experience at the helm as he guides the FFF in its continuing support of applied research, as well as extension of that information to dealers and growers around the globe.

A hearty welcome aboard to the FFF, Dale!