Thirty Five Years with the Department of Food Science/Food Science Extension – A look into the Past

by Janene Lucia, Extension Support Specialist, Dairy Foods Extension Program

My arrival in the Department of Food Science came in the fall of 1979 when I was hired to provide support for the Department Extension program working directly with David Bandler and Robert Gravani.  At that time, David L. Call was Dean of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, John E. Kinsella was Chairman, David Bandler served as Department Extension Leader/Associate Professor of Food Science, and Robert Gravani was Assistant Professor of Food Science Extension.  Eugene Wolff was Extension Associate, later to be promoted Sr. Extension Associate, and his wife Jean Wolff held the position of Laboratory Supervisor for the Milk Quality Improvement Program (MQIP). At this time, the Food Science Extension Program focused on Dairy, and Food/Food Safety issues.

Shortly after my arrival, the Extension program was split with Dave Bandler heading the Dairy Extension Program, and now Associate Professor Bob Gravani developing the GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices)/food safety program.  My role remained with Dairy Extension.   A major focus of the dairy program was milk quality.  As a result of a school milk survey conducted in 1972 the finding was that “kids drink less milk when flavor is bad.”  In 1973, plant milk quality and flavor was checked on a regular basis, and in 1983, under the leadership of David Bandler, the Voluntary Shelf-Life Program (VSL) began with NY Dairy Foods Inc.  The VSL program goals/outcomes included: development of guidelines for sell-by date; development of a data base for each plant, extension of shelf-life, and a milk quality contest.  The Dairy Extension Program also coordinated (and continues to provide) programs for dairy industry professionals through the New York State Cheese Manufacturers’ Association, and the New York State Association for Food Protection.

In 1988, David P. Brown joined the Dairy Extension Program after serving as Cornell Dairy Plant manager for 10 years.  There were also new department faculty hires in the 80’s including David Barbano (’80), Syed Rizvi (’81), John Brady (’82), and Carl Batt (’85)

In 1991, Eugene Wolff retired as Sr. Extension Associate and Steve Murphy was appointed Extension Associate in 1992 to fulfill Eugene’s duties in the Extension Program.   Steve was later promoted to Sr. Extension Associate.  Technology was also improving in the 90’s, and by 1995, the Department had its first website.   The 90’s also brought great change in personnel to the Department with five faculty retirements  (Robert Zall, Norman Potter, Donald Graham, John Sherbon, Richard Ledford, and David Bandler), along with five new faculty appointments (Harry Lawless, Steve Mulvaney, Kathryn Boor, Riu Liu, and Martin Wiedmann).

Dept. Extension Leader/Dairy Extension Professor David Bandler retired in Dec. 1997 with the agreement that he would continue to teach his three courses, serve as Extension Leader, and provide leadership with the NYS Cheese Manufacturers’ and NYS Association for Food Protection for the next three years — allowing enough time to find a replacement.  It would be Kathryn Boor to fulfill that role.  In addition to Kathryn’s research activities in the Department, she provided oversight for the Dairy Extension Program/Milk Quality Improvement Program as well as leadership with the Cheese Manufacturers’ and NYS Food Protection Association.  In another realignment of the Department and Extension Program in 1997, I became Executive Staff Assistant working with the Dairy Extension Program, along with the NY State Cheese Manufacturers’ Association, the NY State Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians (elected to their board as Executive Secy. in 1991), and Milk Quality Improvement Program.

In December 2000, David Brown retired, and was re-hired to continue his teaching and extension duties presenting programs to industry and regulatory personnel on processing and quality control issues.  Dave continued his Extension activities until his death in 2008.  In 2004, Rob Ralyea was hired as Extension Associate with the Dairy Extension Program to help fill the gap upon Dave Brown’s retirement.  Rob was later promoted to Sr. Extension Associate.

In the decade of the 2000’s, significant changes were taking place with the Department and Dairy Extension Program.  In 2007, Kathryn Boor was appointed Chair of the Department of Food Science.   My role with the Extension program was once again realigned and resulted in a promotion to Extension Support Specialist in 2007.  In 2010, Kathryn Boor became Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  It was at that time Martin Wiedmann assumed the responsibilities/oversight of the Dairy Extension Program

Since 2010, the Dairy Extension Program has grown significantly in focus and in personnel.  Under Martin Wiedmann’s leadership, new hires have been made including Tristan Zuber, Dairy Foods Extension Specialist, Kim Bukowski, Dairy Foods Extension Support Specialist , and Louise Felker, Extension Aide.  A new Dairy Certificate Program has also been developed, and technology has caught up with the 21st century (and then some!).  The Milk Quality Improvement Program, the NYS Cheese Manufacturers’ Association, and the NY State Association for Food Protection all remain an integral part of the Dairy Extension Program.

An enduring constant of the Dairy Extension Program is the objective and aspiration to provide assistance and support to the New York Dairy Industry to ensure the highest quality and safest dairy products!

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