February 14, 2012 — Dr. Ed Barnes, senior director, of Agricultural and Environmental Research for Cotton Incorporated, was named 2013 Precision Ag Researcher of the Year at the 16th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, Southern Corn & Soybean Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference held recently in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Dr. Ed Barnes accepts his Precision Ag Researcher of the Year plaque from John LaRose as Cotton Board Mid-South Regional Communication Manger, Bobby Skeen, from Monroe, Louisiana, joins in for the presentation.

Barnes has been at Cotton Incorporated since 2002 and was recently promoted to Senior Director. “I was very surprised when I received the news,” stated Barnes. “There are so many talented and innovative researchers across the Cotton Belt who work to create and advance precision farming technologies and it is an honor to work with them all.”

Spending seven years as an Agricultural Engineer for the United States Department of Agricultural Research Service at the U. S. Water Conservation Laboratory in Phoenix, Arizona, Barnes developed applications for remote sensing data for agricultural management. Throughout his career at Cotton Incorporated, Barnes has actively promoted the adoption of multiple precision farming technologies for cotton production – working with research and Extension faculty to educate producers on how precision farming can increase in-field efficiencies and increase a producer’s bottom line.

“Ed is not only a talented researcher but a true educator who has coordinated countless workshops and ‘hands-on’ training seminars to help producers integrate precision farming into their operations,” says Dr. Kater Hake, Vice President of Agricultural & Environmental Research at Cotton Incorporated. “He is truly deserving of this award.”

Barnes is also a 26-year member of the American Society of Biological and Agricultural Engineers and past Chairman of that society’s Precision Ag Committee. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in Biological and Ag Engineering from North Carolina State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Bio-systems Engineering from Oklahoma State University.