IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

May 15, 2003

TINKER NAMED NEW COORDINATOR FOR DNR'S LIVESTOCK PROGRAM

DES MOINES - Eugene Tinker, a former Iowa State University Extension swine
specialist, has been named to lead the DNR's animal agriculture program.

Tinker, 42, begins his duties on May 27 with the goal of helping develop
laws, then state rules, that support livestock producers by allowing them to
be profitable and protect the environment.

"We all have the same goal of protecting the environment, but we differ in
how we go about doing it," he said.

Tinker recognizes that that will be a difficult task given all the entities
involved, but he quotes an environmental award-winning cattleman, Jim
Bradford of Guthrie Center as an example of producers who are working to
improve the environment. Bradford, who was one of seven finalists in a
national environmental award competition said, "We're not environmental
activists, but we are active environmentalists."

As an active producer with ongoing interests in the family farm in northeast
Iowa, Tinker is well aware of the issues that livestock and poultry
producers must deal with. One of his top priorities will be to come up with
a way for producers to use one system of recordkeeping that will satisfy
both federal and state regulators.

"This is a challenging position that requires someone with superior
communication and organizational skills, along with a working knowledge of
agriculture," said Wayne Gieselman, administrator of the DNR's Environmental
Services Division.

Gieselman said that some of those challenges include:
addressing new national concentrated animal feeding operations standards
(AFO/CAFO),
developing a workable phosphorus index,
continuing a constructive relationship with animal industry and public
interest groups, and
coordinating communications to aide in internal consistency.

Tinker grew up on a diversified farm in Delaware County where he gained
experience with dairy, swine and beef cattle. He has two separate degrees,
one in animal science and one in agricultural education, from Iowa State
University. He earned his master's degree in animal science and a Ph.D. in
animal breeding and genetics from Oklahoma State.

After graduation, Tinker worked as a county extension director and a swine
specialist in northeast Iowa until 1999. He is currently a swine business
management specialist for Minnesota Extension in Waseca, Minnesota.

For more information, contact Karen Grimes at (515) 281-5135, or by e-mail
at [log in to unmask]

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