North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference

Award Winner Photos

2022 Award Winners

Deborah Samac received the R.R. Hill, Jr. Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to alfalfa research.

Deborah Samac, USDA-ARS.

E. Charles Brummer (University of California-Davis) and Mark Smith (S&W Seed Company; not pictured) were awarded Honorary Memberships with NAAIC for their outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

E. Charles Brummer, University of California-Davis.

The conference also awarded graduate student travel grants to seven students (Rudra Baral, Kansas State University; Anju Biswas, University of Florida; Justin Burt, University of Georgia; Barbara dos Santos, Oklahoma State University; Matt Francis, University of California-Davis; Harpreet Kaur, New Mexico State University; Kendall Lee, University of Georgia) who presented papers or spoke at the event.

2018 Award Winners

David Huset (Legacy Seeds) and Daniel Putnam (University of California-Davis) were awarded Honorary Memberships with NAAIC for their outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

(From left to right) Deborah Samac, NAAIC President; David Huset, Legacy Seeds; Daniel Putnam, University of California-Davis.

The conference also awarded travel grants to eleven students who presented papers or spoke at the event.

North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference 2018 Student Travel Grant Awardees.
(Front row, from left to right) Deborah Samac, NAAIC President; Samantha Rude, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Marcia Pereira da Silva, University of Tennessee; Alpa Puri, University of Western Ontario; Olivia Steinmetz, University of Wisconsin-Madison;
(Back row, from left to right) Kyle Harrington, University of Arizona; Jeremie Favre, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Kiran Baral, University of Saskatchewan; Laxman Adhikari, University of Georgia; Felix Gutierrez, University of California-Davis; Scott Newell, University of California-Davis; Andrew Sathoff, University of Minnesota.

2016 Award Winners

Jon Reich, Alforex Seeds, was awarded Honorary Membership with NAAIC for his outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

The conference also awarded graduate student travel grants to ten students (Laxman Adhikari, University of Georgia; Devan Catalano, University of Minnesota; Praveena Kanchupati, South Dakota State University; Gitanshu Munjal, University of California - Davis (not pictured); Abby Neu, University of Minnesota; Scott Newell, University of California - Davis; Reagan Noland, University of Minnesota; Emmanuel Santa-Martinez, University of Wisconsin; Anish Sapkota, Montana State University; Andrew Sathoff, University of Minnesota) who presented papers at the conference through the generosity of nine sustaining member companies.

2014 Award Winners

JoAnn Lamb, USDA-ARS, was awarded Honorary Membership with NAAIC for her outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

The conference also awarded graduate student travel grants to four students (Yanina Alarcon, University of Georgia; Mohammed Rokebul Anower, South Dakota State University; Alfredo Aponte, North Dakota State University; Nicholas Santantonio, Cornell University) who presented papers at the conference through the generosity of nine sustaining member companies.

JoAnn Lamb, USDA-ARS

North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference 2014 Graduate Student Travel Grant Awardees: (From left to right) Nicholas Santantonio, Mohammed Rokebul Anower, Yanina Alarcon, and Alfredo Aponte.

2012 Award Winners

The NAAIC presented awards to two outstanding members: Mark McCaslin, Forage Genetics International and Joe Bouton, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation were awarded Honorary Memberships for their outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

The conference also awarded graduate student travel grants to two students (Md Rokebul Anower, South Dakota University; Victoria Seitz, University of Wisconsin) who presented papers at the conference through the generosity of nine sustaining member companies.


Mark McCaslin, Forage Genetics International	Joe Bouton, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

Md Rokebul Anower, South Dakota University	Victoria Seitz, University of Wisconsin

2010 Award Winners

Paul Sun, Dairyland Seed. Co. & Gary Bauchan, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD Honorary Members.

2008 Award Winners

John Caddel, Oklahoma State University, Honorary Member & Richard Dixon, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, R.R. Hill Award

2006 Award Winners

The NAAIC presented awards to three outstanding members: Bill Knipe, Forage Genetics International and Real Michaud, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada were awarded Honorary Memberships for their outstanding career contributions to alfalfa improvement.

Steve Temple received the R.R. Hill, Jr. Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to alfalfa research.

The conference also awarded graduate student travel grants to four students (Michael Wunsch, Cornell University; Julia Olmstead, Iowa State University; Muhammet Sakiroglu, Iowa State University; and Xuehui Li, Iowa State University) who presented papers at the conference through the generosity of nine sustaining member companies.

North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference 2006 Awardees: (left to right) Bill Knipe, Real Michaud and Steve Temple. Bill Knipe and Real Michaud received the NAAIC Honorary Membership Award and Steve Temple received the Richard R. Hill, Jr. Achievement Award

North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference 2006 Graduate Student Travel Grant Awardees: (From left to right) Craig Sheaffer (President of the NAAIC), Michael Wunsch (Cornell University), Julia Olmstead (Iowa State Univ.), Muhammet Sakiroglu (Iowa State Univ.), and Xuehui Li (Iowa State Univ.)

2004 Award Winners

Warren Thompson, University of Kentucky - Extension Specialist, Honorary Member & Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin, R.R. Hill Award

2004 Past NAAIC Awardees (left to right) Gary Lacefield, Jim Moutray, John Baylor, Dan Undersander, Ken Leath, Mark McCaslin, Warren Thompson, Joe Bouton

2000 Award Winners

Richard Berberet

Don Brown

Carroll Vance

1998 Award Winners

The "Honorary Membership Award" is awarded to one recipient at each biennial meeting for "outstanding contributions to alfalfa improvement and/or utilization. This award recognizes alfalfa specialists, active or retired, who have made major contributions during their careers to the improvement and use of alfalfa". At the 36th NAAIC, the Honorary Membership Award was given to Dr. Edwin T. Bingham from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Ted Bingham & Real Michaud
E. T. Bingham and R. Michaud The "R. R. Hill Memorial Award" is given to one recipient at each biennial meeting to "recognize a worthy contributor for some recent, specific, and outstanding achievement in any area of alfalfa science or production". At the 36th NAAIC, the R. R. Hill Memorial Award was given to Dr. Mark McCaslin of Forage Genetics, Inc., West Salem , Wisconsin.

Mark McCaslin & Real Michaud
M. McCaslin and R. Michaud

The NAAIC has established a travel grant award program for graduate students who will be making oral or poster presentations at the biennial NAAIC meeting. At the 36th NAAIC, eight students were presented with travel stipends.

Students & Real Michaud
R. Michaud, Annie Claessens, Charla Hollingsworth, Floyd W. Shockley, Kathy L.E. Klos,
Avinash Singh, Mary K. Sledge, Zhiwen Lan, and Michael Walsh

1984 Award Winners

Richard Peaden (Honorary Member Awardee), Ken Leath (Honorary Member Awardee), Gary Bauchan (President), Joe Bouton (R.R. Hill Awardee), & Mel Rumbaugh (Honorary Member Awardee)