College Dean

"Agriculture in Kentucky has a great support system. The agriculture community welcomes new ideas and new people. It is not just about learning the latest technologies but understanding the people who give their lives to production, farms, and forests. It also includes people whose livelihood traces back to farms and forests. Such as processors, haulers, restaurants, and others."

Next up in our "Women of Kentucky Agriculture" series is Nancy Cox, the Vice President for Land-Grant Engagement and Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Nancy started her career in agriculture 22 years ago and has previously been the Associate Dean for Research and the Agricultural Experiment Station.

Prior to her storied career in agricultural education, Nancy grew up in rural America on an extremely small farm, where she discovered her love of agriculture at a very young age. When she started her agriculture journey at Furman University, receiving her bachelor's degree, then her master's at the University of Georgia, and finally, her doctorate from North Carolina State University. After that, she began teaching and leading research at Mississippi State University in animal physiology.

Nancy became Dean in 2014. Prior to that, she served the University of Kentucky as Associate Dean and Research Director for the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. Here, she furthered the college's land-grant role as a leader in research and development in Kentucky by prioritizing investments in veterinarian diagnostics, animal/equine health and safety, and animal and forage production. Her future endeavors include a joint project with the US Department of Agriculture's research branch to develop a new cutting-edge animal forage production facility on campus. This facility is meant to further research and development of Kentucky's forage and animal industries while maintaining Kentucky's place as a national livestock production leader, all of it spearheaded by Nancy!

Women play pivotal roles in Kentucky agriculture, and Dean Nancy Cox is a stellar example of that. Through her role at UK, Nancy helps women determine their path through agricultural and environmental studies. Whether that's through research, technology development, or more hands-on experiences, Nancy Cox is living proof that the future of Kentucky agriculture lies with the women of our great state.