James R. Gillespie, the original author of this text, had extensive training and experience in the field of livestock production and agricultural education. He received his BS and MS degrees in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University and his Education Specialist degree in School Administration from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. Mr. Gillespie taught agricultural education at the high school and adult education levels. In addition to other agriculture-related positions, he was self-employed in farming and employed by the Illinois State Board of Education, Department of Adult, Vocational, and Technical Education, Program Approval and Evaluation as Regional Vocational Administrator, Region II. Mr. Gillespie was a member of Phi Delta Kappa and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. James R. Gillespie passed away in 2006.
Dr. Frank B. Flanders is an Assistant Professor of Agriculture Education at the University of Georgia. He has served Agriculture Education for over thirty-five years. Dr. Flanders taught high school agriculture education for six years and was a Special Instructor in Agricultural Education at the University of Georgia for 15 years. Dr. Flanders has extensive experience in developing agriculture education teaching materials. He served as the Agriculture Education Curriculum Coordinator in Georgia, where he developed and maintained the Agricultural Education website, produced instructional DVDs and CDs for teachers, managed curriculum projects, and taught numerous workshops for teachers. He also served as the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education Resource Network Curriculum Coordinator for three years. Dr. Flanders served on the writing team for the National Standards in Agriculture Education and served as lead writer for the National Standards on Animal Science. In 2003, Dr. Flanders was inducted into the Georgia Agriculture Education Hall of Fame and received the National Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award from the Professional Fraternity Association. He has also received the Outstanding Faculty Member in Agriculture Education Award and the Outstanding Service and Faculty Member Award from the University of Georgia Student Government Association.
