AMES, Iowa—Gail Carpenter began a new role on July 1 as assistant professor in dairy and extension dairy specialist at Iowa State University. Carpenter brings a high-energy approach to the position with a unique combination of practical production experience and enthusiasm for helping others through research, teaching and outreach in applied dairy cattle nutrition and management.

Carpenter has been with Iowa State since 2021 as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Animal Science and worked in various capacities in the dairy industry prior to joining Iowa State. Most recently, she was a dairy nutritionist for CSA Animal Nutrition in Ohio, and before that she was an assistant professor at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus (Ontario, Canada) in the Department of Animal Biosciences.

“Gail brings a passion for the dairy sector, a proven record as an educator and researcher and a problem solver mindset to the position,” said John Lawrence, animal science interim department chair and vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach. “We are excited to have her join the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team.”

Carpenter also served as the interim manager of the Iowa State Dairy Farm in 2021 and filled a gap in leadership during critical times such as silage harvest. She also helped implement a new program, DairyCY, where the students manage the Jersey herd at the farm.

“I’m thrilled to be moving into a position that gives me the opportunity to travel the state and work directly with Iowa’s dairy industry,” Carpenter said. “I’m already working with our members of the dairy extension team on upcoming programming related to nutrition and feed management on dairy farms, which will roll out in the coming weeks.”

Carpenter will continue teaching ANS 435 – Applied Dairy Farm Evaluation, coaching the Dairy Challenge Team and working with the DairyCY students.

She is in the process of planning several dairy field days for the fall, including silage webinars that will begin in August. She was exposed to dairy at a young age, through 4-H, and her family still holds an affinity for the Ayrshire breed.

Carpenter can be reached at 515-294-9085 or ajcarpen@iastate.edu

Gail Carpenter

(contributed press release, ISUANR)