Group Honor Award for Excellence from Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman at the 50th Annual USDA Honor Awards Ceremony on June 5 at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Auditorium in Washington, DC. Spittler is Northeast Regional Director of the IR-4 Program which is part of the Analytical Chemical Laboratories in Cornell's Department of Food Science & Technology at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. As such, he serves as the Northeast Representative on the Technical Committee which governs the national IR-4 Program. The committee achieved the USDA Award for Excellence, "for visionary guidance of the minor crop pest management program."
The IR-4 Program assists growers by supporting over 1000 pest control registrations on minor crops.
"The Technical Committee won the award for achievement in the Environmental Protection category," noted Spittler. "The IR-4 Program had been in existence since 1963, but, over the last five years, we have been able to expand it from a $2 million to a $6.7 million research program funded by USDA. We have been active in finding both safe chemical pest controls and biological control methods."
"I was very pleased to hear that Dr. Spittler received this honor from the USDA," said Richard Durst, Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Analytical Laboratories at Geneva. "Since the IR-4 Northeast Regional Laboratory, which is the largest component of the Cornell Analytical Chemistry Laboratories, serves ultimately to protect the consumer and the environment from potential pesticide harm, it is vital that the work of this important committee be performed in a highly competent and professional manner. This award demonstrates that Terry has performed this function extremely well and recognizes him and the rest of the Technical Committee for their achievements and dedicated service to the IR-4 Program."
As Northeast Regional Director of the IR-4 Program, Spittler is responsible for the Northeast Residue Chemistry Laboratory at Geneva plus field research at cooperating Northeast State agricultural experiment stations. "Our overall objective is the development and registration of safe chemical and biological pest control strategies for minor cropsÑfruits, vegetables and ornamentals," said Spittler. His research efforts include analytical methods development, pesticide residue studies in food commodities and the environment, biological pest control implementation, and food safety. The Northeast Laboratory at Geneva has 15 full-time professional and technical staff with an annual research budget of over $1 million.
The awardees honored by the USDA represented outstanding service in many fields, including stewardship of national resources; scientific research; farm and food program delivery; rural economic development; and administrative management. Individual acts of heroism were also honored. There were 106 awards presented, several of which were for group achievement. In addition to Spittler, the members of the IR-4 Project Technical Committee honored were regional representatives Robert Hollingworth (Michigan State), Taka Shibamoto (Univ. of California-Davis), and Cheng-I Wei (Univ. of Florida); National Director Richard Guest (Rutgers); USDA-CSREES, USDA-ARS representative Paul Schwartz; CSREES liaison James V. Parochette; and Administrative Advisor Neal Thompson (Univ. of Florida).
In presenting the awards, Secretary Glickman said: "We recognize that their workÑrepresenting the highest standards of all USDA employeesÑwill make a real difference in the progress and leadership of our nation, and the quality of life of our citizens, for decades to come. USDA employees have a proud tradition of doing important things in a quiet way . . . We honor them for their personal standards of excellence and for their leadership in making USDA a powerful force for good and for change."
Spittler received his B.A. from Bowling Green University in 1965, his M.S. in Biochemistry from SUNY-Buffalo in 1967, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from SUNY-Albany in 1974. He has been employed as associate director of Cornell's Analytical Laboratories since 1977. Other professional activities include membership in the American Chemical Society of which he is a member of the Executive Committee and Secretary of the Agrochemicals Division. His outside interests include Geneva Generals Hockey, the Seneca Yacht Club, and downhill skiing. Terry and Mary Spittler reside at 772 South Main Street, Geneva, with their three children Elizabeth, Max, and Gretchen.
Contact: Linda McCandless
315-787-2417
e-mail: llm3@cornell.edu
Communications Services, Geneva, NY
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