Gus Lorenz, extension entomologist, retires after 36 years
Lorenz pushed hard for boll weevil eradication.
Jan. 14, 2022
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Lorenz instrumental in shaping pest management in Arkansas row crops
- Pushed hard for Boll Weevil Eradication Program
- Plans to farm in Northwest Arkansas
(913 words)
(Newsrooms: With file art at https://flic.kr/p/2gYvX3i)
LONOKE, Ark. — After more than three and a half decades with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Distinguished Professor and extension entomologist Gus Lorenz has left at least one distinct image among his cohort: What you see is what you get.
Lorenz helped facilitate some of the most significant changes in extension in the late 20th century, including boll weevil eradication in cotton and an increased focus on “on the ground” research within the Cooperative Extension Service. Ken Korth, department head for Plant Pathology and Entomology within the Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, said Lorenz’s willingness to say what’s on his mind was key to making those changes a reality.
“The department has gone through a lot of changes in the last few years,” Korth said. “He’s always been forthright and open about his thoughts on the direction we need to go, and what people need to do to make it succeed.
“He’s always emphasized the importance of serving the state, of serving Arkansans, and his day-to-day work for extension bears that out,” Korth said.
A wide-ranging career path
Lorenz first joined the Division of Agriculture in 1985 as a county agent for the Cooperative Extension Service in Jefferson County. A few years later, he began work under soybean agronomist Lanny Ashlock as the soybean research program coordinator. He went on to fulfill roles in wheat and cotton verification programs as well, all while completing his Ph.D. in entomology. Lorenz served as an extension entomologist, among other duties, beginning in 1995.
Over the decades, Lorenz fought several battles, trying to both control insect pressure in row crops and deal with increasing resistance to available modes of action. One of the most memorable benchmarks in his career, the boll weevil eradication program, offered the most resistance on the human front.
“We had a hard time with that. There were a lot of growers in favor of that program, and some that weren’t. It was a lot of turmoil,” Lorenz said. “That was one of the few times in my career when growers weren’t happy to see me. There were farmers who just didn’t want to participate in an eradication program.”
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture established the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Program in 1997, legally requiring growers to participate. As of 2020, the program has “functionally eradicated” the boll weevil in Arkansas, according to the department’s website.
“There was a lot of unhappiness with a lot of people,” Lorenz said.
“Later, after the eradication was conducted, a lot of growers who were vehemently against the program came back to me and apologized for some of the things they’d said about me,” he said with a laugh. “They realized how much the boll weevil was actually impacting their cotton.”
“It is no wonder that Dr. Lorenz’s advice is sought out and valued by Arkansas producers,” Korth said. “His long and varied experience in different crop systems have provided him insight into pest management in all the major row crops in the state. Gus is widely recognized as a leader among extension entomologists, by industry representatives, farmers, and consultants for his approach to insect control and IPM strategies throughout the southeastern United States. His extensive knowledge and practical skills will be sorely missed.”
Expanding research ‘on the ground’
Lorenz described the mid-90s through the early 2000s as “a pretty busy time to be an entomologist.” In addition to pressing the eradication program, Lorenz also pushed for more widespread, localized research in crop management.
“When we first started as extension people, we were encouraged not to replicate trials or do our own research,” he said. “We were extending research from the division. But over time, it became obvious we needed to do more research at the ‘ground level,’ replicating research experiments instead of just trials and demos.”
“During the 90s into the 2000s, there was a point when the College of Agriculture had really gotten away from applied agriculture, so the responsibility fell in our lap,” he said. “We didn’t have people on campus to help us gather data, so we had to do it ourselves.”
Mentoring the next generation
Although his career was marked with many significant improvements in the field of row crop entomology and pest management, Lorenz said his proudest memories were of the many graduate students he mentored who have gone on to become agricultural entomologists themselves.
“Somewhere around 2008-2010, we started working with graduate students,” Lorenz said. “During that time, I’ve trained a lot of young people to become entomologists and to be productive in their agricultural careers. More than anything, training people in our discipline to become professional people in the agricultural industry — I think I take more pride in that than just about anything else in my career.”
“Gus has been an effective mentor to many young entomologists,” Korth said. “In addition to generating research data, he emphasizes practical experience and the communication of quality information to our stakeholders. As the associate department head, Gus has been very helpful to me as we merged the former separate units of Entomology and Plant Pathology.”
Although his last day with the Division of Agriculture was Dec. 23, 2021, Lorenz said he won’t be leaving the field entirely.
“I’m going to be a farmer up in Washington County,” he said. “I’ll still be around if opportunities arise. I’m still going to be in agriculture, I’m just going to be doing it at a slower pace.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Ryan McGeeney
Rmcgeeney@uada.edu