Jeff Semler

Myself along with four other faculty members and seven staff make up the Extension Education team charged with serving the residents of Washington County. I am a native of Washington County, where I was active in 4-H as a youth and graduated from Williamsport High School. I am an alumnus of West Virginia University with a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science. In addition, I was granted a Master's Degree in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut where my emphasis was in the area of the Physiology of Reproduction. I began my career with University of Maryland Extension as a 4-H Agent in Baltimore County in October of 1988. In 1992 I was transferred to Harford County continuing as 4-H Agent. I have been at my current post since December of 1996. My current teaching goals include continued strengthening of the profitability of agriculture in Washington County as well as increasing agricultural literacy. My research is primarily in two on-going projects at the Western Maryland Research & Education Center. The first of these is Small Ruminant Research @ WMREC.  The second investigates various forage production methods under both conventional and organic management. Both unify my lifelong love of farming and my goal of assisting farmers with their livelihood while maintaining or improving their soil, plant and animal resources.