Dr. Gary Palmer
Assistant Director of Agriculture and Natural Resources since November of 2007,
Gary has served Kentucky Agriculture since 1984. He began his career at UK as
a tobacco specialist and worked on projects such as the introduction of the float
system for transplant production, promoted changes in sucker control practices
to improve control and reduce MH residues, and explored factors affecting TSNA
accumulation in tobacco.
He served as Extension Coordinator for Plant and Soil Sciences and chair of
TSNA Task Force for CORESTA. Recent awards include the 2010 Laura clay
Award for service to agriculture for his coordination of the training for the National
Guard Afghanistan Agribusiness Development Team. 2009 KACAA Outstanding
Service Award, M. D. Whitaker Excellence in Extension by The Kentucky
Association of State Extension Professionals in 2005 and Wendell H. Ford
Tobacco Leadership Award presented by Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative
Association 2005, and CORESTA Bronze Service Award in 2004
A native of East Tennessee, Dr. Palmer holds a B.A. in Cellular Biology 1977,
University of Tennessee and M.S. in Plant Pathology & Entomology 1981,
University of Tennessee. He completed his doctorate from the University of
Tennessee in 1984 concentrating in Weed Sciences in the Department of Plant &
Soil Science. He is married to Rhonda Hux Palmer from Parrottsville, TN