Angus Catchot is an Extension Entomologist at Mississippi State University working with insect pests of soybean, cotton, corn, wheat, and grain sorghum.
Brian Pieralisi is currently the Extension cotton agronomist at Mississippi State University. He was previously employed at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Mississippi, as a research associate under Dr. Bobby Golden while pursuing a PhD in soybean nutrient uptake. Brian has experience with both soil fertility and weed science research in cotton, corn, soybean, and rice. He served as a fourth-generation cotton, corn, and soybean producer in the Mississippi Delta for 15 years before earning a PhD at Mississippi State. Brian also earned an MBA from Delta State University while operating a 4,500-acre farm in 2005.
Ben Thrash grew up on a family farm in Conway, Arkansas, that grows soybean, corn, and rice and raises cattle. He received a BS in crop management with a minor in pest management from the University of Arkansas. He also completed an MS in entomology at the University of Arkansas, working on the effects of stink bug damage on edamame soybean. Ben received his PhD from Mississippi State University, where he worked on the effects of compounding defoliation, planting date, and plant population on soybean defoliation thresholds. He is currently an Extension entomologist working primarily on row crops at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Tim Dabbert is a market development manager at Bayer CropScience and focuses on cotton traits and agronomic systems. His primary responsibilities include determining market readiness and fit of new biotech and native traits and integrating them in agronomics systems that pair crop protection and seeds/traits into tailored solutions for growers. Additionally, Tim helps develop technical messaging and marketing material to teach growers how to use Bayer CropScience’s products.
