Jason Smith, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science and serves as an Extension Beef Cattle Specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Amarillo, TX. He is a native of northern Virginia, where he developed a passion for beef cattle at an early age. Jason’s efforts are focused toward developing and supporting educational programs that benefit beef cattle producers and other industry stakeholders. Jason also works to conduct applied and demonstrational research in beef cattle nutrition in order to link fundamental discovery to application in the field, and answer production-relevant questions that would otherwise remain unanswered. Over the course of ten years as an Extension Beef Cattle Specialist for the University of Tennessee and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, he has coordinated, led, or presented at over 500 programs and reached more than 34,000 producers and industry professionals. During that time, he has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications, articles, and other educational products, and secured $2.8 million to directly support his educational programs. Jason works with county Extension agents, cow-calf and stocker operations, feedyards, and other industry stakeholders primarily in the Texas Panhandle to develop science-based solutions to real-world production issues that benefit the beef industry. He also serves as a coordinator of the Texas Beef Quality Assurance Program, a member of the Plains Nutrition Council Executive Committee, and leader of the Texas Beef Cattle Efficiency Initiative. Jason, his wife Anna, their daughter Taylor, and son Carson reside near Canyon, TX where they have a small cow herd.