Dr. Richard Coffey is the Department Head for Animal and Food Sciences where he provides leadership in planning, developing, integrating, and implementing departmental programs in teaching, research, and Extension. Previously, Dr. Coffey served as an Extension Swine Specialist at the University of Kentucky (1994-2015), as Director of the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center (2012-2015), and as Department Chair for Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Kentucky (2015-2022). In his Extension role at the University of Kentucky Dr. Coffey worked extensively with pork producers and support industry personnel dealing with all facets of pork production, including manure and environmental management, nutritional management, reproductive management, swine production systems, housing systems, health and disease prevention, and marketing alternatives. From 2003-2012 Dr. Coffey also served as the department's Youth Livestock Programs Coordinator where he provided overall coordination and leadership for youth livestock programs and projects in the state of Kentucky.