Rich Tait

Rich (J R) Tait, Jr. has a diverse work experience in the field of agrigenomics and genetics. Rich (J R) served as the Director of Genetics Product Development at Neogen Corporation, GeneSeek Operations, where they led research and development of new products in the agrigenomics field. Prior to that, they worked as a Statistician and Research Geneticist at USDA-ARS, supporting beef cattle, swine, and sheep research projects. Rich (J R) also held roles at Iowa State University, where they coordinated research sample and data collection for traditional and novel traits in the ISU Angus Selection project.

Rich (J R) Tait, Jr. earned their Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science with a Minor in Agronomy from Iowa State University in 1999. Rich (J R) then pursued a Master's degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics at the same institution, completing it in 2002. Rich continued their education at Iowa State University, where they obtained their Ph.D. in Animal Breeding and Genetics with a focus on Quantitative Genetics in 2006. Additionally, in 1997, they received certification as a Beef Field Technician from the Ultrasound Guidelines Council.