WISCONSIN DELLS – The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) presented Daryl D. Buss with the “Distinguished Service to Agriculture" award during the organization’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells on December 2.
The Distinguished Service to Agriculture is awarded to an individual for outstanding contributions to the success of Wisconsin’s agricultural industry. Buss, DVM, PhD, served as dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1994 until he retired in June of 2012.
Daryl Buss, former dean of the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, receives the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from former Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Bruins.
“Wisconsin is fortunate to have experienced the leadership of Daryl Buss,” said WFBF Board Director, Jim Holte, who nominated Buss for the award. “As Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, he helped provide the livestock industry with talented and well prepared professionals.”
“Dean Buss was instrumental throughout his career in enhancing the (school’s) excellence and national stature, building upon the legacy of our founding Dean Easterday,” said current dean, Mark Markel. “Dean Buss helped create and advance the strength of our food animal production medicine group, which is a prominent supporter of the dairy industry in the state both in service to farm owners and toward the education of future dairy focused veterinarians.”
During his tenure, Buss built a program valued by Wisconsin and widely recognized nationally as a premier place to learn and conduct research. He helped shape national policy through service as president of the Association of American Veterinary Colleges. He also served on the board of the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues, on the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Research and on that association’s committee to update standards for veterinary school accreditation.
As the School of Veterinary Medicine’s second dean, he was instrumental in facilitating considerable growth in both research expenditures and clinical activities.
One of the milestones of his career was the return of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to campus in 2006 after a 40-year absence. The laboratory allows for a tremendous amount of collaboration between pathologists and students, who will be future users of the facility during their careers.
Buss received the Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association in 2004.
He was previously recognized as Teacher of the Year at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where he served for 18 years, with 15 of those in the role of chairman of the Department of Physiological Sciences.
At the time of his retirement, he was awarded the ranks of Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at UW-Madison. He received his DVM degree from the University of Minnesota and his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Buss grew up on a farm in southwestern Minnesota that remains in his family today. He and wife, Sharon, live in Madison. They have one daughter, Jennifer.
Casey Langan, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation
