Plant Health Initiative

David Wright's biography

David Wright, Director of NCSRP's Plant Health Initiative

David L. Wright, PhD
Director of Contract Research & Strategic Initiatives,
Iowa Soybean Association

Director of Research, North Central Soybean Research Program
4554 114th Street, Urbandale, Iowa 50322-5410
(800) 383-1423

Dr. David Wright joined the Iowa Soybean Association in July of 2001. Today, as Director of Contract Research & Strategic Initiatives, his responsibilities include: providing strategic direction to the Iowa Soybean Association and providing oversight for the Board's contract research and value-added activities. His focus is the facilitation and coordination of checkoff-funded research initiatives in the areas of soybean breeding and production.

Dr. Wright is well known for his passion for production research. He guides university researchers across the United States in the prioritization of research that has the best combination of short- and long-term benefits for soybean producers.

He was one of the first crop professionals to address the threat of Asian soybean rust in the United States. In 2001 Dr. Wright began a campaign to help prepare soybean producers and crop professionals for the arrival of this new and potentially devastating pathogen.

He was the first to prepare a detailed plan for his home state of Iowa to prepare for and respond to Asian rust within the state. This detailed plan began with the design and implementation of a training program to ensure that the states crop professionals could accurately identify Asian rust and discriminate it from diseases common to the state.

Dr. Wright's innovative response plan became the foundation for similar plans in more that twenty soybean producing states. Some of these states were ultimately the first in the nation to confirm the presence of the pathogen.

Dr. Wright also provides strategic direction to, and manages research investments of, the North Central Soybean Research Program a collaboration of 12-state checkoff boards. This novel program pools funding from checkoff boards and invests into research that affects soybean producers throughout the United States. To date, this program has invested more than $21 million dollars in soybean research and education activities.

Prior to joining the Iowa Soybean Association, Dr. Wright served as a Regional Agronomy Services Manager for Cargill Hybrid Seeds. In this capacity, Dr. Wright led Cargill Hybrid Seeds' U.S. soybean research and development activities. He was also responsible for corn product development and agronomic sales support for the Eastern U.S.

Dr. Wright grew up on a grain, dairy, and livestock farm in central Iowa with his eight brothers. He holds a Doctorate in agronomy from Kansas State University, and Masters and Bachelors of Science degrees from Iowa State University.