When you’re the guardian of a living creature – human, livestock or other -- there are some really tough decisions to make.  Do I homeschool or do the public option?  Do I do surgical intervention or see how they do on their own?  Do I breed, cull or slaughter (not on the human side, obviously).  In these days of technical innovation, there are some fantastic tools out there to help us make decisions, but not only are they expensive, they’re sometimes hard to figure out.  Whether it’s SAT scores and a Myers-Briggs test or genome mapping for parentage and production traits, it’s often difficult to know where to start. Today, we’re speaking with Ted Kalbfleisch, Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky.  He understands the logistical challenges that arise from the attempt to start the genetic testing path, and the cost and paperwork that often gets in the way of progress.  He has an idea for gathering genetic information that incorporates the benefits of the grass-roots concept (ha – get it?), working together to help the little guys get started on the path toward the holy grail – genetic mapping, and all the secrets it holds.  He has written a grant to get there (with some really great news on that this week), and all it might take is an email in his inbox, if you want to be a part of it. Links: https://gluck.ca.uky.edu/person/ted-kalbfleisch https://nationalwestern.com/ http://www.ca.uky.edu/ Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)