A native of Iowa, Boggess earned a Ph.D. in animal breeding from Iowa State University; a Masters of Science in animal breeding from Cornell University; and a Bachelor of Science in animal science from Iowa State.


Boggess has a diverse, industry-based background in animal sciences and production. He served as a Swine and Beef Cattle Extension Specialist with the University of Idaho in Twin Falls from 1990 to 1994. In 1994 he became president of Salmon Creek Farms LLC in Twin Falls, where he was responsible for development of the Salmon Creek Farms Natural Pork program and branded product line.

In 2004, he assumed the position of director of the Animal Science Committee for the National Pork Board where he was responsible for program direction and industry funding coordination for research.

Boggess also served as the NPB liaison for animal science to producers, academia, media, regulators and the National Pork Producers Council, and he directed numerous pork industry-based advisory groups. From 1996 to 2008 he also was an owner/operator for a 450-cow purebred Angus and Simmental beef seed stock operation.  
 
Boggess replaces Dr. Neal Martin, who directed the Center from 1999 to 2013. The U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center has a research farm in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, and an Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research Unit in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Eighteen scientists conduct research to improve the utilization of forages in dairy cattle diets and to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farm systems. 
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—From USDA-ARS news release