John Matsushima, a Greeley native and professor emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, has dedicated his life to serving Colorado’s livestock industry. His many innovations in cattle nutrition over his long career included creating flaked feed, which not only gave producers a less expensive way to feed livestock, but also gave animals a more efficient source of nutrition.

For his many revolutionary accomplishments, Matsushima has been awarded honors such as the Emperor’s Citation by the Emperor of Japan and the 2013 Citizen of the West by the National Western Stock Show.

The 98-year-old alumnus created Ag Day in 1981 after collaborating with Thurman “Fum” McGraw, CSU’s athletic director from 1976 to 1986, as a way to support students studying agricultural sciences.

Ag Day became a CSU tradition to this day, combining barbecue and football to showcase the best of Colorado agriculture and the state’s land-grant university.