Crops adviser Richard Smith retires after 37 years of working with California growers

After 37 years of service, University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops adviser Richard Smith retired early this year.

“The whole industry has been dreading Richard’s retirement,” Jennifer Clarke, executive director of the California Leafy Greens Research Program, said in a news release. “Richard is a wealth of knowledge and has a great ability to translate science into real-world practical solutions.”

In the past few years, the leafy greens industry has lost millions of dollars of crops due to infections of impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and Pythium wilt. Smith is among the researchers investigating the disease, the release said.

“Richard has conducted important variety trials and led efforts in identifying the ‘top 10’ weed hosts for INSV and strategies to reduce the wintertime ‘green bridge’ for this virus,” Clarke said in the release.

The release said Smith has built a reputation for understanding growers’ needs and developing practical solutions.

“The research that I have conducted with my collaborators has helped the water board to better fit their regulations to the reality of farming and to minimize the economic constraints,” Smith said in the release.

Background in agriculture

Growing up in Watsonville, Calif., Smith began working at a young age in agriculture for summer jobs, he said in the release.

“I was in 4-H and got to know ag advisors and was always impressed by them,” Smith said in the release. “I was fortunate to be able to work as an advisor for my career. I never had a bad day as a farm advisor — it was very satisfying working with growers and helping them with their issues.”

Smith joined UC Cooperative Extension as a farm adviser intern in San Diego County and San Joaquin County in 1985 after earning his master’s degree in agronomy from the University of California, Davis. In 1986, he moved to the Central Valley to serve as an interim farm adviser for San Joaquin County, then became a vegetable crops farm adviser for Stanislaus County in 1987, the release said.

In 1989, Smith moved to the Central Coast to serve as University of California Cooperative Extension small farms adviser for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. In 1999, he transitioned to UCCE vegetable crops and weed science farm adviser for those three counties, where he served for the rest of his career.

Smith has been mentoring new UCCE farm advisers and scientists who have joined USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Salinas and California State University, Monterey Bay, the release said.

Smith has been granted emeritus status by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and plans to complete nitrogen research projects that are underway, according to the release.