Call these experts for questions about Virginia Cooperative Extension’s research-based programs and resources related to agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and community viability.
Agriculture Operations and Marketing
Agricultural marketing - Denise Mainville – (540) 231-5774
Computers as farm tools - Gordon Groover - (540) 231-5850
Farm business - Jim Pease - (540) 231-4178
Farm equipment and safety - Bobby Grisso - (540) 231-6538
Beef
Beef cattle - John Hall - (540) 231-9153
Beef cattle health - Dee Whittier - (540) 231-4642
Bees - Richard Fell - (540) 231-7207
Biosecurity - Dee Whitter - (540) 231-4642
Community Viability
Community Planning - Jonah Fogel - (804) 527-4246
Eric Bendfeldt - (540) 432-6029
Matthew Benson - (540) 341-7961
Crystal Tyler-Mackey - (804) 524-5494
Economic Opportunity Development - Eric Bendfeldt - (540) 432-6029
Matthew Benson - (540) 341-7961
Jonah Fogel - (804) 527-4246
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development - Scott Tate - (276) 619-4361
Martha Walker - (434) 766-6761
Leadership - Martha Walker - (434) 766-6761
Scott Tate - (276) 619-4361
Crystal Tyler-Mackey - (804) 524-5494
Composting - Gregory Evanylo - (540) 231-9739
Crops
Biosafety of Genetically Modified Crops - Sue Tolin - (540) 231-5800
Brambles - Jeremy Pattison (434) 292-5331
Corn, wheat, barley - Wade Thomason - (540) 231-2988
Cotton - Joel Faircloth - (757) 657-6450 ext. 117
Floriculture - Joyce Latimer - (540) 231-7906
Hydroponic vegetables - Chris Mullins - (804) 524-5834
Peanuts - Joel Faircloth - (757) 657-6450 ext. 117
Soybeans - David Holshouser - (757) 657-6450
Tobacco - David Reed - (434) 292-5331
Danny Peek - (276) 944-2200
Vegetables - Allen Straw - (276) 944-2200
Dairy
Dairy products - Bennett Cassell - (540) 231-4762
Dairy cattle health - John Currin - (540) 231-9041
Dairy processing - Susan Sumner - (540) 231-5280
Emergency Preparedness and Recovery
Agriculture damage assessment - Jim Riddell- (540) 231-9347
Food - Robert Williams - (540) 231-8697
Family Issues
Child care and parenting education - Novella Ruffin - (804) 524-5257
HIV-AIDS & STDs - Debra Jones - (804) 524-5959
Financial management - Celia Hayhoe - (540) 231-9353
4-H Youth Development
Animal science - Mark Wahlberg - (540) 231-9161
Character Counts - Tonya Taylor - (540) 231-6372
Dairy - David Winston - (540) 231-5693
Economics education - Mike Ellerbrock - (540) 231-7722
Forestry and wildlife - Jeff Kirwan - (540) 231-7265
Marine life - Barry Fox - (804) 524-5848
Curriculum and the learning process - Kathleen Jamison - (540) 231-6372
Volunteer development - Cathy Sutphin - (540) 231-6371
National Farm Legislation - David Orden - (540) 231-7559
Food, Nutrition and Health
Nutrition education for limited-resources audiences - Mary McFerren - (540) 231-9429
Health Promotion - Debra Jones - (804) 524-5847
Childhood nutrition and fitness - Elena Serrano - (540) 231-3464
Chronic disease - Eleanor Schlenker - (540) 231-2450
Consumer food safety - Renee Boyer - (540) 231-4330
Dairy processing - Susan Sumner - (540) 231-5280
Safe food handling for individuals and groups - Robert Williams - (540) 231-4106
Poultry processing - Joe Eifert - (540) 231-3658
Forestry
Christmas trees - Kyle Peer - (276) 694-4135
Logging and timber harvesting - Bob Shaffer - (540) 231-7744
Tree planting - Jen Gagnon - (540) 231-6391
Forest products and wood performance - Brian Bond - (540) 231-8752
Timber and tax issues - Jen Gagnon - (540) 231-6391
Forest Landowner Education Program - Jen Gagnon - (540) 231-6391
SHARP Logger Education Program - Scott Barrett - (540) 231-6469
Gardening
Contact the local Extension office for information on Master Gardeners in your area.
Yard and landscape tree questions
Insects - Eric Day - (540) 231-4899
Disease or unknown problems - Jay Stipes - (540) 231-7479
Planting, pruning, care, etc. - Bonnie Appleton - (757) 363-3906
Nursery - Bonnie Appleton - (757) 363-3906
Ornamentals - Bonnie Appleton - (757) 363-3906
Grapes and Wine
Grapes - Anthony Wolf - (540) 869-2560
Wine - Bruce Zoecklein - (540) 231-5325
Insect Identification - Eric Day - (540) 231-4899
Mined-Land Reclamation - Carl Zipper - (540) 231-9782
Pest Management
Pest management - Ames Herbert - (757) 657-6450
Urban pest management - Dini Miller - (540) 231-4918
Pesticide safety and certification - Mike Weaver - (540) 231-6543
Plant Disease Identification - Mary Ann Hansen - (540) 231-6758
Poultry
Poultry - Audrey McElroy - (540) 231-8750
Eggs - Curtis Novak - (540) 231-5087
Poultry processing - Joe Eifert - (540) 231-3658
Seafood and Aquaculture
Fish farming - Brian Nerrie - (804) 524-5903
Fish health - David Crosby - (804) 524-5620
Safely handling seafood - George Flick - (540) 231-6965
Mike Jahncke - (757) 727-4861
Seafood marketing - Dan Kauffman - (757) 727-4861
Sheep - Scott Greiner - (540) 231-9159
Soil
Soil fertility - Mark Alley - (540) 231-9777
Soil testing - Steve Heckendorn - (540) 231-9807
Swine - Allen Harper - (757) 657-6450
Turfgrass - Michael Goatley - (540) 231-2951
Water Quality
Nutrient management - Rory McGuire - (540) 231-0472
Surface water - Brian Benham - (540) 231-5705
Waste Management - Jactone Ogejo - (540) 231-6815
Water Wizard Van - Barry Fox - (804) 524-5848
Weeds
Crops - Scott Hagood - (540) 231-6762
Nursery and Ornamentals - Jeffrey Derr - (757) 363-3912
Turfgrass - Shawn Askew - (540) 231-5807
Wildlife
Enhancement or damage - James Parkhurst - (540) 231-9283
As carriers of disease - James Parkhurst - (540) 231-9283
Insect borne diseases (West Nile Virus) - Sally Paulson - (540) 231-8035
Help in Locating Additional Sources
Lori Greiner - lgreiner@vt.edu - (540) 231-5863
Michael Sutphin - msutphin@vt.edu - (540) 231-6975
Linda Burcham - lburcham@vt.edu - (540) 231-4310
Kerstin Roan - ksroan@vt.edu - (540) 231-6676
Contact information for your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office, the agricultural research and Extension centers (ARECs), and the 4-H educational centers.
Check out the Virginia Tech Expertise Database to find more than 1,700
experts with summaries of their research in a searchable index. This
includes experts from Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Tech's
eight colleges.
