Everyone in every family is different, but Scott Stoddard is truly a unique member of the California Sweetpotato family. He’s a University of California farm advisor whose job is to help us improve production and sustainability. So Scott researches everything about farming sweetpotatoes you can imagine—from varieties to fertilizers to pest management, and everything in between.
Bottom line, he helps make California sweetpotatoes the best they can be.
“I’m sometimes called California’s sweetpotato ‘expert,’” he says, acknowledging that although there are farm advisors in every county, he’s the only one who works with sweetpotatoes. “But the real experts are the men and women actually growing the crop. They’ve all taught me so much over the years!”
Scott’s typical day might include working in a field to apply a fertilizer or assess a crop, take samples, or harvest a test plot. Other days, he might visit a grower to help figure out a production or storage problem. Still others, he’s holding a field day or informational meeting for our members. He also serves as Secretary for the Council.
The best part of this varied and valuable job? “I work with good people—they allow me to come onto their land and do projects that require time and resources. They even let me borrow their tractors and equipment all the time!”
Plus—California’s Central Valley is the most agriculturally productive area on the planet. “It might be hot in the summer, but this is the best place there is to do agricultural research.”
Scott family at home includes his wife, three kids, and an old cat named Rascal.
“I also enjoy working in the yard, but to be truthful, my vegetable garden is nothing to brag about.”
We figure it’s because he pours so much expertise and enthusiasm into our fields, there’s just not much left when he gets home.
