New Soil & Water Management Extension Specialist Joins UW
The Wisconsin Crop Manager contributors would like to introduce you to our newest colleague. Francisco Arriaga joined the Department of Soil Science and UW-Extension as a Soil and Water Management Specialist on July 2. He started his career as a soil scientist in his native Puerto Rico, where he conducted his undergraduate studies and interned with the Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS). He received an MS from Auburn University in Agronomy and Soils, and a PhD in Soil Science (applied soil physics) from UW-Madison. Francisco spent the past 9 years working for the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducting research on conservation agriculture systems. His research focused on the development of conservation tillage practices that enhanced soil quality, soil hydraulic properties, and plant water use through the adoption of cover crops and non-inversion tillage for traditional cropping systems of the Southeast. Francisco’s overall goals are to promote soil and water conservation and protection in Wisconsin, while helping farmers remain economically competitive and sustainable. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for Francisco, he can be contacted by Email at farriaga@wisc.edu or telephone at 608-263-3913.