Hugh Smith will become the new entomology farm advisor in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties effective July 1, 2008.

Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in the classics in 1986 at Brown University in Rhode Island and his master’s degree and doctorate in entomology at the University of Florida in 1996 and 1999, respectively.

He has worked in a number of capacities since obtaining his doctorate. He was a visiting lecturer at the Universidad del Valle-Altiplano, Sololá in Guatemala, a consultant for Child Fund in Vietnam, a Fulbright visiting scholar in Guatemala, and an agricultural entomologist in Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Most recently, Smith worked for Bill Chaney for two years on an insect biological control project and served as vegetable crop and strawberry farm advisor in Santa Barbara County since December 2006.

Smith has a solid background in entomology and excellent experience in researching entomological issues confronting vegetable and strawberry production.

Smith can be reached at (831) 759-7359 or hasmith@ucdavis.edu.