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Rhoda Burrows

Rhoda Burrows

Title

Professor & SDSU Extension Horticulture Specialist

Office Building

Off-Campus

Mailing Address

SDSU Extension West River Ag Center
711 N Creek Dr
Rapid City, SD 57703

Biography

Provide support commercial fruit and vegetable production and marketing in South Dakota. Organize production and food safety workshops and obtain funding for educational and research publications and programs; collaborate with regional and national extension efforts. Co-coordinator for SD SARE program.

CV

RLB_cv_2018_profile.pdf(446.98 KB)

Education

Ph.D, 2001 University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn., Plant Pathology
M.S., 1987 University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn., Horticultural Science
B.S., 1983 Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., Horticultural Science
A.A., 1979 Golden Valley Lutheran College, Minneapolis, Minn., Liberal Arts

Academic Interests

Sustainable horticultural crop production
Soil microbe interactions with horticultural crops
Farm Food Safety / FSMA

Vegetable Production
Fruit Production
Viticulture

Academic Responsibilities

100% Extension Horticulture
Support fruit and vegetable growers in South Dakota, with a strong focus on small-scale and beginning growers. Develop educational materials, workshops, etc. Partner with other organizations, such as the SD Specialty Producer Association, to deliver programming to producers across the state.

Extension Responsibilities

Provide support commercial fruit and vegetable production and marketing in South Dakota. Organize production and food safety workshops and obtain funding for educational and research publications and programs; collaborate with regional and national extension efforts. Co-coordinator for SD SARE program.

Awards and Honors

John Robertson Memorial Award in Horticulture, South Dakota
Gamma Sigma Delta Extension Award
Phi Kappa Phi

Grants

“Strategy for Successful Implementation of FSMA in the North Central Region through Adoption of a Systems Approach and Stakeholder Engagement Framework.” PI: A. Shaw, Iowa State Univ., NIH- FDA, 2016- 2019, $950,000. SD Subaward $24,000
“Food Safety Training Program for Specialty Growers” P.I.- R Burrows, Joan Hegerfeld-Baker, co-PI. SDDA/USDA Specialty Crop Block grant, 2015-2018. $46,126.
“Use of Conservation Strips for Increasing Beneficial Insects and Decreasing Plant Pests in Pumpkin Plantings,” PI- R. Burrows, SDDA/USDA Specialty Crop Block grant, 2014-2016, $16,225.
“Adding to the Harvest – Reducing the Risk of Unsafe Food Handling Practices while enhancing the marketability of specialty crops” 2012-2015; Co-Program leader. SD Dept Ag/USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant, $49,791.
“Healthy Food, Healthy Communities: Educating towards food sovereignty on Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations” USDA-BFRDP, 2014-2017, $657,401. PI-S. Burke, Co-PIs – M. Gilbert, R. Lindval, J. Schoch, R. Burrows.
“Northern Grapes: Integrating viticulture, winemaking, and marketing of new cold-hardy cultivars supporting new and growing rural wineries.” 2011-2013; 2014-2016. Co-PD (1 of 29) USDA-NIFA. $2.5 million; $2.6 million.
“GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) Training” 2011-2013. Rhoda Burrows, P.I. SDDA/USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant, $11,306.
“High Tunnels: A Demonstration and education project for South Dakota Growers” 2008-2011. SDDA/USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant Program. P.I. $11,484
“Evaluating Native Fruits for Commercial Production in South Dakota.” 2008-2010. SD Dept of Agric Specialty Crops Block Grant Program, P.I. $15,000
“Identifying priorities for regional Integrated Pest Management consumer horticulture outreach.” 2008. Consumer Horticulture Working Group, North-Central IPM Center, Co-P.I. $30,000
“Entrepreneurship, Production and Agritourism in Horticulture Specialty Crops” 2002, Fennell, A., R. Burrows, R. Stubbles and R. Tosterud. SD Dept. of Ag. Specialty Crop/Agriculture Promotion Grant $15,000.

Professional Memberships

American Society for Horticultural Science
South Dakota Specialty Producers Association

Work Experience

Since 2001, SDSU Extension Horticulturist - Supporting fruit and vegetable industry; Assisting with Master Gardener training and utilization; Assisting with Native American gardening programs; Collaborate closely with SD Specialty Producers Association.
Previous: Researched host plant diversity interaction with the mycorrhizal fungi community. Implemented and maintained field and greenhouse experiments on tree fruit. Soil and plant tissue analyses, Supervised seasonal employees and coordinated work with cooperating commercial orchards. Planned, implemented, and analyzed water stress physiology experiments on woody ornamental nursery plants. Maintained germplasm; responsible for all field and greenhouse trials for winter wheat breeding project. Compiled and analyzed data from eight sites. Supervised student & seasonal employees. Coordinated national Alternative Agricultural Opportunities (AAO) Extension Workshop; Developed national database of AAO educational materials. Analyzed and published vegetable research data.

Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor, Horticulture, Forestry, and LA Dept., SDSU
Graduate Research Assistant Plant Pathology Dept., University of Minnesota, 1996 - 2001
Research Technologist Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center, Washington State University 1994- 1996
Research Associate Plant & Soil Science Dept., Montana State University 1991- 1994
Research Assistant Dept. of Agricultural Sciences, Tennessee State University 1990- 1991
Research Fellow Dept. of Horticulture, University of Minnesota 1988- 1990

Area(s) of Research

Grape production