CROOKSTON, Minn. - North Dakota State University Greenhouse Manager, Julie Hochhalter, 2001, said her training at UMN Crookston has been a tremendous help in her current position. “I graduated in 2001 with a degree in plant industries management, horticulture and have been managing the Jack Dalrymple Agriculture Research Complex since it opened in 2010,” said Hochhalter.
Last month, UMN Crookston Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause and Unit Head, Dr. Anthony Kern visited NDSU and toured the Ag Research Complex and had the opportunity to speak with Hochhalter while touring their greenhouses. “It was the hands-on classes that allowed me to actually experience some of the issues I encounter every day,” she said. In addition to managing the Jack Dalrymple Agricultural Research Complex, she oversees the pest control in no less than six greenhouse facilities at North Dakota State University. “As a student in the Commercial Crops class, I learned about pest issues, selecting control measures, and saw firsthand the damage pests can cause in the greenhouse,” she said.
During the visit, Hochhalter said she is extremely passionate about Integrated Pest Management. “Integrated Pest Management uses the best tools, tactics, and strategies to control pests. I have always loved plants and insects and this position combines those passions.”
Plant industries management split in early 2006 when the two academic programs horticulture and agronomy became stand alone degrees.UMN Crookston’s horticulture program utilizes campus gardens, greenhouses and live learning labs to provide the ‘hands-on’ experiences students come to admire, and hopefully, like Hochhalter, capitalize on. Students learn valuable skills including conservation techniques, landscape restoration, and garden design that play significant roles in the future of the plant sciences. Students at UMN Crookston will have the privilege of being exposed to botany, woody plants, entomology, plant pathology, and soil science. For more information on today’s horticulture program contact the Office of Admissions: umcinfo@umn.edu.
