People

The Staff

Ed Dager
Farm Supervisor
dager@aesop.rutgers.edu

Ed has been Farm Manager for 15 years with overall responsibility for day-to-day operations. Ed's extensive agricultural research background supports the array of agricultural research projects. His expertise in the growing of fruits, vegetables, agronomic crops including forages, corn, soybeans and small grains provides University researchers with the foundation to conduct a multitude of research projects across many different agricultural commodity areas.

Ed also has overall responsibility for compliance with University health and safety regulations as well as State and Federal regulations. Ed manages the Snyder Farm technical staff as well as part-time summer employees, providing hands-on agricultural education for student's working at the farm.

In recent years Ed has developed extensive knowledge of organic crop production including the certification of lands for organic crop production. Ed has also developed expertise in the area of organic pest control. Other responsibilities include support services for educational tours for both youth and adult groups.

Joanne Stevely
Administrative Assistant
stevely@aesop.rutgers.edu

Joanne has worked at the Snyder Research
and Extension Farm for 11 years; her
responsibilities include providing administrative
and managerial support to the farm director.
She manages, coordinates, organizes and
oversees all phases of the office and assists
in the department's public events, meetings
and public relations.
 
Her responsibilities include providing
administrative support to Snyder Farm
personnel regarding administrative guidelines
and policies.  She manages payroll, prepares
and monitors budgets, manages departmental accounts. She works with key researchers to
procure state and federal grants and manages
and administers the funds. She is the website
administrator for the Snyder Farm Website (snyderfarm.rutgers.edu).

Bob Hasse
Head Research Farmer
hasse@aesop.rutgers.edu

Bob joined the staff at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm in 1993 with an extensive background in commercial agricultural production, as well as heavy equipment operation and maintenance. Bob has taken a leadership position in many different projects including in-house development of a "constructed wetlands", providing nutrient and sediment containment of agricultural runoff water. Bob has developed extensive skills in the engineering, fabrication and operation of pesticide sprayers. These activities have enhanced the precision application of pesticides in horticultural and agronomic crops. This information has also been shared by Bob with agricultural and turfgrass professionals through educational programs.

Bob also provides extensive support to the operation of computerized irrigation systems including sprinkler and drip systems. In addition, the mechanical aspects of maintaining the Snyder Farm physical plant are managed by Bob with emphasis on energy conservation and preventive maintenance.

Geoffrey Slifer
Head Soils and Plant Technician

Geoffrey has been employed at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm since 1995 with a background in agriculture and education. Geoffrey's main area of responsibility is in support of the tree fruit research and education experiments. In addition, Geoffrey provides educational outreach assistance in programs related to pesticide application technology and agricultural wildlife damage control including both wildlife exclusionary fencing as well as animal repellents. Geoffrey maintains over 3 miles of the deer exclusionary fencing at the Snyder Farm and shares his expertise in this area through educational outreach programs.

To capitalize on Geoffrey's educational and agricultural background he provides support to youth educational programs held at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm.

James Pauch
Head Soils and Plant Technician

Jim has been at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm for 14 years, providing support services for the implementation and maintenance of research projects as well as general farming on lands not devoted to experiments. The Snyder Farm produces a substantial amount of forage grasses for the Cook College Animal Science Department. Jim as a former dairy farmer, provides extensive resources for the production of agronomic crops.

Over the last five years Jim has taken on responsibility for the management of the Snyder Farm beehives and significantly expanded the number of hives critical for the production of flowering plants. Jim also provides valuable assistance in the maintenance of farm equipment.

Henry Fischetti
Soils and Plant Technician

Henry has worked at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm for 8 years, with extensive experience in equipment maintenance, repair and fabrication. As the first in command mechanic, Henry keeps a wide array of commercial agricultural equipment functioning.

Research project personnel rely on Henry to assist in developing specialized equipment that is not commercially available. In addition, Henry provides field support services for a variety of agricultural experiments with expertise in horticultural crop production. Henry also assists in teaching classes focusing on small engine maintenance and repair.

Pat Lobb
Secretary
lobb@aesop.rutgers.edu

Pat has worked at the Snyder Research and Extension Farm for 17 years. Through Pat's tenure at Snyder Farm she has had multi-faceted job responsibilities, from database management to greeting and directing visitors to the Farm.

Pat supports the Director and the Administrative Assistant. She assists with various office operations and works on projects such as Snyder Farm Great Tomato Tasting, The NJ Department of Agriculture sponsored fencing projects, etc.