Aug 8, 2016

New educator will cover southeast Michigan

Marissa Schuh is southeast Michigan’s new Extension vegetable educator.

Schuh joined Michigan State University’s (MSU) Extension team in July. Based in Adrian, Michigan, she is replacing Lina Rodriguez Salamanca.

Schuh will serve as the connection between MSU and growers in southeast Michigan, and will add her skills to an already diverse Extension vegetable team, said Ben Werling, an Extension educator in west-central Michigan.

“We were lucky enough to have Marissa apply for the job,” Werling said. “She did a great job at the interview. We’re happy to have her.”

Schuh grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Luther College in Iowa, where she studied biology and English. She moved to Michigan to earn a master’s degree in entomology, which she finished last spring. Her work at MSU made her familiar with the state’s vegetable industry and its needs, so she applied for the position when it opened, she said.

The chance to perform applied science drew Schuh to Extension, and the diversity of crops drew her to the vegetable industry, she said.

“With Extension, you have the opportunity to continually learn,” she said. “With vegetables, there’s always something to learn because there are so many.”

In her new position, Schuh will study entomology, plant pathology – anything vegetable growers in southeast Michigan need. Though she hasn’t been on the job long, she’s impressed with the size and diversity of Michigan vegetable farms – from the smaller farms that cater to local markets to the huge operations that cater to the big grocery chains – and the different strategies they use to sell their products.

She’s particularly concerned about the swede midge, an invasive pest that came to Michigan from Canada. First found in Michigan’s Thumb region last year, it’s an unfamiliar pest for the state’s vegetable growers. It has probably spread to other regions of the state by now, she said.

“I want to let growers know it’s here, and keep them posted on the latest research on how to manage the pest,” Schuh said.

Swede midge attacks cole crops, and has the potential to do a lot of damage – especially to smaller organic operations. Swede midge larvae like to eat apical meristems, the point where the plant produces new growth. If attacked, broccoli and cauliflower heads won’t develop. Collards and cabbage also are vulnerable – and there’s a lot of cabbage in southeast Michigan, she said.