Josh Sherman

Background

About Josh Sherman

Joshua Sherman is an Associate Agent, serving three counties, for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and a State Coordinator for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program in Arizona. He primarily serves perennial food producers of three southern counties in Arizona (Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Graham). As a horticulturist, Joshua’s focus is on the Commercial Horticulture program for the Cooperative Extension. In this effort, he has given special attention to the new and expanding acreage of pecan, pistachio, and wine grape production, as well as the small acreage specialty crop producers. Joshua acts as a resource for expertise and advice in these intensely cultivated production systems. He works on organizing and coordinating the annual Arizona Pecan Growers Association conference, the University of Arizona Viticulture Symposium, and Pistachio Growers Meetings to help bring the most current knowledge and research to these industries. As the Arizona SARE coordinator, Joshua collaborates with local producers, agricultural agents, NGOs, the Arizona SARE advisory Board, and other state SARE coordinators to organize an annual sustainability conference and assist in awarding resources for emerging needs by agricultural producers, new beginning farmers or ranchers, for seasoned producers, the underserved communities, and the indigenous tribal communities. In research and development, Joshua’s main focus is on phenological development and plant physiology, specifically the plant and soil relationship, and maintaining optimum light response and carbohydrate production to sustain high-quality fruit and yields. In other focus areas and collaborations, he has researched the efficacy of fungicides in controlling fungal pathogens in pistachio and grape, as well as the effectiveness of specific herbicide applications in weed control, mineral nutrition, and narrowing down fertilizer rates for optimal performance. Joshua has also been active in investigating various rootstocks of some of these crops and monitoring which are best performers for drought, high salt production areas, and disease or insect response. He has a priority for being up to date on the latest technology's and mechanizations in agriculture that increase the producers production and profitability, and he's always looking for more ways where technology can improve agricultural production.