PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Bee Chim has been named the University of Maine Cooperative Extension crops specialist based in Presque Isle.
As an Extension agronomist, Chim’s focus is assisting potato growers and other farmers with crop-related educational programs, and applied research. She also has an appointment with the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where she will teach one course each year in the agricultural science and agribusiness program.
Chim has a master’s degree in soil fertility from Oklahoma State University, and a Ph.D. in crop and soil environmental science from Virginia Tech. She is originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
She has experience and training in soil fertility, plant nutrition, cropping systems and precision agriculture. She has worked with a diversity of field crops, including winter wheat, barley, triticale, corn, soybean and grain sorghum.
For the past two years, she has been involved in postdoctoral research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service in Brookings, South Dakota, where her work focused on crop and soil management practices, such as diversified cropping systems, no-till practices and cover crop management to improve farming efficiency, row crop management and soil health in the Northern Great Plains region.
Throughout her research career, Chim has worked with scientists, students, Extension staff and producers — diverse groups well-suited to solve real-world problems.
Chim said she looks forward to building relationships with similar groups in Aroostook County to help develop sustainable management practices and regional specific guidelines for producers.
“I’d like to get to know and interact with farmers, industry representatives and Extension staff to better understand their needs and what kind of products/services can make their lives easier,” said Chim.
She also wants to help farmers improve crop production, quality of management and soil health.
For more information or to welcome Chim to Maine and Aroostook County with a tour of your farm, write bee.chim@maine.edu.
