Steve Fennimore Shares Advice on Ag-Engineering Investments

By Andi Anderson

After 28 years of service at the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, Steve Fennimore has retired from his role as a weed scientist but is not stepping away from his passion for agricultural innovation. He pursued a doctorate at Purdue University in Indiana before returning to Davis in 1997.

Fennimore now ventures into a new chapter, blending agriculture with engineering to develop chemical-free soil preparation for crops like strawberries and other specialty crops.

Fennimore, who spent many years as a professor and Cooperative Extension advisor in Salinas, California, has had a significant impact on the field.

His work was recently honored by the California Leafy Greens Research Board, where Jennifer Clarke, the board’s research program director, praised his long-term commitment to developing non-chemical weed management techniques.

One of his notable inventions, a soil-steaming machine, kills both weed seeds and fungus, offering an alternative to traditional chemical solutions.

Growing up on his family farm in Oregon, Fennimore was exposed to the challenges of weeding strawberries, which sparked his lifelong passion for finding better solutions.

He recalls the backbreaking work of weeding strawberries six to eight times per season and sought ways to make that process easier and more efficient.

Over the years, Fennimore has contributed immensely to the development of integrated pest management (IPM) systems. He helped create a safer herbicide program for strawberries, offering farmers alternative solutions to methyl bromide, a fumigant that was phased out due to environmental concerns.

A major focus of his current work involves the development of steam-based pest control technologies. With funding from private sources and support from UC Davis, Fennimore is working on scaling up his steam machine for strawberry fields, applying engineering principles to agriculture.

Despite the challenges of labor shortages, high costs, and regulations, Fennimore believes that investing in automated technologies and innovative solutions will be crucial for the future of agriculture.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-livingimages