Agronomy Specialist

Fresh Del Monte Produce Company•Town of Stockton, WI

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is a global leader in the production, distribution, and marketing of fresh, value-added, and shelf-stable fruits and vegetables. Del Monte Foods, the Foods Division of Fresh Del Monte, has a powerful portfolio of brands including Del Monte®, Contadina®, and S&W®. The Agronomy Specialist will support agronomic research, field trials, variety evaluation, greenhouse activities, and crop development programs for the Plover facility and Midwest production areas. This role focuses on bean, pea, sweet corn, carrot, beet, and potato research through data collection, crop monitoring, variety evaluation, greenhouse support, and trial coordination. The Specialist will collaborate with agronomy leadership, field representatives, growers, universities, production teams, and research partners to enhance crop performance, advance varieties, and promote agronomic best practices. This is a hands-on role emphasizing field work, trial coordination, data collection, crop evaluation, and operational support.

Requirements

Associate degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Crop Science, Plant Science, Agricultural Business, or a related field required.
Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Agricultural Science, Plant Science, or a related field.
Minimum of 1–3 years of agronomy, field research, farming, greenhouse, or crop production experience required.
Previous agricultural, scouting, farming, field research, or crop monitoring experience preferred.
Previous experience with field trials, crop monitoring, planting, harvesting, or variety evaluation.
Experience operating farm equipment, tractors, sprayers, irrigation systems, or plot equipment.
Experience supporting breeding programs, greenhouse operations, or seed increase activities.
Knowledge of basic statistics, field plot design, and agronomic data collection.
Familiarity with irrigation systems, pest management, greenhouse operations, and agricultural best practices.
Experience with GPS mapping, agronomy software, data collection systems, or agricultural technology.
Commercial pesticide applicator license or ability to obtain one.
Basic knowledge of agronomic practices, crop production, pest management, irrigation, soil conditions, and plant health.
Ability to collect, organize, and summarize field and trial data accurately.
Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities during the growing season.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Willingness to travel to production areas and work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
Ability to perform physical work including standing, walking fields, lifting, bending, and operating equipment.

Responsibilities

Support planning, setup, monitoring, and evaluation of agronomic research trials across Wisconsin and other Midwest production areas.
Conduct field trials involving beans, peas, sweet corn, carrots, beets, potatoes, and other vegetable crops.
Assist with machine harvest and hand-harvest yield plots, herbicide trials, seed treatment trials, pesticide trials, nitrogen studies, and other agronomic research projects.
Collect, organize, and summarize field data related to crop performance, yield, quality, maturity, disease pressure, and environmental conditions.
Assist with variety evaluation trials and compare performance of commercial and experimental crop varieties.
Monitor field conditions and identify crop issues related to pests, disease, weed pressure, fertility, irrigation, weather, and field performance.
Coordinate trial activities with field representatives, growers, contractors, and other agronomy team members.
Travel to production areas during the growing season to support field visits, crop evaluations, and research activities.
Support short row, strip trial, and breeder trial activities for new and existing crop varieties.
Assist with trial seed procurement, planting coordination, crop evaluations, harvest planning, and data review.
Participate in development of summaries and recommendations for new crop varieties based on trial results and field performance.
Assist with evaluation of bean, pea, sweet corn, carrot, beet, and potato varieties across different growing conditions and production regions.
Support outside variety evaluation programs and help identify varieties that may benefit Del Monte operations.
Maintain trial records, field notes, planting maps, and harvest summaries.
Support greenhouse activities related to bean breeding, seed increases, and crop development programs.
Assist with bean crossing activities, seed harvesting, seed tracking, and early-generation breeding support.
Support maintenance of breeding program records, seed inventories, plot books, and agronomy databases.
Assist with Wisconsin bean breeding nursery activities including observation plots, disease screening, and crop evaluations.
Help maintain accurate seed inventories, breeding records, and research documentation.
Operate farm equipment, plot equipment, irrigation systems, sprayers, tractors, and greenhouse systems as needed.
Assist with planting, harvesting, irrigation, greenhouse maintenance, and plot preparation activities.
Support upkeep of research plots, greenhouse areas, equipment, and agronomy workspaces.
Follow safe operating procedures for equipment, chemicals, pesticides, and field activities.
Assist with maintaining trial supplies, seed inventories, research equipment, and field records.
Partner with agronomy leadership, university personnel, growers, field representatives, and production teams to support agronomic research and crop improvement initiatives.
Participate in team meetings, planning discussions, crop reviews, and agronomy updates.
Maintain awareness of new crop issues, industry trends, research findings, and agronomic best practices.
Communicate trial results, field observations, and crop concerns clearly to agronomy leadership and other stakeholders.
Assist with special projects, reports, and additional agronomy-related activities as needed.