Stephen J. Herbert

Stephen J. Herbert is a Professor of Agronomy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, affiliated with the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences. He has held significant administrative roles including Associate Dean for Agricultural Research and Outreach (2009–2013), Director of the Center for Agriculture, the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, and UMass Extension. His career combines academic research, extension outreach, and leadership in sustainable agriculture.

Her research focuses on crop physiology, nutrient and manure management, cover crops, water quality, and intercropping systems, with extensive collaborative work in Northeast China. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses such as Crop Science, Tropical Agriculture, and Crop Physiology, and has chaired committees for 8 Ph.D. and 18 M.S. students. He is actively involved in extension programs related to crops, dairy, livestock, and sustainable agriculture in Massachusetts.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in sustainable agronomic practices, bioenergy crops (especially switchgrass), soybean physiology, nutrient cycling, and soil health. His work integrates field experimentation with environmental impact assessment, particularly in nitrogen and phosphorus management, carbon dynamics, and soil restoration. Topics such as cover cropping, manure application, and dual-use solar agriculture reflect a commitment to ecological and economic sustainability in farming systems.

• Farmers Award, Central Mass. Dairy Producers Assoc., 1988
• Extension-Industry Award in Agronomy, NE Branch American Society of Agronomy, 1987
• President, NE Branch American Society of Agronomy, 1992-1993
• Board of Directors, NE Branch American Society of Agronomy, 1998-2001
• Board of Directors, American Society of Agronomy, 1998-2001
• A201 Organization Policy and Bylaws Committee, American Society of Agronomy, 1997-1999

Herbert has coordinated the Massachusetts Extension Crops, Dairy, Livestock Team and the UMass Agronomy Research Farm. He has secured numerous grants from USDA, EPA, and state agencies for projects on water quality, nutrient management, cover crops, and sustainable agriculture. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed and extension publications and remains active in current initiatives on biochar, pollination, food security, and dual-use solar agriculture. He has also edited the Massachusetts Crop, Dairy, Livestock News and the Massachusetts Agronomy Research Report.

His current activities include research and outreach on agricultural learning centers, pollination crops for bees, food security through home food production, and dual-use solar energy projects on farmland. These reflect a forward-looking agenda that integrates renewable energy, ecological resilience, and community engagement in agricultural systems.