BRYAN –  Monte Nesbitt, horticulturist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in College Station, has received a Superior Service Award in the agency’s program specialist category.

The award recognizes AgriLife Extension faculty and staff members who provide outstanding performance in education or to the agency. The award was presented Jan. 12 during the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Conference in Bryan.

Nesbitt has served as a horticulture program specialist since 2009, providing statewide leadership for pecan, fruit and nut production.

The nomination recognized not only Nesbitt’s development of a variety of  unique educational programs but also his assistance to county agents in their programming efforts.

“He conducts research and field trials, cooperates with growers and commodity groups, assists with field days and result demonstrations, is regularly consulted by various media outlets, and has produced a large number of Extension bulletins and other publications,” according to the nomination.

Nesbitt is credited with starting research aimed at studying the potential of olive production in Texas and spearheading a partnership between AgriLife Extension and the Texas Olive Oil Council. He has established field trials in 10 counties with 17 different types of olives and has conducted educational programs for more than 550 attendees.

He also helped develop a statewide Texas Fruit Conference and serves as its coordinator. The conference has grown in just three years from less than 100 attendees to more than 150. Additionally, he has developed materials on fruit and nut crops for use by Master Gardeners and has attracted more than $600,000 in funding for specialty crop initiatives.

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