By Haley R Moore
Farming and agriculture have always been a way of life for Megan Hickman. Growing up on family farm, she knew from a young age that her career would mirror her upbringing. Today, Hickman serves as the new IR-4 Northeast Region Field Coordinator at the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) Lower Eastern Shore Research and Education Center.
Hickman studied crop science and agronomy in her undergraduate work and had a passion for horticulture. Through an internship, she was able to connect with the prior regional coordinator, Marylee Ross, who retired earlier this year.
“I started with Marylee as a teenager working as a summer technician, and I became fascinated with the work,” Hickman said. “I knew I was going to pursue agriculture in college because I come from a farming family and agriculture has always been my thing.”
Hickman worked seasonally while attending college, becoming a full-time employee for MAES after graduating in 2016. In total, she has spent 15 years with the program, including 10 years as a full-time employee.
Hickman connected her education and work to growing her expertise in regional specialty crops, making her a perfect fit for her new role.
The IR-4 program plays a critical role in supporting research on specialty crops, which Hickman describes as the foods that end up on the dinner table and have a significant agricultural and economic importance to the food system.
“Not a lot of people know the term ‘specialty crops,’ but they are just fruits, vegetables, and other crops that are produced on a much smaller scale compared to commodity crops,” Hickman said.
Hickman’s role expands beyond field work—she also listens to the needs of growers and stakeholders to help find researchers and projects with solutions to problems they face.
Each year, IR-4 begins a priority-setting process where stakeholders submit requests for potential research projects. Regional representatives review those requests and determine which projects should move forward. Those priorities are then considered at a national food use workshop involving stakeholders and representatives from all four IR-4 regions.
For magnitude of residue trials, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies regional requirements, and Hickman works to ensure those needs are met in the Northeast. For product performance trials, decisions depend on where crops are grown, where the need exists, and what additional data is needed.
Hickman explains that working as a team with Ross over the past decade was integral to her success in this role. She said she learned from Ross about the importance of how to stay in touch and communicate with the agricultural community.
“Marylee is one of the kindest people I know,” Hickman said. “And, I think that’s really important in leadership.”
As Hickman settles into her new role, she hopes to expand IR-4’s visibility.
“I’m looking forward to growing our outreach in the region and becoming more visible to the stakeholders, farmers, and researchers,” said Hickman. “I think we do really, fantastic things as an organization.”