Annette Wszelaki

Annette Wszelaki is the Commercial Vegetable Extension Specialist and a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee. Annette received her bachelor’s degree in plant biology with an emphasis in ecology from The Ohio State University. She received her doctorate in plant biology with an emphasis in postharvest physiology and studied alternatives to pesticides for postharvest handling and storage at UC Davis. After completing her graduate work, Annette returned to Ohio State as a postdoctoral researcher, examining transitioning to organic vegetable production at the OARDC in Wooster, OH. She has been at the University of Tennessee since 2007, where she has statewide responsibilities for developing a comprehensive educational program in commercial vegetable production and produce safety. The main focuses of her extension program include production and variety recommendations, diversifying production, developing alternative crops, organic and sustainable production, postharvest handling and helping growers implement the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The focus of her program is to help growers reduce their off-farm inputs and increase farm profits.