- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Miyao had been exposed to UCCE farm advisors from a young age.
“My parents were small-scale farmers in Yolo County. We knew of the value of UCCE and the UC system,” Miyao said.
During his 38-year-career, Miyao has witnessed dramatic changes in production systems of processing tomatoes, a crop on which he focused much of his efforts. Growers went from using open-pollinated seed to hybrids and they changed from direct seeding to transplants. Tomato production has seen a major reduction in Phytophthora root rot, and a rapid spread of Fusarium wilt race 2.
Over the years, Miyao has conducted significant research, including work to better understand the benefits of cover crops, supplemental applications of potassium and phosphorous, and applying composted chicken manure in tomato production. He cooperated with a team of advisors to demonstrate the value of sulfur dust for powdery mildew control and the risk of spreading the disease fusarium wilt from infested stem pieces. Miyao was an author of the recent cost production study titled Cost of producing processing tomatoes in the Sacramento Valley and Northern Delta with sub-surface and surface drip irrigation.
In all, Miyao wrote 69 peer reviewed articles. However, he said, the local newsletters, field meetings and field calls were always his priority in order to stay well connected to his local clientele.
In retirement, Miyao said he will complete some of his 2018 field projects. He's also planning to travel with his wife Donna to national parks and other destinations. And he is looking forward to fishing in the local waters.
After serving in the Navy, Schoner graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's degree in animal husbandry in 1951. Continuing his education during his career, Schoner earned a master's degree in agricultural education from UC Davis in 1962 and a doctorate in plant ecology from Oregon State University in 1974.
In 1952, Schoner became a superintendent of cultivations with UC Cooperative Extension, then called Agricultural Extension Service, in Fresno. In 1953, he became a UCCE farm advisor for Yolo County, where he served 37 years. Schoner was appointed Yolo County director in 1966, a position he held until his retirement in 1989.
“I was fortunate to have Carl Schoner as my first UC supervisor,” said Gene Miyao, UCCE advisor in Yolo County. “He was fair, efficient, genuine and deeply caring. I've been blessed with other effective administrators, but Carl was the best.”
As a farm advisor, Schoner focused his research on alfalfa production and adaptation of other forage crops for livestock. He also completed several sample cost studies for crops.
“He interacted well with agencies and big picture issues such as land use, water availability and what eventually was described as sustainability,” Miyao said. “It was Carl's interest in computers that energized our office to become computer literate, especially as we faced budget cuts in staff support. Carl also had an affinity to work on sample cost of production studies. He headed our team of advisors in compiling sample costs of production studies on a ‘whole-farm'-based approach to crop budgets. In the early years, it was done on poster board-like graph paper; and then in the later years, updated using computer spreadsheets. While still a daunting task, the computer simplified the process.”
He is survived by his wife, Alice, their children Paula (Tim) Rattigan, Linda (Pete) Cova and Sam (Jennifer) Schoner, and six grandchildren.