In memoriam: Bill Weir

Bill Weir worked on several field crops, but was best known for his contributions to the cotton industry. Photo by Scott Stoddard.

Bill Weir, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, passed away on July 28 in Merced. He was 84.

Bill Weir

Born in in San Antonio, Texas, Weir earned his B.S. at Texas A&M University and his M.S. in vegetable crops and his Ph.D. in soil science at UC Davis.

Weir began his UC career as a staff research associate at UC Davis in 1966. In 1974, he joined UC Cooperative Extension as a field crops advisor in Merced County, where he worked until he retired in 2002. Weir worked on sugar beets, rice, barley, wheat, corn, dry beans, rye and oats, but is best remembered for his contributions to cotton. He became known as the "Father of narrow-row cotton" as his research showing increased cotton yields convinced growers to switch from planting on 40-inch beds – the width of a horse – to 30-inch beds.

In the 1970s, after observing that sunlight reached the soil between rows even late in the season, Weir began comparing narrow-row plantings of cotton with conventional 40-inch spacing, experimenting with various cotton varieties and plant populations.

Bill Weir drives a spray rig through cotton. Photo courtesy of Scott Stoddard

Working with a local Merced County grower, Weir designed the first 30-inch spindle cotton harvester in the world by converting a conventional 40-inch picker. “Results of our tests led both John Deere and International Harvester to produce commercial 30-inch spindle cotton harvesters,” Weir wrote in a UC Delivers story.

By the time he retired, greater yields from narrow-row cotton generated over $7 million more revenue per year for growers in Merced County alone. Growers in other counties, other states and other countries adopted the practice.

Weir was also part of the research team that developed a technique called plant mapping. “We learned how to let the plant tell us what it needs and then act accordingly,” Weir said. “We were able to cut back on inputs, saving growers money.”

UCCE farm advisor Scott Stoddard, right, says he learned a lot about central California agriculture while working with Weir, shown in center. Photo courtesy of Scott Stoddard

Scott Stoddard, UCCE vegetable crops farm advisor for Merced and Madera counties and director for UCCE in Merced County, joined UCCE in 1998. For the first four years, he worked as a staff research assistant with Weir on research projects in cotton, tomatoes, melons and sweetpotatoes.

“I was hired as an SRA to help Bill with his new veg crops responsibilities. Bill taught me so much about central California agriculture,” Stoddard said. 

Stoddard recalled accompanying Weir to view test plots.

“We would ride together in his Chevy pickup – Bill preferred Chevrolet over Ford because they rode smoother – to a test plot and discuss soil types and salinity and the impacts on crop selection, drainage, and the eventual creation of Kesterson Wildlife Refuge. While cotton was always his main crop, he knew a lot about the melon industry and how to pick a ripe honeydew or watermelon in the field – which is a lot harder than a cantaloupe!”

“Bill preferred taking the back roads to get to farm calls and test plots. We would take the ‘long way' to West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points, as it gave him the opportunity to see what was happening with all the different crops being grown on the west side of Merced and Fresno counties,” Stoddard recalled.

“August was his favorite time of the year because that's when everybody, from tractors to trucks, was so busy with harvest of so many commodities. He never complained about the 100-degree days – in fact I think he enjoyed the heat.” 

When he retired, Weir (third from right) said, “Over the years, there were many changes in Extension. But, all in all, Extension has been great for me." Photo courtesy of Scott Stoddard

During his career, Weir authored or coauthored 195 peer-reviewed or scientific papers. His many awards included the 1993 and 1995 Certificate of Excellence Awards from the American Society of Agronomy.

When he retired, Weir said, “Over the years, there were many changes in Extension. But, all in all, Extension has been great for me. If I were independently wealthy, I still would have liked to do what I did during my career. That's how much I've enjoyed working in agriculture, helping farmers and being a part of Extension.”

In retirement, Weir became a private crop consultant and enjoyed gardening and wood working.

He is survived by his wife Carol, son Daniel Louis Weir and daughter-in-law Teresa, daughter Deborah Leanne Weir and eight grandchildren.

Read more about Weir's life at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercedsunstar/name/billy-weir-obituary?id=36127405.

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