University of California Cooperative Extension
Tom Getts is the Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Advisor for Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, and Plumas Counties in the intermountain region of California. He has served in this Cooperative Extension position since 2015 and has been an affiliate of the UC IPM Program since 2020. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree in Forestry Management from the College of Natural Resources and a master’s degree in Weed Science from the College of Agriculture at Colorado State University. He has been involved in applied weed science research for more than 20 years.
Tom is an active member of several professional societies, including CAL-IPC, CWSS, WSWS, and CAFA, and participates in multiple university program teams. His research and extension program has two primary focus areas. One centers on forage and grain cropping systems in the intermountain region, with research emphasizing weed management, fertilization, and other pest management challenges. The second focuses on developing innovative and practical strategies to improve control of invasive weed species affecting rangelands and natural areas.
He consults individually with farmers, ranchers, and others needing advice about invasive weeds, agronomic pests, and farming practices. He carries out several weed research projects each year.