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Tara Smith - Abbreviated Bio DOC

Sweet Potato Research Station

Dr. Tara P. Smith is currently serving as Executive Associate Vice President and Director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. Smith also serves as research coordinator of the Sweet Potato Research Station. Smith obtained a B.S. in Biology degree from the University of LA at Monroe in 2000, a M.S. in Biology from Louisiana Tech University in 2001 and a PhD from Louisiana State University in 2006 (entomology). Smith was hired in 2006 as the state sweet potato specialist for Louisiana and has 17 years of experience in research and extension working with the Louisiana and National sweet potato industries. Prior to becoming extension director, Smith served for 10 years as a Regional Director in the Northeast and Central Regions of the state. As director of extension, Smith serves as a member of the senior leadership team with the LSU AgCenter, supporting all aspects of extension programming, including 4-H, nutrition, and agricultural and natural resources programs throughout the state. Dr. Smith has been an active member of the LSU College of Agriculture Alumni Association throughout her career.

  • April 2023 – Present: LSU AgCenter Executive Associate Vice President and Director Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service
  • December 2022 – Present: LSU AgCenter – Interim Executive Associate Vice President and Director Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service
  • March 1, 2018 - Present: LSU AgCenter Central Region Director and Professor and Research Coordinator Sweet Potato Research Station
  • July 1, 2017 – Present: LSU AgCenter Professor and Regional Director Northeast Region, Professor and Research Coordinator, Sweet Potato Research Station
  • February 15, 2013 – Present: LSU AgCenter, Regional Director Northeast Region
  • Associate Professor and Research Coordinator, Sweet Potato Research Station, Chase, LA
  • August 15, 2012 – February 15, 2013: LSU AgCenter Associate Professor and Sweet Potato Extension Specialist. Research Coordinator, LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station, Chase, LA
  • January 1, 2012 – August 15, 2012: Intern LSU AgCenter Chancellor’s Office
    • LSU AgCenter Associate Professor and Sweet Potato Extension Specialist.
    • Research Coordinator, LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station, Chase, LA
  • July 1, 2011 – January 1, 2012: LSU AgCenter Associate Professor and Sweetpotato Extension Specialist
    • Research Coordinator, LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station, Chase, LA
  • September 2008 – July 1, 2011: Assistant Professor, Sweetpotato Extension Specialist/Resident Research Coordinator, Sweet Potato Research Station, LSU Agricultural Center, Chase, LA
  • July 2007 – July 2011: Assistant Professor, Sweetpotato Extension Specialist/Foundation Seed Coordinator, Sweet Potato Research Station, LSU Agricultural Center, Chase, LA
  • May 2006 – July 2007: Assistant Professor, Sweet Potato Extension Specialist, Sweet Potato Research Station, LSU Agricultural Center, Chase, LA
  • August 2002-May 2006: LSU AgCenter, Department of Entomology, Graduate Assistant

EDUCATION:

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Doctor of Philosophy, Entomology, May 2006

Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana
Master of Science, Biology, August 2001

University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana
Bachelor of Science, Biology, May 2000

  • Entomological Society of America, 2002-present
  • Student Awards Committee, Southeastern Branch, 2008-2011
  • National Sweet Potato Collaborators Group, 2006-present Chair 2010-2011
  • United States Sweet Potato Council Member (Program Chair 2009, 2014, 2019)
  • American Society of Horticultural Science, 2008 - present
  • National Association of County Agricultural Agents, 2006-present
  • Southern Association of Agricultural Scientist, 2006-present
  • Louisiana State University College of Agriculture Alumni Association Board of Directors
  • 2010-Present (Secretary 2012-2014), President Elect - 2020
  • Louisiana Sweet Potato Association, Secretary: 2007-2014
  • Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association, 2006-present, Board member 2010-2011, Administrative Skills and Early Career Development Committees
  • Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission Board of Directors, 2012-present
  • National Clean Plant Network Sweetpotato member and chair of outreach committee

  • 2024 National Impact Award from the National Sweet Potato Collaborators Group
  • 2020 - Distinguished Service Award – Louisiana Sweet Potato Association
  • 2018 - Early Career Alumni Award Louisiana State University College of Agriculture Alumni Association
  • Food Systems Leadership Institute Graduate
  • LEAD-21 Graduate

Submitted:

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. Imana Power and T.P. Smith. 2022-2023. $200,918.00

Funded:

Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission 2012 – 2022: $ 70,000 – $7,000 annually to support of insect research in sweet potatoes. Tara P. Smith

LDAF Specialty Crop Block Grant: A. Villordon, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk – Best Practices to Reduce Heavy Metal in Sweetpotato for Increased Competitiveness and Food Safety. 2023 -2024. $78,480.43

USDA: NIFA – SCRI “CleanSEED: A Project to Ensure the Sustainability of the U.S. Sweetpotato Seed Programs.” 2022-2026. $ M. Shankle, Jeff Davis Don LaBonte, Arthur Villordon T. Smith et al. – LSU portion Program Specific - $548,116.

USDA: NIFA – SCRI “Rapid Development of Marketable Root-Knot Nematode Resistant Sweetpotato Varieties, Translation of Genomics and Advanced Phenomics into On-Farm Crop Management.” 2021-2026. $5,011,710 – LSU portion - $600,000, Program Specific - $42,291

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. 2021-2022. $183,663.00

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. 2020-2021. $203,558.00

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato 2019-2020. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. $110,906.00

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) Cooperative Agreement Program. USDA. C. A. Clark and Tara P. Smith. “Expanding the Production and Improving Quality Control of Virus-tested Sweetpotato Foundation Plants in Louisiana.” $ 96,675 7/1/2017 – 6/30/2018.

USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) Cooperative Agreement Program. USDA. C. A. Clark and Tara P. Smith. $89,700.7/1/2016-6/30/2017.

Labonte, D. R., C. Clark, T. P. Smith, A. Villordon, and C.S. Stoddard. 2021. ‘Vermillion’ Sweetpotato. HortSci 56 (8): 979–981. Extension Specialist / Station Coordinator

Batts, T.M., D.K. Miller, J. L. Griffin, A.O. Villordon, D.O. Stephenson, K.M. Jennings, S. Chaudhari, D.C. Blouin, J.T. Copes and T.P. Smith. 2020. Impact of reduced rates of 2,4-D and glyphosate on sweetpotato growth and yield. Weed Technology. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2020.57. – site coordinator and committee member

Batts, T.M., D.K. Miller, J. L. Griffin, A.O. Villordon, D.O. Stephenson, K.M. Jennings, S. Chaudhari, D.C. Blouin, J.T. Copes and T.P. Smith.2020. Impact of reduced rates of dicamba and glyphosate on sweetpotato growth and yield. Weed Technology. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2020.54. – site coordinator and committee member

Chen, J., M.J. Stout, J. Beuzelin, T.P. Smith, D. Labonte, J. Murray and J.A. Davis. 2019. Host Preference of Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers): an Example of Hopkins’ Host-Selection Principle. Arthropod Plant Interactions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-019-09704-0

Smith, T. P., J. M. Beuzelin, A. L. Catchot, A. C. Murillo and D. L. Kerns. 2015. Biology, Ecology and Management of the Sugarcane Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Sweetpotato and Corn. J. Integ. Pest Mngmt. 6(1): 13: 1-6.

Labonte, D. R., C. Clark, T. P. Smith, A. Villordon, and C.S. Stoddard. 2015. ‘Bellevue’ Sweetpotato. HortScience. 50: 930-931

Arancibia, R., C. Smith, D.R. Labonte, J. Main, T.P. Smith and A. Villordon. 2014. Optimizing sweetpotato yield for fresh and or processing market by plant spacing and planting/harvest time. HortTech 24(1): 17-24.

Labonte, D. R., A. Villordon, C. Clark, T. P. Smith and C.S. Stoddard. 2014. ‘Burgundy’ Sweetpotato. HortScience. 49:669-671.

Smith, Tara P., S. R. Shields, A. Hogan, D. Burns, M. Foster, V. Deshotel, B. Hebert, R. Levy, L. Faulk. 2022. LSU AgCenter ANR onboarding guide.

Smith, Tara P. 2022. Louisiana Insect Pest Management Guide – Sweet Potato. 2022. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pub. 1838 (revised 3/19). Updated annually.

Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2016. www.lsuagcenter.com

Smith, Tara P., and others. 2022. Vegetable Crop Handbook for the Southeastern US (Sweet Potato Production, Insect, Weed and Disease Section Contributions).  Edited by J. M. Kemble, L. Ivey, K.M. Jennings and J.F. Walgenbach. Updated annually

Overstreet, C, E. McGawley, C. Clark, J. Rezende, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Guava Root-Knot Nematode: A Potentially Serious New Pest in Louisiana. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3670.

Sistrunk, M. and Tara P. Smith. 2019. Louisiana Summary of Agriculture and Natural Resources: 2019 Narratives: Sweet Potato. Updated annually.

Smith, Tara P. 2019. Louisiana Insect Pest Management Guide – Sweet Potato. 2019. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pub. 1838 (revised 3/19). Updated annually.

Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2016. www.lsuagcenter.com

Overstreet, C, E. McGawley, C. Clark, J. Rezende, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019.Guava Root-Knot Nematode: A Potentially Serious New Pest in Louisiana. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3670.

Smith, Tara P., C. Gregorie, T. Arnold and D. LaBonte. 2018. Evaluating Yield and Quality of Commercial Sweet Potato Varieties in Louisiana. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 61, No. 3 pp. 8-10.

Smith, Tara P., T. Crawford, L. Lucas-Powell, A. Powel, L. Hebert and S. Linscombe. 2016. Youth Field Days and Career Fairs Provide Up Close View of Agricultural Production, Research, Educational and Career Opportunities. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 59, No. 3 pp. 24-25.

Clark, Christopher A., and Tara P. Smith. 2016. Improving Sweetpotato Foundation Seed Production in Louisiana through Research, Qualitative Management and National Clean Plant Network Support. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 59, No. 3 pp. 26.

Smith, Tara P., and others. 2019. Vegetable Crop Handbook for the Southeastern US (Sweet Potato Production, Insect, Weed and Disease Section Contributions).  Edited by J. M. Kemble, L. Ivey, K.M. Jennings and J.F. Walgenbach. Updated annually

Clark, C. A., and Tara P. Smith. 2016. Black Rot of Sweetpotato. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3526.

Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2015. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2015. www.lsuagcenter.com

Sistrunk, M. and Tara P. Smith. 2015. Sweet Potatoes. In “2015 Outlook for Louisiana’s Agriculture”. 

Smith, Tara P., J.M. Beuzelin, T. F. Arnold and D. May. 2015. Managing Sugarcane Beetles in Louisiana Agriculture. Louisiana Agriculture. 58 (1):16-17.

Smith, Tara P., and J. Beuzelin. 2014. Insect Pest Management in Louisiana Sweet Potatoes. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 2620. Revision of 2008 version.

Tara Smith

Tara Smith.
Title Exec. Assoc. Vice President & Director
Department LCES Administration
E-mail TSmith@agcenter.lsu.edu
Address 1 102 Efferson Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone 318-557-9501
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News Highlights.

Tara Smith in a greenhouse.Faculty Profile: Agriculture Unlocked Unknown Worlds for Tara Smith
Director of the Central Region, Smith has been an integral part of the LSU AgCenter since she was hired as the state sweet potato specialist in 2006.



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AgCenter administrator, sweet potato researcher honored by national organization
A national sweet potato organization has honored Tara Smith, LSU AgCenter executive associate vice president and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, for her leadership and extension and research efforts.


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