After 44 years of service to the agricultural industry and campus, Bill Green, education specialist for the Center for Irrigation Technology, retired on Nov. 1.

Since 2002, he has created a host of research and educational outreach programs about irrigation pump and system efficiency, farm management, cultural practices, and energy-related issues for farmers, industry professionals and government agencies.

Many of his more than 300 seminars were tied to CIT’s Advanced Pumping Efficiency Program. He was APEP’s first employee managing its educational efforts, many of which were at conferences and in the field using the Mobile Education Center trailer he helped design and build.

The program has received ongoing funding from Pacific Gas and Electric to help growers learn to better operate, test and maintain their irrigation equipment, improve energy efficiency and lower their costs.

He hosted related programs, seminars and workshops for CIT’s Irrigation Tech Seminar Series, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, City of Fresno, Department of Water Resources, Southern California Edison and other organizations.

He also served as the principal investigator on many applied research projects on the University Agricultural Laboratory and various locations in the Central Valley.

His expertise was tapped as chairman for the Irrigation Association Chemigation Common Interest Group and for committees for the CDFA Chemigation Task Force, California Tree Fruit Agreement and Plant Science Department Pomology Program Council.

The success of his workshops throughout the state is also tied to his own farm management experience with a host of crops, and related irrigation, soil fertilization, pest management, equipment, cultivation and hand labor practices.

After he received his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural plant science from Fresno State in 1980, he started his career as a pest control adviser and operator for S and M Farm Supply in Fowler until 1984. He also served as the field operations manager for Ito Packing (1984-91), field operations manager and general manager for Traver Ranch in Kingsburg for the HMC Corporation (1991-2002) and managing partner for G&H Farms in Fowler (1995-2013).

He still manages the family raisin farm in Fowler.

In retirement, he looks forward to still serving as a consultant in the industry and splitting time between his homes in Fowler and Charleston, South Carolina.

The longtime Bulldog football season ticket holder also enjoys traveling with his wife, Kelly, and spending time with family and friends.