Klass to lead Arkansas Plant Health Clinic
Feb. 24, 2025
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Klass a 2024 Ph.D. graduate
- Love of agriculture began at Ohio Amish Country summer camp
(412 words)
(Newsrooms: with art of Klass)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Some people spend years trying to find a career that’s a perfect fit. For Taylor Klass, the new head plant pathologist and diagnostician at the Arkansas Plant Health Clinic, the pieces came together relatively early in her academic journey.
“I studied agronomy and animal sciences in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University in undergrad,” Klass said. “For my agronomy major, I had to take an introduction to plant pathology course, and I loved it. It was like solving a puzzle, but for plants. I decided that in graduate school, I wanted to pursue a future career in plant pathology.”
Before joining the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Klass completed her Ph.D. in plant pathology last May. Growing up in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, Klass said she wasn’t exposed to much farming culture as a child, until an unusual summer camp in her early teens introduced her to a different way of life.
“I wasn’t in 4-H or FFA, but I grew up with a love for animals and the outdoors,” Klass said. “My parents sent me to this 1800s farm camp in Ohio’s Amish Country when I was in middle school — that was my first introduction to agriculture. For the whole week, you did farm chores and everything. I really fell in love with it — but I didn’t know you could study agriculture in college until the end of high school. When I figured that out, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Klass applied for the position with the Arkansas Plant Clinic last summer. Sherrie Smith, who ran the clinic for 18 years, retired in 2023. Jason Pavel, plant diagnostician and extension program associate for the Division of Agriculture, kept the clinic running in the interim and continues in those roles.
Klass said she wants to build on the clinic’s established reputation, holding public outreach and training sessions for extension agents, Master Gardeners and the general public.
Ken Korth, entomology and plant pathology department chair for the Division of Agriculture, said Klass’ background and disposition made her the right choice for the Arkansas Plant Health Clinic.
“Taylor joins us with a wealth of knowledge of plant diseases and a drive to use her skills in serving others,” Korth said. “Her background and education are excellent fits for a diagnostic lab. She has a good mix of practical field experience, along with expertise in emerging technologies for pathogen identification.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media Contact:
Ryan McGeeney
rmcgeeney@uada.edu
@Ryan_McG44
501-671-2120