From the Mississippi Delta to Extension
Meet Nestor Cordero, your new Agronomy/Agriculture Extension Agent with UF/IFAS for Escambia County! Nestor Cordero is originally from the Mississippi Delta, where he was born and raised around row-crop agriculture such as rice, soybeans, cotton, and corn. Growing up working on a row-crop farm, Nestor gained hands-on experience at an early age with land leveling, irrigation, operating tractors and farm equipment, and many of the day-to-day challenges involved in crop production. Those experiences ultimately shaped his interest in agronomy and weed management.
Agronomy, Weed Science, and Research
In addition to his production agriculture background, Nestor gained extensive experience in agricultural research and education while at Mississippi State University. His work included conducting field research, maintaining research plots, applying herbicide treatments, collecting data, calibrating agricultural sprayers & planters, and working with precision agriculture and GPS technologies. He also gained teaching experience through Mississippi State’s Herbicide Technology course, where he assisted students with pesticide application techniques, sprayer calibration, and the safe and effective use of agricultural equipment. These experiences allowed him to combine the practical knowledge he gained working on farms with the research and educational skills needed to communicate agricultural information effectively.
Nestor earned both his bachelor’s degree and Master of Science in Agronomy from Mississippi State University, with his graduate studies specializing in Weed Science. His master’s research focused on Palmer amaranth (pigweed) seedbank persistence and herbicide resistance management, including the use of S-metolachlor and glufosinate, two commonly used herbicides in weed management today. Weed management remains one of the most important and constantly evolving challenges facing row-crop producers. Through his graduate research and field experience, Nestor developed a particular interest in helping producers manage difficult weeds such as Palmer amaranth while preserving the effectiveness of available herbicide technologies. His background combines practical farm experience with research and training in row-crop production, herbicide resistance, weed management, & pesticide application.
Serving Escambia County Agriculture
As he begins his Extension career, one of Nestor’s priorities is spending time in the field and learning directly from the farmers, producers, and agricultural professionals of Escambia County. He looks forward to visiting local operations, assisting with production questions, conducting demonstrations and educational programs, and identifying emerging needs within the agricultural community. His areas of particular interest include row-crop production, weed identification and management, herbicide resistance, pesticide stewardship and application, and sprayer calibration. When questions extend beyond his areas of expertise, he hopes to serve as a connection between local producers and the extensive network of UF/IFAS specialists and research-based resources available throughout Florida. Nestor is excited to call Northwest Florida home and looks forward to serving the agricultural community of Escambia County.
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