Jim O'Connell has a B.S. in Environmental Horticulture from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Science in Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Jim has worked in the cranberry industry where he spent much of his time learning best management practices for weed control in a perennial fruit system. Since coming to CCE over 7 years ago, he has learned a lot about the Hudson Valley small fruit industry and in particular the burgeoning wine industry. Jim has helped to educate berry growers about the invasive vinegar fly, spotted wing Drosophila. He has also worked with grape growers to help them make informed decisions on good site selection and best management practices for their vineyards.

Jim's current focus is on education in the areas of climate change, integrated pest management, and farmworker programming. Most recently, Jim has taken the lead in Ulster County with the Hudson Valley Research Lab on providing education and outreach to growers about spotted lanternfly, a new invasive insect that poses a serious threat to local agriculture.