Karl Steddom, a doctorate level plant pathologist and agronomist with over 24 years of experience, has made significant contributions to the field of agriculture. He has special expertise in ag tech, precision agriculture, solution-based sales, product development, technical support, data analytics, plant disease diagnostics and applied research. He is currently working on developing disruptive technology and novel solutions to production issues across various market segments. Steddom is passionate about establishing methodologies for data integration, increased resolution, and demonstrable ROI across the entire agricultural production process.

Steddom has significant experience in developing cooperative relationships with growers and creating customized solutions that anticipate customer needs. He has developed precision agriculture solutions for LiDAR, multispectral imagery, thermal, micro-meterological, soil moisture, and hyperspectral sensors and imagers. He has worked closely with customers to design, implement, and analyze large-scale on-farm experiments.

Throughout his career, Steddom has developed applied research projects to address product development, pathogen detection, fungicide resistance, water sanitation, disease prediction, and biological control. He has also evaluated Ag Tech solutions for biological control delivery, formulation efficacy, and application efficiency.

As a former Extension Plant Pathologist and Research Scientist at Texas A&M AgriLife, Steddom has conducted product evaluations with 78 products (to date) to develop new tools for pest management as well as demonstrate the effectiveness of existing products. He has diagnosed pest management issues, identified Integrated Pest Management practices and communicated solutions to large producers and small growers, Extension personnel and the public, including Master Gardeners and homeowners.

Steddom is an expert in excellent communication skills, including public speaking, written and online teaching that enables him to communicate with a varied audience, including growers, homeowners, college students, etc. utilizing interactive engagement methods. With over 42,000 contact hours, he has firmly established himself as an expert in agriculture.