A fall 2021 graduate in Agricultural and Food Systems, Eric Barragan plans to put his degree and experience in fruit and vegetable management to work to help apple and cherry growers.
“I was drawn into this field as a kid,” Barragan said. “I used to go to orchards to help my parents pick cherries. I enjoyed the environment, and grew a passion to learn more about farming.”
Hailing from central Washington, Barragan previously studied horticulture and tree fruit production at Wenatchee Valley College. He gained practical experience as an agricultural technician in Regional Extension Specialist Tianna Dupont’s lab at WSU’s Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center, where he scouted for integrated pest management efforts in pear orchards, identifying insect pests and beneficial predators, entered data, and drafted weekly reports for growers.
After graduation, Barragan will enter the workforce: “My goal is to help growers produce more fruit.”
Looking back on his college career, “I’ll always remember Cougar Football Saturdays,” Barragan said. “To my fellow Cougs, I’d say just continue to enjoy your time here. It goes by faster than you think.”