The 2017 Future Giant of the industry award recipient says her ultimate career goal is very straightforward — to do plant pathology for as long as possible. Lisa Kopochinski MEET SIERRA HARTNEY WHILE THE FIRST words out of a child’s mouth are often “mama” and “dada,” Sierra Hartney’s mother told her that her first word was either “goat” or “flower.” And neither is a stretch considering Hartney grew up on a small farm in Okanogan County, Wash. “I was raised around goats and chickens. We gardened and much of the food we ate we raised ourselves,” recalls Hartney, 37. “Both my parents loved the outdoors — always hunting, fishing, camping and hiking. The town where I grew up (at the base of the Cascade Mountains) has amazing views and is a nature lover’s paradise. Whenever my brother and I weren’t in school, my parents would take us camping or some other outdoor activity. My parents worked for the Forest Service and would take us along on botany surveys or native plant hikes.” Today, as a plant pathologist at Sakata Seed America in Burlington, Wash., this position seems tailor-made for Hartney, who earned her doctorate in plant pathology from Oregon State University. “School wasn’t always easy, but the sciences made sense,” she says. “With the background my parents gave me — through sharing their knowledge about botany and forestry — studying a plant-based science in college seemed feasible. I focused on microbiology and botany classes as well. “I knew I couldn’t do human medicine, but I loved learn- ing about diseases. Maybe plants get sick too. The Irish potato famine was caused by a plant pathogen. So, I asked my profes- sors and started an internet search about plant diseases and how to study them.” A master’s degree in plant pathology from Washington State University followed, and then a doctorate. “I ended up with these great molecular projects that were very rewarding, but I always enjoyed the classes that took us out to the field more,” she says. In her position at Sakata, Hartney is responsible for three types of pathology. Her main focus is breeder sup- port for spinach, beet/Swiss chard and pumpkin, which involves screening for resistance through lab tests, as well as greenhouse and field tests. Hartney loves the diversity of her job. “I work with Sakata coworkers all over the globe, as beets and spinach are international crops. And, I have just 8 / SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2017