Hoffman continued from page 1      Asked about the future of tillage research in the Northeast, Hoffman says that there is a need for further research on how to make no-till practices work on poorly drained soils. His group has experimented with zone tillage, in which a larger than normal area is tilled with the no-till planter to      Besides tillage research, Hoffman also has been influential on farming in Pennsylvania and the Northeast in at least three other areas. For the past decade, he has led a research team in conducting variety tests of cool-season forage grasses. These evaluations provide farmers with unbiased information about which of the new variety releases produce the highest yields and exhibit the most favorable characteristics. Each year, the results are summarized in a Cooperative Extension brochure that is consistently one of the most highly requested brochures published. Requests come from farmers all over the Northeast since this is the only testing program of its kind in the region. The agricultural industry also uses the results to see how their varieties fare against the competition.      Hoffman has conducted countless workshops on planter maintenance and adjustment. "Planters wear over time and certain parts need to be replaced," he explains, "but many farmers don't recognize the real or potential yield loss that occurs just because their planters are not operating as efficiently as they thought. They may not realize until the corn comes up that they don't have a uniform stand." Hoffman's workshops introduced this issue to farmers and taught them how to solve common problems with planters. Although the necessary planter repairs are often costly, the investment pays off in the long-term through improved crop yield.      The fourth area in which Hoffman has pioneered new techniques is in crop residue management. "That's the secret to

no-till or reduced-till farming," he explains. His workshops brought this message to thousands of farmers. Proper residue management conserves moisture and decreases soil erosion and operating costs. Choosing the proper tillage tools to promote good crop growth while minimizing the impact on surface residue is a vital part of conservation tillage. Understanding the impact of higher levels of surface residue on planting conditions, soil temperature, seedling emergence, and pest activity has often made the difference between success and failure.      In addition to his own research and extension program, Hoffman has for the last 31 years managed the agronomy research farm at the College's Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center southwest of State College. In a typical growing season, he cooperated with faculty on about 50 experiments out at the farm. He was responsible for assigning test plots, directing a field crew that prepared land for the experiments, and arranging for the basic equipment and maintenance needs of each investigator. "With the help of my staff," says Hoffman, "we have developed the opportunity for researchers to do sound research at the agronomy farm. Through the relationships I've cultivated with my staff and researchers throughout the college, we've built a program that has the right kind of equipment to get the job done in a timely manner. We've managed the land so that we minimize the variability due to management and other factors. So when someone puts a research experiment out at the agronomy farm on land that I managed, they're likely to get the most uniform results possible." Hoffman also managed the commercial operations of the farm that allowed the necessary crop rotations and better utilization of the entire property.      Looking back on a long and satisfying career, Hoffman reflects, "I have thoroughly enjoyed my extension responsibilities of meeting with farmers throughout the state and helping them solve problems. I'll miss that. I'll miss the people, the challenges of making things work, the interactions with my colleagues."      In his retirement, Hoffman intends to travel, winter in Florida, and continue farming his own land.

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