Growing Wisconsin Conference - Member public profile

January 18-20, 2026 | Wisconsin Dells, WI

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Ohio State University

Member profile details

First name

Melanie L.

Last name

Lewis Ivey

Company / Farm

Ohio State University

Title

Associate Professor, Fruit Pathology and Fresh Produce Safety. Extension Experience Coordinator

Profile Picture

About Me

Melanie L. Lewis Ivey, PhD
Associate Professor, Fruit Pathology and Fresh Produce Safety
Extension Experience Coordinator
The Ohio State University – Wooster
Dr. Melanie Lewis Ivey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at The Ohio State University and Ohio’s statewide specialist in fruit pathology and fresh produce food safety. Based at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, she delivers research and Extension programs that help Ohio’s fruit and vegetable growers produce safe, high-quality crops while minimizing losses from diseases and contamination risks.
Melanie’s dual-focus expertise covers:

Diagnosis and management of bacterial, fungal, and oomycete diseases in tree fruit, small fruit, and specialty crops
Implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance, and on-farm food safety planning
Training thousands of growers annually through Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Trainings and fruit-specific workshops

A proud Canadian who found her professional home in the U.S., Melanie earned her B.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Guelph, M.Sc. in Plant Sciences from Western University (Ontario), and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from The Ohio State University. Before returning to OSU as faculty, she conducted post-doctoral research on bacterial diseases of tomato and served as a fruit and vegetable Extension specialist in Louisiana.
Widely respected for her practical, grower-first approach, Melanie collaborates closely with the Ohio Fruit Growers, Ohio Vegetable & Potato Growers, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Her work has been instrumental in keeping Ohio’s $100+ million fruit industry competitive and safe.

Website

https://plantpath.osu.edu/our-people/melanie-l-lewis-ivey

The Growing Wisconsin Conference is run by the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association. For more information please contact us. Thank you for your interest in the Growing Wisconsin Conference!

Call Us: 262-206-8442
Email Us:

melissaonbb@gmail.com

Address:
28520 7th Street

Burlington WI 53105