Robert F. Kasmire

robert f kasmire

In Memoriam
UC Extension Specialist Emeritus
1924-1998

ROBERT F. KASMIRE

Birth: October 31, 1924, Newport, Rhode Island
Death: December 22, 1998, Davis, California

Education

  • B.S., Agriculture, University of California, Davis, 1950
  • M.S., Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, 1964

Military Service

  • U.S. Navy, July 1942 – December 1945
  • U.S. Navy, October 1950 – March 1952

Employment

  • UC Farm Advisor, Vegetable Crops, Riverside County, 1952–1955
  • Extension Vegetable Marketing Specialist, UC Davis, 1956–1987

Honors, Awards, and Professional Societies

  • Co-founder and co-editor, Perishables Handling Newsletter, 1962–1987
  • Named one of “100 Persons Who Made a Difference During a Century of Produce,” The Packer, 1983–1993
  • Lifetime Member, Produce Marketing Association
  • Outstanding Volunteer, International Executive Service Corps, 1988-1998

Research Contributions and Impact

Robert Kasmire led a statewide educational and applied research program focused on improving postharvest handling of fresh vegetables. His work helped producers, shippers, and handlers reduce losses and maintain the quality of produce from the field to the consumer. He specialized in cooling, sizing, packing, handling, ripening, and marketing technologies. His problem-solving research resulted in over 250 technical and trade publications. Kasmire’s co-founding of the Perishables Handling Newsletter laid a foundation for ongoing outreach in the field. He was also a pivotal figure in establishing the UC Postharvest Technology Short Course in 1979.

Publications and Scholarly Leadership

  • Co-editor, Perishables Handling Newsletter, 1962–1987
  • Co-author, Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops (1985, revised 1992)

Teaching and Mentorship

  • Instructor, UC Postharvest Technology Short Course, 1979–1989
  • Supported student activities and campus programs in the Department of Vegetable Crops

Collaboration and Community

  • Delivered hundreds of workshops and short courses statewide and internationally
  • Consulted extensively with domestic and international produce industries
  • Volunteer Executive, International Executive Service Corps (1988–1998), providing training in developing countries

Legacy

Robert Kasmire’s career advanced postharvest vegetable handling and industry education across California and beyond. His influence persists through the UC Postharvest Technology Center and the programs he helped initiate. His textbook, outreach writings, and mentoring continue to shape best practices in postharvest science.

References

For additional tributes, interviews, and biographies, see the following resources: