News

The board of directors of World Coffee Research (WCR) has named Jennifer “Vern” Long as the new CEO of the organization. Dr. Tim Schilling, the founder and outgoing chief executive officer of WCR, will work side-by-side with Long through the end of the year, then step into a new role as president of WCR’s European subsidiary branch and a member of the board of directors. Long will take the helm of WCR on June 1. A plant breeder by training, Long brings 25 years of experience in international agricultural research with a focus on smallholders.

Fewer farmers, less origin diversity—that is the likely future that coffee faces without significant innovation and investment to support coffee producers around the world to remain profitable and continue farming.

The board of directors of World Coffee Research has launched an executive search for a new chief executive officer. Dr. Tim Schilling, the founder and outgoing chief executive officer will remain as director of the organization.

Dr. Robert Weingart Barreto is no stranger to Africa’s wild coffee forests. A professor at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) in Brazil, he is the lead researcher of a World Coffee Research project that seeks to use biological control (also known as biocontrol) to combat coffee leaf rust, the worst disease in coffee farms around the world.