- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Proposition 2 continues to make news. Coverage of the initiative, which will set new standards for confining farm animals in California, in many cases mentions the UC Agricultural Issues Center research project that drew conclusions about the probable economic effects of the proposition's passage.
Here's a sampling of stories and editorials from the last week:
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Animal rights activists want more space for hens - San Jose Mercury News
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Nutrition information was extended to more than 30,000 Shasta County residents today in a prominent Redding Record Searchlight food story with information sourced entirely from UC Cooperative Extension educators.
Shasta County food stamp nutrition educator Lori Coker and nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor Concepcion Mendoza explained in the 850-word article how to add whole grains to one's diet and why it is important.
"You have to read the labels," Coker told freelance writer Debra Moore. The story included a side bar suggesting...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Here are three recent news tidbits on UC ANR research and extension in California.
Bees do the math
Newscientist.com reported that UC Riverside scientists believe honey bees make complex math calculations about flight paths to point hivemates towards nectar-rich flowers. "I find it remarkable that, with a relatively simple brain, they can do something so mathematically complex," David Tanner was quoted. Tanner and Kirk Visscher discovered that rather than picking a flight path based on the...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Merced County UC Cooperative Extension 4-H advisor Richard Mahacek was quoted extensively in a Washington Times story published yesterday about a growing science focus in 4-H. The article precedes National Youth Science Day, set for Wednesday, when 4-H members all over the country will conduct a "National Science Experiment" by combining polymer materials from the inside of baby diapers with water to learn about water conservation.
The Washington Times story included details of Mahacek's work with Merced 4-H youth on robotics. With common household materials -- such as ice-cream-bar sticks,...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Fuel prices have settled down a little bit since their record highs in the middle of last summer, but farmers are just now tallying up the damage. The first half of a Stockton Record story about the impact of the fuel price surge focused on producers of processing tomatoes. Tomato farmers typically negotiate a fixed price for their crop in late winter to help them secure loans and make planting plans, according to the Record's story. Tomato farmers won a record cannery price of $70 a ton in January, up $7 a ton from the year before.
"When the contract price was negotiated, everybody felt pretty good about it," the...
