- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The Sacramento Bee today ran a story about an ANR decision to close the Genetic Resources Conservation Program, based at UC Davis. Reporter Maddalena Jackson spoke to program director Patrick McGuire and attended a "farewell coffee" last Wednesday to gather information for her story.
Since the GRCP's inception in 1985, the program collected more than a half million plant samples representing some 13,000 species. The collections are repositories for scientists looking to adapt crops to new threats, such as evolving insects and diseases, climate change and drought.
However, the story said that, according to UC...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
When Newsday's Erica Marcus had a burning question about ripening fruit, she turned to UC Davis post harvest experts. Marcus writes a weekly column for the magazine's Web site that answers "burning questions" about food.
In the past, she's helped readers who want to avoid soggy stirfry, identify whole grains, and know exactly when to cover or uncover a pot cooking on the stove. This week, she answered for readers: "Which fruits ripen after they are picked - and why?"
"For the lowdown on ripening," she wrote, "I called the postharvest information...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The St. Helena Star reported today on a sad coincidence for the Napa County viticulture industry. Within the last year, the three men who have held the position of Napa County UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisor since 1952 passed away.
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Jim Lider, farm advisor from 1952 to 1972, died Nov. 19, 2007
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Keith Bowers, farm advisor from 1972 to 1987, died May 21, 2008
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Ed Weber, farm advisor from 1988 to 2007, died December 31, 2007.
The story focused on the most recent passing, that of...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The Sacramento Bee ran a brief story in today's paper about new research that is being shared with the ag industry at a Sacramento symposium ending today. The research compared the rate of growth in public funding for agricultural research and the rate of growth in agricultural productivity. Both are dipping.
Reporter Jim Downing wrote in his article that governments around the world invested heavily in ag research from the 1950s through the 1970s, and farm productivity soared. Since the 1980s, though, research spending and productivity growth slowed.
The research Downing reported on, led by UC Davis ag economist Julian Alston, showed that ag...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
News is being made at a well-attended agricultural research and extension symposium being held this afternoon and tomorrow morning in Sacramento. The event is sponsored by the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the California Commodity Commission.
Agriculture professionals and policymakers in attendance are getting a first look at new research that shows the rate of growth of public funding for agricultural research and extension has declined and the rate of growth in agricultural productivity is also slowing. The media are also taking notice.
Sacramento Bee reporter Jim Downing interviewed ANR vice president Dan Dooley about the topic this afternoon and USA Today reporter Sue Kirchhoff spoke to ANR...
