Pedro Carvalho is co-host of new podcast CattleCal.

Cattle ranchers have a new source for cattle research news from UC Cooperative Extension. CattleCal podcast is produced by Pedro Carvalho, UC Cooperative Extension feedlot management specialist; Brooke Latack, UC Cooperative Extension livestock advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino counties; and Richard Zinn, UC Davis professor in the Department of Animal Science.

Released on Wednesdays, CattleCal varies the focus each week of the month. The first two weeks they interview a guest who works in the cattle business – the first week they discuss the guest's career path and the second week they discuss specific research. The third week of the month, Carvalho and Latack discuss feedlot research. The last week of the month features “Quiz Zinn,” with Zinn answering listeners' questions related to feedlot nutrition and management.

The podcast episodes range in length from 8 to 30 minutes. Ranchers can listen to the cattle research updates on Spotify on demand on their computers or mobile devices.

Carvalho did a Q&A, answering questions such as “Why did you name it CattleCal instead of Cattle Call?” at https://bit.ly/3dLbNzm.

CattleCal joins other ANR podcasts including Water Talk, Growing the Valley and Sheep Stuff Ewe Should Know.

Water Talk is hosted by Faith Kearns, academic coordinator for the California Institute for Water Resources, and UC Cooperative Extension specialists Mallika Nocco and Samuel Sandoval, both in the UC Davis Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources.

Growing the Valley is hosted by Phoebe Gordon, UCCE orchards systems advisor for Madera and Merced counties, and Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchard System Advisor for Butte, Tehama, and Glenn counties.

Sheep Stuff Ewe Should Know is hosted by Dan Macon, UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Placer, Nevada, Sutter and Yuba counties, and rancher Ryan Mahoney. 

From left, Nicole Ward, Ciara Zito, Clayton Pennebaker and Caydin Simonian. The Fresno County 4-H Ambassadors met in the Sierra Nevada in early 2020, before COVID-19 restrictions and before the Creek Fire struck.

Hundreds of wildfires burned in California in 2020. The biggest single wildfire, according to Cal Fire, was the Creek Fire, which started on Sept. 4 near Shaver Lake in Fresno County. It destroyed 856 structures and burned 379,895 acres mostly in the Sierra National Forest until it was declared contained on Dec. 24.

“Fresno County 4-H had several families that lost homes in the Creek Fire, especially from our Ridge Top 4-H Club,” said 4-H program representative Tracy Newton. 

To help their fellow 4-H members and community recover from the Creek Fire, 4-H Ambassadors in Fresno County assembled baskets containing handmade dough ornaments and a seedling to give to fire survivors. They also partnered with Intermountain Nursery and Sierra Resiliency Fund to begin protecting the scorched land from erosion.

In a video about their efforts, 4-H Ambassadors Caydin Simonian, Ciara Zito, Nicole Ward and Clayton Pennebaker and local partners describe their roles.

“Without volunteers, we can't get very much done. It's nice to have a core group of individuals that are excited and motivated to do work,” Allyson Brooks, Sierra Resiliency Fund volunteer coordinator, said in the video. 

After the Creek Fire, the 4-H Ambassadors partnered with Intermountain Nursery and Sierra Resiliency Fund to prevent soil erosion.

Zito added, “I know together we can make a difference.” 

Newton is proud of the Ambassador team's efforts supporting the Creek Fire recovery. "They've worked so hard, I'd like to see our community aware of their great efforts as well as our UC ANR community," she said. “I think they've done an amazing job! “ 

“Through sales of 4-H logo items and donations received, the team was able to purchase 750 seedlings which will be planted locally,” Newton said. “They are working towards participating in multiple workdays for tree plantings. In addition, there were workdays at the nursery transferring seedlings to larger containers and watering. They also supported in creating a community display that will be placed in the Creek Fire exhibit at the Sierra Historical Society.” 

See the video at https://youtu.be/fCvHuFu8e1k.

Unify-Communicate-Advocate

The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) help them identify and address issues of current and emerging importance. 

1. Program Teams - DEIJ added 

This month, the SI leaders approved the addition of a Program Team on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice. Program Teams operate at a broad level to help people within UC ANR and beyond network, share and learn. The submission of the DEIJ PT (by Clare Gupta and Sonja Brodt) and subsequent approval represents how UC ANR continues to evolve to better meet the needs of California. Learn more about Workgroups and Program Teams here.  

For more on the SIs and their activities, contact:

Jim Farrar: Pests (EIPD)

OPEN: Natural Ecosystems (SNE)

David Lewis: (Water)

Deanne Meyer: Food Systems (SFS)

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty: Families and Communities (HFC)

Mark Bell: Vice Provost (Strategic Initiatives and Statewide Programs)

The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy - Fee Policy for Graduate Student In Absentia Registration.  The policy is proposed to be revised and includes the following key issues: 

• The revisions to the policy language would permit Deans to establish “a local campus region within which in absentia registration will not be considered” instead of limiting eligibility to students studying outside of California.

The proposed policy is posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Controller/Administrative_Policies_-_Business_Contracts/Policy_and_administrative_handbooks/ANR_Administrative_Handbook/Recent_Updates/.

If you have any questions or if you wish to comment, please contact Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu, no later than July 22, 2021. Please indicate “Grad-In Absentia Policy” in the subject line.