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Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded.
“This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment, while teaching the science of biological control to a lay audience far-removed from traditional agriculture,” said Haviland. “It was also great to be able to portray scientists as fun, passionate people.”
The video has been viewed thousands of times.
Watch as they compete at https://youtu.be/xXnm0NeuRIY.
Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a new location on the west side of Camarillo. The center was established through an endowment bequeathed to the UC by Saticoy farmer Thelma Hansen, who sought to support university research and extension activities benefiting Ventura County.
For the past 25 years, Hansen REC has been located on the historic Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula. At 27 acres, Hansen REC was the smallest of the nine RECs across the state operated by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources; in 2019, UC ANR leadership decided a larger property was needed to expand the center's capacity. The Faulkner Farm was sold in March 2021, but a portion was leased back to the UC to sustain its programs until a new location was identified.
“Our planning committee looked for a site on the Oxnard Plain that is representative of the coastal agriculture environment and conducive to research on Ventura County's high-value crops, such as strawberries,” said Annemiek Schilder, Hansen REC director. “We also sought a location with diverse soil types, access to sufficient irrigation water, and a low risk of flooding – and we're pleased that this Camarillo property meets most of our search criteria.”
Of the approximately 104 cultivable acres, 28 are certified organic, which will allow researchers to study organic as well as conventional crop production methods, Schilder noted. She said another bonus of the new location is its proximity to California State University, Channel Islands and the Rodale Institute California Organic Center, which are both potential partners for future research and a student organic farm on site.
Initial plans for the new Hansen REC facility include offices, conference rooms, laboratories, greenhouses, a demonstration kitchen, and indoor and outdoor education areas. The center will aim to be water-efficient and energy-neutral, relying on solar panels for much of its energy usage. The UC Cooperative Extension Office in Ventura is also slated to move to the new facility.
“We fully expect Hansen REC to become a vibrant research and education hub that provides science-based solutions and is responsive to the needs of agricultural, rural and urban communities and the environment in Ventura County,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “We're excited to expand current programming while bringing in new educational opportunities, such as the UC Master Food Preserver and Master Beekeeper programs.”
Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops advisor, for answers. After 37 years of service with UCCE, Smith retired on Jan. 4.
“The whole industry has been dreading Richard's retirement!” exclaimed Jennifer Clarke, executive director of the California Leafy Greens Research Program. “Richard is a wealth of knowledge and has a great ability to translate science into real-world practical solutions.”
In the past few years, the leafy greens industry has lost millions of dollars of crops due to infections of impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and Pythium wilt. Smith is among the researchers investigating the diseases.
“Richard has conducted important variety trials and led efforts in identifying the ‘top 10' weed hosts for INSV and strategies to reduce the wintertime ‘green bridge' for this virus,” Clarke said.
Smith also has kept policymakers informed of the latest research. In 2021, he testified before the Assembly Committee on Agriculture about leafy green plant diseases.
A legacy of practical advice, service to community
By serving on numerous grower and county committees and working directly with growers, Smith has built a reputation for understanding growers' needs and developing practical solutions. He has found it rewarding to see his research results used.
“The research that I have conducted with my collaborators has helped the water board to better fit their regulations to the reality of farming and to minimize the economic constraints,” Smith said.
Smith and his colleague Michael Cahn, UCCE irrigation and water resources advisor, also have become trusted and respected voices when discussing AgOrder 4.0 with the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, according to Clarke. AgOrder 4.0 calls for farmers to reduce the amount of fertilizer they apply to crops.
Field trials conducted by Smith and Cahn showed growers they could use nitrogen from high nitrate wells toward meeting a crop's nutritional needs.
“Richard has also done important research to develop nitrogen removal coefficients for AgOrder 4.0,” Clarke said. “Recently he and Eric Brennan of USDA-ARS (Agricultural Research Service) looked at cover crops and identified a system to predict shoot biomass and allow for nitrogen scavenging credits. His work has been pivotal in helping growers comply with AgOrder 4.0 in a cost-effective and realistic manner.”
Growers also use his research to manage cadmium, a heavy metal that is naturally present in soils.
“He led the effort to help growers find a best management practice that reduces cadmium uptake in various crops,” Clarke said. “The Central Coast has areas of productive agricultural land where there are naturally occurring shale deposits. The ability to amend soil to reduce plant uptake of this heavy metal has allowed these important production areas to continue to farm nutritious vegetables.”
‘Never had a bad day as a farm advisor'
Growing up in Watsonville, Smith began working at a young age in agriculture for summer jobs.
“I was in 4-H and got to know ag advisors and was always impressed by them,” Smith said. “I was fortunate to be able to work as an advisor for my career. I never had a bad day as a farm advisor – it was very satisfying working with growers and helping them with their issues.”
Smith joined UC Cooperative Extension as a farm advisor intern in San Diego County and San Joaquin County in 1985 after earning his master's degree in agronomy from UC Davis. In 1986, he moved to the Central Valley to serve as an interim farm advisor for San Joaquin County, then became a vegetable crops farm advisor for Stanislaus County in 1987.
In 1989, Smith moved to the Central Coast to serve as UCCE small farms advisor for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. In 1999, he transitioned to UCCE vegetable crops and weed science farm advisor for those three counties, where he served for the rest of his career.
Mentoring the next generation of scientists
“Richard was my mentor, principal investigator on my first collaborative study at ANR, speaker at several of my extension events, and a dear colleague,” said Surendra Dara, former UCCE entomology and biologicals advisor and now director of Oregon State University's North Willamette Research & Extension Center and professor of horticulture. “He is very kind, friendly, and most importantly has a good sense of humor. He is well-regarded both by his peers and stakeholders.”
Smith has been active in professional organizations, regularly attending the annual meetings of the American Society for Horticulture Science and the American Society of Agronomy. He served as president of the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy in 2014 and served on the board of the California Weed Science Society, which granted him the Award of Excellence in 2005 and an honorary membership in 2020.
As a public service, Smith served on the board of the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, and taught classes and conducted outreach to their Spanish-speaking clientele. He was a regular guest speaker for vegetable crop and weed science classes at CSU Fresno, CSU Monterey Bay, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Hartnell Community College and Cabrillo Community College.
As he winds down his career, Smith has been mentoring new UCCE farm advisors and scientists who have joined USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Salinas and California State University, Monterey Bay, acquainting them with local issues.
“Richard's leadership and mentorship has been critical in the development of my career as a new researcher at USDA-ARS in Salinas,” said Daniel K. Hasegawa, research entomologist in USDA-ARS's Crop Improvement and Protection Research Unit. “Richard has taught me so much about agricultural practices in the Salinas Valley and has connected me with growers and pest control advisers, which has enhanced the impact of my own research, which includes projects addressing thrips and INSV.”
Smith, who has been granted emeritus status by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, plans to complete nitrogen research projects that are underway.
Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The deadline has been extended to March 6.
Priority will be given to projects completed by June 30.
Projects are solicited that will develop and/or support the continuum of research dissemination or curriculum development in support of statewide programs and institutes or REC efforts.
The maximum award is $20,000 per project.
Funds will be awarded on alpha chart accounts to projects where research dissemination or curriculum development aligns with priority areas identified by SWP/I Directors or Associate Director of RECs.
To apply, look for “2023 Mini Grant” under “Universal Review System” in the ANR portal. For more information, contact Sarah Shroyer at sshroyer@ucanr.edu.
President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24.
In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San Francisco professor, to vice president for health affairs for the UC system to UC Irvine chancellor and finally, president of the UC system.
Drake discussed the values that guide him – respect, intellectual curiosity, integrity, commitment, empathy, appreciation and fun. “That's respect for yourself and respect for others,” he said, “intellectual curiosity, the interest in learning and teaching and discovering; integrity, making sure that you mean what you say and you say what you mean. I think that's really important to be committed, that's an important value to me, that your sleeves are rolled and you're leaning into the things that you're doing.”
As a physician, he said, “Empathy has always been an extraordinarily important value to me, to make sure to see it from the other person's point of view.”
For the university, appreciation for different life circumstances and points of view is important, he said.
He also encouraged fun. “The idea of the values is to do all of them at the same time,” Drake said. “To be all those things all the time, and to make sure you're having fun as you're doing it.”
Drake answered questions submitted by UC staff on budget, compensation equity, COVID-19, diversity, accountability, community safety, climate crisis, tuition and affirmative action.
On the pandemic, he noted with pride that UC employees have fewer hospitalizations, ICU admissions and fatalities due to COVID-19 than the average U.S. community.
In response to a question about remote work, he noted policies are designed to be flexible and supportive of colleagues. “There are differences in the way this is applied given the different circumstances that people live and work in across our system, and that's true and appropriate. We have agricultural and natural resources where you could be working on a farm, you could be working in a lab.”
A recording of the town hall is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/YJjawZG36YY?feature=share.
