- Author: Rose Hayden-Smith, PhD
Nearly two tons of fruit and vegetables grown at UC's Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) in Santa Paula have been donated to Food Forward and the Ventura Unified School District, destined for children and families.
Some of the vegetables – planted by volunteers and farm staff – became available when UC HAREC's farm field trips were canceled due to COVID-19. Other vegetables were harvested from the student farm located at HAREC, a partnership with Ventura Unified School District and the city of Ventura. Kale and lettuce at the student farm were planted by youth from DATA and Montalvo schools.
Every fall and spring, volunteers from the UC Master Gardener program propagate seedlings for schools, bundling them into variety packs of vegetables and herbs, which are given to schools with gardens. Because of COVID-19, plants were given to schools for direct distribution to families. Ventura Unified School District staff partnering in this effort include Kara Muniz, director of food and nutrition services; Ashley Parrish Decker, nutrition educator who runs the Student Farm; and Alise Echles, registered dietitian nutritionist.
Additional fruit and vegetables were harvested from HAREC's citrus demonstration area, the site's educational gardens and the farm grounds.
UCCE's education program manager Susana Bruzzone-Miller said, “We are saddened that spring field trip season is canceled and miss the sound of children delighting in harvesting, sometimes for the very first time. But, it warms my heart that our field trip garden can help feed so many families in need.”
John Antongiovanni, farm manager, worked with the farm staff to organize the harvest. “Working together during this difficult time is very rewarding,” he said.
Food Forward is a gleaning organization that helps residents turn the surplus produce grown on their property into a nutritious food source for local communities. Rick Nahmias, founder and executive director, indicated that the Food Forward Backyard Harvest team remains active, and may be reached via phone at (805) 630.2728 or email.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
If you are a staff employee, you should be receiving UCnetwork — a monthly e-newsletter for UC staff systemwide.
Under Campus Buzz, the May edition features UC Master Gardener Program for offering useful resources online for home gardeners and donating vegetable plants to schoolchildren in Alameda County.
Delivered directly to your inbox each month, each issue contains:
- Tips for maximizing UC's generous benefits — including those you may not be aware of
- Resources to support your professional development and career goals
- Stories and profiles of UC's remarkable staff
- Ways to stay healthy, on and off the job
UCnetwork is sent the second Wednesday of each month to all staff employees and contract staff. Send suggestions, story ideas or feedback to ucnetwork@universityofcalifornia.edu. If you are a nonacademic staff member and have not received UCnetwork, please email ucnetwork@universityofcalifornia.edu.
- Author: Jeannette Warnert
UC ANR and the Citrus Research Board are co-funding a new citrus IPM advisor position to be headquartered at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The CRB has pledged $750,000 to cover half the cost of the advisor's salary and benefits for 10 years.
The new IPM advisor will conduct a multicounty extension, education and applied research program and provide research-based technical and educational assistance to the citrus industry. The new advisor will report to the director of the Lindcove REC, with input from the Statewide IPM Program director.
"CRB's partnership with UC ANR for this position continues to strengthen the commitment towards citrus research and IPM best practices. This is a win-win for all Californians." said Greg Gibbs, UC ANR director of major gifts.
The citrus IPM advisor will help fill the role of retiring UCCE citrus entomology specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell. The 30-year citrus IPM veteran has also served as the director of Lindcove REC since 2006.
Human Resources is finalizing the position vacancy announcement for the new IPM advisor and will open recruitment in the coming weeks.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
As expected, California's response to the coronavirus pandemic and loss of tax revenues resulting from the disruption in business have dramatically changed the state's economic outlook.
Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised budget proposal for 2020-21 on Thursday, May 14.
The governor said California began the year with a projected budget surplus of $5.6 billion for 2020-21. The reduced revenue, combined with increased costs in health and human services programs and the added costs to address COVID-19, leads to a projected budget deficit of approximately $54 billion, he explained.
To balance the budget, he called for a number of actions, including withdrawing the 5% budget increase for UC ANR and 5% increase for UC in general funds he proposed in January. He also proposed a 10% reduction in support for the UC system, UC Office of the President, UCPATH and UC ANR. The Legislature is required to approve a budget by June 15.
“Let me remind you that this is a proposal,” said Vice President Glenda Humiston. “This could all change if the federal government provides funding to bridge the gap or the economy recovers more quickly. We will continue to work with our partners to secure adequate funding to achieve our mission.”
On May 18, President Janet Napolitano announced
- a systemwide freeze on salaries for policy-covered staff employees;
- a systemwide freeze on salary scales for policy-covered, non-student academic appointees. To ensure a stable faculty pipeline and to maintain our teaching and research enterprise, we will continue the regular academic peer-review merit advancement program;
- a voluntary pay cut of 10% for current chancellors and herself.
See Napolitano's full statement and FAQs at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2020/05/president-napolitano-announces-systemwide-pay-freeze-for-policy-covered-employees.html.
During the May 28 ANR town hall, Humiston answered questions about the budget. A recording of the town hall will be posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/All_Hands.
“As we manage the budget situation, the top priority will be, as always, to take care of our people,” Humiston said. “Without you, the critical mission of ANR could not be delivered.”
In a public response to the governor's proposal, President Napolitano released a statement saying, “The University of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges California is facing in the wake of COVID-19 and regrets that Gov. Newsom was put into a position to steeply reduce the University's budget in response to the State's dramatically diminished revenues. Regardless, UC stands with the governor and the Legislature to help lift the State out of this economic crisis.”
- Author: Gail Feenstra
- Author: Lyra Halprin
William Liebhardt, founding director of UC ANR's sustainable agriculture program and UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, died May 5 of complications of Q fever at his home in Davis. He was 84.
Liebhardt was the director of the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), the first sustainable agriculture program established at a U.S. land grant university, until 1998. He came to Davis to begin the program in 1987; he returned to research after 16 years as an administrator. Previously he was the director of research at the Rodale Research Center in Pennsylvania, an associate professor at the University of Delaware, and worked as an agronomist for Allied Chemical Co. in the southeastern United States as well as for Standard Fruit Co. in Honduras.
A soils scientist who was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Liebhardt focused his research on soil fertility and farming systems comparison and analysis. He was the author of numerous articles and a book on soil fertility and farming systems performance.
Liebhardt earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in soil science at the University of Wisconsin.
Gail Feenstra, acting director of SAREP, noted that Liebhardt helped the program establish itself as one of the leaders in funding sustainable agriculture research in the nation.
“At first SAREP was controversial,” Feenstra said, “however, with Liebhardt at the helm, SAREP supported both farmer and researcher concerns about staying sustainable — which frequently meant juggling reduced inputs with increased management.”
“It would have been difficult to move forward without Bill's valuable and nurturing support,” she said.
David Campbell, UCCE community studies specialist emeritus, remembered Liebhardt's supportive leadership.
“He encouraged us to use our strengths for the program's benefit,” Campbell said. “Having such a champion in place was critical to our ability to work creatively, taking advantage of the distinctive values, skills, and proclivities each of us brought to the work. As SAREP director, his philosophy and values helped the program develop.”
Liebhardt's focus made him a champion of land grant universities.
“I'm a firm believer in the land grant concept and philosophy,” Liebhardt once wrote. “We do the state's business — what the people want, not some other grandiose concept or philosophy. Growing up in Wisconsin there was a significant rural community and it was fairly vibrant and healthy. The concept of a rural community was where small and medium-sized farms interacted around a town center. We've lost a lot of that in the Midwest, but that was the experience that shaped my vision.”
Following his retirement from UC in 2001, Liebhardt served on several research and land trust boards. In 2002, he returned to Pennsylvania as interim director for the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to organic farming research and outreach, for a year. In 2003, he received the Seventh Generation Award from the American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science. In 2010, he became interim director for Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisc., just miles from his family's dairy farm. In 2018, Rodale Institute honored Liebhardt with its Organic Pioneer Award for his contributions to the industry's growth.
He is survived by his wife Kathleen; sons Karl, Derek, Martin and Steve; siblings Thomas, Janet and David; and grandchildren Geneva, Amanda, Audrey, Adelaide and Gibson.
A Memory Keeper has been set up online for those who wish to post stories and pictures of Bill to share with his family https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/WilliamLiebhardt.