- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
The UC ANR Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative Panel will be hosting two 90-minute public webinars in February about food waste (Feb. 22) and nutrition in correctional systems (Feb. 29). UC ANR staff and academics, collaborators and partners and the public are invited to participate in the free webinars.
The UC ANR Sustainable Food Systems Emerging Issues Webinar Serieswill first cover food waste on Feb. 22.
“The Sustainable Food Systems strategic initiative panel aimed to highlight innovative solutions to emerging issues within the food system from field-to-fork,” said Danielle Lee, UC Nutrition Policy Institute director of communications and research engagement.
“Over one-third of all available food in the U.S. is uneaten through food loss or waste – totaling up to over $160 billion – which has negative impacts on food security and the climate,” she said. “Households could save over $370 per person each year by reducing or preventing food waste. Additionally, when uneaten food ends up in the landfill, it generates greenhouse gases, and landfills are now the third largest producers of methane in the U.S.”
“California's adoption of SB 1383 aims to solve these problems,” Lee said. “You'll meet experts who are implementing consumer education and organic waste recycling programs aligned with SB 1383.”
The second webinar, on Feb. 29, will focus on nutritious foods for residents of correctional facilities.
“We also wanted to touch on novel, local food distribution systems that can be used to support nutrition security through improved access to affordable, healthy and nutritious foods for underserved communities,” Lee said.
“We chose incarcerated people as our case study population for two reasons – the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is the single largest public purchaser of food in the state and studies have shown that 63% of incarcerated individuals rarely or never have fresh vegetables and 55% rarely or never have fresh fruit.”
California has two policies that can support institutional procurement of fresh produce – AB 822 and AB 778.
“The Harvest of the Month program is an innovative solution to implementing these policies while supporting improved nutrition security for incarcerated individuals,” Lee said. “Prison gardening programs can not only provide therapeutic benefits to residents, but also reduce recidivism rates and serve as workforce development opportunities to better prepare residents for returning to their communities post-incarceration.”
Part 1 - Harvesting Solutions: A Trio of Perspectives on Addressing Food Waste from Field to Fork
Thursday, Feb 22, at 10-11:30 a.m. PT
To minimize food waste, three experts explore factors influencing food loss and waste, delve into innovative recycling techniques, and explore statewide initiatives targeting household food waste. Experts in postharvest handling, food waste recycling and community education will share research findings and strategies.
Agenda:
- An overview of food waste in fruits and vegetables
Deirdre Holcroft, Holcroft Postharvest Consulting - Exploring means to extract embodied energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions in food waste recycling
Michael Cohen, UC Cooperative Extension organic materials management and agri-food systems advisor for Santa Clara County - The opportunities in statewide programs in reducing household food waste: Results from UC ANR household food practice needs assessment
Yu Meng, UC Cooperative Extension youth, family and community advisor in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties
Part 2 - Farm to Corrections: Cultivating Justice through Nutrition and Gardening Initiatives
Thursday, Feb. 29, at 10-11:30 a.m. PT
Experts share insights on groundbreaking initiatives for justice-involved individuals' access to California-grown produce and nutrition and gardening education. Innovative initiatives such as a “Harvest of the Month” program by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in collaboration with the Nutrition Policy Institute and Impact Justice aim to increase access to fresh, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and trauma-informed nutrition workshops. They also highlight the impact of UC Master Gardener projects on rehabilitation and workforce development.
Agenda:
- Produce during and after prison: Increasing justice-impacted individuals' access to California-grown produce and nutrition education
Carolyn Chelius, UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute; Heile Gantan, Impact Justice; Lance Eshelman, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations - UC Master Gardeners Prison Gardens Projects
Missy Gable, director of the UC Master Gardener Program
Learn more and register at https://ucanr.edu/sites/StrategicInitiatives/Sustainable_Food_Systems/Events.
- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
The Intermountain Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals for new and continuing research projects in 2024-25.
IREC is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet elevation near the Oregon border. It specializes in crops grown in Northeast California including potato, small grain, onion, peppermint, forage grasses and alfalfa. Most cool season field and vegetable crops can be accommodated and grown at the center.
Research topics of interest include variety development, integrated pest management, irrigation management, plant nutrition and agriculture-wildlife interactions. Available facilities and equipment at the center include a greenhouse, controlled postharvest facility, drying ovens, an automated potato grading line, a mini-still for essential oil extraction, clean and dirty laboratory space, specialized small plot pressurized irrigation equipment, research-adapted small-plot planters and harvesters, and a full line of commercial farm equipment for field and vegetable crop production.
IREC also has a multi-purpose conference and laboratory building for extension events with high-speed internet connection, wifi and audio-visual equipment for video conferencing. Technical assistance is available for all farming practices, field instrumentation and equipment operation, data collection, and data entry and analysis.
The center's Research Advisory Committee will evaluate proposed research for scientific merit and regional need. Approved projects will be eligible for center-provided support, which includes land, labor, technical assistance, equipment and facilities.
Questions about the research proposal process or about research opportunities here at IREC should be directed to Rob Wilson, director, or Darrin Culp, superintendent, at (530) 667-5117.
Proposal forms can be found at https://irec.ucanr.edu under “Submitting a proposal.”
For new proposals, please fill out the REC New Project Proposal form and submit via email to Rob Wilson at rgwilson@ucanr.edu or Darrin Culp at daculp@ucanr.edu.
The closing date for the 2024-25 call for proposals is March 11, 2024. Off-cycle proposals can be submitted any time; off-cycle proposal acceptance is based on labor and land availability.
- Author: Matt Rapparlie, ERM Analyst 4, Risk and Safety Services
Due to a recent increase in vehicle break-ins and theft-related losses statewide, Risk Management would like to remind you of some important safety tips to help prevent you from falling victim to these types of incidents.
- Be sure all vehicle doors are locked and the windows secured before leaving a vehicle unattended.
- When leaving a vehicle unattended, remove all valuables and belongings and take them with you whenever possible.
- If unable to remove items, hide or conceal them from view.
If an incident occurs and items are stolen from a vehicle, please report this immediately to Risk Management.
Vehicle break-ins typically occur in less than a minute. So even if you are only gone briefly, there is always a possibility that a passerby can take advantage of an unattended vehicle. Vehicles left overnight should be completely emptied as that is when most of these break ins occur.
It is important to remember that the university will not be able to reimburse you for personal items lost or stolen from a vehicle (e.g. phone, wallet, keys).
You may have coverage through your home, condo or tenant policy for these losses, but reimbursement may be subject to a deductible. Following the steps above will help prevent these types of costly incidents.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Risk Management at risk@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Jodi Azulai
UC ANR Learning & Development
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USDA Investments in Conservation and Climate-Resilience in New England: Assessing the impact and advocating for the future (Virtual, Food Solutions New England)
Feb. 9 | 8 a.m. PT | Registration
Telling Our Story: Enhancing our Extension Story through Social Media strategy Targeting Diverse Audiences (Virtual, Extension Foundation)
Feb. 8 | 11 a.m.-Noon | Registration
Join speaker Doralicia Garay, our UC ANR social media strategist!
2024 Conference - National Extension Technology Community (NETC)
May 13–16, 2024
Submit a proposal
This year, the Extension Foundation is responsible for creating an AI (Artificial Intelligence) Track for the conference. We are seeking speakers who want to present on AI-related topics. This may include practical tools and implementations and more technical experience around AI topics. Please submit your talk here: https://cvent.me/PKPlNE The submission deadline is February 18. Submitters will be notified of their proposal status during the week of March 1 (NLT 15 March).
is the authorized organizational representative for all extramurally sponsored projects at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Find the analyst assigned to your County/Program.
Government Relations
Engaging government officials and community stakeholders is a critical tool that helps builds awareness and support for your work and that of the University as a whole. For more information read here.
Public & Media Relations
UC ANR has subject matter experts to help you with media and other public relations. Be sure to contact them for support. Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
Building Accessible Experience - Free (Virtual, Deque)
Feb. 22 | 6-11 a.m. PT | Registration
Discussing Equity Needs in Cooperative Extension (Virtual, Extension Foundation)
Feb. 22 | 11 a.m.-Noon PT | Registration
Building Sustainability for Salir Adelante Caminos a Nuestro Futuro (Virtual, Extension Foundation)
Feb. 26 | 11 a.m.-Noon PT | Registration
How to Align Your Time with Your Priorities (Virtual NCFDD)
Feb. 8 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PT | Register
ANR Business Operations Center Quarterly WebANR "Our Two Cents"
Feb. 15 | Noon-12:30 p.m.
Need to make a purchase using state, federal, gift, or contract & grant funds? Meet with us and learn the simplest way to do so! Speakers: Su-Lin Shum and Tracy Roman.
Zoom webinar: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT09
Password: 4Learning | +1 669 900 6833 | Webinar ID: 751 701 428
Peer Reviewing as "Reflexive Mentorship"(Virtual, NCFDD)
Feb. 20 | 11 a.m.-Noon PT Register
Spring 2024 14-Day Writing Challenge (Virtual, NCFDD)
Feb. 25 | (log in any time of day throughout the two-week period to track your writing) Register
Conflict Competence: Listening to be Heard (Virtual for Staff and Faculty)
Feb. 7 | 9-11 a.m. | Add to my calendar
Conflict Competence for Staff (Virtual for Staff and Faculty)
Feb. 15 | 9 a.m.-Noon | Add to my calendar
Conflict Competence: From Bystander to Upstander (Virtual for Staff and Faculty)
March 5 | 9-11 a.m. | Add to my calendar
Conflict Competence: Creative Problem Solving in the Workplace (Virtual for Staff and Faculty)
March 21 | Noon-1 p.m. | Add to my calendar
Build a Powerful Resume (UC Davis)
Feb. 8 | 10 a.m. | Registration
Workshop: Transferrable Skills: Applying to Jobs You Haven't Done Yet
Feb. 13 | 2-3 p.m. | Registration
Workshop: Write a Winning Cover Letter
Feb. 22 | 9-10 a.m. | Registration
Workshop: Interview with Confidence
Feb. 26 | 4-5 p.m. | Registration
Image by 3D Illustrator and Graphic Designer from Pixabay
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UC ANR Learning & Development
- Author: Maher Al Rwahnih, Foundation Plant Services director
Deborah Golino, former director of Foundation Plant Services in the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, passed away on Dec. 23, 2023.
Golino worked as director of FPS and as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist from 1994 until her retirement in 2021. She was a kind and supportive administrator, who will be deeply missed by all those who knew her. She was a prominent advocate for clean plant use and the advancement of technologies used for clean plant production.
In 1987, Golino received her PhD at UC Riverside and moved to Davis to work as a USDA-ARS research plant pathologist specializing in grapevine virology. She was appointed to the Foundation Plant Materials Service (later renamed Foundation Plant Services) Grapevine Technical Advisory Committee. When FPMS was reorganized in 1994, Golino was selected as the founding director of FPS. The director role included administration of FPS, as well as a partial Cooperative Extension specialist assignment in the UC Davis Department of Plant Pathology.
One of her first actions at FPS was to revive the grape importation program, opening the FPS National Grape Importation and Clean Stock Facility to provide import and quarantine services. Through operation of the facility, FPS became an important source for international grape material. More than 2,300 new grape selections were introduced at FPS from 1995 through 2021, each an endorsement of the use of clean plants. Golino strove for the FPS grape program to produce the highest quality virus-tested and true-to-variety plant materials using state of the art technology.
Following the high-quality template of grapes, FPS's other programs grew considerably during Golino's tenure: a sweetpotato clean stock program was added and rose, strawberry and fruit tree collections expanded. The programs were further strengthened by the establishment of the National Clean Plant Network in 2008. Golino was instrumental in NCPN's formation and served as chair of the NCPN Grapes Committee from its inception until her retirement in 2021.
At the state level, she worked closely with regulators of the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Regulation & Certification programs for grapevines, fruit trees and strawberries. Golino was also a member of the steering committee of the International Council for the Study of Virus and Virus-like Diseases of the Grapevine, sharing a vision of clean grape material with global collaborators.
From 1994 to 2010, FPS's programs more than tripled under Golino's management. She was a great fundraiser and made sure that FPS had the financial resources to ensure its long-term stability. Committed to her team and the goals of the program, she also sought to expand the facilities so FPS could continue to deliver the highest quality clean-plant materials. By working closely with industry members, clear supporters of the FPS mission, Golino was able to secure $3.5 million in funding for a new office building. The resulting building was completed in 2015.
When Golino assumed the role of FPS director in 1994, she was tasked with reviving and reestablishing its programs. She did just that, and in her 27-year term grew FPS to a shining example of a clean plant center.
It is an honor to have worked with Deborah, and her impact cannot be overstated. Deborah was one of the top grape research and extension administrators in the country. She will be remembered as a firm believer in the importance of clean and certified planting stock, and for working closely with industry to ensure that their concerns were heard and needs were met. Her kindness and compassion positively impacted those who worked with her, and I am sure they will remember her with fondness. We are deeply saddened by her loss, and our condolences are with her family, friends and colleagues.
Foundation Plant Services and the UC Davis Department of Plant Pathology are working together to plan a celebration of Golino's life, to be held in spring 2024
