- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Armstrong joins 4-H as program representative for Tuolumne County
Erika Armstrong has joined the UCCE Central Sierra team as 4-H Program Representative for Tuolumne County.
Armstrong, who has spent her career working with nonprofit agencies and managing volunteer programs, worked with United Way Monterey County and the Alliance on Aging. She also was a campaign manager for a candidate for the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County. Her most recent job was stay-at-home mother for her daughters.
She holds a bachelor's degree in collaborative health and human communication from California State University Monterey Bay.
Armstrong is based at the Tuolumne office and can be reached at (209) 533-6990 and elarmstrong@ucanr.edu.
Hsieh Wojan named chief information security officer 
Jacqueline (Jaki) Hsieh Wojan joined ANR as chief information security officer (CISO) on March 28. As CISO, she will be responsible for cybersecurity functions, policies and procedures, including statewide management and protection of ANR's institutional information and information technology resources.
Hsieh Wojan brings over 10 years of experience in computer operations and cybersecurity risk management. She is a certified Project Manager, a Certified Scrum Master, and an experienced CISO. In her previous position as CISO at Matica Corp., a computer software design and development company, she oversaw the IT infrastructure, deployed complex systems, vetted third-party vendors, and most recently, relocated their on-premises IT server room to a data center.
She earned an M.S. in computer information systems from Boston University and a B.A. in East Asian Studies (Cum Laude) from Union College in Schenectady, New York.
Hsieh Wojan is based at the ANR Building in Davis and can be reached at jhsiehw@ucanr.edu.
UC scientists dominate entomology society awards
Mark Hoddle, UC Cooperative Extension specialist and UC Riverside Center for Invasive Species research director, won the C.W. Woodworth Award for outstanding accomplishments in the field over the last 10 years. He develops biological controls for invasive pests including Asian citrus psyllid, spotted lantern fly and glassy-winged sharpshooter.
Read more about the UCR award recipients at https://insideucr.ucr.edu/awards/2022/03/21/uc-riverside-scientists-dominate-entomology-society-awards.
EcoFarm honors Smith with ‘Sustie' award
EcoFarm developed the Sustie to honor people who have been actively and critically involved in ecologically sustainable agriculture and have demonstrated their long-term, significant contributions to the well-being of agriculture and the planet.
Smith has enthusiastically researched nutrient and pest management in organic crop production. He worked tirelessly to assist growers, from small- to large-scale farmers, in solving production problems and developing practices to improve crop and soil quality. Smith has been actively involved with EcoFarm and, starting in 1990, he served for many years as a co-facilitator of the annual Bus Tour.
He has been an unflagging advocate for increasing the use of cover crops and worked with growers on evaluating varieties and novel ways of including them in production systems. He was editor of the UC ANR publication “Cover Crops for Vegetable Production.”
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the California Department of Food and Agriculture hosted Ag Day at the Capitol in Sacramento on March 23.
“It was incredibly energizing to reconnect with so many legislators, partners, supporters and friends to share in the joy and promise of our work,” said Vice President Glenda Humiston. “Things almost felt ‘normal' again!”
Anne Megaro, government and community relations director, organized ANR's displays and representation, which included Humiston, UCCE farm advisors Sarah Light and Rachael Long, Sheldon 4-H youth and UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
One booth displayed myriad citrus varieties grown at Lindcove Research and Extension Center and avocado varieties grown at South Coast Research and Extension Center.
Among the many legislators who visited the ANR booths was Senator John Laird, who championed the historic increase to ANR's budget.
“No other event that occurs here, of the hundreds every year, draws crowds like Ag Day, and a lot of the legislators who have no concept or association with agriculture come by, plus their staff,” said Senator Jim Nielsen. “It's really a special day because it affirms the importance of agriculture to California and the world.”
The day before Ag Day at the Capitol, ANR's Global Food Initiative Fellow Conor McCabe, Pam Kan-Rice of Strategic Communications, and Megaro visited legislators' offices to hand out Tango mandarins grown at Lindcove REC and personally invite legislators and their staff to Ag Day. Tango mandarins are a small, seedless, easy-to-peel fruit bred by UC Riverside genetics professor Mikeal Roose and often sold under the brand names Cutie or Halo.
The following are some photos of the Ag Day event. To see more photos, check out #AgDay2022 on Twitter.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Glenda Humiston led a delegation from California to meet with congressional members and staff on March 6-11 to discuss specific benefits of UC ANR in their districts and the importance of strong federal funding to support programs, including Cooperative Extension, 4-H youth development, nutrition education, and the research and extension centers.
The California delegation was part of the Association for Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET), which held their annual meeting and (virtually) visited Capitol Hill for the 40th year to jointly request agricultural appropriations that support the land-grant mission.
The UC delegation met with staff from 27 congressional offices via Zoom to discuss the many critical agriculture needs facing California and the nation. They explained how UC is at the forefront of conducting research to understand and solve problems facing the agricultural industry and encouraged Congress to provide the highest possible funding levels in FY 2022 and FY 2023.
“This year, our request included something new – $365 million for agricultural research infrastructure,” said Anne Megaro, UC ANR director of government and community relations. “We have been working with Congress to include significant infrastructure funding in President Biden's Build Back Better legislation, and we are continuing to make this request through annual appropriations.”
Bringing UC's facilities up to modern standards with necessities such as high-speed broadband would provide capacity for cutting-edge research such as precision agriculture, remote sensing and growing space for CRISPR-based research. It would also ensure that U.S. research can continue to meet the agricultural and natural resource needs of the nation.
Humiston was joined by emeritus UCCE advisor Bill Frost, rancher Dina Moore, nurseryman Mike Mellano, Ish Herrera of California Forward, and Alejandra Sanchez of Driscoll's who shared how UC ANR research and outreach have improved their businesses, lives and communities.
“Our local UCCE advisors have given so much to our communities up and down the state; this is just one way I like to give back in support of their efforts. Congress needs to know how valuable ag research and education is, and how much we trust and depend on UC,” said Herrera, California Forward director of regional stewardship.
Rounding out the group were several UC ANR leaders, including deans David Ackerly, Helene Dillard and Kathryn Uhrich.
Missy Gable, UC Master Gardener Program director; Ryan Tompkins, UCCE forestry and natural resources advisor for Plumas and Sierra counties; and Jairo Diaz, director of Desert Research and Extension Center shared examples of their work throughout the state to adapt to living with wildfire, climate change and drought, and to improve Californians' health and wellness.
“As an extension forester, wildfire not only drives our applied research, but also affects the communities we live in and serve,” said Tompkins. “CARET provides opportunities to share real-life experiences of how federal funding supports UC forest and wildfire research, outreach, and education that have meaningful benefit for communities throughout California.”
- Author: Jasmin Del Toro
Lindcove Research and Extension Center is accepting research proposals until May 27.
Located in the foothills of Tulare County, LREC has land, labor and facilities available for 2022-2023 research projects. The Research Advisory Committee reviews proposals, and projects are evaluated based on scientific merit and regional need. While LREC is primarily a citrus research center, avocado and walnut trees are also grown there, and other crops are welcome.
Open ground available for planting
- Field 81E, 0.45 acres
Citrus orchards available for research
- Cutter Valencia on C35 rootstock (Field 21) 4.10 acres, planted 1992
- Parent navel on C-35 rootstock (Field 22) 4.10 acres, planted 1992
- Washington navel on Troyer rootstock (Field 93) 4.5 acres, planted 1983
- Valencia strains on mixed rootstock (Field 11S), 1.94 acres, planted 1993
- Tango mandarin on Carrizo rootstock (Field 42W) 2.15 acres, planted 2019
- Mixed citrus, (Field 53E) .50 acres
- Mixed citrus, (Field 64C) .71 acres
- Mixed clementines on Carrizo rootstock (Field 73N) 1.72 acres, planted 2004
- Lemons on unknown rootstock (Field 82E) 1.15 acres
Facilities and support staff
The electronic fruit grading system in the packline provides individual fruit data including weight, size, volume, number, scarring, texture, Brix and color. The packline also has a high-pressure fruit washer, waxer and dryer. Three cold storage rooms that hold 60 fruit bins each, walk-in cold boxes, and de-greening rooms have the capability for ethylene gassing.
The Fruit Quality Evaluation Laboratory is capable of evaluating rind thickness, granulation, texture, puff and crease, juice weights, Brix, sugar/acid ratio and the California standard. A staff research associate located at the center is available to collect field and laboratory data.
Proposal process
Proposals are due May 27, 2022. To submit a proposal, go to the UC LREC website http://lrec.ucanr.edu/, click on the “Research” tab, then the “Submitting a proposal” tab, then the “Proposal management” tab. Detailed instructions of how to submit a proposal can be downloaded using the “User Guide” link on the RAC project management page.
If you have any questions regarding research, contact Ashraf El-Kereamy, director, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1154 or ashrafe@ucr.edu.
For questions regarding land, labor or facilities, contact Kurt Schmidt, superintendent, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1153 or krschmidt@ucanr.edu.
For information on submission of proposals, contact Jasmin Del Toro, business officer, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1151 or jzdeltoro@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Michele Flavell
The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals to support new and continuing research on rangeland and oak woodland ecology and management, beef cattle health, production and management, as well as related agricultural and natural resource themes important to California.
Basic resources and facilities to support research include 5,000 acres of northern Sierra foothill oak woodland–annual grass rangeland as well as irrigated pastures, riparian areas and access to the Yuba River. An approximately 160 head cow-calf herd and access to up to 300 head of steers/heifers to support animal production, animal health and grazing research is also available. SFREC maintains a dry lab for sample processing and a dormitory as well as large and small conference rooms.
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.
Proposals may be submitted through the REC Manage System via the SFREC website: https://sfrec.ucanr.edu/Research/proposal. For full consideration, please submit your proposal by May 9, 2022.
