- (Public Value) UCANR: Safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians
- Author: Dylan Beal
Hello everyone, I'm the new UC IPM Entomology Advisor serving the communities of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. Born and raised in the Santa Clarita Valley, I'm excited to return to my home state of California.
Inspired by a lifelong passion for insects, I pursued bachelor of science in degrees in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. At Cornell, I was first exposed to the world of cooperative extension, working in a lab to study and support natural enemies of spider mites, aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, and whiteflies in greenhouses.
In partnership with Montpellier SupAgro and the Università degli Studi di Torino, I received a Master of Science degree in Viticulture and Enology. For my master's thesis, I worked with Italian grape growers on understanding the ecology and management of leafhopper vectors of the pathogen responsible for European grapevine yellows (Flavescence dorée phytoplasma).
For my PhD, I studied Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, I worked with grape growers and cooperative extension advisors in Napa and Sonoma county to understand the role of spittlebug insect vectors in spreading Xylella fastidiosa, the bacteria responsible for Pierce's disease of grapevine.
After Berkeley, I have worked as a postdoc at Washington State University with cherry and blueberry growers to adapt and adopt innovative and internationally recognized practices for sustainable management of Spotted-Wing Drosophila (SWD). As part of that work, I have closely partnered with growers, pest control advisors, USDA scientists, cooperative extension advisors, and industry representatives on SWD projects related to biological control, cultural control, behavioral control, and pesticide resistance screening and management. Additionally, I was part of a team that worked to coordinate SWD management with the management of the leafhopper vectors of X-Disease phytoplasma in cherry.
With 15 years of experience in New York, California, Washington State, France, and Italy, I'm excited to collaborate with you all to support the development and adoption of innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable insect pest management practices. I aim to develop partnerships, lifelong relationships, and projects that center and elevate grower voices, experiences, and leadership. Together, I hope that we can not only address the threat that agricultural insect pests pose to our three counties but also help to support the many communities and ecosystems that interface with our agricultural livelihoods. Please feel free to reach out to me at 831-759-7359 or djbeal@ucanr.edu. The Bug Doctor is in to look at any insects you may find!
- Author: Michael D Cahn
California water-rights holders are required by state law to measure and report the water they divert from surface streams. For people who wish to take the water measurements themselves, the University of California Cooperative Extension is offering in-person training to receive certification on Sept. 13 in Salinas.
At the workshop, participants can expect to
- clarify reporting requirements for ranches.
- understand what meters are appropriate for different situations.
- learn how to determine measurement equipment accuracy.
- develop an understanding of measurement weirs.
- learn how to calculate and report volume from flow data.
The training is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 in the UC Cooperative Extension Conference Room at 1432 Abbott Street in Salinas.
"We are limiting the number participants for the water measurement training to 30 people per session," said Larry Forero, emeritus UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor. "If you need this training, please register soon."
Pre-registration is required and the fee is $30. To register, visit the registration site by clicking here. If you have questions, email Forero at lcforero@ucanr.edu or Sara Jaimes at sbjaimes@ucanr.edu or call (530) 224-4900.
Background:
Senate Bill 88 requires that all water right holders who have previously diverted, or intend to divert, more than 10 acre-feet per year (riparian and pre-1914 claims); or who are authorized to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year under a permit, license or registration; to measure and report the water they divert. Regulatory requirements for measurement and reporting are available on the State Water Resources Control Board Reporting and Measurement Regulation webpage. The legislation requires that installation and certification of measurement methods for diversion (or storage) greater than or equal to 100-acre feet annually be approved by an engineer/contractor/professional.
California Cattlemen's Association worked with Assemblyman Bigelow to allow a self-certification option. Assembly Bill 589, which became law in 2018, allows any water diverter who completes this UC Cooperative Extension course on measurement devices and methods (including passage of a proficiency test) to be considered a qualified individual when installing and maintaining devices or implementing methods of measurement.
- Author: Michael D Cahn
Date: Wed. April 3rd, 2024
Course 8:30 am – 12 pm
Location: Monterey County Agriculture Conference Room
1432 Abbott St, Salinas CA 93901
- Learn how to use CropManage to support irrigation and nutrient management decisions and record-keeping for your crops.
- Learn how to set up your ranch and crops in CropManage.
- Learn about the latest updates and how CropManage can assist with Ag Order 4.0
CropManage is a free online decision-support tool for water and nutrient management of vegetables, berry, agronomic, vineyard and tree crops. Based on research and field studies conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension, CropManage provides real-time recommendations for efficient and timely irrigation and fertilization applications while maintaining or improving overall yield.
At this free workshop, we will provide hands-on training so that you can learn to use the newest version of CropManage. Crops currently supported include many vegetables (carrots, cabbage, celery, broccoli, lettuce, tomato, spinach, etc.), berry crops (raspberry and strawberry), vineyards, tree crops (almond, walnut, pistachio, prunes, and pear), and agronomic crops (alfalfa and corn). CropManage is also available in Spanish.
Who should participate? Growers, farm managers, other farm staff, crop advisors, consultants, and technical service providers are welcome. The workshop is for both new and current CropManage users. Spanish translation will be available.
What to bring? This is a participatory workshop. Please bring a tablet or laptop computer so that you can follow along and participate in the exercises. Each participant will need a user account for CropManage. Please set up a free user account at https://cropmanage.ucanr.edu/ before the workshop. Please arrive early to set up your laptop or tablet computer on the wifi and get logged on to CropManage.
Registration is free: Please register here
by April 1, 2024. Seats are limited to the first 30 registrants.
Questions: Contact Michael Cahn at mdcahn@ucanr.edu / 831-214-3690
Agenda
8:30 – 8:50 am Registration and computer set-up
8:50 – 9:20 am Introduction
9:20 – 10:00 am Getting started with CropManage
10:00 to 10:15 am break
10:10 – 11:00 am Using CropManage for decision support and record-keeping
11:00 – 11:45 am Group exercise
11:45- 12 pm Discussion /Q&A/ wrap up
Continuing Education Units (CEU) for Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) have been applied.
- Author: Michael D Cahn
Date: Wednesday, March 6th, 2024 (8 am – 2 pm)
Location: UCCE Monterey County
1432 Abbott St., Salinas, CA 93901
With: UC Davis, UC Merced, UCCE Monterey County, Land IQ, UC ANR
Free Registration includes coffee breaks, lunch, workshop materials,
and access to workshop presentations.
CEU Credits available
WORKSHOP AGENDA
8:00 – 8:30 am: On-site Registration
Session 1 – Issues and Challenges in Vegetable, Berry, and Grapevine Production under Changing Climate: Moderator: M. Cahn
8:30 – 8:45 am: Climate change trends and potential impacts on specialty crops in the Central Coast (T. Pathak, UC Merced)
8:45 – 9:15 am: Climate change effects on agricultural pests (Daniel Hasegawa, USDA-ARS)
9:15 – 10:00 am: Grower panel discussion on production challenges resulting from climate change and variability
10:00 – 10:15 am COFFEE BREAK
Session 2 – Tools and Resources for Climate-Smart Agriculture: Moderator: D. Zaccaria
10:15 – 10:45 am: The CDFA Climate-Smart Ag Web Repository (S. Tillman, Land IQ)
10:45 – 11:00 am: CalAgroClimate Decision Support Tools for managing risks in agriculture (T. Pathak, UC Merced)
Session 3 – Case Studies on Regional Adaptation Practices: Moderator: T. Pathak
11:00 – 11:20 am: Available rootstocks and varieties for resilient wine-grape production (L. Bettiga, UCCE Monterey County)
11:20 – 11:40 pm Low Biomass cover crop strategies for protecting water quality in vegetable systems (M. Cahn, UCCE Monterey County).
11:40 – 12:00 pm: Cover cropping strategies for climate-smart and climate-resilient farms (Eric Brennan, USDA-ARS Salinas, CA)
12:00 – 12:20 pm: Weather and climate effects on berry production (M. Bolda, UCCE Santa Cruz County)
12:20 – 12:40 pm: Evapotranspiration and water productivity of wine grapes for various vineyard growing conditions (D. Zaccaria, UC Davis)
12:40 – 1:00 pm QUESTIONS & ANSWERS and WORKSHOP EVALUATIONS
1:00 – 2:00 pm LUNCH & ADJOURN
Who should attend: Vegetable, berry, and grapevine growers, farm and ranch managers, representatives from the vegetable, berry, and grapevine production industry, technical assistance providers, consultants and practitioners, CCAs, CPAs, natural resource managers, personnel from water conservation districts, irrigation districts' managers, extension specialists and advisors, professional researchers, University students, and representatives from state and federal agencies.
Event Description: Join, UCCE Specialists Daniele Zaccaria and Tapan Pathak, UCCE Advisors Michael Cahn and Larry Bettiga, and other scientists and experts from USDA-ARS and Land IQ in this in-person Workshop on “Adapting Vegetable, Berry, and Grapevine Production Practices in the Central Coast to Changing and Variable Climate” on March 6th, 2024 at the UCCE Monterey County office in Salinas, CA to learn about the latest research and advances in Management of Climate Change Risks.
Topics include: Climate Change Trends and Impacts, Climate-related Challenges for Vegetable, Berry, and Grapevine Production, Effects of Winter Cover Cropping on Vegetable and Grapevine Production, Mitigation of Heat and Drought Stress, and Climate-Adaptive Practices for Vegetable, Berry, and Wine-grape Production.
A set of information and tools available to manage climate change risks will also be presented during the Workshop.
Free registration includes participation to the thematic sessions, coffee break, lunch meal, workshop materials, and access to the workshop presentations.
For questions, please contact:
Michael Cahn: UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County: mdcahn@ucanr.edu
Larry Bettiga: UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County: lbettiga@ucanr.edu
Daniele Zaccaria – University of California, Davis: dzaccaria@ucdavis.edu
Tapan Pathak – University of California, Merced: tpathak@ucmerced.edu
- Author: Michael D Cahn
Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024
Course 10:30 am – 2 pm
Drop-in office hours 2-3:30 pm
Location: Watsonville Public Library
275 Main St., Suite 100, Watsonville, CA 95076
- Learn how to use CropManage to support irrigation and nutrient management decisions and record-keeping for your crops.
- Learn how to set up your ranch and crops in CropManage.
- Learn about the latest updates and how CropManage can assist with Ag Order 4.0
- New—deep dive into advanced CropManage topics during office hours
CropManage is a free online decision-support tool for water and nutrient management of vegetables, berry, agronomic, and tree crops. Based on research and field studies conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension, CropManage provides real-time recommendations for efficient and timely irrigation and fertilization applications while maintaining or improving overall yield.
At this free workshop, we will provide hands-on training so that you can learn to use the newest version of CropManage. Crops currently supported include many vegetables (carrots, cabbage, celery, broccoli, lettuce, tomato, spinach, etc.), berry crops (raspberry and strawberry), tree crops (almond, walnut, pistachio, prunes, and pear), and agronomic crops (alfalfa and corn). CropManage is also available in Spanish.
A new addition to the workshop are drop-in office hours for anyone already familiar with CropManage and does not want to attend the full program but needs more advance assistance or may have specific questions. Stop by at 2 pm and we will be ready to help answer your questions and dive deep into more advanced topics.
Who should participate? Growers, farm managers, other farm staff, crop advisors, consultants, and technical service providers are welcome. The workshop is for both new and current CropManage users. Spanish translation will be available. Lunch will be provided.
What to bring? This is a participatory workshop. Please bring a tablet or laptop computer so that you can follow along and participate in the exercises. Each participant will need a user account for CropManage. Please set up a free user account at https://cropmanage.ucanr.edu/ before the workshop. Please arrive early to set up your laptop or tablet computer on the wifi and get logged on to CropManage.
Registration is free: Please register here
by March 4, 2024. Seats are limited to the first 30 registrants.
Questions: Contact Michael Cahn at mdcahn@ucanr.edu / 831-214-3690 or Sacha Lozano at slozano@rcdsantacruz.org / 831-224-0293
Agenda
10:30 – 10:50 am Registration and computer set-up
10:50 – 11:20 am Introduction
11:20 – 12:00 pm Getting started with CropManage
12:00 to 12:30 pm Lunch break
12:30 – 1:15 pm Using CropManage for decision support and record-keeping
1:15 – 1:45 pm Group exercise
1:45- 2 pm Discussion /Q&A/ wrap up
Drop-in office hours
2 – 3:30 pm Stop by to receive one-on-one assistance with CropManage and explore more advanced ways to use CropManage to understand nutrient and water needs of crops.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) for Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) have been applied.