- Author: Jeffrey P Mitchell
- Contributor: Anil Shrestha
- Contributor: Kate M Scow
- Contributor: Rad Schmidt
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Findings from a unique study site affirm the value of using the core soil health management principles of conservation agriculture to improve soil function, climate resilience, and increase the ecological sustainability of agriculture.
The Issue
California farmers overall recognize the theoretical benefits that might come from implementing basic soil health management principles, but they lack concrete information and experience on how to actually use these principles at their farms and they also are in general, not currently implementing them. In other words, despite the now widespread high visibility that soil health is receiving from government programs, actual adoption of...
- Author: Jeffrey P Mitchell
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
- Author: Anil Shrestha
- Author: Wyatt Brown
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Universities adopted UCCE agriculture production innovation and technology video series, contributing to workforce competency.
The Issue
Projections for near-future retirements of people working in California's agricultural production, marketing and post-harvest handling sectors indicate severe re-staffing needs in the coming years. Technological advances have reduced manual labor in agriculture, but increased the need for skilled labor to maintain the sustainability of the vegetable industry. Maintaining California's leading role in producing abundant, safe vegetables is critical not only to Americans' health, but also to the state's...
- Author: Shannon Klisch
- Author: Katherine E Soule
Essential services provided by CalFresh Healthy Living, UC delivered over 270 pounds of school garden produce and help farmers markets that accept EBT/CalFresh stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Issue
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds and shelter at home orders impact every aspect of our daily life from school closures to increased unemployment, uncertain access to food is increasing for many Californians. Food insecurity is defined as having limited or uncertain access to adequate food and is linked to a myriad of
- Author: Surendra K. Dara
UC ANR Cooperative Extension Advisor Surendra Dara's new IPM model is considered a practical and sustainable approach by educators and practitioners around the world, with an estimated benefit of $33.5 million from improved returns or savings.
The Issue
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a concept of pest management in an ecologically sustainable manner. Although IPM implementation has been promoted for decades and many farms apply IPM practices to some extent there are certain deficiencies in the understanding of IPM and its components and finding non-chemical management options or exploiting cultural practices to...
- Author: Shannon Klisch
- Author: Katherine E Soule
A UCCE-led work group promoted the use of EBT/CalFresh and other farmers' market incentives for families to purchase more fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets, resulting in a 30% increase in EBT/CalFresh customers.
The Issue
Lack of access to fruits and vegetables has been cited as a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, particularly in low-income communities. Farmers' markets have the potential for increasing equitable access to local fruits and vegetables....
