- (Public Value) UCANR: Safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians
- Author: Peggy Goodenow Lemaux
After attending UC ANR's Science for Citrus Health webinars, over 50% of participating citrus professionals say they intend to adopt actions related to psyllid management. These practices can help safeguard abundant, healthy food for all Californians.
The Issue
Huanglongbing? Never heard of it? Why should I care? Maybe you need to learn more?
Huanglongbing, HLB, a bacterial disease of citrus also called Greening Disease, is spread by the Asian Citrus Psyllid. It causes the citrus fruits to be deformed and taste salty and bitter. HLB was first reported over a century ago in southern China. But why is it a problem for U.S. citrus? Diseases don't “respect” country borders and in 1998 the psyllid and the disease arrived in Florida in the early 2000's. Because there is no cure, damage caused in the largest orange producing state was extensive. By 2019, citrus production decreased in Florida by 74%. Despite federal bans on interstate movement of host plants, the psyllid did not abide by those rules!
And the disease also easily spreads from state to state. The first tree with HLB in California was found in 2012 in Los Angeles County. Then the question became, even though millions of research dollars were being spent, is there progress toward a cure? What could be done in California to slow the spread? Much was learned in Florida's battle and much is being learned through research. But it is hard for growers, the media, and the public to understand how that information might be used in California.
How UC Delivers
To address this information gap, Cooperative Extension Specialist Beth Grafton Cardwell and I started Science for Citrus Health (SCH) in 2015. It is designed to spread in lay language information about research aimed at understanding and combating HLB. SCH is now a cooperative effort with individuals from California, Florida and Texas, involving many activities.
These included developing Snapshots, short, two-page pieces on HLB research, written in lay language, posted on the SCH website, on Instagram, and disseminated at citrus meetings. In total, 45 Snapshots have been written, focusing on five themes related to detection, disease and psyllid management and the tools being used. Another resource for educational efforts is a large PowerPoint slide set, covering genetics, as well as regulatory and consumer issues. Recently efforts expanded, owing to grad students and postdocs, to include a YouTube channel on HLB and a popular podcast series that focuses on HLB researchers, their approaches and their career stories. Another effort involves translating citrus information and Snapshots into Spanish to reach Hispanic growers and workers in the citrus industry. In 2021, five informational webinars were convened on topics, such as ACP and HLB Management, the use of particle films to manage HLB, and citrus thrips. A recent webinar on the biology and management of ACP was presented in Spanish. These webinars attracted international audiences of up to 300 people.
The Impact
Post-meeting polls from UC ANR's Science for Citrus Health webinars indicated that more than 50% of attendees would implement at least one new practice they learned at the session. Research from the University of Florida has shown that the application of particle film screens, for example, has the potential to reduce ACP populations by more than 80% compared to monthly insecticide treatments, thereby contributing to UC ANR's public value of safeguarding abundant, healthy food for all Californians. Creation and proliferation of SCH efforts, providing information on research efforts focused on HLB, is an important educational resource for citrus growers, the media and industry. Another resource provides slides and educational materials to be used by educators for presentations to these groups, and the public. These newly created educational resources, some in Spanish, are unparalleled on other citrus sites.
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- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Author: Andra Nicoli
UCCE and CFHL, UC collaborated with the Torres Martinez Native American community on health and wellness goals and increasing access to produce for 1,600 families, contributing to UC ANR's public values of safeguarding abundant, healthy food and developing an equitable society.
The Issue
Native American communities have experienced historical trauma that has had devastating effects on health: Over 60 reservations across the United States are considered to be food deserts; Native American households are 400% more likely to experience food insecurity; they also experience 1.7 times the rate of diagnosed diabetes (15.0% compared with 8.6% for all U.S. adults) and endured a mortality rate 1.8 times higher than non-hispanic whites during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Building trust in communities that have experienced trauma takes time. Ongoing communication with local leaders and members is necessary to ensure that solutions to address health disparities are community-led and meet community needs.
How UC Delivers
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Riverside County, in coordination with CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California (CFHL, UC), have been working collaboratively with the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe since 2018 to advance sustainable community health initiatives that can foster positive health outcomes.
Since special project funding is often needed to allow flexibility in program implementation, the Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor has worked with the Torres Martinez Tribal Leadership and tribal grant department to acquire funding to pursue healthy community development. This collaboration has resulted in three grants focusing on different aspects of health activities:
1) USDA/CDSS through Public Health Institute to implement a tribal youth participatory action research (YPAR) project;
2) USDA Farm to School Planning Grant to explore a farm to school partnership with Coachella Valley Unified; and
3) CDC ACORNS funding from California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB) to facilitate discussions around tribal community's interest in food sovereignty.
These projects provided the tribe with resources from within UC, including a UCCE farm advisor, CFHL nutrition educators, a UC Davis Center for Regional Change trainer, and key partnerships with funding organizations to increase capacity and foster community engagement.
The Impact
This multi-sector collaboration is generating interest in community health that leads to organizational behavior change:
1) The YPAR project engaged 11 youth ages 12-17 in an exploration of the community food environment and raised questions about low availability of healthy foods. The YPAR project contributed to the Tribe's decision to reinstate the Tribal Youth Council, which incorporates youth feedback in the design of community programs.
2) An intergenerational group of tribal members participated in the vegetable planting in the A'Avutem (elders) garden. Forty tribal members participated in the UCCE led farm tour, and over 20 youth participated in the CFHL, UCCE led education about farm to school. One tribal member remarked:
The tour made me see how the tribe can benefit from an organic farm and I see many opportunities especially for organic farming which will play an important role in agriculture of the future.
3) During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tribal Council led efforts to increase access to healthy food by distributing 1,600 USDA Farmers to Families Produce Boxes to 400 tribal families and the surrounding community. Finally, the Tribe has recently formed a 9-member Community Wellness Committee to guide the ACORNS project.
Through this partnership, CFHL, UCCE in Riverside demonstrates UC ANR's commitment to abundant, healthy food for all Californians and developing a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
- Author: Ali Montazar
UC ANR research on drip irrigation shows potential to reduce downy mildew incidence while improving water quality and resource-use efficiency, contributing to increased water-use efficiency and improved food safety.
The Issue
Spinach is a leafy green quick-maturing, cool-season vegetable crop. Downy mildew on spinach is a widespread and very destructive disease in California. It is the most significant disease in spinach production, causing crop losses in all areas where spinach is produced. Most conventional and organic spinach fields are irrigated by solid-set or hand-move sprinklers. However, overhead irrigation may contribute to the speed and severity of downy mildew epidemics within a field when other conditions such as temperature are favorable. It is postulated that new irrigation management techniques and practices in spinach production may have a significant economic impact to the leafy greens industry through the control of downy mildew.
How UC Delivers
The main objective of this study was to explore the viability of adopting drip irrigation for organic and conventional spinach production. Field experiments were conducted at the UC Desert Research and Extension Center and three commercial fields in the low desert of California over four crop seasons (2018-2021). Several treatments and comprehensive data collection were carried out to optimize drip system design, irrigation and nitrogen management strategies, planting method, and evaluating the effects of drip on plant growth and downy mildew incidence, and seed germination by drip irrigation.
The results of this multi-year study demonstrated that drip irrigation has the potential for producing profitable spinach in the California crop production system. No significant yield difference was observed among sprinkler treatments and most drip treatments in the 2021 trial. An overall effect of the irrigation system on downy mildew was observed, in which downy mildew incidence was two-to-five times lower in plots irrigated by drip when compared to sprinklers. The likely mechanism for reducing downy mildew incidence is the reduction in leaf wetness resulting from drip irrigation. Leaf wetness is a critical factor for infection and sporulation by the downy mildew pathogen.
The Impact
The findings of the aforementioned study show that adopting drip irrigation for high-density spinach plantings can reduce incidence of downy mildew and related food safety risks and crop loss. As a result of participating in research trials, a cooperative grower reported a considerable cost reduction of $300 per acre due to less/no water treatment applications for downy mildew control and food safety issues in conventional spinach under drip irrigation. The findings of this study show that adopting drip irrigation for high-density spinach plantings can be a solution to reduce food safety risks and losses from downy mildew, conserve water and fertilizer, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A lower energy cost of $200 per acre is estimated for spinach producing under drip irrigation.
Several factors influence appropriate drip irrigation management in spinach including system design, soil characteristics, and environmental conditions. Drip irrigation offers the potential for precise water management, as well as the ideal vehicle to deliver nutrients in a timely and efficient manner. However, achieving high water- and nutrient-use efficiency, while maximizing crop productivity requires intensive and proper management, particularly in organic baby spinach. The knowledge-based information and findings of this study have been shared with growers and stakeholders through several media interviews, presentations in workshops/webinars, and extension and peer-review publications, contributing to UC ANR's public values of resource conservation and safe, sufficient food for all. The following links are some of the publications associated with this study in Western Farm Press, the Desert of Review, the Holtville Tribune, California Ag Today Radio, Vegetables West, California Organic Farmer, Journal of Agriculture, Agricultural Briefs, and UC ANR Knowledge Stream:
The Holtville Tribune - May 2021
California Ag Today Radio - March 2021
Western Farm Press - February 2021
Journal of Agriculture - August 2019
California Organic Farmer - August 2019
UC ANR Knowledge Stream - August 2019
UC ANR Agricultural Briefs - June 2019
UC ANR Agricultural Briefs - February 2019
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- Author: Andra Nicoli
- Author: Pam Kan-Rice
- Author: Mary Vollinger
- Author: Laura Vollmer
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CFHL, UCCE San Mateo partnership with JobTrain results in 128 adult students increasing food resource management life skills, contributing to UC ANR's public value of safeguarding abundant, healthy food for all California.
The Issue
Research indicates that approximately 134,443 people in San Mateo County live at or below 185% of the poverty level and 18% are SNAP-Ed eligible. Given the pandemic and ongoing economic crisis, this number is expected to grow next year. Of the SNAP-Ed eligible population, 66% of adults are overweight/obese.
How UC Delivers
To address these health concerns, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE San Mateo County (CFHL, UCCE) has partnered with JobTrain, a non-profit education and training institution delivering the food resource management curriculum “Plan, Shop, Save and Cook” to adult participants for the past eight years. JobTrain provides career training in fields such as culinary arts, certified nursing assistant (CNA), medical assistance, carpentry, building maintenance, and IT support and services. While this training enables students to move from unemployment into careers offering self-sufficiency, the nutrition and food resource management classes offered through partnership with CFHL, UCCE offer important life skills in consumer decision making, dietary health and wellness.
“These valuable life skills complement the vocational training they receive at JobTrain,” said Elaine Silver, Nutrition Educator for CFHL, UCCE in San Mateo and San Francisco counties. During lessons, JobTrain students learn about MyPlate, shopping on a budget, preparing healthy meals and snacks for families, reading food labels, and the importance of physical activity.
Since October 2020, 128 JobTrain students have taken Silver's virtual Plan, Shop, Save and Cook lessons. In past years, these lessons were delivered in person, but switched to Zoom during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders to allow JobTrain students to continue building these important life skills.
The Impact
Overall, 88% of the students reported improvements ranging from 43% comparing unit prices more often to 60% reading/using nutrition facts labels more often. In addition, 28% of participants reported running out of food less often before the end of the month – suggesting they were more food secure after taking the course.
“I started cooking healthier meals for my family, including veggies,” wrote one survey respondent. “Some of the changes I've made is that I now look at the unit price, just to make sure I am getting my money's worth,” wrote another student. “Also, I have started taking a grocery list with me so that I can make sure I can stay on budget and not buy things that I do not need.”
These outcomes demonstrate how CFHL, UCCE San Mateo County is contributing to UC ANR's public value of safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians. When asked about the impact these virtual classes have had on students' lives, the feedback from JobTrain's instructors has been overwhelmingly positive. In addition to increasing food resource management, instructors noted how much students look forward to classes, how they benefit from incorporating new healthy practices, and that learning more about healthy living helps bolster education for students entering the healthcare field.
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- Author: Leah Sourbeer
Alameda County EFNEP courses provided online cooking education and local referral to food resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping increase participants food security, and supporting UC ANR's public value of safe, sufficient, and healthy food for all Californians.
The Issue
COVID-19 has impacted low-income communities by increasing rates of food insecurity. In Alameda County, the food insecurity rate is projected to increase 52% from 2018 to 2020. Families have increasingly relied on food banks and food distribution events to provide adequate nourishment during this time. As reported by KPIX CBS SF Bay Area, Mike Altfest, Community Engagement Director for the Alameda County Food Bank, stated “Since the start of this pandemic, our food distribution has increased between 50 and 70 percent.” Additionally, “We've never seen anything like this in 35 years in business.”
How UC Delivers
In response to COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, Alameda County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) educator Nelly Camacho pivoted to offer remote nutrition classes to parents in place of traditional in-person classes. EFNEP class participants shared how difficult it was for them to feed their families given job losses, reduced work hours, children being home from school, and other challenges. To respond to community members' needs, Nelly spent extensive time researching and calling food distribution sites to provide updated information to her participants. She shared dates, times, locations, and any special notes such as ‘They're also giving out diapers!' with her classes.
Nelly also focused her recipe demonstrations on the food items commonly distributed at food bank sites. At times, food items available at distribution events are unfamiliar to participants, and they may not know how to prepare them. To help with this, participants notified Nelly in advance about what items they had received so that she could prepare recipe demonstrations using those foods. Participants were excited to learn new, tasty recipes using the food they received, and shared photos of their homemade dishes. Recipe demonstrations included a smoothie using both kale and canned fruit, a ‘tuna ceviche' highlighting tuna fish and onion, and new ways to use cottage cheese,a food item many participants did not usually consume, such as the addition of cottage cheese to the traditional Peruvian dish called Papa a la Huancaina.
The Impact
Nelly's efforts to provide food resource information was effective and wide-reaching. Her participants shared the information with other family, friends and neighbors, increasing food access to additional families in need. EFNEP evaluation data collected between April and September 2020 showed that 52% of 44 participants improved in at least one food security indicator (not eating less than you wanted so there was more food for your family or having enough money to get food). This finding is promising because research shows that food insecurity is related to poor physical and mental health outcomes. According to one participant, "There were foods that I didn't know (and) now I will cook them. It was nice to share with my friends." (EFNEP participant, Hayward). Another remarked, "Thank you for letting me know where to get free food." (EFNEP participant, Newark). By offering local referral to food resources and complimentary cooking classes, Alameda County EFNEP helps to support UC ANR's public value of safe, sufficient, and healthy food for all Californians during a crucial time.
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