Kings County UC Cooperative Extension

Who We Are

UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) serves the local citizens of Kings County through agriculture research and education to develop and improve agricultural practices; youth development programs to develop life skills, leadership and community service through (hands-on) education; nutrition education programs that help individuals and families to eat better, maximize their food dollars, handle food safely, and improve health; and extend information on sustainable landscape and gardening practices for the community.

What We Do

University academic professionals and staff in Kings County are responsible for the major areas of agronomy, horticulture, nutrition education, 4-H youth development and Master Gardener volunteer programs. In addition to two locally housed Advisors, one 4-H Youth Development Program (YDP) staff, and four Nutrition Education staff, there are currently twelve more UCCE advisors with cross-county responsibilities that deliver significant other program support to the benefit of Kings County clientele including work with tree nuts, fruit, viticulture, agronomy (cotton and cereals), dairy, livestock and range science, environmental horticulture, community water systems, weed management, small farms, and nutrition. Local staff also engage in augmented support both remotely and with on-site visits from statewide specialists, campus-based research scientists, and regional research centers

Who is Cooperative Extension?

The University of California's 64 Cooperative Extension (UCCE) offices are local problem-solving centers. More than 400 campus-based specialists and county-based farm, home, and youth advisors work as teams to bring the University's research-based information to Californians. UCCE is a full partnership of federal, state, county, and private resources linked in applied research and educational outreach. UCCE's many teaching tools include meetings, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, field days, video programs, newsletters, and manuals. Thousands of volunteers extend UCCE's outreach, assisting with the California 4-H Youth Development Program and Master Gardener Program.

Academic advisors work with farmers to implement more efficient growing methods, solve pest management problems, and develop smart water-use strategies.
Natural resource advisors conduct wildfire education and research natural resources conservation.
Nutrition educators promote nutritious eating habits and exercise for better health.
Through the California 4-H Youth Development Program we engage youth to become the citizens of tomorrow.
Thousands of volunteers extend our reach through the Master Gardener, Master Food Preserver, California Naturalist, and the California 4-H Youth Development Programs.
We work in full partnership with federal, state, county, and local government agencies, as well as individuals and private entities.

UCCE Area Director- Kings, Kern, and Tulare Counties

Leonel Jimenez is the Area Director for the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Kings, Kern, and Tulare Counties. A first-generation American of Mexican descent, Leonel was born and raised in Reedley, CA, where his early exposure to agriculture came through the hard work of his parents in the fields and packing houses. Motivated by their example, he pursued higher education, earning a B.A. in Chemistry from UC Santa Barbara and an M.S. in Inorganic Chemistry from CSU Northridge, where he conducted and published research in catalyst development. His career spans academia, government, and private industry—teaching chemistry at local colleges, conducting post-harvest fumigation research with USDA-ARS (including international work in Chile), and serving as General Manager at Horn Technologies, where he led expansion into multiple states. Now at UCCE, Leonel brings a deep commitment to education, research, and community engagement, rooted in his personal journey and professional experience.

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