Warnert, Jeannette E.

or programs . We have the ability to look at the total pic - traditional one . As consumer groups became more in - ture when using a pesticide : Whatâ??s happening to quisitive about how food was being grown , we made a predators ? What effect does it have on the soil and on strong attempt to educate those components of society . the crop ? Recently , the University has gotten involved in larger issues - water issues , effluent issues , land - use Looking toward thefuture , what is the most important task for the issues . Weâ??re putting task forces together to come up Division and for UC ? with programs that legislators can adopt or that will in - fluence decision makers . But I think we will always be Iâ??ve never been a good crystal ball guy . We sometimes HA : involved in the nuts and bolts of agriculture . We should talk in small groups and raise the question , â?? What is the continue to serve as an objective body for interpreting future of public research as opposed to private ? â?? In pest scientific knowledge for growers and consumers . I think the University still has a strong management , - Jean nette Warnert role in looking at systems and developing procedures JackDibble Entomologist to help them meet Jack Dibble was one of the UC scientists who built the Kearney Agri - consumer expecta - cultural Centerâ??s reputationfor first - rank agricultural research . tions . Dibble began his career at UC Berkeley in 1955 . Fourteen years later , when the University was establishing the Kearney Ag Center How did you perceive your near Parlier , Dibble was reassigned . Though Dibble said he was hesi - a specialist when you role as I ever did . â?? During his 36 - year tant at first , â?? It was the best thing were hired in 1955 ? How career in entomology , Dibbleâ??s work has emphasized the screening of did your job change over the and when to make applications pesticides to determine how much years ? for effective pest control . He also studied application techniques and integrated pest management . Dibble retired in 1991 , but is still JD : When I was hired , on several studies at the Kearney Ag Center . working entomology specialists were really not supposed to do any research . Our role was to take research from staff in the department and put it into practice . As years went In 1946 , when California Agriculture was first published , Califor - by , faculty began doing more basic research , and farm nia was entering a post - World War I1 era of optimism and prosper - advisors starting taking on scientific projects . This re - ity . As you remember that time , what did society expect from the At â?? the quired specialists to do original applied research . College of Agriculture ? campuses , the teaching load increased and travel funds decreased . Grants started going to specialistsand farm Farmers expected continuous updates on techniques advisors to address area problems . The Kearney Ag JD : and methods to ensure crops of high quality and yield . Center was staffed with entomologists , plant patholo - They looked to the University , and in particular Coop - gists , nematologists and commodity - oriented specialists erative Extension , for transition of information from the from the three campuses : Berkeley , Davis and River - campuses to practical use in the field . Consumers ex - side . Our focus was research and problem solving , and pected a wide variety of foods at very affordable prices . right in the center of the worldâ??s richest ag area , we put Thatâ??s one of the things that drove investigations of pes - together multidisciplinary teams of researchers . People ticides to control insects and diseases , and synthetic fer - started coming to the Kearney Ag Center for answers . to produce larger quantities . tilizers As the staff networked , published and gave talks , it helped build our credibility . It didnâ??t happen overnight ; How did those expectations change in subsequent decades and what 8 to 10years before this really took off . it took are they today ? What were UCâ??s most significant research and extension contribu - tions â?? during these years , particularly in your area of expertise or to Consumers still expect high quality and high availabil - JD : ity of all products , especially here in California . At the the industry you served ? same time , they want farmers to reduce the amount of chemicals used , but they donâ??t think the price of food I would say the most outstanding accomplishment was JD : should change . Farmers must be concerned with food our work with low - volume - spray application systems safety , increasing labor costs and the costs of more for deciduous tree crops and vines . The low volume regulations . How much additional cost can you add system involved using a much smaller quantity of water on to products and still have consumers buy the same 1960 , we per acre , and less chemical per acre . About quantity they used to ? Farmers expect the University started to evaluate all types of sprayers and spray rates CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE , NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 1996 33used in tree crops and vines . We tried to improve the I Iâ??ve seen another significant change . When performance of these sprayers by modifying the nozzle started , there were very few women involved in agri - system , speed of travel and by making various other ad - culture . Now we see women in the field , doing re - justments to the units . And then , in more recent years , search , in administrative positions . Thereâ??s no differ - we became involved in the low - volume concentrate ence in expertise . Iâ??ve worked with three women at area , which amplified the value of low - volume concen - Kearney who are outstanding scientists and there are trate sprays to the point that some 85 % of tree crop grow - many more in the Division . Itâ??s been a good thing for ers and 90 % of grape growersnow use the system . the Division and for agriculture . How have societal changes over the last 50 years influenced the Looking toward the future , what is the most important task for the Division ? Division and for UC ? The farming community has changed tremendously I think the Division should continue to maintain contact JD : JD : from small to bigger farms . This has been good for Cali - with farmers and commodity groups by promoting the fornia agriculture and probably the world because we extension of research and information through the farm ship products everywhere . The larger growers are very advisors . I think we should take a lead role in working knowledgeable business people . They are as well edu - with Pest Control Advisors and crop consultants . This cated as many farm advisors in varieties , pruning , pest way we can actually touch a lot more farmers . Consult - control and other areas . A large grower can produce ants are seeing the farmers every day . If we work with crops more efficiently and more cheaply . This is a direct consultants , we are building up our relationship with reflection on what society demands of agriculture . Itâ??s farmers . The feedback promotes cooperative studies not something agriculture has pushed , but something and problem solving . - Jeannette Warnert that societyhas made â?? happen . â?? Pat Snow Home Economist Pat Snow had just earned her bachelorâ??s degree in home economics at PS : As women went to work , you couldnâ??t really meet UC Berkeley in 1949 when she applied for the position of 4 - H home with them in their homes . I advisor at the Monterey County Cooperative Extension office . found there was still inter - â?? Whenlfirst got thejob , 1told myself 1would leave after 2 years if 1 est in food preservation , didnâ??t like it , â?? Snow said . She retired in 1991 after 42 years . Snow primarily from the food - taught clothing construction to women during the early part of her safety point of view . Few career . She later took on additional home economics and 4 - H duties . people had time for sew - ing . They began doing more crafts . Their interest California Agriculture was first published in 1946 . UCâ??s College of in home decorating ap - Agriculture ( thepredecessor to the Division ) was on the brink of a peared to diminish . Now people call in a decorator , or great expansion . As you remember that time , what did society expect they just do it themselves . Some are talented and their from the College of Agriculture ? homes are lovely . Others do what is necessary . They just live there and are working most of the time . PS : People expected hands - on , personal help . I went out and visited every new leader in the home . These were How did you perceive your role as a 4 - H advisor when you were 4 - H project leaders in clothing , food and nutrition , hired in 1949 ? How did your job change over the years ? home furnishing and food preservation . People were not so rushed and were eager for our contact . PS : I first started , I attended 4 - H project meetings When People wanted the information we had to offer . They during the afternoons and 4 - H community club meet - kept gardens and froze or canned their harvest . They ings several evenings each week . We offered classes to sewed clothing and wanted instruction on the finer the home extension women on making coats , menâ??s points . Perhaps because they spent so much time in the shirts and wool dresses , to name a few . All of our home , they did a better job of putting it together and classes and advice were free . caring for it . About the late - l960s , the statewide 4 - H office asked us to stop making home visits and attending project How did those expectations change in subsequent decades and what meetings . We still went to some night meetings on invi - are they today ? tation . The University reduced staff and some rural county populations grew , so our outreach approach 34 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE , VOLUME 50 , NUMBER 6