Science of Wildland Fire (FireWorks Program)
Presented by Hannah Bird, Community Educator, UC ANR Hopland Research and Extension Center
Wildfire has affected all Californians in recent years. How do we communicate important information about fire science effectively to our students and youth community? Join us to consider how the US Forest Service FireWorks and Project Learning Tree curricula can be brought to your classroom or youth group to inform and engage young people in the land management decisions that affect fire behavior. This session will also provide information on how you can access a trunk of resources to support these lessons. Join us for hands on experiments that help us all to understand how our involvement in land management can help to build a fire resilient community.

Building and enhancing the client-veterinarian relationship
Presented by Dr. Randi Black, Dairy Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension
Knowing and having a relationship with your veterinarian is critical to the health and well-being of your animal. Veterinarians have the knowledge and expertise to develop care plans to set your animal up for success but require your skills and knowledge of the animal to implement that plan. Dr. Randi Black will discuss what the veterinarian-client-patient relationship is and how you can enhance and utilize this relationship to ensure a healthy flock, herd, clowder, or pack.

Communicating the value of agriculture and animal science at public exhibitions
Presented by Dayna Ghirardelli, Producer Relations Manager, Clover Sonoma; and Amy Houseman, Animal Science & Equine Science Instructor and Program Coordinator, Santa Rosa Junior College
Fairs and other public exhibitions are a perfect opportunity for youth to communicate the value of agriculture and animal science to the public. In this workshop, participants will hone their communication skills and craft messages that convey the importance of their animal projects, demonstrate good animal care practices, and respond to some of the most common myths surrounding animal agriculture. For many fairgoers, learning about animals is the primary reason they come to the fair and well prepared exhibitors can enrich the fairgoers’ experiences.

Embracing working landscapes: Impacts of agriculture on climate change
Presented by Dr. Stephanie Larson, Livestock Range Management Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension
Working lands include private and public farmlands, ranches, and forests. These lands face global and local crises like climate change and competing interests such as development and agriculture regulations. Participants will learn about the value of working landscapes in California’s economy, and the benefits received from these lands, water, forage, and food. Participants will learn how agriculture positively effects climate issues such as carbon, water, biodiversity and the management of and support for these lands.

Basic husbandry and disease prevention in backyard poultry
Presented by Dr. Maurice Pitesky, Associate Specialist in Cooperative Extension, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine  
Backyard poultry ownership is becoming more and more popular. Challenges include food safety, husbandry, welfare and biosecurity. This session will focus on practical tips for addressing these type of issues.  Participants will learn about the current virulent Newcastle Disease outbreak and how best to prevent exposure. Additional topics will include vaccination, husbandry and nutrition does and don't and resources.

Enhancing awareness of agricultural career opportunities
Presented by Sonoma-Marin Farm Bureau’s young farmers and ranchers members
Are you thinking about making agriculture a part of your future career plans? Whether you are interested in business, law, engineering, technology, viticulture, natural resources, animal science, or anything in between, the agricultural industry has a job waiting for you! This educational session explores your educational interests and possibilities through discussion about career preferences and opportunities. Collaborate with a panel of experts from diverse fields as you discover varying career paths through hands-on, engaging activities. Participants will increase their self-awareness of agriculture career choices and post-secondary educational opportunities that will lead them to their dream job!

There’s a horse in the melon patch! The joys and pains of integrating livestock into vegetable cropping systems
Presented by Stuart Schroeder of Stone Horse Farm and Dr. Alda Pires, Assistant Specialist, UC Davis
With the passing of time, agriculture has evolved dramatically, breaking apart older, more diverse systems of production to create highly efficient ag operations that specialize in one or two crops or raise a single species of livestock. What have we gained and what have we lost along the way? This session will explore the benefits and risks found on farms where livestock and row crops intersect. We’ll examine the topic from the angle of farm efficiency, animal welfare, soil science and food safety. You’ll hear from a farmer who works with draft horses to grow vegetables and a veterinarian and researcher who studies animal-derived soil amendments and the science of food safety on diversified farms. Animal. Vegetable. Both!

Supporting positive animal welfare practices: New 4-H Animal Welfare Proficiencies
Presented by Dr. Martin Smith, Specialist, UC Davis
Approximately 30,000 youth participate annually in 4-H projects involving the rearing, care, and in some cases breeding, showing, and marketing of agricultural, service, and companion animals. Animal welfare is a topic that is relevant to each of these animal groups; however, animal welfare has not yet been systematically addressed by California 4-H through educational programming. The new Animal Welfare Proficiencies 4-H curriculum provides youth the opportunity to learn about and apply new knowledge and skills to their animal projects. Activities are hands-on and help youth build knowledge and skills over time and place an emphasis on the application of new knowledge and skills to real-world situations.