Posts Tagged: COVID

UC ANR compiles resources to help cope with COVID-19 crisis

At http://ucanr.edu/COVID19communityresources, helpful links are compiled, including the Cal Ag Tour page to help consumers purchase directly from local farms and ranches.

While United States leaders continue to grapple with the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many Californians have concerns about basic needs and safety connected with the illness and subsequent shelter-in-place guidelines. By its nature, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources can offer expertise to help them cope with this challenging situation.

People are wondering about food, water, exercise, educating their children and adjusting to a new lifestyle – topics covered by our nutrition, family and consumer sciences programs. In addition, UC ANR's expertise in agricultural science is invaluable for farmers who are essential businesses growing food for people in the United States and abroad. Natural resources programs are able to offer guidance for using outdoor facilities under the circumstances.

To make these practical resources easy to find, UC ANR leadership and Strategic Communications aggregated relevant information in one place on our website, http://ucanr.edu/COVID19communityresources. The webpage includes sections on “agriculture,” “food, water and nutrition,” “youth development,” “exploring your environment,” “gardening," and "health and wellness."

Fact sheets, like this food safety handout by Erin DiCaprio, can be printed and shared.

Please share this resource with your clientele, friends and family. If you have ANR resources that should be added to these pages, please email them to jewarnert@ucanr.edu.

UC ANR has a second website with COVID-19 information specifically for employees, found at http://ucanr.edu/COVID19. That site contains sections on:

• CDC guidelines and recommendations
• Telecommuting and remote work
• Travel
• Wellness and mental health resources
• Guidance for ANR locations and programs
• Program-specific guidance
• Additional resources

Discuss COVID-19 driven changes in community-based programming April 1

A national action dialogue on community-based programming in the digital networked COVID-19 age will be hosted by eXtension April 1, 2020. Top issues identified in a March 26 discussion will be explored more deeply by breakout groups to share strategies for addressing these issues and potential needs to address the issues.

12 noon - 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Open to all Cooperative Extension professionals regardless of eXtension Foundation, Inc. membership.
Register at https://bit.ly/2JrlROd 

The purpose of this National Action Dialogue is to position universities to rapidly respond to community-based programming in the digital networked COVID-19 age by delving in, capturing collective wisdom, inspiring innovative thinking, and focusing on new opportunities, partnerships, solutions, tangible actions and collaborations on issues for farms, families, businesses and communities that will exist long beyond this public health crisis.

In partnership with ECOP, eXtension has been mobilized to support the Cooperative Extension System during this tough time of social distancing. They have started a webinar series to address working virtually and connecting with your audiences through digital technology. More information is available at virtual.extension.org and in the Connect ExtensionGroup “Extension Response & Resources for Extension Professionals Working Online.”

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