Posts Tagged: March 2022

Ag Day at the Capitol returns

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the California Department of Food and Agriculture hosted Ag Day at the Capitol in Sacramento on March 23.

“It was incredibly energizing to reconnect with so many legislators, partners, supporters and friends to share in the joy and promise of our work,” said Vice President Glenda Humiston. “Things almost felt ‘normal' again!” 

Anne Megaro, government and community relations director, organized ANR's displays and representation, which included Humiston, UCCE farm advisors Sarah Light and Rachael Long, Sheldon 4-H youth and UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County. 

One booth displayed myriad citrus varieties grown at Lindcove Research and Extension Center and avocado varieties grown at South Coast Research and Extension Center. 

Among the many legislators who visited the ANR booths was Senator John Laird, who championed the historic increase to ANR's budget.

“No other event that occurs here, of the hundreds every year, draws crowds like Ag Day, and a lot of the legislators who have no concept or association with agriculture come by, plus their staff,” said Senator Jim Nielsen. “It's really a special day because it affirms the importance of agriculture to California and the world.”

The day before Ag Day at the Capitol, ANR's Global Food Initiative Fellow Conor McCabe, Pam Kan-Rice of Strategic Communications, and Megaro visited legislators' offices to hand out Tango mandarins grown at Lindcove REC and personally invite legislators and their staff to Ag Day. Tango mandarins are a small, seedless, easy-to-peel fruit bred by UC Riverside genetics professor Mikeal Roose and often sold under the brand names Cutie or Halo. 

The following are some photos of the Ag Day event. To see more photos, check out #AgDay2022 on Twitter.

Assemblymember Megan Dahle, center, with Anne Megaro and Conor McCabe on the day before Ag Day.

The three are standing in front of a U.S. flag in Dahle's office.

Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua and Anne Megaro.

Anne, left, and the assemblyman are holding small bags of mandarins. The bags are decorated with orange and blue buttons and postcards.

Doralicia Garay and Anne Megaro set up the UC ANR booth.

Dora, left, wearing a facemask, arranges avocados in a bowl on a table. Anne writes the name of the variety on an avocado. Behind them, banners read "Learning about Agriculture" and Eating Healthy."

From left, Glenda Humiston, Senator Brian Dahle, Anne Megaro and Senator Steven Bradford.

Standing in front of the UC ANR booth, Dahle holds an avocado the size of a small football, Bradford holds a cloth ANR bag that reads "Grow California Together."

Glenda Humiston with Assemblymember James Gallagher.

Humiston and Gallagher face each other in conversation, surrounded by Ag Day visitors.

Assemblymember Rudy Salas and a 4-H Sheldon club member.

The 4-Her holds a small goat as a goat in a pen in the foreground looks at them.

Glenda Humiston and Assemblymember Akilah Weber.

The Master Gardener display of flower photos is visible over Humiston's shoulder. Weber stands beside citrus varieties.

Anne Megaro and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer.

They are standing in front of the ANR citrus display. Anne is holding a large avocado and the assemblyman is holding a dark oblong avocado and two oranges.

Pam Kan-Rice and Assemblymember Janet Nguyen.

Nguyen holds a cloth ANR bag that reads Grow Agriculture Together.

Mike Hsu, left, and Conor McCabe greet an Ag Day visitor.

Mike gestures toward avocado varieties that a woman is looking at.

Senator Susan Rubio tweeted her thanks to California 4-H.

Rubio holds a black bird. Tweet reads, "Loved visiting. Thank you for all you do our young people. California 4-H.

UC asks Congress to fund agricultural research and infrastructure

UC Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Glenda Humiston led a delegation from California to meet with congressional members and staff on March 6-11 to discuss specific benefits of UC ANR in their districts and the importance of strong federal funding to support programs, including Cooperative Extension, 4-H youth development, nutrition education, and the research and extension centers.

The California delegation was part of the Association for Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET), which held their annual meeting and (virtually) visited Capitol Hill for the 40^th year to jointly request agricultural appropriations that support the land-grant mission.

The UC delegation met with staff from 27 congressional offices via Zoom to discuss the many critical agriculture needs facing California and the nation. They explained how UC is at the forefront of conducting research to understand and solve problems facing the agricultural industry and encouraged Congress to provide the highest possible funding levels in FY 2022 and FY 2023.

“This year, our request included something new – $365 million for agricultural research infrastructure,” said Anne Megaro, UC ANR director of government and community relations. “We have been working with Congress to include significant infrastructure funding in President Biden's Build Back Better legislation, and we are continuing to make this request through annual appropriations.”

Bringing UC's facilities up to modern standards with necessities such as high-speed broadband would provide capacity for cutting-edge research such as precision agriculture, remote sensing and growing space for CRISPR-based research. It would also ensure that U.S. research can continue to meet the agricultural and natural resource needs of the nation.

Humiston was joined by emeritus UCCE advisor Bill Frost, rancher Dina Moore, nurseryman Mike Mellano, Ish Herrera of California Forward, and Alejandra Sanchez of Driscoll's who shared how UC ANR research and outreach have improved their businesses, lives and communities.

“Our local UCCE advisors have given so much to our communities up and down the state; this is just one way I like to give back in support of their efforts. Congress needs to know how valuable ag research and education is, and how much we trust and depend on UC,” said Herrera, California Forward director of regional stewardship.

Rounding out the group were several UC ANR leaders, including deans David Ackerly, Helene Dillard and Kathryn Uhrich.

Missy Gable, UC Master Gardener Program director; Ryan Tompkins, UCCE forestry and natural resources advisor for Plumas and Sierra counties; and Jairo Diaz, director of Desert Research and Extension Center shared examples of their work throughout the state to adapt to living with wildfire, climate change and drought, and to improve Californians' health and wellness.

“As an extension forester, wildfire not only drives our applied research, but also affects the communities we live in and serve,” said Tompkins. “CARET provides opportunities to share real-life experiences of how federal funding supports UC forest and wildfire research, outreach, and education that have meaningful benefit for communities throughout California.”

Lindcove REC calls for proposals

Lindcove Research and Extension Center is accepting research proposals until May 27.

Located in the foothills of Tulare County, LREC has land, labor and facilities available for 2022-2023 research projects. The Research Advisory Committee reviews proposals, and projects are evaluated based on scientific merit and regional need. While LREC is primarily a citrus research center, avocado and walnut trees are also grown there, and other crops are welcome. 

Open ground available for planting

• Field 81E, 0.45 acres

Citrus orchards available for research

• Cutter Valencia on C35 rootstock (Field 21) 4.10 acres, planted 1992
• Parent navel on C-35 rootstock (Field 22) 4.10 acres, planted 1992
• Washington navel on Troyer rootstock (Field 93) 4.5 acres, planted 1983
• Valencia strains on mixed rootstock (Field 11S), 1.94 acres, planted 1993
• Tango mandarin on Carrizo rootstock (Field 42W) 2.15 acres, planted 2019
• Mixed citrus, (Field 53E) .50 acres
• Mixed citrus, (Field 64C) .71 acres
• Mixed clementines on Carrizo rootstock (Field 73N) 1.72 acres, planted 2004
• Lemons on unknown rootstock (Field 82E) 1.15 acres

Facilities and support staff

The electronic fruit grading system in the packline provides individual fruit data including weight, size, volume, number, scarring, texture, Brix and color. The packline also has a high-pressure fruit washer, waxer and dryer. Three cold storage rooms that hold 60 fruit bins each, walk-in cold boxes, and de-greening rooms have the capability for ethylene gassing.

The Fruit Quality Evaluation Laboratory is capable of evaluating rind thickness, granulation, texture, puff and crease, juice weights, Brix, sugar/acid ratio and the California standard. A staff research associate located at the center is available to collect field and laboratory data.

Proposal process

Proposals are due May 27, 2022. To submit a proposal, go to the UC LREC website http://lrec.ucanr.edu/, click on the “Research” tab, then the “Submitting a proposal” tab, then the “Proposal management” tab. Detailed instructions of how to submit a proposal can be downloaded using the “User Guide” link on the RAC project management page. 

If you have any questions regarding research, contact Ashraf El-Kereamy, director, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1154 or ashrafe@ucr.edu.  

For questions regarding land, labor or facilities, contact Kurt Schmidt, superintendent, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1153 or krschmidt@ucanr.edu.

For information on submission of proposals, contact Jasmin Del Toro, business officer, at (559) 592-2408 Ext 1151 or jzdeltoro@ucanr.edu.

Sierra Foothill REC calls for proposals

The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals to support new and continuing research on rangeland and oak woodland ecology and management, beef cattle health, production and management, as well as related agricultural and natural resource themes important to California.

Basic resources and facilities to support research include 5,000 acres of northern Sierra foothill oak woodland–annual grass rangeland as well as irrigated pastures, riparian areas and access to the Yuba River. An approximately 160 head cow-calf herd and access to up to 300 head of steers/heifers to support animal production, animal health and grazing research is also available. SFREC maintains a dry lab for sample processing and a dormitory as well as large and small conference rooms.

The center's Research Advisory Committee will evaluate proposed research for scientific merit and regional need. Approved projects will be eligible for center-provided support, which includes land, labor, technical assistance, equipment and facilities.

Proposals may be submitted through the REC Manage System via the SFREC website: https://sfrec.ucanr.edu/Research/proposal. For full consideration, please submit your proposal by May 9, 2022.

Agricultural scholarship and awards offered by UC ANR for students

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is seeking applicants for the Bill and Jane Fischer Vegetation Management Scholarship. Established by friends and family of the late Bill Fischer, UC Cooperative Extension advisor, the scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,000 to students at any accredited California university pursuing degrees in vegetation management, weed science or any of the following agriculture specializations: 

• Vegetation management in agricultural crop production
• Plant science with emphasis on vegetation management in horticultural, agronomic or vegetable crops
• Soils and plant nutrition with emphasis on field, vegetable crop relationships
• Agricultural engineering with emphasis on developing tools for vegetation management
• Agricultural botany with emphasis on weed biology and weed ecology
• Plant pathology with emphasis on integrated vegetation management
• Plant protection and pest management with emphasis on field, vegetable, or horticultural crop relationships
• Agricultural economics with emphasis on vegetation management in field, vegetable, or horticultural crops.

Preference will be given to graduate students. 

The Fischer scholarship application is also available online or as an electronic printable application. Applications must be submitted online or postmarked no later than April 29, 2022. Multiple $1,000 scholarships may be awarded.

Nominate students

University faculty or academic advisors are invited to nominate outstanding students studying agriculture for the Howard Walton Clark Prize and the Knowles A. Ryerson Award. 

Nominations may be emailed to apambrose@ucanr.edu. Nominations may also be mailed to UC ANR, Development Services, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, ATTEN: Scholarships and Awards. Nomination materials must be postmarked no later than Friday, April 29, 2022. Awards will be distributed to students enrolled in the 2022 fall quarter/semester.

Howard Walton Clark Prize in Plant Breeding and Soil Building  (For UC Berkeley, UC Davis And UC Riverside students) Amount:  $5,000 (multiple awards possible)

This prize is awarded to promising senior students in the College of Agriculture and/or Natural Resources with demonstrated scholastic achievement and talent for independent research with particular reference to either plant breeding (leading to new/improved crops and new/improved varieties using appropriate tools) or soil building (leading to improving soil quality related to soil productivity and sustainability as a resource). Note: recipient(s) must be seniors during 2022-2023.

Knowles A. Ryerson Award in Agriculture (UC Berkeley and UC Davis students) Amount:  $2,500, minimum one award for each campus (multiple awards possible)

This award is given to an international undergraduate student in the College of Agriculture and/or Natural Resources, in any curriculum, preferably after completion of the junior year. The award will be made on the basis of high scholarship, outstanding character, and promise of leadership
 
If you have any questions regarding these awards, please contact Andrea Ambrose, director of advancement, at apambrose@ucanr.edu.

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