ANR Employee News

November 2024

Names in the News

Talbot named publications and production supervisor Jeffrey Talbot joined UC ANR Publications on Nov. 4 as the publications and production supervisor. He will be contributing production management for UC ANR publications including California...

California congressional members voice support for ag research

As Congress negotiated the Farm Bill, Vice President Glenda Humiston recently visited Washington, D.C. to meet with California congressional members and their staff to discuss agricultural research and Cooperative Extension programs. “During...

Celebration Corner

4-H Horticulture team finishes first in NJHA contest Michael Rethwisch, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Riverside County coached the California 4-H Horticulture team to first place at the 2024 National Junior Horticultural Association (NJHA)...

$5,000 matching campaign for Forever 4-H Endowment in Santa Barbara County ends on Dec. 4

The 4-H Youth Development Program in Santa Barbara County believes that true leaders are not born, they're grown. With the support of its generous donors, strong volunteer base, and community support, the 4-H Program in Santa Barbara County...

UC ANR welcomes AES faculty at UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz

Since President Drake announced the expansion of the UC Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), we have partnered with UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz leadership to integrate these two campuses into our UC ANR network. We are excited to share that their...

Canva now available to UC users

We're excited to announce our partnership with Canva, the all-in-one graphic design platform with leading-edge visual communication and design tools. UC ANR staff can purchase Canva Pro subscriptions to enhance their design capabilities. Cost The...

L&D - Community Health Coalitions, Navigating Medicaid, Active Transportation, Climate Resiliency, Mitigating Ageism, Conflict Competence

UC ANR Learning & Development Landing page | Archived webinars | Learning resources    Extension Methods & DeliveryBuilding SupportEquity, Diversity, InclusionOffice, Team, & Personal...

Orientations cover Business Operations Center topics for new and seasoned employees

The UC ANR Business Operations Center will launch a New Employee Orientation to kick off 2025! Starting Jan. 7, BOC will offer virtual orientations the first Tuesday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Topics will include: What BOC is and who we...

UCSF shares COVID-19 data, other health data sets

The UC San Francisco California Collaborative for Public Health Research (CPR3) is an initiative that promotes statewide academic and public health partnerships to bridge research and policy. CPR3 recently launched...

Get ready for GivingTuesday Dec. 3

GivingTuesday is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It's an opportunity for people around the world to give through acts of kindness or gifts of time, talent or money. On Dec. 3, UC ANR is leveraging the energy of GivingTuesday to tell our...

In memoriam: Mary Bianchi

Mary Bianchi, UC Cooperative Extension horticulture advisor emeritus, died on Nov. 4. She was 67. Bianchi served the University of California for 32 years, with the last 26 years of her UCCE career in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. With...

Pest managers learn to do the ‘rat thing’ at Rodent Academy

Tail length, fur color, eye size, ear shape and nose structure are some of the characteristics highlighted during the “Rodent Speed Dating ID” activity at West Coast Rodent Academy (WCRA). If you thought you would find rats at WCRA, you...

October 2024

UC ANR identifies its priority areas in new Strategic Vision 2040

Document includes refreshed vision and mission, outlines challenges where UC ANR can make impact Vice President Glenda Humiston and the Strategic Visioning Committee are pleased to announce the release of the UC ANR Strategic Vision 2040, which will...

UC ANR launches Leadership Academy

The first UC ANR Leadership Academy has been launched with a cohort of 20 ANR members. The program, which is being conducted in collaboration with Coro Northern California, held the first of its 10 sessions in August and just finished the sixth...

UC ANR to strengthen California agriculture through Mediterranean partnerships

In October, Vice President Glenda Humiston, Associate Vice President Brent Hales, and Research and Extension Center directors Ashraf El-kereamy and Atef Swelam attended three global food and agriculture events in Italy, met with key leaders of the...

Celebration Corner

UC ANR team receives Excellence in Extension Evaluation Training Team Award UC ANR's evaluation team received the Excellence in Extension Evaluation Training Team Award from the Extension Education Evaluation Topical Interest Group at the October 2024...

Tompkins to receive posthumous award from Board of Forestry on Nov. 6

Ryan Tompkins, the late UC Cooperative Extension forestry and natural resources advisor for Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties, will receive the California Board of Forestry's Francis Raymond Award on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 11 a.m. The Board...

Southwest Regional Food Business Center holds virtual open house on Nov. 14

Please join the Southwest Regional Food Business Center (SWRFBC) for an all-UC ANR Virtual Open House at 10:30 a.m. on Nov 14. They will introduce the center's goals, short-term successes and upcoming opportunities. UC ANR is leading the SWRFBC, which...

‘Fresh Glass’ features UC ANR, South Coast REC, California farms

The Emmy-winning KPBS show “Fresh Glass” will feature Vice President...

UC SAREP offers small grants for sustainable agriculture, food systems projects

The UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program is accepting proposals for its 2025-2026 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Small Grants Program. The program funds research, education and...

Make your voice heard. Complete the ANR@Work Survey

You should have received an emailed invitation on Oct. 23 to take the ANR@Work Survey 2024. If you have not already completed and submitted the survey, you still have time. The deadline has been extended to Dec. 6. All ANR colleagues are encouraged to...

Taylor discusses advancing community broadband in webinar

“Advancing Community Broadband,” a webinar by Keith Taylor, UC Cooperative Extension community economic development specialist at UC Davis, is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=3M76vXSAk9c. In the 53-minute...

California counties ‘go green’ for 4-H Week

In August, California House Resolution 119, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, recognized Oct. 6-12 as National 4-H Week. That kicked off a series of recognitions throughout the state, from Tehama to San Diego counties, as various Boards...

L&D - Social networking, participatory engagement, sustainable futures, intro ArcGIS, interviewees wanted, accessible PDFs

UC ANR Learning & Development Landing page | Archived webinars | Learning resources    Extension Methods & Delivery Building Support Equity, Diversity, InclusionOffice, Team, & Personal...

UC ANR programs, UCCE offices using story maps to tell their stories

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Day is Nov. 20. To celebrate, the Informatics and GIS Statewide Program is highlighting how story maps are increasingly being used in UC ANR. Instead of going through the traditional route of trying to embed...

Names in the News

Warner becomes UCCE livestock and natural resources area advisor  Andrea Northup-Warner started working as a UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources area advisor for Placer, Nevada, Yuba and Sutter counties on Oct. 1. Excited to...

Join a workshop on social networking for outreach on Nov. 7

UC Cooperative Extension colleagues are invited to a workshop on using social networking to increase your impact in agricultural extension. Are you an extension professional with a large clientele base? Have you ever wondered how to increase your reach...

Hartin leaves legacy of Trees for Tomorrow to cool SoCal communities in warming climate

Over 2,000 climate-ready trees have been planted in low-shade neighborhoods throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties thanks to the efforts of emerita advisor Janet Hartin. Looking back at her 40 years as a UC Cooperative Extension...

Eppele, Black named UC ANR’s UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellows

Judi Eppele and Christian Black have been selected to participate in the 2024-2025 UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship Program, focusing on sustainable agriculture and food for UC ANR. Eppele is a community development graduate student at UC Davis...

Floriculture and Nursery Workgroup members share knowledge in Watsonville

In mid-October, the University of California Nursery and Floriculture Alliance (UCNFA) hosted their annual California Nursery Conference in Watsonville, an opportunity to share research, discuss challenges impacting nurseries and greenhouses, and...

CUCSA survey on UC policies and procedures impacting administrative workload due Nov. 7

Staff Assembly Council is calling all ANR staff to participate in a questionnaire created and supported by the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) and Staff Engagement Workgroup to understand the impact of new policies and procedures...

Lindcove REC offers fruit display and tasting Dec. 13-14

You are invited to Lindcove Research and Extension Center for its annual fruit display and tasting on Dec. 13 and 14. On Friday, Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, growers are invited to meet UC researchers to discuss low-seeded citrus varieties, new...

September 2024

Workshop on helping producers manage climate extremes offered Oct. 16 in Salinas

An ag-climate workshop for UC Cooperative Extension, Resource Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service colleagues is being co-organized by UC ANR and USDA California Climate Hub. The free workshop, “Managing Agriculture...

Names in the News

Palta named first UCCE specialist based at UC Irvine Monica Palta joined UC ANR on Sept. 1 as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in urban water quality, health and justice. She is the first UCCE specialist to be based at UC Irvine. Palta is an...

Celebration Corner

Niederholzer named Certified Crop Adviser of the Year in Western Region Western Region Certified Crop Advisers named Franz Niederholzer, a UC Cooperative Extension orchard systems advisor, their 2024 Western Region Certified Crop Adviser of the...

EXCITE project uses culturally relevant messaging to encourage vaccination

For the third consecutive year, UC ANR is leading a critical vaccination campaign funded by the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement initiative. Amira R. Resnick, UC ANR's statewide director of community nutrition and...

RCRC highlights rural community issues

UC ANR participated in the Rural County Representatives of California's Annual Meeting Sept. 18-20 at the Doubletree by Hilton - Sonoma Wine Country. The event featured experts sharing their knowledge about issues important to rural communities. Vice...

UCCE, Siskiyou Cattlemen’s Association host annual tour

UC Cooperative Extension in Siskiyou County in partnership with the Siskiyou Cattlemen's Association hosted a tour of Shasta Valley cattle ranches on Saturday, Sept. 14. Hosting the annual tour is a long-standing tradition between UCCE Siskiyou and the...

ANR leadership visits Elkus Ranch, UCCE programs

  On Aug. 23, UC ANR leaders visited UC Elkus Ranch and UCCE San Mateo/San Francisco offices to meet with our county partners and local stakeholders, and learn about the research, education, extension and outreach programs offered to...

Hispanic Heritage speakers to discuss Day of the Dead, empowering Latinos

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15–Oct. 15, the UC ANR Latinx & Friends Employee Resource Group invites you to join webinars celebrating Latino contributions, illuminating challenges facing the Latino community and...

L&D - IGIS training, GivingTuesday, pronouns, train your brain to unwind stress, data visualization

UC ANR Learning & Development Landing page | Archived webinars | Learning resources    Extension Methods & DeliveryBuilding SupportEquity, Diversity, InclusionOffice, Team, & Personal...

Webinar: Building resilient communities by changing policy, systems and environment

All ANR Employees are invited to join an interactive webinar to learn about how UC ANR programming fosters change in communities. "Building resilient communities by changing policy, systems and environment"is open to anyone interested in...

Extension professionals needed to help specialty crop growers adapt to climate change

The Climate Analogs Academy is recruiting 12 Cooperative Extension professionals from around the U.S. to engage in dialogue, workshops and get paid to visit specialty crop experts around the country throughout the 2025 calendar...

Workplace Violence Prevention Program Training due Oct. 5

We all play a crucial role in fostering a safe and respectful workplace. As part of UC ANR's Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP), all employees are required to complete a mandatory 25-minute training on Workplace Violence...

In memoriam: Marvin Snyder

Marvin John Snyder, UC Cooperative Extension vegetable advisor emeritus, passed away on Sept. 6, 2024, at Merrill Gardens in Santa Maria. He was 96. The North Dakota native earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Iowa State University....

Hands-on learning, training make irrigation best practices accessible

UCCE advisors provide free training to nursery and greenhouse staff Working as an irrigator seems straightforward at first: if you're not watering plants by hand, you're building and managing systems that can do the watering. What could be complex...

August 2024

Celebration Corner

Wang, Bachie, Snell, Rethwisch receive National County Agents Association recognition The National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) held its 2024 annual meeting/ professional improvement conference in July in Dallas, Texas. Four...

Young voices, a new vision for the future of the Latino community

One in four young people in California identifies as Latino. The average age of Latinos is 30 years old, which makes us a relatively young ethnic group compared to others.

This has several...

Names in the News

Smith aims to improve community health, nutrition in Central Valley Jasmin Smith joined UC ANR on Aug. 1 as the community nutrition and health advisor for San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties. Smith will work to research, identify and...

CDFA funds UC SAREP agritourism project to connect farmers, consumers

To promote specialty crops and strengthen the industry through agritourism, California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded nearly $450,000 from its Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for the California Open Farm Passport project. Rachael...

Gilani briefs legislators on bioenergy

Haris Gilani, UCCE biomass and bioenergy advisor for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, spoke to the State Legislature Select Committee on Building a Zero-Carbon Hydrogen Economy on Aug. 6. Gilani shared insights from a policy brief on...

State officials tour Modoc County agriculture, sustainable pest management

On July 17 and 18, the Modoc County Department of Agriculture in conjunction with Modoc County Farm Bureau and UC Cooperative Extension hosted an agricultural tour to highlight some of the agricultural issues in Modoc County and how they relate to...

L&D - Sustainable future, rural teen perceptions, navigating grant challenges, access to healthy food, disaster education, opening doors

UC ANR Learning & Development Landing page | Archived webinars | Learning resources    Extension Methods & DeliveryBuilding SupportEquity, Diversity, InclusionOffice, Team, & Personal...

Salute to Ag UC Davis football game Sept. 7

The CLEAR Center is sponsoring the first-ever Salute to Ag UC Davis football game on Saturday, Sept. 7, at UC Davis. Tailgate starts at 5 p.m. and the game kicks off at 7 p.m. Joe Proudman,associate director for communications at the...

In memoriam: Carl Bell

Carl Eugene Bell, UC Cooperative Extension weed science advisor emeritus, passed away on July 31 in San Diego. He was 75. Bell began his 35-year UCCE career in 1979 as a weed science advisor in Imperial County, where he advised growers and production...

Farm Bureau of Ventura County Invests in our Youth and the UC 4-H Youth Development Program

When 4-H in Ventura County sought to raise funds that would help it meet the needs of local youth now and in the future, the community responded with tremendous generosity. A national youth development organization, 4-H aims to empower young...

WSARE California offers mini-grants for professional development education implementation

Small grants (up to $25,000) to support professional development opportunities in sustainable agriculture targeted primarily to agricultural professionals such as extension staff, nonprofits, state and federal agency staff, PCAs/CCAs, etc. are available...