Archive Oct. 2015 to present

August 2021

July 2021

Names in the News
Gibbs named new Development Services Executive Director Greg Gibbs is UC ANR's new executive director of Development Services, effective July 1, 2021. He succeeds Lorna Krkich, who retired on April 2. Gibbs has served as the director of major gifts...

UC ANR celebrates budget increase, releases 10 UCCE positions for recruitment
After three years of limited hiring due to budget constraints, Vice President Glenda Humiston announced the release of 10 UC Cooperative Extension positions for recruitment. The new UC Cooperative Extension positions include: #11 Plant Pathology...

New book shows how Californians are improving climate resilience
Wildfires that generate their own weather, drought, record-breaking heatwaves, and frequent flooding are compelling more people to try to mitigate and adapt to climate change. A new book co-authored by Adina Merenlender, UC Cooperative...

Slides outline ANR history and mission
PowerPoint slides that give an overview of UC ANR are now available in the ANR communications toolkit. If you are giving a presentation and need some background information about UC ANR, you can select what you need from a set of 14 slides. The slides...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Recruit excellent candidates for new positions
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The UC ANR Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) to help them identify and address issues of...

Black and Allied Employees affinity group advocates for equity and safety at UC ANR
Since June 2020 and the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade, several efforts have been underway within UC ANR to make our workplace safer, more equitable, and more welcoming to Black employees. These efforts have...

Story map shows history of land under Hopland REC
Field research in agricultural and natural resource science has been ongoing at UC Research and Extension Centers for over 70 years, making an impact on the food we eat and the management practices we recommend. What afforded us the opportunity to have...

L&D: Virtual program building, DEI in youth programs, YouTube, Qualtrics
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay ANR Learning & Development Webpage | Past Webinar RecordingsDo you have a training to offer? Contact ANR Learning & Development and let us know! EXTENSION DELIVERY Innovation Skill-Building Experience (Sessions...

Accellion data breach discussed at town hall
At the July ANR town hall, Hoyt Sze, managing counsel of the Health Affairs & Technology Law Group at UC Office of the President, and Michael Bruemmer from Experian answered questions about the Accellion data breach and measures to protect...

Abstracts for California Oak Symposium due Aug. 16
Academics, agency personnel, land managers and ranchers are encouraged to submit presentation and poster abstracts for the 8th California Oak Symposium, which will be held March 21-24, 2022, in San Luis Obispo.  The theme of the symposium is...

June 2021

Accellion breach to be discussed at July 15 town hall
Join the ANR monthly town hall meeting 2-3 p.m. on Thursday, July 15, to learn more about the Accellion data breach. Our guest speakers will be Hoyt Sze, managing counsel of the Health Affairs & Technology Law Group at UC Office of the...

Reopening guidelines posted online
UC ANR officially reopened all locations on July 1. Risk & Safety Services Director Brian Oatman and Interim Human Resources Executive Director Bethanie Brown recently reviewed and updated UC ANR's guidelines on re-opening and remote...

Names in the News
Baur named Western IPM Center director After leading the Western Integrated Pest Management Center through the global COVID crisis as acting director, Matt Baur has been named permanent director effective July 1 to lead the center into the post-pandemic...

PAC discusses advancing President Drake’s priorities
The President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources (PAC) met virtually on June 16 and had a lively discussion with one another and later with President Drake about how UC ANR can deliver on the president's priorities of...

L&D: Lessons from the pandemic, Activiti, Principles of Community, Leadership in the City
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay ANR Learning & Development Webpage Past webinar recordings EXTENSION DELIVERY Virtual Summer School with National Association of Extension Programs (NAEPSDP) Moving Extension Forward:  July 12 - 16 Noon...

UC ANR participates in nationwide COVID-19 vaccination education effort
UC ANR is participating in a national Cooperative Extension partnership with Extension Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine education and uptake called Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Growing nutrition & health (amongst others) for the future
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The UCANR Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) to help them identify and address issues of...

UC ANR 2020 Annual Report highlights impacts during COVID crisis
  UC ANR's 2020 Annual Report is now live! The Program Planning and Evaluation unit collaborated with UC ANR academics, specialists, program staff, and Strategic Communications to compile the annual report with over 50 vignettes that...

Social media consultation offered Wednesdays at noon
Dora Garay, ANR social media strategist, will offer weekly social media office hours to discuss social media. Starting July 7, on Wednesdays from 12 to 1 p.m., ANR colleagues are invited to bring questions or anything they would like to share...

Big Dig Day reaps $100,000 for ANR programs and projects
Together UC ANR programs raised over $100,000 across the state on June 4, Big Dig Day. “This show of support demonstrates the impact our UC ANR colleagues are having in your communities and the value that donors place on our...

Congratulations to retiring ANR colleagues
We thank the following UC ANR employees for their many years of contributions to improve the lives of Californians. Best wishes to all of them in their retirement years. Rafael “Merf” Solorio, superintendent, West Side REC, 31...

ANR celebrates STAR award winners
Winners of the 2020-21 ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) program were announced June 17. The outstanding contributions of 18 individual UC ANR staff members and six teams were recognized and celebrated at an online town hall....

After 22 years of serving Riverside County residents, UCCE nutrition advisor Ganthavorn retires
After serving Californians for over 22 years as a UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor for Riverside County, Chutima Ganthavorn retired July 1. Ganthavorn credits her success in improving nutrition education to...

Will Suckow retires from UC ANR design career
Senior artist Will Suckow retired from the UC ANR Publishing group on June 30, 2021, after 20 years of UC service. He leaves a legacy of innovation, beautiful design and high standards of quality and efficiency. Suckow began his UC career in 1993...

Warnert retires from 31-year UC ANR communications career
Jeannette Warnert retired July 1 after serving 31 years as a communications specialist for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. The editor of Western Farm Press, Tim Hearden, expressed his appreciation for Warnert's media relations expertise,...

In memoriam: Tim Wallace
Tim Wallace, UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, passed away May 14, 2021, at home in Berkeley. He was 92. Wallace was raised in Winnetka, Ill., and graduated with honors with a bachelor's degree in economics at Harvard University, master's...

May 2021

UC ANR employees get moving for UC Walks
More than 50 ANR people got their daily steps in while participating in the annual UC Walks on May 12. They gathered online for light stretching to warm up, then went outside to walk or stayed on Zoom for group yoga. After the invigorating activity,...

Names in the News
Richards named ag land acquisitions academic coordinator Chandra Mercedes Richards joined UC Cooperative Extension as agricultural land acquisitions academic coordinator II for San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties on May...

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Program Team formed
Last month, UC ANR approved the creation of a new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Program Team. The aim of this program team is to provide a forum for networking and cross-program/cross-disciplinary dialogue on DEIJ issues that promotes...

Join conversations with UC ANR senior leaders June 23
UC ANR employees are invited to engage informally with UC ANR senior leadership and to discuss what's on your mind. The first Open Conversation session is 1-2 p.m., Wednesday, June 23, with AVP Wendy Powers and AVP-Business Operations Tu Tran. To allow...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Virtual lessons learned
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought, drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) to help them identify and address issues of current and...

STAR winners and retirees to be recognized June 17
ANR will host a special staff recognition event on Thursday, June 17, from 2 to 4 p.m.  via Zoom. We will be celebrating our ANR colleagues who are retiring in June, and we will also recognize the 2020-2021 ANR Staff Appreciation and...

Interested in exchanging video ideas?
ANR offers online training on how to make videos. To further hone video-production techniques, Jeff Mitchell, UCCE specialist, is wondering if ANR colleagues would be interested in an informal way to exchange ideas.   “I am talking...

Dig into the Big Dig Campaign-In-A-Box toolkit
Your Campaign-In-A-Box toolkit is available to begin promotions for Big Dig Day, ANR's statewide giving day, on June 4.  Check out these resources in the Campaign-In-A-Box: Save-the-date flyers for each program Peer-to-peer...

New tools in ANR communications toolkit
See what's new in the ANR communications toolkit at https://ucanr.edu/sites/communicationstoolkit. Upon request, new slide templates have been added to the kit. Google Slides A Google Slides version of our UC...

Join ANR Pride Month activities in June
ANR's LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group has lots of activities planned for celebrating Pride Month in June: interactive Zoom sessions and weekly emails on the history of Pride, LGBTQ+ basics, and more. “First, we will send out weekly educational...

Get to heart of science communication with virtual book club June 17
  Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement will be discussed at the eXtension Virtual Chat Book Club June 17. The newly released book authored by Faith Kearns is garnering rave reviews. Kearns, academic...

Learning & Development - Emergency Preparedness, Intro to ArcGIS, Allyship and more
  EXTENSION DELIVERY Inaugural Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery ConferenceJune 1-3, 20218 to 11 a.m. PDTRegister here. Click for more information. Southern University's Cooperative Extension Program will be hosting the inaugural...

Update on Accellion data breach
UC was one of more than 100 institutions targeted by a nationwide cyber-attack. As a result, certain university data was accessed without authorization. Protecting the UC community remains the university's top priority. Visit UCnet's...

Urban Agriculture Workgroup invites new members
The UC ANR Urban Agriculture Workgroup recently became official after years of meeting informally and is welcoming new members. The workgroup develops resources, training, and materials for the specific needs of California's urban farmers, and...

Debra Driskill retires after more than 30 years
Debra Driskill, business officer for the Research and Extension Center System and office manager at ANR Desert Research and Extension Center, retired in January after more than 30 years of service to UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. After...

Lindcove REC calls for research proposals
Lindcove Research & Extension Center (LREC), located in the foothills of Tulare County, has land, labor and facilities available for 2021-22 research projects. The Research Advisory Committee reviews proposals and projects are evaluated based on...

June 1 Zoom cloud recording data retention policy for UC ANR changes
Starting on June 1, 2021, Zoom cloud recordings will only be retained for 120 days and then automatically deleted. This means any existing cloud recordings will be deleted 120 days after June 1, 2021. Likewise, any new cloud recordings...

April 2021

Take a virtual tour of the 9 RECs
UC ANR operates nine Research and Extension Centers (RECs), each location representing a unique climatic zone of the state. Extending from the Oregon border in the north, through the Sierra Foothills and Central Valley, along the Pacific Coast and...

Names in the News
Martinez joins UCCE in Kings County Vanessa Martinez joined the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Kings County team as a nutrition educator on March 1. In this position, she hopes to bring success to the program and motivate individuals to make positive...

Virtual CARET visits with congressional staff productive
Vice President Glenda Humiston led a delegation representing California to the virtual annual joint meeting of the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) and the Administrative Heads Section (AHS) of the Association of...

Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May
Everyone in the UC ANR community is invited to join virtual events to learn, share, support and celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month every Tuesday in May from 3 to 4 p.m. May 4 - The Asian Pacific Identity: Experiences and Stories May 11 - Asian...

ANR team wins ANREP educational materials award
The “Ranch Water Quality Planning Instructor's Guide and Lesson Plan” won the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals bronze award in the category of Book or Comprehensive Program Curriculum.  The team includes Toby...

Start planning for Big Dig Day June 4
Big Dig Day is June 4. The 24-hour online fundraising campaign is an opportunity to collect supplemental support for UC ANR programs and research.  In an effort to better communicate campaign plans and resources with participants, UCCE...

CattleCal joins ANR podcast line up
Cattle ranchers have a new source for cattle research news from UC Cooperative Extension. CattleCal podcast is produced by Pedro Carvalho, UC Cooperative Extension feedlot management specialist; Brooke Latack, UC Cooperative Extension livestock advisor...

Fresno 4-H Ambassadors help community recover from Creek Fire
Hundreds of wildfires burned in California in 2020. The biggest single wildfire, according to Cal Fire, was the Creek Fire, which started on Sept. 4 near Shaver Lake in Fresno County. It destroyed 856 structures and burned 379,895 acres mostly in...

Strategic Initiative Brief: DEIJ Program Team, IWP
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) help them identify and address issues of current and emerging...

Fee policy for graduate student in absentia registration open for employee comment
The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy - Fee Policy for Graduate Student In Absentia Registration.  The policy is proposed to be revised and includes the following key...

Join UC Walks May 12
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is hosting UC ANR Walks on Wednesday, May 12, at 10 a.m. As a virtual walk, all ANR employees are invited to participate in this annual community-building event by walking – outdoors or indoors – or...

New guides for engaging Latinx youth published
A series of ANR publications have been developed for people who wish to engage Latinx youth and families in their programs. These briefs were inspired by a research project and the Journal of Youth Development article Guiding...

ANR Staff Assembly seeks active members
The mission of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Staff Assembly is to cultivate satisfied, dedicated and professional staff and to work with UC ANR Senior Leadership and other members of the ANR community to promote...

L&D - Distance learning apps, Earth Engine, justice-centered approaches, mentorship
Image by Arek Socha from PixabayANR Learning & Development home, webinars, past webinar recordingsPotential presentations/presentersLet us know here if you have a webinar to offer/recommend for ANR Colleagues in one of our four strategic...

Proposed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination program policy open for employee comment
The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program. The policy includes the following key issues: Encourages universal vaccination Requires students,...

FAQs about the Accellion data breach updated
UC is one of several institutions targeted by a nationwide cyber attack on Accellion's File Transfer Appliance (FTA), a vendor service used for transferring sensitive information. This attack has affected approximately 300 organizations, including...

Take the UC Davis Library survey by May 10
The UC Davis Library is developing a new strategic plan to guide priorities and allocation of resources over the next five years. Please take their 3-minute survey and share your candid feedback to help them serve library users...

March 2021

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

February 2021

ANR presents its Strategic Plan to President Drake
UC ANR's strategic planning team presented both the new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan and the 2020-2025 REC Strategic Framework to President Michael Drake on Feb. 2, 2021. His comments were generally very positive. A few minor edits were made to the UC...

Names in the News
Mohamed joins Kearney to research alfalfa irrigation Abdelmoneim “Moneim” Mohamed joined UC ANR as project scientist – alfalfa irrigation management Feb. 1.  Mohamed will be working with Khaled Bali conducting research to...

Request full restoration of UC ANR’s budget
As VP Humiston announced in the Feb. 24 ANR Update,  Governor Newsom and the state Legislature have agreed to full restoration of UC's budget for the next fiscal year. For UC ANR, that means the 12.7% cut we sustained in FY 2020/21 will be...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Strategic themes, IWP
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to 1) help people connect and 2) to help them identify and address issues of current...

Open Conversations with UC ANR leadership begin March 31
UC ANR Senior Leadership will begin hosting conversations with small groups of ANR employees on a quarterly basis. The first will be Wednesday, March 31, at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with VP Glenda Humiston and Tu Tran, associate vice president for...

Black History Month events educate and engage
UC ANR held its very first Black History Month Program in February and the series of events were well-attended and enthusiastically received. The events were organized by Esther Mosase, climate smart educator based in San Diego County;...

ANR Learning & Development: Engaging youth, sponsorship, strategies for success
Image by Pixaby Learning & Development OpportunitiesANR Learning & Development | Webinar Recordings  Engaging Youth in Natural Resources Please join us for our Eighth (in a series of nine) webinar! March 4 at 10 a.m. PST / 1 p.m....

Expand your diversity, equity and inclusion awareness
Three opportunities are being offered to improve our diversity, equity and inclusion skills – an understanding unconscious bias workshop, intercultural competence program and a 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Vice President...

Employee comments sought on classification of gifts and sponsored awards
The UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy on Classification of Gifts and Sponsored Awards.  The University has seen a significant increase in external support in the recent decade – especially from...

Annual staff performance evaluation process starts March 2
The Annual Staff Performance Evaluation process will begin on March 2, 2021.  The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities to build skills, and align individual...

Sierra Foothill REC seeks proposals
The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) 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...

Are you ready for the IWP?
The IWP, otherwise known as the Integrated Web Platform project, will begin replacing the current ANR website ucanr.edu in July in an effort to help make UC ANR's educational content more accessible to the people of California. To prepare for conversion...

Protect yourself, your family and your community from COVID-19
At UC ANR, we make recommendations based on science. Our intent is not to convince people to get vaccinated, but to present information to help them make informed decisions. We have collected resources to help you promote health and wellness...

Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety calls for proposals
The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety is seeking proposals for short-term research, outreach or educational projects on a wide range of topics that address occupational health and safety in agriculture in Arizona, California,...

UC Learning Center adds UC ANR domain
The UC Learning Center is the web-based Learning Management System (LMS) tool used across the University of California. Over the years, UC ANR employees have used multiple campuses to access the UC Learning Center, making it difficult for UC ANR to...

ANR GROWS bears fruit
ANR Staff Assembly's ANR GROWS program was so successful in 2020, they plan to offer it again this year, according to Marvin Flores, Staff Assembly chair for 2020-21. “The ANR Grows program was birthed out of an NPR radio program discussing...

IGIS offers training for ArcGIS Online, Field Maps and Story Maps
Informatics and GIS is offering a new series of online training for ArcGIS tools for spring 2021.  The workshops will include introductions to:       ArcGIS Online, for creating interactive web maps (Feb. 26) ArcGIS...

January 2021

PAC discusses forest management
The UC President's Advisory Commission met Dec. 14 via Zoom as coronavirus precautions continued to discourage travel. “It's the beginning of a new phase,” said President Drake, announcing that the first coronavirus vaccines would be...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Strategic themes
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to identify and address issues of current and emerging importance.  1. Strategic Themes With...

Recent Strategic Plan accomplishments posted
The ANR Strategic Plan accomplishments for Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 have been posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/2016-2020_Strategic_Plan/Strategic_Plan_Accomplishments. The 2016 ANR Strategic Plan, which was refreshed in December 2020,...

Names in the News
Barman named UCCE IPM advisor in Imperial County Apurba Barman joined UC Cooperative Extension as low desert integrated pest management advisor on Jan. 11, 2021. He will be headquartered at the UCCE Imperial County office, which adjoins the UC Desert...

ANR’s virtual tour now online
In November and December, President Drake, UC regents and state legislators were treated to virtual tours of UC ANR for an overview of statewide programs, partnerships and other activities. Now you can take that same...

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council appointed
VP Glenda Humiston has appointed 11 ANR people to an initial two-year term as founding members of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. This appointment is effective retroactively from Nov....

Blakey and Lee big winners of photo contest
Dustin Blakey and Dani Lee showed off their photography skills by winning the ANR photo contest. Photos were solicited for five categories based on UC ANR's Strategic Initiatives: Endemic and invasive pests and diseases (EIPD) Healthy families and...

Make every day a healthy snack day
The Make Every Day Healthy Snack Day initiative is a statewide movement to inspire Californians to make healthier snack choices. Coraima Linares, Melissa Mabuchi and Vanity Campbell of the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee Planning...

Intermountain REC seeks research proposals
The Intermountain Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals from researchers for new and continuing research projects in 2021-22.  IREC is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet elevation near the Oregon border. The Center...

Sonia Lewis to speak Feb. 3 for UC ANR Black History Month
February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.  Celebrate with ANR colleagues on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. in February. UC ANR Black and Allied...

Learning & Development: Community engagement; working with CA 4-H Foundation; foreign influence, career resilience
Learning & Development OpportunitiesANR Learning & Development | Webinar Recordings COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Introducing SEED: An evidence-based method for engaging communitiesFeb. 10, 2021 11 a.m. – Noon PST Register here The SEED...

Complete survey on Native American partnerships by Feb. 6
The Native American Community Partnerships Workgroup is requesting everyone affiliated with ANR – including staff, academics and administrators – to please complete their needs assessment/research survey by Feb. 6. The goal of this...

Employee comments sought on adding small businesses to purchasing policy
The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed revision to Presidential Policy UC-PS-20-0489-BUS-43 Purchases of Goods and Services; Supply Chain Management.  The proposed revision is to include...

UC’s economic impact on California hits $82B annually
The University of California is an essential economic engine for the state, contributing roughly $82 billion annually to California's economic output. Over a half-million jobs in California — or one in every 45 — are supported by the...

UC Network to strengthen honey bee health and crop pollination
A $900,000 grant from UC Office of the President will establish a four-campus network of bee researchers and engineers to strengthen honey bee health and crop pollination.  The three-year grant, titled "Strengthening Honey Bee Health and Crop...

In memoriam: Richard Rominger
Richard Rominger, former UC President's Advisory Commission member, passed away Dec. 20 in Winters. He was 93. “In addition to his outstanding leadership at CDFA and USDA, Rich was always a great supporter and advisor to UC ANR. He exemplified...

Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program now serving UC ANR
A new partnership between UC ANR and the UC Davis Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) was announced by John Fox, executive director of ANR Human Resources.  HDAPP supports the University's commitment to a...

In memoriam: Lynn Gallagher
Lynn W. Gallagher, retired project scientist and barley breeder at UC Davis, died on Dec. 15, 2020. He was 77. Gallagher was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County. He earned a B.A. in political science at UC Davis with his sights set on a law...

Video reviews how UC ANR served California in 2020
UC ANR Strategic Communications' Linda Forbes and Ricardo Vela made a video highlighting many of UCANR's 2020 accomplishments. The video is posted on YouTube at https://youtu.be/9puxX_HAC1s and the script is below. Wishing you an...

In memoriam: Seymour Van Gundy
  Seymour Dean Van Gundy, UC Riverside professor emeritus of nematology and plant pathology,  passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 27, 2020. He was born on Feb. 24, 1931, in Toledo, Ohio. Known to family, friends and colleagues as...

December 2020

President Drake, regents get a taste of ANR on virtual tour
UC President Michael Drake and UC regents were treated to virtual tours of UC ANR similar to the tour taken by legislators on Nov. 20. On Dec. 2, UC regents Charlene Zettel, Cecilia Estolano and Richard Lieb, alumni regent Debby Stegura and Anne Shaw,...

Names in the News
Woodmansee named UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor Grace Woodmansee will join UC Cooperative Extension in Siskiyou County as a livestock and natural resources advisor on Jan. 4, 2021. For the past four years, Woodmansee worked as a research...

Development gives shout out to 2020 Giving Tuesday stars
Over $196,000 was collected for UC ANR programs on Giving Tuesday this year. Thanks to colleagues all over the state promoting the campaign, the number of people donating to UC ANR also increased. UC ANR received 854 gifts from 736 donors this year, up...

Director of the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center retires
UC Cooperative Extension specialist Jeff Dahlberg, also the director of the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE) in Parlier, invoked his 35 years of sorghum expertise to increasing interest in growing the crop in California and to...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Strategic topics for 2021
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to identify and address issues of current and emerging importance.   1. Expected Growth in...

Join UC ANR Black History Month celebrations in February
February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Mark your calendar for Wednesdays starting at 2 p.m. in February to celebrate with ANR...

Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit calls for poster abstracts by Dec. 31
The World Food Center at UC Davis is hosting the Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH) Summit in March 2021. The theme “One Health. One Planet” was conceived before the pandemic, but the conversation could not come at a more crucial...

Learning & Development: Microaggressions, engaging Latinos, legacy giving, diversity awareness
ANR Learning & Development - Everyone can learn something new. Announcements Archived Webinar Recordings Microaggressions: Towards Greater Awareness and Understanding (UC Davis) Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 1 –...

UC seeks employee comment on proposed research data and tangible research materials policy
UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy on University of California Research Data and Tangible Research Materials. The policy is a new policy that describes the responsibilities of the campus leadership and its...

In memoriam: Donald May
Donald May, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, passed away on Dec. 3, 2020, in Fresno. He was 86. May, who was raised on an alfalfa and livestock farm in Utah, belonged to 4-H and FFA and showed beef, sheep and hogs at the county fair....

In memoriam: Vonny Barlow
Vonny Barlow, former UC Cooperative Extension entomology and crop production advisor in Riverside County, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 9 from a massive heart attack after being transported to a Palm Springs hospital. He was 55. Barlow, a...

Jan. 15 last day to update tax information
UCPath begins processing W-2s in late January. To ensure the information on your W-2 is complete, accurate and reaches you, please take the following steps by Jan. 15, 2021.  Verify your personal email and home address in UCPath online. Even if...

Photos documenting farmworkers in the 1960s archived by UC Merced
In 1959, Ernest Lowe joined the staff of Pacifica radio station KPFA and almost immediately began documenting the lives of migrant farmworkers. Last year, UC Merced hosted an exhibition of some of those photographs, and now has acquired...

Academic professional society meeting travel fund requests due Jan. 11
The Academic Assembly Council (AAC) travel fund supports professional societies that are recognized organizations holding regularly scheduled meetings primarily for the reporting and exchange of knowledge among members. The societies publish...

Retiring within 5 years? Take a UC retirement workshop to prepare
Transitioning to Retirement workshops are offered by UC Davis for employees considering retirement within 5 years. The life changes that accompany retirement can be unexpectedly challenging and these virtual, Zoom workshops will help employees...

November 2020

Legislators take virtual tour of UC ANR
VP Glenda Humiston led California state legislators, their staff members and other policymakers on a virtual tour of UC ANR on Nov. 20. Humiston welcomed Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Assemblymember Robert Rivas, Senator Melissa Melendez and...

Names in the News
Carvalho de Souza Dias named UCCE agronomy and weed management advisor José Luiz Carvalho de Souza Dias joined UCCE on Nov. 2, 2020, as an area agronomy and weed management advisor in Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties.  Prior to...

GivingTuesday is Dec. 1
On Dec. 1, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, UC ANR will join in #GivingTuesday, the global generosity movement, to ask the public to support our programs. Please share ANR's donation link ucanr.edu/givingtuesday with your social network. Gifts made...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Crystal ball, SNE leader, webinars
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought, drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to identify and address issues of current and emerging importance.  1. Major Initiative...

UC ANR Administrative Responsibilities Guide published
The Controller's office is pleased to announce the publication of the UC ANR Administrative Responsibilities Guide (ARG).  The ARG provides general guidance and support for all personnel with administrative and/or financial oversight...

UCPath website down Dec. 9- Dec. 14
Starting Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 10 p.m. to Monday, Dec. 14 at 6 a.m., the UCPath system will be unavailable to all UC employees during the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cutover.  During this outage, you will not have...

Learning & Development: Academic advancement, Crucial Conversations, Mastering Communication, Mitigate Bias
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay ANR Learning & DevelopmentWebinars/EventsArchived Webinar Recordings Forward, Together - Fall Webinar Series (UC Davis)Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2020 Wednesday Dec. 3, 2020Noon – 1 p.m. These are the last two of this...

ANR to close Dec. 29-31 for winter curtailment
Similar to previous years, ANR units – including, Research and Extension Centers, UCCE county offices and the Second Street Building in Davis – will be closed from Dec. 24, 2020, through Jan. 1, 2021, except for essential services. ANR...

New Presidential Policy on Gender Recognition and Lived Name
A new Presidential Policy which ensures that all University-issued identification documents display personal identification information that recognizes an individual's accurate gender identity and lived name. In brief, the policy stipulates that the...

In memoriam: Burt Hoyle
Burton John Hoyle passed away in McKinleyville on Nov. 9, 2020, just weeks from reaching his 101st birthday. Burton (Burt) was born in Saranac Lake, NY, in 1919. He grew up in the Jamestown, New York, area. He graduated from high school in 1938 and...

In memoriam: William Walton
The UC Riverside Department of Entomology, the University of California, and the field of vector ecology have lost one of their most dedicated, productive, and beloved scientists. William E. (Bill) Walton, professor of entomology, passed away at the UC...

October 2020

New research identifies UCCE disaster management needs
Californians have been dealing with wildfires, the pandemic, power shutdowns, excessive heat and drought, sometimes all at the same time. In every county, UC Cooperative Extension is there to assist community members. To better serve their clientele,...

Zoom backgrounds with ANR and UCCE logos available
When ANR employees attend meetings via Zoom, now they can use blue backgrounds that feature the UC ANR or UC Cooperative Extension logos. The images serve to remind your associates who you represent as well as mask distracting objects around you. The...

Learning & Development: Call for mentees, life in a pandemic, analyzing data, mitigating bias
Webinar archive RecordingsOffering a webinar? Get Support Upcoming webinars (what's in the pipeline?)   Extension Delivery   Building Support   Office, Team, & Personal Development Call for 2021 WebANR Presenters Do you have...

Open Enrollment begins; UC ANR employees get special rates
Aquí están sus beneficios de la UC: La Apertura de Inscripción comienza el 29 de octubre Open Enrollment will take place from 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24. UC is offering the same high-quality...

UC ANR seeks new, larger property for Hansen Agricultural REC
After many years of discussion and on the recommendation of the Hansen Advisory Board, UC ANR has decided to sell the 27-acre historic Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula, the home of the Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center...

Internal recruitment underway for UCCE Riverside director
UC ANR leadership has opened an internal call for those interested in assuming the role of County Director (CD) for Riverside County beginning Jan. 2, 2021. This call is open to all UC ANR employees regardless of staff or academic status. Employees will...

UC SAREP receives USDA grant to strengthen local food networks
With the emergence of “shelter-in-place” directives at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, California's small-scale direct-marketing farms and agritourism operations faced drastic and immediate disruptions to operations causing major...

Positions available on UC ANR Staff Assembly Council
Staff Assembly Council is recruiting for two UC ANR staff members to complete the remainder of the term for two positions on the Staff Assembly Council - communications chair/coordinator and program chair. The terms run through June 30, 2021. All UC ANR...

UC ANR launches photo contest
Providing a new opportunity to engage with colleagues, UC ANR is launching a photography contest and calling all staff and academics to submit their best shots. “We have so many talented people in ANR, we want to highlight their skills and...

Sustainable Natural Ecosystems SI leader position opens for applications
UC ANR academics are invited to apply for the Sustainable Natural Ecosystems Strategic Initiative leader position. The position plays a key role in helping us connect by unifying, communicating and advocating to strengthen UC ANR's research...

Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment calls for proposals
Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment funding is available to University of California personnel to support problem-solving research that will benefit California range cattle producers. The goal of this program is to...

UC Master Gardener virtual Mini-Conference succeeds as livestream event
The virtual 2020 UC Master Gardener Mini-Conference was held Sept. 29–Oct. 1 online. It was a livestream success. All nine sessions streamed directly to the statewide Facebook and YouTube channels, which made for lively comments and...

September 2020

President Drake meets the PAC
  UC President Michael Drake attended his first meeting with the President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources (PAC) on Sept. 30. Vice President Humiston, PAC Chair Jean-Mari Peltier and PAC members welcomed the...

Names in the News
Vollmer named UCCE nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor Laura Vollmer joined UC Cooperative Extension in San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties on Sept. 8, 2020, as a nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor. For four years...

Match.Graze matches livestock with land to reduce wildfire fuel
UCCE Sonoma County is excited to announce a new tool to match grazers with landowners: Match.Graze. The free online service that allows users to find their perfect grazing match, is now live. “It's like Tinder for livestock,” said...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Small grants for webinars
Unify-Communicate-Advocate The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to identify and address issues of current and emerging importance. Strategic issues Spotlight...

World Ag Expo accepts applications for presenting 2021 seminars
The World Ag Expo is accepting proposals for seminars for its 2021 virtual event. The annual World Ag Expo that was scheduled to be held in Tulare Feb. 9 to 11, 2021, has been cancelled so the presentations will be delivered online. World Ag Expo...

Learning & Development: Unconscious bias, COVID-19 & farmworkers, affirmative action planning, end-of-year giving
Upcoming webinars Past Webinar Recordings Offering a webinar? Want support to conduct your webinar?Call for WebANR Topics and Presenters for 2021Do you have a topic you would like to present or recommend for WebANR Cafe' Thursday (Third...

Raising backyard poultry? There’s an app for that
Backyard chicken owners can now get UC research-based information about raising poultry from a smartphone Backyard Poultry Central app. “As far as I am aware, it is the first poultry app from an academic institution and it will focus on sharing...

Nominations open for UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development until Oct. 14
Nominations are now open until 11:59 p.m., Oct. 14, 2020, for the 2021 UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development (UC WI).  As in the past, ANR will be sponsoring women academics and staff to...

UC ANR learns about Latino struggles and achievements during Hispanic Heritage Month
UC ANR is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Each Friday during the celebration, Ricardo Vela, manager of News & Information Outreach in Spanish, is hosting online forums. “I think this is an excellent opportunity...

In memoriam: Daniel Ross Gallie
Daniel Ross Gallie, UC Riverside professor of biochemistry, passed away Sept. 13, 2020, at the age of 63 after a five-year struggle with cancer.  He earned his B.S. in chemistry and cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan...

McHughen to discuss DNA Oct. 6 on eXtension virtual chat
  The eXtension Foundation will host a virtual chat with UC Cooperative Extension specialist Alan McHughen, author of DNA Demystified: Unravelling the Double Helix, on Connect Extension, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It is open to all...

Getting a flu vaccine in 2020 is more important than ever
With the novel coronavirus still infecting thousands of people a day, public health officials worry that a bad flu season could overwhelm hospitals and clinics that are already stretched thin. The best thing you can do to make sure that doesn't happen:...

UC ANR invests in new ideas to support program delivery
Do you have a creative idea that reflects UC ANR's mission and public values and will generate sustainable revenue to support your program delivery and reach? Does that idea just need a little help to get it off the ground? If an investment into the idea...

Show your impact via UC Delivers
UC Delivers communicates your project's measured outcome for your clientele around learning and action and how these contribute to broader UC ANR condition changes and public value. It now displays in a blog format, which makes it...

UC opts out of payroll tax deferral
On Aug. 8, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order for U.S. employers to have the option to defer the collection of employee payroll taxes through Dec. 31, 2020. Two weeks ago, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance on this optional...

Electronic Records Management webinar Oct. 1
Are you concerned about all of the things you are using to create and receive records while you are working from home? Do you know what you need to manage and how? The UC Records Management Committee is celebrating Electronic Records Day by hosting...

Water institute calls for research proposals
The California Institute for Water Resources invites submission of proposals to be considered for funding that will begin March 1, 2021. This year, proposals are requested in the Junior Investigator category only. Funding is for up to two years....

August 2020

Names in the News
Carvalho named UCCE feedlot management specialist Pedro Carvalho joined UC ANR as a UC Cooperative Extension feedlot management specialist in the UC Davis Department of Animal Science, located in Imperial County, on Aug. 1, 2020.  Carvalho grew up...

Share ideas on how to strengthen UC ANR's 2020-2025 strategic plan by Sept. 9
I'd like to thank those of you were able to join one or more of the four strategic plan input sessions to share your ideas on how to strengthen UC ANR.  We hosted four weekly sessions throughout the month of August, each covering a particular...

UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment revised
On Aug. 14, 2020, the University of California issued a revised Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) Policy. The revision was required to comply with Title IX regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), which became effective on...

Join Hispanic Heritage Month celebration Sept. 15-Oct. 15
Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, is a celebration is to recognize Hispanics' contributions and vital presence in the United States.   President Lyndon Johnson first approved Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and it was expanded to a...

UC ANR 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge Sept. 14–Oct. 5
Welcome to ANR's 21-Day Anti-Racism Challenge! Sept. 14–Oct. 5, 2020 ucanr.edu/21days ANR employees, along with other UC locations and thousands of other people across the US and beyond, are committing to deepening understanding of, and...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Spotlight webinar series, invasive pests, virtual reach
Unify-Communicate-Advocate SI Spotlight webinar series continuing strong: Building resilient food systems and managing invasive pests The food systems series being coordinated by the Healthy Families and Communities and Sustainable...

McHughen demystifies DNA for nonscientists
With personal genetic testing kits in homes and GMO labels on foods in stores, DNA is an increasingly familiar, if not well-understood, term. As part of his outreach efforts, UC Cooperative Extension specialist Alan McHughen gives talks to the general...

Videographer Ray Lucas retires after 35-year UC career
Ray Lucas, senior producer and director of digital media, will retire Sept. 1 after 35 years of UC service, including the last 23 years with UC ANR. In 1984, Lucas joined UC Davis in Instructional Media, now called Academic Technology...

Learning & Development: Food resiliency, fund my program, navigating conflict, volunteer development
Upcoming webinars Past Webinar Recordings Offering a webinar? Food Resiliency Spotlight Series Webinar #5 - Farm boxes and food hubs: Building local food system resilience during COVID-19 Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Register to...

UC ANR joins new artificial intelligence institute
I am very pleased to announce that with a $20 million award from the National Science Foundation and several federal agencies, UC ANR is collaborating with UC Davis and other institutions to create a new artificial intelligence institute for...

Hayden-Smith publishes eFieldbook on using digital technology for extension
The COVID-19 crisis has compelled Cooperative Extension professionals to quickly pivot to respond to changing needs. Many are working out of their homes and exploring new ways to use technology to serve their communities. The Using Digital...

2020 Virtual Code Camp a success!
The California 4-H Computer Science Pathways team hosted a 5-day virtual code camp, July 27 to 31. Attendees included 50 youth and 30 volunteers (some from out-of-state and one from Canada!). The camp consisted of multiple computer science topics...

Flu vaccination required for UC students, faculty and staff by Nov. 1
To support the health and well-being of UC students, faculty and staff and our communities, the University of California, in consultation with UC Health leadership, has issued a systemwide executive order requiring all members of the UC community to...

$1 million grant expands climate-ready landscape plants program
A research project initiated in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis evaluates landscape plants in two-year trials under varying irrigation levels to determine the best irrigation level for optimal plant performance in regions requiring...

Hoddle, Choe, Haviland receive $1.34 million for chlorpyrifos alternatives
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has awarded $1.34 million in grants to UC ANR scientists for research on pest control alternatives to the banned pesticide chlorpyrifos. "Finding less-toxic alternatives to pesticides like...

Nutrition educators pivot to meet California’s needs during pandemic
  CalFresh Healthy Living, UC and its UC Cooperative Extension community educators work in schools and community settings to give low-income children and families the opportunities and resources they need to eat right, stay active and lead...

July 2020

Napolitano appoints new members to President’s Advisory Commission
UC President Janet Napolitano has appointed 11 new members to the President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources.  The new members include Patricia Carrillo, executive director of the Agriculture & Land-Based...

Budget update and strategies
As you know, the University is experiencing severe fiscal challenges across all locations because of COVID-19 and its economic fallout. UC ANR is facing a possible 12.7% budget reduction for the 20-21 fiscal year. The University is hoping for a...

Academics and staff may reduce work time
UC ANR recognizes the importance of helping employees manage a work/life balance. During the COVID 19 pandemic, it is understandable that some employees may wish to temporarily reduce their appointment time to address priority family and self-care needs....

Majority of ANR employees feel “satisfied,” according to ANR@Work Survey
UC ANR employees made their voices heard through the 2020 ANR@Work survey. The survey received a 73% response rate with over 74% of respondents stating that they are a “satisfied” or an “extremely satisfied” UC ANR...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Food System Resiliency webinar series is off and running
Unify-Communicate-Advocate Building a resilient food system: Webinar series is off and running  Worried about our food system? Healthy Families and Communities and Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiatives are encouraging continued...

Names in the News
ACWA honors PCWA and French Meadows Forest Restoration Project team The Association of California Water Agencies has selected the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) French Meadows Forest Restoration Project for the 2020 Clair A. Hill Agency Award for...

Learning & Development - Evaluation Design, Science of Communication, Antiracism resources
Upcoming webinarsPast Webinar RecordingsOffering a webinar?Innovation Skill-Building Experience (ISBE) Aug. 4, 6, 11, and 13 Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. PDTRegister here. More information Do you have a project idea that needs incubation,...

Survey: How should wildlands in California be managed for climate change mitigation and adaptation?
Do you have an opinion on how California wildlands are managed? UC Cooperative Extension specialists Safeeq Khan, Tapan Pathak and Toby O'Geen are conducting a need assessment survey about land management and ecosystem climate solutions. Khan, Pathak...

Presentation proposals for California Oak Symposium due Aug. 10
The 8th California Oak Symposium is scheduled to be held March 22-25, 2021, at Embassy Suites, San Luis Obispo. The theme for the conference is “Sustaining Oak Woodlands Under Current and Future Conditions.”  Presented by UC...

Share your ideas on how to improve UC ANR
Every Tuesday during the month of August, UC ANR leaders will be hosting two-hour online meetings to share their draft 5-year goals and get your input into the ANR Strategic Plan Refresh 2020-2025. Teams of goal owners will review challenges we face,...

Visitors must complete clearance survey beginning Aug. 3
UC ANR has been using a web-based daily “clearance to work survey” to ensure that employees who are working onsite or engaged in in-person field work, research, or extension activities are free of COVID-19 symptoms. An offline or paper...

Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety calls for proposals
The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety is seeking research and outreach proposals on a wide range of topics that address occupational health and safety in agriculture in Arizona, California, Hawaii and/or Nevada.  Small...

Outstanding work recognized with Distinguished Service Awards
Outstanding work recognized with Distinguished Service Awards Sponsored by UC ANR and Academic Assembly Council, the Distinguished Service Awards (DSA) recognize service and academic excellence in UC Cooperative Extension over a significant period...

In memoriam: Lowell Lewis
  Lowell N. Lewis, UC ANR associate vice president emeritus and professor emeritus at UC Riverside, passed away on July 17, 2020. He recently celebrated his 89th birthday, but had been in declining health for some months.   Lewis received...

In memoriam: George Goodall
George Goodall, emeritus UCCE farm advisor and county director, passed away June 22, 2020, at age 98.  A fourth-generation Southern Californian, Goodall grew up on a diversified farm in Canoga Park. After serving four years in the Army Corps...

UCPath phone service restarts July 27
The UCPath Center staff continues to work remotely with new phone hardware and software to support calls from employees, location administrators, former employees, vendors and third parties.   UCPath phone service...

New paid family-leave benefit approved for UC academics and staff
UC's Council of Chancellors has unanimously approved a recommendation for a new paid family-leave benefit for UC employees, effective July 1, 2021. This recommendation, supported by President Napolitano and Systemwide Human Resources, provides eight...

June 2020

Donors dig deep to give UC ANR $99,000 for Big Dig Day
BIG congratulations! Together we raised over $99,000 in new support across the state with our second annual Big Dig Day campaign. This is an increase of more than three times the individual giving tally from last year. In these unprecedented...

Names in the News
El-kereamy named Lindcove REC director Ashraf El-kereamy will be the new director of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Lindcove Research & Extension Center, starting on July 1, 2020. He will continue to serve as a UC Cooperative Extension...

Learning & Development: Identify major donors; fire education; science for skeptics; unwritten rules for Black youth
  Upcoming webinars (What's in the pipeline?) Past Webinar Recordings Offering a webinar? Want support to conduct your webinar? Teamwork – An inspirational Video (2:24)  Individual commitment to a group effort or goal,...

UCCE integrated pest management expert retires after 25-year career
UC Cooperative Extension integrated pest management advisor Cheryl Wilen retired in April after serving UC Agriculture and Natural Resources in a wide variety of leadership and academic capacities during her 25-year career. To help with transitions in...

Mendocino UC Cooperative Extension advisor Glenn McGourty retires
When Glenn McGourty joined UC Cooperative Extension as a plant science advisor in Mendocino County in 1987, he was one of the first farm advisors in the state to have support for organic and sustainable farmers written into his job description. He helped...

San Joaquin County UCCE nutrition educator Anna Martin retires after 26-year career
Anna Martin, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in San Joaquin County, devoted her career to the health and wellness of youth and adults locally and statewide. She retires July 1 after 26 years serving in various...

UC Cooperative Extension weed science advisor Kurt Hembree retires on July 1
Retiring UC Cooperative Extension weed science advisor Kurt Hembree credits his mentor and predecessor, Bill Fischer, for his successful 26-year career conducting a weed research and extension program for farmers in Fresno County. “He instilled in...

Beth Grafton-Cardwell retires following illustrious 30-year career in citrus entomology
UC Cooperative Extension specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell retires July 1, a hero in the battle against pests that threaten the livelihood of citrus growers in California, and a successful advocate for reducing use of broad spectrum...

UC Cooperative Extension advisor Allan Fulton retires after nearly 32 years
Long time UC Cooperative Extension advisor Allan Fulton said his interest in agriculture started young and never waned. He will retire July 1 after nearly 35 years working in the industry. Most of his career was in extension, first in Kings County and...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Virtual consultations, food system resiliency, growing reach
Unify-Communicate-Advocate June - sharing skills  Want to try a virtual consultation?  Save time, get the job done and keep safe by consulting virtually. Here are some notes from Dan Macon on virtual consultations. Please send...

Rhonda Smith “heroine of the vineyards” wraps up career
Rhonda Smith, who has been heralded as the “heroine of the vineyards” for her groundbreaking work in helping combat the parade of problems that have plagued Sonoma County grapevines – and alarmed growers, plans to retire July...

Aguiar completes journey from farm worker to farm advisor
Jose Luis Aguiar, who has been working as a vegetable crops small farm advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County since 1992, will retire on July 1, 2020. "My job is one of the best jobs...

UC Cooperative Extension weed advisor John Roncoroni retires
After 38 years of service, John Roncoroni, UC Cooperative Extension advisor specializing in vineyard weed management in Napa County, plans to retire July 1. Over the years, Woodland native Roncoroni has become a trusted resource for weed...

UCCE pear expert Rachel Elkins retires from 33-year career
Rachel Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties, plans to retire from UC July 1 after 36 years, 33 years in her current position. “Rachel has been invaluable to the pear industry in Mendocino and...

In memoriam: Marjorie Hoy
Marjorie Hoy, first woman faculty member of the UC Berkeley Department of Entomology, died on Friday June 19, 2020, in Colorado. She was 79. Details about the cause of her death are still developing, but her passing was unexpected, according to...

Annual whistleblower policy notification
The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. The University's Whistleblower Policy provides multiple avenues for...

COVID-19 community resources available in English and Spanish
The Nutrition Policy Institute and the Berkeley Food Institute have developed resources in English and Spanish for UC Cooperative Extension advisors and county directors to provide to community members. A modifiable county template...

Diversity, equity and inclusion resources
UC ANR and the entire UC community are dedicated to helping create the open and equitable society to which we are all entitled. As we stand with the global outcry against the senseless, tragic murders of Black Americans, we are exploring new paths we can...

STAR award winners celebrated
The 2019-2020 winners of UC ANR's Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Awards were recognized and celebrated on June 18. The awards reward outstanding individual and team performances by staff. Individual Awards Zeva Cho, 4-H Youth Development...

In memoriam: Travis Bean
On May 27, 2020, Travis Bean, UC Cooperative Extension specialist and an incredible, amazing and accomplished man passed away suddenly at the age of 43. Travis was born in Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 11, 1977, and raised in Yuma, Ariz. At the University...

May 2020

UC ANR stands firmly by values of diversity and inclusivity
Dear Colleagues, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the wave of emotions we are all feeling. Our nation has been shaken by the tragic death of yet another unarmed Black man, George Floyd. This brutal event, followed by protests by those who are...

Show your UC ANR pride on Big Dig Day, June 5
Greetings! I'm reaching out to you in preparation for our UC ANR divisionwide, online fundraising event: Big Dig Day on June 5. In times of crisis, and beyond, it's important to share that the work of UC ANR is critical; Big Dig Day is an...

In memoriam: Travis Bean
Dear Colleagues,  I am sorry to share with you the sad news that Travis Bean passed away a few days ago. Travis joined UC ANR and the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at UC Riverside as a UC Cooperative Extension weed science specialist on...

Celebrate STAR Award winners and retirees June 18
All UC ANR colleagues are invited to a special staff meeting and recognition event at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. We will be celebrating the careers of UC ANR colleagues who are retiring July 1, 2020, and also recognizing the 2019-2020 winners of the...

Names in the News
Marino named UCCE orchard specialist Giulia Marino joined UC ANR as a UCCE orchard systems specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis on Jan. 22, 2020. Her research investigates tree physiology and its application to enhance...

L&D: People management, research compliance, citizen science, Qualtrics, Google Earth
ANR Learning & Development Find webinar announcements and recordings here. UC People Management Training for all ANR EmployeesYou don't need to be a people manager to complete the UC People Management Certificate Series. In fact, it's for anyone who...

Safety standards set for resuming in-person activities
Some county health authorities have begun to modify local shelter-at-home orders for COVID-19 and relax restrictions on low-risk activities. To ensure that we continue to protect the health and safety of our people and our communities, UC ANR has...

Strategic Initiative Brief: Spotlight on Urban IPM and enhancing our virtual skills
Unify-Communicate-Advocate May Spotlight Webinar  For the May Spotlight webinar, hosted by Jim Farrar of EIPD, Karey Windbiel-Rojas shared ideas on how we can all help protect our rivers and waterways through more careful management of urban...

Making UC ANR the healthiest place to work, learn and live
The University Of California's goal to make “UC the healthiest place to work, learn and live” acknowledges that in order to fundamentally change our health environment, campus communities must invest in a host of small changes that add up...

UC ANR annual report shows impacts that benefit every Californian
By helping low-income families save money on healthy food, teaching farmers how to maintain abundant crops even as the climate changes, introducing young people to new technologies and protecting the state's forests from threats to their future, UC...

ANR celebrates Pride Month with virtual film fest
In June, we celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and raise awareness of issues facing the community. Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in June, you are invited to join UC ANR colleagues to view films about LGBTQ+ communities and...

Finances hurt by COVID-19? UC Regents allow access to retirement savings
The UC Board of Regents voted on May 21, 2020, to implement provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)  to make it easier for participants to access funds from their retirement savings plans. These optional...

Help NFCS advisor understand family food resiliency during COVID-19 pandemic
UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor Deepa Srivastava asks for her colleagues' help in a virtual project that she initiated to understand family food resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic....

See the winning UC Walks 2020 photos
This May, UC ANR staff and faculty opted outside for a Virtual UC Walks 2020. More than 100 ANR staff and academics chose to walk together while apart for a total of 90 hours! Several participants chose to submit photos of their walks to the photo...

Hansen REC donates fruits and vegetables to Food Forward and Ventura schools
Nearly two tons of fruit and vegetables grown at UC's Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) in Santa Paula have been donated to Food Forward and the Ventura Unified School District, destined for children and...

Master Gardeners get a shout out in UCnetwork
If you are a staff employee, you should be receiving UCnetwork — a monthly e-newsletter for UC staff systemwide. Under Campus Buzz, the May edition features UC Master Gardener Program for offering useful resources online for home...

UC ANR partners with Citrus Research Board to hire citrus IPM advisor
UC ANR and the Citrus Research Board are co-funding a new citrus IPM advisor position to be headquartered at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The CRB has pledged $750,000 to cover half the cost of the advisor's salary and benefits for 10...

Governor proposes UC budget cuts in May revise
As expected, California's response to the coronavirus pandemic and loss of tax revenues resulting from the disruption in business have dramatically changed the state's economic outlook. Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised budget proposal for...

In memoriam: William Liebhardt
William Liebhardt, founding director of UC ANR's sustainable agriculture program and UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, died May 5 of complications of Q fever at his home in Davis. He was 84. Liebhardt was the director of the UC...

April 2020

PAC meets virtually, thanks President Napolitano for her service
The President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources met via Zoom April 9 as everyone was sheltering in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Jean-Mari Peltier, PAC chair, welcomed the PAC members for their last meeting with...

Names in the News
Soule named assistant vice provost for CE Katherine Soule will serve as ANR's new Assistant Vice Provost for Cooperative Extension. She will start her new duties on July 1, 2020, and continue to serve as UCCE director for San Luis Obispo and Santa...

Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network applications due June 23
USDA NIFA requests applications to the 2020 Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network funding opportunity. The purpose of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) Program is to establish a network that connects individuals who are...

SI Brief: Want video in your toolkit?
Now more than ever, the video format can help us expand our educational outreach. Want to produce Oscar-winning videos? Well, we can't quite promise that, but we can help you develop your own videos and video skills - producing something you can be...

UC Walks together apart on May 6
Shelter in place got you stuck in the house? Not on May 6, 2020! Walking together, even when we're apart - that's the mission for Virtual UC Walks happening on May 6, 2020! Anytime on May 6, put on your walking shoes and take a walk around your...

Hundreds sign up for online oak woodland workshop
California oak woodlands are highly prized ecoregions where stately trees, many of them hundreds of years old, are cornerstones of a habitat for wildlife and native plants. Sadly, some of these ecosystems are seriously threatened by exotic pests and...

Sierra Foothill REC seeks research proposals
The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) 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...

Lindcove REC calls for research proposals
Lindcove Research & Extension Center (LREC), located in the foothills of Tulare County, has land, labor and facilities available for 2020/2021 research projects. The Research Advisory Committee reviews proposals and projects are evaluated based on...

Learning & Development: Facilitation, Racial Understanding, Engaging Webinars
Find webinar announcements and recordings here.Find information on Extension delivery; building support; and office, team and personal management here.Call for WebANR Presenters and Topics Do you have a WebANR Cafe Thursday topic and...

A few thoughts about self-care
In the midst of a pandemic, it is difficult to define health or healthy in any other terms other than no COVID-19 detected, recovered from COVID-19 or remaining asymptomatic from COVID-19. However, “health” is not just the absence of...

"Romaine Calm & Carrot On" takes next step
Thanks to the 800-plus registrants for the April 21 Romaine Calm & Carrot On! Activating Your Local Community Food & Resource Exchange webinar, we made a lot of new connections and generated some great ideas. People from at least 15 states...

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

Employee comment sought on Native American cultural affiliation and repatriation policy
The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy on Native American Cultural Affiliation and Repatriation. The proposed policy substantively revises the existing Policy and Procedures on Curation and...

Employee comment sought on UC Seismic Safety Policy, UC-CR-17-0324
The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy, UC Seismic Safety Policy, UC-CR-17-0324. The policy is proposed to be revised and includes the following key issues: Policy implementation...

March 2020

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

February 2020

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

January 2020

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

December 2019

Names in the News
Kron named north coast IPM advisor Cindy Kron joined UC Cooperative Extension as area-wide IPM advisor for Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties in September 2019.  Before joining UCCE, Kron studied the three-cornered alfalfa hopper as a...

New annual report shows how UC ANR is improving California life with science-based solutions
UC ANR's program planning and evaluation has compiled a 16-page 2018 annual report that provides an overview of the sweeping impacts our scientists and educators made in 2018. The impacts are felt across the state – in places where water...

ANR releases 6 UCCE advisor positions for recruitment
I am thrilled to announce that the following 6 CE Advisor positions from the 2018 CE position proposals are released for recruitment: #12 Production Horticulture Advisor, San Diego County #42 Agronomy Area Advisor, Merced County #54...

Important year-end tax and payroll reminders
  As you begin holiday celebrations and look forward to the new year, the UCPath Center has some important year-end and new-year reminders to share. Please read closely and mark your calendar for upcoming deadlines. 2020 payroll...

EPA awards UC IPM $2.675 million for PREP
The UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program has received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP). EPA expects the total funding for the five-year cooperative agreement,...

In memoriam: Keith C. Knapp
Keith C. Knapp passed away on Nov. 27, 2019, surrounded by his family and friends, in Riverside. Born in Wichita, Kan, on July 28, 1950, Keith was the first son of William H. and Jane L. Knapp. After moving around the Midwest with his family early in...

In memoriam: James M. Lyons
James M. Lyons, UC Davis professor emeritus of vegetable crops and founding director of the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, passed away Nov. 9, 2019. He was 90. Born and raised in Livermore, Jim earned a B.S. in Agricultural Economics...

Learning & Development: Water, Fund Raising, Grant Tracking, Staff Mentorship
Check out the ANR Learning and Development website for new skills and development opportunities. Webinars are archived here. January 2020 Announcements Solutions to CA Water Challenges - Webinar Series (second Tuesdays through May 2020) Jan. 14, 2020 10...

Save the date for Grant Essentials Summit March 2-3
To learn best practices, extend your network, and establish new partnerships towards successfully securing grant funding, attend the 2020 Grant Essentials Summit in March. Have you identified areas for professional growth related to "grant-winning"...

Rotary donates $5000 to 4-H in Modoc County
  The Alturas Sunrise Rotary donated $5000 towards the Modoc County Forever 4-H Endowment. This endowment, established in 2018 amid state budget constraints, is intended to support the 4-H program in Modoc County for generations to come. Over...

Tools to tell the ANR story
A new communications toolkit is available to support you in communicating the value of UC ANR and promoting your work. Topics addressed by the toolkit will be continually refined and updated (It's a work in progress). The branding section offers an...

November 2019

Regent Stegura 'blown away' by UCCE Sonoma work
Vice President Glenda Humiston introduced alumni regent-designate Debby Stegura to UC Cooperative Extension staff and their community partners and clientele in Sonoma County on Nov. 15. After visiting Beretta Dairy, Bayer Farm Park and Gardens,...

New report reveals California’s working landscape is a major economic driver
California's working landscape and the industries associated with agriculture and natural resources are the sixth largest sector of the state's economy, according to a new study by the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence for Labor...

Names in the News
Ingram named forest stewardship education academic coordinator Kim Ingram is now an academic coordinator for forest stewardship education as of Nov. 18, 2019. She is also a trainer for UC ANR's Collaborative Facilitation Skills workshop and is involved...

Giving Tuesday presents opportunities Dec. 3
On Dec. 3, ANR is once again participating in Giving Tuesday's 24-hour global giving challenge, a movement about ordinary people coming together to do extraordinary things. Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday...

Unifying, Communicating and Advocating: Video and Knowledge Stream
We are finishing the year strong and planning for success in 2020. Videos for all?  In our digital and always-connected age, it seems almost everyone loves a good video. Did you know “how to” videos are the second most...

Recording of ANR town hall posted
During the ANR town hall Thursday, Nov. 21, VP Glenda Humiston shared encouraging news, including new sources of funding, response to the UC regents tours and the new report “California's Working Landscape: A Key Contributor to the State's...

Public invited to give input on UC president search
Forums at UC Davis Dec. 13 and UCLA Jan. 14 Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, a woman and minority-owned executive search firm, has been selected to help identify candidates and facilitate a global search for a new president of the University of...

Learning & Development: Foreign influence, measuring outcomes, training webinars
Check out the continuing learning opportunities provided through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here. Foreign Influence: What is foreign influence and how can I comply? Wednesday, Dec. 4 | 9:30 a.m-10:30 a.m....

Iowa added to travel ban list
On Oct. 4, 2019, the state of California added Iowa to Assembly Bill 1887. AB 1887 that restricts the use of State General Funds to pay for travel costs to states with laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender...

Employee comments sought for dean and faculty administrator policy revisions
UC invites comments on proposed revisions to Academic Personnel Manual Sections 240 (APM - 240), Deans, and 246 (APM - 246), Faculty Administrators (100% time). Summarized below are the proposed key revisions that are being distributed for systemwide...

Social media webinars to hone your outreach
In 2018, an estimated 2.65 billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to 3.1 billion in 2021. YouTube has 2 billion active monthly users who watch how-to content regularly. Roughly 70% of adults...

In memoriam: Marijohn Bledsoe
Marijohn Bledsoe, a UCCE community education specialist 2 for the UC Master Food Preserver Program, passed away in Modesto on Oct. 31, 2019. She was 46. Bledsoe joined UCCE in the Capital Corridor in 2016. She coordinated volunteers in Solano, Yolo...

In memoriam: Aaron Nelson
Aaron Nelson, UCCE livestock advisor emeritus, passed away on Oct. 14, 2019, in Clovis. He was 85. Nelson grew up on a small farm in Texas until the age 7, when his family moved to the San Diego area. At age 11, his father gave him a newborn calf to...

Researchers must comply with policy on foreign Influence
UC ANR values international collaborations and educational opportunities with foreign institutions, through collaborative research, and scholarly exchanges that are an essential part of the academic community. At the same time, the University of...

October 2019

Regent Estolano, Senator Caballero tour UCCE Fresno
  “UC ANR touches the lives of thousands of people in rural communities and urban centers alike,” said state Senator Anna Caballero, after meeting UC Cooperative Extension staff and stakeholders in Fresno County. Caballero joined UC...

Names in the News
Randhawa to oversee UCCE in Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare counties Karmjot Randhawa joined ANR on Sept. 6, 2019, as the UC Cooperative Extension director for Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare counties.  In this newly created staff position,...

Lindcove REC kicks off fundraising with citrus gala
Lindcove Research and Extension Center recently held a gala event to kick off its fundraising campaign “Sweetening the Future of Lindcove.” Donations from the campaign will create an endowment to support a community...

Review Open Enrollment options by Nov. 26
Through 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26, you can enroll or make changes to your benefits — just choose your location from the dropdown on the Open Enrollment website. Highlights of this year's Open Enrollment include...

Unifying, communicating and advocating
People work better when they are part of a supportive team. With people scattered across 57 counties, six campuses, and nine research and extension centers, connecting people across UC ANR can be tough. Our UC ANR Jigsaw consists of 50+ workgroups...

Instagram Tips and Tricks Nov. 13
Join UC Cooperative Extension advisors Rose Hayden-Smith and Dan Macon at 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, to learn how they use Instagram for outreach. Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service. "It's an ideal...

Healthy Over the Holidays begins Nov. 25
Dust off your holiday hats and bring your holiday cheer because Healthy Over the Holidays begins Nov. 25! Join UC ANR Staff Wellness Committee in this four-week program and end your year on a wellness high note. Participants will receive weekly emails...

Employee comments invited for emerita/emeritus titles
UC invites comments on proposed revisions to Academic Personnel Manual Section 120 (APM - 120), Emerita/Emeritus Titles. In May of 2018, the Board of Regents rescinded Standing Order 103.5 relating to the conferral of emeritus status and incorporated...

Learning & Development: Foreign travel with a laptop, Measuring outcomes, Wellness
  Check out the continuing learning opportunities provided through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here. Export Control: What is export and how does it affect me? Wednesday, Nov. 6 9:30 a.m.-10:30 am...

KARE to host Spray Application Short Course Nov 12-14
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources will host its first San Joaquin Valley Spray Application Short Course Nov. 12-14 at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier. Anyone involved with spray application operations...

Esparza, Jacobo selected as Global Food Initiative fellows
Two graduate students from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health have been selected by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources as Global Food Initiative Fellows for 2019-2020. Elsa Esparza and Andrea Jacobo will focus on community-based initiatives and...

UC hosts virtual Travel Roadshow for ANR Nov. 14
Priority boarding, preferred seating and upgrade opportunities are among the many perks the UC Central Travel Office program offers. Learn more from Yasmin Sidi, UCOP travel project manager, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m....

Check your benefits in UCPath
UC ANR's implementation of the UCPath payroll and HR system has gone smoothly since our launch on Sept. 27. More than 1,000 ANR employees received their first paychecks accurately and on schedule on Oct. 1 and 2. Approximately 12 ANR employees noticed...

September 2019

Names in the News
Kron named area IPM advisor for North Coast Cindy Kron has joined UC Cooperative Extension as areawide IPM advisor for Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties. Before joining UCCE, Kron studied the three-cornered alfalfa hopper as a research...

At UCCE’s suggestion, Humboldt waives air-quality fees for public benefit burning
“I thought you all might enjoy this bit of good news from Humboldt County. Yesterday reminded me of the important role we at UCCE can play in these types of local issues,” wrote Lenya Quinn-Davidson, UCCE area fire advisor in Humboldt...

Three counties win Newhall Family Foundation match
Last year, Mary Ciricillo, California 4-H Foundation director, secured a $73,000 gift from the Newhall Family Foundation for 4-H Diversity initiatives, including $36,500 for Santa Barbara, Merced and Fresno counties. In order to receive the...

Learning and Development: LinkedIn, water diversion reporting, staff mentorship
Check out the continuing learning opportunities provided through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here. Communicating Your Story: LinkedInOctober 9, 201911:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Rose Hayden-Smith explains that...

Congressman Carbajal tours UCCE projects in SLO and Santa Barbara
The UCCE team in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties met with Congressman Salud Carbajal and his team twice in the past few weeks. On Aug. 20, Jeremy Tittle, the congressman's chief of staff, and Erin Sandler, the congressman's scheduler,...

Nansen calls for articles on remote sensing
UC Davis agricultural entomologist Christian Nansen, the newly selected guest editor of a special issue of the journal Remote Sensing, has issued a call for contributions. Nansen, associate professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, is...

In memoriam: John Labavitch
UC Davis professor emeritus John Labavitch, who taught countless students about plant development, fruit ripening and cell walls, and who was well-known and respected for his research, passed away on Sept. 24, 2019. After earning a Ph.D. from Stanford...

Oct. 8 is 4-H Spirit Day
During National 4-H Week 2019, Oct. 8 is 4-H Spirit Day. Nationwide, everyone is encouraged to wear their 4-H shirt, a clover or green to show support for 4-H youth. You can show how UC ANR supports 4-H on 4-H Spirit Day, Tuesday, Oct. 8, by...

UCCE advisor Patti Wooten Swanson, who championed 'San Diego Saves,' retires
Patti Wooten Swanson, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in San Diego County, retired July 1, 2019. Wooten Swanson, who joined UC ANR in 2001, focused on family financial management to help Californians establish...

UCPath Is here!
All ANR employees may now access UCPath at ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu. UCPath is the University of California's modernized payroll and HR system. The UCPath self-service employee portal is mobile-friendly and available 24x7. Please take...

New ANR employees should register for Nov. 13 Administrative Orientation
Registration is open for the Nov. 13 Administrative Orientation for newer ANR employees. It will be held at the UC ANR Building at 2801 Second Street in Davis. All UC ANR Employees – academics, staff and affiliated staff on...

Rustici calls for proposals
The 2020 request for proposals for the UC Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment is now open. Proposals for research and outreach are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. Funding is available to University of California...

Strategic Initiative leaders: Unifying, communicating and advocating
Each month we will bring you a brief update on one or two topics being pursued by the Strategic Initiative leaders. This month, learn about some of the connecting and communicating activities being developed by the SIs to promote the work of UC...

Healthy Snack Day winners show their creativity
Thanks to all who participated in Healthy Snack Day 2019! The Wellness committee was very impressed with the level of creativity sites brought to this event. Many of you enjoyed local fruits and vegetables from your home gardens and even gardens at your...

Employee comments sought on copyright ownership policy
The University invites comments on proposed modifications to the Presidential Policy on Copyright Ownership, which updates the 1992 Copyright Policy. Given the significant copyright landscape changes over the years, it has become clear that the time...

UC Disability Survey Launches Oct. 7
UC embraces diversity in the workplace and is committed to providing a supportive environment for all faculty, staff and students. This October, as we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we ask all of UC's faculty and staff to help...

EFNEP celebrates 50 years in Riverside and San Bernardino counties
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program team that serves Riverside and San Bernardino counties recently hosted a lunch to celebrate the 50th anniversary of EFNEP.  Chutima Ganthavorn, UCCE nutrition, family and...

Need help with an environmental project? Submit a proposal to EPM
The UC Davis Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management (EPM) program seeks external partners for synthetic, action-oriented, collaborative group projects. Projects will provide knowledge synthesis and analysis from a variety of...

UC's new retirement website has launched
UC has launched UC Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS) — a new retirement website that will give UC faculty, staff and retirees greater access and more ways to view and manage their retirement information. This new website will...

August 2019

ANR has a tight budget, not budget crisis
ANR's budget is tight this year, but we don't have a budget crisis, VP Glenda Humiston emphasized during the ANR town hall on Aug. 15. In addition to the budget update, Humiston discussed UCPath, which launches on Oct. 1, and answered ANR members'...

Names in the News
Nouri named UCCE orchard systems advisor for San Joaquin County Mohamed Nouri joined UC Cooperative Extension on July 1, 2019, as an orchard systems advisor serving San Joaquin County. Nouri will address production and pest management issues in walnuts...

Advocacy is about building relationships
Most Californians do not live near a UC campus and therefore do not know that UC is present in their communities. We need to make all Californians aware that UC ANR is the local UC connection, delivering a variety of programs, services and...

UC ANR to hold symposium on climate change policy and environmental justice Oct. 7-8
UC ANR employees interested in incorporating responses to climate change into their programs are invited to a  symposium Oct. 7-8 at Elkus Ranch in Half Moon Bay. The focus will be on the national dialog around contemporary federal...

New rules passed to protect workers from wildfire smoke: guidance available
Cal/OSHA recently passed an emergency regulation to establish standards to protect workers from the hazards of wildfire smoke. This standard has four primary requirements: Identify potential exposures to harmful air quality caused by wildfire smoke...

UC Blue & Gold HMO more affordable in 2020
Open enrollment news is coming early this year: Employees who belong to Western Health Advantage HMO (health maintenance organization) learned Aug. 26 that the university will drop WHA as a medical plan option next year. As a comparable...

Monthly paid employees must submit August timesheets Sept. 9-13
In preparation for UCPath, a new version of the time reporting system (TRS) will be deployed in early September for August monthly timesheets.   Monthly paid employees will use the new TRS to report August vacation and sick...

ANR Learning & Development: Climate communication, people management & webinars
  Check out the continuing learning opportunities through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here. Equitable Futures ToolKit WebinarSeptember 11, 201911am-noon PST Register here Brought to us by...

In memoriam: Hodge Black
James Hodge Black, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, passed away Aug. 10, 2019, at the age of 83 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black earned his B.S. in general agriculture in 1957 and his M.S. in entomology in 1961 from the University of Arkansas....

Academics sought to serve on Program Council
Academic Assembly Council is seeking self-nominations to serve on the ANR Program Council. The ANR Program Council advises the Vice President on Division-wide planning and delivery of programs and develops recommendations for...

Snack healthy on Healthy Snack Day and win great prizes
The UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee is sponsoring Healthy Snack Day activities on Sept. 12. Healthy Snack Day is a statewide day of action celebrating the benefits of eating foods in between meals that that are nutritious and fun. The event...

ANR 2019-20 winter holiday closure schedule announced
Human Resources has confirmed the 2019-20 winter holiday closure schedule.  ANR units – including Research and Extension Centers, BOC Kearney, UCCE county offices and the Second Street Building in Davis – will be closed from Tuesday,...

UCnetwork welcomes staff
UCnetwork — a monthly email newsletter  — is being sent directly to staff across the system to share benefits news, professional development opportunities and inspiring stories about colleagues who are making a difference. Launching...

July 2019

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

May-June 2019

UCCE Riverside County funding goes from zero to zero cuts
In May, Eta Takele, UCCE Riverside County director, was told to expect to receive no funding from the county in light of a budget shortfall in revenue. She and her UCCE staff and academics relayed the shocking news to their Riverside County clientele,...

Names in the News
Muramoto hired as first UCCE organic ag specialist Joji Muramoto joined ANR on May 29 as an assistant Cooperative Extension organic production specialist. The first UCCE specialist hired to focus on organic agriculture, Muramoto will coordinate a...

UC IPM celebrates 40th anniversary
The University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Established July 1, 1979, with funding from the California Legislature, UC IPM built upon a growing movement to...

Jan Corlett, chief of staff to the VP, retires
Jan Corlett, chief of staff to Vice President Humiston, retired July 1 after a 20-year UC career. Corlett, who joined UC ANR in 2011, served on numerous special projects over the years, but she is best known for overseeing the conversion of an old...

ANR Learning & Development
          Check out the growing list of learning opportunities on the ANR Learning & Development website. Make it Acccessible: SiteBuilder for Everyone Thursday July 18noon-12:30 pmLearn basic techniques to make your...

ANR recognizes outstanding staff performance with STAR awards
UC ANR presented its annual Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Awards June 18 to individuals and teams demonstrating exceptional performance, creativity, organizational abilities, work success and teamwork. The STAR program is an opportunity to...

Marty Martino retires from UC IPM
Marty Martino, UC IPM computer resource specialist, retired Feb. 28 after serving UC for over 29 years. He started working for the university in 1989 and joined the UC IPM Program in 1994. He has been an outstanding addition to the UC IPM IT/production...

In memoriam: Robbin Thorp
Robbin Thorp, a global and legendary authority on bees and a distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis, passed away Friday, June 7, at his home in Davis, surrounded by family. He was 85. Thorp, a member of the UC Davis entomology...

File Vault to retire in September, share files with Box
Have you heard of Box? UC Davis staff, students and faculty are entitled to an account with the cloud file-sharing service box.com; this covers most ANR staff. It includes the ability for users without ANR Portal accounts to send files to ANR staff....

Communications Advisory Board seeks new members
The advisory board to ANR Communication Services and Information Technology (CSIT) is seeking to fill positions. Nominations for Communications Advisory Board membership can include, but are not limited to, specialists, advisors and faculty affiliated...

March-April 2019

UC ANR visits the Capitol
UC ANR Day at the Capitol was held on March 26, 2019, to update California legislators and legislative staff on UC ANR's research and outreach projects. Vice President Glenda Humiston and a UC ANR delegation discussed a wide variety of topics...

Names in the News
Coyne named Master Gardener volunteer engagement coordinator Marisa Coyne is now the academic coordinator - volunteer engagement for UC Master Gardener Program as of April 8. Coyne joined the Program after serving as a part-time community education...

UCPath paychecks to start Oct. 1
The systemwide UCPath Steering Committee has decided the new launch date for UCPath at UC ANR, UC Davis and UC Davis Health will be Oct. 1, with cutover activities happening in September.  The decision for UC ANR to launch UCPath on Oct. 1 comes...

In memoriam: Charley Hess
Charles E. “Charley” Hess, a UC Davis Medal recipient and dean emeritus of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences who never took the word “retirement” seriously, died April 13 of congestive heart failure at the age...

Workgroups, program teams and strategic initiatives review shows clarity of purpose
A major factor in job satisfaction is the extent to which people feel part of a wider supportive community. Such connections have historically been offered in UC ANR through various means, including our structural units (i.e., our 81 workgroups, 21...

USDA releases 2017 Census of Agriculture results
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture, spanning some 6.4 million new points of information about America's farms and ranches and those who operate them, including new data about on-farm decision...

Hopland REC calls for research proposals
The Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) is soliciting proposals for new research and extension projects for the period July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020. The center provides research project access to 5,358 acres of Northern California Coast...

Employee comment sought on academic freedom, responsibilities of non-faculty academics
The University invites comments on a proposed new Academic Personnel Manual Section 011 (APM - 011), Academic Freedom, Protection of Professional Standards, and Responsibilities of Non-Faculty Academic Appointees.  Currently, APM - 010 (Academic...

UC ANR Staff Assembly launched Healthy Meeting Best Practices
To create a culture of health and wellness at UC ANR, the Staff Assembly Wellness Committee crafted an infographic to make it easy for staff and academics to adopt healthful practices at meetings. A pdf version of the "Healthy Meeting Best...

Help shape the next EcoFarm Conference
The 40th EcoFarm Conference takes place Jan. 22-25, 2020. The Ecological Farming Association (EcoFarm) is a nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to nurture safe, healthy, just and ecologically sustainable farms, food...

In memoriam: Dennis Teeguarden
Dennis Teeguarden, professor emeritus of forest economics in the UC Berkeley Department of Environment Science, Policy and Management, passed away at home in Richland, Wash., on Feb. 21. He was 88. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Teeguarden earned his...

ANR Learning & Development March 2019
Check out the growing list of learning opportunities on the ANR Learning & Development website. Spotlight Webinar May 13, 2019Time: Noon-12:30 pmGot backyard chickens? Should you eat the eggs?With Maurice Pitesky, UC Cooperative Extension poultry...

January-February 2019

A conversation with Elizabeth Moon: ‘You can make change from anywhere’
Getting to know UC ANR's new director of workplace inclusion and belonging Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR's newly appointed director of workplace inclusion and belonging, has been building bridges with a broad diversity of cultures and communities her entire...

New interactive map tool shows UC ANR’s impact
The UC ANR Impact StoryMap highlights measured changes in conditions resulting from programmatic efforts and serves as evidence of benefit to the public. This StoryMap is intended for an internal audience to help us find and learn from examples of how...

Please complete and share wildfire defensible-space survey
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has created a public survey to help develop a baseline estimate of work needed to implement Zone 0 – clearing the first five feet surrounding any structure of combustibles such as woody...

“Advancing Health Equity” webinars hosted by UC ANR and UCSF
Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference in advancing health equity?  UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UC San...

Names in the News
Gonzalves named UCCE director for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties  David Gonzalves joined UC ANR on Feb. 1 as the new director for UCCE in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.   As director, Gonzalves is responsible...

UC ANR shares research highlights at World Ag Expo
Along with over 1,200 exhibitors, UC ANR participated in the World Ag Expo held in Tulare on Feb. 14–16. This annual event attracts visitors from across the world to see the latest agricultural technology and advancements. This year's event had...

L&D - Food systems & climate, budget basics, unpacking oppression, accessible documents, project management
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies? Let us know by filling out this interest form! Extension Methods...

Haviland ups his extension game
David Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension entomology advisor for Kern County, and Twitch streamer HelloIAmKate try to survive backyard bugs in the video game Grounded. “This was a really neat opportunity to combine science and entertainment,...

Hansen REC to expand capacity in Camarillo
UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center – the site of popular school field trips, 4-H programs, a UC Master Gardener demonstration garden, and numerous research trials on crops and landscape plants – is moving to a...

Richard Smith retires after 37 years of translating science into solutions for vegetable growers
For four decades, when a new plant disease infects fields of lettuce or a new regulation is issued for agriculture, vegetable farmers across the state have turned to Richard Smith, the University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crops...

Requests for mini-grant proposals due March 6
UC ANR is offering a quick turn-around mini-grants program for this current year (ending June 30, 2023) to support collaborative projects that add value to the impact of statewide programs and institutes or Research and Extension Centers (REC). The...

President Drake answers employee questions at UC Town Hall
UC President Michael V. Drake held a systemwide UC Town Hall on Feb. 24. In conversation with Priya Lakireddy, staff advisor, and Jo Mackness, staff advisor-designate to the UC Regents, Drake opened with his journey from UC student to UC San...

Take 10 minutes to complete the ANR wildfire survey
By taking a brief survey, you can help UC ANR colleagues on the fire team to better understand the wildfire-related needs of Californians. While taking the survey, you'll also learn tips for protecting your home from wildfire. The new group of...

Youth development advisors launch blog to share ideas
4-H youth development advisors JoLynn Miller, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, Marianne Bird and fellow 4-H colleagues have started a new blog titled “Youth Development Insights” to share ideas, strategies and research from the field of positive...

Registration opens for UC ANR Pesticide Policy Trainings
The Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (OPIC) has opened online registration for its annual UC ANR Pesticide Policy Update Trainings. These trainings are intended for campus, research and extension center, and county-based UC ANR...

Join March webinars for 2023 Staff Performance Evaluations
ANR Human Resources will review the staff evaluation process and discuss available support tools during webinars in March. The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities...

Register for the UC ANR Statewide Conference
Registration is now open for the UC ANR Statewide Conference 2023 being held April 24-27 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The conference theme is “Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California's...

Early career academics invited to UC ANR Programmatic Orientation
All early-career academics are invited to register for the upcoming UC ANR Programmatic Orientations.  Early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and AES faculty who have...

Storm damages Elkus Ranch, limits access
As 2023 roared in like a lion, ushering in a series of storms, many Californians experienced some impact from flooding, power outages, fallen trees, road closures and even evacuations. UC ANR colleagues at Elkus Ranch are continuing to deal with...

UC ANR grows connections, knowledge at EcoFarm
Delivering presentations and hosting networking events, UC ANR academics and staff were a prominent presence at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, the oldest and largest sustainable farming conference in the West. The conference was held Jan. 18-21 at...

December 2018

PAC discusses ANR Advisory Committee recommendations
The UC ANR Advisory Committee, appointed by President Janet Napolitano to consider options for UC ANR's structure, governance and funding, submitted its recommendations to her, Don Bransford told the UC President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture...

Names in the News
Bruno named dairy advisor in Fresno and Madera counties Daniela Bruno joined UCCE on Nov. 5, 2018, as the area dairy advisor in Fresno and Madera counties. Bruno completed a Ph.D. in comparative pathology from UC Davis and a DVM from The Federal...

Learning & Development
  WebANRCommunicating Your Story: LinkedInDate: Thursday January 3, 2019Time: 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Zoom link: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656Webinar ID: 751 701 428 Presenters: Rose...

Learn what you need to know about UCPath at Jan. 29 town hall
Join VP Glenda Humiston, AVP Tu Tran and the UCPath Project Team for an important town hall Zoom session from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. We encourage all UC ANR academics and staff to save the date and plan to participate. UC Path is the...

You can support the future of the University of California
University of California staff are an integral part of a system with a high purpose. Every staff member plays a role in supporting the University's mission: Educating the best and brightest from all backgrounds, ethnicities and incomes, conducting...

Communicating Your Story tip sheet series starts
About the ANR Communicating Your Story Tip Sheet Series: This is a series of monthly publications designed to provide communications tips to ANR academics and staff. The Tip Sheets are intended to augment the “Communicating Your ANR Story”...

Apply to develop online educational resources for underserved audiences
All UC ANR and UC ANR-affiliated academics and staff are invited to apply for funding to develop online resources targeting underserved audiences. Extending UC ANR's reach and impact to significant numbers of non-English speaking audiences in California...

California Adaptation Clearinghouse website launched
IGIS and the California Naturalist Program are pleased to help celebrate the launch of a new information portal on climate adaptation. The California Adaptation Clearinghouse was officially launched at the California Adaptation...

CalNat accomplishments recognized in five-year review
The UC California Naturalist program successfully completed its first UC ANR five-year statewide program review. Associate Vice President Powers and I extend a thank you to the ad-hoc committee for their time commitment and thoroughness in examining the...

Duo adds layer of security to online accounts
As many of you are aware, preparations are underway for UC ANR to implement UCPath in the spring of 2019. UCPath is a systemwide initiative launched by the University of California to modernize its current payroll system. Using new technology, UCPath...

Lindcove REC citrus attracts a crowd
Lindcove Research and Extension Center hosted its annual citrus variety tasting for growers and other industry members on Dec. 14. The following day, they welcomed members of the public to sample over 100 different citrus...

Nominations open for Experiment Station Diversity and Inclusion Award
The Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) is seeking nominations for the National Experiment Station Section Diversity and Inclusion Award. The award recognizes experiment station research initiatives that support the creation...

Apply for 2019 WEDA Award of Excellence by Feb. 15
The Western Extension Directors Association (WEDA) seeks applications for the 2019 Award of Excellence. This award recognizes Cooperative Extension outreach education programming that has achieved outstanding accomplishments, results, and impacts in...

How might we connect better?
Being able to connect is key to the success we in UC ANR enjoy in developing and providing solutions to help the people of California.  Please provide your input (see #3 under "Where are we?) to see how we might do this even better. A summer...

Intermountain REC calls for proposals
The Intermountain Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals from researchers for new and continuing research projects in 2019-20.  IREC is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet elevation near the Oregon border. The center...

Duo office hours offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Starting Monday, Dec. 17, ANR's help desk team will begin offering virtual “office hours” to answer questions about the multifactor authorization app Duo. The Zoom link to the “Duo Clinic” is ucanr.zoom.us/s/491057944. Join any...

In memoriam: Joanne Ikeda
Joanne Ikeda, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist emeritus in the Department of Nutrition and Toxicology at UC Berkeley for 36 years, died on Nov. 27. She was 74. She was highly respected for her research on the food habits of minority...

In memoriam: Hank Sciaroni
R.H. "Hank" Sciaroni, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, passed away on Sept. 30, 2018. He was 95. Sciaroni, who served UCCE as a farm advisor and director for close to 40 years, was instrumental in establishing UC Cooperative Extension in San...

November 2018

Delivering hope in the midst of loss
Between the Camp Fire in Butte County and the Woolsey Fire in Southern California in November, most ANR members have been affected in some way by the devastating wildfires. Several have experienced major personal losses that they are still dealing...

UC ANR raises $121,000 on Giving Tuesday
Thanks to everyone who participated, UC ANR's #GivingTuesday campaign was a resounding success. “We surpassed our stretch goal of $100,000,” Emily Delk, director of Annual Giving and Donor Stewardship, announced jubilantly before...

UC ANR rolls out UCPath training tools
With UC ANR's go-live date of UC Path approaching in March/April 2019, ANR's Change Network Committee has been compiling useful resources for you.  In addition to offering monthly webinars, these resources are meant to familiarize you with the new...

Names in the News
Schilder named director for UCCE Ventura and Hansen REC Annemiek Schilder joined ANR on Aug. 1, 2018, as director of UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center. She hails from the Netherlands, where she grew up in an...

New interactive map identifies meeting and training facilities
Are you planning an ANR workshop, training, or meeting in an area of California unfamiliar to you? Now you can use the newly published online Interactive ANR Training & Facilities Map. ANR business and office managers and assistants, IGIS (Robert...

Hayden-Smith to help with communicating your ANR story
As ANR researchers and educators, outreach is essential to our organization's mission. At our core, humans are storytellers. Stories that resonate can make the information contained in the story more relatable and memorable. While we may have started...

Mural honoring Steve Orloff celebrated in Siskiyou County
A mural depicting a UC Cooperative Extension advisor talking with a farmer beside a crop field and stream, surrounded by cattle, potatoes and a 4-H member showing a prize-winning sheep, against the backdrop of the Siskiyou Mountains was dedicated Oct....

UCCE positions recruitment hindered by budget constraints
Dear Colleagues, Over the course of the past 11 months, UC ANR has undertaken a position call process to identify the priority UCCE advisor and UCCE specialist position needs to support the work of the division. After a great deal of work, 46 positions...

Integrating Climate Change in UCCE Programs Workshop set for Jan. 23-24
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing farmers, natural resource managers and communities in California. On Jan. 23-24, the Climate Change Program Team will hold the Integrating Climate Change in California Cooperative Extension...

UC innovators sought for Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, apply by Dec. 12
Apply to the 3rd Annual UC Entrepreneur Pitch Competition and win a chance to pitch in front of more than 700 venture capitalists at the Global Corporate Venturing and Innovation Summit and $15,000 in prize money. The event is a systemwide effort to...

Learning & Development: public issues leadership, transferable talent, supervisor networking
   Café WebANR Thursday (first Thursday – Dec 6 – @ 10 am!)Communicating Your Story: For Blogs and More Why you should blog Techniques and best practices to start OR get better Crafting catchy headlines and smart...

Growing food movement discussed at Food Tank Summit in San Diego
“There's a massive interest in young people who want to be part of these issues about how one should think about food,” said Rachel Surls, discussing farming for a better food system on a panel with Jenny Ramirez of California Harvesters...

In memoriam: Karen Klonsky remembered as distinguished professional and warm and caring friend
Karen Klonsky, emeritus University of California Cooperative Extension specialist in agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis, died on Sept. 26, 2018, at age 66 after an extended illness. Karen was an internationally respected and influential...

Employee comments sought on open access for theses and dissertations
The University invites comments on a revised proposed Presidential Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations. The policy is new and includes the following key issues: There is currently no systemwide uniformity or policy for ensuring...

New travel policy takes effect Jan. 1, 2019
A new policy change will become effective Jan. 1, 2019 (see Policy & Procedure Manual 300-10). Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, AggieTravel expense reports submitted more than 60 days after the last day of travel or entertainment will be...

October 2018

UC ANR to launch fourth annual #GivingTuesday campaign Nov. 27
On Nov. 27, ANR is once again participating in #GivingTuesday—a 24-hour global giving challenge—a movement about ordinary people coming together to do extraordinary things. Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving,...

Cybersecurity and UCPath to change the way ANR does business
When ANR joins UCPath in the spring, it will introduce new technology that will ultimately unify and standardize payroll, benefits and human resources systems for all UC employees. As we adopt new technology to modernize ANR business systems, we are...

Names in the News
Jones named UCCE forestry advisor Michael Jones joined UCCE on Oct. 1, 2018, as the area forestry advisor in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties. He specializes in forest entomology with a focus on forest health and integrated pest management of...

Communication is key to action on California’s new water narrative
UC scientists, students and water agency professionals took a critical look inwards and a radical look outwards when they gathered in Sacramento in October to reimagine California water. The event was the fourth annual gathering sponsored by UC ANR's...

Tenth Americas Competitiveness Exchange tours N. California technology centers
Vice President Glenda Humiston hosted 50 high-level representatives from 24 countries as part of the Tenth Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE 10) on Innovation and Entrepreneurship tour of Northern California Oct. 21-27.  Over the course of a...

Learning and Development opportunities
Communicating Your Story: Blogging Basics Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 9 a.m.–10 a.m. Presenters: Rose Hayden-Smith and Cynthia Kintigh Join via Zoom: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/564553833 (669) 900-6833 or (646) 558-8656 Webinar ID: 564 553...

UC ANR shows its 4-H spirit, raises over $80,000 for youth
UC ANR's 4-H Youth Development Program raised $80,619 for California youth from its supporters purchasing paper clovers at Tractor Supply for $1 or more Oct. 3–14, finishing second only to Texas in the 2018 Fall Paper Clover campaign during...

Vice provost Lagrimini visits three Central Valley RECs in October
UC ANR vice provost Mark Lagrimini visited the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, the Lindcove REC and the West Side REC in October as he continues to become familiarized with the diversity of resources in the...

CDFA and UC ANR join forces to advance climate-smart agriculture
Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and Vice President Glenda Humiston signed a memorandum of understanding in Sacramento Oct. 26 to initiate a new partnership to advance climate-smart agriculture in...

The Citrus Research Board and UC create a $1 million endowment for citrus research
The Citrus Research Board and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have established a $1 million endowment to fund the Presidential Researcher for Sustainable Citrus Clonal Protection at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center....

Sign up for the 2018 Maintain Don't Gain Challenge
For the first time, all UC ANR staff are invited to take the UC Maintain Don't Gain Challenge during the holiday season. The challenge, brought to you by the UC ANR Staff Assembly wellness committee, runs from Nov. 19 to Jan. 7. The average...

Livestock and poultry owners asked to take survey on fire impact
People raising cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, swine, horses, llamas, alpacas, aquaculture species or other production-oriented animals in California who have experienced at least one wildfire on their property within the last 10 years are being asked...

Free passes to San Diego Food Tank Summit offered to ANR students
The inaugural San Diego Food Tank Summit will be held Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food Tank is extending a special invitation to students associated with UC ANR to attend the Summit for free! Please share this message with your...

ANR members now have remote access to all UC libraries
Did you know that you can borrow books or other material from any UC library via interlibrary loan or document delivery? Books can be mailed to your office, and shorter works can be scanned and emailed to you. More information is at...

UC to offer voluntary pet insurance
The unconditional love pets provide their owners is priceless. And if you're one of over 70 million pet owners in the U.S., you know caring for them can be expensive, especially if they are injured or get sick. To help you prepare for the unexpected, UC...

Open Enrollment has begun! Make changes to your benefits now through Nov. 20
  Open Enrollment has begun! Through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20, you can make changes to your benefits or the family members you enroll — just choose your location under "make changes" on the Open Enrollment...

Apply by Nov. 9 to be SI leader for Water or Healthy Families and Communities
ANR academics are invited to apply for Strategic Initiative leader positions, which play key roles in unifying, communicating and advocating to strengthen UC ANR's research and outreach agenda. Given the ongoing evolving role of...

Marijuana use and possession still prohibited on UC property
On Jan. 1, 2018, the legal sale of recreational marijuana commenced in California. This followed the passage of Proposition 64 by California voters on Nov. 8, 2016, which legalized its recreational use by people over the age of 21. However, Prop. 64 does...

Two UC graduate students chosen to assist UC ANR Global Food efforts
Two University of California graduate students have been selected by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources as UC Global Food Initiative (GFI) fellows for 2018-19. Graduate students Melanie Colvin at UC Berkeley and Maci Mueller at UC Davis will work...

In memoriam: James Wolpert
Jim Wolpert, UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, died Oct. 14, 2018, in Hermann, Mo. He was 67. Wolpert retired in 2013 after 28 years as a UCCE specialist studying grape rootstocks and...

September 2018

RECs and county office staff update ANR leaders on current projects
To get acquainted with the people at each ANR location, Mark Lagrimini, vice provost of research and extension, has been visiting research and extension centers and UCCE county offices and touring the facilities. “I'm impressed with how...

Federal Report Snapshot highlights ANR accomplishments
Each spring, the UC ANR Office of Program Planning and Evaluation (PPE) compiles and submits a report to our federal funding partner, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In August, NIFA approved UC ANR's 2017 report. A snapshot...

Project Board integrates reporting and may facilitate collaboration
Project Board is a new online system that integrates ANR academic program review, civil rights compliance, and accountability reporting requirements. It also has search features that may facilitate collaboration and support advocacy efforts. Project...

Names in the News
Sidhu named UCCE vegetable crops advisor for Kern County Jaspreet Sidhu joined UCCE on Sept. 4, 2018, as the vegetable crops advisor for Kern County. Sidhu earned a Ph.D. in entomology from Louisiana State University and a M.S. in entomology and a B.S....

ANR celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year, during Hispanic Heritage Month – from September 15 to October 15 – the country celebrates the culture and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Latinos...

UCCE Sutter-Yuba celebrates 100 years
UC Cooperative Extension in Sutter and Yuba counties is celebrating a century of serving its community. “Earlier this year, we unexpectedly found two boxes full of our historical records,” said Janine Hasey, director of UCCE Sutter-Yuba...

ANR funding support update
Colleagues, As mandated costs continue to outpace available funds, UC ANR is taking action to ensure financial prudence while continuing to devote our limited resources to our priorities. These include the approved systemwide merit program and the two...

UCPath to provide ANR several benefits
ANR employees can expect to see several benefits from the transition to UCPath, a systemwide initiative launched by the University of California to unify and standardize payroll, benefits and human resource systems for all UC employees. This new system...

Wear green on Oct. 9 for 4-H Spirit Day
During National 4-H Week 2018, Tuesday, Oct. 9 is 4-H Spirit Day. Nationwide, everyone is encouraged to wear their 4-H shirt, a clover or green to show support for 4-H. Please post selfies wearing your 4-H clover, shirt or green on...

Project Learning Tree partners with 4-H and CalNat
UC ANR programs collaborate to integrate best practices in environmental learning and stewardship to expand programming and impacts throughout the state Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an international, award-winning environmental education program,...

Learning and Development: Measuring outcomes, professional development, new website
Writing strong impact statements October 16, CE San Diego County Office October 26, ANR Building, Davis Workshop desired outcomes: Participants will gain understanding and practice organizing program activities into themes for the merit and...

UC seeks employee comments on policy updates
The University seeks comments from employees on four presidential policies that have been revised. Employee Comment: Protection of Administrative Records Containing Personally Identifiable Information The University invites comments on the...

Rustici rangeland and cattle research proposals due Nov. 7
Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment funding is available to University of California personnel to support problem-solving research that will benefit California range cattle producers. The goal of this program is to...

ANR to close for winter holidays
To help with planning, I am writing to confirm this year's winter holiday closure schedule. ANR units – including Research and Extension Centers, BOC Kearney, UCCE county offices and the Second Street Building in Davis – will be closed...

August 2018

Final position proposals due Sept. 15 for 2018 Call for Cooperative Extension positions
On Aug. 1, phase 2 of the Cooperative Extension Positions Call process ended and phase 3 began. During phase 2, the Program Teams reviewed the 40 phase 1 proposals and submitted six additional proposals. All submitted proposals are posted on the 2018...

ANR to join UCPath next spring
Preparations are underway for UC ANR to join UCPath in the spring. To ensure a successful transition to new systems and new processes, John Fox, executive director of Human Resources, recently hosted the first in a series of monthly meetings with...

Names in the News
Delk joins Development Services Emily Delk joined the Development Services team in August as the director of Annual Giving and Donor Stewardship Programs. She brings fundraising and event planning experience from a broad background of nonprofit...

Water-resources research proposals invited from junior investigators
The California Institute for Water Resources has announced its 2018-19 Request for Proposals. This year, proposals are requested in the junior investigator category only, said Doug Parker, director of the California Institute for Water...

'We Are UC ANR' items added to Brand Toolkit
A couple of items have been posted to the Telling Our Story section of the ANR Branding Toolkit. You'll now find the We Are UC ANR video as well as the We Are UC ANR one-sheet flyers. “The flyers have a choice of four different...

ANR websites will be down between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sept. 13
IT will be upgrading equipment at the ANR datacenter on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. PDT. During this time, the ANR Portal, all websites and servers in ANR's Second Street building will be offline. If you have any questions,...

Learning and development opportunities
Register for new administrative academic and staff orientation UC ANR employees – academics and staff – who have not participated in an administrative orientation in the past should register for the UC ANR Administrative Orientation for...

UCCE Tulare County wins Healthy Snack Day contest
UC Cooperative Extension in Tulare County won first place in the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee's contest on Healthy Snack Day, Aug. 29. All UC ANR facilities were invited to hold Healthy Snack Day activities and submit one photo. Tulare...

In memoriam: Doug Gubler
Walter Douglas Gubler, UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus in the Department of Plant Pathology at UC Davis, died unexpectedly on July 19, 2018.   Gubler was born on Jan. 28, 1946, in St. George, Utah, and raised in Santa Clara, Utah,...

In memoriam: Chuck Ingels
Chuck Ingels, longtime UCCE advisor in Sacramento County, lost his battle with cancer Aug. 12. Ingels joined ANR in 1989 as a tree and vine information analyst for the statewide Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program in Davis. In...

Needs assessment workshops offered Sept. 7 and 14
UCCE advisors, UCCE specialists and academics coordinators are invited to attend a training workshop on conducting a needs assessment. Vikram Koundinya, UCCE evaluation specialist in the Department of Human Ecology (Community and Regional Development)...

Post-fire research opportunities available at Hopland REC for limited time
On July 27 and 28, the River Fire burned approximately two-thirds of the Hopland Research and Extension Center's 5,358 acres.  “While this was a dramatic event that did damage parts of the center, none of the main buildings, livestock nor...

UCCE urged to participate in survey on adoption of new farming practices
Researchers at UC Berkeley are trying to ascertain what motivates California farmers and ranchers to implement farming practices that improve soil health as well as what deters them. UCCE advisors and specialists and field staff who work with...

July 2018

Wildfire impacts ANR community
Dear Colleagues, There are 19 wildfires threatening communities all over the state and causing concern for our friends and colleagues. We've been in touch with our colleagues in the fire zones and everyone is safe and, as far as we know, no ANR members...

Intermountain REC brings state-of-the-art conferencing to Tulelake
Intermountain Research and Extension Center (IREC) celebrated the grand opening of a multipurpose conference and laboratory building on July 26. The facility will be available for use by private and public groups for business meetings, job fairs,...

Names in the News
Khaira to lead UC CalFresh Kamaljeet (Kamal) Singh-Khaira has accepted the position of director of the University of California CalFresh Nutrition Education Program, also known as UC CalFresh. Singh-Khaira began her new role on June 18, 2018,...

Merit-based salary program for staff announced
I'm happy to announce that UC ANR is implementing a merit-based salary increase program for policy-covered (non-represented) staff employees for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The merit increases will be effective July 1, 2018, for both monthly and bi-weekly...

Staff Assembly focuses on wellness and learning and development
One of UC ANR Staff Assembly's goals is to foster an understanding of ANR's mission by providing learning and other opportunities to increase the exchange of knowledge in all aspects of the ANR community. With the volunteer help of ANR staff members,...

Learning and Development opportunities
WebANR Café Thursday Join us on Aug. 16 at 12 noon for “Putting Condition Changes to Work for Me.” Understand ANR's new condition changes how they connect to Public Value Statements how you will use them in Project Board...

UC ANR staff: Snack healthy on Aug. 29 and win a prize for your office
The UC ANR Staff Assembly's new Wellness Committee is sponsoring its first activity on Healthy Snack Day, Aug. 29. Healthy Snack Day is a statewide day of action led by the Champions for Change Program of the California Department of Public Health. Many...

UC and Israel sign agricultural research agreement
Pledging to work together to solve water scarcity issues, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis on July 16. The...

In memoriam: John Casida
John Casida, 88, a world-renowned entomologist and toxicologist at UC Berkeley who died June 30 of a heart attack in his home, was a global authority on how pesticides work and their effect on humans. A distinguished professor emeritus of...

In memoriam: Peggy Michel
Peggy Michel, former deputy to the assistant vice president for Business Operations, died July 22. She was 64. The experienced scuba-diving enthusiast died after a shallow dive while on vacation in the Cayman Islands and the cause of death wasn't...

UC launches Million Light Bulb Challenge
The University of California is spearheading a statewide effort to advance the purchase of 1 million high-quality, energy-efficient light bulbs for campus buildings and residences across the state.  Under the Community Buy Program, all UC...

NAS identifies scientific advances for agricultural system's sustainability
Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was released July 18. The report identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that are...

Staff Assembly offers scholarships
The UC ANR Staff Assembly has established a scholarship program that is available to all UC ANR staff employees and county-paid employees. The scholarship provides financial assistance to UC ANR staff to pursue career interests, develop new career...

UC issues annual whistleblower notification
The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. The University's Whistleblower Policy provides multiple avenues...

June 2018

Budget update: State funding unchanged for ANR in 2018-19
On June 22, Governor Jerry Brown signed the state budget for fiscal year 2018-19, which contains a new line item for UC ANR within the UCOP budget. UC ANR will have the same amount of funding from the state for the upcoming year as we had this year....

Names in the News
Fulford joins UCCE as soil quality advisor Anthony Fulford joined UCCE on June 18 as an area nutrient management/soil quality advisor in Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties. Prior to joining UCCE, he studied on soil health testing and nutrient...

Advisory committee examines UC ANR structure, funding
As part of the University of California Office of the President restructuring effort, President Napolitano appointed an advisory committee to determine a set of recommendations regarding UC ANR. The committee has been asked to explore structural, funding...

Blake Sanden, UCCE irrigation, soils and agronomy advisor in Kern County, retires after 26 years
For 26 years, Blake Sanden has been the irrigation, soils and agronomy farm advisor with UC Cooperative Extension at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley. Sanden retired from UCCE Kern County on July 1. He helped growers with on-farm soil...

Steve Tjosvold, UCCE environmental horticulture advisor, retires after 38 years
Steve Tjosvold joined UC Cooperative Extension as a farm advisor intern from 1980 to 1983, working in Alameda, Orange and San Bernardino counties. The internship allowed recent college graduates the opportunity to get experience working with a UCCE...

Oklahoma added to state travel ban
Effective June 22, 2018, California prohibits state-funded and state-sponsored travel to Oklahoma as a result of discriminatory legislation Oklahoma signed into law on May 11, 2018, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced.  Oklahoma...

Kim Rodrigues, Hopland REC director, retires after 27 years
Kim Rodrigues, Hopland Research & Extension Center (HREC) director, retired at the end of June, after a 27-year career with UC ANR. Initially hired as a UC Cooperative Extension forest advisor in 1991 in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, she...

Grant writing workshops set for September
Two grant writing workshops will be offered by UC ANR in September. The Grant Essentials Summit, a one-day grant writing and extramural funding-focused professional development event, will be held Sept. 13, 2018, in San Diego and Sept. 27, 2018, in...

Mark Gaskell,UCCE small farms advisor, retires after 23 years
  Mark Gaskell is best known these days for cultivating the idea of California-grown coffee that launched the emerging industry. But coffee isn't the first crop that Gaskell convinced California farmers could be locally grown. For more than 23...

Downing to lead Publishing and Production
Jim Downing has been chosen to lead Communications Services and Information Technology's publishing group, succeeding Ann Senuta, who retired June 28 as director of Publishing and Production.  Senuta joined UC ANR in 1994 after serving as an...

Gene Miyao, UC Cooperative Extension vegetable crops advisor, retiring after 38 years
Gene Miyao was named the UCCE vegetable crops farm advisor for Yolo County in 1980. In 1990, Solano County was added to his territory and about 10 years later, he also took on responsibility for Sacramento County. Miyao had been exposed to UCCE farm...

Chinese scientists tour California agriculture with UC ANR
To promote the exchange and sharing of agricultural extension information, several U.S. Land Grant institutions have formed an alliance with 10 Chinese agricultural universities. From June 17 to 22, UC ANR took a group of scientists from Chinese...

Join the July 19 UC ANR staff meeting
As part of an ongoing effort to share information across the whole UC ANR family, we will trial share (using Zoom) the monthly ANR Second Street staff meeting. Employees outside the UC ANR Davis building will be welcome to join via Zoom...

Learning and Development opportunities
Café Thursday WebANR (every third Thursday!)  Join us on Thursday, July 19, for “Communicating Science, Creating Trust” with UC Davis News Media and Relations Specialist Katherine Kerlin: Acquire an understanding of...

CNR welcomes David Ackerly as new dean
UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ announced the appointment of Professor David Ackerly as the next dean of the College of Natural Resources (CNR). Ackerly joined the faculty of the Department of Integrative Biology from Stanford in 2005, held the...

In memoriam: Albert Paulus
Albert O. (Al) Paulus, UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, died on May 23. He was 91 years old. Paulus was hired as an assistant Cooperative Extension agronomist in the Department of Plant Pathology (now Microbiology and Plant Pathology)...

In memoriam: George Goldman
George Edward Goldman, UC Cooperative Extension economics specialist emeritus, passed away from chronic lymphocytic leukemia at age 83 on June 11, 2018, at his home in Berkeley. After earning a bachelor's degree from New York University and a master's...

Q&A: Gilless reflects on CNR
After 11 years leading the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley, Dean J. Keith Gilless stepped down from his post in June. As dean, Gilless has been dedicated to supporting CNR's diverse research, teaching and outreach activities. He has led...

ANR STAR awards presented to 21 individuals and 11 teams
[This story was updated July 5 to add Jennifer Henkens, 4-H community educator for UCCE Sacramento County, to the list of 4-H eLearning team members. Her name was inadvertently omitted in the original announcement.] Eleven UC ANR teams...

Berkeley Forests combines forest and fire research
The Center for Forestry and Center for Fire Research and Outreach are merging to become Berkeley Forests! As we all know, forests and fire are inextricably linked in California. Historically, both centers have carried out research, outreach, and...

May 2018

Forty UCCE position proposals submitted as process enters phase 2
The 2018 UC Cooperative Extension call for positions process has entered phase 2. The UCCE county directors and REC directors have submitted 20 CE advisor position proposals and the executive associate deans, working with campus departments, have...

Lagrimini aims to invest in ANR for the future
Mark Lagrimini, UC ANR's new vice provost of research and extension, moved into his office at 2801 Second Street in Davis on June 1. As Vice Provost of Research and Extension, Lagrimini will oversee county-based Cooperative Extension personnel and...

Names in the News
Ciricillo named California 4-H Foundation director Mary Ciricillo, director of annual giving and individual gifts in ANR's Development Services, has accepted the position of California 4-H Foundation director.  “Amongst a very talented and...

ANR prepares for budget cuts
The Legislature is still working out the details of the state budget, which is due June 15, but UC is poised to get a major funding boost that will help enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the...

UC IPM offers online course on personal protective equipment
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. If you work in agricultural, turf, landscape or structural settings, you are probably at your busiest. If you handle pesticides as part of your work, you most likely wear personal protective...

Become a staff advisor to the Regents, deadline extended to June 29
The deadline for applications to serve as a staff advisor to the Regents has been extended to June 29, 2018, giving you more time to apply for this critical role.  The position is open to both non-represented and represented staff, or non-Senate...

Discount available for June 26 FOOD IT at UCSF
FOOD IT: The Full Stack will be held June 26, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center and UC ANR is a sponsor. If you missed early registration, you can get a 40 percent discount by using the code  SPECIALSAUCE...

UC has mental health resources for faculty and staff
As UC Irvine's coordinator of Faculty & Staff Mental Health Care and Respondent Services, Negar Shekarabi often meets with people who know they need help, but aren't sure where to start. “Figuring out what kind of help you need and how to get...

Learning and Development opportunities
WebANR Café Thursday Join us on June 21 at noon for our next WebANR Café Thursday: “How Your Work Builds ANR's Public Value” (or, how we impact California). Learn about the public value movement and how it is being embraced by...

IT implements new login process May 29
On May 29, 2018, IT will be implementing a new login process, which may affect your access to services and applications. The following information is available with screen captures at http://anrcs.ucanr.edu/isc/access.  You may...

Center for Regional Change hosts public dialogue at Kearney REC
Linking UC Davis researchers with regional changemakers is core to the mission of the Center for Regional Change. One new program designed to achieve this goal is the Regional Change Public Dialogue series. The dialogue series, supported by a grant...

In memoriam: Betty Hewitt
Betty Hewitt, UC Cooperative Extension home economist advisor emerita in El Dorado County, passed away April 8 at age 92. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in home economics from Colorado A&M College, Hewitt served three years in the...

Lindcove REC calls for research proposals
Lindcove Research & Extension Center, located in the foothills of Tulare County, has land, labor and facilities available for 2018-2019 research projects. The Research Advisory Committee reviews proposals and projects and evaluates them based on...

Register for Leadership in the City online course by June 29
Are you interested in Extension in urban areas and ready to improve your knowledge, skills and results? Have you heard about the Leadership in the City online course? This comprehensive professional development program will help you learn about...

April 2018

ANR exchanges ideas, creates new collaborations in Ontario
“I don't know about you, but I'm really excited to have this gathering,” VP Glenda Humiston said, as she greeted the people attending the 2018 ANR Statewide Conference in Ontario. More than 650 people participated in the conference held...

Names in the News
Bojuwon named NFCS advisor for Kern County Hawau Bojuwon joined UC ANR on March 26, 2018, as a UCCE area nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in Kern County. Prior to joiningUCCE,Bojuwon was working as a regional nutrition and health...

Telling our story through UC ANR’s public value statements
UC ANR's final, revised public value statements are now posted. These short and compelling statements articulate the value of our work. They can be used by everyone in UC ANR to help others understand our work, garner support for our work, and help...

Research costs for RECs established
Following up on previous messages, the Rate and Recharge Committee and Associate Vice President Tu Tran have approved the full-costed rates for each of the nine Research and Extension Centers (RECs). This represents a major accomplishment given the...

ANR sets new policy for computer and electronic device purchases
In 2017, ANR learned valuable lessons amid events within the UC Office of the President making necessary our examination of policy and procedures regarding University-purchased portable electronics. As you know, in December 2017, we placed a moratorium...

Project Board trainings offered
All academics with ANR merit and promotion are invited to Project Board Trainings on May 2 and 3. Please note, CE specialists who receive merit and promotion through a campus will have a separate training in July or August.  Part One –...

Learning and Development: performance review, SiteBuilder Training, WebANR Café Thursday
Tips for Employees: Participating in Your Performance Appraisal Discussion Be an active participant in your performance review discussion. It will empower you and shows that you care about your work and your development. To prepare, review your: Job...

GFI fellows tour community projects in San Diego
Sustainability. Food justice. Research to action. These were the themes discussed April 13–14, 2018, as emerging food leaders throughout the UC system gathered in San Diego for a tour titled “The Rooted University: Bridging food...

Brim-DeForest receives $1 million UCCE Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice
The $1 million UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice has been awarded to Whitney Brim-DeForest, UCCE rice advisor for Sutter, Yuba, Placer, Sacramento and Butte counties. Brim-DeForest said she will use the funds...

Sen. Hueso honors UC 4-H program in Mexicali
California State Senator Ben Hueso honored California and Baja California 4-H with a resolution in the State Senate April 2 to recognize the cross-border team that established a 4-H Club in Mexicali, Baja Mexico, in January 2017. The event, held in...

Wilen, Soule and Haviland among Distinguished Service Award winners
Wendy Powers, associate vice president, announced the 2018 winners of the biennial Distinguished Service Awards on April 11 at the UC ANR Statewide Conference in Ontario. Sponsored by UC ANR and Academic Assembly Council, the Distinguished Service...

Alviz aces UC 150th birthday quiz
Kit Alviz, program policy analyst 4 in Program Planning & Evaluation, knows her University of California history. Alviz took the UC 150th Timeline Quiz and answered all 15 questions correctly and was among the winners of the random prize...

Three scholarships to study agriculture offered, nominations due May 18
Three scholarships are being offered to college students majoring in agriculture by the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The scholarships will be awarded for the fall 2018 semester or quarter. The deadline to...

Employee comment sought on proposed policy on conflicts of interest
The Office of the President invites comments on a proposed new Presidential Policy on Disclosure of Financial Interests and Management of Conflicts of Interest in Private Sponsors of Research and proposed revised APM - 028, Disclosure of Financial...

March 2018

ANR Statewide Conference reaches maximum capacity
If you haven't registered for the ANR Statewide Conference yet, there's no guarantee space will be available. There are 653 people registered, including speakers and UC President's Advisory Commission members (PAC), for the conference being held at the...

IGIS plans next steps based on program review
In 2017, an ad hoc committee was appointed to carry out ANR's routine five-year statewide program review of our Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS) Program. Associate Vice President Powers and I extend a thank you to the committee for...

Names in the News
Wang joins UCCE as vegetable and irrigation advisor Zheng Wang joined UCCE on March 5, 2018, as an area vegetable production and irrigation advisor in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties. Prior to joining UCCE, Wang was a postdoctoral...

Legislators admire California-grown products at Ag Day at the Capitol
Ag Day at the Capitol was held in Sacramento on March 20. This year's theme was “Climate-smart, California Grown,” honoring the environmental stewardship and innovation of the state's farmers. Dozens of legislators attended Ag Day at...

Hopland REC calls for proposals
The Hopland Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals for new and continuing research projects for the period July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019. Hopland REC encompasses more than 5,300 acres of oak woodland, grasslands, and chaparral...

ANR invited to California specialty crops tour Aug. 6–9
ANR members are invited to participate in the California Specialty Crops Council's 2018 educational tour of specialty crop production and pest management in California. The tour will start on Monday, Aug. 6 in Visalia and will conclude in Sacramento in...

Future of Agriculture discussed at California Water Policy Conference
VP Glenda Humiston moderated the closing plenary panel on March 23 at the California Water Policy Conference held at the UC Davis Conference Center. The panel discussed the Future of Agriculture in California. “Assemblymember Anna...

ANR briefs California congressional members on ag research
VP Glenda Humiston, AVP Wendy Powers and several UC ANR representatives visited more than 30 congressional offices in March to brief lawmakers and staffers on the latest agriculture and natural resources research and outreach benefiting...

UC ANR Staff Assembly offers scholarships for staff
The UC ANR Staff Assembly has established a scholarship program that is available to all UC ANR staff employees and county-paid employees. The scholarship provides financial assistance to UC ANR staff to pursue career interests, develop new career...

ANR timeline for staff performance appraisals differs from campuses
On March 5, ANR Human Resources launched the 2017-18 Annual Staff Performance Appraisal Process. The UC Davis campus has also announced their annual “call” for staff performance appraisals. Please be aware that ANR has a separate process and...

Learning & Development Update: WebANR Café Thursdays start May 17
SAVE THE DATE! WebANR Café Thursdays: Starts May 17, 2018  You'll need to bring your own beverage and food, but please join us for our first WebANR Café Thursday on May 17 at noon: “Planning Makes Perfect: Best Practices for...

RECs develop new funding model
The Research and Extension Center (REC) System is a key component of UC ANR (Cooperative Extension + Agricultural Experiment Station + Research and Extension Centers + Statewide Programs). Each of the nine RECs is...

IGIS to host next ANR DroneCamp June 18-21
The UCANR IGIS team will hold its next DroneCamp training June 18-21, 2018, at UC San Diego. This bootcamp-style workshop will cover the full suite of steps and skills for using drones for mapping and data collection, including: UAV (unmanned...

In memoriam: Doug McCreary
Douglas DeWitt McCreary, UC Cooperative Extension natural resources specialist, died on Feb. 15 in Grass Valley. He was 72. “Doug was the epitome of what a CE specialist should be - a world-renowned researcher, a first-rate teacher, and an...

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy updated
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals who are employed or participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of violence,...

Update on call for Cooperative Extension positions process
Wendy Powers, Associate Vice President, has provided an update on the 2018 Call for Cooperative Extension (CE) positions, which was released on Feb. 7. The call aims to identify positions that address programmatic gaps and emerging needs. CE Advisor...

February 2018

President Napolitano analyzes options for ANR in UCOP structure
Dear Colleagues, In my ANR Update message on Feb. 8, I shared a report released in January by the Huron Consulting Group on the UC Office of the President's (UCOP) organizational structure. President Napolitano's goal in commissioning that review was to...

Names in the News
Torres named grape advisor for Tulare and Kings counties Gabriel Torres joined UCCE on Feb. 1, 2018, as an area viticulture advisor in Tulare and Kings counties. Prior to joining UCCE, Torres was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of...

Lagrimini named Vice Provost of Research and Extension
Mark Lagrimini, professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has accepted UC ANR's position of Vice Provost of Research and Extension. As Vice Provost of Research and Extension, he will provide leadership and vision...

Mentors sought for grad students in Extension
Would you like to be a mentor for a UC Berkeley graduate student interested in gaining experience in Cooperative Extension? The Graduate Students in Extension (GSE) Pilot at UC Berkeley has been extended for one year. The Request for Applications...

UC ANR campaigns to prevent food waste
March 5 - 9, 2018, is California's inaugural Food Waste Prevention Week. During this week, UC ANR and a range of partners statewide, including the Governor, the Secretary of Agriculture, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, as well as many...

Nominations open for staff assembly leadership
The staff assembly is seeking volunteers interested in serving a leadership role within the staff assembly on the Staff Assembly Council. This is an exciting opportunity for senior and junior staff to engage senior leadership, expand their network, and...

In memoriam: Rick Melnicoe
Rick Melnicoe, former director of the Western Integrated Pest Management Center, died from lung cancer on Feb. 22. Melnicoe was the first director of the Western Integrated Pest Management Center, launching the project at UC Davis in the early 2000s...

Market-based adjustment plan for staff salaries enters second year
Attracting and retaining highly qualified employees is a top priority for UC ANR. To be more competitive among many diverse employment markets, UC ANR has developed a plan to address the competitiveness of our staff salaries.  As part of UC ANR's...

2018 call for Cooperative Extension positions released
ANR is committed to increasing our academic footprint for more effective deployment of Cooperative Extension (CE) specialists and advisors to address local issues with global impact. The 2018 CE Call for Positions is released, with the aim to identify...

UC ANR researchers and staff engage farmers, other stakeholders at World Ag Expo 2018
UC ANR had a major presence at World Ag Expo Feb. 13-15 in Tulare. In addition to exhibits inside the Pavilion, this year, UC ANR hosted a series of well-attended researcher demonstrations of citrus varieties, soil quality and other subjects in a...

Seed planted to grow Northern California Ag Innovation Hub
On Jan. 30, 2018, another seed was planted for the future of Northern California's agriculture industry. That seed was a commitment to innovation and new technologies in a region where the primary economic driver is agriculture. Around 200 people,...

Learning and development update: Register for ANR Statewide Conference
ANR STATEWIDE CONFERENCE: INNOVATION IN ACTION When: April 9-12, 2018 Where: Ontario, California DoubleTree Inn All ANR academics and staff are invited. Non-academic employees need to discuss and obtain approval from their supervisors, county...

Recording of staff engagement survey results discussion available
Human Resources and Staff Assembly hosted an online town hall with Vice President Glenda Humiston to discuss ANR's results of the staff engagement survey on Feb. 6. The discussion focused on three main areas raised in the survey: change management,...

Eggs tested for contaminants
Maurice Pitesky, UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is providing free egg testing for California backyard chicken owners. Pitesky's staff is testing eggs for different types of...

UC sets policies for drones and independent contractors, seeks comments on military pay supplement
UC has opened the employee comment period for the Draft Revised Presidential Policy on Supplement to Military Pay. The university also announced that two new policies have been published regarding unmanned aircraft systems, also known as drones, and...

Nominate staff for STAR awards by March 29
Nominations are being accepted for the ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) program for the fiscal year 2017-18. Nominations are due March 29, 2018. The STAR program is your opportunity to celebrate and reward the great contributions of...

January 2018

UC Merced chancellor, 4-H’er and VP discuss community outreach with regents
UC VP Glenda Humiston, 4-H member Melina Granados of Riverside County and UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland gave the UC regents a presentation about UC ANR's community outreach and impact. The Public Engagement & Development Committee...

AI can help growers more precisely manage their fields, Humiston tells Little Hoover Commission
Artificial intelligence, or AI, can improve precision agriculture by using sensed environmental data to “learn” and continually adapt, VP Glenda Humiston told the Little Hoover Commission at a hearing in Sacramento on Jan. 25. The Little...

Names in the News
Johnson named nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor Cathryn “Katie” Johnson joined UCCE on Jan. 2, 2018, as an area nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor for the Central Sierra Multi-County Partnership serving El Dorado,...

Federal grant to fund preservation of UCCE history
An ongoing effort to collect, digitally preserve and share 100 years of historical records by the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) has earned the UC Merced Library a more than $300,000 grant. “We're extremely proud to be able to further the work...

UC ANR meets new stakeholders at EcoFarm conference
Farmers, financiers, people from government agencies and nonprofit organizations who work with UC Cooperative Extension advisors, as well as beginning farmers seeking to contact their local UCCE advisors visited the UC ANR exhibit at the EcoFarm...

Register for 37th Rice Technical Working Group Conference Feb. 19-22
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is hosting a four-day Rice Technical Working Group Conference Feb. 19-22 in Long Beach. The conference will provide participants with the latest information and research from experts on plant breeding and...

UC celebrates 150 years
2018 marks the 150th anniversary of the University of California, including UC ANR, offering us all the opportunity to reflect on the impact the land grant university has had on the state of California and beyond. Since its inception, UC has...

Learning and Development update
UC ANR Administrative Orientation for new employees May 23, 2018 ANR will hold another administrative orientation in the spring. The May 23, 2018, orientation is intended for new staff and academics. For more information, academics may contact Tina...

New leaders named for three strategic initiatives
New leaders for three of the five UC ANR Strategic Initiatives have taken the helm for the three SI leaders who rotated off, effective Jan. 2. Jim Farrar, director of UC Integrated Pest Management Program, succeeds Cheryl Wilen as leader for Endemic and...

Apply for WEDA Awards of Excellence for outstanding outreach
Applications are being sought for the Western Extension Directors Association (WEDA) Awards of Excellence. This award recognizes Cooperative Extension outreach education programming that has achieved outstanding accomplishments, results and impacts in...

Discuss the Staff Engagement Survey results at Feb. 6 town hall
On Feb. 6, Human Resources and Staff Assembly will host an online town hall with Vice President Glenda Humiston to discuss the results of the Staff Engagement Survey. The town hall will focus on three main areas raised in the survey: change management,...

Sierra Foothill REC calls for proposals
The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) 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...

December 2017

Krkich named Executive Director of Development Services
Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to announce that we will be joined by a new colleague, Lorna Krkich, who has accepted the position of UC ANR Executive Director of Development Services. She will begin the position on Dec. 29. Lorna brings a wealth of...

Names in the News
Fete joins 4-H as advisor for San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties Emma Fete joined UCCE as an area 4-H youth development advisor for San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties on Dec. 4, 2017. For five years prior to joining UCCE, Fete taught and developed...

California Grown Rice Endowed Chair open for applications
Applications are being accepted through Jan. 31, 2018, from individuals who wish to be considered for the UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice. Through a funding partnership between the California Rice Research Board...

2017 UC ANR Competitive Grants Program/High Risk, High Rewards recipients announced
I am pleased to announce funding decisions for the 2017 UC ANR Competitive Grants Program/High Risk, High Rewards Program. As in past years, the number of requests received exceeds funding available. With 45 competitive grant proposals requesting over $7...

Assistant vice provosts named
Darren Haver and Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty have accepted assistant vice provost appointments.The assistant vice provosts are 25 percent positions to oversee special projects and serve as the coordinators for the Research and Extension Council (expanded from...

PAC discusses innovation and advocacy
Kicking off the meeting by expressing sympathy for everyone affected by wildfires – including the ANR members and Master Gardener volunteers who lost their homes – UC President Janet Napolitano met with the President's Advisory Commission...

Building climate change into the work of UC ANR
UC Cooperative Extension researchers convey need for more climate change communication and curriculum tools [NOTE: The Integrating Climate Change in California Cooperative Extension Programs Workshop will be held Feb. 6-7.] Reducing...

AgPlus Funders Forum aims to improve access to agricultural business financing
To enhance funding for food and agriculture businesses in the Central Valley, more than 60 people involved in small business finance gathered at the AgPlus Funders Forum Dec. 12 to contribute ideas. Representatives from financial institutions,...

UC ANR Staff Assembly scholarships now available
The UC ANR Staff Assembly Council is pleased to announce the 2017-18 Scholarship program. The UC ANR Staff Assembly has established a scholarship program that is available to all UC ANR staff employees and county-paid employees. The scholarship provides...

Intermountain REC calls for proposals
The UC Intermountain Research and Extension Center (IREC) is soliciting proposals for new and continuing research projects for project year 2018-2019. The Intermountain REC is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet elevation near the Oregon...

Learning & Development Update: My UC Career
MY UC CAREER For UC employees who have identified career exploration, growth and development opportunities as critical to their engagement and retention, a gift has arrived from UC Office of the President. A new online, self-directed career...

New parking lot opens at ANR Building
Construction of a new parking lot behind the ANR building in Davis is now complete. The new lot adds 92 full-size paved parking spaces and 40 parking spaces on gravel to the existing 96 spaces at 2801 Second St. The extra parking capacity will enable...

Comments sought on Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations
UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations. The policy is new and includes the following key issues: There is currently no systemwide uniformity or policy for ensuring open...

Publications warehouse is moving
ANR is closing the warehouse in Richmond and moving its publications to Ontario so no new orders are currently being shipped. Publication sales will resume Jan. 8. For new orders and customer service, please contact: Masie ComtoisANR Communication...

Retirement: Steve Koike
After 28 years of service, Steven T. Koike, UC Cooperative Extension plant pathology advisor in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, plans to retire from the University of California at the end of 2017. Koike, who joined the UCCE Monterey County office...

November 2017

UC ANR supporters give over $85,000 on #GivingTuesday
Thanks to everyone who participated, UC ANR's #GivingTuesday campaign was a tremendous success. “We surpassed our goal of $60,000, raising $85,168,” said Mary Maffly Ciricillo, director of Annual Giving and Individual Gifts. “This is...

See a sneak preview of UC ANR home page’s refreshed design
You are invited to review the new ucanr.edu design refresh. Strategic Communications now has a Website Redesign Feedback survey that offers an opportunity for additional input. You'll find links to the proposed designs for desktop, tablet and smart...

Names in the News
Marotta joins UC ANR as program integration coordinator Megan Marotta joined UC ANR Youth Families and Communities Statewide Program team as a program integration coordinator in July and is working with five statewide programs: Master Gardeners, Master...

UC ANR shares staff engagement survey results
Last spring, a sampling of non-represented UC ANR staff were asked to complete the biennial Staff Engagement Survey to gauge their impressions about working for the University. The Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA), in collaboration with Systemwide...

Nominate a UC leader for the Bradford Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award
Nominate someone you know for the Bradford Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award. Every year, the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis recognizes an individual from the University of California for their leadership in...

UC Delivers highlights impact of UCCE and AES work
To show how ANR is making a difference for Californians, ANR collects impact stories from UC Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station work in UC Delivers. Please help us keep the collection updated by contributing your success...

Water institute celebrates 60 years
The California Institute for Water Resources is celebrating its 60th anniversary. To commemorate the changes and achievements of the institute, FaithKearns,CIWR academic coordinator II, wrote a Q&A with Doug Parker, CIWR director and leader of...

Learning and development opportunities
New academic & staff employ­­­­­ees save the date: UC ANR Administrative Orientation on May 23, 2018 ANR will hold another administrative orientation in the spring. This orientation on May 23 is intended for new staff and...

In memoriam: Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson, who helped ANR employees solve computer problems, passed away from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) at his home on Nov. 1 in Sacramento. The familiar voice from ANR's IT Help Desk was 62. “We will miss Paul,” said...

In memoriam: Chuck Wilson
Chuck Wilson, an emeritus UC Cooperative Extension advisor, passed away Nov. 4, 2017, at age 86 after battling Parkinson's disease. Born in Ely, Nev., Wilson was raised in Placerville and Lincoln and earned his B.S. in animal science at UC Davis in...

New, revised and rescinded UC Presidential Policies announced
Changes to several UC Presidential policies regarding relocation, travel, financial deficit management, probationary periods and payroll pertain to ANR members. The new, revised and rescinded UC Presidential Policies can be viewed at...

October 2017

ANR launches third annual Giving Tuesday Nov. 28
On Nov. 28, ANR will again participate in #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving, powered by our social networks. Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season. For ANR, Giving Tuesday is an...

Grateful for the feedback on condition changes
Thanks so much to all of the Program Team Leaders and members, the Statewide Program Directors and the Strategic Initiative Leaders for the hard work they completed to review and improve upon our divisionwide condition changes. The timeline was short;...

Nov. 6 deadline to apply for SI leader positions
Nov. 6 is the last day for ANR academics to apply for one of the open Strategic Initiative leader positions. Three SI leader positions are scheduled to rotate off, opening up opportunities for other ANR academics to take the lead for Endemic and...

UCCE spared by October wildfires
California will be dealing with the effects of the October 2017 wildfires for years to come. The Northern California wildfires that ignited Oct. 8 grew into urban conflagrations and burned for days, killing 43 people and destroying at least 8,400...

Names in the News
Schohr named livestock and natural resources advisor Tracy Schohr joined UCCE on Oct. 16, 2017, as an area livestock and natural resources advisor in Plumas, Sierra and Butte counties. Prior to joining UCCE, Schohr worked for the Department of...

Open Enrollment, with good news and important changes, ends Nov. 21
It's time for Open Enrollment! Visit the Open Enrollment website from 8 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 26, to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21, to enroll in the right benefits for you and your eligible family members.  Highlights of this year's Open...

The value of the 5-minute “elevator” speech to share your research with non-scientists
This article was originally published Oct. 20, 2017, in the American Society of Animal Science's Taking Stock D.C. blog https://www.asas.org/taking-stock/blog-post/taking-stock/2017/10/30/guest-blogger-delivers-powerful-message. Anne Megaro is...

Learning and development update
New Employee Administrative Orientation The New Employee Administrative Orientation introduces statewide programs, focuses on administrative units and services and provides an overview of ANR structure, vision and...

UC ANR Staff Assembly holds first Ambassador meeting
UC ANR Staff Assembly council members and Staff Assembly Ambassadors visited UC ANR headquarters in Davis on Oct. 10, 2017.  Council chair Matt Baur introduced the mission and purpose of staff assembly and explained how SA Ambassadors act as a...

In memoriam: Steve Orloff
Steve Orloff, UC Cooperative Extension director and advisor in Siskiyou County, died Oct. 3. He was 61. “Over the 33 years that Steve has been a member of the UC ANR family, I'm sure that many of you have worked with this kind and affable man,...

In memoriam: Shirl Bishop
Shirley "Shirl" Elmer Bishop, UC Cooperative Extension dairy advisor emeritus, died on Oct. 15 in Provo, Utah. He was 95. Bishop, who was born in Delta, Utah, attended Utah State Agricultural College in Logan for two years before enlisting in the Army...

UC ANR shared California’s impressive ag and natural resources with research center professionals
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources hosted members of the national Research Center Administrators Society (RCAS) in September for a tour, traveling from San Jose to Visalia, up to the mountains and then west to Paso Robles and Monterey, providing...

Open Enrollment begins Oct. 26: Good news about costs
Open Enrollment is coming soon — beginning at 8 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 26 and ending at 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21 — with good news about premium costs and the option to keep your current plan if it's working well for you.  Your Open...

Emergency support from UC's Health and Welfare plans
UC Systemwide Human Resources is working with UC's benefit plan carriers to ensure their readiness to meet the needs of those affected by the devastating wildfires in Northern and Southern California.  If you need extra assistance, please contact...

Comments sought on proposed policy for Crime Awareness and Campus Security
UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed new policy for Crime Awareness and Campus Security (Clery Act). The proposed policy can be viewed at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/271802.pdf. The Clery Act (otherwise officially known as...

Understanding UC’s benefits for domestic partners
UC offers comprehensive benefits to faculty, staff and retirees, and to their families. The rules around these benefits can be complicated, though, especially for domestic partners. If you are in a domestic partnership, check out Establishing a...

September 2017

UC ANR and AgStart receive $500,000 to cultivate the VINE
California is constantly being challenged by pest invasions, obesity, labor shortages, water scarcity, food insecurity, climate change and more. To accelerate the development and adoption of technologies that address these challenges and advance food,...

Names in the News
Slattery rejoins UCCE in Butte County  Chelsey Slattery rejoined UC Cooperative Extension on Sept. 18, 2017, as an area nutrition, family, and consumer sciences advisor in Butte County. From 2013 to 2016, Slattery was a UCCE community education...

UC ANR Staff Assembly Updates
Ambassadors Meeting The UC ANR Staff Assembly Council will hold a Staff Assembly Ambassadors meeting at the ANR Building in Davis on Oct. 10. The engagement will provide an opportunity for ambassadors to visit and network with colleagues and...

Carbon Neutrality Initiative fellows seek to reduce our carbon footprint
UC Berkeley doctoral candidates Jose Daniel Lara, Allegra Mayer and Carmen Tubbesing, UC ANR's Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI) fellows for 2017-18, are studying new sources of renewable energy and strategies to cut carbon emissions. The UC...

ANR Global Food Initiative fellows take aim at food insecurity and obesity
Three University of California students have been selected by UC ANR as Global Food Initiative (GFI) fellows for 2017-18. UC Berkeley graduate students Kristal Caballero, Elsbeth Sites and Sonya Zhu are the GFI fellows who will work with ANR...

New travel reimbursement rates effective Oct. 15
New reimbursement rates are coming in mid-October for lodging and meals for UC business travel, the UC Office of the President announced last week. Lodging reimbursement within the lower 48 states will be capped at $275 per day, before taxes and...

NIFA to hold listening session in Sacramento Nov. 2
What should be a priority in food and agriculture research, extension or education? The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking stakeholder input on the emerging needs and opportunities...

REC System director Lisa Fischer reflects on strengths and potential of the research and extension centers as she retires
After a nearly 30-year career that took her from the U.S. Forest Service to director of UC ANR's Research and Extension Center system, Lisa Fischer is retiring. Her last day is Sept. 30. Darren Haver will serve as interim associate director through the...

Storm-water runoff study planned for ANR’s backyard
Construction of a new parking lot for the ANR building in Davis is providing an opportunity for UC ANR to demonstrate science at the site by integrating an ongoing water-quality research project. The research project on the recently purchased 10 acres...

UCCE in Merced establishes an endowment to fund future ag programming
The growing popularity of crowd funding got UC Cooperative Extension advisor David Doll thinking. “By everybody giving a little, you can get a lot,” he said. “We can do the same thing.” Doll mulled over the idea for a few years,...

ANR develops cost-recovery strategy to improve REC facilities
UC ANR leadership is proud of its outstanding network of nine Research and Extension Centers across the state. Including academic salaries and temporary funding, UC ANR invests close to $14 million annually in the REC system. We are committed to...

Your input requested for condition changes
As part of the current effort to align our work such that we are best positioned to achieve the 2025 Strategic Vision, a group of UC ANR academics have drafted condition changes that are now in need of your review and feedback. Condition changes are...

Open Enrollment posters available for download
The University of California's Open Enrollment for benefits this year will be Oct. 26 through Nov. 21. Posters about Open Enrollment can be downloaded from the Box folder available at this link:...

Apply for Strategic Initiative leader positions by Nov. 6
ANR academics are invited to apply for Strategic Initiative leader positions, which play key roles in advocating, convening and communicating to strengthen UC ANR's research and outreach agenda. Given the evolving role of the UC ANR Strategic...

Desert REC and UCCE Imperial County taken by storm
UC Desert Research and Extension Center in Holtville and the neighboring UC Cooperative Extension office for Imperial County were hit by a severe thunderstorm on Friday, Sept. 8.    "Many trees are down,"...

Learning and development update
Programmatic Orientation to be held Oct. 17-19 UCANR's Programmatic Orientation will be held Oct. 17-19 at Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC), located at 4070 University Road, Hopland, CA 95449. Programmatic Orientation is designed to help...

Youtsey testifies on rural broadband for Assembly committees
Even as the digital revolution has changed the world, there are thousands of California residents in rural areas that do not have an internet connection adequate for engaging in modern technology. With offices in all California counties and...

UC ANR, CropMobster TV partner to share inspiring stories of ag innovation and food system
Most consumers' first encounter with their food is in a grocery store or on a plate served in a restaurant, and they give little thought to how the food got there. To learn what goes on before food becomes a meal, CropMobster Nick "Nicky...

Public relations pro tip: The letter to the editor
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources academics are often asked for interviews as expert sources in the news media. Serving in this capacity is an excellent way to share research-based information with the public and reinforce the important work done by...

August 2017

PAC discusses strategic plan and urban agriculture
Downtown Oakland was the site of the biannual UC President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources (PAC) meeting on Aug. 9, which included a Q&A session with President Napolitano, program presentations from UC Cooperative...

Travel funds available for UCCE specialists, AES faculty to collaborate with off-campus ANR academics
ANR will be making additional travel support available for UC Cooperative Extension specialists to collaborate with ANR academics off-campus, including UCCE advisors in the counties and ANR academics at the RECs in fiscal year 2017/18. With the...

Names in the News
Light joins UCCE as agronomy advisor Sarah Light joined UCCE on July 5, 2017, as an area agronomy advisor in Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties. Light earned a dual M.S. in soil science & botany and plant pathology from Oregon State University and...

UC Master Gardener Conference brings together volunteers, coordinators, advisors and industry experts for learning experience
The 2017 UC Master Gardener Conference was buzzing with activity as participants learned about the latest research in home horticulture and networked with fellow gardening enthusiasts in Long Beach on Aug. 22-25. “It turns out there is far...

Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment calls for proposals
Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment funding is available to University of California personnel to support problem-solving research that will benefit California range cattle producers. The goal of this program is to...

Humiston talks about her career path that led to UC ANR
“I would not be standing in front of you here today in this job if it were not for 4-H,” VP Glenda Humiston told the audience at UC Office of the President, where she was the featured speaker on Aug. 16 for the Women We Admire speaker...

Learning and Development Update
UC Learning Center offers new look and new tools Visit the updated online UC Learning Center and you will find enhanced learning and development tools, an improved user experience and a new look. New features of the system include a Talent...

In memoriam: Christine Groppe
Christine Groppe, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist emeritus, died July 16, 2017, in Santa Barbara. She was 105. Groppe, who grew up in Lincoln, Neb., earned a B.S. in nutrition science at the University of Nebraska and an M.S. in nutrition...

In memoriam: Richard De Moura
Richard "Rich" Lee De Moura, a retired staff research associate in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis, died on July 21, 2017, at age 78. De Moura worked with many UC ANR specialists and advisors on cost and return studies...

July 2017

Names in the News
Gibbs named major gifts director Gregory Gibbs joined Development Services as director of major gifts on July 1. In this role, Gibbs heads the Major Gifts fundraising team on behalf of UCANR. Gibbs joined the UC system in 2006 as...

Apps for Ag Hackathon winner uses AI to diagnose plant problems
For 48 hours, innovators and entrepreneurs at the Apps for Ag Hackathon labored over laptops at The Urban Hive in Sacramento before pitching their ideas to judges at the California State Fair. More than 40 people, some from as far as New York and...

Tech meets ag at Forbes AgTech Summit in Salinas
“As we confront the problems in California today, we must ask ourselves, how will ag and tech solve these problems together? How can Salinas Valley and Silicon Valley work more harmoniously and how will the University of California's quest for...

Thanks for helping tell ANR’s story
Myrna Cadena was our first UC ANR Ambassador winner. Help tell the UC ANR story by following UC ANR on social media and sharing our posts. If you love UC ANR and all that we do, tell your friends! Feel free to post your own...

Kearney REC requests proposals
The Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE) is requesting proposals for new research and demonstration projects for the period Nov. 1, 2017, through Oct. 31, 2018. Research rate for new projects will be approximately $30 per...

ANR’s 2016 Federal Report Snapshot is available for viewing
A snapshot of UC ANR's Federal Report highlights is available online at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Divisionwide_Planning. The snapshot highlights several dozen examples of research and extension occurring in each Strategic Initiative and in...

Learning and development opportunities
Sign up for HR Partners newsletter When you sign up for ANR's bi-monthly HR Partners Newsletter you will receive: Updates and shortcuts for Human Resource procedures Announcements about compliance training Professional development...

Don’t lose your vacation time! Plan a leave now
If you can't remember when you last took time off, you might be missing out on more than rest and relaxation. UC policy limits your maximum balance of accrued vacation leave (based on your leave accrual code), and when you reach the limit, you lose any...

In memoriam: Arthur H. Lange
Arthur H. Lange, weed scientist emeritus at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, passed away June 27. He was 94. Lange was born and educated in western Washington. In 1942, he joined the Naval Air Corps and, after three and a half...

Vernard Lewis, UC Berkeley’s first African American entomologist, retires from 35-year career terminating termites, bed bugs and cockroaches
He built a villa for termites, delighted school children with giant cockroaches, did “time” at San Quentin State Prison, traveled the world looking at insects and, in 2016, Vernard Lewis was inducted into the Pest Management...

June 2017

Humiston speaks to House Ag Committee on value of agricultural research
“The general public and, in particular, large funders tend to not view agriculture as a particularly sexy topic. We've done such a great job for over 150 years of providing a safe, secure, wonderful, bountiful food supply that...

Eric Natwick, UCCE Imperial County advisor, hangs up his insect net after 36 years
After a long and distinguished career with the UC Cooperative Extension office in Imperial County, entomologist Eric Natwick has decided to hang up his insect net. Natwick graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1980 and began work with the United...

Names in the News
Galla named UCCE farm advisor in Glenn, Butte and Tehama counties Mariano Galla joined UCCE on June 5 as an area agronomic cropping systems and weed science advisor in Glenn, Butte and Tehama counties. Prior to joining UCCE, Galla was a research...

UC connects FOOD IT to research and education
More than 300 people crowded into the Computer History Museum in Mountain View for The Mixing Bowl's FOOD IT: Fork to Farm event on June 27.  Food producers, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, venture capitalists, industry executives,...

CDFA seeks public comment on $6.75 million Healthy Soils Program by July 12
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting public comments on Requests for Grant Applications (RGA) for the $6.75 million Healthy Soils Program, authorized by the Budget Act of 2016, and funded through California's...

Dennis Pittenger, UCCE advisor and California Master Gardener Handbook editor, retires from 36-year UC career
Dennis Pittenger, area environmental horticulture advisor, retired on July 1, after 36 years of outstanding service to University of California Cooperative Extension. Pittenger joined UC Cooperative Extension in 1981, after serving three years in The...

California Farm Demonstration Network invites collaboration
As many in ANR already know, the California Farm Demonstration Network was recently formed and formally launched in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony that was held at the Winters orchard of Russ Lester on May 5.  The network is...

Administrative Orientation for new UC ANR employees to be held Nov. 14
Administrative Orientation for new employees will be held Nov. 14, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the UC ANR building at 2801 Second Street in Davis. Register now at http://ucanr.edu/sites/orientations. The orientation is for...

Learning and Development opportunities
Save the date: NAEPSDP Annual Conference Dec. 4-7 The National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development annual conference will be held Dec. 4-7, 2017, in Las Vegas, at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. What could you gain by networking with...

UC issues annual whistleblower notification
The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. The University's Whistleblower Policy provides multiple avenues for...

UCCE economist Shermain Hardesty retires
After serving farmers and ranchers as an economist for more than 30 years, including 13 years as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist, Shermain Hardesty will retire July 1, 2017. Hardesty's research and extension work has focused on the needs and...

UC Learning Center to shut down July 28 for upgrade
As announced in the May 2017 ANR Report, the UC Learning Center website (http://lms.ucdavis.edu) will be down in July for an upgrade. However, the dates have changed. The system will be unavailable for any activity beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 28,...

Placer/Nevada county UCCE advisor Roger Ingram retires June 30
UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor Roger Ingram will retire June 30 after 31 years of efforts to sustain the ranchers and rangelands of Nevada and Placer counties. Ingram joined Nevada County UCCE in 1986 after serving for...

UC Cooperative Extension advisor Deborah Giraud retires on June 30
After making significant and varied contributions to Humboldt and Del Norte counties during her 33-year career as a UC Cooperative Extension farm and community relations advisor, Deborah Giraud retires June 30. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Giraud...

Kern County UC Cooperative Extension vegetable crops advisor Joe Nunez retires
Kern County native Joe Nunez credits a series of supportive mentors for his successful agricultural science career on his home turf. The UC Cooperative Extension vegetable crops advisor retires June 30. Nunez's first mentor was a...

STAR award winners celebrated
Winners of the 2016-17 ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) program were announced June 14. The outstanding contributions of UC ANR staff were recognized and celebrated at an event held at the UC ANR building in Davis. The...

May 2017

'We are UC ANR' public awareness campaign launches
A month-long public awareness campaign titled "We are UC ANR" launched June 1. The campaign was designed to help those who have struggled to wrap their arms around all that UC ANR does. It features two new website products: A three-minute video that...

Names in the News
Macon named livestock and natural resources advisor Daniel Macon has accepted the livestock and natural resources advisor position in Placer, Nevada, Sutter and Yuba counties, effective July 1. Macon, who operates a small-scale commercial sheep...

UC ANR's Strategic Plan has its own website
A stand-alone website devoted to UC ANR's Strategic Plan is now live and can be accessed in various ways: Direct link: http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/2016-2020_Strategic_Plan/ “Squished”...

Should you be using a new UC ANR logo? Probably not
With the launch of the We Are UC ANR awareness campaign, you've no doubt noticed the ANR logo has been given a makeover, and you may be wondering if you need to be using the new brand. In most cases, the answer is "No."  This new look for the...

Standiford retires from 37-year UC ANR career
Wrapping up a remarkable 37-year career with UC ANR, Richard B. Standiford IV, UC Cooperative Extension forest management specialist at UC Berkeley, will retire June 30.  In addition to being a highly regarded forestry expert, Standiford served...

Long-time UC Integrated Pest Management advisor Pete Goodell retires June 30
A 36-year career in science led UC Cooperative Extension Integrated Pest Management advisor Pete Goodell to a gratifying conclusion. He found that technical pest management skills are critical, but it's the people skills he has developed over time that...

Merit-based salary program begins for staff
The University will implement a merit-based salary increase program for policy-covered (nonrepresented) staff employees for the 2017-18 fiscal year. For ANR staff employees, the salary increase program will be effective July 1, 2017, for monthly paid...

Learning & Development News
UC ANR has new online orientation guide UC ANR has a new online orientation guide for new employees. It begins with a welcome video from VP Glenda Humiston and continues to a table of contents where new employees will find topics such as the ANR Mission...

California Farm Demonstration Network forms to foster farmers’ innovation
Innovation is key to keeping California farmers globally competitive. On May 5, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, USDA Natural Resources...

Delta farm tour gives GFI fellows a broader view of food system
Global Food Initiative student fellows from University of California campuses throughout the state gathered for a springtime field trip in the Central Valley to learn more about the relationships between food, farming and the environment. The...

Comments sought on Electronic Information Security policy
The Office of the Vice President and Chief Information Officer invites comments on drafts of a presidential policy, Electronic Information Security (IS-3), and a corresponding glossary for all information security and information technology policies. The...

New code of conduct for UC academics takes effect July 1
A revised version of UC policy APM – 015 (The Faculty Code of Conduct) and APM - 016 (University Policy on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline) will become effective on July 1, 2017.  Changes in policy include improving...

Rural funding issues concern UC ANR as well as FFA
The following editorial, recently published in the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, focuses on funding challenges that face the Future Farmers of America. Similar issues confront UC ANR programs and stakeholders, however, particularly the topic of...

April 2017

AVP Powers announces 51 proposals invited for competitive and high-reward grants
AVP Wendy Powers announced the letters of intent (LOIs) for which principal investigators have been invited to submit full proposals to ANR's Competitive Grants Program and High-Risk/High-Reward Grants Program. The list of 51 approved projects can be...

Nutrition Policy Institute launches Research to Action news brief
The Nutrition Policy Institute has launched a news brief called Research to Action. The publication will provide information on research, policy, news, announcements, events, articles and action items focused on nutrition and healthy...

4-H calls alumni and friends to join its new network
If 4-H has touched your life, raise your hand. Visit http://4-H.org/raiseyourhand to voice your support for the California 4-H youth development program, help it win a national competition and connect with a network of 4-H alumni and...

Educating policymakers about UC ANR
Hogan visits Capitol Hill In early April, Sean Hogan, academic coordinator II for Informatics and Geographic Information Systems, presented at the AmericaView Winter Business Meeting, in Reston, Va., as representative of the CaliforniaView section of...

UC offers toolkit for federal research advocacy
Throughout the federal appropriations process, UC administrators, government relations representatives and academics will be talking with members on both sides of the aisle about the importance of federal research, the incredible return on investment...

Names in the News
Price joins UC ANR as NFCS advisor Natalie Price joined UC ANR on April 3, 2017, as the nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor for Los Angeles and Orange counties. She will work with local organizations and school districts to provide...

State releases audit report on UC
A state audit report was released today about the budget practices and administrative expenditures of the UC Office of the President. UCOP's news release may be found here. In addition, a video response to the audit report for UC employees has been...

UC People Management Conference to be held Aug. 2-3
Developing the people management capabilities of our leaders is a priority for the University of California. In support of this mission, Systemwide Talent Management will launch the University of California People Management Conference in August...

Three agriculture scholarships offered by UC ANR
Three scholarships are being offered to college students majoring in agriculture by the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The scholarships will be awarded for the fall 2017 semester or quarter. The deadline to...

From trepidation to inspiration: An easier performance appraisal discussion
It is that time of year that many of us would like to avoid: the performance appraisal discussion. Although the process makes some of us uneasy, there is good news. There are preparations we can take that will ease this process and make it more of a...

UC Cooperative Extension’s archives will help illustrate its value to California
The ongoing project to gather, protect, digitize and share the history of UC Cooperative Extension in California is producing a collection that demonstrates the organization's impact in the past and potential for the future. The effort was launched by...

VP Humiston announces plans for UC ANR REC System investments
On April 10, VP Glenda Humiston released the following statement to the UC ANR community. Dear Colleagues, As we move forward with the implementation of our new Strategic Plan, I want to take this opportunity to share some exciting plans for...

UCCE Imperial County gets new phone numbers
The UC Cooperative Extension office in Imperial County has installed a new phone system, which has resulted in new phone numbers for all the employees. The main office number for UCCE-Imperial County is (442) 265-7700. Their old phone numbers will...

Employee comments sought on Academic Personnel Manual revisions
The University of California is inviting comments on proposed revisions to the Academic Personnel Manual sections listed below. Note that APM 740 applies to Agriculture and Natural Resources: 740, Leaves of Absence/Sabbatical Leaves (APM - 740); 285,...

UC walks for wellness on May 17
UC Walks returns for its eighth year on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, bringing together faculty, staff, students and retirees to take a walk, share wellness tips and (with luck) enjoy the spring sunshine. UC Walks is a free, systemwide event that...

Staff Advisor to the Regents and Staff Advisor-designate visit UC ANR
The Staff Advisor to the Regents, LaWana Richmond, and the Staff Advisor-designate, Jason Valdry, spent a day at the UC ANR building in Davis April 20 to reach out to UC ANR's early-career professionals, take questions at an all-staff...

UC and Vox launch Climate Lab video series
The University of California, in partnership with Vox media, has launched Climate Lab – a new six-part video series on climate change. Hosted by conservation scientist and UCLA Visiting Researcher M. Sanjayan, the videos explore the...

No time for a time management course?
Time management? Work-life balance? Are you talking to me? If you believe that you don't have time or work-life balance, remember that you have the same number of hours in a day that Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Marie Curie, Pablo Picasso,...

Western SARE invites pre-proposals for grants by June 1
The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has announced the Call for Pre-proposals for Research & Education Grants for 2017. The deadline is 12 noon Pacific Time on June 1. Congress mandates that the SARE grant...

Comments sought on revisions to Staff Policy 3 – Types of Appointment
The University of California is proposing revisions to Staff Policy 3 – Types of Appointment, which applies to staff employees in the Professional & Support Staff and Managers & Senior Professionals personnel groups and to Senior Management...

March 2017

UC ANR goes to Washington
“We visited offices of 26 of California's 55-member congressional delegation in two days!” said Lucas Frerichs, government and community relations manager.  On March 6-9, a UC ANR delegation attended the 35th Annual Council on...

Names in the News
Bell named Vice Provost–Statewide Programs/Strategic Initiatives Mark Bell will join UC ANR on May 1 as Vice Provost–Statewide Programs/Strategic Initiatives position. Bell is director of the UC Davis International Learning Center, a...

UC ANR invites legislators to Ag Day at the Capitol
Ag Day at the Capitol was held in Sacramento on March 22. On Monday, March 20, Lucas Frerichs, Tyler Ash, Pam Kan-Rice and Meredith Turner of UC State Government Relations, visited the offices of all 120 legislators and the governor and lieutenant...

FAQ on possible federal immigration enforcement actions on UC property
UC Office of the President has created a website for frequently asked questions on immigration enforcement actions. Charles F. Robinson, UC general counsel and vice president of Legal Affairs, has issued the FAQ for members of the University of...

Copyright workshop for academics, April 4
How can a law almost as old as our country work in today's high-tech universities? On April 4, UC ANR Office of Contracts and Grants will sponsor a workshop and webinar to provide academic basic information on copyright law and policies related to...

What would you like to learn about climate science and outreach?
The UC ANR Climate Change Program Team is asking UC ANR academics to complete a survey to help assess their needs for professional development related to climate science and outreach. “To better understand climate-science training...

Deadline extended for 2017 UC People Management Conference prerequisite
At the 2017 UC People Management Conference, Aug. 1 and 2, participants will hear from inspiring speakers, learn from peers and industry experts and stay current with people management trends. Conference topics will include Human Resources &...

Apply for IGIS drone bootcamp by April 15
The Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS) Statewide Program will hold a three-day "Dronecamp" to be held July 25-27, 2017, in Davis. This bootcamp style workshop will provide "A to Z" training in using drones for research and resource...

Comments sought on proposed Presidential Policy on Export Controls
UC Office of the President is inviting employees to comment on a proposed new Presidential Policy on Export Controls. The proposed policy seeks to provide a framework for all university locations to develop further local export-control compliance...

Learning and development opportunities
NAEPSDP to hold annual conference in December The National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) will hold their annual conference at Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas on Dec. 4-7, 2017. Consider joining...

UC to begin reverifying the benefits eligibility of some family members in April
If you are enrolled in UC-sponsored health plans and you cover a spouse, domestic partner, grandchild or legal ward under your benefits, Secova, Inc., will contact you in early April as part of the Family Member Eligibility Recertification...

Annual staff performance review launched March 1
The annual performance review season for all ANR staff employees has begun. Performance reviews are an opportunity for staff and supervisors to step back from the day-to-day tasks to review past accomplishments and set clear goals for the future. People...

In memoriam: Carl Schoner
Carl Schoner, UCCE farm advisor emeritus in Yolo County, passed away on Feb. 21 at age 89. After serving in the Navy, Schoner graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's degree in animal husbandry in 1951. Continuing his education during his career,...

February 2017

UC ANR introduces Market-based Adjustment Plan for staff salaries
Attracting and retaining highly qualified employees is a top priority for UC ANR. To be more competitive among many diverse employment markets, UC ANR leadership has developed a plan to address the competitiveness of our staff salaries.  As part of...

UC ANR adds Matching Grants Program
AVP Wendy Powers announced that UC ANR has added another funding mechanism to its 2017 funding opportunities/grants website: a Matching Grants Program. For grant opportunities that require matching funds, this program will provide cash...

UC ANR to boost 4-H and MFP county support, better integrate YFC programs
The extended vacancy of the Youth, Families and Communities Director position (vacant 17 months) has given UC ANR leadership time to  consider program needs and how the Division can best meet those needs moving forward. After reflection, collecting...

Names in the News
Devkota joins ANR as weed advisor Pratap Devkota joined UCCE on Jan. 6, 2017, as an area low-desert weed science advisor for Imperial and Riverside counties. His primary research will address the weed management challenges on agronomic and vegetable...

UC ANR Staff Assembly Council offers staff scholarships
The UC ANR Staff Assembly Council has been busy pursuing various ways to provide resources that will benefit all ANR staff – including limited-term and county-paid staff. For those of you who may not know, ANR Staff Assembly Council is here to...

Do you have a UC ANR-related social media account?
If we all work together, UC ANR's collective social media presence will grow much faster. If you are an administrator for any UC ANR-related social media page, please let us know. We will be able to share your news from UC ANR accounts and you...

Apply to become the next staff advisor to UC Regents
Staff across the UC system who are interested in public policy, advocacy and the future direction of the university are encouraged to apply to become the next staff advisor to the UC Regents. The application period is now open through March 10. Staff...

Nominations open for Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards
The 2017 nomination process for the national Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards has been announced by the Extension Committee on Organization & Policy (ECOP) and USDA-NIFA. The due date for online nominations is May 1, 2017, at 5 p.m....

UC Delivers provides opportunity to share impact of your work
  UC Delivers, a collection of stories showing how ANR is making a difference for Californians, is a great option to consider when relaying the impact of your work. Once a story is posted to the website it is converted to a one-page PDF, shared...

Nominate staff for ANR STAR awards
Nominations are being accepted for the ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) program for the fiscal year 2016-17. The STAR program is your opportunity to celebrate and reward the great contributions of ANR's people. The program provides cash...

UC ANR resources address sexual violence and sexual harassment
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals who are employed or participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of violence,...

Programmatic Orientation rescheduled to Oct. 17-19
Recently hired academics are invited to join ANR leadership for the third Programmatic Orientation on Oct. 17-19 to discuss the mission of UC ANR and our varied roles in California and the university. Please hold the dates. Take this opportunity to...

You may be eligible for California Earned Income Tax Credit
In accordance with the Earned Income Tax Credit Information Act, the university includes a notice with all Form W-2 statements notifying employees that they may be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Please note below an important...

ANR participates in World Ag Expo
The 50th World Agricultural Expo was held Feb. 14-16, 2017, in Tulare. The three-day show was attended by 105,780 people representing 43 states and 71 countries, according to its website. UC ANR participated by hosting a newsmakers event for...

ANR members get personalized access to Lynda.com
Seeking to sharpen your skills to advance your career? You now have 24/7 access to on-demand training. UC ANR has upgraded its relationship with Lynda.com, which offers more than 6,000 video courses taught by professional instructors. Lynda.com now...

IT hosts online Zoom trainings 10 a.m. on Wednesdays
UC ANR has made a commitment to Zoom as the preferred video conferencing tool for ANR and has made it freely available for the whole division and all of our staff. Starting on Feb. 8, IT began hosting online Zoom trainings at 10 a.m. on...

Hopland REC calls for proposals
Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) is soliciting proposals for new and continuing research projects for the period July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. Hopland REC encompasses more than 5,300 acres of oak woodland, grasslands and chaparral...

Vice Provost – Cooperative Extension search extended
Following an interview process and review of the feedback collected from the search committee and seminar attendees as well as the application materials, AVP Wendy Powers requested that the Vice Provost – Cooperative Extension search be extended so...

UC launches immigration resources website
UC Office of the President has put together a new systemwide website that provides news, resources and support for those affected by President Trump's executive orders on immigration, including ones that could affect UC's student Dreamers. The...

In memoriam: Duncan McMartin
Duncan McMartin, UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist emeritus in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, died Jan. 14. The following obituary was provided by his daughter Shona Hilton. Duncan Alexander McMartin passed away...

January 2017

ANR invites proposals for competitive grants, introduces new grant opportunities
Wendy Powers, associate vice president, announced the request for proposals for ANR's 2017 competitive grants program, which can be found at http://ucanr.edu/compgrants2017. In addition to releasing ANR's competitive grants call, she shared...

ANR embarks on development of action plans for five-year Strategic Plan
Dear Colleagues, In August 2016, President Napolitano requested a five-year strategic plan for UC ANR by December 2016. To meet that ambitious deadline, the Senior Leadership Team worked closely with the strategic planning resources at UCOP and UC ANR...

Strategic plan takes center stage
Editor's note: This is an excerpt from AVP Wendy Power's new blog “ANR Adventures.” For news about the recruitment process for the Vice Provost – Statewide Programs and Strategic Initiatives and...

Names in the News
Berger named IPM academic coordinator Lori Berger has been promoted to academic coordinator for the Pests, Pesticides and IPM Project, effective Oct. 15. Berger joined ANR in 2014 as a project coordinator for the UC ANR Statewide IPM Program. In this...

California 4-H helps launch hands-on learning club for children in Mexico
Over the last 100 years, the UC ANR 4-H Youth Development Program has taught California children about food, agriculture, leadership and community service using learn-by-doing practices. To offer 4-H expertise to children south of the border, Vice...

Newer ANR academics invited to Programmatic Orientation Feb. 22-24
Recently hired academics are invited to join ANR leadership for the third Programmatic Orientation, Feb. 22-24, to discuss the mission of UC ANR and our varied roles in California and the university. The orientation will be held at Kearney Agricultural...

Strategic Plan town hall video available
Vice President Glenda Humiston hosted a town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 18, to discuss UC ANR's new five-year Strategic Plan. If you missed the town hall, the hour-long video is posted on YouTube at https://youtu.be/VuGJHHURQkQ. The strategic plan, which...

New law restricts travel to states that discriminate against LGBTQ community
Effective Jan. 1, 2017, California law prohibits use of state funds to pay for travel to states with laws that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. For UC ANR, that means UC systemwide assessment funds, which include state...

Privacy Awareness Month: Who has access to your personal data?
February is Privacy Awareness Month. I know what you are thinking: October was cybersecurity month, isn't Privacy Awareness Month the same thing?  Although cybersecurity and privacy overlap and are interconnected, privacy principles are somewhat...

New strategic plan to expand career and leadership development
UC ANR's new strategic plan emphasizes expanding career and leadership development for our members in one of its goals. Strategies for achieving the goal include training staff and academics in people management, preparing future leaders and developing...

Employee comments sought on unmanned aircraft policy
The Office of the President invites comments on a proposed new policy for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The Policy is to establish minimum standards for the safe use and operation of UAS and Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS), including drones and...

Sierra Foothill REC seeks proposals
The UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) is soliciting proposals to support new and continuing research on rangeland and oak woodland ecology and management, beef cattle health, production and management, and related agricultural...

December 2016

Thank you, and looking ahead for a great 2017!
Dear Colleagues, As we wrap up 2016, I want to take a moment to thank you for everything you've done on behalf of UC ANR this year. Whether you are conducting research, organizing extension programs, teaching nutrition, leading volunteers or quietly...

DANRIS-X launches into Project Board with webinar trainings
DANRIS-X has been updated and will eventually be replaced with the newly created Project Board for UCCE specialists and advisors. When DANRIS-X opens for reporting, users will see a reduced number of data fields and an aesthetic refresh. Project Board...

Names in the News
Ciricillo named director of Annual Giving Mary Maffly Ciricillo brings more than 20 years of professional experience to her new role as the director of Annual Giving for UC ANR. She comes to ANR from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, where she...

VP Humiston releases 26 UCCE positions for recruitment
VP Humiston announced on Dec. 14 the release of 26 new academic UC Cooperative Extension positions (see list below) for hiring over the next two years.  The positions from the 2016 process will be released for recruitment in...

Intermountain REC seeks research proposals
The UC Intermountain Research and Extension Center (IREC) is soliciting proposals for new and continuing research projects for project year 2017-2018. The Intermountain Research and Extension Center is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet...

Apply for UC Management Skills Assessment Program
Staff and academic people managers, are you ready for a leap in your management development? If yes, we encourage you to apply to the Management Skills Assessment Program (MSAP) by Wednesday, Jan. 18. This program is designed to assess the management...

Employee comments invited for proposed revised G-28 travel regulations
The University invites comments on Proposed Revised Presidential Policy Business and Finance Bulletin (BFB) – G-28, Travel Regulations.   Proposed revisions allow reimbursement, in limited circumstances, for travel (including childcare)...

IGIS offers online office hours
The Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS) Statewide Program now offers online office hours for all ANR staff and academics. Every Monday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., an IGIS staff member will be hanging out on Zoom hoping to hear...

Calling all UC entrepreneurs: The University of California wants to shine a light on your story
The University of California has launched the “I am a UC Entrepreneur” campaign to highlight entrepreneurship across the UC system. Students, faculty, staff, postdocs and alumni are invited to submit a 30-second video sharing what makes...

Thank you for supporting UC ANR
Thanks to everyone who participated in UC ANR's #GivingTuesday campaign on Nov. 29, we received a total of $39,252 in donations from 210 individuals. After adding the California 4-H Foundation's matching funds, the total was $63,252. Any time during...

Employee comment sought on Health Sciences Clinical Professor policies
The University invites comments on two proposed revised Academic Personnel Manual sections: 278, Health Sciences Clinical Professor Series (APM - 278) 210-6, Instructions to Review Committees Which Advise on Actions Concerning the Health Sciences...

Water Strategic Initiative Conference to be held March 14-17 in Ontario
Mark your calendars for the ANR Water Strategic Initiative Conference, which will be held in collaboration with the Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Strategic Initiative, on March 14-17 in Ontario at the DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario Airport. The...

November 2016

UC ANR recruits for final round of UCCE positions approved in 2014
UC ANR is in its sixth and final round of hiring for Cooperative Extension advisor and specialist positions released in December 2014. The 43 positions were released for recruitment in phases over time to enable Human Resources to accomplish the search...

UCANR raises funds and visibility on #GivingTuesday
On Nov. 29, ANR is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving fueled by the power of our social network. Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season.  “We hope you will take...

Names in the News
Batista joins ANR as 4-H advisor Tara Batista joined UCCE as an area 4-H youth development advisor for Kings, Fresno and Tulare counties on Oct. 3. Prior to joining UCCE, Batista was a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Management,...

In memoriam: Oscar Bacon
Oscar Gray Bacon, UC Davis professor emeritus in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, died Nov. 16 at his home in Davis. He was 97. Bacon, who served UC for 41 years and chaired the UC Davis Department of Entomology from 1967 to 1974,...

In memoriam: Bill Coates
After a long battle with cancer, Bill Coates, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, passed away at home surrounded by family on Nov. 6, 2016. He was 66. William “Bill” Coates was born June 21, 1950, in Bakersfield. He grew up learning...

Wood tours Hopland REC
Assemblymember Jim Wood, second from left, visited Kim Rodrigues and Greg Giusti at Hopland Research and Extension Center on Oct. 26 to learn about the research and outreach being conducted at the 5,300-acre site. Wood's district...

Facilitation training to be held March 28-30 in Davis
ANR Learning and Development will offer an Essential Facilitation® workshop March 28 to March 30, 2017. The training will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the UC ANR Building at 2801 Second Street in Davis. UC ANR employees who organize or...

Nominations for UC ag sustainability leadership award due Jan. 16
The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis is accepting nominations for the annual Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award. Nominations are welcome for UC Cooperative Extension advisors and...

Despite passage of Prop. 64, you still can’t use marijuana on UC property
Recreational marijuana is now legal in California, but it's still prohibited at the University of California. UC prohibits the use, possession and sale of marijuana — in any form — on all university property, including university-owned and...

Employee comments sought on proposed revisions to nondiscrimination policy
The University of California invites comments on proposed revised presidential policy on nondiscrimination and affirmative action regarding Academic and Staff Employment and Proposed Revised Academic Personnel Policy Section 015, The Faculty Code of...

October 2016

ANR reaches out to donors on #GivingTuesday
This year ANR will participate in #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season.  Last year, the 4-H...

UC Research to Policy Conference puts science into action
A diverse group of UC scientists working on agricultural, natural resources and food issues came together at the First Research to Policy Conference to explore how to use research to effectively engage in public policy. The event, hosted by UC...

Names in the News
Ozeran named UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor Rebecca Ozeran joined UCCE on Sept. 12 as the area livestock and natural resources advisor in Fresno and Madera counties. Raised in Yuba City with a passion for animals and the land that...

UC students assist ANR’s Global Food Initiative efforts
For the 2016-17 year, ANR has selected five UC students as Global Food Initiative fellows: UC Berkeley graduate students Gemma DiMatteo, Reid Johnsen, Alana Siegner and Laura Ward and UC Davis graduate student Mingxuan (Elaine) Liu. The GFI fellows will...

Register for UC ANR program team meetings and Strategic Initiatives conference
Several program teams and workgroups will be meeting before the end of the year.  See below. Viticulture Program Team Meeting Thursday, Nov. 3 J. Lohr Wine Center in Paso Robles Discussion topics include wine grape production manual, GiESCO meeting...

Open Enrollment 2017 begins Oct. 27, ends Nov. 22
Open Enrollment is Thursday, Oct. 27, 8 a.m. to Tuesday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m. It has some significant changes and new options for you and your eligible family members. “There's a lot of good news this year,” said Dwaine Duckett, UC vice president...

AggieTravel replacing MyTravel in November
AggieTravel is replacing MyTravel, the UC Davis travel and entertainment expense reporting system. ANR's go-live date for AggieTravel has been rescheduled to mid-November. This delay is due to a slow-down in the implementation schedule across the UC...

UC archivist begins curating UC Cooperative Extension history
Going back to 1917, farm advisors in Merced County wrote meticulous weekly logs, documenting the number of miles they drove, the farmers they met, the phone calls they took and the trainings they held. “It is a wealth of information about their...

Crucial Conversations training registration opens
ANR Learning & Development is sponsoring two “Crucial Conversations” trainings in spring 2017: Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 1-2, 2017, in Davis, at 2801 Second Street.  On Wednesday, February 1, the training is from 8:30 a.m. to...

IPMinfo app now available for Android devices
IPMinfo app, which was released last year for iOS devices, is now available with advanced features for Android devices. The app provides biology, symptoms of damage and management options for pests and diseases. The pest information is available in...

ANR to close Dec. 23-Jan. 2 for winter holidays
ANR Human Resources has announced this year's winter holiday closure schedule. ANR Units, including Research and Extension Centers, BOC Kearney, UCCE county offices and the Second Street Building in Davis, will be closed from Friday, Dec. 23, 2016,...

Don’t lose your vacation time! Plan a leave now
If you can't remember when you last took time off, you might be missing out on more than rest and relaxation. UC policy limits the accrual of vacation leave, and when you reach the limit, you lose any additional time you're earning. Taking a break from...

Free time-management webinar offered Nov. 1
Feeling overwhelmed or scattered? Want to manage distractions for better productivity? Then join us for “The Perfect 15-Minute Day Method:  From Scattered to Accomplished and Happy!” from 12:15 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. (40 minutes) on Tuesday,...

UC offers Almond Production Short Course Nov. 8-10
Almond growers are invited to attend a short course on all phases of almond culture and production in Modesto on Nov. 8-10, 2016. The integrated orchard management program, sponsored by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis, will provide...

In memoriam: Don Toenjes
Don Toenjes, UC Cooperative Extension forage and dairy advisor emeritus, died Sept. 28. Born in Los Angeles in 1931, Toenjes grew up on a ranch on Mount Shasta, earned a Silver Star in 4-H, and attended Shasta Community College. After graduating with a...

September 2016

ANR develops innovation incubation strategy
“If UC ANR isn't an incubator, I don't know what is. Furthermore, I would argue that the partnership of our land-grant university system with Cooperative Extension is the original and most productive incubator that the world has ever seen,”...

Names in the News
Mathesius named UCCE agronomy advisor in Capitol Corridor Konrad Mathesius (pronounced “Muh-tay-zee-us”) is the new UCCE agronomy advisor for Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties. Mathesius, who joined ANR on June 27, will be working with...

UC ANR introduces Zoom for online conferencing
UC ANR is ready to roll out Zoom conferencing to all UC ANR staff and academics, announced Gabe Youtsey, chief information officer. “Zoom is the easiest to use high-quality video, phone and web conferencing service on the market,” said...

UC Food Observer launches newsletter
Now it's easier to keep up with the latest food and agriculture news from UC Food Observer. Just sign up for updates delivered to your email inbox twice each month. It's a convenient and fast way to keep informed on must-read news about...

UC ANR takes part in its first CUCSA meeting
At its September meeting, the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) voted unanimously to admit delegates from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Now for the first time, UC ANR staff have representation in the statewide organization. CUCSA delegates...

Comments sought on faculty conduct policy
The University invites comments on Proposed Revised Academic Personnel Manual Sections: ·         015, The Faculty Code of Conduct, ·         016, University...

Proposals sought for extension risk-management education competitive grants
Funding for projects that help farm and ranch families succeed through targeted risk-management strategies is available through the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center (Western Center). The maximum amount of requested funding shall not...

Vice Provost of Cooperative Extension position recruitment underway
ANR Human Resources has begun recruitment for the Vice Provost of Cooperative Extension position. The position description is posted at http://ucanr.edu/Jobs/Jobs_990/?jobnum=1059. Chris Greer, who has served as vice provost of Cooperative Extension...

Tools available to center the distracted brain
You're working on an important task to complete by day's end, then: A reminder email pops up requesting you respond to a scheduling inquiry. As you look at your calendar to respond to the email, a co-worker walks by and asks, "Aren't you joining us...

Comments sought on proposed international activities policy
UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed International Activities Policy.  The policy is new and supersedes the 2005 Guidelines for the Establishment of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations. The International...

New disability insurance options for 2017 offer greater financial peace of mind
Time away from work for a pregnancy, illness or unexpected injury could mean months without a paycheck. While UC's basic employer-paid disability insurance offers some protection – a benefit capped at $800 per month for six months – it...

In memoriam: Les Ehler
Lester Ervin “Les” Ehler, UC Davis emeritus professor of entomology, died Friday, Sept. 2. He was 70. "Dr. Ehler had a remarkable career at UC Davis,” said Steve Nadler, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and...

In memoriam: Charles Lawrence
Charles Lawrence, dairy advisor emeritus Humboldt County, was killed in a vehicle accident on Sept. 17. He was 82. The Sonoma County native served as a U.S. Army sergeant from 1953 through 1955, then earned his B.S. and M.S. in animal husbandry from UC...

August 2016

Register for upcoming Strategic Initiative and Program Team events
Registration is open for several upcoming ANR Strategic Initiative and Program Team events. Dates and links to more information are listed below. Strategic Initiative conferences - http://ucanr.edu/sites/SIconferences Sept. 26-29: Healthy Families...

President Napolitano requests a draft of ANR’s five-year strategic plan by Oct. 31
Colleagues, Recently I had the opportunity to meet with President Napolitano to review accomplishments and goals for ANR. Following a very upbeat and encouraging conversation, the president requested that ANR's leadership complete a more detailed...

YFC director recruitment placed on hold
Following a search process for the Youth, Families and Communities (YFC) director position, ANR has decided not to fill the position at present. “This decision did not come easily because we were successful in attracting a number of outstanding...

Vice Provost Greer plans to return to the field
Chris Greer, who has served as vice provost of Cooperative Extension since June 2014, announced Aug. 22 that he will be leaving administration to return to the field. “After much deliberation, I have decided to step down as UC ANR vice provost of...

Names in the News
Bali named water management specialist Khaled Bali became a UCCE irrigation water management specialist on July 18. Since joining UC ANR in 1992 as an irrigation and water management advisor in Imperial County, Bali has also served in...

ANR shares in USDA specialty crops grants
ANR scientists are among those who will share in USDA's recently announced $36.5 million grants for specialty crops research. ANR is involved in two projects: brown marmorated stink bug and pollinators. Nine UCCE specialists and advisors are...

Participate in ANR’s new Global Food Initiative projects
In July 2014, UC President Janet Napolitano launched the UC Global Food Initiative (GFI) and ANR continues to play a major role in the GFI. Two new examples are a special issue of California Agriculture that is in the planning stages and a food-research...

CIWR calls for proposals
The California Institute for Water Resources has announced its 2017 Request for Proposals.  This year, proposals are requested in the junior investigator category only. Funded projects will begin March 1, 2017. Please note that the...

Call for proposals for 2017 National Urban Extension Conference
The University of Minnesota Extension and the National Urban Extension Leaders have announced a call for proposals for the National Urban Extension Conference on “Engaging in Collective Purpose,” which will be held in Bloomington, Minn., May...

Personnel policies for staff members revised
UC Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) revisions were recently approved and signed by President Napolitano. The revised policies include following: PPSM-1 General Provisions PPSM-2 Definition of Terms PPSM-64 Termination and Job...

Comment on Principles of Community by Aug. 31
A couple of months ago, the Principles of Community Committee unveiled a draft of the Principles of Community document at the May 20 town hall meeting. The committee thought that a survey would be helpful in soliciting your feedback so that we may...

July 2016

Video contest to feature UC food research
In celebration of World Food Day, UC students are invited to create videos highlighting current UC research and/or programs using the research for sustainable solutions to end global hunger. The World Food Day Video Challenge is being sponsored by...

Travel funds available for CE specialists to collaborate with CE advisors
ANR will be making additional travel support available for UC Cooperative Extension specialists to collaborate with UCCE advisors in FY 2016/17. With the level of funds available, each specialist may apply for up to $2,500 for FY...

Names in the News
Macaulay named rangeland specialist Luke Macaulay joined UCCE on June 30 as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist for Rangeland Planning and Policy in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley. Macaulay was...

Webinar explains staff performance and merit pay
Human Resources hosted a town hall webinar July 29 on the staff performance appraisal process and the 2016 staff merit pay program. The session included opening remarks from VP Glenda Humiston followed by an update from John Fox, ANR Human...

Weighing lysimeter available for research at KARE
The Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE) in Parlier is requesting proposals for new research and demonstration projects for the period Nov. 1, 2016, through Oct. 31, 2017. Located near Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley, Kearney has...

Apps for Ag hackathon brings ag and tech together
A gardening and produce-sharing app took top prize in the Apps for Ag hackathon, after contestants pitched judges at the California State Fair in Sacramento on July 17. The Apps for Ag hackathon, which was spearheaded by Gabe Youtsey, chief...

Lewis to give webinar on Qualtrics Survey System Aug. 4
Kendra Lewis, academic coordinator for evaluations, will present "Overview of Qualtrics Survey System" on Thursday, Aug. 4, for California 4-H Youth Development Program's August webinar. Anyone who is interested in the Qualtrics survey system is welcome...

Books accessible online 24/7
Those of you with access to the UC Learning Centers at UC Davis or UC Berkeley have free access to thousands of books online from Books 24x7. Search, browse and view the full contents of thousands of IT and business books online. Books24x7 offers...

President Napolitano issues guidance to address bullying
Colleagues, To improve the working climate for UC staff, you may recall that earlier this year President Napolitano formed a working group to help address abusive behavior and bullying. In the attached letter, President Napolitano reminds us that the...

Webinar on mental health awareness for CE professionals
What can equip you to better serve your Cooperative Extension community? The Ohio State University extension educator Jami Dellifield and program assistant Amanda Raines believe that mental health awareness is a critical tool. View the hour-long...

Accomplished Tulare/Kings County farm advisor Steven Wright retires
After 36 years as an agronomist/weed science advisor with UC Cooperative Extension, Steven Wright retired June 30. Wright authored, co-authored or contributed to more than 117 peer-reviewed publications, 347 non-peer-reviewed articles, and 11 book...

PPE's Julie Drouyer retires
Julie Drouyor, statewide programs business officer in Program Planning & Evaluation, will retire effective Dec. 1, 2016.  Her last day in the office is Aug. 1. Drouyor has worked for UC for 26 years, the last 15 years with ANR. Her first job...

In memoriam: David Underwood
David Underwood, who provided ANR employees with computer support for 22 years, died June 26. He was 61. Underwood was initially hired in 1991 by the UCOP Facilities Management and Loan Programs to coordinate their computer services. He joined ANR in...

In memoriam: Robert Krieger
Robert Krieger, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in toxicology at Riverside, died July 26 at age 72. Krieger had served as a CE specialist at UC Riverside since 1994, specializing in pesticide exposure assessment and worker health and safety. He...

June 2016

Powers named Associate Vice President
Following a national search, Wendy Powers has been named ANR's new associate vice president....

Archivist to preserve the history of UC Cooperative Extension
A professional archivist will begin work in August to document and preserve the history of UC...

Kallsen, Lampinen receive first two $1 million endowed chairs
Two accomplished UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists have the honor of being the first...

Names in the News
Reiter named environmental horticulture advisor Maggie Reiter joined ANR on May 9 as an area...

Three teams and 14 individuals win ANR STAR awards
VP Humiston has announced the winners of the 2015-16 UC ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition...

ANR honors 13 academics with Distinguished Service Awards
VP Humiston has announced the 2015-16 recipients of the ANR Distinguished Service Awards, which are...

Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative Conference Sept. 26-29
Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative Conference set for Sept. 26-29 The 2016...

Working at UC ANR a family affair for Bill Frost and Cherie McDougald
People who spend a significant portion of their time at work often refer to coworkers as their...

Godfather of California olive oil Paul Vossen to retire in June
UC Cooperative Extension horticulture advisor Paul Vossen was dubbed the Godfather of California...

UCCE San Joaquin County tree crop advisor Joe Grant retires
If there were a hall of fame for farm advisors, Joe Grant would be nominated by Brent Barton, a...

Kern County nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor retires
The best way to help people out of poverty, is to help them manage money, says UC Cooperative...

Holly George, first female UCCE livestock advisor, retires
Many paths lead to the University of California Cooperative Extension, and it was the pursuit of...

Long-time leader of UC outreach in Spanish retires in June
When Myriam Grajales-Hall discovered her penchant for foreign languages, she set out to find a way...

Barrett retires after 24 years
Diane M. Barrett, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and...

Aquatic Weed School: Sept. 7–8, 2016
The Aquatic Weed School will be held Sept. 7–8, 2016, at UC Davis. This intensive course is...

2016 Annual Whistleblower Notification
The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the...

ANR continues to focus on five strategic initiatives
VP Humiston has announced that ANR will continue to focus on the current strategic initiatives....

ANR and State Fair to host 4th Apps for Ag Hackathon July 15-17
Do you have an idea for a mobile app that would simplify a task for growers, ranchers or anyone who...

UC Irvine director of technology named next Staff Advisor-Designate to the Regents
Jason Valdry, a UC Irvine alum and director of technology, has been selected as the next Staff...

In memoriam: Eunice Williamson
Eunice Williamson, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor...

May 2016

UCOP’s new budget model for ANR offers more stability
Colleagues, Some of you may recall the discussions that have taken place over the past year with...

Humiston introduces new Staff Assembly and Principles of Community
UC ANR now has its own Staff Assembly and Principles of Community, announced UC ANR vice president...

Names in the News
Crump named director of Western IPM Center Amanda Crump, former associate director of the...

Public comments on proposed UCCE positions accepted until July 11
ANR's 2016 Call for CE Positions has entered the program area/unit review phase, May 5 – Aug....

Advisors, let Academic Assembly Council know what you think
The Advisor Representative Committee for the Academic Assembly Council serves as the liaison...

ANR to host ag hackathon July 15-17
ANR will host the Statewide Apps for Ag Hackathon at the UC ANR building in Davis July 15–17....

Programmatic Orientation for new ANR academics Feb. 22-24
Early ANR-career academics are invited to join ANR leadership for the third...

USDA seeks input on its animal production programs
ANR leadership encourages you to provide your expert insight and California perspective to the...

Napolitano visits UCCE in Humboldt County
UC President Janet Napolitano visited UC Cooperative Extension in Humboldt County in April. Joined...

MSAP helps managers hone their leadership skills
Two ANR employees attended the April 2016 Management Skills Assessment Program (MSAP) at the UCLA...

Training Tools Demo webinar posted online
A video of the March 17 Training Tools Demo webinar is now online and available for...

Help needed to survey small-scale livestock and poultry owners
Cooperative Extension specialists are trying to identify the needs of small-scale farms and urban...

Research to Policy Training and Program Team Meeting Oct. 12-13
The UC ANR Research to Policy Training and Program Team Meeting will be held Oct. 12-13 at UC Davis...

UC ANR Pest Management Program Team to meet June 13-15
The UC ANR Pest Management Program Team will meet June 13-15, 2016, at the UC ANR Building at 2801...

Organic farm serves up life lessons for GFI fellows
Coming from all corners of California, UC Global Food Initiative student fellows gathered for a...

Staff merit-based salary program begins for 2016-17
I am pleased to announce the University will implement a merit-based salary increase program for...

March-April 2016

ANR staff encouraged to support and engage with Staff Assembly
Colleagues: Since I joined UC ANR last summer, I have come to recognize the valuable role played...

Register for Environmental Hort and Pest Management program team meetings
The Environmental Horticulture Program Team will meet April 18-19 and the Pest Management Program...

Names in the News
Kok named 4-H advisor in Mendocino and Lake counties Car Mun Kok joined UC Cooperative Extension...

Humiston addresses GrowRIVERSIDE conference
VP Glenda Humiston delivered the keynote speech on local food systems at the third annual...

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, prompting campaigns on higher education...

UC Food Observer delivers food and agriculture content
Are you looking for value-added news and commentary on the latest agriculture and food topics? Be...

Find a mentor or be a mentor
Long ago UC President Janet Napolitano realized the importance of good mentoring as part of a...

Water Pricing for a Dry Future presentations posted
An international group of water experts gathered in Sacramento on Feb. 2 and 3 to share their...

License renewed for Qualtrics online survey software
ANR is renewing the Qualtrics license for another three years. The 2015 pilot year was successful,...

UC Board of Regents approves new retirement program for future employees
The University of California Board of Regents today (March 24) approved a new retirement program...

In memoriam: Kent Brittan
Kent Brittan, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus for Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties,...

In memoriam: Ben Waller
M.G. "Ben" Waller, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus passed away on March 6. He was...

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Colleagues, On January 29, ANR VP Humiston announced revisions to the UC Policy on Sexual Violence...

February 2016

A proposal to strengthen ANR’s leadership structure
Dear Colleagues, As most of you know, Bill Frost, our associate vice president (AVP), intends to...

Register to participate in spring program team meetings
Registration is now open for five program team meetings planned for this spring. More information...

Strategic Initiative leaders respond to feedback from the Joint SI Conference
The Oct. 5-7, 2015, Joint Strategic Initiative conference had great participation, with 353 people...

Names in the News
Kurtural named UCCE viticulture specialist S. Kaan Kurtural joined UC ANR as a Cooperative...

UC ANR hosts Newsmakers Seminar at World Ag Expo
UC ANR held a seminar for credentialed journalists on the first day of the World Ag Expo in...

Sierra Foothill REC calls for proposals
The Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) is soliciting proposals for new and...

South Coast REC calls for proposals
The South Coast Research & Extension Center is soliciting proposals for new and continuing...

ANR makes plans to upgrade off-campus broadband service
ANR's Network Project has officially kicked off, according to Gabe Youtsey, chief information...

Chin to retire from Financial Services
Ben Chin, director of Financial Services, will retire from UC on March 31.  At his retirement,...

Recall of Microsoft Surface power cords
Microsoft has initiated a voluntary recall for AC power cords (the cord that plugs into an...

Crucial Conversations training registration opens
The UC ANR Training Coordination Committee is sponsoring two “Crucial Conversations”...

UC releases report on experiential learning in food and agriculture systems
The Global Food Initiative's Experiential Learning Subcommittee seeks to increase, improve and make...

Nominate ANR staff for STAR awards
Nominations are being accepted for the ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Program until...

UC seeks applications for 2016 information technology awards
UC's Sautter Award program, honoring innovation in information technology, is now accepting 2016...

Professional development resources available to ANR employees
As a UC ANR employee, you automatically have membership in a top-notch professional development...

Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy meets in Panama
Water experts from 25 countries participated in the 9th biennial meeting of the Rosenberg...

January 2016

2016 call for Cooperative Extension positions released
Colleagues, Continuing our commitment to deploying Cooperative Extension (CE) specialists and...

Deadline to nominate UCCE academics for service awards is Feb. 15
Nominations are being accepted for the 2016 ANR Distinguished Service Awards, which are sponsored...

Names in the news
Anderson, Duncan win IPM Innovator Award Kathy Anderson and Roger Duncan, UC ANR Cooperative...

Hansen REC calls for proposals
The Hansen Research and Extension Center in Ventura County is offering two...

Organic growers sought for survey on food safety
Certified organic producers use animal-based soil amendments like manure and compost to improve...

Toolkit helps assess IPM impact
The Western IPM Center's IPM Adoption and Impacts Assessment Work Group, a collection of natural...

Year-at-a-glance calendar available online
Need to see all 12 months of 2016 at once? UC ANR News and Information Outreach in Spanish has...

Changes to UC policy regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment
Dear Colleagues, I am writing to share important changes to UC policy regarding sexual violence...

New retirement benefits for future UC employees
This is to update you on UC efforts to develop new retirement benefits for future UC employees as a...

Employee comments sought on proposed staff selection policy revisions
The University of California is proposing revisions to Staff Policy 21 – Selection and...

Mileage reimbursement rate changes effective Jan. 1, 2016
The University's mileage reimburse rates for expenses incurred in connection with the business use...

Humiston meets ANR clientele in SB-SLO counties
VP Glenda Humiston visited UC Cooperative Extension staff in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara...

UCCE in Alameda County moves to Hayward
The UC Cooperative Extension office in Alameda County has relocated from Harbor Bay Parkway in the...

Retirement: Karen Klonsky
Karen Klonsky, UC ANR Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and...

In memoriam: Jim Beutel
Jim Beutel, UC ANR Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, died Dec. 28 at the age of 88 in...

Workshops and events
Water Pricing for a Dry Future workshop Feb. 2-3 Colusa Farm Show Feb 2-4 Vertebrate Pest...

December 2015

PAC discusses UC president’s initiatives
Downtown Oakland was the site of December's biannual UC President's Advisory Commission on...

Nominate UCCE academics for ANR Distinguished Service Awards
Nominations are being accepted for the 2016 ANR Distinguished Service Awards, which...

Humiston and Parker see climate-smart ideas in the Netherlands
Last week VP Glenda Humiston and Doug Parker, California Institute for Water Resources director,...

Names in the News
Lonergan named VP's executive assistant Patricia Lonergan joined UC ANR as...

UC ANR's 2015 competitive grants program funds 17 projects
I am pleased to announce that VP Glenda Humiston has approved funding 17 projects for...

CSIT renews recharges for selected services
The work of Communication Services and Information Technology's Publishing group supports the...

Varela briefs congressional staff on IPM in grapes
Lucia Varela, UC Cooperative Extension area integrated pest management advisor, was invited by the...

MSAP catalyzes professional development planning for ANR staff
Jona Pressman, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition program manager in Butte County, and Jing Yu, UC...

Intermountain REC calls for proposals
UC Intermountain Research and Extension Center (IREC) is soliciting proposals for new and...

Nominations for UC ag sustainability leadership award due Jan. 11
The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis is accepting nominations for the annual Eric...

ANR food drive nets $3,808 for food bank
To celebrate National Food Day, University of California Office of the President employees in...

October - November 2015

UC ANR establishes two endowed chairs in Cooperative Extension
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has established two $1 million endowments and is now...

Presentations from Strategic Initiatives Conference now posted online
Posters, PowerPoints and videos of presentations from the UC ANR Joint Strategic Initiatives...

Three UC students receive UC ANR Global Food Initiative fellowships
Three University of California students will be working with scientists in the UC Division of...

Uhrich named dean of UCR College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
UC Riverside Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Paul D'Anieri has appointed Kathryn Uhrich as...

Names in the News
Diaz-Ramirez joins ANR as Desert REC director Jairo Diaz-Ramirez joined ANR on Oct. 1 as the...

UCCE advisors and specialists invited to Extension Showcase Nov. 19
The Graduate Students in Extension invite all UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists to...

Urban UCCE academics invited to policy workshop
Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists who work in urban or metropolitan communities are...

Committee begins drafting ANR Principles of Community
Respect, trust, accountability, shared vision, integrity and partnerships are needed to sustain a...

UC ANR’s new Staff Assembly is in development
The establishment of UC ANR's new Staff Assembly is well underway. Last spring's Work Environment...

Junge inducted into National 4-H Hall of Fame
Sharon Junge, UC ANR advisor emeritus, has been inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame for her...

Open Enrollment closes Nov. 24
Are you covered? Open Enrollment is time to look at benefits, consider changes Open Enrollment...

UC contractors and vendors must comply with fair wage plan
The UC Fair Wage/Fair Work Plan became effective Oct. 1, 2015. It is important to note...

UC begins implementing new hourly minimum wage policy
UC Office of the President recently announced the implementation of a new minimum wage policy for...