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Will importing workers lead to importing crops?

Rising farm labor costs could shift more U.S. crop production to Mexico A dwindling and aging agricultural workforce, coupled with higher labor costs, have added pressure on U.S. farms over the past decade. A recent study by University of California agricultural economists Alexandra Hill and James Sayre explores these changing trends in U.S. and Mexican farmworker demographics and the potential implications for U.S. farms. They found that the incentives to enter the United States under the H-2A visa program for farmwork far outweigh the incentives to immigrate for farm work without proper work authorization. However, because these H-2A workers come at a steep cost to employers, this could mean that several crops with high labor costs may increasingly move production to Mexico in a quest to reduce costs. Over the last two decades, several trends have led to a shortage of domestic crop workers in the United States. A major contributing factor is that fewer immigrant farm workers...

Feeding grazing cattle seaweed cuts methane emissions by almost 40%

Findings offer solution for more climate-friendly cattle farming Seaweed is once again showing promise for making cattle farming more sustainable. A new study by researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that feeding grazing beef cattle a seaweed supplement in pellet form reduced their methane emissions by almost 40% without affecting their health or weight. The study was published Dec. 2 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This is the first study to test seaweed on grazing beef cattle in the world. It follows previous studies that showed seaweed cut methane emissions 82% in feedlot cattle and over 50% in dairy cows. How much methane do cattle produce? Livestock account for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the largest portion coming from methane that cattle release when they burp. Grazing cattle also produce more methane than feedlot cattle or dairy cows because they eat more fiber from grass. In the U.S., there are 9 million dairy...

Desert Organic Research and Food Safety Workshop set for Dec. 4 in Holtville

The "Advances in Southwest Desert Agriculture Research, Organic Production and Food Safety" workshop is scheduled for Dec. 4 in Holtville. This event will showcase cutting-edge research and practical organic farming strategies tailored to California's unique desert environment. The symposium will feature presentations from University of California Cooperative Extension advisors and other experts. The agenda covers a range of critical topics, including insect pest management in low desert agriculture, weed management strategies for guayule seedlings, summer cover crops for soil health and disease management, integrated pest management for onion diseases, predicting sugar beet cyst nematode suppressiveness, and microbial risk assessment of soil amendments in organic romaine lettuce. “These presentations will provide valuable insights into improving desert vegetable production, irrigation efficiency, and food safety practices specific to our region,” said co-organizer...

Ahluwalia brings financial savvy, community ethic to UCCE director role

New area director to support UC ANR programs in Colusa, Glenn, Butte, Yuba and Sutter counties As the new University of California Cooperative Extension area director for five Northern California counties, Teghpreet “Preet” Ahluwalia has an impressive track record of connecting people with resources that can improve lives and uplift future generations. After college at UC Davis, Ahluwalia immersed herself in the world of finance and real estate and started her own investment firm. Its clientele were mainly older adults seeking opportunities to build long-term wealth and security for their descendants. “We wanted to open up these opportunities in our network to people who didn't have access to them, or wouldn't normally come across them,” Ahluwalia said. She also volunteered on the board of the National Association of Women Business Owners to share her knowledge and help provide the resources that her entrepreneurial peers needed to thrive. Beginning in...

CFHL, UC and UCCE Alameda team up with UCSF for Food Farmacy

Green peas, orange carrot cubes and squares of white tofu sizzled as they were stirred into brown rice in an electric frying pan. “Smells good,” commented a man walking to the fresh produce display. Every week UC San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland gives away fresh produce to patients and community members at its Food Farmacy to improve food security in the community. On Nov. 14, nutrition experts from UC Cooperative Extension and CalFresh Healthy Living, UC joined UCSF colleagues to encourage Oakland residents to eat fresh fruits and vegetables for better health. Tuline Baykal, CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Cooperative Extension program supervisor in Alameda County, and CFHL, UC community educators Mercy Mumba, Yolanda Silva and Mariela Wajler showed visitors how to prepare dishes that could be easily made from fresh produce. Mumba and Wajler cooked tofu fried rice while Silva tossed slices of persimmon, dried cranberries and spinach together...

For information, contact

Norma De La Vega
Title: Broadcast Communications Specialist III
Unit: Strategic Communications
Address:
University of California, Riverside
ANR News & Information Outreach in Spanish
4501 Glenwood Drive
Riverside, CA 92501-3000
Phone: (951) 827-9541
Fax: (951) 781-2171
Email: ndelaveg@ucanr.edu

Pamela S Kan-Rice
Title: Assistant Director, News and Information Outreach
Specialty: Working with the news media in public information.
Unit: Strategic Communications
Address:
2801 Second Street
180
Davis, CA 95618-7779
Phone: (530) 750-1221
Fax: (530) 756-1079
Email: pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu

Basilisa M Rawleigh
Title: Administrative Assistant III
Unit: Strategic Communications
Notes: AsisTel de la UC: http://asistel.ucanr.org
Address:
University of California, Riverside
ANR News & Information Outreach in Spanish
4501 Glenwood Drive
Riverside, CA 92501-3000
Phone: (951) 827-9540
Fax: (951) 781-2171
Email: lrawleigh@ucanr.edu

Liz Sizensky
Title: Social Media Strategist
Specialty: strategic communications, social media, editing, writing, Connected newsletter
Unit: Strategic Communications
Address:
2801 Second Street
Davis, CA 95618-7779
Phone: (415) 635-7380
Email: lizsizensky@gmail.com

Ricardo A Vela
Title: Program Manager
Specialty: Video production, Video editing, Photography, Latino Community,Spanish Media, How to reach to Latinos,Bilingual (English - Spanish) Bicultural.
Unit: Strategic Communications
Address:
University of California, Riverside
ANR News and Information Outreach in Spanish
4501 Glenwood Drive
Riverside, CA 92501-3000
Phone: 951-827-9545
Fax: 951-781-2171
Email: rvela@ucanr.edu

Jeannette E. Warnert
Title: Communications Specialist
Specialty: Writing
Unit: Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center
Address:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
UC Kearney Research and Extension Center
9240 S. Riverbend Ave.
Parlier, CA 93648
Phone: (559) 240-9850
Fax: (559) 646-6593
Email: jewarnert@ucanr.edu