Posts Tagged: Agriculture

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 her new role with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources this past August, Ahluwalia now provides administrative support as the area director to UCCE advisors and staff across Colusa, Glenn, Butte, Yuba and Sutter counties. Those teams offer expertise, partnerships and programs to benefit local food systems, community health and economic development.

Ahluwalia's passion for leading-edge research – coupled with her financial acumen and interest in agriculture – make her well-suited to serve as UCCE director.

“This position really represents the best of all worlds, where my experience in higher education and management just come together in this one role to help our clientele and community get to the next step of where they want to go,” she said.

Ahluwalia learned how to optimize budgets in Modoc County

Maximizing resources in a rural, farming area with a relatively small population is nothing new for Ahluwalia. After earning her MBA from UC Davis, Ahluwalia worked as the financial manager for the sheriff's office of Modoc County, in the far northeastern corner of California.

In remote Modoc, home to 8,500 resourceful people, Ahluwalia gained invaluable experience in navigating county government, working with the county administrator, seeing how budgets were determined – and then making the most of limited funds.

“We had a very limited budget in Modoc County, so we were always thinking creatively about what we could do differently to stretch that money or get more from another source,” she said.

Although Ahluwalia enjoyed living in Alturas and loved the natural beauty of the region, she moved back to the Sacramento area after getting married. In planning her next career move, Ahluwalia sought a path into higher education, taking a position in the admissions office of her alma mater, the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

But when the UCCE area director job opening at UC ANR was posted, Ahluwalia saw an opportunity to tie-in another prominent aspect of her family story and heritage.

Childhood experiences, family history shaped ag interests

Although she was born in Calgary, Canada, Ahluwalia spent most of her formative years in Porterville in Tulare County. During her childhood, her father, who worked as a pharmacist during the day, also owned a small farm where he grew grapes and prunes. He would do his farm work from the evening until late at night – and on weekends.

“I think he was trying to do a little too much,” Ahluwalia said.

Although he eventually sold his operations, her father's herculean efforts demonstrate the importance of agriculture in their Sikh culture. Punjab, the homeland of many Sikhs, is a largely agricultural state in India.

Several UCCE advisors in the Central Valley identify as Sikh; during a recent regional UC ANR meeting, one of them expressed delight about Ahluwalia's leadership position.

“They didn't know I was in a director role,” Ahluwalia recalled. “They were just like, ‘We're excited to see you in this role because we've never seen anyone in this role from our community.'”

New director builds on legacy of strong relationships

In the first few months on the job, Ahluwalia has been focused on strengthening relationships with county agricultural commissioners, boards of supervisors and other key community leaders and organizations. Building upon the foundation set by the preceding UCCE county directors, Ahluwalia aims to make more people aware of the wide range of Cooperative Extension programs.

“I'm realizing, through my conversations in each of the counties, that people know we're here, they know we exist,” she said. “But to a certain extent, the community may not be familiar with the full spectrum of what UCCE is doing. Some of them don't know that we're pioneering 4-H youth programs, or that we're providing nutrition education through CalFresh Healthy Living – in addition to our farm advisors and volunteer programs such as UC Master Gardeners.”

To make work more productive, efficient and enjoyable for those advisors and staff, Ahluwalia said she is also looking to streamline administrative processes and offer support in whatever way she can.

“One of the biggest things I'll be doing is listening a lot,” she said. “What do they need and how can I advocate for that? I can't do anything alone – I can do the outreach; I can build the relationships. But they're the actual people who are connecting the research to our communities and providing that education and extension.”

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, UC ANR's director of county Cooperative Extension, believes that Ahluwalia has just the skill set and experience to thrive in managing teams and partnerships across five counties – all with their different priorities and needs.

“With her previous appointments in the Modoc County Sheriff's Office and the UC Davis School of Management, she has the essentials to successfully navigate the complex UCCE environment,” said Schmitt-McQuitty. “I'm excited to see how these skills will expand the research and extension in the region and build on the solid foundations the previous county directors established.”

Electrical Weed Control (EWC) in Organic Almonds and Blueberries – Research Update

Two years ago, I shared my first blog about the Zasso electrical weed control (EWC) unit—a tractor-mounted device powered by the tractor's PTO. (My first blog about the basic of EWC and unit specifications In spring 2023, we established two...

Large scale demonstration of chemigated rimsulfuron treatments for branched broomrape control in California processing tomato

Large scale demonstration of chemigated rimsulfuron treatments for branched broomrape control in California processing tomato Matthew Fatino, Brad Hanson Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Davis Branched broomrape is an obligate...

Foundation created to energize community support for UC ANR mission

Board of Directors to promote philanthropy through advocacy and fundraising in support of agriculture, natural resources and community health

The new University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Foundation has been established to advance UC ANR's essential research and extension mission.

The foundation – to be incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization following approval by UC President Michael Drake in October – will support programs that promote California's agriculture and food systems; natural ecosystems and working landscapes; and healthy and thriving communities.

“The establishment of this foundation could not have come at a better time, as it will inspire the vital resources and energy we need to meet the pressing challenges we pinpointed in our recently released Strategic Vision 2040,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

Modeled after similar entities at UC campuses, the UC ANR Foundation will be guided by a volunteer Board of Directors. Representing a variety of regions and communities across California, the directors collectively bring years of experience in the agriculture, natural resources, government, academic and nonprofit sectors.

“By tapping into the board's connections, relationships and knowledge of our work and its impact, UC ANR is well-positioned to undertake significant and truly transformative fundraising initiatives and campaigns,” said Greg Gibbs, executive director of UC ANR Development Services.

The Board currently comprises eight community leaders and three ex officio members:

Don Bransford
Owner and Operator
Bransford Farms

Tom Delfino
Sr. Principal
S.S. Papadopulos & Associates

Bill Frost
UC Cooperative Extension Advisor Emeritus and former Associate Vice President
UC ANR

Anne Haddix
Co-President, Board of Directors
UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County (Volunteer)

Corinne Martinez, Board Chair
President and Chief Operations Officer
Berryessa Gap Vineyards

Soapy Mulholland
Principal
Sopac & Associates LLC

Sharon Nance
President
NTAPROBLM LLC Inc.

Stephen Reid
Head Gardener of the Rose Garden
The Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens

Ex Officio Members

Greg Gibbs, Board Secretary
Executive Director, Development Services
UC ANR

Glenda Humiston
Vice President
UC ANR

Tu Tran, Board Treasurer
Associate Vice President
UC ANR

“We are grateful to the members of the new board for their leadership, expertise and passion for our mission, and we're thankful to the many donors – past, present and future – who generously support our work to improve lives all across California,” Humiston said.

History of philanthropic support empowered creation of foundation

It has been that outpouring of support – channeled by Gibbs' fundraising team – that enabled the establishment of the UC ANR Foundation. Gibbs was part of a nascent development team created just seven years ago, in 2017, to increase private funding from individuals, foundations, companies and agricultural commodities groups.

Within that time, the Development Services team has raised crucial funds for a wide range of impactful programs and projects. For example, philanthropic support is fueling efforts to cultivate workforce development in agriculture and related fields in Orange County, drive innovations in the “circular bioeconomy” within the San Joaquin Valley, strengthen wildfire resiliency in communities across the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and propel leading-edge research to benefit growers of citrus, grapes and other valuable commodities.

“People are seeing the true impact of UC ANR, and I think this foundation board is a testament to that,” Gibbs said. “It's a validation of all the work that's been done over the last seven years.”

In 2023, a Vice President's Cabinet began laying the groundwork for the foundation by establishing its bylaws and structure. That group comprised several current board members, as well as Andrea Ambrose, UC ANR director of advancement; Adina Merenlender, professor of Cooperative Extension in conservation science; and Kerry Tucker, chief strategic counsel at Nuffer, Smith, Tucker.

Then, presented with UC ANR's track record of robust fundraising and measurable impacts, UC President Drake approved the incorporation of the new nonprofit foundation on Oct. 2. The foundation will begin work with UC ANR leadership and staff in early 2025 to develop short- and long-term fundraising plans.

For the public, there is an immediate opportunity to support UC ANR's work – Giving Tuesday. From midnight to midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 3, visit donate.ucanr.edu to donate and participate in a global online giving event.

“Just as UC ANR programs significantly improve lives in California and across the nation and world, our donors substantively improve those programs,” Gibbs said. “They believe in what we do, and they make our research and extension activities better in every sense – more impactful, more accessible and more sustainable.”

For more information on the UC ANR Foundation and opportunities to contribute, contact Greg Gibbs at glgibbs@ucanr.edu.

Medfly Quarantine Area Expanded

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in Alameda and Santa Clara counties in California twice in October.

The expansions are in response to the confirmed detections between Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 of 22 wild female Medflies, 14 of them mated, and 12 wild male Medflies from traps in trees in residential areas.

USDA APHIS and CDFA established the quarantine on Sept. 6, following the detection of a mated wild female Medfly in the city of Fremont in Alameda County on Aug. 28. That Medfly came from a trap in an orange tree in a residential area. The agencies expanded the quarantine on Sept. 11, following the detections of additional flies.

As a result of the latest detections, this quarantine area increased by 38 square miles to 121 square miles. There are 54 acres of commercial agriculture in the quarantine area.

USDA APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. USDA APHIS is working with CDFA and the agricultural commissioners of Alameda and Santa Clara counties to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.

The APHIS exotic fruit flies website contains a description of the new quarantine area, as well as all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. USDA APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.

Additional information on the Medfly quarantine is available from USDA APHIS National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at  richard.n.johnson@usda.gov or by phone at 301-851-2109.

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