About UCCE

UC Cooperative Extension, Marin County

Our mission is to sustain Marin’s vital agriculture, environment, and communities by providing University of California research-based information in agriculture, natural resource management, healthy living, and youth development. University of California Cooperative Extension programs operate through a unique partnership of Marin County Government, the University of California, the Federal Government, and private funds. Networked with the expertise of UC campuses, our educational programs use practically-applied research to solve community problems. We consult with individuals and organizations, publish newsletters, produce information for mass media, and conduct seminars and workshops.
Director: David J. Lewis

Cooperative Extension Resources

Cooperative Extension Regional and County Offices

Campus Resources

Research and Information Centers - The RICs are commodity-specific focal points for UC researchers and private and public constituencies that provide resource and information development.
UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources
UC Davis College of Agriculture & Environmental Science
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Science

Research and Extension Centers

Statewide Programs

Agricultural Issues Center - Analyzes issues important to California and western agriculture and conducts applied research.
California 4-H Youth Development Program - Helps 100,000 young Californians become responsible adults.
Centers for Water Resources - Supports research and extension efforts in water- and wildland-related issues throughout California.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Program - Teaches low-income families (particularly those with young children) to make the most of their food resources and meet their nutritional needs.
Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics - Supports library and research activities in agricultural economics and the University of California.
Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program - Dedicated to the conservation of California's 10 million acres of oak woodlands.
Integrated Pest Management Program - Develops and promotes the use of integrated and ecologically sound pest management programs in California.
Kearney Foundation of Soil Science - An endowment-supported program that funds research and sponsors outreach activities directed to its current five-year mission (Understanding and Managing Soil-Ecosystem Functions across Spatial and Temporal Scales).
Master Gardener Program - UC-trained volunteers extend research-based information to the public about home horticulture and pest management. The information is provided to the public in classes, via telephone hotlines, at community events and in demonstration gardens.
Mosquito Research Program - Funds and coordinates research and education on mosquito-borne diseases and environmentally safe methods to improve mosquito control.
Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination - Coordinates and reviews ANR activities pertaining to pesticide research, experimentation, and use.
Renewable Resources Extension Act Program - Addresses educational needs in managing the nation's renewable resources.
Sea Grant Extension Program - The California branch of a national effort that supports advanced research on marine issues of vital concern.
Small Farm Center - Provides production and marketing information to farmers who are not reached by traditional extension programs.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program - Integrates three main goals: environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.

History of Cooperative Extention

History of the Morrill Act

The passage of the Morrill Act in 1862 provided all states with chunks of land that could be sold off and used to fund public universities. This allowed states to fund higher education in agriculture, science, and mechanical arts. Written by UCCE Centennial Committee Chair, Rose Hayden-Smith, this California Agriculture article explores the history of the Morrill Act and how it tied in to national events. Read more . . .

Cooperative Extension at 75

This great article, published in California Agriculture in 1989 for the UC Cooperative Extension 75th anniversary, highlights the important work of of UCCE in local communities and shows how UCCE invests in California's future.

History of the Land Grant

This 40-page document, produced by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), provides a historic overview and chronology of the Land Grant University System, and a list of member universities of the APLU.

Marin County's Farm Advisors

1. M.B. Boissevain
(1920 – 1950)

2. Sheldon Jackson
(1952 -1957)

3. William Shneeflock
(1958 - 1959)

4. Donald Brittsan
(1960 - 1987)

5. Ellie Rilla
(1988 – 2009)

6. David Lewis
(2009 – Present)