Connected - Newsletter of UC ANR

April 2020 Volume 4, Number 4

The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston

Vice President

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

As we approach another month of sheltering in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope you and your families are doing well and staying safe. All of us at UC ANR have been working hard remotely to keep Californians connected with our programs and services . You also can connect with us by email, phone or video conference—and that includes our advisors and specialists across the state .

During this pandemic, we’ve seen food-supply chains turned upside down: empty shelves at supermarkets while crops are wasted . Ellen Bruno , UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley ; Dan Sumner , director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center and UC Davis professor; and Richard Sexton, UC Davis professor, explain the disruptions and affirm that our food-supply chains are resilient and have continued to provide healthy safe, food.

UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP) Deputy Director Gail Feenstra sees this time as an opportunity to build new connections and to support local communities . Small farm and food systems advisors are providing food safety and sanitization resources; sharing resources to support food system workers, local farmers and vulnerable populations; and helping to protect farmers markets as essential businesses in their counties. In addition, Agritourism Coordinator/Public Education Specialist Penny Leff gathered resources to help consumers purchase directly from local farms and ranches at http://www.calagtour.org/Shelter-in-Place_Resources/ .

Here are a few more examples of how we’re continuing to stay connected:

Sudden Oak Death blitzes, the annual citizen science project to map sudden oak death disease, have been redesigned with new COVID-19 safety measures and continue in May.
Our UC Integrated Pest Management Program offers helpful information on personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as a pesticide safety webinar series in English and Spanish.
Erin DiCaprio, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in Community Food Safety in the UC Davis Food Science and Technology Department, created an 11 module online series of her Food Safety Training for Master Food Preserver Trainees.
4-H youth and volunteers have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic to support their communities by sewing face masks and making face shields. Our 4-H Youth Development Program is a leader in creating opportunities for youth and adults to learn, grow, and work together as catalysts for positive change.
A new web page provides links to relevant, credible, practical UC ANR information to help our communities navigate the pandemic. You’ll find information on agriculture; food, water and nutrition; youth development; gardening; exploring your environment; and health and wellness.

We’re not out of the woods yet. This pandemic is challenging us all. Scientists and local citizens from a variety of disciplines need to share information, look for synergies and collaborate in ways we have not yet seen. This kind of trans-disciplinary science and diverse partnership is what UC ANR is all about. It’s how we work to solve challenges we all face.

We look forward to seeing you again in person when it’s safe to do so. Thank you for your continued support, and stay safe and healthy!

Engage with Us!

Begins May 2, 2020

Sudden Oak Death Blitzes

Various locations

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a serious disease threatening the survival of tanoak and several oak species in California. SOD blitzes inform and educate the community about SOD, get locals involved in detecting the disease and produce detailed local maps of disease distribution. Volunteers are taught to identify SOD symptoms and to carefully collect symptomatic leaves. SOD Blitz 2020 was designed with COVID-19 precautions in mind. Learn more .

Begins May 6, 2020

Working Rangelands Wednesdays

Online webinar series, 1 p.m.

Join UC Cooperative Extension advisors, specialists, researchers and ranchers for a biweekly webinar series focused on working rangelands in California. Up first is Drought Adaptation for Rangeland Livestock Producers, presented by Grace Woodmansee on May 6; register to receive the link. Webinars will also be recorded and offered as a podcast. Learn more about this and other ranching workshops.

May 6 - June 3, 2020

Prescribed Fire on Private Lands

Online webinar series, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

This training is designed for landowners, land managers and anyone interested in learning more about fire ecology, and how to plan and implement prescribed fire.The webinar will highlight successes from other counties, including the Prescribed Burn Association model that is gaining momentum across California. Wednesdays from May 6 through June 3. Free; r egistration required.

Please note that we are sheltering in place to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We offer many resources and trainings online, such as the resources above, and you can still connect with us by email, phone or video conference. Stay healthy!

Spotlight on Practical Resources

UC ANR COVID-19

Community Resources

As we begin another month of sheltering in place, look for useful information in our extensive list of resources to help your, your family and your community navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include agriculture; food, water, and nutrition; youth development; gardening; exploring your environment; and health and wellness. You'll find practical solutions to continue essential agriculture work; ways to connect consumers and farmers; resources for agricultural workers and farmers; information on access to food and water, as well as on food safety; cleaning and disinfection info; activities for youth, children and families; online gardening resources and free gardening publications from UC ANR; useful tips on health and wellness; and much more.

Notes from the Field

Why are farmers destroying crops while store shelves are empty?

Although the new coronavirus pandemic has currently derailed the connection between supply and demand, “ the food system in the United States is resilient and there is little reason for alarm about food availability,” write University of California agricultural economists.

More News from UC ANR

UC ANR Staff News

Katherine Soule was named assistant vice provost for UC Cooperative Extension.
Surendra Dara, Lynn Kimsey, Robert Kimsey, and Walter Leal received prestigious awards from the Pacific Branch of the Entomological Society of America (PBESA). Surendra Dara won the Excellence in IPM Award; Lynn Kimsey received the C. W. Woodworth Award; Robert Kimsey received the Distinction in Student Mentoring Award; and Walter Leal received the Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching.
Professor Randy Southard received the 2019 Distinguished Teaching Award for Faculty from the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources.
Chris Derr received the 2019 Distinguished Service Award from the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources.
Huaijin Zhou, professor of animal science and director of the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Genomics to Improve Poultry, received a 2020 Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement from UC Davis.
Nutrition Policy Institute Associate Researcher Lauren Au received the 2020 Rising Star Award from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
Nutrition Policy Institute welcomes Sibani Michael Bose as new Chief Business Officer.
Environmental toxicology professor Qi Zhang and nutrition professors Fawaz Haj and Nitin Nitin completed LEAD21, a leadership development program drawing academic expertise from land-grant institutions across the nation.

Tweet of the Month

Calendar of Events

Please note that we are sheltering in place to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We offer many resources and trainings online, and you can still connect with us by email, phone or video conference. Stay healthy!

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

2801 Second Street

Davis, CA 95618

Website: ucanr.edu

Email: connected@ucanr.edu