The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

Our incredibly wet winter rolled on in March, with rain and snow breaking levees, roofs and historical records. My thoughts are with the communities that have seen significant damage from these storms. And my gratitude goes out to UC Cooperative Extension advisors and staff across the state who continue to provide resources to help their neighbors prepare for and recover from these climate impacts – even as they themselves are experiencing hardship.

The value of UC ANR people and programs also was on vibrant display during Ag Day at the Capitol on March 21. Despite heavy rain (what else is new?), I was so happy to join my colleagues in sharing the importance of our work and thanking legislators and officials for their support.

Many thanks to Anne Megaro for organizing our fantastic booths at the event, staffed by representatives from UC Master Gardeners, The VINE, regional UCCE offices, and Strategic Communications, as well as our amazing 4-H youth. It is always inspiring to see our expertise, energy and groundbreaking tech – not to mention citrus from Lindcove Research and Extension Center and avocados from South Coast REC! – all gathered in one place.

We also brought the story of our collective impact to Washington, D.C. during the CARET (Council for Agricultural Extension, Research and Teaching) meetings, March 12–15. A big thank-you to Dean David Ackerly of UC Berkeley and Divisional Dean Isgouhi Kaloshian of UC Riverside for demonstrating UC’s unified support for our work.

Our CARET delegation – including UC ANR’s Deanne Meyer, Karmjot Randhawa, Missy Gable and Ryan Tompkins, as well as Ish Herrera and Mike Mellano of the President’s Advisory Commission – visited Congressional offices to underscore UC’s priorities for FY24 agricultural appropriations and the 2023 Farm Bill and share how UC ANR’s work is improving lives across California. CARET also presented a moving tribute to the late Jean-Mari Peltier, who was honored with a lifetime achievement award for her agricultural legacy that continues to inspire us all.

It was telling that the theme of the CARET gathering centered on “global food, agriculture and resource challenges.” Those international connections were strengthened by this month’s California Trade Mission to Japan, which is our state’s fourth-largest agricultural export market, valued at over $1.6 billion. I was honored to join California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross as part of the ag delegation. While speaking on a panel during the California-Japan Climate Summit, I highlighted UC ANR’s pioneering work in extending science-based solutions to help growers and ranchers thrive and adapt to climate change.

Another highlight for me was seeing, firsthand, the innovations on display at the California Pavilion of the World Smart Energy Week show in Tokyo – as well as during visits to accelerator programs that are supporting startups in the ag sector. It was thrilling to connect with the bold technologies that will be vital in addressing the climate crisis and other challenges.

But it’s even more exciting to imagine how UC research, breakthroughs and partnerships can advance those crucial solutions – across sectors and disciplines, and over continents and oceans. Thank you for your contributions in this world-unifying endeavor!