The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

As Wildfire Awareness Month draws to a close and we enter California’s hottest and driest months, I want to thank and acknowledge UC ANR’s wildfire and forestry experts – some of the very best in their fields – who are helping prepare and protect communities across the state.

We look forward to adding to that outstanding team in the coming months, thanks to California’s significant investment in effective, science-based solutions. The state’s confidence in UC ANR’s capacity is also reflected in Gov. Newsom’s revised budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which includes an additional $2 million in funding for both FY 22/23 and FY 23/24 to support fire advisors.

The governor’s proposed budget includes $185 million in one-time funds to advance research and adaptations that will help Californians meet the challenges of wildfire, drought, extreme heat and other climate impacts. Alongside UC President Drake, I thank Gov. Newsom for his strong commitment to leveraging the expertise of UC and UC ANR to bolster California's resilience and improve the lives of people in all 58 counties.

During our annual UC ANR Giving Day, which ran from noon to noon on May 19-20, our entire community of supporters recognized the positive difference that we make. Previously called Big Dig Day, this organization-wide day of giving raised more than $72,000 for UC Cooperative Extension and UC ANR statewide programs, institutes and research centers. Many thanks to our colleagues across UC ANR who ran such successful fundraising campaigns for the event – and to all of our supporters who believe in the value of our work and contributed so generously.

Much of that work is realized and publicized from our county UC Cooperative Extension offices. County directors tailor UC ANR initiatives to fit the communities that they serve, and I cannot thank them enough for managing UC ANR programs at the local level, functioning as the face of UCCE in their communities, and helping their neighbors through their own extension efforts. I recently had the pleasure of seeing many of them in person again, during a convening of county directors at the UC ANR building in Davis. Their passion, creativity and knowledge are a constant source of inspiration.

That dedication to service also runs deep among our UCCE small farms advisors, some of whom gave a fantastic talk today during a UC ANR Asian Pacific American Heritage Month virtual celebration (last week, Yolo County farmer Kristyn Leach was the featured speaker). Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, Hung Doan, Aparna Gazula and Margaret Lloyd shared how they help Hmong, Mien, Chinese and Korean American farmers overcome cultural and language barriers and connect them with resources on COVID-19, climate adaptations, grants and more.

My thanks to them – as well as their colleagues Xuewen Feng, Pang Kue, Fam Fin Lee, Vong Moua, Lilian Thaoxaochay, Michael Yang and Qi Zhou – for their crucial work in assisting Asian American farmers who have been and will be so integral to the past, present and future of California agriculture.