The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

This holiday season, a recent gathering reminded me of the importance of connection and camaraderie – despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. For the first time in two years, I once again had the honor of seeing, in-person and with safety protocols in place, members of the President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources, joined by UC President Drake.

On Dec. 10, we toured UC ANR’s Lindcove Research and Extension Center in the San Joaquin Valley to hear about the latest citrus research. We also explored the Woodlake Botanical Garden nurtured by UC Master Gardeners, met youth who benefit from community programs, and learned how UC Cooperative Extension is improving lives all across Tulare County. And, of course, we sampled some of the 180 sensational varieties of citrus made available during Lindcove’s public citrus tasting!

I always enjoy witnessing, first-hand, the real impact of ANR’s bright minds, novel ideas and steadfast commitment to serving the people of California. On this occasion, I was especially moved by the chance to again meet face-to-face – and stand shoulder-to-shoulder – with our staff, researchers and dedicated PAC supporters.

None of this would have been possible without the efforts of Sherry Cooper, our Program Support Unit director; Ashraf El-kereamy, Lindcove REC director; Karmjot Randhawa, Tulare County UCCE director; and the many Lindcove and Tulare County UCCE staff and academics who showcased their work and coordinated every detail of the tour and open house.

Another wonderful experience I had this past month was engaging with county supervisors and partners at the California State Association of Counties meeting. They were very impressed with forest advisor Yana Valachovic’s wildfire presentation, and many told me how appreciative they are of ANR’s presence in their communities – and how glad they are that we’re expanding our reach and expertise across the state.

Building from this year’s historic budget increase, we are currently evaluating proposals for the next round of hiring to address California’s most pressing needs. Collaborations among ANR directors, campuses and external stakeholders have been instrumental in crafting proposals for new CE advisor and specialist positions. To date, we have received 58 advisor and 31 specialist proposals from nine different campuses.

Broad support for ANR has also come from the philanthropic community. In the last three months, we received two gift pledges totaling $4.8 million to support research and extension. The Daniel & Sarah Hrdy Fund for UC Cooperative Extension Research will provide as much as $100,000 each year in seed funding for early-stage research projects by advisors and specialists. And on GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity, more than 600 people collectively gave nearly $125,000 to support ANR. Many thanks to all!

These impactful contributions – as well as crucial new positions and a host of exciting programs and projects – are reasons to look forward to an even more productive 2022. I wish you the happiest holidays and new year – with many more ways and days to be close to your loved ones.