The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

With communities enduring scorching heat across California and record-breaking temperatures across the U.S. this summer, keeping cool and hydrated is literally a matter of life and death. The heat follows a winter of record precipitation, reminding us that one of California’s most vital resources, water, is not to be taken for granted.

On July 14, Erik Porse, director of UC ANR’s California Institute for Water Resources, provided an excellent overview of the institute’s work to the President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Commissioners heard how CIWR continues to lead and support cutting-edge water research, while growing connections and collaborations among state and federal agencies, academic institutions, water managers and the public. 

I was particularly impressed by ongoing efforts to train Certified Crops Advisers and growers on irrigation and nitrogen management, as well as CIWR’s new initiatives to support equitable access to drinking water and sanitation, especially in small communities. Erik shared that CIWR is part of a team evaluating statewide needs for sanitation, and supporting new Cooperative Extension advisors focusing on drinking water needs in communities.

During the meeting, Hope Zabronsky, an academic coordinator and program manager within CIWR, also provided updates on the remarkable progress of the Climate Smart Agriculture Program, a partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The program has served clientele in six languages across 25 counties in California, through 100 workshops attended by more than 2,300 participants. Technical assistance and grants support a wide range of projects – from cover cropping to water efficiency upgrades – that have saved an estimated 8.3 billion gallons of water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 68,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road for a year, based on impact modeling.

The urgent need for innovative climate adaptations – and new collaborations to implement them – came up frequently in committee meetings this month with Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities leadership. Alongside our new Associate Vice President for Research and Cooperative Extension Brent Hales and Director of Government and Community Relations Anne Megaro, I had the opportunity to connect with and learn from deans, directors and leaders at institutions across the country.

As part of discussions about engaging the public more on food security and climate-smart ag, we shared how we have enhanced the reporting of our collective impacts in California and urged others to do the same. We also continue to play a leading role in coordinating advocacy nationally to support agricultural research and extension, in both the appropriations process and Farm Bill discussions.

Our own work on sustainable agriculture is going to get a major boost through the integration of the Small Farms Network and UC Master Food Preserver program with the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Guided by newly appointed interim SAREP Director Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, this unified framework will deliver economies of scale, promote collaboration, attract new funding opportunities, and strengthen all three programs.

The impact and breadth of UC ANR programs and institutes are highlighted beautifully in the new annual report. Many thanks to the Program Planning and Evaluation team (and especially Christina Becker and Katherine Webb-Martinez) for assembling and publishing this wonderful showcase of our work. I encourage everyone to give it a read and see for yourself just some of the ways our academics and staff are striving to improve the lives of Californians. My thanks go out to them for their many contributions – and to you for your generous support of our efforts!