UC Blog
Dogan named YFC associate director of Program and Policy - 4-H Youth Development
We are pleased to announce that Shannon Dogan has been selected as Associate Director of Program and Policy - 4-H Youth Development for the Statewide Youth, Families and Communities Program, effective May 1. As associate director, Dogan will provide statewide programmatic leadership as well as administrative and operational support to the 4-H Youth Development Program and serve as its director.
“Chosen from a group of highly qualified applicants, Shannon possesses a unique set of skills, experience and abilities needed for success in this position,” said Sharon Junge, acting 4-H director and HFC Strategic Initiative leader, who will retire March 31. “Her command of youth development research and theory and passion for putting it into practice will be a real asset to the program.”
Currently Dogan serves as 4-H Youth Development advisor for Placer and Nevada counties and has served on several statewide 4-H advisory committees. She earned her Ph.D. in human development from UC Davis, with an emphasis in social, emotional, and cognitive development, particularly during childhood and adolescence.
Dogan will be reporting to Connie Schneider, who on April 1 will become director of the Youth, Families and Communities Statewide Program. As associate director, Dogan will serve on the YFC Senior Leadership Team, which is composed of the associate director of 4-H program policy; chair of EFNEP Leadership Council; associate director of 4-H youth development-research; associate director of nutrition-research; associate director of family & communities-research; associate director for development and director of the 4-H Foundation; and YFC management services officer.
“I am excited about the energy and perspective Shannon will bring to the YFC Senior Leadership Team,” said Schneider. “Shannon possesses the passion for academic and programmatic excellence and a keen desire to assure that our UC ANR YFC programs are making a difference in the lives of Californians.”
In her new role, Dogan will provide administrative oversight for policy development, program guidance, outreach, educational curriculum and professional development for ANR's 4-H Youth Development Program, which operates in 57 counties and reaches over 250,000 youth and volunteers.
Executive Working Group
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UCCE's Richard Molinar appointed to USDA advisory committee
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Richard Molinar to a two-year term on the Minority Farmer Advisory Committee, said a USDA news release issued on Friday. Molinar is the only California representative on the roster.
The 15-member committee will advise Vilsack on implementation of outreach and assistance efforts to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, promote the participation of minority farmers and ranchers in USDA programs, and support civil rights activities with USDA.
"The Obama Administration is committed to ushering in a new era of civil rights at USDA," Vilsack was quoted in the release. "This advisory committee will provide guidance that will ensure that all eligible applicants for our programs are served in an equal and fair manner and will enable USDA to enhance opportunities for minority farmers and ranchers."
Under Secretary Vilsack's leadership, USDA is addressing civil rights concerns that go back decades, the release said. It listed the following examples:
- Vilsack communicated his commitment to improving the USDA's record on civil rights during a live webcast with employees on his first day in office.
- USDA worked with the Department of Justice to enter into a settlement with black farmers.
- USDA and DOJ settled a class action lawsuit filed by Native American farmers alleging discrimination by USDA.
- Last month, Vilsack and DOJ announced the establishment of a process to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans.
News of Molinar's appointment was picked up by the Fresno Bee, Agri-Pulse.com, and AgNetwork.com.
Richard Molinar
Los Angeles invokes its agricultural past
Urban Farming magazine gave its readers a "whirlwind introduction" to a few Los Angeles residents and programs that are working to bring back a modicum of the metropolis' agricultural past. The first vignette in "Urban Farm Road Trip, Los Angeles" featured Yvonne Savio and the UC Cooperative Extension Common Ground Program she coordinates.
Most counties in the country have a Cooperative Extension service that dispenses agricultural, horticultural and nutritional information, the article said. But the program in Los Angeles County is unique. Common Ground trains Master Gardeners to teach low-income individuals and families how to grow their own food, wrote Erik Knutzen.
"We give people the tools to change their lives -- beautification, culture, emotional, physical and psychological health -- all the good stuff comes through gardening," Savio was quoted in the story.
Because of the tough economic times, LA County Cooperative Extension has launched the "Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative," which encourages citizens to adopt the last century's wartime tradition of growing food to help ease the burden on the nation's food production and distribution infrastructure.
The Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative helps new gardeners start their own gardens quickly and easily in a container, in the backyard or at a community garden.
Yvonne Savio
Rain soaks California farms
People involved in agriculture rarely complain about rain, but the latest series of winter storms has folks talking.
The San Joaquin Valley Viticulture Facebook page, maintained by UC Davis viticulture specialist Matt Fidelibus and Fresno County UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Stephen Vasquez, reported on the drenching in the center of California.
"We've received more than two inches of rain at Parlier in the last 48 hours, and rain is likely for 7 of the next 10 days," read a post made at 4 p.m. on Monday.
Sacramento Bee reporter Loretta Kalb got commentary about the wet weather from the director of UC Cooperative Extension for Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties, Chris Greer. He said the effects of this year's late-season soaking raised concerns for some row crops and tree crops. The wet ground will make it difficult to plant some crops such as rice during the traditional late April or early May schedule.
"If we don't get the ground dried out completely, it warms up, the weeds start growing, and they get a head start on the crop," Greer said.
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Flooded San Joaquin Valley vineyard.
Dooley discusses budget, video posted
On March 8, VP Dan Dooley met with the county directors to discuss the budgets for the UC system and for ANR, multi-county partnerships and recruiting for advisors and specialists.
The governor has proposed a $500 million cut to UC’s budget. Dooley said that the governor won’t sign a budget that isn’t structurally balanced so if the tax extensions don’t get on a special June ballot and approved, UC may be faced with a $1 billion cut.
Referring to the state budget allocation, Dooley said, “The reality is we’re not going to know what our next fiscal year’s budget is until after the June election.”
A 15-minute video recording of excerpts of Dooley’s talk can be viewed at http://ucanr.org/sites/ANRUpdate/Vice_President/County_Directors_Meeting_3-8-11.
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This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.