UC Blog
Ag is a key part of California communities' identities
News stories from around the state demonstrate the role of UC Cooperative Extension in helping define California's agricultural "sense of place."
Salinas research corridor
Officials are working together to create a "research corridor" in Salinas to work in concert with existing agricultural and construction technology centers, said Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue in his state-of-the-city address. "I want to acknowledge the very real and sustained efforts to make a Research Corridor a reality by Dr. Phoebe Helm at Hartnell, Sonya Varyea Hammond of the UC Extension and Congressman Sam Farr," Donahue said, according to a transcript of his speech on the Fox 35 news website. "The City will continue to stand with and actively support their efforts to help move the public sector's role in the future we envision. The marketplace will ultimately move the agenda forward but the public sector plays a crucial role."
Organic agriculture
California is the No. 1 place for organic agriculture in the nation, according to a survey analyzed by UC Cooperative Extension agricultural economist Karen Klonsky. UC Davis news service issued a news tip about the analysis that was picked up widely in the media. The survey found that California leads the United States in the number of organic farms, the amount of land in organic production and in organic sales. California is home to 19 percent of the nation’s organic farms and accounts for 36 percent of the country’s organic sales.
Rural identity
The U.S. census reports that population in Yolo County has grown, but the place maintains its "rural" designation, reported the Woodland Daily Democrat. Government agencies usually identify counties as rural if the population is under 200,000, the story said. Even though Yolo County, the home of UC Davis, topped that number by 849 individuals, it is still considered rural because of the important role of agriculture in the community, county administrator Patrick Blacklock told the paper.
Water that grows on trees
Coconut water, which has long been a popular drink in the tropics, is now being offered by trendy bottlers and touted as a source of nutrition, wellness, beauty and hydration.
The juice inside immature coconuts is sometimes billed as "nature's sports drink" and it gets credit for improving circulation, slowing aging, fighting viruses, boosting immunity, and reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke, according to a recent Los Angeles Times article.
However, Liz Applegate, the director of sports nutrition at UC Davis, shared a more moderate view with Times' reporter Elena Conis.
"There's nothing magical about coconut water," Applegate was quoted. There's no harm in it either.
Coconut water is 95 percent water and contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and small amounts of many essential amino acids. One cup has 6 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein and 46 calories.
Even though it is said to have a slightly sour flavor, it has become popular among fitness junkies who don't want to consume sports drinks with artificial colors or preservatives, Applegate told the reporter.
However, coconut water contains up to 15 times as much potassium as the average sports drink. Because the body loses more sodium than potassium during a workout, all that extra potassium isn't important.
The bottom line: Coconut water is fine for casual athletes who like the taste, but there are cheaper ways to rehydrate and restore electrolytes.
UC Davis nutrition professor Liz Applegate.
USDA official promotes renewable fuel infrastructure
A USDA official was in Oakland yesterday to promote the development of renewable fuel infrastructure in the United States, according to a news release from Propel Fuels. The federal agency plans to fund the build-out of 10,000 renewable fuel pumps across the nation in the next five years.
Judith Canales, administrator of USDA's Rural Business and Cooperative Programs, spoke at a press conference held at a gas station where customers can purchase E85 Flex Fuel and biodiesel from Redwood City-based Propel Fuels.
A story produced by KGO-TV in San Francisco said high fuel prices came at a perfect time for Propel, whose biofuel business is booming.
"What we are trying to do is focus on fuels that are domestically made, and fuels that could contribute to American jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil," Propel executive Jim Iacoponi told KGO reporter Wayne Freedman.
Most American-made biofuel is produced with corn. Corn is high in starch, but low in sugars, making it less efficient for making fuel than foreign sugar cane. But high U.S. tariffs make corn a viable alternative.
In the news story, UC Berkeley physicist Richard Muller attributed some of the interest in corn to presidential politics.
"Well, it's Iowa," Muller said. "In order to win the Iowa caucuses go to Iowa and promise they will support corn ethanol."
At the news conference, Canales said corn will only be part of the solution.
In the U.S., there are more than 20 million vehicles (more than 1 million of those in California) capable of running on renewable fuels, but the majority do not have access to these fuels. Propel has plans to build 75 additional stations in the Bay Area and Sacramento, as well as in new markets later this year, the news release said.
USDA's Judith Canales fuels a CalTrans vehicle that runs on biofuel.
Schneider named Youth, Families and Communities director
We are pleased to announce that Connie Schneider has been selected to be director of the Statewide Youth, Families and Communities Program, effective April 1. As director, Schneider will provide statewide programmatic leadership as well as administrative and operational support to youth development and nutrition education programming.
Chosen from a group of highly qualified applicants, we feel Schneider possesses the unique set of skills and background needed to succeed in this role.
The new program Schneider will oversee encompasses the 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H YDP) and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), as well as other ANR youth, nutrition, family and community programs.
Currently Schneider serves as nutrition family consumer sciences advisor for Fresno County and has been serving as chair of EFNEP Leadership Council since December. She earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Management from Oregon State University and has over 25 years of experience as a registered dietitian working in program administration, obesity/chronic diseases, and community/public health. Over the past five years as the Fresno County NFCS advisor, she has served in leadership positions including chair of the EFNEP Advisory Committee; co-chair of the FSNEP Evaluation Task Force; chair of the Health and Nutrition Systems Working Group and serves on the Healthy Families & Communities Initiative Panel.
Schneider will be reporting to Barbara Allen-Diaz, associate vice president of Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives. As director, Schneider will convene and chair 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.
Schneider's colleagues praised the announcement.
“Connie's administrative and programmatic skills are real assets for ANR,” said Dave Campbell, incoming leader of the Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative. “I'm very excited about working with her in this new role.”
“I am very confident that Connie's experience coupled with her strong belief in the value of our Cooperative Extension programs will provide her with the tools to lead this program to new levels of success and achievement of our Strategic Vision,” said Sharon Junge, acting 4-H director and HFC Strategic Initiative leader, who will retire March 31.
The Statewide YFC Program works collaboratively with and complements the Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative priorities and other critical issues affecting California youth, families and communities and develops strategies for effective organizational responses. The development of policy, program guidance, outreach, educational curriculum and professional development for ANR’s youth, families and communities programs is consolidated under the newly formed YFC statewide program.
The Statewide YFC Program organizational chart can be viewed athttp://www.ca4h.org/files/70906.pdf.
Executive Working Group
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.
String thinner could cut peach production costs
Farmers in the northern San Joaquin Valley saw a demonstration of new stonefruit thinning technology at a UC Cooperative Extension field day in Stanislaus County last week. Reporter John Holland and photographer Bart Ah You filed a story, photos and video about the event for publication in today's Modesto Bee.
The German-made "string thinner" has been researched for two years by farm advisors Roger Duncan and Maxwell Norton and pomology specialist Scott Johnson. It involves running a column of spinning plastic strings around and above the trees during bloom to knock off some of the blossoms.
The result is less fruit set and therefore reduced thinning expenses later in the season. In addition, the fruit that remain have less competition on the tree during their early development, which boosts fruit size at harvest.
"For one variety that was tested, the grower's gross income rose $997 per acre and the thinning cost dropped $386, resulting in a $1,383 (per acre) gain," Duncan explained at the field day.
The machine costs about $16,000, but it quickly pays for itself, said Modesto farmer Paul Van Konynenburg, Holland reported.
Farm advisors introduce peach producers to new thinning technology.