UC Blog
Agritourism continues its whistle-stop tour of California
This week, the UC small farm program's final agritourism workshop in a series of five convenes in Monterey, winding up a whirlwind educational and promotional tour of California aimed at selling the farm - to visitors.
All over California, farmers are inviting visitors to participate in farm camps, harvest festivals, horseback riding, hiking, hunting, bird-watching, tours and farm stand activities like tasting and picking, according to a Corning Observer story about the Feb. 23 agritourism workshop in Red Bluff.
"Agritourism is a good way for farmers and ranchers to connect with the community and make money doing it. The main objective is to make the business work," the article quoted Penny Leff, UC agritourism coordinator.
The workshop series is offering professional development for people involved in agritourism and building a stronger infrastructure for successful agritourism in the region. Participants are learning that agritourism could be profitable, but it is also challenging.
"Don't quit your day job," agritourism entrepreneur Bob Nash said at the Red Bluff event. His small small pumpkin patch on the Old Oregon Trail has evolved to include wagon rides, a petting zoo, an antique tractor show and tractor pulls, corn maze, haunted house and a variety of activities and demonstrations. "It doesn't happen overnight and it takes a lot of marketing."
Other speakers advised talking to city and county planners, doing research, assessing a competitive advantage, understanding the market, finding an angle, navigating the permit and approval process, collaborating with partners, developing a trusted product and marketing it to customers, wrote reporter Susan Meeker.
The final agritourism workshop will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Monterey County UC Cooperative Extension office. Find more information here.
Diverse offerings will attract visitors to the farm.
Pistachio Association uses UC data to calculate the crop's economic impact
The economic impact of the pistachio industry in California, Arizona and New Mexico amounts to $1.9 million for each day of the year, $682.5 million annually, according to a report commissioned by the Western Pistachio Association. The greatest economic impact is in California, where the majority of pistachios are grown.
Consultant Dennis H. Tootelian arrived at these figures using data from the Census of Agriculture, USDA, CDFA, and the University of California Cooperative Extension's Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Pistachios, according to a news release WPA distributed today via PR Newswire.
"The goal of the study was to demonstrate the overall impact of the pistachio growers' spending and their ability to generate business activity, employment, personal income and tax revenue for other industries and the states they operate in overall," Tootelian was quoted in the release.
The $682.5 million economic impact takes into account the "ripple effect" of pistachio business activity. For example:
- Pistachio growers spend nearly $415.3 million each year to produce the pistachio crop
- This spending spurs creation of 5,910 full-time equivalent jobs each year
- The employment generates more than $224.4 million each year in wages and salaries for new employees, and expanded incomes for existing industry jobs
- More than $24.4 million annually in tax revenue and other business licenses and fees are generated
"This report shows us how we as an industry contribute to the economy – through substantial job creation, funding for community programs, literally millions in tax revenues to the states where growers operate – all by simply growing the best possible product for consumers," said WPA executive director Richard Matoian.
The complete economic impact report may be viewed on the Western Pistachio Association's website.
UCCE's pistachio cost study.
Experts recommend a change in California water policy
Authors of a newly published water policy book say a new approach is needed to manage California’s aquatic ecosystems, according to a Public Policy Institute of California news release about the publication.
Recommendations include moving away from the current strategy, which aims to save one species at a time under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts. Instead, a broader approach would create better conditions for many species and address the multiple causes of ecosystem decline.
Wide-ranging water policy reforms are detailed in Managing California’s Water: From Conflict to Reconciliation, an in-depth look at the state’s water management challenges. The authors include Richard Howitt, professor and chair of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis, Jay Lund, director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, and Peter Moyle, associate director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.
The authors say that today’s system of water management, developed in previous times for past conditions, is leading the state down a path of environmental and economic deterioration.
"We’re waiting for the next drought, flood, or lawsuit to bring catastrophe,” the news release quotes co-author Ellen Hanak, senior fellow at PPIC. "But if we take bold steps now, we can move from an era of conflict to one of reconciliation, where water is managed more flexibly and comprehensively, to benefit both the economy and the environment.”
The publication makes water policy recommendations involving:
- Urban conservation
- Goundwater banking
- Water transfers
- Pollution management
- Flood management
The report's suggestions were not met with unanimous support. The Association of California Water Agencies issued a statement yesterday complimenting the authors for bringing attention to the issue, but adding that the report contains "plenty to agree with and plenty to debate."
Release of the report was widely covered by the news media, including:
- Report on state water seeks balance - Modesto Bee
- PPIC takes a crack at California's water stalemate - Sacramento Bee
- Smelt may pay price for healthy estuary - Inside Bay Area
- As $11B water bond looms, book recommends sweeping reform - California Watch
The 503-page PPIC water report.
HFC Strategic Initiative Conference set for May
The Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative Conference is scheduled for May 17-19 at ARC at UC Davis.
More information about the conference will be posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/HFC/ as it becomes available. The final version of the HFC strategic plan is posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/HFC/files/57631.pdf.
The Sustainable Natural Ecosystems Strategic Initiative Conference is tentatively scheduled for September. The exact dates and other information about the SNE conference will be posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/SNE/ as it becomes available.
As we announced last week, workgroups will be aligning under the appropriate Program Teams. The first opportunity for Program Team meetings will be in conjunction with the Strategic Initiative conferences.
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.
Internal funding opportunity for academics
ANR academics are invited to apply to receive internal funding from the Western SARE Professional Development Program for California.
The funds must be used for professional development training activities for extension educators, CE advisors, CE specialists, Natural Resources Conservation Service field staff, or other professionals involved in outreach, and must focus on sustainable agriculture/food system practices. They can also be used for specific training activities for workgroups that are open to non-workgroup participants.
Each proposal should not exceed $4,000. The total available annual funding is approximately $34,000.
Apply for the Western SARE Professional Development Program for California by submitting a short project summary and a few other details in the “Universal Review System” of your ANR Portal. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 24.
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.