Posts Tagged: research

SAREP, Small Farms and UC Master Food Preservers join forces to strengthen support for sustainable production, local food systems and farmer equity

Dahlquist-Willard named interim SAREP director

The past few years have intensified challenges to sustainability in California agriculture. At the same time, new opportunities for UC ANR programs to meet these challenges have arisen. Large-scale hiring, successfully competing for several multimillion-dollar grants, and expanding our reach to meet the needs of Californians are among UC ANR's recent positive developments. As we look ahead, the challenges to achieve sustainability, food security and economic development present new opportunities for our programs to work together.

UC ANR's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program is a leader in promoting safe, sustainable farming practices across the state. The recent retirements of SAREP's director and business manager, as well as multiple recent large grant awards for statewide and regional projects, have created an opportunity to integrate key programs under SAREP to meet grant deliverables and provide administrative support efficiencies. Thus, we are integrating the Small Farms Network and UC Master Food Preserver program with SAREP to form a new framework for support and administration.

These three programs have multiple shared areas of focus and activity such as local food production and marketing, diversified farming systems, food safety and enhancing equity. By integrating these units, we will not only accomplish economies of scale but also foster collaboration on shared focus areas to strengthen overall program delivery to clients and communities. The programs will retain their individual names and identities under this new framework.

Due to the substantial changes to the SAREP director position, the search for a new SAREP director is on hold while we consider how best to integrate the three programs. I have appointed Ruth Dahlquist-Willard to serve as interim director of SAREP for three years effective July 1, 2023.

Over the next six to nine months, Ruth will coordinate brainstorming sessions with academics and staff to gather input on how best to leverage shared interests and resources across the units. She will remain based in Fresno during the interim role. Recruitment will begin soon for the UCCE small farms and specialty crops advisor position in Fresno County, and Ruth will be dedicated 100% to the SAREP director position following this transition. 

I am confident that this new structure will strengthen each individual program while also creating new synergies within a powerful statewide unit that can support multiple projects and attract new funding opportunities.

Please join me in congratulating Ruth and lending your support to her in establishing this new framework to accomplish our collective goals.

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

Internet Outage at Sierra Foothill REC

UPDATE FEB. 22: Internet and phone service has been restored.

Sierra Foothill REC's internet has been down since Sunday. Michele Flavell, business officer at Sierra Foothill REC, wants to let everyone know that they don't have access to phones at all and email is extremely limited. If you have called or emailed Sierra Foothill REC recently, the staff may not have received your message. IT is working on solving the issue. 

David Bunn named Vice Provost of Research and Extension

I am pleased to announce the appointment of David Bunn as Vice Provost of Research and Extension.

David Bunn served as director of the California Department of Conservation, managing a staff of over 600 scientists and professionals to promote the judicious use and conservation of energy, land and mineral resources. Previously, he served as deputy director of the California Department of Fish and Game and as a natural resources policy consultant for the California State Senate and Assembly. 

For the last 18 months, Bunn directed the development of the UC Davis Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management (EPM), a unique professional program designed to train the next generation of environmental leaders and natural resources managers. 

Bunn also served in previous positions at UC Davis, including associate director of the International Programs Office (now Global Engagement) in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. As an international project manager at the One Health Institute in the School of Veterinary Medicine, he managed research, training and capacity-building activities in East and West Africa and in Nepal over a nine-year period.

"I am thrilled to be appointed Vice Provost for Research and Extension," Bunn declared. "I am passionate about translating science to action and the critical role of extension for improving the lives of people in urban and rural communities.”

"I look forward to working with all of the terrific researchers and educators in UC Cooperative Extension and throughout the UC System, and with the many external collaborators. In particular, I am eager to support the county and REC directors in their important work," he added.

Bunn holds two graduate degrees from UC Davis: an M.S. in international agricultural development, and a Ph.D. in ecology. He also holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from UC Davis.

Bunn will begin as Vice Provost on August 16, 2021. He succeeds Mark Lagrimini as the Vice Provost for Research and Extension.

Please join me in welcoming David Bunn into his new role.

Sincerely,

Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President

 

Employee comment: Research data and tangible research materials policy proposed

UC Office of the President invites comments on a proposed Presidential Policy on University of California Research Data and Tangible Research Materials. The policy is a new policy that describes the responsibilities of the campus leadership and its researchers concerning the access to, and retention and maintenance of research data and tangible research materials produced during the course of University research. The policy addresses the following key issues:

• The policy affirms that the Regents of the University of California own all research data and tangible research materials.
• Research data and tangible research materials must be retained as long as required by funders, publishers, campus policy, compliance or regulatory bodies, applicable law, relevant agreements, and in accordance with the standards of the principal investigators' scholarly disciplines. 
• When principal investigators leave the University, research data and tangible research materials remain the property of the Regents of the University of California, however, principal investigators may generally take copies of research data generated under their research projects.

The proposed policy is posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Controller/Administrative_Policies_-_Business_Contracts/Policy_and_administrative_handbooks/ANR_Administrative_Handbook/Recent_Updates/

If you have any questions or if you wish to comment, please contact Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu, no later than April 7, 2021. Please indicate “Research Data and Tangible Research Materials” in the subject line.

SAREP program review provides recommendations for new strategy

Recently, the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program completed a UC ANR five-year statewide program review in 2019. Vice President Humiston and I extend a thank you to the ad-hoc committee for their time commitment and thoroughness in examining the program and providing recommendations to UC ANR's Program Council. We greatly appreciate the time the UC SAREP program staff spent providing detailed information on all aspects of the program. Feedback submitted by UC SAREP partners and stakeholders during the review process is also appreciated.

We recognize the program has made significant accomplishments towards food systems goals that have led to greater health and well-being for Californians. The program has contributed to public values and condition changes such as: 

• promoting economic prosperity by developing new markets for farmers through the Farm to School program, agritourism and new specialty crops;
• improving food security by supporting urban gardening, food hubs networks and food policy councils; 
• developing an inclusive and equitable society, by helping to increase diversity, inclusiveness and cultural competency in California's workplaces by working with small-scale and immigrant farmers and providing trainings for extension professionals on uprooting racism; and
• protecting California's natural resources by assessing environmental risks, leading to policies for ensuring safe drinking-water standards for nitrates and mitigation targets for greenhouse gas reduction in crops.

The UC ANR five-year program review was coordinated with the timing of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences review of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute. UC SAREP has been operating as a unit housed in ASI since a memorandum of understanding between UC Davis and UC ANR went into effect in 2007.

Recently announced changes to the MOU with UC Davis and the leadership of SAREP were not an outcome of the program review. However, in response to recommendations from Program Council and the ad hoc review committee, and as a result of the recent organizational change, SAREP will begin to develop a new strategic plan that addresses the program's original legislative mandate to support long-term research toward food systems and agriculture production. The strategic planning committee will be asked to consider the following recommendations as it develops the plan:

• Explore how to better meet the needs around agriculture production.
• Determine how to best engage colleagues around the state who are working in sustainable agriculture.
• Support existing work being done by UCCE by being a facilitator, translating research to useful products for clientele, and collaborating with academics on final extension products.
• Consider including rangelands as part of agricultural production and food systems.
• Clearly define sustainability for the program's mission and vision.
• Be a conduit between UC students and UCCE and the research and extension centers by providing job training and internships.
• Consider an affiliate program such as the UC IPM model, identifying advisors to be affiliates for five years.
• Consider a role as a hub/curator of sustainable agriculture information from across the UC ANR network. Increase collaboration in development of, production or distribution of how-to materials for practitioners.
• Consider developing a precise strategy to engage with UC ANR Program Teams and other UC ANR Statewide Programs and Institutes. Work with these groups to develop user-friendly, sustainable agriculture practitioner documents.
• Increase representation of UC ANR academics on SAREP's Academic Advisory Committee.
• Develop a communications strategy for disseminating and archiving information, with input from the UC ANR network. 
• Identify additional opportunities for partnerships across UC and beyond.
• Develop a fundraising plan working with UC ANR Development Services.

I look forward to working with UC SAREP as it pursues these and other opportunities that may arise. Best wishes for the ongoing success and growth of UC SAREP!

Sincerely,

Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President

 

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