Rebuilding for the next 100 years

Abstract

Smith-Lever Act of 1914: An Act to pr colleges in the several States receiving and sixty-two, and of acts suppleme Outlook Outlook Rebuilding for the next 100 years • researching how to make safe, affordable food available to the world’s 7 billion people; • protecting scarce natural resources; • building healthy, prosperous communities; and • educating our future leaders to meet these and to- morrow’s challenges. n 2014 our nation commemorates the 100th anni- versary of the founding of Cooperative Extension. In many ways ANR functions as UC’s 11th cam- For the University of California’s Division of Ag- pus. We don’t grant degrees, but we educate more riculture and Natural Resources (ANR), this is both a than 150,000 California young people every year in year for celebration and for renewal. the California 4-H Youth Development Program. As California’s land-grant research university, UC, One of the original Cooperative Extension programs, in 1914, was given the task of building the Extension 4-H teaches science, engineering, nutrition, ecology system that the Smith-Lever and good citizenship. By participating in 4-H, young Act envisioned would pro- people increase their likelihood of graduating from pel U.S. agriculture into college fivefold. For 100 years, UC Cooperative the modern era. UC ANR ANR doesn’t operate medical centers, but we work Extension has served as ANR’s embraced that vision with a every day to fight childhood obesity and poor nutri- “community ambassador.” prophetic belief that scientific tion. Our Extension nutrition programs reach more knowledge could, indeed, than 222,000 adults and children in 33 counties. transform California into the Through UC Cooperative Extension’s efforts, world’s most successful agri- over the past three decades California’s milk produc- cultural producer. tion has increased 44%; its processing tomato yields For 100 years, UC have increased 69% and almond yields have risen Cooperative Extension has by 122%. served as ANR’s “commu- Using ANR-developed technology, California grow- nity ambassador,” deliver- ers save 100,000 acre feet of water a year. ing research and education When invasive pests like the Asian citrus psyllid programs in every California attack crops, ANR fights back with scientific advances county. During this centen- in pest management and ongoing research to eradicate nial year, we have much the threat. to celebrate, thanks to our Even in times of severe budget cutbacks, ANR con- storied history and the sistently fulfills its public service responsibilities. The 1,350 dedicated individuals university and ANR have suffered through chronic who make UC Cooperative funding declines that have threatened the quality of Extension and all of our programs and ability to serve the state. Now that ANR thrive. California’s finances are improving, we must focus Today, we operate nine on renewal. Research and Extension Among my highest priorities as vice president is Centers, 60 county offices and to rebuild the academic footprint of UC Cooperative three administrative centers, Extension. To sustain UC’s credibility with the people with more than 11,000 acres, it was created to serve, we must continue to replen- 320 Extension researchers ish our ranks (see next page) and revitalize programs and 650 campus-based aca- trimmed during lean budget years. demics devoted to sustaining We also must forge new public-private partnerships UC ANR researcher and improving California’s and strengthen the ones we have to attract diversified checking codling funding sources to our programs. moth trap in a walnut agricultural and natural resources. Through this vast statewide network, ANR deliv- And we must build collaborations within the UC tree at sunrise ers practical, science-based information to California campuses to take advantage of the multidisciplinary growers, ranchers, decision makers and, perhaps most nature of transformative research. importantly, the people of California. These are some of the challenges that keep me Through our partnerships with the agricultural awake at night. We must accomplish these goals and community; state, local and federal agencies; and the more if UC Cooperative Extension and all of ANR are California State University, we address some of the to contribute another 100 years to the health and vi- most pressing problems of our day, including brancy of the California we all treasure. Barbara Allen-Diaz Vice President Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of California Jack Kelly Clark I 6 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE • VOLUME 68 , NUMBERS 1–2