California Cooperative Extension Research Articles

Setting research and extension priorities for agronomic crops in California

Agronomic crop production in California, including grains and animal feed, faces multiple challenges that could be addressed by extension support. This means that extension services need to understand priorities for using their limited resources. Until now, a statewide assessment of the most important topics for research and extension was lacking. A survey was conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) to identify high-priority needs and inform extension programming based on grower, consultant, and allied industry input. Our goal was to compare the importance of different topics with the level of satisfaction regarding UCCE’s delivery of information on these topics. Survey respondents identified integrated pest management, nutrient and irrigation management, and variety testing as high-priority needs, with overall high satisfaction regarding UCCE’s program delivery on these topics. Topics needing more focus (high priority but below-average level of satisfaction) included testing new products, soil health management, and water conservation and storage. Areas of low priority and low satisfaction included niche marketing, emerging crops, organic production, harvest/post-harvest technology, salinity management, compost and manure management, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. To address stakeholder challenges, results from this study suggest that research and extension efforts should prioritize issues directly impacting on-farm crop production. At the same time, areas of low interest reflect a need for more support to engage farmers on these topics, particularly those concerning state environmental regulations and challenges to local and global food production and security.

Exploring the challenges and benefits of online youth-led nutrition programs

Nutrition educators at the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) have been engaging low-income youth in youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) for several years. During COVID-19, these educators transitioned from in-person to online YPAR programming. Delivering the YPAR program online presented challenges but also fostered new strategies and provided benefits. This study assesses the challenges, strategies and benefits of online YPAR programming, and it examines future program implications from the perspectives of both nutrition educators and youth. Qualitative interviews were conducted via Zoom with eight nutrition educators who attempted to implement YPAR programming during the 2020–2021 school year. We used a retrospective Qualtrics survey to gain information from 54 youth participants. We found that online facilitation encouraged the innovative use of technology, which was especially important because it allowed teams to connect with each other during tumultuous times. This online format made meetings easier in terms of planning, documentation and logistics. However, the online format presented particular challenges, such as coping with internet and technology difficulties and trying to sustain authentic engagement among participants without in-person interactions. Consequently, 50% of nutrition educators and 45% of youth respondents said they preferred a mix of in-person and online meetings for future YPAR programming.

Adoption of Amyelois transitella (navel orangeworm) monitoring and management practices across California tree nut crops

Abstract In California, the most significant insect pest of almonds and pistachios is the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker) and is a pest of walnuts. This pest attacks the nuts and infestation is associated with aflatoxin contamination. While there are multiple integrated pest management (IPM) practices available, anecdotal evidence suggests that not all tools are equally utilized. To understand current industry practices and barriers to adoption, the authors surveyed tree nut growers and industry professionals across 7 University of California Cooperative Extension meetings in California’s Central Valley. Findings indicate that as managed acres decreased, participants were less likely to report using as many IPM tools, and pest control advisers reported higher use of multiple practices compared to orchard owners and managers. Key barriers to adoption varied by practice and included high economic costs, low labor availability, environmental conditions, and/or timing constraints. Many respondents were skeptical of the efficacy of mating disruption, a relatively new strategy compared to other IPM tools. Finally, a cluster analysis identified thirteen aggregate grower profiles. Groups primarily differed in their use of monitoring practices, although some groups were also less likely to use sanitation or pesticides. Two groups were distinguished as “early adopters” through their use of mating disruption and/or ovibait traps. These findings document variability in adoption of IPM practices for A. transitella in tree nuts. Identification of the primary barriers and constraints for specific grower groups will inform research and extension efforts to further promote adoption of key IPM strategies.

Using the California Waterfowl Tracker to Assess Proximity of Waterfowl to Commercial Poultry in the Central Valley of California.

Migratory waterfowl are the primary reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIV), which can be spread to commercial poultry. Surveillance efforts that track the location and abundance of wild waterfowl and link those data to inform assessments of risk and sampling for AIV currently do not exist. To assist surveillance and minimize poultry exposure to AIV, here we explored the utility of Remotely Sensed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery in combination with land-based climate measurements (e.g., temperature and precipitation) to predict waterfowl location and abundance in near real-time in the California Central Valley (CCV), where both wild waterfowl and domestic poultry are densely located. Specifically, remotely collected MODIS and climate data were integrated into a previously developed boosted regression tree (BRT) model to predict and visualize waterfowl distributions across the CCV. Daily model-based predictions are publicly available during the winter as part of the dynamic California Waterfowl Tracker (CWT) web app hosted on the University of California's Cooperative Extension webpage. In this study, we analyzed 52 days of model predictions and produced daily spatiotemporal maps of waterfowl concentrations near the 605 commercial poultry farms in the CCV during January and February of 2019. Exposure of each poultry farm to waterfowl during each day was classified as high, medium, low, or none, depending on the density of waterfowl within 4 km of a farm. Results indicated that farms were at substantially greater risk of exposure in January, when CCV waterfowl populations peak, than in February. For example, during January, 33% (199/605) of the farms were exposed for ≥1 day to high waterfowl density vs. 19% (115/605) of the farms in February. In addition to demonstrating the overall variability of waterfowl location and density, these data demonstrate how remote sensing can be used to better triage AIV surveillance and biosecurity efforts via the utilization of a functional web app-based tool. The ability to leverage remote sensing is an integral advancement toward improving AIV surveillance in waterfowl in close proximity to commercial poultry. Expansion of these types of remote sensing methods, linked to a user-friendly web tool, could be further developed across the continental United States. The BRT model incorporated into the CWT reflects a first attempt to give an accurate representation of waterfowl distribution and density relative to commercial poultry.

The contribution of the University of California Cooperative Extension to California's agricultural production

ABSTRACTPurposeThis paper is concerned with the impact of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) on regional productivity in California agriculture. UCCE is responsible for agricultural research and development (R&D), and dissemination of agricultural know-how in the state.Method/methodology/approachWe estimate the effect of UCCE on county-level agricultural productivity for the years 1992–2012, using an agricultural production function with measures of agricultural extension inputs alongside the traditional agricultural production inputs at the county level.FindingsResults show a positive impact of UCCE through its stock of depreciated expenditures. For an additional dollar spent on UCCE expenditures stock, agricultural productivity, measured as value of sales at the county level, improves by $1–9 per acre of farmland for knowledge/expenditure depreciation rates between 0 and 20 percent.Practical implicationsResults suggest that county differences in productivity could affect extension expenditures. The high level of contribution found in the results would be especially useful during a period of political pressure to reduce public spending for agricultural extension in the state.Theoretical implicationsTheoretical implications suggest that agricultural systems with higher level of knowledge depreciation are associated with higher resulting incremental agricultural productivity per an additional dollar spent on UCCE expenditures stock. This suggests that extension policy should consider also the agricultural system (crop mix).OriginalityWe use original budgetary data that was collected especially for answering our research questions from archives of UCCE. We estimate impact of extension at the county level in California, on the value of agricultural sales (of crops and livestock). We developed an extension expenditure stock, using current and past expenditures data, and different depreciation rates, following the theory of Knowledge Production Function.

A low-cost Arduino-based datalogger with cellular modem and FTP communication for irrigation water use monitoring to enable access to CropManage

Abstract The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County implemented a project to improve irrigation management through providing field assistance to growers. A web-based decision support tool called CropManage ( https://v3.cropmanage.ucanr.edu ) developed by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) of Monterey County aids growers with irrigation scheduling. However, CropManage requires a flowmeter and a monitoring station to track water use in the field. In this article, we describe a device that was conceived as a low-cost alternative to Campbell Scientific flowmeter-monitoring stations that include data logger, modem, enclosure, battery, solar panel and charge regulator and cost above $2000. The device was designed for low-cost, ease of construction and with the capability of emulating the Campbell Scientific equipment functions and outputs. The devices were enabled with FTP communication to a central FTP server and were built with an Arduino MEGA, an Adafruit Datalogging Shield and an Adafruit FONA cellular modem. A voltage divider was added to monitor the external 12 V battery voltage and a DC/DC converter was used to convert 12 V to 5 V. Each field station, including the device, battery, enclosure and solar panel has a total cost below $300, while the FTP server costs less than $100. The device was tested for two years in filed conditions and gave output equivalent to the Campbell Scientific equipment. The device is a low-cost technology that enables growers to gain access to CropManage cheaply and reliably.

Teens as Teachers in the Garden: Cultivating a Sustainable Model for Teaching Healthy Living

School gardens are an ideal space to deliver a healthy living curriculum, such as nutrition and physical activity education, to elementary school youth. However, public schools often lack the resources and support to establish sustainable garden-based programming. We created the Healthy Living Ambassador program, a collaborative after-school garden program in low-income communities that brought together resources from schools, community programs, and University of California Cooperative Extension. This school garden program featured culturally competent teens as teachers to serve as near-peer educators and mentors to elementary school youth. The program development model incorporated lessons from sustainable community-based health program interventions and essential elements of teens-as-teachers programs. We share the program logic model and discuss the successes and challenges of this program model that we encountered while developing a long-term, maintainable community garden program to teach healthy living.

An empirical knowledge production function of agricultural research and extension: The case of the University of California Cooperative Extension

Our study examines empirically the impact of agricultural research inputs on the creation and dissemination of knowledge by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE). We formulate a conceptual framework to understand the relationship between the agricultural research inputs employed by UCCE and the knowledge shared. We develop an index of knowledge based on a weighted average of the various modes through which knowledge is produced by UCCE's agricultural research for all counties in the state of California during 2007–2013. Empirical results indicate significant positive impacts of research inputs on the production of knowledge. We find research input, such as number of research positions measured as full-time equivalent (FTE), level of salary per researcher (including seniority and status), and investment in research infrastructure per FTE, positive and significant. Our models suggest diminishing marginal knowledge returns to research infrastructure, and a linear knowledge production function with respect to the number of FTE and the salary per FTE in the UCCE system.

First Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato on Kale in California

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 101, No. 3First Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato on Kale in California PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato on Kale in CaliforniaS. T. Koike, E. I. Alger, L. Ramos Sepulveda, and C. T. BullS. T. KoikeSearch for more papers by this author, E. I. AlgerSearch for more papers by this author, L. Ramos SepulvedaSearch for more papers by this author, and C. T. BullSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations S. T. Koike , University of California Cooperative Extension, Salinas 93901 E. I. Alger , Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, California State University Monterey Bay, Seaside 93955 L. Ramos Sepulveda , The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802 C. T. Bull , The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, and USDA/ARS, Salinas, CA 93901. Published Online:20 Dec 2016https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-16-1460-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat In 2014, bacterial leaf spot was seen on commercial kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) grown in Monterey County, CA. Initial symptoms were small (2 to 4 mm in diameter), angular, water soaked lesions observable on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Lesions enlarged, became tan to light brown, and were often surrounded by chlorotic haloes. Incidence was as high as 10% and due to the impracticality of sorting healthy and diseased leaves, large portions of fields were unharvested. From macerated spots, blue-green fluorescent pseudomonads were consistently isolated on King’s Medium B agar. Six retained isolates were gram-negative, oxidase negative, arginine dihydrolase negative, produced levan, but did not nucleate ice. Isolates did not rot potato slices but induced a hypersensitive reaction on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun). These isolates therefore belong to Lelliott’s LOPAT group 1a Pseudomonas syringae (Lelliott 1966). Multilocus sequence analysis using the concatenated gene fragments of the loci gap1, gltA, gyrB, and rpoD placed the strains in P. syringae genomospecies 3, and sequences were identical to those of the pathotype of P. syringae pv. tomato. For Koch’s postulates, potted kale (cvs. Lacinato, Red Russian, Siberian) at the six-leaf stage were inoculated with bacteria grown on sucrose peptone agar for 48 h and suspended in sterile distilled water (SDW) to a concentration of 107 CFU/ml. Each of six isolates was sprayed until runoff onto 12 replicate plants per cultivar. Plants were enclosed in plastic bags for 24 h and then maintained in a greenhouse (23 to 25°C). After 4 to 5 days, water soaked lesions developed on all inoculated plants; lesions turned tan and were similar to symptoms seen in the field. Control plants sprayed with SDW developed no symptoms. Fluorescent pseudomonads were reisolated from all inoculated cultivars. The experiment was conducted twice and results were the same. The reisolates were identical to the original strains according to repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence PCR with the BOXA1R primer, confirming Koch’s postulates. Using methods described above, kale strain BS3736, P. syringae pv. tomato (CFBP2122PT), and P. syringae pv. maculicola (CFBP1657PT) were inoculated onto the three kales and tomato (cv. Super Beefsteak). In three experiments, all kale and tomato inoculated with the kale strain and the pathotype of P. syringae pv. tomato developed necrotic spots and yellow halos; distinctive pepper spot symptoms were only observed on kale cv. Lacinato inoculated with P. syringae pv. maculicola; pepper spot symptoms consist of small (3 to 4 mm in diameter), tan to brown spots visible from both sides of leaves. In this study, P. syringae pv. maculicola and P. syringae pv. tomato (including the kale strains) had overlapping but distinct experimental host ranges. P. syringae strains from kale were identified previously as P. syringae pv. maculicola though genetically identical to the pathotype strain of P. syringae pv. tomato (Zhao et al. 2000). While P. syringae has been reported on kale previously (Bull et al. 2003), this is the first report of bacterial leaf spot on kale caused by P. syringae pv. tomato in California and one of the few reports of P. syringae pv. tomato causing a natural disease outbreak on crucifers.

First Report of Root Rot Caused by Phytopythium helicoides on Pistachio Rootstock in California

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 100, No. 11First Report of Root Rot Caused by Phytopythium helicoides on Pistachio Rootstock in California PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Root Rot Caused by Phytopythium helicoides on Pistachio Rootstock in CaliforniaE. J. Fichtner, G. T. Browne, M. Mortaz, L. Ferguson, and C. L. BlomquistE. J. FichtnerSearch for more papers by this author, G. T. BrowneSearch for more papers by this author, M. MortazSearch for more papers by this author, L. FergusonSearch for more papers by this author, and C. L. BlomquistSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations E. J. Fichtner , University of California Cooperative Extension Tulare Co., Tulare, CA 93274 G. T. Browne , USDA-ARS, CPGRU, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California Davis, CA 95616 M. Mortaz L. Ferguson , Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, CA 95616 C. L. Blomquist , California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Pest Diagnostics Laboratory (CDFA-PPDC), Sacramento, CA 95832. Published Online:16 Aug 2016https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-15-1424-PDNAboutSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Approximately 25 potted 2-year-old pistachio rootstock trees in a Kern County, CA, research plot maintained outdoors and irrigated to container capacity exhibited wilting in June 2013. Symptomatic plants gradually declined and died through November 2013. Extensive root necrosis was observed on symptomatic plants. Necrotic roots of seedling UCB-1 rootstock (Pistacia atlantica × Pistacia integerrima) submerged in CMA-PARP selective medium (Jeffers and Martin 1986) yielded a Pythium-like organism. On V8 juice agar, a representative isolate produced rapidly growing colonies (188 mm/day, radial) that produced subglobose, papillate sporangia measuring 25 to 42.5 × 25.0 to 37.5 µm (33.4 × 30.4 µm average). Sexual structures were not observed. DNA was extracted from the isolate and amplified by PCR with primers ITS1 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990). BLAST query of the sequence, GenBank accession no. KT901799 matched HQ643382, Phytopythium helicoides, with 98% identity. Diseases caused by P. helicoides have been reported on several plants and include root and stem rot on begonia (e.g., Yang et al. 2013) and rhizome rot on lotus (Yin et al. 2016). Phytopythium is a recently established genus containing organisms formerly classified as Pythium Clade K species (de Cock et al. 2015). For completion of Koch’s postulates, two isolates of P. helicoides were grown for 14 days on V8-oat-vermiculite substrate. UCB-1 clonal rootstock plants were purchased from a wholesale nursery, acclimatized in the greenhouse, grown to approximately 12 cm in height, and then transplanted into potting medium mixed with either uninfested substrate (the control) at a rate of 5% (v/v), or P. helicoides-infested substrate (2.5% v/v of each isolate). To induce zoospore release, pots were submerged in water for 4 h with the water surface maintained 1 cm above the soil. Control plants were treated identically to those in infested soil. The soil was then allowed to drain, and plants were watered daily. Two experimental runs included eight and 12 replicate plants of each treatment, respectively. Plants challenged with P. helicoides wilted within 1 week of inoculation. By 2 weeks after inoculation, 100% and 43% of inoculated plants died in the first and second experimental runs conducted in summer and winter, respectively. Control plants remained asymptomatic. By 6 weeks after inoculation, root mass of inoculated plants was only 28% and 65% of that of control plants in respective experimental runs. P. helicoides was consistently isolated from symptomatic plants and never from control plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of root rot caused by P. helicoides on pistachio. The results indicate that the pathogen can be aggressive on UCB-1 rootstock, which is used for approximately half the commercial pistachio acreage in California. The greater mortality observed in summer than in winter suggests that variation in host or environmental factors may modulate disease development. The source of primary inoculum in the original symptomatic plants is unknown. Future work is needed to assess the importance and epidemiology of P. helicoides in commercial pistachio orchards.

Adapting, Implementing, and Assessing the Impact of the Shaping Healthy Choices Program through UC CalFresh Partnerships

The Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP) is a multi‐component, school‐based intervention developed to improve the health of school‐aged children. Previous studies found a decrease in BMI, an increase in vegetable identification and consumption, and an increase in nutrition knowledge in students participating for nine months. This study determined the efficacy of the research‐tested program through dissemination in the University of California (UC) CalFresh Nutrition Education Program in three counties participating during the 2014–2015 school year. Before program implementation, county teams attended two professional development workshops. The first workshop provided an overview of the program and assisted county teams in the development of implementation plans. The second workshop supported the first step in the nutrition education professional development process, engaging county teams in exploring how to facilitate an inquiry‐based curriculum. Technical assistance was provided through regular meetings and webinars. A series of evaluations measuring nutrition knowledge, vegetable identification, and height and weight measurements were collected before and after program implementation. All schools participating in the intervention received the SHCP over the course of four months. Fidelity to SHCP curriculum procedures by the nutrition educators was assessed through classroom observations. Perceptions of feasibility and acceptability were assessed at a forum for all participating counties. A paired‐samples t‐test was conducted to compare outcomes before and after program implementation. There was a significant difference between the scores for nutrition knowledge prior to intervention (20.7, ±4.2) and after (22.6, ±4.2); p=0.001. In analysis by county, significant improvements were observed in all three though some had greater improvements than others, Students in County A significantly increased their ability to identify five of ten vegetables (p<0.05); students in County B increased their ability to identify three of ten vegetables (p<0.05); and students in County C increased their ability to identify six of ten vegetables (p<0.05). No significant changes in BMI percentile were observed over the shortened implementation period. Fidelity to the SHCP curriculum among all counties was 85.5±18.27%, with variation among them (A=80.21±21.35%; B=75.83±21.68%; C=95.49±6.76%). Input gathered from the forum informed the expansion of the SHCP into more counties during the 2015–2016 academic year. Implementation of the SHCP through the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Prgoram resulted in improvements in knowledge and ability to identify vegetables. Variation among counties in changes in student outcomes may be attributed to variation in fidelity to curriculum procedures.Support or Funding InformationThe UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program is funded through a joint agreement among the US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, the California Department of Social Services CalFresh Branch, and the University of California Cooperative Extension.

Adding a Social Marketing Campaign to a School-Based Nutrition Education Program Improves Children’s Dietary Intake: A Quasi-Experimental Study

BackgroundEvidence supports the use of social marketing campaigns to improve nutrition knowledge and reinforce the effects of nutrition education programs. However, the additional effects of parent-focused social marketing with nutrition education have received little attention. ObjectiveOur aim was to assess the impact of the Iowa Nutrition Network’s school-based nutrition education program (Building and Strengthening Iowa Community Support for Nutrition and Physical Activity [BASICS]) and the benefits of adding a multichannel social marketing intervention (BASICS Plus) to increase parent-directed communication. Design and interventionA quasi-experimental design with three study conditions compared a school-based nutrition education program (BASICS) with a school-based and social marketing intervention (BASICS Plus) and a no-treatment comparison group. Participants/settingThe study included 1,037 third-grade students attending 33 elementary schools and their parents. Main outcome measuresMeasures included parents’ reports of their children’s in-home consumption of fruits and vegetables (F/V) and use of low-fat/fat-free milk. Data on F/V were collected using a modified version of the University of California Cooperative Extension Food Behavior Checklist; and data on milk use were collected using two questions from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Statistical analysesMultilevel, mixed-effect regression models that account for correlation within repeated measures and children within school were used to compare the mean change over time in the outcome variable for one study group with the mean change over time for another study group. ResultsChildren in BASICS increased mean consumption of fruit by 0.16 cups (P=0.04) compared with children in the comparison group. Children in BASICS Plus increased mean consumption of fruit by 0.17 cups (P=0.03) and mean consumption of vegetables by 0.13 cups (P=0.02). Children in BASICS Plus were 1.3 times (P=0.05) more likely to use low-fat/fat-free milk than children in either the BASICS group or the comparison group. ConclusionsGaining parents’ attention and engaging them in healthy eating practices for their children can be a useful way to increase the effectiveness of school-based nutrition education programs. This study demonstrates the benefits of incorporating a parent-focused social marketing campaign in nutrition education interventions.

Residential landscape aesthetics and water conservation best management practices: Homeowner perceptions and preferences

Up to 70% of residential water use goes to maintaining landscape plantings. With increasing water scarcity, changing the landscape preferences and choices of individual homeowners provides a crucial opportunity for water conservation. Using three demonstration landscapes varying in water conservation best management practices (BMPs), we surveyed attendees of a University of California Cooperative Extension educational event to determine preferences for the demonstration landscapes according to aesthetics as well as other preference criteria. The survey examined aesthetic preferences for BMPs at both the whole landscape level and the landscape component (turf, paving, non-turf vegetation) level whereas other preference criteria were examined only at the whole landscape level. Preference for the landscape with an intermediate amount of BMPs was the highest at the whole landscape level for nearly all criteria. Surprisingly, at the component level, homeowners exhibited preference for the more water conserving components. This indicates that BMPs are aesthetically appealing individually but when BMPs exist for every component in the landscape, the landscape is less preferred.

Eat Smart, Live Strong Intervention Increases Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low-Income Older Adults

This study evaluated the impact of a four-session interactive nutrition education program—Eat Smart, Live Strong (ESLS)—on the consumption of fruit and vegetables by low-income older adults. A pre–post quasi-experimental design study was conducted with a longitudinal sample of 614 low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants and those eligible for SNAP, aged 60 to 80 years, in 17 intervention and 16 comparison senior centers in Michigan. The study compared participants’ self-reports of their consumption of fruit and vegetables using a modified version of the University of California Cooperative Extension Food Behavior Checklist. ESLS increased participants’ average daily consumption of fruit by 0.2 cups (P < 0.05) and vegetables by 0.31 cups (P < 0.01). ESLS, a four-session, cognitive-behavioral nutrition education program is an effective curriculum for helping low-income older adults eat more fruit and vegetables.

Gearing up to support urban farming in California: Preliminary results of a needs assessment

AbstractAccording to the United States Census, California is the most urban state in the nation. Although there are many outstanding examples of urban farms in California, in general, urban agriculture (UA) has been slower to gain momentum here than in some other states with large urban populations. Over the past several years, urban agriculture's popularity in California has begun to escalate, with strong emerging interest in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, San Diego, Los Angeles and other metropolitan communities. One challenge for urban farmers and municipal decision makers engaged with UA in California has been limited availability of relevant information and technical assistance. A new project team at the University of California Cooperative Extension, part of the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is working to develop web-based educational resources that will be grounded in a needs assessment that is currently underway. The needs assessment includes a literature review, an internal survey of UC ANR personnel, and community clientele interviews. This paper will report on preliminary findings and analyses of the needs assessment, particularly how UC ANR personnel are engaged with UA, and what tools they think would best serve urban farmers. We suggest implications for those involved with UA, such as personnel of land-grant universities, local governments and non-profits seeking to address the needs of urban farmers in an environment of constrained resources.

Implementation of Best Management Practices to Reduce Agricultural Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Calleguas Creek and Santa Clara River Watersheds: A Case Study of Water Contaminant Mitigation in California

Agriculture is a major industry in California, with cool-season crops grown along the state’s coasts, warm-season crops grown in the hot deserts, and many temperate crops grown in the state’s valleys. In coastal communities such as Ventura County, the Calleguas Creek and the Santa Clara River watersheds have 50,000 and 60,000 irrigated acres of farm crops, respectively. These watersheds are considered impaired by nutrients, salts, pesticides, and other agricultural contaminants. Mitigation of chemical and sediment runoff through grower-implemented best management practices (BMPs) is therefore one of the highest priorities in the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Basin Plan. A 3-year project was designed to assist Ventura County growers in meeting regional water quality objectives. The University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura County and the University of California, Riverside, collaborated with the Ventura County Resource Conservation District and the Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group (VCAILG) to address three project goals: increase grower and landowner understanding of local agricultural water quality issues; identify gaps or deficiencies in current management practices in agricultural operations; and reduce the contribution of nutrients, pesticides, and other pollutants to impaired water bodies. To achieve these goals, 469 surveys of agricultural water quality management practices were collected to assess the extent of current adoption of BMPs. Over 160 growers who farm more than 14,000 acres that drain into Calleguas Creek and 7,000 acres that drain into the Santa Clara River watersheds were assisted. Using the survey, growers developed site-specific farm water quality plans and received on-farm recommendations for BMPs. Additionally, 12 water quality educational programs, “including demonstrations of successful BMPs,” were developed and more than 2500 copies of educational materials published by the University of California, the Resource Conservation District, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture were distributed at on-farm visits, workshops, and other grower events. The project resulted in improved understanding, by growers and landowners, of water quality issues and significantly increased the implementation of appropriate on-farm BMPs to protect water quality. Nearly 100 new BMPs primarily aimed at managing erosion, sediment movement, and irrigation runoff were identified and documented through annual reassessments for more than 8000 acres draining into Calleguas Creek. A total of 518 people attended the educational programs, and over 90% of participants who completed evaluations rated the programs highly. In the final year of the project, 75% of attendees indicated they plan to implement new BMPs within the next 5 years, especially in the areas of irrigation, erosion, and pest management.

Potential Fiscal Impact of the Rodenticide Risk Mitigation Decision to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Rodenticide Research Program

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Rodenticide Cluster Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) in July 1998 in response to human health and environmental concerns associated with rodenticides. The EPA and its stakeholders worked for 10 years developing risk assessments and mitigation plans, issuing the final Risk Mitigation Decision (RMD) on May 28, 2008. The RMD restricts retail sale of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides for commensal use and it refers field use rodenticide registrants back to the RED, which makes those products Restricted Use. This means that all applications of field use products must be made by a certified applicator. These changes have potentially large ramifications for smaller private applicators that are generally not certified to use Restricted Use materials. The California Department of Food and Agriculture, the University of California Cooperative Extension, and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation worked collaboratively to streamline the exam process for private applicators, allowing for a time-limited exam through June 2012. The concern for the Vertebrate Pest Control Research Advisory Committee (VPCRAC) is that many people will not take and/or pass the exam. This will impact the ability to effectively control rodent pests in some areas and may affect the revenue stream supporting the VPCRAC program. Preliminary sales data is not indicative of any impact to the program, but it may be too early to accurately draw any conclusions.

California's Rangeland Water Quality Management Plan: An Update

In late 1989, California’s Range Management Advisory Committee, made up of livestock industry and public members, identifi ed water quality as a priority issue. In 1990, California’s range livestock industry began to develop a program of voluntary compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act, federal and state coastal zone regulations, and California’s Porter-Cologne Act, which provides for regulation of water quality by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards.1 This livestock industry initiative led to development of the California Rangeland Water Quality Management Plan (CRWQMP) for nonfederal rangelands, which was approved by the SWRCB in 1995.2 The objectives of the CRWQMP were to conduct management activities that would prevent sediment, nutrients, pathogens, and water temperature from exceeding prescribed standards established by California’s Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB). The CRWQMP proposed that nonfederal rangeland owners and managers voluntarily develop a management strategy at the ranch and watershed level that would 1) determine impairment to benefi cial uses of water bodies in the ranch’s watershed and 2) assess the causes of impairments. The CRWQMP, developed in collaboration with regulatory agencies, state advisory committees, private consultants, the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), provided for development and implementation of ranch water quality plans that address these two objectives on a voluntary basis.

Preparing Volunteers to Meet the Developmental Needs of Youth Audiences

4-H volunteers and staff are often faced with providing educational programs and opportunities for youth with wide ranges of age and ability. To address this challenge, researchers from the University of California Cooperative Extension developed and tested a Best Practices Matrix that outlines domain-specific, age-appropriate characteristics of youth and their applications to 4-H programming. Post-implementation surveys that included six forced-response and five open-ended questions were collected from 48 adult volunteers who attended volunteer development workshops. Outcomes indicated that participants improved their understanding of youths' developmental characteristics and how to use the matrix to help improve their project and activities.

Impact on Vertebrate IPM Practices from EPA’s Rodenticide Risk Mitigation Decision

Author(s): Hornbaker, Victoria L.; Baldwin, Roger A. | Abstract: Vertebrate Integrated Pest Management programs are designed to utilize the most efficient, environmentally sound control methods, including anticoagulant rodenticides. The anticoagulant rodenticides are efficacious and relatively easy to handle, however there are concerns regarding the risks associated with rodenticides to human health and the environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Rodenticide Cluster Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) in July 1998 in response to the concerns associated with rodenticides. EPA and its stakeholders worked for 10 years developing risk assessments and mitigation plans, issuing the final Risk Mitigation Decision (RMD) on May 28, 2008. The RMD restricts retail sale of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides for commensal use, and it refers field use rodenticide registrants back to the RED, which makes those products Restricted Use. This means that all uses of field use products must be made by a certified applicator. These changes have potentially large ramifications for smaller private applicators that are generally not certified to use Restricted Use materials. The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the University of California Cooperative Extension are working collaboratively to develop curriculum to streamline the exam process for private applicators; however, there is no guarantee that this will be accepted by the Department of Pesticide Regulation.