The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

February is the shortest month, but we sure packed a lot into the past 28 days! Most recently, on Feb. 24, I had the great honor of speaking on the opening plenary panel of the 2022 Agricultural Outlook Forum, the USDA’s largest convening of the year. It was especially humbling to represent our colleagues in academia and extension (the other panelists were all from the private sector), and I emphasized our collective research and expertise that support industry partners while benefiting consumers, the environment and the broader community.

I’m grateful to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for that exceptional opportunity to highlight the value of land grant universities and how, by collaborating closely with USDA agencies, we can better advance R&D and climate-smart practices that drive both productivity and sustainability.

I also testified at the California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee on Education Hearing on Feb. 9. The hearing was chaired by Sen. John Laird, who championed the state’s restoration of and increase to ANR’s budget. He mentioned in the hearing that legislators are not often thanked for their work, but he received a stack of thank-you cards from UC ANR supporters. Thank you to those of you who wrote to him! 

There is so much positive momentum right now around sustainable agriculture, and we got a fantastic overview of that work during a Feb. 11 optional meeting of the President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources. I was energized by hearing presentations from leaders of our Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program – and seeing our commissioners so engaged in those efforts to establish food systems that are strong and healthy for people and planet. It was inspiring to witness their passion and knowledge, fueled and fed by each other.

An enthusiastic exchange of ideas also happened all across the World Ag Expo, Feb. 8-10, in Tulare. A contingent of UC ANR specialists and advisors delivered an excellent series of dairy seminars on the latest research and best practices – from innovations in feed and nutrient management to cutting-edge technology in water and manure management. Many thanks, also, to our Kearney and Lindcove colleagues who staffed our booths in the Pavilion to tout the wonderful work of our Research and Extension Center System (and kudos to the Lindcove team that hosted a delicious citrus tour for expo attendees!).

Finally, a special note of appreciation for LeChé McGill and the entire UC ANR Black and Allied Employee Resource Group for organizing an outstanding series of virtual events for Black History Month. During presentations by Shelley Jones-Holt, Imani Mitchell, Sonia Lewis and Mary Blackburn, ANR employees learned the history behind critical race theory, the complexities of Black representation in film and the ongoing struggle to secure voting rights. And, just as importantly, these discussions gave us all a chance to share – with authenticity and vulnerability – our thoughts on how to strive for a more just and equitable society.