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Thanksgiving Closure
Our office will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th. We will reopen and resume normal business hours on Monday, December 2nd, 2024.
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Agricultural Advice from UCCE Advisors | |
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Upcoming Virtual Event: Organic Nitrogen Management Workshop
November 18, 2024
About this Workshop:
In this 4-part series, participants will learn how to estimate nitrogen release from diverse organic sources and translate that knowledge to nitrogen fertilization plans and regulatory reporting requirements.
Who should enroll?
Growers, CCAs, PCAs and other agricultural professionals who are interested in learning about nitrogen management in organic production are encouraged to enroll.
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For more information, view the agenda HERE. | | |
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Ecology, Monitoring, and Management of Navel Orange worm in Tree Nuts
November 20, 2024
This webinar will offer an overview of the ecology, monitoring, and management strategies for navel orange worm in almond, pistachio, and walnut orchards.
Image: Jack Clark
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Now Available: Ag Help Manual
Ag Help Wanted is an educational guidebook designed to assist every person who currently manages or expects to manage human resources on farms, ranches, nurseries, dairies, and other agricultural operations.
The book can be used as a source of ideas for improving management policies or practices, an occasional reference in coping with problems that arise, or a base for systematic study of human resource management in agriculture.
It presents principles, practical examples, regulatory considerations, and leads to more references that all help equip managers to make choices that are reasonable, legal, and ultimately effective for both their businesses and the people they employ.
Click here to access Ag Help Wanted Highlights covering the book content in English and Spanish.
Click here to access Ag Help Wanted Updates with recent material updating chapter content in both English and Spanish Versions.
Ag Help Wanted is published by the Western Farm Management Extension Committee. Land-grant university educators from seven states and one Canadian province contributed to its development.
For more information or to access many of these materials online see: aghelpwanted.org
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My Frost Protection Spray Trials
Author: Ben A Faber
The use of foliar nutrients as frost protectants has been promoted for years. Research published by Steve Lindow at UC Berkeley explained that certain naturally occurring bacteria, such as Pseudomonas syringae and Erwinia herbicola act as nucleating agents for ice formation. The presence of these ice-nucleation-active bacteria results in the formation of ice crystals in plant tissue at temperatures several degrees higher than in their absence. When water in plant cells freezes, it expands and ruptures the cell walls, leading to cell necrosis. The bacteria can be killed or prevented from acting as nucleating agents, thus providing several degrees of frost protection. Continue reading...
Image: David Rosen
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UCCE Community Education Programs | | |
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UC Master Gardener Program | |
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Garden to Table Series: Growing Root Vegetables
November 21, 2024
In this roots-focused session led by a UC Master Gardener, you'll learn: root vegetable varieties ideal for our local conditions, soil preparation techniques, pest and disease management strategies, proper harvesting techniques for sweet, unblemished roots, and storage tips to enjoy your harvest longer.
Image: Jack Clark
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Food Waste and Climate Resilience
Author: Jill Santos
Tackling Food Waste for Climate Resilience
Reducing food waste is a critical strategy for addressing food insecurity, mitigating climate change, and enhancing economic productivity. Achieving the goals set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in the National Strategy for Food Loss and Waste, which seeks a 50% reduction by 2030, requires collaborative efforts across the entire foodshed[i]. Farmers, producers, distributors, retailers, grocers, and consumers must work together to build a sustainable, equitable, efficient, and circular food system that supports community resilience.
Image: Steven Weeks
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The Scale of Food Waste and Loss in the U.S
According to ReFed, a national nonprofit policy and research collaborator, nearly 89 million tons of food products are lost or wasted annually in the U.S. resulting in a $470 billion economic loss (~$1,000 per person per year), equivalent to 2% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)[ii]. This presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges, drawing increasing scrutiny from environmental scientists, policymakers, and the public. Continue reading...
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CONES Webinar:
Building Climate Resilience through Food Recovery, Organics Transformation, and Community Education
November 13, 2024
Nearly half of the food produced in the U.S. ends up in landfills, costing over $200 billion annually and contributing to 6% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. California, a leading agricultural economy, imports $160 billion in food, yet food waste releases 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and occupies a quarter of landfill space. Meanwhile, 17% of U.S. households face food insecurity.
Can we shift to a circular food system that strengthens communities and fosters climate resilience?
For more information on this free Zoom webinar, click HERE.
Image: UC Environmental Stewards
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Giving Tuesday
December 3, 2024
Join us for Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back! On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, we invite you to make a donation to support the future of agriculture through UC ANR Programs. Your contribution can make a significant impact!
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UCCE Advisors awarded $2M in funding for Ventura County and neighboring counties
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is excited to announce $3 million in funding for three projects under the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) grant program. The BIFS program supports the development, demonstration and adoption of effective and economically viable alternative management practices to address critical pest challenges across California agriculture.
To read the full press release, click HERE.
Image: California Department of Food and Agriculture
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Mysterious orange color on cypress trees along the coast
Author: Annemiek Schilder
In the last few months, cypress trees along the coast have started turning bright orange, as if covered in a layer of rust. Such trees were spotted at the Marina Park in Ventura and Emma Wood State Beach by keen observers on our team. What could explain this mysterious phenomenon?
Well, it turns out to be caused by a filamentous, terrestrial alga named Trentepohlia aurea, which is harmless to the trees. While it belongs to the group of green algae, it is rich in beta carotene, giving it a bright orange color.
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Trentepohlia aurea occurs worldwide and can be found on the trunks and branches of cypress trees exposed to salt spray along the Central Coast, especially the Monterey Bay area. It demonstrates that trees form a microhabitat for diverse organisms.
If you look under the microscope, you can see a mat of algal filaments pointing upwards. Trentepohlia aurea can also grow on oaks, elms, rocks and old walls, and can form a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with specific fungi, forming lichens.
Image: Annemiek Schilder (top) Jill Santos (bottom)
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UC ANR Project to help underserved farmers in SoCal with land ownership
Author: Saoimanu Sope
San Diego County has more than 5,000 small farms but less than 2% are operated or owned by Black, indigenous, or people of color – including those of Asian, Hispanic or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander descent, according to the 2022 Ag Census.
The reasons vary, but historically, multiple marginalized communities of color have not received the same opportunities or support for land ownership or management as their white counterparts.
Chandra Richards, University of California Cooperative Extension land equity academic coordinator for the Southern California region, is identifying barriers to equity when it comes to addressing land access, tenure, management and opportunities to increase the diversity of land managers and land ownership in the region. Continue reading...
Image: Saoimanu Sope
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The University of California Cooperative Extension in Ventura County conducts research and education activities in agriculture, natural resources, and positive youth development. We strive to promote a healthy food system, healthy environment, and healthy communities.
Your support helps in many ways.
Thank you.
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