California Ag Network

Category: Education

  • Houston Wilson Named Presidential Director for the Clif Bar Endowed Organic Agriculture Institute

    Houston Wilson has been named the Presidential Director for the University of California’s Organic Agriculture Institute, which was established in January 2020 with a $500,000 endowment by Clif Bar and a matching $500,000 endowment from UC President Janet Napolitano.

    Wilson, a UC Riverside agricultural entomologist based at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, joined UC ANR as assistant Cooperative Extension specialist in 2017. He will launch the institute and chart a path for future growth while also focusing on immediate priorities such as a survey of organic production in California, multiple outreach and training opportunities for growers, publication of organic production guidelines, and developing research programs. Wilson’s long-term goal is to continue to grow the endowment and position the organization to successfully support the state’s growing organic farming economy.

    “Organic growers in California face an array of interconnected agronomic, economic and regulatory challenges,” said Wilson. “Tackling these issues simultaneously requires a multidisciplinary approach to develop solutions that work in all scales of production. The economic opportunities are there, and we want to help position California growers to reap these benefits, and in doing so increase the supply of affordable organic food for consumers.”

    Since 2007, Wilson has conducted research and extension in orchard and vineyard systems with a focus on integrated pest management strategies, many of which are readily applicable to organic agriculture. Key studies have included evaluating the use of mating disruption to control navel orangeworm in fig production, cover crops to increase biological control of vineyard leafhoppers, pheromone lures to improve monitoring of leaffooted bug in almonds, and more.

    “We are excited about Houston’s vision for establishing and growing California’s first organic institute,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources (UC ANR). “Continued research advancements will be critical to the future of organic farming in our state as well as the health of our environment.”

    “Clif Bar is thrilled to see Houston’s appointment. We’ve heard from orchardists in our supply chain who have worked with him in the past and are excited that he’ll have more resources to help serve the needs of organic producers,” said Matthew Dillon, senior director of agriculture for Clif Bar. “We look forward to working with Houston, UC ANR, and the organic agriculture community to continue to improve the sustainability and economic resiliency of California farmers.”

    Wilson earned his doctoral degree in environmental science, policy and management and also holds a bachelor’s degree in international area studies, both from UC Berkeley.

    About UC ANR

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu.

    About Clif Bar & Company

    Clif Bar & Company is a leading maker of nutritious and organic foods and drinks, including CLIF® Bar energy bar, LUNA®, The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®; and CLIF Kid®, Nourishing Kids in Motion®. Focused on sports nutrition and snacks for adventure, the family and employee-owned company is committed to sustaining its people, brands, business, community and planet. For more information on Clif Bar & Company, please visit www.clifbar.com, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/clifbar and follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/clifbar.

    — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UC Cooperative Extension

  • Nitrogen-Efficient Fertilizer Research Could Have Lasting Impact

    The world’s population will continue to grow, but the amount of arable land to feed that population will not.

    “So people will continue to add more fertilizers to grow more crops in the same areas,” says Jonas Baltrusaitis, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering in Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, and a recipient of the 2020 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Lectureship Award. “You can’t grow crops without fertilizer. It’s just not happening.”

    While a boon to harvests, fertilizers exact a toll on the environment. Their production alone is extremely energy intensive and a significant source of greenhouse gases, and when nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus aren’t fully taken up by plants, they can leach into groundwater and wash into waterways. Excess nutrients can cause eutrophication of water bodies where algal blooms deprive the ecosystem of oxygen, killing wildlife and producing toxins that can harm humans.

    It’s a vicious cycle that Baltrusaitis hopes to one day break. He recently received a four-year, nearly $435,000 grant through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for his proposal, “Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nitrogen Efficient Fertilizer Materials.”

    NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is the leading competitive grants program for agricultural sciences in the United States. According to NIFA, “AFRI-funded science is vital to meeting food, fiber, and fuel demands as the world’s population races toward a projected 9 billion by 2050 concomitant with diminishing land and water resources and increasingly variable climatic conditions.”

    Baltrusaitis’ team has developed a dry mechanochemical synthesis method of a family of urea ionic cocrystals that can serve as functional fertilizers that significantly slow down urea hydrolysis in soil, reduce ammonia emissions, and extend availability of nitrogen to plants. He is combining water soluble urea with various nutrients containing low solubility minerals or even industrial waste, such as drywall gypsum, to improve nitrogen management efficiency.

    “We’re re-designing fertilizer materials to be much more stable in the environment,” he says. “If they don’t decompose as fast, they’re available to the plant for longer, so those nutrients are going into the food chain rather than being wasted and damaging the environment.”

    The potential impact is global, and the technology is being developed to be easily inserted into existing supply chains, says Baltrusaitis. His ultimate goal is to design nitrogen-efficient novel fertilizer materials that can be used in field trials with local Pennsylvania farmers, where his team can test improvements in yields and emissions.

    Coming from the USDA, the award is a unique one for Lehigh, he says.

    “And it’s one that will help educate the next generation of engineers as they prepare to address emerging global challenges.

    About Jonas Baltrusaitis

    ChBE researcher Jonas Baltrusaitis is “breaking the cycle.” His USDA-funded research aims to make fertilizer more effective for crop growth and less destructive for the environment.

    Jonas Baltrusaitis is an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Lehigh University. He holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Iowa, where he conducted postdoctoral research and served in numerous roles, including adjunct assistant professor and associate director of the Central Microscopy Research Facility. He was an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of Twente (the Netherlands) before joining the faculty of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science in 2014.

    Baltrusaitis’ research interests span numerous areas of sustainable catalytic conversion, including: natural gas component catalytic conversion to high value products, biomass catalytic upgrading, sustainable sulfur and phosphorus processing, renewable energy utilization in wastewater processing, low concentration organic wastewater stream treatment, emerging contaminant remediation and environmental catalysis, surface sensitive spectroscopies, and data processing method development.

    His research has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance, Defense Logistics Agency, and Department of Defense, among others. His work has been published in high-impact journals such as the Journal of American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, ACS Catalysis, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, and Chemical Communications.

    Baltrusaitis is a member of the American Chemical Society and AIChE and received a 2020 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Lectureship Award for his work in advanced materials science and supramolecular chemistry, applying concepts of sustainable chemistry and engineering to the delivery of more sustainable fertilizers and nutrients.

    At Lehigh, Baltrusaitis has been recognized with the university’s Libsch Early Career Research Award (Spring 2018) as well as a P.C. Rossin Assistant Professorship (2017-2019). He currently directs the chemical engineering M.Eng. distance education program and advises numerous PhD students.

  • CAWG Foundation Awards $30,000 in Student Scholarships

    The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Foundation has awarded $30,000 in college scholarships to six students. The scholarships are awarded annually to students whose parent or legal guardian is employed by a California winegrape grower.

    “All of the amazing scholarship recipients are inspirational because of their unwavering dedication to learning, volunteering and leading,” said Davindar Mahil, chair of the CAWG Foundation board of directors. “We applaud them for their outstanding accomplishments, hard work and their drive to make a difference. Some of the recipients are the first in their family to attend college. The CAWG Foundation is honored to provide these scholarships and show our support for vineyard employees who are valued members of our winegrape industry family.”

    Each year the CAWG Foundation board selects several recipients from high schools throughout the state. Scholarship selection is based on scholastic ability, financial need, community involvement, leadership and a 500-word essay. Since the program’s inception in 1998, the foundation has awarded $494,500 in scholarships. Funds are raised through the generous donations of members of CAWG and the California wine community.

    The four-year scholarships are $8,000 each for students attending a University of California or California State University campus. The two-year college scholarships are $2,000 each for students attending a California community college.

    Four-Year University Scholarship Recipients / $8,000 each

    Angeli Aquino, Calistoga, Calistoga High School

    Melissa Castillo, Livermore, Livermore High School

    Alexandria Ramirez, Hollister, San Benito High School

    Two-Year Community College Scholarship Recipient / $2,000

    Vanessa Jimenez Ramirez, Shandon, Shandon High School

    Yasmin Rodriguez, Shandon, Shandon High School

    Anahi Ruiz, Cloverdale, Cloverdale High School

    ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS

    Angeli Aquino, Calistoga, Calistoga High School

    Achieving the American Dream has been instilled in Angeli since she immigrated to the United States at 6 years old. Angeli has challenged herself to be a conscientious, hard-working and high-achieving student. She excelled with difficult classes, earning a top-ranking 4.22 GPA, and with extracurricular activities. Angeli played volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field. She served as ASB president and Interact Club president, was a member of the Soroptomist Club, and volunteered as a youth basketball coach. Additionally, she held a part-time job as a lifeguard during the year. Angeli plans to attend UCLA, major in nursing and someday earn a master’s degree. Her teacher wrote that Angeli is “one of the most dedicated, hardworking, responsible and dependable students I have seen in 14 years of teaching” and “will achieve success and make positive contributions as a leader and problem solver wherever she goes in life.”

    Melissa Castillo, Livermore, Livermore High School

    Melissa arrived in the United States as a young child and was passionate about learning English. Facing hardships, she found hope and worked diligently in what she calls the “land of opportunity.” Her hard work in high school, which included several AP classes, resulted in a 4.12 GPA. Melissa’s school activities were lacrosse, National Honor Society, Interact Club, Link Crew and Latinos Unidos Club. Through these, she learned leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Melissa works several hours per week at a winery, interned at Kaiser Permanente’s oncology radiation department, and volunteered for many years for a church charity organization. Her goal is to major in biology and attend medical school, and the scholarship will help further her education and a career in the medical field helping impoverished people. Her teacher wrote, “Melissa is a bright, compassionate and ambitious person” and “any college would be wildly improved by her presence on campus.”

    Alexandria Ramirez, Hollister, San Benito High School

    Opportunities and challenges have shaped Alexandria into the person she is today: a highly-motivated leader and ambitious student with a strong work ethic and positive attitude. She balanced academics, part-time work and myriad extracurricular activities throughout high school, and had a long list of leadership roles, awards and achievements. She was extremely involved with FFA, through which she held officer positions, participated in speaking contests and earned three FFA degrees. She was also a youth ambassador for the 33rd District Ag Association. One of her main community service activities is Guide Dogs for the Blind, which trains puppies for the visually-impaired. With agriculture at the center of her educational and career goals, she plans to major in ag communications and become a high school ag teacher. Alexandria’s assistant principal wrote that she “will continue to have an internal drive to be the best at everything she does and will do whatever it takes while maintaining high morals and standards.”

    Vanessa Jimenez Ramirez, Shandon, Shandon High School

    Vanessa believes that anything can be accomplished with hard work and perseverance. She has successfully managed her academic and extracurricular responsibilities with family, job and community commitments. Vanessa has been involved with student government, serving as class secretary and treasurer. She played a variety of sports, volunteered many hours doing softball statistics, and participated in FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experience activities. Beyond school, she serves in her community and holds a part-time job. As the first one in her family to attend college, Vanessa plans to attend a community college, pursue a degree in human services and become a social worker. He counselor wrote, “I am consistently impressed with Vanessa’s strive for excellence, self-discipline and growth potential. She is a prime example of a student that can be an academically-sound student, well-rounded and caring individual even when faced with challenges.”

    Yasmin Rodriguez, Shandon, Shandon High School

    Yasmin is the first generation to go to college, and she believes that getting the right education is vital to making a difference and achieving goals. A diligent honor roll student with a 3.8 GPA, she prioritized academics while being actively involved throughout high school with the FFA program and softball team. With FFA, she earned the greenhand degree and learned public speaking skills. In her community, Yasmin has volunteered for the Food Bank Coalition of SLO County for the past few years, participated in her church’s Chosen program for confirmation, and works as a babysitter. Yasmin plans to attend Cuesta College and pursue a degree and career in social work, specifically foster care. Her teacher wrote, “I have found her to be exceptionally hard working, focused, kind and generous. Her ability to stay laser-focused on her goals and make the sacrifices necessary to reach those goals is truly admirable.”

    Anahi Ruiz, Cloverdale, Cloverdale High School

    Anahi’s parents told her, “school is your future,” acknowledging the value of education. She feels lucky to have the opportunity to attend college, which her parents weren’t able to do. Anahi overcame adversity with the tragic loss of three family members during high school, but she persevered in her classes. She has been deeply involved in community endeavors, investing at least 700 volunteer hours and fundraising for causes over the past four years. Those groups include Key Club, Children’s Miracle Network and Save the Rain. She also plays tennis, attends Upward Bound, and holds jobs at a law office and restaurant. Anahi plans to attend Santa Rosa Junior College, pursue a degree in administrative justice or business marketing, and seek a career in law. Citing her intelligence, effort and strength, her counselor wrote, “I have not encountered a student able to fight her way out of a challenge and adversity quite like Anahi” and “she will be more than successful in college and beyond.”

    About the California Association of Winegrape Growers Foundation

    The CAWG Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that awards scholarships to high school seniors whose parent or legal guardian is employed by a California winegrape grower. For more information, visit www.cawgfoundation.org.

  • Innovative Virus Research May Save Wheat and Other Crops

    UC Riverside scientists have solved a 20-year-old genetics puzzle that could result in ways to protect wheat, barley, and other crops from a devastating infection. Ayala Rao, professor of plant pathology and microbiology, has been studying Brome Mosaic virus for decades. Unlike some viruses, the genetic material of this virus is divided into three particles that until now were impossible to tell apart.

    Photo Caption: Visually indistinguishable particles of Brome Mosaic Virus. (Ayala Rao/UCR)

    “Without a more definitive picture of the differences between these particles, we couldn’t fully understand how they work together to initiate an infection that destroys food crops,” Rao said. “Our approach to this problem has brought an important part of this picture into very clear focus.”

    A paper describing the work Rao’s team did to differentiate these particles was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    Inside each of the particles is a strand of RNA, the genetic material that controls the production of proteins. The proteins perform different tasks, some of which cause stunted growth, lesions, and ultimately death of infected host plants.

    Two decades ago, scientists used the average of all three particles to create a basic description of their structure. In order to differentiate them, Rao first needed to separate them, and get them into their most pure form.

    Using a genetic engineering technique, Rao’s team disabled the pathogenic aspects of the virus and infused the viral genes with a host plant. 

    “This bacterium inserts its genome into the plant’s cells, similar to the way HIV inserts itself into human cells,” Rao said. “We were then able to isolate the viral particles in the plants and determine their structure using electron microscopes and computer-based technology.”

    Now that one of the particles is fully mapped, it’s clear the first two particles are more stable than the third. 

    “Once we alter the stability, we can manipulate how RNA gets released into the plants,” Rao said. “We can make the third particle more stable, so it doesn’t release RNA and the infection gets delayed.”

    This work was made possible by a grant from the University of California Multicampus Research Program and Initiatives. Professors Wiliam Gelbart, Chuck Knobler, and Hong Zhou of UCLA, as well as graduate students Antara Chakravarthy of UCR and Christian Beren of UCLA, made significant contributions to this project.

    Moving forward, Rao is hoping to bring the other two viral particles into sharper focus with the expertise of scientists at UCLA and UC San Diego. 

    Brome Mosaic virus primarily affects grasses such as wheat and barley, and occasionally affects soybeans as well. According to Rao, it is nearly identical to Cucumber Mosaic virus, which infects cucumbers as well as tomatoes and other crops that are important to California agriculture. 

    Not only could this research lead to the protection of multiple kinds of crops, it could advance the understanding of any virus.

    “It is much easier to work with plant viruses because they’re easier and less expensive to grow and isolate,” Rao said. “But what we learn about the principles of replication are applicable to human and animal viruses too.” — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • America’s Dairy Farmers, Pizza Hut Celebrate Class of 2020 with Free Pizza

    Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and checkoff partner Pizza Hut are joining forces to give away half a million pizzas to Class of 2020 high school graduates. “We are so excited to partner with Pizza Hut to help high school seniors and their families celebrate this special milestone in their lives,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff. “This is a shining example of what we accomplish when dairy farmers and importers build relationships with a company such as Pizza Hut through our checkoff.”

    The promotion was officially announced on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last evening, on May 21. The segment can be viewed at this link (ANNOUNCEMENT STARTS AT 6:55 IN THIS CLIP).

    “Our brand has a long history of celebrating moments that matter – like graduations – and Pizza Hut takes pride in being a part of our customers’ big days,” said George Felix, chief marketing officer, Pizza Hut. “So, it’s only natural that we’d be there for students and their families to help celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class of 2020. We’re proud to partner with America’s hard-working dairy farmers to bring students who are missing out on their chance to cross the stage with their diploma, an opportunity to celebrate with their favorite Pizza Hut pizza.”

    To claim a free pizza, visit www.pizzahut.com/gradparty, sign into your Hut Rewards account and a coupon for a one-topping medium pizza will be deposited into your account while supplies last. Coupons will be valid for online redemption through June 4.   For more information about the dairy checkoff, visit www.usdairy.com.

  • Students Earn Scholarships Through Dairy’s Future Leaders Contest

    California’s leading dairy organizations have announced the winners of the Dairy’s Future Leaders college student writing contest. The contest asked students to share what sustainability means to them and how they envision their futures as leaders in the dairy community. Genevieve Regli, sophomore at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, received first place honors. Second and third place awards went to Hayley Fernandes, sophomore at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and Andrew Skidmore, junior and Fresno State University, respectively.

    “I was excited to provide my insight on sustainability,” said Regli, whose family has been dairy farming in Ferndale for more than 120 years. “What I’ve seen my whole life is that dairy farmers experience some very good times and some very hard times. We have to be looking forward, and we have to get creative in order to survive and make sure we can pass the farm on to the next generation.”

    The contest was offered as part of the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, a program that brings together dairy farmers, state officials, researchers, and other key stakeholders to help advance the economic and environmental sustainability of the state’s family dairy farms. The Summit is hosted by Dairy Cares, California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Council of California, and the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. Through the writing contest, current dairy leaders learned how the next generation views challenges and opportunities.

    Regli is majoring in agricultural communications and aspires to one day own and operate a dairy farm educational center. “The reality is that today’s college students are the future consumers and future leaders of our state,” Regli said. “I know from working with students outside of the college of agriculture that we have to start conversations with our shared values, and we have to be prepared to adapt to their needs as consumers.”

    To support students’ academic and professional pursuits, the top three winning students were awarded scholarships, sponsored by Milk Producers Council (MPC), nonprofit organization representing dairy families throughout California. Geoffrey Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory & Economic Affairs for MPC was pleased with the level of participation and the quality of essays submitted.

    From left to right: Genevieve Regli, Hayley Fernandes, and Andrew Skidmore earned top honors for their essays on dairy sustainability.

    “Dairy farmers face a lot of challenges, as our state continues to raise the bar for many environmental standards: water quality and conservation, methane reduction, and air quality improvements,” Vanden Heuvel said. “It’s good that students start to think about how all these pieces fit together and their impacts on economic and social sustainability.”

    Contest entries were submitted from across colleges and universities in California and other states, and the essays discussed a wide range of issues. Participants included both students born and raised on dairy farms and others whose interest in dairy began differently. All contestants expressed interest in pursuing careers throughout the broader dairy industry—including teaching and research, mechanical and agronomic support, and marketing and communications.

    Second-place winner Hayley Fernandes is majoring in dairy science, with a minor in law and society. Her family owns and operates a dairy farm in Pixley. Fernandes plans to pursue a law degree and become an advocate for dairy farmers. “California is very progressive,” she said. “While that can be difficult for farmers, it also helps us stay ahead of the curve. That’s something I hear my dad and uncles talk about a lot. I’d like to become an expert on issues that impact farmers, so I can help them continue to progress in ways that are economically sustainable.”

    Third-place winner Andrew Skidmore is a mechanical engineering major with a passion for dairy and agriculture. “I want to work in agriculture, and I want to help solve problems, both the mechanical kind and those that involve people,” Skidmore said. “One challenge I’m fascinated with is the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. What tools and strategies can we use to help farmers manage their water? I think I could be a part of that solution.”

    Dairy’s Future Leaders contest awards were intended to be announced at the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, previously planned for March 2020. The event has been postponed, now to take place November 5-6, 2020 in Sacramento. While the COVID-19 outbreak has recently posed many challenges to the dairy community and to college students, it has not disheartened the spirit of these passionate young leaders. Skidmore said he’s still an optimist: “That just means there’s more problems for us to help solve.”

    Learn more about the top three winners. Click the links below to read the top ten essays:

  • 60-year-old Flight Instructor Propels Himself to Winemaking Degree

    When local flight instructor Paolo De Censi is flying over the Central Valley, it gives him a chance to glance over at the Fresno State vineyard and winery that have fueled his other passion the past four years.

     De Censi, who turned 60 in April, received his bachelor’s degree in enology this month, after balancing a full-time class schedule with a 20-hour-a-week teaching load at JB Aeronautics, based out of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

     That career started almost 30 years ago when he took his first aviation class in 1992 in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

     “I wasn’t one of those kids that always dreamed of flying,” De Censi said. “In my 20s, a friend who had his license got me into it a little while I was working as a computer programmer. When I realized that many co-workers were much better than I at it, I decided to find a profession that was fun and started saving up to take flying lessons, and I’ve never gone back.”

    His interest in winemaking started at an early age with his grandfathers who grew grapes and made wine in northern Italy in the Piedmont and Lombardy areas near Milan where he grew up. 

     “Wine is such an important part of the Italian culture in so many ways,” De Censi said. “All of our family helped out at harvest, and those experiences bound us together. I still remember when my grandfather offered me my first taste when I was a kid.”

     Agriculture emerged on his professional radar after a biology professor recommended it as a career option while he was a student at Los Angeles Pierce College. He later graduated with an associate’s degree in agriculture from the Woodland Hills institution in 2013.

     Prior to that, he had received an associate of science degree in aviation maintenance from West Los Angeles College in 2008.

     “I guess you could say classes have become an addiction,” De Censi said. “After I lost my job as a flight instructor in Italy (in 2004), I came back to the U.S. via a student visa, and I had to keep taking classes to renew my visa. I needed to take 12 units each semester and work, so it was like a puzzle which classes would fit into a schedule for me to do both.”

     Being a student for so long has also given him the chance to expand his horizons in other ways. 

     He speaks Spanish fluently, dabbles in French and has a wide spectrum of academic interests. A smattering of the topics of his Fresno State classes include Chinese, deaf culture, dinosaurs, energy conversion, Latin American studies, massage, Pilates, planet Earth, pop music, violent weather and yoga.

     He has excelled in them with a 3.78 GPA, and he was nominated for the Dean’s Medal for the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

     What’s next for the budding winemaker? 

     Possibly a master’s degree with the same Fresno State enology program to add research and production experience at the award-winning campus winery that is regarded as the nation’s best.

     “I’ve been so busy with both areas that I haven’t had as much time to improve my hands-on winemaking skills,” De Censi said. “It’s like when you start to get your private pilot’s license, they say you’re at a 0 level. I feel like that’s where I’m at, but the winery here is such a great place to learn.”

     After that, he knows opportunities will open up with his Fresno State degree and training. 

     He would consider working at wineries in Central California or throughout the state, and the only caveat is that he would like an airport nearby. He would also consider a return to Italy, and especially enticing would be Cinque Terre, a string of five towns and villages on the northwest coast.

     “It would be nice to go back there and work,” DeCensi said. “It’s so beautiful, and the wine is great. However, it’s not easy to work in the vineyards there because of the steep slopes and terraces. I try not to have any long-term goals, because they never work out. I want to enjoy the next few years here, and then we’ll see.”

  • Four Ag Waste Management Steps for Your Farm

    Agricultural solid waste needs to be managed efficiently. This is why you need a well-designed waste management plan. By managing agricultural waste properly, you can reduce the waste going to the landfill. Let’s learn more about it.

    What is Agricultural Waste?

    In simple words, agricultural waste is defined as the waste produced as a result of agricultural activities. It comprises animal waste like manure, food processing waste, crop waste like culls from fruits and vegetables, and toxic agricultural waste.

    4 Steps of Waste Management

    ●      Collection

    The first step is to collect farm waste. This refers to the initial capture and gathering of the waste from the point of origin to a collection point.

    Identify the method of collection and where the collection points are located. Next, implement the scheduling of the collection after identifying the labor and equipment requirements. Install the necessary equipment like baler, which is used to compress waste into small and manageable bales.

    ●      Treatment

    Once you collect agricultural waste, you must ‘treat’ it. This means that you need to modify the physical characteristics of the waste, such as moisture content, to facilitate more efficient waste handling. If the waste consists of solid particles, you may have to consider pre-treatment to separate the solids.

    Start by analyzing the characteristics of the waste before you send it for treatment and follow that by determining the desired characteristics of the waste after the treatment. Then, select the type of treatment for the waste, estimate size, location, and installation of the treatment facility. You also need to consider the cost of the treatment process.

    You can consider waste compaction before you go ahead with the treatment. Waste compaction is the process of reducing the size of the waste by ‘compacting’ it. A garbage compactor is used to compress waste so that more waste can be stored in the same space.

    ●      Storage and Packaging

    Storage is the process of containing the waste. Having a storage facility allows you to control the scheduling and timing of the system functions. For instance, with proper storage, you have the flexibility to schedule the land application of the waste when the spreading operations do not interfere with other tasks.

    Determine the storage period of the waste by the utilization schedule. Identify the storage volume, size, location, and the installation cost of the storage facility.

    Next comes packaging. If you have treated the farm waste into fertilizer pellets, you need to store and package them. One way to package them is by sending the pellets into the packaging machine using a belt conveyor. This machine can handle feeding, filling, sealing, and packaging of the waste.

    ●      Utilization

    This step includes the reusing or recycling of waste products. For instance, agricultural wastes may be used as mulch, source of energy, plant nutrients, or organic matter. If you treat the waste properly, it can be marketable.

    One of the most common practices is to recycle the nutrients in the waste through land application. You need to do a complete analysis of utilization through land application. This includes selecting the fields where you want the land application and scheduling the applications.

    Next comes designing the distribution system and selecting the necessary equipment to conduct land application. You must determine the application rates and volume and value of the recycled products. Consider the installation and management of all the costs associated with the utilization process.

    In Conclusion

    No matter how much agricultural waste you produce, you need to manage it properly. Recycle and reuse as much as you can and discard the remaining in the right manner.

    Author Bio: Erich Lawson is passionate about saving the environment through effective recycling techniques and modern
    innovations. He works with Compactor Management Company and writes on a variety of topics related to recycling,

     

     including tips and advice on how balers, compactors and shredders can be used to reduce industrial waste. He loves helping businesses understand how to lower their monthly garbage bills and increase revenue from recycling.

  • CA DAIRY INDUSTRY UNITES TO TEACH AG LITERACY TO SUPPORT DISTANCE LEARNING

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has partnered with Dairy Council of California to teach ag literacy in an exciting and innovative way that brings the farm experience to students as they learn from home. The Farm to You Virtual Field Trip connects the successful Dairy Council of California Mobile Dairy Classroom assembly experience with a virtual trip to a California dairy farm, providing students with daily online lessons available now through June 5th. Educators, students and their families can find more information and sign-up for a session at HealthyEating.org/Virtual-Field-Trip.

    Free to participants, the Farm to You Virtual Field Trip consists of a 45-minute Mobile Dairy Classroom lesson and “live” visit to a California dairy farm. Aimed at increasing ag literacy, the sessions teach attendees the importance of healthy eating patterns as well as where their food comes from, including a tour to teach them how a dairy farm operates, how milk and dairy products are produced, and the nutritional value of these products. Two sessions are held each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, from Tuesday through Friday and feature a rotating team of five farmers from Sonoma to Tulare counties.

    “Farm to You is a tremendous way for children to learn about the science of agriculture while also learning where their food comes from directly from the farmers,” said Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications at the CMAB. “For our farming community, this is a tremendous opportunity to connect directly with consumers across the state.”

    “We are proud to help educate students, families and the entire school community the importance of ag literacy and provide them with an experiential connection to where their food comes from,” said Shannan Young, Director of Food Access at Dairy Council of California. “We can encourage healthier students, families and communities by teaching them more about our food system, how to eat healthfully, and the important role of milk and dairy foods for growth and development as part of daily healthy eating patterns.”

    California is the number one dairy state and has a 200-year heritage of multi-generational dairy farming. The state’s 1200 dairy farm families lead the nation in sustainable farming practices.

    About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy families and is one of the largest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. With a mission to increase demand for products made with Real California Milk, the CMAB is celebrating 50 years promoting California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.


    About Dairy Council of California
    For over 100 years, Dairy Council of California has empowered stakeholders, including educators, health professionals and community leaders, to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Funded by California’s dairy farm families and local milk processors and under the guidance of California Department of Food and Agriculture, Dairy Council of California’s free science-based nutrition education resources, Mobile Dairy Classroom assemblies, training programs and online resources educate millions of students and families in California and throughout the United States. Learn more at HealthyEating.org.

  • Research Opp: Improving Our Understanding of Antibiotics in Dairy Farms

    Antibiotics play an essential role in maintaining animal health and productivity. To provide guidance and knowledge on antibiotic use and management practices, it is important to constantly update our understanding on the role of therapeutic antibiotic use and its impact on animal health. A veterinary project is being conducted by UC Davis to better understand antimicrobial resistance patterns in dairy calves, and we are looking for interested farms to participate in the study.

    The project will last around 1-2 months, with up to 2 people visiting the farm a few times a week to collect fecal samples and health data from animals. Any and all data generated will be made available to the owner/manager, and anyone entering the premises is willing to sign a waiver liability release if requested. Identity of participants will remain confidential. No photos will be taken on the facility without consent, and participants are free to back out of the study at any point, if they wish to do so.

    If interested and/or to obtain more information, please contact:
    Katie Lee (UCD, graduate student): lctlee@ucdavis.edu (408-239-9140) Rob Atwill (UCD, Professor): ratwill@ucdavis.edu (530-754-2154)