Information, Education and Outreach

SAREP works with a variety of organizations and groups within and outside the University of California to educate farmers, extension professionals, public policy makers and others about sustainable farming and ranching practices, community economic development, community food systems, and other topics related to sustainable agriculture. SAREP staff have put a high priority on working collaboratively with colleagues in the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as farmers and community organizations, to address issues of concern to California’s agriculture. These outreach efforts complement and extend the research projects SAREP is supporting.

Publications

To fulfill its mission of disseminating new and existing information to help California growers adopt sustainable farming practices, SAREP’s staff has produced a large number of books, bulletins, booklets, brochures, videotapes, slide presentations and databases. Products available are listed here.

Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture, SAREP’s three-times-a-year newsletter, is the program’s regular venue for communicating with its constituency. The newsletter includes reports on research projects, workshops and meetings funded by SAREP, as well as commentaries, updates on research and extension activities of UC Cooperative Extension and other organizations, and lists of funding sources and written and electronic resources. A Technical Reviews section includes abstracts of scientific articles and original reviews of research. Issues from the last nine years are in available in printed form (circulation is approximately 2,000) as well as on the program’s World Wide Web site. Printed copies are sent free to anyone who requests it (a donation is requested of foreign subscribers).

Web Site
One way to access specific information from SAREP’s resources is to search for it electronically. Our World Wide Web site on the Internet (http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu) allows users to search for and view information on more than 560 separate pages of SAREP-funded research and education projects, databases, requests for proposals, and articles from nine + years of newsletters (most of which are also available in printed form). The site has received two national awards, including a silver award from Agricultural Communicators in Education in 1997, and a bronze award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in 1996. Both awards particularly honored SAREP for the Web site’s user-friendly approach.

Conferences, Workshops, Speakers

Current research results and practical information are shared in conferences, workshops, field days and other educational programs. In the last two years, SAREP has collaborated with other university and non-profit groups in planning a number of these events reaching a variety of audiences. In addition to the events funded through our grants, SAREP was a major sponsor in the following programs:

Farm Conference
13^th Annual Farm Conference, February 23-25, 1996, Visalia, Calif.
14^th Annual Farm Conference, February 18-20, 1997, Riverside, Calif.
The conference covers aspects of sustainable crop and livestock production, local marketing, and farm management. Attendance at these events is about 400. Co-sponsored with UC Small Farm Center, UC Cooperative Extension, Southland Farmers’ Market Association, California Federation of Certified Farmers’ Markets, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Marin County Farmers’ Market Association, Ventura County Certified Farmers Markets.

Dairy Grazing Workshops
August 17, 1996, Tomales, Calif.
August 19, 1996, Orland, Calif.
SAREP worked with several UC Cooperative Extension advisors (Stephanie Larson, Barbara Reed, David Pratt, and Roger Ingram) to bring this program to about 30 producers in two locations. The program was specifically targeted toward producers who are interested in improving their dairy businesses and learning more about the techniques and profitability of controlled grazing systems. Instructors included William Murphy, a dairy grazing expert from the University of Vermont.

Community Food Systems: Sustaining Farms and People in the Emerging Economy
October 2-3, 1996, Davis, Calif.
This event was attended by about 200 people, primarily from California, but also from other parts of the U.S. It showcased a variety of community food systems projects from California and provided an opportunity to explore questions and issues surrounding their development. The program featured several renowned keynote speakers, panel presentations and workshops. Co-sponsored with Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Community Food Security Coalition, and the UC California Communities Program.

Sustainable Agriculture Education Workshop and Information Fair
November 22, 1996, Davis, Calif.
This workshop brought together sustainable agriculture educators working with various audiences around the state. About 70 participants heard about the innovative educational efforts currently being conducted in California, and discussed how to work together to improve the quality and effectiveness of their educational activities and programs. The program included an educational materials fair, and breakout sessions for educators working with similar audiences. A major outcome of this event was a Directory of Sustainable Agriculture Education Programs in California, available as a print publication and on-line through the SAREP Web site. Co-sponsored with the UC Vegetable Research and Information Center, the UC Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center, the UC Davis Student Experimental Farm, California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts. Funded by the Western Region USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program.

California Biosolids Conference
January 29-30, 1997, Sacramento, Calif.
SAREP participated on the planning committee for this major event. About 300 people came to this conference to learn about the scientific and practical aspects of using biosolids as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Topics included crop and soil responses to biosolids; institutional, legal liability and economic uses; and practical experiences with biosolids. Co-sponsored with California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Environmental Protection Agency, California Water Environment Association, and Central Valley Wastewater Managers Association.

Ag Tech 97
May 21, 1997, Davis, Calif.
Agtech 97 was a one-day event showcasing technological innovation in agriculture. It was held at the UC Davis campus, and hosted by the Department of Pomology and Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. SAREP coordinated sessions on how to use the World Wide Web to obtain information on sustainable agriculture, integrated pest management, UC publications, and other marketing and production topics. These sessions were attended by approximately 40 people.

In addition to the above meetings, SAREP staff have participated as speakers, moderators and organizers in numerous workshops and conferences in the last year. SAREP also facilitates direct outreach to farmers, ranchers and communities through its grants programs (see Competitive Grants section).

Outreach to Farmers, Ranchers and Educators

As a statewide program of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, SAREP works through the network of local Cooperative Extension (CE) advisors to reach farmers and ranchers throughout the state. We provide funding for various educational programs conducted by CE advisors and other agricultural professionals, and supply information and educational materials they can use in their work with their clientele. In addition, SAREP is involved in other educational projects that extend information to various audiences around the state. These are:

SAREP staff member Robert Bugg points out beneficial insect activity in a BIOS almond orchard.
(L to R: Jill Klein, Robert Bugg, Cindy Lashbrook, and Paul Feder).

 

Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS)
Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems, or BIOS, is a technical assistance program coordinated by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF). It demonstrates the viability of farming systems that rely on sharply reduced chemical inputs, and the power of linking agricultural institutions to work toward a common goal. BIOS projects for almonds and walnuts, the second and ninth biggest food crop users of pesticides in California, are established in seven counties. Since the founding of BIOS in 1993, similar initiatives have begun in grapes, cotton, row crops, prunes, and citrus. SAREP Director Bill Liebhardt and staff member Robert Bugg serve on the management teams of the almond BIOS projects in Colusa County and San Joaquin County, respectively.

FARMS
SAREP staff have also participated as mentors and advisors to the FARMS program, a joint project of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, Sierra Orchards, the University of California, and the Yolo County Resource Conservation District. FARMS (Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability) provides a unique opportunity for high school students to learn about agriculture, its social and economic significance, and particularly, its links to human health and the environment. Participating students spend time on farms, work closely with their teachers, local agriculturalists and mentors to develop and conduct research projects, and learn about agricultural science and farming at various workshops throughout the year. There are currently five high schools involved in the program. SAREP provided financial support for this project in 1996-97 (see Project Description in Competitive Grants Section).

Western Region SARE Professional Development Program
SAREP has undertaken several projects that follow the Statewide Plan for Professional Development and In-Service Education in Sustainable Agriculture published in 1994. We are producing educational resources that advisors and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field staff can use in their extension work with farmers and ranchers around the state. Small grants have also been awarded to support professional development activities that take place through UC workgroups and continuing conferences and through NRCS channels. Major support for these activities has come from the Western Region USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE).

Support of Community Food Systems

California, a leader in global agriculture, also boasts a growing number of local efforts to reconnect agriculture and community, food and place. SAREP has supported these "community food systems" initiatives as they have developed throughout California during the past few years. A community food system is a collaborative effort to integrate agricultural production with food distribution in order to enhance the economic, environmental, and social well-being of a particular place (i.e. a neighborhood, city, county, or region). These collaborations typically address several of the following goals: community food security (access by all community members to a nutritious, affordable diet through local, non-emergency sources); sustaining family farms using production practices that are less chemical and energy-intensive; promoting direct marketing between farmers and consumers; community economic development; farm labor equity; and farmland protection. SAREP has been working with Cooperative Extension advisors, community development practitioners, nutritionists, youth and public health professionals, economic development planners, church personnel, academics and others to address the multiple goals that mark a "community food system."

• Community Food System Survey/Profiles

In 1996, SAREP conducted a survey to identify and profile the existing community food systems initiatives in California. From over 100 organizations contacted, we developed complete profiles of 13 projects that met our criteria. The profiles include an overview and contact information about each organization, area served, collaborators, the mission and activities of the project, its efforts in information development, institution building, its budget and staffing, funding sources, effects on the community, lessons learned, future goals and future needs. A SAREP publication, Community Food Systems in California: Profiles of 13 Collaborations has just been published. This document will be useful to the many communities that are interested in initiating their own community food systems.

• Food Policy Councils

A number of communities in California are forming new coalitions to provide oversight and to act as catalysts around local food and agricultural policies and programs. Potential goals include: ensuring all residents’ access to affordable and nutritious food; exploring the economic potential of the local food industry; educating consumers about the nutritional and environmental implications of their food choices; minimizing the negative environmental consequences of agricultural and food production, transportation and waste disposal; increasing urban agriculture; reducing the reliance on the emergency food system; strengthening links between urban and rural areas; preserving farmland; and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. SAREP has provided technical assistance to community groups in Marin and Santa Cruz counties to help them develop local food policy councils.

• School Gardening Programs

SAREP has provided technical assistance to several schools, particularly St. Peter’s Elementary School in Sacramento, in developing school gardens and providing related food and agricultural education that fits into their curriculum. SAREP has also been interested in facilitating relationships between local farmers and school food services so that school children might have access to fresher, local foods in their school lunch programs. An informational brochure about linking school food service and local farmers was developed jointly by SAREP and the Small Farm Center.

• Urban Gardening Research

In early 1997, SAREP and the UC California Communities Program initiated a research project to examine the community economic development potential of "entrepreneurial community gardens." Innovative programs throughout the country are using gardens to create jobs, provide job training, and spawn value-added businesses or other economic development activities. This kind of community garden will continue to proliferate as welfare reform increases the need for communities to create jobs, job training and food security for their residents. The purpose of our research project was to identify and interview the existing entrepreneurial garden projects that have pursued economic development strategies, with a particular emphasis in California; to quantify, as accurately as possible, the costs and benefits of such projects, and to describe the conditions under which they thrive and fail. We are particularly interested in specifying the resources and expertise that go into the most successful entrepreneurial gardens so that other communities might more accurately gauge their own abilities to initiate such projects. We are now in the process of consolidating all of our data and formulating our conclusions. In our final report and publication, we plan to describe a clearer picture of the economic development potential of these gardens and highlight some of the lessons that may be applicable to other community settings.

 

• Community Food Security workshops

SAREP worked with the National Community Food Security Coalition to provide five all-day community food security trainings (one in Portland, Oregon; one at Asilomar; two in Los Angeles and one in Oakland) to community groups interested in initiating community food security projects. Information was shared about the concept and practice of community food security. Many workshop attendees have applied for the USDA’s Community Food Security grants program or SAREP’s competitive grants program to support their projects.