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Wauters joins UC SAREP to advance climate adaptation

Vivian Wauters joined UC SAREP as a project scientist on Jan. 1.

In this role, Wauters is working with Sonja Brodt on a project to support co-learning and institutional capacity-building within a multi-organizational network to help accelerate adoption of climate-adaptive and climate-mitigating practices among California farmers.

UC SAREP Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Small Grants Program

UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP) is pleased to announce the release of the request for proposals for our 2024-25 Small Grants Program. The program funds research projects, education and demonstration programs of research-based technologies and systems, and projects that support the development of sustainable community food systems. 

Moving the Needle on Racial Equity in Extension

The 1862 Land Grant institutions were founded during the immediate post-Civil War, post-slavery period for the benefit of white farmers and homesteaders and were built on the wealth generated by land expropriated from indigenous peoples across the U.S. (Joseph A. Myers Center, 2021). With a history so fraught with racial oppression, our public sector extension service faces an enormous task not only in righting past wrongs, but in moving forward in truly meeting the needs of contemporary people of color.

UC SAREP Seeks Project Scientist in Climate-Smart Agriculture 

The University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) offers a unique recruitment opportunity for an Assistant Project Scientist in Climate-Smart Agriculture with UC SAREP. The Project Scientist will provide scientific leadership and capacity-building support for a nascent extension network involving multiple project partners across California, ranging from UC Cooperative Extension to Resource Conservation Districts and agricultural non-profits.

UC awards Brodt $2M to advance soil health, climate-smart farming practices

To accelerate adoption of climate-smart farming practices, the University of California Office of the President has awarded nearly $2 million to a team of UC  scientists and community partners working on a network of farm demonstration sites. The project will be led by Sonja Brodt, coordinator for agriculture and environment at the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program.

UC SAREP joins with Small Farms Network and UC Master Food Preservers

UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program’s work in sustainable agriculture is going to get a major boost through the integration of the Small Farms Network and UC Master Food Preserver program with UC SAREP. These three programs share similar visions in the areas of local food production and marketing, diversified farming systems, food safety and enhancing equity. Integrating these programs will promote collaboration, attract new funding opportunities, and strengthen all three programs and their delivery to clients and communities.

Kathleen Patrocinio retires after 32 years of UC service

Kathleen Patrocinio, finance and business manager of the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), retired on July 1. Patrocinio has worked extensively in business, financial and policy administration at UC. She joined UC SAREP in 2017 when the program was located at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis and moved with UC SAREP to UC Agriculture and Natural Resources in 2020.