Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program

Read about our work in student experiential learning, helping build market opportunities for small farmers, and long term agricultural research in the current issue of California Agriculture

In 2014, UC President Janet Nopalitano launched the UC Global Food Initiative with a goal we believe in strongly. Nopalitano describes her goal of the GFI to "harness the university's vast resources and expertise to find...innovative, scalable solutions to food-related problems in the world." 

A new network of food hubs looks past competition to help each other succeed

In today's food system, large scale food distribution has become the standard way food moves from farm to market.  The system works well to feed a lot of people, and has allowed us to eat tomatoes in December and send produce far distances while keeping it fresh. But the system is not without its sacrifices.

Steven Palomares is one of those youth. As an intern at WOW Farm in 2016, Steven grew and harvested produce, delivered it to local restaurants, and participated in a weekly business management class. 

Recent rainstorms demonstrate the importance of cover crops in maintaining soil surface conditions and preventing runoff.

Tony Rolfes, State Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS, Davis, CA

Sonja Brodt, Academic Coordinator, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

California Paves the Way for Reconciling Agriculture and the Environment

For many years, a key international strategy to ending hunger has been to grow more food: push for higher yields, develop ways for farmers to intensify their farming, focus on technologies that drive both. But that focus may be shifting towards another strategy that better accounts for the environment and human well-being – agroecology.

In late September, the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program hosted a tour of Sacramento public school kitchens and gardens to introduce policy makers to Farm to School efforts in Sacramento and promote a dialogue around how policy can build a strong Farm to School network in the region.

Tour attendees learned from school Food Service Directors about the complexity of planning healthy, locally sourced meals for students, and from Garden Educators about the role garden-based education plays in promoting healthy eating.