Cooperative Extension

University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), ANR’s outreach arm, has farm, 4-H, and nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisors based in more than 50 county offices. In addition, Cooperative Extension specialists are headquartered at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and UC Riverside, where they conduct research. These specialists provide statewide leadership to teams of advisors and faculty, and carry out outreach programs statewide and at the local level. As a land-grant institution, the Cooperative Extension mandate is tied to the welfare, development and protection of California agriculture, natural resources and people.

County farm advisors’ work is aimed at enhancing California agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Together with farmers, pest control advisers and industry representatives, they identify current and emerging agricultural opportunities and problems. The advisors collaborate with campus-based Cooperative Extension specialists and Agricultural Experiment Station scientists to research, adapt and field-test agricultural improvements or solutions and promote the use of research findings.

The 4-H Youth Development Program, with staff in each county office, provides meaningful, learn-by-doing educational activities to children in 4-H clubs and to children participating in school enrichment and after-school programs. The 4-H program includes traditional offerings – such as cooking, animal husbandry and sewing – and an array of exciting new programs for today’s youth – including rocketry, computer science and leadership.

The nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisors focus on nutrition, food safety, food preparation, food preservation and financial management. Collaborative partnerships with government and private agencies extend the reach of UC advisors. Workshops, public meetings, newsletters, the mass media and other communications tools bring information to the community.

The UC Master Gardener Program extends to the public research-based information about home horticulture and pest management. The program provides volunteer gardening enthusiasts with intense training by UC scientists in fruit and vegetable gardening, composting, diagnosing plant problems, integrated pest management and other topics. In exchange for the training and materials they receive, Master Gardener volunteers share their technical expertise with the community at workshops, plant clinics and by staffing telephone hotlines. Currently, 45 California counties have Master Gardener programs. For more information, see the Master Gardener's website.

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