In the News
-
Fresno County 4-Hers Learn Valuable Leadership Skills
Fresno County 4-Hers Learn Valuable Leadership Skills
Members of the 2012-2013 Fresno County 4-H All Star Team have been busy developing leadership skills and sharing them with their fellow 4-H members. In August of 2012, they organized and facilitated Leadership Training Day to help 4-H club officers learn their duties and to help Junior and Teen Leaders become more effective in their project groups.
-
Class Participants Make Healthy Food Choices!
Class Participants Make Healthy Food Choices!
EFNEP is a federally-funded program that offers nutrition education to limited-resource families and children. The issue: Families that resided in limited resource areas are less likely to get proper nutrition. As a result they often lack proper nutrition and eating habits.
-
Farm and Nutrition Day
Farm and Nutrition Day!
Fresno County receives national attention for its agricultural abundance. However, Fresno County is also in the spotlight for high rates of obesity. As part of ongoing efforts to turn the tide on childhood obesity and spark students’ awareness of and interest in agriculture, UC CalFresh partners with the Fresno County Farm Bureau and the Big Fresno Fair for a fun-filled day of agricultural education!
-
Small Farm Conference a Success
Small Farm Conference a Success
The California Small Farm Conference was a huge success in Fresno this year with around 500 in attendance. The weather was perfect, the facility very nice, and the tours and speakers were exceptionally good. The peaches, plums and nectarines were all in full bloom with pink, red and white flowers.
-
Nutrition Success Story
Youth EFNEP: Food for Thought Served Up at Holy Cross Center
In downtown Fresno, there is a refuge for homeless women and their children serving up more than just food! The Holy Cross Center for Women is a shelter that not only provides food and clothing, but offers valuable education on health and nutrition.
-
Classical Plant Breeding (Traditional) and Genetic Engineering – A Primer
Classical Plant Breeding (Traditional) and Genetic Engineering – A Primer
Richard Molinar, Farm Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
For centuries, people have tried to improve the varieties of fruits and vegetables offered to farmers and consumers by making them better tasting, higher yielding, different looking, longer storing, or resistant to diseases, nematodes, and insects. We hear a lot about traditional plant breeding versus Genetic Engineering (GE) / Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). Let me explain.
-
It’s Time to Plan Your Tree and Vine Herbicide Program for the 2013 Season
It’s Time to Plan Your Tree and Vine Herbicide Program for the 2013 Season
With tree nut and grape harvest in full swing in California’s Central Valley, now is a good time to plan your herbicide program for the 2013 season. While Rely 280 herbicide has played an important role in burn-down control of glyphosate-resistant hairy fleabane, horseweed, and other problem weeds, supplies in 2013 are expected to be extremely limited. This makes it even more important to start planning now. Fortunately, there is an array of herbicide products available to help combat winter and summer weeds that will inevitably invade our orchards and vineyards.
-
Children To Parents: “What ‘New(tritious)’ Things Did YOU Learn at School Today?”
Children To Parents: “What ‘New(tritious)’ Things Did YOU Learn at School Today?”
Providing nutritionally adequate food for growing children can be very challenging for parents. Thankfully, EFNEP teaches concerned parents how to
practice food safety and make healthy food choices at the grocery store without spending much money.
-
UC-CalFresh Increases Science Literary through Nutrition Education
UC-CalFresh Increases Science Literary through Nutrition Education
Educators have concluded that science literacy is essential in the 21-century economy. However, nearly 50% of Fresno County 5th, 8th and 10th grade students lack basic science literacy. In Fresno County, UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program leverages UCCE resources to address science literacy through experiential learning.
-
Hmong Farmers in Fresno Honor Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor
Hmong Farmers in Fresno Honor Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor
Richard Molinar, Small Farm and Specialty Crop Farm Advisor in Fresno County, was presented with a “Lifetime Achievement” award at the National Diversity Conference held in Fresno in March of this year.
-
University of California Vegetable Crops Pest Management Meeting
University of California Vegetable Crops Pest Management Meeting
An educational event organized for vegetable producers and consultants will be held at West Side Research and Extension Center at Five Points on Thursday, 28 June 2012 from 9:00 to 11:00 am.
-
Fresno Students Spring into Health!
Fresno Students Spring into Health!
The rate of overweight and obese individuals is now 42.7% in Fresno County. *1 Research shows that children gain more weight during summer months than during the school year2. So we are preparing students for summer break by helping them adopt new healthy habits.
-
Healthy Crops and Safe Water
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is working to ensure that all Californians have access to safe drinking water and to ensure that the state’s farmers can grow enough food to help meet the world’s increasing demand. Research had shown that nitrogen (N) fertilizer used in agriculture production can over many years move from a plant’s root zone into groundwater.
-
A Busy Spring For Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Fresno County
A Busy Spring For Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Fresno County
The Master Gardeners kicked off a busy season of gardening education events by hosting more than 350 guests at the Smart Gardening Conference on February 28 at the Ramada University Hotel.
-
Pedro Ilic Award Honors Early Adopter of 'Local' Marketing, Olive Oil
A farm advisor who has been instrumental in developing profitable niches for farmers was named "Outstanding Agricultural Educator" with the 2012 Pedro Ilic Award, for his dedication to small-scale farming.
-
Teens Take Part in Creating Leaders for Tomorrow
Nearly 400 California 4-H members “Reel[ed] in Success” at the annual Leadership Conference for Regional Teens (LCORT) on January 27-29th at Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger, CA. The 2012 LCORT conference challenged teens to step outside their comfort zone, learn new skills and network with other teens.
-
UC Ag and Natural Resources Seeks Advice as it Wrestles With Ongoing Budget Cuts
The University of California has a long and multifaceted relationship with the people of California. Many of you graduated from UC, and many of you have children studying on one of our 10 campuses now. In addition to its direct benefits, UC generates $46.3 billion in annual economic activity for California, and contributes $32.8 billion to the gross state product.
-
Fresno County: Children Following Mom’s “Food-Steps”
The motto of Parlier, California, a small town, is “A Community with a Vision to the Future!” EFNEP helps this vision currently materialize and for future generations as well.
-
Fungal Disease Moved With Soil is Expanding it's Presence in Fresno County
Fungal Disease Moved With Soil is Expanding it's Presence in Fresno County
White rot of garlic and onion is caused by a fungus that produces a resting structure that is capable of survival for decades in dormancy. Once a field is infested, the most common means of control is to avoid planting susceptible crops in that area. Fortunately it only attacks garlic and onions. However the acreage documented as infested in the Central Valley has increased during the 2011 season to top 16,000 acres, which is limiting the ability of some growers to produce these crops in the desired quantities.
-
Organic Agriculture in Fresno
Organic Agriculture in Fresno
Anyone who sells agricultural commodities as “Organic” must register with the State of California and be certified by a 3rd party certifier. The only exception to this are those who produce less than $5,000 in gross annual sales; however they must still be registered by the state. In 2010 Fresno County had 184 certified organic farms with gross sales totaling more than 81.6 million dollars. Sounds like a lot? Organic sales in the US actually makes up less than 5% of the total agricultural production across the nation. In the State there are 3,079 registrants in the National Organic Program (NOP). The national program began in 2002 in order to bring more uniformity with all of the 50 states. The NOP program in the state is regulated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
-
UC-CalFresh Supports School District Menu Changes Through Nutrition Education
UC-CalFresh Supports School District Menu Changes Through Nutrition Education
If you’ve ever asked a kindergarten student to flex their muscles, you know the smiles and giggles that follow. Their eyes grow wide when they learn about protein foods that help to keep their muscles strong. The UC-CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has the privilege of working with low-income students in Fresno County to combat childhood obesity through nutrition education.
-
Hmong Hunger For A Healthy Plate
EFNEP Adult Nutrition Education Program
Hmong Hunger For A Healthy Plate
In the late 1980s, many Hmong people came to the United States after the Vietnam War. They relocated to a country with a completely different culture. Majority of the Hmong people who came to the United States settled in Minnesota and Fresno, California. Many still embrace their culture and continue to visit markets that sell fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, but over the years they have gradually gravitated from a simpler to a richer western diet as well as gain a more sedentary lifestyle.
-
Learn More About Conservation Tillage:
Although conservation tillage acreage is relatively small in California, an increasing number of growers are looking into various types of conservation tillage, including no-till to reduce farming costs, maintain high yields and reduce the farms impact of natural resources. A public field day will be held June 28th to discuss research progress and future opportunities to expand no-till and other CT practices particularly aimed at cotton and tomato cropping systems.
-
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a new concern for California Agriculture. BMSB is now found in 33 States. Although not established in California, it has been identified in Los Angeles and Solano Counties. BMBS can fly, but they primarily move into new areas by hitchhiking on vehicles and equipment. Native to Asia, its thought that BMSB arrived in packing crates shipped to the Eastern US. It has a large host range that includes grapes and many of the fruits and vegetables grown in California.
-
Ag Heritage Day
Cooperative Extension celebrates its 100th birthday at Ag Heritage Day
Cooperative Extension participated in Fresno County’s first Ag Heritage Day at Kearney Park on October 20th, which was held in conjunction with the Civil War Reenactment.
-
Hey, What Are You Eating?
"Hey, What Are You Eating?”
In the small San Joaquin Valley agricultural town of Selma, approximately 17% of families live below the federal poverty line. Selma is located in Fresno County, where 36% of youth ages 12 to 17 are overweight or obese.
-
Tomato Virus Disease Concerns
Tomato virus disease concerns at UC West Side Extension Center
Among the obvious concerns that vegetable crop growers face this season is the potential of a second consecutive year for curly top disease in tomatoes. In 2013, some fields in Fresno, Kings and Kern Counties were severely impacted by this beet leafhopper-transmitted virus disease. In some fields, the majority of the plants were lost early in the season and the fields were replanted, while in other cases, the impact was seen too late to replant and the fields may have been shredded or farmed to harvest, frequently, with disappointing yields.
-
Chairman Poochigian Sponsors Resolution Proclaiming “4-H Club Week” in Fresno County
On Tuesday, September 1st Fresno County Board of Supervisors Chairman Debbie Poochigian sponsored an agenda item proclaiming September 13 through 19, 2015 as “4-H Club Week” in Fresno County.
-
Statewide Master Gardener Conference
Statewide Master Gardener Conference
A contingent of UCCE Fresno Master Gardeners attended the Statewide Master Gardener Conference held in Santa Rosa on June 1-3.