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UC Cooperative Extension reports broad county work: small-farm support, Master Gardener outreach and wildfire research
Summary
The University of California Cooperative Extension presented its fiscal-year highlights to the Hewlett Committee, reporting $6.6 million in program support, a 14% county funding share, multilingual farmer outreach, Master Gardener volunteer hours and forest- and wildfire-related research.
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) presented its annual accomplishments for fiscal year 2023–24 to the Hewlett Committee on Sept. 18, describing multilingual technical assistance to small farms, Master Gardener volunteer activity, youth programming and wildfire- and forest-focused research.
UCCE Director Sheila Barry said the program’s total support was about $6.6 million and the county’s direct and indirect investment represented 14% of that total. “Every county dollar leverages more than six additional dollars in funding,” Barry said, summarizing the MOU-based partnership between the county and UCCE that has existed for decades.
Program highlights the agency reported included: pesticide and food-safety training in multiple languages for small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers; a South Santa Clara County agritourism map and outreach; research and outreach on compost and biochar use; forest stewardship monitoring in the Santa Cruz Mountains; a livestock program supporting grazing lands; and work on nonlethal predator deterrence and human–carnivore interaction mitigation.
The UCCE also reported youth and volunteer impacts: about 3,000 youth enrolled in 4-H programming, more than 300 certified Master Gardeners who donated over 35,000 hours, and demonstration gardens and educational programming at Marshall Cottle Park that engaged thousands of visitors.
Committee members thanked UCCE for its breadth of programming and asked staff to continue outreach on wildfire town halls, farm-worker technical assistance and rodent control at county facilities. The committee voted to receive the report.
Ending: UCCE said it will continue to seek external funding, maintain partnerships with county departments and local organizations, and return next year with updated metrics and program outcomes.
