By W.R. "Reg" Gomes
UC Vice President,
Agriculture and Natural Resources
The state budget
crisis will force drastic reductions in University of California Cooperative
Extension and UC agricultural research programs, unless spending cuts proposed
by the governor are reduced. We're facing a 25-percent cut to Cooperative
Extension's budget, and a 10- percent cut to agricultural research. These are in
addition to a 5-percent reduction for UCCE and a 10-percent cut for research
already taken this year.
Reductions of
this magnitude force us to put everything on the table--closure of Cooperative
Ex-tension county offices, downsizing or elimination of statewide programs, loss
of research capacity and significant layoffs of advisors, specialists,
researchers and staff. The cuts will seriously restrict our ability to deliver
the new technologies and practical information that Californians rely on to
remain competitive in world markets, ensure a safe and secure food supply,
improve environmental quality, contribute to family values and protect public
health and safety.
California's
growers and ranchers will feel the effects of our downsizing. As an industry,
California agriculture has increased yields and gained market share over the
years by adopting new technologies, planting improved varieties and becoming
more efficient. Farmers have
implemented new management practices that make their operations the most
environmentally compatible in the world.
UC has been a
major contributor to agriculture's success through our research and Extension
programs. Here are some examples:
·
Creation of new varieties of strawberries, walnuts,
citrus and many other high-value, nutritious specialty crops enjoyed by
California consumers.
·
Development of integrated pest management, biological
controls and other programs with significant reductions in chemical use in
agriculture.
·
Control or eradication of invasive plants and insects
that otherwise would have caused significant economic and environmental
damage.
But production
agriculture isn't the only beneficiary of UC's research and Cooperative
Extension system. In fact, much of what we do in the Division of Agriculture and
Natural Resources directly benefits youth, families, consumers and the quality
of life. For example:
·
Farmworker health and safety programs track work-related
illnesses and injuries, teach the proper handling and use of pesticides, promote
access to medical care in rural communities, and design new equipment to reduce
repetitive stress injuries during harvest and other farm activities. Much of
this information is in Spanish.
·
Low-income families and food stamp recipients receive
nutrition education and learn food safety, food budgeting and cooking skills
through UC Cooperative Extension programs. We also work with families in rural
communities and inner cities to teach money management and family skills.
·
Food safety and animal health experts provide diagnostic
services to identify sources of food contamination and disease, and develop
educational materials on food handling and food safety. They are part of a
statewide network monitoring new diseases, such as West Nile virus, and ready to
respond to bioterrorism threats involving the state's food supply.
·
UC's 4-H program reaches 144,000 urban and rural youths
around the state, helping them develop leadership, citizenship and life-serving
skills. Some 27,000 volunteers assistUCCE 4-H advisors and program
representatives.
The proposed
budget cuts, if enacted, will change all of this and many programs will be
eliminated or substantially downsized. Nothing is protected as we look for ways
to continue as a viable and effective organization with substantially fewer
resources.
There is still
time for people who feel that UC Cooperative Extension and agricultural research
are valuable to them and to their communities to make their voices heard.
This article
first appeared in Ag Alert, May 14, 2003.