Cooperative Extension Area Vegetable Crops Advisor - Serving Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Glenn, and B

Position Overview

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Area Vegetable Crops Advisor at the Assistant rank serving Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Glenn, and Butte counties.

The Area Vegetable Crops Advisor will implement an innovative multi-county extension education and applied research program focused on field research and outreach for the major vegetable commodities of the Sacramento Valley, primarily processing tomatoes, but also cucurbits and vine seed production. Additionally, they will serve as a resource and answer questions related to other specialty vegetable crops. The advisor will dedicate at least 25% of their time to developing and evaluating organic production practices useful for certified organic (CO) systems and for sustainable farms outside of CO programs.

Working closely with collaborators, including local growers, UCCE Advisors and Specialists, agencies, and other partners, the advisor will support farmers' progress toward the 2023 Sustainable Pest Management roadmap from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Key clientele include vegetable crop growers, farm managers, pest control advisers, agricultural commissioners and their staff, and Resource Conservation Districts.

UCCE Advisors are responsible for conducting applied research and extending knowledge. Research activities are applied and mission-oriented, focused on addressing challenges in our communities. Extension activities are the educational methods that advisors use to share research results directly with clientele and communities, increasing knowledge and understanding of science-based research that promotes the adoption of practices and technologies to solve local problems.

Extension activities may include individual farm consultations, presentations, or organizing educational workshops, short courses, and field demonstrations. Information may also be disseminated through various channels, such as radio, webinars, fact sheets, policy briefs, news blogs, social media, and other outlets. Publications are expected in various formats, including newsletters, popular press articles, curricula, conference proceedings, and peer-reviewed journals.

Successful programs are evaluated by four criteria: extending knowledge, applied research and creative activity, professional competence and activity, and university/public service.

Location Headquarters:
This position will be based at the UC Cooperative Extension Office in Colusa County, Colusa, California.

Position Details

This position will support processing tomato production and biological pest management practices in the area’s vegetable production, with a focus on sustainable pest management as outlined by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Plant pathology expertise is especially needed based on clientele requests. The focus includes:

• Helping to support and sustain the processing tomato industry in the Sacramento Valley amid climate change and a regulatory environment demanding more biological pest management.
• Helping keep annual cropping systems viable alternatives to perennial orchards in the region.
• Extending information to growers of various scales on a variety of vegetable crops.

Research is expected to address stakeholder needs in disease, insect, and weed management in processing tomatoes. Biological and cultural pest management approaches are priorities in line with the State’s 2023 Sustainable Pest Management plan. Advisors collaborate with UC ANR colleagues, local stakeholders, and industry partners.

Education and science-based results will be disseminated through consultations, grower/industry meetings, workshops, short courses, field demonstrations, publications, and digital channels. The advisor will collaborate with local UCCE colleagues to organize extension events and workshops, and will work with external networks such as the California Tomato Research Institute and other allied organizations.

Counties of Responsibility
:
Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Glenn, and Butte counties.

Reporting Relationship
:
You will report to the UC Cooperative Extension Area…