2005 UC Vegetable Crops Continuing Conference

9:30

Registration, coffee & light refreshments

10:00

Welcome - Don Nevins, Director VRIC

10:10

Introduction of new vegetable crop farm advisors
Moderated by Richard Smith, Vegetable Crops & Weed Science Farm Advisor, Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties

• Brenna Aegerter, Vegetable Crops and Water Quality, San Joaquin County
• Rick Bottoms, Vegetable Crops/Research Station Superintendent, Imperial County
• Vegetable Crops and Strawberry Advisor, Santa Barbara County

10:30

Farm Advisor/Faculty Updates

Moderated by Jan Mickler, Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor, Stanislaus County

• Evaluation of Mini “Personal” Seedless Watermelons (pdf)
  Shannon Mueller, Agronomy Farm Advisor, Fresno County and Richard Molinar, Small Farms & Specialty Crops Farm Advisor, Fresno County
  
• Farm Succession Programs: What Can Extension Do? (ppt)
  Deborah Giraud, Farm and Community Development Advisor, Humboldt County
  
• Plant Growth Regulator Results from Low Desert Trials (ppt)
  Michael Rethwisch, Farm Advisor–Palo Verde Valley Vegetables/Field Crops
  
• Lettuce Downy Mildew Control: Past, Present and ? (ppt)
  Franklin Laemmlen, Farm Advisor, Emeritus, Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties

12:00

Lunch

1:00

Carbon sequestration

Moderated by Jeff Mitchell, Vegetable Crops Specialist, Kearney Agricultural Center

• Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils and climate change policy in California (pdf)
  Kate Scow, Professor & Associate Soil Microbial Ecologist, Soils & Biogeochemistry Program, UC Davis

• Potential for and management issues of carbon sequestration in California agricultural soils
  Jeff Mitchell, Vegetable Crops Specialist, Kearney Agricultural Center; Johan Six (pdf), Soil Scientist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis; and Louise Jackson (ppt), Associate Professor, Associate Plant Physiologist & Associate Specialist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

• Estimating costs and benefits of carbon sequestration: An introduction to the LUS analysis framework and case studies from California’s Central Valley
  Steve Vosti, Professor, Dept. of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Davis
  

3:00

Break

3:30

Organic Agriculture

Moderated by Richard Smith

• Update on Organic Agriculture Short Courses in 2005 and Organic Vegetable Production Manual
  Milt McGiffen, Vegetable Crops, Weed Science & Sustainable Agriculture Specialist and Plant Physiologist, UC Riverside

• Cover Crop Studies (pdf)
  Eric Brennan, USDA, Salinas

• Changes in Organic Acreage (ppt)
  Karen Klonsky , Farm Management Specialist, Dept. of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Davis

• Cost of Production (pdf)
  Laura Tourte, Farm Management & Small Farms Farm Advisor, Santa Cruz County

5:00

Adjourn

6:00 - 8:00

VRIC Steering Committee Dinner Meeting

8:00

Registration, coffee & light refreshments

8:05

Discussion of Staffing issues, changing roles of farm advisors

Moderated by Tim Hartz, Vegetable Specialist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

A wide-range discussion covering the following topics:

• workgroup structure and function
• determining/supporting future staffing needs
• wisdom of multiple responsibility/cross-county assignments
• strengthening Farm Advisor relationships with UC Davis Dept. of Plant Sciences
• developing/updating web-based educational materials
• need for statewide educational programming

Joining the discussion will be:

Rick Standiford (ppt), ANR Associate Vice President

Chris Van Kessel, Department Chair, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

Beth Mitcham (ppt), Horticultural Section Chair, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

9:30

Break

10:00

Pest Management Session

Moderated by Tom Turini, Farm Advisor, Imperial County

• Recent Research on Gemini Viruses (ppt)
  Robert Gilbertson, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis

• Research Interests in Vegetable Crops (ppt)
  James Ng, New Virologist, UC Riverside

• Basics of Molecular Tools and Techniques Used in Plant Pathology Research
  Mike Davis, Plant Pathologist, Dept. of Plant Pathology, UC Davis (11:00-12:00)

12:00

Lunch - Lounge

Processing Tomato Workgroup meeting - Clubroom
Chair: Jan Mickler

1:00

Water Quality Session

Moderated by Michael Cahn, Irrigation & Water Quality Farm Advisor, Monterey County

• Agriculture Education Programs for Irrigated Lands Waiver Personnel - Opportunities for Cooperative Extension
  Steve Kaffka, Agronomy Specialist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

• Water Quality Issues and Possible Solutions on the Central Coast (pdf)
  Mike Cahn, Irrigation & Water Quality Farm Advisor, Monterey County

• Results from the SAFS Project on Water Quality
  Willie Horwath, Professor, Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis

2:00

Certifications

Moderated by Karen Klonsky Farm Management Specialist, Dept. of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Davis and Gene Miyao, Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor, Yolo, Solano & Sacramento Counties

• Third party certification of produce for food safety (pdf)
  Devon Zagory, Senior VP for Food Safety & Quality Programs at Davis Fresh

• SYSCO Agriculture Programs
  Shane Sampels, Director Quality Assurance, Produce, Frozen Fruit & Vegetables, Manufactured Grocery and Beverage

3:00

Break

3:30

Statistical resources available to UC personnel

Moderated by Gene Miyao, Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor, Yolo, Solano & Sacramento Counties

• Services Available, Procedures and Costs (ppt) (15 min.)
  Neil Willits, Senior Statistician, Dept. of Statistics, UC Davis
  
  
• Life after the Stats Workgroup: What worked, what didn't and identification of lingering needs (25 min.)
  Richard Plant, Professor & Quantitative Analyst, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
  
  
• Financing the Need: A work in progress? (20 min.)
  Maxwell Norton, Program Leader, Agricultural Productivity, DANR

4:30

Adjourn

5:00

Set up posters; social time

6:00

Dinner - Lounge

Dinner Speaker

• Slides and Discussion of Trips to China and Azerbaijan Examining Vegetable Production
  Mike Murray, Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor, Sutter-Yuba Counties