March 10, 2025 • 30 mins
In honor of UCCE Colusa's upcoming Centennial Celebration, Sarah Marsh Janish takes a trip back in time, outlining the development of the Extension Service in California and how, despite shifts in funding and leadership, the mission of UCCE remains to serve the communities in which the offices are housed. For more information, see the links below:
History of UCCE
California Agriculture: 100 Years of Service
History of the Agriculture Experiment Stations
Science and Service by Ann Foley Scheuring
UCCE Rice Links
Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings. Always follow the label. The label is the law. Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.
UC ANR is an equal opportunity provider and employer
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hello, everyone.
(00:30):
in which they're housed.
Additionally, our office wouldlike to announce that in honor
of this achievement, we will behosting a centennial sprint, a
sort of fun run to celebratethis accomplishment.
And that centennial sprint willtake place Saturday, April 5th,
2025 at the Colusa SacramentoRiver State Recreation Area on
(00:54):
110th Street in Colusa.
Check-in will start at 8.30amand the two-mile walk slash run
will start at 9am You canregister for this event at our
website, cecalusa.ucanr.edu, andregistration will be$30 per
person and will include a shirtand entrance fee to participate.
(01:19):
Registration will close on March31st.
Additionally, there will also bea 100-yard dash for the kids in
order to earn a medal.
If you have any questions aboutthis event, please feel free to
reach out to our office at530-458-0570.
(01:40):
Thanks, and enjoy the show.
UNKNOWN (01:44):
Music
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Hello and welcome to Thoughts on Rice, a podcast
hosted by the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension
Rice Advisors.
I'm one of your hosts, SarahMarchionish, and I'm a Rice Farm
Advisor for Colusa and YoloCounties.
Together, the UCCE Rice FarmAdvisors seek to provide
relevant, topical,research-backed information
(02:17):
relating to California riceproduction.
We're going to go a little offour usual subject matter today.
We originally started thispodcast to convey information
relating to rice production andresearch, as that's a core tenet
(02:40):
of the mission of the Universityof California Cooperative
Extension Farm Advisors.
However, one thing we've learnedis that the role of University
of California CooperativeExtension isn't completely
understood by our communitiesand the people we serve.
We're going to take today togive a bit of background on how
UCCE came about, the originalgoals of the organization, and
(03:04):
what UCCE looks like today.
This talk today could not havebeen made without the
contributions from the UCANRpublication, Science and
Service, written by Anne FoleyShearing and published in 1995.
This book is available forpurchase through UCANR
publications, and we do notreceive incentives for
(03:25):
recommending this book.
I'd also like to acknowledge thework of James MacDonald, Rose
Hayden Smith, and RachelSearles, all who have been
involved with UC ANR and havewritten extensively about the
history and development of themission.
The complete bibliography can befound in the show notes.
(04:00):
The immediate purpose of UCagricultural research and
extension, of course, is to helpCalifornia agriculture maintain
and increase its productivityand efficiency, whilst
conserving and maintaining thequality of the state's natural
resource base.
But the benefits of research,resident instruction, and
extension extend far beyond thefarm gate.
(04:23):
The University of CaliforniaCooperative Extension, also
known as UCCE, has a richhistory that dates back over a
century, intertwining education,agriculture, and community
service.
Let's take a journey through itsevolution.
UNKNOWN (04:42):
Music
SPEAKER_00 (04:50):
Our story begins in the middle of the turmoil of the
Civil War, when a beleagueredU.S.
Congress passed three pieces oflegislation that, though pending
for some time, had not yet madeit through Congress.
Compared with the events of thewar, the bills were not
particularly dramatic, but theywould eventually have profound
impacts on the nation'sagriculture and the subsequent
(05:13):
course of American history.
Between May and July of 1862,Congress established the U.S.
Department of Agriculture,enacted the Homestead Act, and
passed the Agricultural CollegesLand Grant Act.
All three acts were aimed atdeveloping a stronger and more
(05:33):
productive American agriculture.
The Department of Ag wasempowered to collect and
disseminate all kinds of usefulinformation on agricultural
subjects, and to make availableamongst the people new, valuable
seeds and plants.
The Homestead Act liberalizedprevious land laws and
encouraged the spread ofpopulation into remoter areas of
(05:54):
the West.
However, we're going to focusmostly on perhaps the most
far-reaching of all, which wasthe piece of legislation usually
called the Morrell Act, afterits chief sponsor in Congress.
This law enabled states toestablish public institutions of
higher education, which becameknown as land-grant colleges.
(06:18):
This was the AgriculturalColleges Land Grant Act.
These land-grant colleges wouldoffer instruction in
agriculture, the mechanic andpractical arts, military
training, and other industrialvocational fields to a
democratically broad range ofstudents at public expense.
To understand the impact of theland-grant colleges on the
(06:41):
nation as a whole, it'simportant to understand the
context in which they weredeveloped.
By the mid-19th century,American agriculture was already
commercial in most majoraspects, from the early tobacco
and cotton export to the South,to the milk and meat products
supplied by regional farmers tothe eastern seaboard cities.
(07:02):
Still, many American farms,especially in the West, were
primarily self-sustaining units,supporting a family, sure.
but not contributing to thelarger world, at least not in a
huge way.
The disparity between rural andurban living standards was
becoming ever more obvious.
(07:23):
While thousands of families fromless prosperous agricultural
areas sought better farmingopportunities in the West from
the 1840s and 50s onward, manybright young men and women left
their rural homes for moreeconomically and socially
rewarding occupations in town.
Their exodus from rural areasand However, this increasing
(07:45):
industrial expansion alsorequired increasing amounts of
food for off-farm consumption.
What farmers needed in order toprovide that surplus that might
be poured into industrializingcities, beyond the old
triumvirate of land, tools, andsweat, was an organized system
for gathering or discoveringuseful information and
(08:05):
encouraging greaterproductivity, which the landmark
laws of 1862 would begin to meetthose needs.
The Land-Grant College Act,again, also known as the Morrell
Act, allocated 30,000 acres ofpublic land to each state.
However, the colleges weren'tnecessarily to be built directly
(08:25):
on this land.
Instead, the Act stipulated thatthe proceeds from the sale of
these lands were to be investedin a perpetual fund, with the
interest used to support andmaintain at least one college
focused on teaching subjectsrelated to agriculture and the
mechanic arts.
The act also mandated militaryinstruction and allowed for
(08:46):
other scientific and classicalstudies.
In California, the land-grantuniversity founded from the
Morrell Act was established inBerkeley in 1868.
Eugene Hilgard, the second deanof agriculture and often called
the true founder of theuniversity's College of
Agriculture, was deeplypassionate about agricultural
(09:07):
research.
He believed in establishing ascientific foundation for
agricultural education.
Hilgard strongly advocated foragricultural experiment
stations, viewing them asessential for promoting rational
farming practices.
His views were part of a broadernational movement that led to
the Hatch Act of 1887, whichaimed to support a state
(09:30):
agricultural experiment stationwith federal funding.
Just a note here before we goback to Hilgard.
In 1890, the Hatch Act wasmodified to include a number of
historically black colleges,known as the 1890 land-grant
universities, into the stateagricultural experiment
stations.
(09:50):
These 19 universities are stillfound throughout the South,
Midwest, and Eastern states.
To name a few, Prairie View A&Min Texas, Fort Valley State in
Georgia, and Alabama A&M in, youguessed it, Alabama.
One more point before we move onfrom this in the land-grant
university system.
(10:11):
In 1994, through the Equity inEducational Land Grant Status
Act of 1994, 36 federallyrecognized tribal colleges and
universities, also known as 1994institutions, were designated as
land-grant universities.
These colleges and universitiesare vital to improve the lives
(10:32):
and career opportunities forNative students and the
communities at large, and tosupport research, education, and
extension programs that enhancelocal agriculture and food
production.
Back to Hilgard.
From the start of his career inCalifornia, Hilgard focused on
addressing practical issuesfaced by farmers.
(10:52):
He quickly began writing shortresearch reports, which were
published as supplements to hisannual reports or as bulletins
to to newspapers like thePacific Rural Press.
Hilgard encouraged directcorrespondence with farmers,
leading to such a high volume ofletters that by 1903, his
station staff was responding tonearly 15,000 inquiries
(11:15):
annually.
In January 1884, the College ofAgriculture initiated the
publication of short bulletins.
When the Hatch Act mandatedquarterly bulletins and provided
funding for their distribution,the Agricultural Experiment
Station started producing longerpamphlets.
By the late 1890s, somebulletins were over 30 pages
(11:37):
long.
Initially, Hilgard was the soleauthor on most of these
publications, but othercontributors soon emerged,
including C.W.
Woodworth on plant diseases,F.T.
Bioletti on grapes and olives,and M.E.
Jaffa on animal nutrition.
By the time Hilgard retired in1905, the series included 171
bulletins, with thousands moreprinted to meet demand,
(12:00):
documenting both research andhistorical concern These reports
were the precursors to theoutreach newsletters still
produced by CooperativeExtension Advisors today.
When the Hatch Act provided morefunding for reaching farmers,
another thing they stipulatedwas the dissemination of
information.
(12:23):
In response, Hilgard implementeda series of outreach programs
where he and the otheragricultural professors would
load up on trains and travel upand down the state.
And on these trains were mobileclassrooms.
These classrooms held diagramsof plants, animal anatomy
models, and these were extremelypopular.
When these trains stopped atstations up and down California,
(12:47):
the lecturers would provide whatwe called farmer institutes,
mobile classroom educationsystems that conveyed the
results of UC research directlyto farmers.
However, it wasn't solely aone-way stream of information.
This also gave the UCresearchers an idea of what the
(13:08):
needs of the local people were.
But back to ag.
By 1900, California's wheat boomwas declining due to decreasing
soil fertility and increasedcompetition in global markets,
causing production to drop fromover 40 million bushels in 1895
to under 18 million by 1905, aslarge grain ranches began to
(13:29):
break up.
And salt! smaller parcels ofland became available.
The introduction of irrigationto previously arid regions
sparked interest in owningfarms, leading to a surge in the
number of farms in California,from 72,542 in 1900 to over
100,000 by 1914.
(13:50):
The advancements in irrigationand agricultural science made
this growth possible, creatingprofitable orchards and
vegetable farms, whileimprovements and transportation
facilitated the shipping ofproducts.
Farmers organized cooperativesto tackle marketing challenges
across vast distances, markingan exciting new era in
(14:11):
California agriculture.
The need to support thisexplosion of farms prompted
calls for a nationwide extensionservice to connect land-grant
colleges' research with ruralcommunities, demonstrating
effective methods for practicalfarming.
Seaman Knapp, known as thefather of extension, pioneered
demonstration techniques thatbecame fundamental to early
(14:33):
extension work, assistingfarmers in the South combat the
bull weevil.
The signing of the Smith-LeverAct in May 1914 by President
Woodrow Wilson allowed allstates to hire extension agents
to assist farmers and farmgroups in enhancing production
and living conditions.
However, California was ahead ofthe game.
(14:54):
As we mentioned before, Before,UC agriculture faculty were
already offering short coursesat farmers' institutes, but
farmers were clamoring for moreand eager to have a cooperative
extension educator, known as afarm advisor in California,
assigned to their community.
Anticipating the passage of theSmith-Lever Act, UC officials
(15:15):
required each county governmentthat wanted to participate in a
cooperative extensionpartnership to allocate funding
to help support extension workin that community.
Additionally, it was requiredthat a group of farmers in
participating counties organizedinto a Farm Bureau to help guide
the Cooperative Extension FarmAdvisor on the issues of local
agriculture.
(15:35):
These groups later evolved intothe California Farm Bureau
Federation.
The first California county tosign up, Humboldt County, had
its Farm Advisor in place byJuly 1913, before the passage of
the federal legislation.
Seven more counties came onboard in 1914.
And by the end of 1916, 13California counties had farm
(15:58):
advisors.
And in the following years, 41of the 58 California counties
secured cooperative extensionfarm advisors.
Early extension work mainlyfocused on practical
demonstrations applyinguniversity research, such as
better pruning techniques, pestcontrol, and cow testing
associations.
(16:18):
Beyond technical support, farmadvisors By 1919, more than
3,500 of the nation's 4,000counties had extension agents.
(16:40):
However, after the war, specialfunding appropriations ceased,
causing a temporary decline inthe extension service, leading
to the resignation of nearlyhalf of California's farm and
home advisors.
Despite this, local governmentsrecognized the value of
extension work, replacing lostfederal funds with state and
county support.
(17:02):
The 1920s became a golden agefor extension work.
Young, dynamic extension agentstraveled rural roads on
motorcycles and Model Ts,helping farm families improve
their livelihoods.
The Agricultural ExtensionService's primary role remained
the local dissemination ofresearch findings.
(17:22):
But the 1920s also saw a focuson fostering social connections
and leadership among ruralcommunities.
Extension efforts includedorganizing fire protection
districts, septic systemconstruction, home
demonstrations, nutritioneducation, and local economics
meetings.
In 1926, the director of theExtension Service, B.H.
(17:43):
Cochran, boasted that, quote,The number of persons attending
meetings conducted by members ofthe Agricultural Extension
Service in a given year was morethan double those attending all
football games played by theuniversity team.
End quote.
Now, I know this was almost 100years ago, but that may still be
partially true.
In the years following World WarI, California's agricultural
(18:06):
landscape shifted dramatically.
Farmers invested heavily inorchards and vineyards, but the
resulting overproduction led toplummeting prices and financial
distress for many.
By 1932, California's farmincome had fallen to less than
half of what it had been justthree years earlier.
The Great Depression hitCalifornia hard, with farm
(18:32):
foreclosures rising andunemployment levels soaring as
people migrated in search ofwork.
The Extension Service was notimmune to the financial
hardship.
As an example, in 1929-30, thestate funded the UC budget to
the tune of$9.9 million.
But just a few years later, in1933-34, the state budget only
(18:57):
allocated$6.6 million for theentire UC system.
The College of Agriculture'sdean, Claude Hutchinson, and the
director of the AgriculturalExtension Service, B.H.
Cochran, took to the road.
They pleaded their case to thepeople, via the radio, in-person
meetings, and any chance theycould get to convince the
populace to support theExtension Service and UC
(19:19):
research.
Public support was so high theywere able to restore the lost
funding through the generosityof the people, who had seen the
value of extension work and werenot going to let it falter.
Farmers facing the challenges ofthe Depression turned to the
agricultural experimentation forsolutions.
Much of the productivity growthin American farms during the
(19:40):
1920s and 30s was attributed toextension efforts, but the role
of extension agents shiftedduring the Depression as they
participated in federal programsaimed at alleviating economic
Despite these economichardships, advancements
continued, particularly in riceproduction technology, which
proved invaluable duringwartime.
(20:01):
In 1934, the collegecollaborated with state agencies
to create the CaliforniaApproved Seed Plan, also known
as CalApproved, ensuring thatfarmers had access to
high-quality seeds andsignificantly improving crop
yields.
When World War II began, theExtension Service took charge of
emergency farm labor projectsand planning for post-war
(20:23):
agricultural policies.
By the time Franklin Roosevelttook office, the Agricultural
Extension Service hadestablished itself as a vital
link between land-grant collegesand rural farmers.
It facilitated the directapplication of research through
consultations, group meetings,and local demonstrations.
After the attack on Pearl Harborin December 1941, Extension
(20:44):
Services quickly pivoted tofocus on public safety,
including assessing ruralemergency water supplies.
Farm advisors map safe watersources and assisted farmers in
improving their water storagesystems.
They also organized tractorcooperatives to share machinery
and provided technical supportfor maintaining older equipment.
(21:06):
Other activities includedpromoting victory gardens and
disseminating information onfood preservation and
conservation during wartime.
Following World War II,advancements in science and
technology transformed Americanagriculture, significantly
increasing the diversity andvalue of California's
agricultural output.
(21:27):
The New Hatch Act of 1955increased funding for state
experiment stations.
With increased funding cameincreased number of farm
advisors and extensionspecialists, who expanded
acreage of test plots withcooperators.
The field station networkdoubled from 5 to 10, spread
throughout the state to serveregional research needs.
(21:49):
These research stations soonboasted agricultural success
stories such as the near-totalelimination of brucellosis in
dairies, relocating the citrusindustry to the San Joaquin
Valley, and developing asafflower industry for marginal
lands.
Perhaps one of the most dramaticsuccesses of this period was the
compound innovation of thedevelopment of the mechanized
(22:11):
tomato harvester and thebreeding of a tomato that could
handle mechanized harvest.
By the 1960s, however, thesocietal impacts of these
technological changes raised newenvironmental and social
concerns.
UCCE embraced social change,launching programs aimed at
youth leadership and communityengagement.
(22:32):
Since the 60s, the Expanded Foodand Nutrition Education Program,
also known as FNEP, has providedfree nutrition education classes
in urban communities.
Thousands of urban and suburbanresidents have benefited from
the Master Gardener Program,which offers free workshops and
advice to home, community, andschool gardeners.
(22:52):
Currently, more than 5,400Master Gardener volunteers serve
California communities.
The Master Food Preserverprogram teaches Californians to
safely preserve the healthyfoods we produce.
The 1970s and 80s saw aheightened awareness of
environmental issues.
UCCE embraced sustainability,introducing programs that helped
(23:15):
farmers maintain productivitywhile caring for the
environment, exemplified by theadoption of the Integrated Pest
Management, IPM, program.
In the 1990s and 2000s, UCCEexpanded its outreach through
technology, utilizing theinternet to provide virtual
workshops and resources.
(23:36):
The extension also tailored itsprograms to reflect California's
diverse population, includinginitiatives for urban
agriculture and immigrantcommunities.
A new Master Naturalist programwas developed, training
volunteers to help communitiesrespond to complex issues in
sustainable natural ecosystems,where observations by volunteers
(23:57):
in the community are recordedusing mobile technologies, so
the data can be studied byscientists, who then respond to
and help solve communityproblems.
According to UC ANR, today thereare 170 UC cooperative advisors
who live, work, and conductresearch in all 58 of
California's counties.
(24:18):
As part of cooperativeextension, there are also 120
campus or county-basedspecialists and 350 community
educators.
It has rural roots, but as thenation has grown and communities
have changed, cooperativeextension has evolved, adapting
programs to meet the needs ofrural and non-rural audiences.
(24:42):
All of Cooperative Extension'sactivities are grounded in
university research anddeveloped in partnership with
local communities.
After a century of service, UCCooperative Extension continues
to deliver practical, trusted,science-based solutions to
Californians.
Today, the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension
(25:04):
is a vibrant entity with aprofound impact on California's
agriculture, environment, andcommunities.
It operates through a network oflocal offices, offering
research-based education inareas like water conservation,
food safety, and climate-smartagriculture.
The Extension is about fosteringresilient communities.
(25:26):
Through 4-H youth programs,nutrition education, and
community health initiatives,UCCE has become a cornerstone of
community support across thestate.
As we look to the future, UCCEcontinues to adapt to the
challenges posed by climatechange, food security, and the
evolving needs of California'sdiverse population.
(25:49):
By leveraging technology andfostering partnerships, UCCE
remains committed to its missionof enhancing the well-being of
all Californians througheducation and innovation.
I'll leave off on this finalnote, which is a quote from
Stanton Calvert, Vice Chancellorfor the Governmental Affairs at
Texas A&M University, which justso happens to be my alma mater.
(26:14):
Quote, The land-grant legacy wasborn out of the conviction that
knowledge created for theadventure it provides to the
discoverer advances thediscipline and is good.
But knowledge created,transmitted, and applied to
solve real problems transformslives and society and thus
serves the greater good.
(26:54):
We have a few upcoming events.
The UCCE Rice team will beholding a propanil stewardship
meeting.
And this will take place in twolocations on two different
dates, but it'll be the samemeeting.
And the first will be March 17thin Woodland at the Yolo County
(27:14):
Farm Bureau office.
And the second date will beMarch 18th in Richvale at the
Community Church.
We'll have the agenda and allother information up on our
resources, so for moreinformation about these and
other upcoming events, feel freeto check out our resources,
which include the UC Rice blogand the UC Agronomy Rice
(27:35):
website.
In terms of other resources youmay want to take advantage of,
you can also look at our Thanksfor listening.
(28:37):
We're also experimenting withpolls on Spotify, so if you're
listening on Spotify, you mayhave an option to answer some of
those questions, and we might beable to talk about that on air.
You can also email us with anycomments, questions, or concerns
at thoughtsonrice atucdavis.edu.
(28:57):
Spring has sprung for those ofus here in the Sac Valley, and
rice season is right around thecorner.
Remember, like the growers liketo say, Have a rice life.
Mention of an agrochemical doesnot constitute a recommendation,
merely the sharing of researchfindings.
Always follow the label.
(29:18):
The label is the law.
Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu.
The views, thoughts, andopinions expressed are the
speaker's own and do notrepresent the views, thoughts,
and opinions of the Universityof California.
The material and informationpresented here is for general
purposes only.
(29:39):
The University of Californianame and all forms and
abbreviations are the propertyof its owner, and its use does
not imply endorsement of oropposition to any specific
organization, product, orservice.
Hello, everyone.
(00:30):
in which they're housed.
Additionally, our office wouldlike to announce that in honor
of this achievement, we will behosting a centennial sprint, a
sort of fun run to celebratethis accomplishment.
And that centennial sprint willtake place Saturday, April 5th,
2025 at the Colusa SacramentoRiver State Recreation Area on
(00:54):
110th Street in Colusa.
Check-in will start at 8.30amand the two-mile walk slash run
will start at 9am You canregister for this event at our
website, cecalusa.ucanr.edu, andregistration will be$30 per
person and will include a shirtand entrance fee to participate.
(01:19):
Registration will close on March31st.
Additionally, there will also bea 100-yard dash for the kids in
order to earn a medal.
If you have any questions aboutthis event, please feel free to
reach out to our office at530-458-0570.
(01:40):
Thanks, and enjoy the show.
UNKNOWN (01:44):
Music
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Hello and welcome to Thoughts on Rice, a podcast
hosted by the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension
Rice Advisors.
I'm one of your hosts, SarahMarchionish, and I'm a Rice Farm
Advisor for Colusa and YoloCounties.
Together, the UCCE Rice FarmAdvisors seek to provide
relevant, topical,research-backed information
(02:17):
relating to California riceproduction.
We're going to go a little offour usual subject matter today.
We originally started thispodcast to convey information
relating to rice production andresearch, as that's a core tenet
(02:40):
of the mission of the Universityof California Cooperative
Extension Farm Advisors.
However, one thing we've learnedis that the role of University
of California CooperativeExtension isn't completely
understood by our communitiesand the people we serve.
We're going to take today togive a bit of background on how
UCCE came about, the originalgoals of the organization, and
(03:04):
what UCCE looks like today.
This talk today could not havebeen made without the
contributions from the UCANRpublication, Science and
Service, written by Anne FoleyShearing and published in 1995.
This book is available forpurchase through UCANR
publications, and we do notreceive incentives for
(03:25):
recommending this book.
I'd also like to acknowledge thework of James MacDonald, Rose
Hayden Smith, and RachelSearles, all who have been
involved with UC ANR and havewritten extensively about the
history and development of themission.
The complete bibliography can befound in the show notes.
(04:00):
The immediate purpose of UCagricultural research and
extension, of course, is to helpCalifornia agriculture maintain
and increase its productivityand efficiency, whilst
conserving and maintaining thequality of the state's natural
resource base.
But the benefits of research,resident instruction, and
extension extend far beyond thefarm gate.
(04:23):
The University of CaliforniaCooperative Extension, also
known as UCCE, has a richhistory that dates back over a
century, intertwining education,agriculture, and community
service.
Let's take a journey through itsevolution.
UNKNOWN (04:42):
Music
SPEAKER_00 (04:50):
Our story begins in the middle of the turmoil of the
Civil War, when a beleagueredU.S.
Congress passed three pieces oflegislation that, though pending
for some time, had not yet madeit through Congress.
Compared with the events of thewar, the bills were not
particularly dramatic, but theywould eventually have profound
impacts on the nation'sagriculture and the subsequent
(05:13):
course of American history.
Between May and July of 1862,Congress established the U.S.
Department of Agriculture,enacted the Homestead Act, and
passed the Agricultural CollegesLand Grant Act.
All three acts were aimed atdeveloping a stronger and more
(05:33):
productive American agriculture.
The Department of Ag wasempowered to collect and
disseminate all kinds of usefulinformation on agricultural
subjects, and to make availableamongst the people new, valuable
seeds and plants.
The Homestead Act liberalizedprevious land laws and
encouraged the spread ofpopulation into remoter areas of
(05:54):
the West.
However, we're going to focusmostly on perhaps the most
far-reaching of all, which wasthe piece of legislation usually
called the Morrell Act, afterits chief sponsor in Congress.
This law enabled states toestablish public institutions of
higher education, which becameknown as land-grant colleges.
(06:18):
This was the AgriculturalColleges Land Grant Act.
These land-grant colleges wouldoffer instruction in
agriculture, the mechanic andpractical arts, military
training, and other industrialvocational fields to a
democratically broad range ofstudents at public expense.
To understand the impact of theland-grant colleges on the
(06:41):
nation as a whole, it'simportant to understand the
context in which they weredeveloped.
By the mid-19th century,American agriculture was already
commercial in most majoraspects, from the early tobacco
and cotton export to the South,to the milk and meat products
supplied by regional farmers tothe eastern seaboard cities.
(07:02):
Still, many American farms,especially in the West, were
primarily self-sustaining units,supporting a family, sure.
but not contributing to thelarger world, at least not in a
huge way.
The disparity between rural andurban living standards was
becoming ever more obvious.
(07:23):
While thousands of families fromless prosperous agricultural
areas sought better farmingopportunities in the West from
the 1840s and 50s onward, manybright young men and women left
their rural homes for moreeconomically and socially
rewarding occupations in town.
Their exodus from rural areasand However, this increasing
(07:45):
industrial expansion alsorequired increasing amounts of
food for off-farm consumption.
What farmers needed in order toprovide that surplus that might
be poured into industrializingcities, beyond the old
triumvirate of land, tools, andsweat, was an organized system
for gathering or discoveringuseful information and
(08:05):
encouraging greaterproductivity, which the landmark
laws of 1862 would begin to meetthose needs.
The Land-Grant College Act,again, also known as the Morrell
Act, allocated 30,000 acres ofpublic land to each state.
However, the colleges weren'tnecessarily to be built directly
(08:25):
on this land.
Instead, the Act stipulated thatthe proceeds from the sale of
these lands were to be investedin a perpetual fund, with the
interest used to support andmaintain at least one college
focused on teaching subjectsrelated to agriculture and the
mechanic arts.
The act also mandated militaryinstruction and allowed for
(08:46):
other scientific and classicalstudies.
In California, the land-grantuniversity founded from the
Morrell Act was established inBerkeley in 1868.
Eugene Hilgard, the second deanof agriculture and often called
the true founder of theuniversity's College of
Agriculture, was deeplypassionate about agricultural
(09:07):
research.
He believed in establishing ascientific foundation for
agricultural education.
Hilgard strongly advocated foragricultural experiment
stations, viewing them asessential for promoting rational
farming practices.
His views were part of a broadernational movement that led to
the Hatch Act of 1887, whichaimed to support a state
(09:30):
agricultural experiment stationwith federal funding.
Just a note here before we goback to Hilgard.
In 1890, the Hatch Act wasmodified to include a number of
historically black colleges,known as the 1890 land-grant
universities, into the stateagricultural experiment
stations.
(09:50):
These 19 universities are stillfound throughout the South,
Midwest, and Eastern states.
To name a few, Prairie View A&Min Texas, Fort Valley State in
Georgia, and Alabama A&M in, youguessed it, Alabama.
One more point before we move onfrom this in the land-grant
university system.
(10:11):
In 1994, through the Equity inEducational Land Grant Status
Act of 1994, 36 federallyrecognized tribal colleges and
universities, also known as 1994institutions, were designated as
land-grant universities.
These colleges and universitiesare vital to improve the lives
(10:32):
and career opportunities forNative students and the
communities at large, and tosupport research, education, and
extension programs that enhancelocal agriculture and food
production.
Back to Hilgard.
From the start of his career inCalifornia, Hilgard focused on
addressing practical issuesfaced by farmers.
(10:52):
He quickly began writing shortresearch reports, which were
published as supplements to hisannual reports or as bulletins
to to newspapers like thePacific Rural Press.
Hilgard encouraged directcorrespondence with farmers,
leading to such a high volume ofletters that by 1903, his
station staff was responding tonearly 15,000 inquiries
(11:15):
annually.
In January 1884, the College ofAgriculture initiated the
publication of short bulletins.
When the Hatch Act mandatedquarterly bulletins and provided
funding for their distribution,the Agricultural Experiment
Station started producing longerpamphlets.
By the late 1890s, somebulletins were over 30 pages
(11:37):
long.
Initially, Hilgard was the soleauthor on most of these
publications, but othercontributors soon emerged,
including C.W.
Woodworth on plant diseases,F.T.
Bioletti on grapes and olives,and M.E.
Jaffa on animal nutrition.
By the time Hilgard retired in1905, the series included 171
bulletins, with thousands moreprinted to meet demand,
(12:00):
documenting both research andhistorical concern These reports
were the precursors to theoutreach newsletters still
produced by CooperativeExtension Advisors today.
When the Hatch Act provided morefunding for reaching farmers,
another thing they stipulatedwas the dissemination of
information.
(12:23):
In response, Hilgard implementeda series of outreach programs
where he and the otheragricultural professors would
load up on trains and travel upand down the state.
And on these trains were mobileclassrooms.
These classrooms held diagramsof plants, animal anatomy
models, and these were extremelypopular.
When these trains stopped atstations up and down California,
(12:47):
the lecturers would provide whatwe called farmer institutes,
mobile classroom educationsystems that conveyed the
results of UC research directlyto farmers.
However, it wasn't solely aone-way stream of information.
This also gave the UCresearchers an idea of what the
(13:08):
needs of the local people were.
But back to ag.
By 1900, California's wheat boomwas declining due to decreasing
soil fertility and increasedcompetition in global markets,
causing production to drop fromover 40 million bushels in 1895
to under 18 million by 1905, aslarge grain ranches began to
(13:29):
break up.
And salt! smaller parcels ofland became available.
The introduction of irrigationto previously arid regions
sparked interest in owningfarms, leading to a surge in the
number of farms in California,from 72,542 in 1900 to over
100,000 by 1914.
(13:50):
The advancements in irrigationand agricultural science made
this growth possible, creatingprofitable orchards and
vegetable farms, whileimprovements and transportation
facilitated the shipping ofproducts.
Farmers organized cooperativesto tackle marketing challenges
across vast distances, markingan exciting new era in
(14:11):
California agriculture.
The need to support thisexplosion of farms prompted
calls for a nationwide extensionservice to connect land-grant
colleges' research with ruralcommunities, demonstrating
effective methods for practicalfarming.
Seaman Knapp, known as thefather of extension, pioneered
demonstration techniques thatbecame fundamental to early
(14:33):
extension work, assistingfarmers in the South combat the
bull weevil.
The signing of the Smith-LeverAct in May 1914 by President
Woodrow Wilson allowed allstates to hire extension agents
to assist farmers and farmgroups in enhancing production
and living conditions.
However, California was ahead ofthe game.
(14:54):
As we mentioned before, Before,UC agriculture faculty were
already offering short coursesat farmers' institutes, but
farmers were clamoring for moreand eager to have a cooperative
extension educator, known as afarm advisor in California,
assigned to their community.
Anticipating the passage of theSmith-Lever Act, UC officials
(15:15):
required each county governmentthat wanted to participate in a
cooperative extensionpartnership to allocate funding
to help support extension workin that community.
Additionally, it was requiredthat a group of farmers in
participating counties organizedinto a Farm Bureau to help guide
the Cooperative Extension FarmAdvisor on the issues of local
agriculture.
(15:35):
These groups later evolved intothe California Farm Bureau
Federation.
The first California county tosign up, Humboldt County, had
its Farm Advisor in place byJuly 1913, before the passage of
the federal legislation.
Seven more counties came onboard in 1914.
And by the end of 1916, 13California counties had farm
(15:58):
advisors.
And in the following years, 41of the 58 California counties
secured cooperative extensionfarm advisors.
Early extension work mainlyfocused on practical
demonstrations applyinguniversity research, such as
better pruning techniques, pestcontrol, and cow testing
associations.
(16:18):
Beyond technical support, farmadvisors By 1919, more than
3,500 of the nation's 4,000counties had extension agents.
(16:40):
However, after the war, specialfunding appropriations ceased,
causing a temporary decline inthe extension service, leading
to the resignation of nearlyhalf of California's farm and
home advisors.
Despite this, local governmentsrecognized the value of
extension work, replacing lostfederal funds with state and
county support.
(17:02):
The 1920s became a golden agefor extension work.
Young, dynamic extension agentstraveled rural roads on
motorcycles and Model Ts,helping farm families improve
their livelihoods.
The Agricultural ExtensionService's primary role remained
the local dissemination ofresearch findings.
(17:22):
But the 1920s also saw a focuson fostering social connections
and leadership among ruralcommunities.
Extension efforts includedorganizing fire protection
districts, septic systemconstruction, home
demonstrations, nutritioneducation, and local economics
meetings.
In 1926, the director of theExtension Service, B.H.
(17:43):
Cochran, boasted that, quote,The number of persons attending
meetings conducted by members ofthe Agricultural Extension
Service in a given year was morethan double those attending all
football games played by theuniversity team.
End quote.
Now, I know this was almost 100years ago, but that may still be
partially true.
In the years following World WarI, California's agricultural
(18:06):
landscape shifted dramatically.
Farmers invested heavily inorchards and vineyards, but the
resulting overproduction led toplummeting prices and financial
distress for many.
By 1932, California's farmincome had fallen to less than
half of what it had been justthree years earlier.
The Great Depression hitCalifornia hard, with farm
(18:32):
foreclosures rising andunemployment levels soaring as
people migrated in search ofwork.
The Extension Service was notimmune to the financial
hardship.
As an example, in 1929-30, thestate funded the UC budget to
the tune of$9.9 million.
But just a few years later, in1933-34, the state budget only
(18:57):
allocated$6.6 million for theentire UC system.
The College of Agriculture'sdean, Claude Hutchinson, and the
director of the AgriculturalExtension Service, B.H.
Cochran, took to the road.
They pleaded their case to thepeople, via the radio, in-person
meetings, and any chance theycould get to convince the
populace to support theExtension Service and UC
(19:19):
research.
Public support was so high theywere able to restore the lost
funding through the generosityof the people, who had seen the
value of extension work and werenot going to let it falter.
Farmers facing the challenges ofthe Depression turned to the
agricultural experimentation forsolutions.
Much of the productivity growthin American farms during the
(19:40):
1920s and 30s was attributed toextension efforts, but the role
of extension agents shiftedduring the Depression as they
participated in federal programsaimed at alleviating economic
Despite these economichardships, advancements
continued, particularly in riceproduction technology, which
proved invaluable duringwartime.
(20:01):
In 1934, the collegecollaborated with state agencies
to create the CaliforniaApproved Seed Plan, also known
as CalApproved, ensuring thatfarmers had access to
high-quality seeds andsignificantly improving crop
yields.
When World War II began, theExtension Service took charge of
emergency farm labor projectsand planning for post-war
(20:23):
agricultural policies.
By the time Franklin Roosevelttook office, the Agricultural
Extension Service hadestablished itself as a vital
link between land-grant collegesand rural farmers.
It facilitated the directapplication of research through
consultations, group meetings,and local demonstrations.
After the attack on Pearl Harborin December 1941, Extension
(20:44):
Services quickly pivoted tofocus on public safety,
including assessing ruralemergency water supplies.
Farm advisors map safe watersources and assisted farmers in
improving their water storagesystems.
They also organized tractorcooperatives to share machinery
and provided technical supportfor maintaining older equipment.
(21:06):
Other activities includedpromoting victory gardens and
disseminating information onfood preservation and
conservation during wartime.
Following World War II,advancements in science and
technology transformed Americanagriculture, significantly
increasing the diversity andvalue of California's
agricultural output.
(21:27):
The New Hatch Act of 1955increased funding for state
experiment stations.
With increased funding cameincreased number of farm
advisors and extensionspecialists, who expanded
acreage of test plots withcooperators.
The field station networkdoubled from 5 to 10, spread
throughout the state to serveregional research needs.
(21:49):
These research stations soonboasted agricultural success
stories such as the near-totalelimination of brucellosis in
dairies, relocating the citrusindustry to the San Joaquin
Valley, and developing asafflower industry for marginal
lands.
Perhaps one of the most dramaticsuccesses of this period was the
compound innovation of thedevelopment of the mechanized
(22:11):
tomato harvester and thebreeding of a tomato that could
handle mechanized harvest.
By the 1960s, however, thesocietal impacts of these
technological changes raised newenvironmental and social
concerns.
UCCE embraced social change,launching programs aimed at
youth leadership and communityengagement.
(22:32):
Since the 60s, the Expanded Foodand Nutrition Education Program,
also known as FNEP, has providedfree nutrition education classes
in urban communities.
Thousands of urban and suburbanresidents have benefited from
the Master Gardener Program,which offers free workshops and
advice to home, community, andschool gardeners.
(22:52):
Currently, more than 5,400Master Gardener volunteers serve
California communities.
The Master Food Preserverprogram teaches Californians to
safely preserve the healthyfoods we produce.
The 1970s and 80s saw aheightened awareness of
environmental issues.
UCCE embraced sustainability,introducing programs that helped
(23:15):
farmers maintain productivitywhile caring for the
environment, exemplified by theadoption of the Integrated Pest
Management, IPM, program.
In the 1990s and 2000s, UCCEexpanded its outreach through
technology, utilizing theinternet to provide virtual
workshops and resources.
(23:36):
The extension also tailored itsprograms to reflect California's
diverse population, includinginitiatives for urban
agriculture and immigrantcommunities.
A new Master Naturalist programwas developed, training
volunteers to help communitiesrespond to complex issues in
sustainable natural ecosystems,where observations by volunteers
(23:57):
in the community are recordedusing mobile technologies, so
the data can be studied byscientists, who then respond to
and help solve communityproblems.
According to UC ANR, today thereare 170 UC cooperative advisors
who live, work, and conductresearch in all 58 of
California's counties.
(24:18):
As part of cooperativeextension, there are also 120
campus or county-basedspecialists and 350 community
educators.
It has rural roots, but as thenation has grown and communities
have changed, cooperativeextension has evolved, adapting
programs to meet the needs ofrural and non-rural audiences.
(24:42):
All of Cooperative Extension'sactivities are grounded in
university research anddeveloped in partnership with
local communities.
After a century of service, UCCooperative Extension continues
to deliver practical, trusted,science-based solutions to
Californians.
Today, the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension
(25:04):
is a vibrant entity with aprofound impact on California's
agriculture, environment, andcommunities.
It operates through a network oflocal offices, offering
research-based education inareas like water conservation,
food safety, and climate-smartagriculture.
The Extension is about fosteringresilient communities.
(25:26):
Through 4-H youth programs,nutrition education, and
community health initiatives,UCCE has become a cornerstone of
community support across thestate.
As we look to the future, UCCEcontinues to adapt to the
challenges posed by climatechange, food security, and the
evolving needs of California'sdiverse population.
(25:49):
By leveraging technology andfostering partnerships, UCCE
remains committed to its missionof enhancing the well-being of
all Californians througheducation and innovation.
I'll leave off on this finalnote, which is a quote from
Stanton Calvert, Vice Chancellorfor the Governmental Affairs at
Texas A&M University, which justso happens to be my alma mater.
(26:14):
Quote, The land-grant legacy wasborn out of the conviction that
knowledge created for theadventure it provides to the
discoverer advances thediscipline and is good.
But knowledge created,transmitted, and applied to
solve real problems transformslives and society and thus
serves the greater good.
(26:54):
We have a few upcoming events.
The UCCE Rice team will beholding a propanil stewardship
meeting.
And this will take place in twolocations on two different
dates, but it'll be the samemeeting.
And the first will be March 17thin Woodland at the Yolo County
(27:14):
Farm Bureau office.
And the second date will beMarch 18th in Richvale at the
Community Church.
We'll have the agenda and allother information up on our
resources, so for moreinformation about these and
other upcoming events, feel freeto check out our resources,
which include the UC Rice blogand the UC Agronomy Rice
(27:35):
website.
In terms of other resources youmay want to take advantage of,
you can also look at our Thanksfor listening.
(28:37):
We're also experimenting withpolls on Spotify, so if you're
listening on Spotify, you mayhave an option to answer some of
those questions, and we might beable to talk about that on air.
You can also email us with anycomments, questions, or concerns
at thoughtsonrice atucdavis.edu.
(28:57):
Spring has sprung for those ofus here in the Sac Valley, and
rice season is right around thecorner.
Remember, like the growers liketo say, Have a rice life.
Mention of an agrochemical doesnot constitute a recommendation,
merely the sharing of researchfindings.
Always follow the label.
(29:18):
The label is the law.
Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu.
The views, thoughts, andopinions expressed are the
speaker's own and do notrepresent the views, thoughts,
and opinions of the Universityof California.
The material and informationpresented here is for general
purposes only.
(29:39):
The University of Californianame and all forms and
abbreviations are the propertyof its owner, and its use does
not imply endorsement of oropposition to any specific
organization, product, orservice.
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