Wines & Vines

CLIFF OHMART Vineyard View The Future of Farm Extension ersity of California Highlights The Regen ts of the Univ A couple of months ago I found out that Steve Vasquez, the University of California Cooperative Extension viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County, was resigning from his position to take a job in the private sector. This news made me surprised and concerned: I was surprised because Fresno County, with its 200,000 acres of vineyards, is a vital part of the wine and table grape communities, and it seems like a great place to be for someone who wants to work in viticulture. I was concerned because the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) has been through severe budget cuts during the past 10 years, so it has been challenging to replace farm advisors who retire or leave their positions. Vasquez has gained great respect in the wine and table grape communities for the work and service he provided for many years. His departure seems like a good time to take a look at the staffing of UCCE viticulture, contemplate its future and also look at the changing world of grower outreach and education. Trade association meetings are a good place for farm advisors to disseminate information to a large group of people at once. from the UC Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Thankfully, due • uring the past four years, the UniverD It is important to note that, relative to other to budget stabilization, UC is planning to sity of California Cooperative Extension crops in California, the number of UCCE hire more than 25 advisors and specialists has lost 22% of its farm advisors and farm advisors working with grapes as their during the next two years, according to a specialists. core area is high. The North Coast region March 12 announcement from the UC has four farm advisors specializing in wine Division of Agriculture and Natural Re• ixty percent of UC farm advisors and S grapes, with one each in Napa and Sonoma sources. If no retirements occur during this more than 60% of specialists are age counties, a shared farm advisor between period, that will create a 7% increase in the 54 or older. Lake and Mendocino counties and a UC number of farm advisors and specialists. IPM area advisor stationed in Sonoma Before the improved budget, replacement • arm advisors' salaries are not competiF County. The Central Coast region has two of viticulture advisor positions had been tive with positions in the private sector. viticulture farm advisors, and the Central mixed. A viticulture farm advisor from Valley region had two, before Vasquez' deMadera County (home to 74,000 acres of • ublic-private partnerships to fund farm P parture. There are also two farm advisors grapes) who retired several years ago has advisor positions represent one way to in the Central Valley with multiple crop not been replaced, whereas the advisor poresponsibilities, grapes being one. Furthersition that became vacant in Napa County slow the shrinkage of the cooperative more, UC is currently recruiting a viticulture due to the untimely death of Ed Weber was extension farm advisor system. farm advisor for Tulare, Kings and Kern filled pretty quickly. Another worrisome counties to replace an advisor who retired a statistic is that 60% of the current UC farm couple of years ago. That makes a total of 10 viticulture farm advisors advisors are over the age of 54, and more than 60% of extension speif you count the new recruitment but not the position recently vacated cialists are in this same age bracket. As these advisors and specialists by Vasquez. retire during the next 10 years, barely half of these positions will be Now, let's dive into the details a bit, looking at recent trends and filled at the current replacement rate. demographics of existing UC farm advisors. By my estimation, there Historically, one of the most important roles played by viticulare currently about 180 farm advisors and about 115 specialists (a ture farm advisors has been outreach and education to the grower classification that involves much more research than a farm advicommunity. The transfer of information and technology results sor). However, UCCE lost 86 farm advisors and specialists between from research conducted by the farm advisors themselves or the 2009 and 2012, a 22% loss, according to a Dec. 12, 2012, statement university's academic faculty. Given what appears to be a decline How many grape advisors? Win es & Vin es AU GU ST 20 13 85

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