UC Small Farm Workgroup Meeting – Day One

Wednesday – June 11, 2008

ANR Building (Plum Room) at UC Davis

Tentative Agenda

9:00     Welcome and Introductions

9:10     The 2008 Farm Bill & Grant Funding Opportunities for Small Farm Research & Outreach - Group Discussion facilitated by Mark Gaskell, UC Small Farm Advisor

9:40     Experiences with South African Small Scale Farmers - Richard Molinar, UC Small Farms Advisor

10:00   Urban Agriculture Needs Assessment: Update and Discussion - Kristin Reynolds, Program Representative, UC Small Farm Center

10:20   Break

10:30   UC Small Farm Program Report and Staffing Needs: Round Table Discussion - Shermain Hardesty, Director, UC Small Farm Program

12:00   Lunch (Provided)

1:00      Nitrogen Fertilization in Organic Strawberry Production - Mark Gaskell, UC Small Farms Advisor

1:20     The Big and Small of Olive Oil Production – Strategies to Increase Profit Potential for Small-scale Grower - Paul Vossen, UCCE Farm Advisor

1:40     Animal Production Opportunities for Small Scale Farmers: Panel Discussion -

§          Deborah Giraud, UCCE Farm Advisor

§          Roger Ingram, UCCE Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor

§          Shermain Hardesty, Director, UC Small Farm Program

2:30     BREAK

2:40     State of the Workgroup – Funding and Election of New Officials – Ramiro Lobo, UC Small Farms Advisor & Workgroup Chair/Group

3:00     Two Vexing Problems for Growers: Viruses & Symphylans- Aziz Baameur, UC Small Farms Advisor

3:20     UC ANR Update: Budgets, Workgroups, Staffing, Other? - Maxwell Norton, Program Leader for Agricultural Productivity

3:40     Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Research Update - Ramiro Lobo, UC Small Farms Advisor

4:00     Blogging, Precision Ag, & other IT Applications for Small Scale Farmers - Neil Pattel, Computer Science Graduate Student, Stanford University

4:20     Observations of Vegetables in Shandong, China - Marita Cantwell, UCCE Vegetable Specialist

4:40     Collaboration Opportunities with HR Programs – A Look at the WIC Nutrition Initiative - Lucia Kaiser, Human Resources Program Leader/CE Nutrition Specialist

5:00     Adjourn

6:00     Social & Group Dinner