California Professional Development Program 2024-2026

View the project report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: agroforestry, cover crops
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, mentoring, on-farm/ranch research, workshop
• Farm Business Management: risk management
• Natural Resources/Environment: wildlife
• Soil Management: organic matter
• Sustainable Communities: community services, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, food access and security, food sovereignty, local and regional food systems, partnerships, public policy

In order to streamline the execution of the PDP program in California, we plan to continue using the PDP award to fund mini-grants. We have an established advisory committee to prioritize funding criteria and review submitted proposals for this proposal’s funding cycle. We also have assistance available through the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources division to manage the mini-grant application and funding processes. We plan to fund mini-grants ranging from $5,000-$35,000 each that will be awarded through formal call for proposal(s). 

The incredible diversity of California’s agriculture creates an equally diverse need for educational and professional development. Current high-priority topics identified by the advisory committee include: 

• Climate change 
• Fire: wild and prescribed 
• Nutrient management practices to minimize environmental (and especially groundwater) impairments  
• Water use efficiency 

• Integrated Pest Management, especially in the context of climate change  
• Alternative marketing approaches for the economic benefit of small-scale and underserved producers  
• Succession planning 
• Community-based food systems 

• Agricultural community disaster preparedness 
• On-farm alternative energy generation and use 
• Organic farming 
• Economic resilience of agriculture and natural resource businesses

 These identified topics will help prioritize projects during the review of PDP mini-grant proposals. 

Through the mini-grant process, we will select projects that have clear project activities that lead to desired WSARE objectives toward increasing knowledge and skills of our agriculture and natural resource educators across the state. When reviewing applications and assessing activities and objectives, sometimes it is unknown what the true outcome will be, and whether that outcome perfectly reflects original objectives. In past PDP mini-grant reports, we have yet to be disappointed in the outcomes of these projects, and often, although, not well documented as "match", these limited WSARE funds go a long way toward educating out educators. The purpose of this grant is to fund mini-grants that the advisory committee sees as having the greatest impact of increasing competency of agriculture educators and professionals in the state. 

The overall objective of this plan is to increase the capacity of Cooperative Extension advisors, NRCS field staff, and other agricultural professionals to apply the principals of sustainable agriculture while working with their clientele (Farmers, ranchers, consumers, youth, businesses, government, and communities). We estimate that 100 – 200 agricultural professionals will increase their awareness of threats to agricultural sustainability in California and approaches to addressing these threats. A majority of these professionals will also increase their knowledge about specific approaches and practices, and increase their confidence in assisting producers with specific sustainability issues