In California, scientific research is playing a crucial role in supporting the state’s $60 billion farming industry. The University of California (UC) system, through its Cooperative Extension and various research centers, collaborates directly with farmers to improve agricultural practices and address challenges such as drought, soil health, crop diseases, and sustainability.
Nancy Lange, a citrus grower in Tulare County, developed the Rosy Red Valencia orange after discovering a mutated limb on one of her trees. With assistance from UC Cooperative Extension advisors at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center and UC Riverside’s Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP), Lange was able to test and propagate this new variety safely. “Terrible diseases like HLB [Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease], if allowed to infect citrus nursery trees, could wipe out California citrus. The job CCPP does is critical,” Lange said. She credited CCPP for enabling the commercial launch of the Rosy Red Valencia: “There would be no Rosy Red Valencia without CCPP.” The variety has since been patented and is now available in stores across California.
Research into the nutritional properties of the Rosy Red Valencia continues at UC Davis’s Department of Nutrition, which recently conducted a study on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities.
Cannon Michael, president and CEO of Bowles Farming in Merced County, highlighted how his farm benefits from long-standing partnerships with UC scientists. Michael noted that innovations introduced by Bill Weir, a late UC Cooperative Extension advisor—including improvements in cotton harvesting—helped increase yields and efficiency for local growers. “He really transformed nitrogen use and made some adaptations that not only saved us a lot of money but also helped with compliance,” Michael said.
Bowles Farming continues to host research trials on its land. One current project involves composting textile waste as part of efforts to meet climate goals under California Senate Bill 1383; this work is led by UC Merced professor Rebecca Ryals. Another collaboration with UC Davis professor Kate Scow focuses on analyzing soil microbiology to optimize tillage practices.
Michael emphasized the importance of integrating academic research with practical farming: “It’s a marriage in my mind between academia and the practical, on-the-ground work; they have to work together.” He warned that reducing support for agricultural research could undermine both productivity and global competitiveness: “Cutting off research is going to slow progress… We want to do the most with every resource we have.”
Joe Del Bosque, who farms cantaloupes near Firebaugh, relies on data from the UC system to manage irrigation efficiently—a critical concern during California’s recurring droughts. “We schedule our irrigations of our crops largely based on data developed by the UC system,” Del Bosque said. He praised UC Cooperative Extension for translating theory into practice: “They know the issues at the ground level… That is really crucial to us.”
Del Bosque also participates in panel discussions at UC Merced about agriculture’s future and water management challenges. He stressed that farmers depend on university-led research: “Farmers can’t do the research on their own… It takes someone like UC to do that type of research for us so we can be better at growing crops and also taking care of our people.”
The experiences shared by these Central Valley farmers illustrate how ongoing partnerships between universities and growers are vital for innovation in agriculture throughout California.
