Finding better ways to feed a growing planet has been a core part of UC Davis for more than a century. What began as the University Farm is now a global powerhouse in agricultural science and forestry, home to programs ranked first in the nation and second worldwide. This legacy continues today through the groundbreaking partnerships and innovation taking place here in Yolo County.
It’s reflected in the new spaces we’ve built, fueling leadership and collaboration across our campus and with our community. From unlocking research discoveries at Aggie Square, to expanding research, teaching and care at the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, our dedication to advancing innovation isn’t done alone. It rests on partnerships with industry partners, local businesses, and the people who live here.
A bold new era of growth continues to unfold as we celebrate the grand opening of the this month. It’s a 40,000-square-foot space that facilitates cutting-edge research across agriculture, the environment, human ecology, animal science and other fields. It opens to students and researchers in the fall.
The UC Davis community is profoundly grateful to Lynda and Stewart Resnick for their transformative lead gift to establish the center. It further positions UC Davis’s leadership in balancing food production with sustainability practices that support both local and global agriculture. The center will further spark creativity and collaborations in the face of challenges to agricultural and environmental sustainability.
Our renowned researchers and students will drive those breakthroughs here in Yolo County, where the agricultural industry produced .
Vital work
It’s an urgent time. Drought-resistant crops are increasingly critical, as California is expected to experience a 20% decline in its water supply by 2040. Innovations in precision agriculture that leverage digital technologies and data management help farms remain competitive in the face of global markets and inflation.
In Yolo County, our agricultural partnerships show how innovation and collaboration come to life. With over 478,000 acres of farmland, the county serves as a living laboratory for our students and researchers, translating ideas into real-world solutions. Together, local growers and industry partners are advancing research opportunities and new technologies.
Cementing our commitment to climate health and sustainability, UC Davis is among the local and regional partners in the . It focuses on agricultural practices that take carbon from the air and store it in the soil and biomass. The benefits include reduced water usage and improved soil health.
Working together
We’re determined to make a difference with the help of our local partners. For example, Full Belly Farms in the nearby Capay Valley works with UC Davis on research into food policy and cover crops that regenerate soil between harvests. Our large-scale partnerships include the Mariani Nut Company, which collaborates with our College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on research to improve crop yields and ecological health.
Processing tomatoes is a key element of our local farming industry, with more than 30,000 harvested acres in Yolo County’s most recent crop report. Pacific Coast Producers, an agricultural cooperative with a Woodland processing plant, also collaborates with UC Davis on canning and production issues to increase crop yield. UC Davis specialists also work with Morning Star Company on issues with branched broomrape, a parasitic weed that can devastate tomato crops.
Commercializing technologies is also a critical pillar of our local partnerships. In March, to advance agricultural technology. The gift establishes three new endowed chairs plus and an agricultural innovation fund for scholarships, research and facility improvements.
AgStart, an incubator for agricultural technology, was founded in 2012 as a partnership between UC Davis, regional economic development leaders and a regional non-profit. Startups from this space have focused on innovations related to animal-free proteins, transforming seaweed into sustainable and low-carbon products and eco-friendly pest controls.
Working with our partners across Yolo County, UC Davis remains committed to its founding mission to build a more resilient, sustainable food system for California and the world. The challenges we face, from a changing climate to food affordability, can only be solved together.
As we look forward to the , I invite you to learn more about how these partnerships are shaping the future of agriculture.
Chancellor Gary S. May’s monthly column is and Dateline UC Davis.