Leaders and scientists from UC ANR participated in the California Economic Summit, Oct. 21-23 in Stockton, organized by CA FWD in collaboration with the California Stewardship Network. 

Vice President Glenda Humiston participated in the “Resource (R)evolution: A New Path for Resource-Based Economies” panel with Jose Corona, chief agricultural business officer for Kat Taylor; Paul Hawks of the Northern Plains Resources Council; Francisco Leon, president and CEO of California Resources Corporation; and Keely Bosler, founder and CEO of Keely MB Strategies, Inc. The group discussed pathways to secure prosperity for rural communities as California grows toward a more sustainable economy.

Humiston highlighted the multi-pronged efforts of UC ANR’s Community Economic Development team, led by Alexandra Hill, assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley; Alexis Zaragoza, UC ANR community economic development coordinator and policy analyst; and Keith Taylor, UCCE community economic development specialist at UC Davis. 

She also handed out a two-page summary of the upcoming report “California’s Working Landscape: Evolving contributions to national, state and regional economies” authored by Alec Dompka, UCCE rural economics development advisor; Hill and Aaron Wilcher, UCCE area community and economic development advisor. 

Across California, UC Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors are working with communities to expand broadband, develop and promote bio-based products, support small farms and businesses, advance outdoor recreation, and improve access to the latest innovations in robotics, automation, drones and more. 

Lais Rodrigues Costa, assistant professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis; Yana Valachovic, UCCE forest advisor; Haris Gilani, UCCE biomass and bioenergy advisor; Dan Sanchez, UCCE specialist at UC Berkeley; Aaron Wilcher, UCCE area community and economic development advisor; Sahadat Hossain, assistant specialist in biomass and bioenergy in Riverside; and Hill donned hairnets and took a tour of an almond processing plant.