Funded by: California Nutrition Network for Healthy Families (CNN)
PI: Christy Getz

A collaboration among the DANR Building Food Security Workgroup (http://nature.berkeley.edu/bfswg/), the California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS) and Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, this four-year research and implementation project aims to increase food security among farmworkers and their family members in Fresno County. Our goals are a) to do qualitative and quantitative research about food insecurity among farmworkers, in terms of access to sufficient food and access to a healthy diet; (b) to identify barriers to food security and community-based assets that can be leveraged to increase food security; (c) to identify variations in food security among sub-populations within the farmworker community; (d) to promote increased collaboration and research capacity among stakeholders currently working to improve the health and well-being of farmworkers in Fresno County; (e) to formulate relevant program and policy recommendations; and (f) to create a Farmworker Food Security Taskforce that will promote the implementation of recommendations.

Funded by: The California Department of Food and Agriculture
PIs: Nick Mills, Steve Welter, Kent Daane, Bob Van Steenwyk
     and Christy Getz

Through this multi-year project, we are a) identifying and documenting the historical, current, and future role of biological control (importation, augmentation and conservation) in pest management for key commodities in California and b) identifying key barriers and opportunities for greater implementation of biological control in pest management. Through interviews, surveys and funding analyses, the social science component of this project is addressing the following questions: What is the current status of biological control knowledge and practice in California agriculture, in light of agriculture policy and funding trends?; How is biocontrol practice in California agriculture defined by institutions (both social organizations and patterns of thought)?; What factors account for the fragmented character of its institutions and knowledge?; What opportunities could be realized through policy interventions?

Funded by: UC Institute for Labor and Employment
PI: Christy Getz

In collaboration with the United Farmworkers Union (UFW) and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), this project aims to improve our understanding of the implications of organic agriculture for farmworkers and to situate the experiences of farmworkers on organic and mixed famrs within a broader socio-political context. We are conducting qualitative interviews with farmworkers, growers, and key players in the organic sector and movement (including representatives from certification agencies, organizations supporting organic agriculture, retailers, and distributors). Additionally, we are conducting a survey of 500 organic farmers on their views of the role of social issues within organic certification.

Funded by: UC Institute for Labor and Employment
PIs: Christy Getz and Jeff Romm

A collaboration between the Department of ESPM and the community-based North Coast Restoration Jobs Inititiative Committee (NCRJI), we are conducting applied research to inform and guide the development of a union-endorsed apprenticeship program for watershed restoration workers in Humboldt County, California. We are interviewing workers, academics and other professionals in the field, evaluating current and past restoration training programs and exploring lessons learned from union apprenticeship programs in related trades.

Funded by: The National Commission on Science for Sustainable
    Forestry (NCSSF)
PIs: Dave Pilz, Eric Jones, Heidi Ballard, Christy Getz

We are developing a participatory biodiversity inventory and monitoring system that involves local people in inventory and monitoring to improve sustainable forest management on public and private lands in the United States. As part of this project, UCCE will be hosting a workshop in Redding, CA with forest managers and other stakeholders in Spring 2005 to pilot-test the manual and curriculum that we are drafting (with stakeholder input).