UC ANR Blogs
Controlled environment agriculture courses offered online
UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education and The VINE launch indoor farming classes
A new, comprehensive and advanced learning experience in indoor farming is now available for growers. The VINE, an initiative of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), and UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education have opened enrollment for their new Controlled Environment Agriculture Program. Courses begin on July 1.
Controlled environment agriculture is a technology-based method of growing plants that offers precise control over temperature, humidity, light, carbon dioxide and air circulation. CEA can take place in greenhouses, indoor vertical farms or hydroponic farms.
"Unpredictable and extreme weather, pests and growing demand for year-round, local produce are driving growers to move crop production indoors,” said Gabe Youtsey, UC ANR chief innovation officer and co-founder of the VINE.
The CEA Program is designed to impart a deep understanding of both the scientific and practical aspects of indoor farming. The series of four detailed courses, designed to be completed in less than a year, are offered through a flexible online platform. This program is suitable for a wide range of professionals from various sectors including farming operations managers, horticulturists, indoor farming specialists, early-career agriculture professionals, and those in related fields.
"As the agricultural sector evolves, our CEA Program aims to provide the foundational knowledge and practical skills crucial for success in controlled environment agriculture," said Youtsey. "We are preparing participants to effectively manage and innovate within their own agricultural practices."
Participants in the program will receive instruction from international experts in controlled environment agriculture. The curriculum includes an exploration of various business models in CEA, optimal crop selection for different environments, and effective strategies for managing pests and diseases. Additionally, it covers the application of data to enhance growing conditions and profitability, as well as best practices for ensuring product safety and quality.
"Students in this program will gain a deeper understanding of the operational aspects of indoor farming and how they can apply this knowledge to real-world scenarios," said Jennifer Greenier, Ph.D., UC Davis Life Sciences Workforce Development director. "We are committed to providing educational pathways that nurture the skills necessary for advancing career opportunities in agriculture."
The Controlled Environment Agriculture Program is structured around four core courses, each designed to build specific skills and knowledge essential for success in indoor farming:
- Introduction to CEA – Fundamentals of indoor farming, business models, and technological advancements.
- Plant Production in Indoor Farming – Planning and implementing effective operations, understanding plant physiology, and nutrition management.
- Postharvest Processes: Ensuring Crop Quality and Safety in CEA – Food safety, proper storage, distribution, and marketing strategies.
- Data-driven Growing – Developing data management skills and optimizing operations through data analytics.
Individual course fees are $1,000 to $2,000 and the full CEA Program is priced at $6,000. Completely online, the courses are accessible to professionals both domestic and international.
To attend an informational session on June 6, visit https://bit.ly/IndoorAginfo. For additional details, visit the UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education website: https://cpe.ucdavis.edu/subject-areas/controlled-environment-agriculture.
The Queen, The Workers, and The Drones
An unmarked queen bee isn't easy to spot. That was the consensus at the Bohart Museum of...
UC Davis entomology graduate student Richard Martinez encourages attendees to find the queen in the bee observation hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A very focused youngster asks UC Davis graduate student Richard Martinez a question about honey bees at the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
UC Davis entomology graduate student explains how to identify the queen, male and the worker bees. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Queen bee (center) with workers and a drone (top right). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A worker bee (left) and a drone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
UC Davis Distinguished Professor Bruce Hammock: Mentor Extraordinaire
Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are alumni of the laboratory of UC Davis...
UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock is a 2024 recipient of a Graduate Studies Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentoring Award. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bruce Hammock, shown in front of a blackboard in his office, "is undeniably a giant in the field of science. However, what truly sets him apart is his unwavering commitment to student mentoring, his devoted care for group members, and his exemplary role as a model for training the next generation of scientists,” says Hammock lab alumnus Guodong Zhang, now an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
EVENTS :: Register now!
Register before the cost goes up Weed Day 2024 :: click link below...
2024 Automated Tech Field Day
Three More Updated Cost of Production Studies Available for Central Coast Berries
My UC colleagues, including Emeritus Advisor Laura Tourte with whom I have worked together with so well on these studies for many years, and I have been working at a blistering pace over the past few months and completed updating three more studies for Central Coast Berry Production.
This work was emphatically not only us academics, but a great many area berry growers, who generously provided up to date information on production methods and costs with just dynamite insight all the time. These studies would be not realistic at all would we not count with the assistance of so many people. So THANK YOU to you growers, really it's great to be working with all of you!!
The links for each of the three studies are included here:
Blackberries
https://coststudyfiles.ucdavis.edu/2024/04/23/2024Blackberries-CorrectedFINAL-APRIL2024.pdf
Fresh Market Organic Strawberries
https://coststudyfiles.ucdavis.edu/2024/05/10/2024OrgStrawberries-FINAL-May2024.pdf
Fresh Market Conventional Strawberries
https://coststudyfiles.ucdavis.edu/2024/04/04/2024Strawberry-FULL-FINAL-March2024.pdf