Area Advisor for Forage, Agronomic Crops & Waste Water Reuse
in Merced, Madera & Stanislaus Counties
Position:
Area FA with emphasis on agronomy, weed management, and nutrient/waste water management.
Respond to calls about: irrigated forage crops, cotton, small grains, dry beans, corn, alfalfa, etc.
Develop weed management systems to address emerging issues with herbicide resistance both within
crop seasons and as part of a multi-year rotation of various crops.
Develop environmentally sound systems for managing wastewater from dairies.
Address the dairy-forage crop continuum.
Perform research and extension work on forage and other agronomic crops.
Address soil and ground water salinity problems in the area.
Support Master Gardener program by teaching and helping with weed issues, and may help provide
academic oversight.
Masters in soil science, agronomy, irrigation or related.
Justification: The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) has the highest concentration of dairy cows in the country.
These dairies consume so much forage that CA must import forage from other states. Current forage
production systems are very water intensive and may pollute ground water. Disposal of dairy
wastewater poses significant environmental challenges, including salinity. This water is commonly
applied to crops in the area. Valley wells are becoming increasingly salty and management needs to be
improved.
Cotton and other agronomic crops continue to be important to the region’s economy. We need
agronomic systems that can keep land in production during years when water is of limited availability.
Currently many owners simply fallow the land. Methods to grow “winter” crops that the have enough
yield and quality to justify the inputs can be developed. Treated municipal wastewater is simply being
discharged into rivers and wildlife refuges. Some of this water could be first used for crop production.
There are many weed management issues currently facing California agriculture, including herbicide
resistant weeds, VOC and other regulatory changes affecting use and formulations, organic and
sustainable weed management programs .
Note: Previous retirements have left UCCE with no agronomic weed management advisors in the
northern San Joaquin Valley. There are no agronomists in Merced nor Madera Counties and the
agronomist in Stanislaus County will be retiring soon.
Extension:
Recruit people and companies to actively participate in validation and demonstration projects.
Reach diverse audiences with a mix of traditional and emerging outreach tools including individual
consultations, field days, tours, meetings, web conferences, ANR publications, online learning, web content
systems and repositories, social media, impact and evaluation tools, along with specialized and public media
outlets appropriate to the clients.
The region includes a mix of forage producers and dairies. We hope the Advisor will be able to engage
a spectrum of clientele such as food processors and cities that produce wastewater that may be used for
crops.
Research:
Research opportunities are ample and range from the simple to complex. Suggestions include:

Variety evaluation and development, especially in cotton, corn, alfalfa, and small grains, or
evaluate variety by wastewater interactions or variety by soil salinity interactions.

Weed management within crop as well as over multiple cropping years with different crops and

Nutrient management trials utilizing manure, dairy lagoon water, municipal treated water, or
well water with varying water quality; evaluate impacts on soil, productivity, and long-term
sustainability.

Nutrient management efficiency, IPM, irrigation management, sustainable farming practices,
water quality and conservation, integrating technology into production practices and ag/urban
interface issues.
ANR Network: There should be many opportunities to work with UC Merced (UCM) faculty. With the
hiring of UCCE Specialist at UCM this linkage can be facilitated. There is a large network of academics
in campus departments, county UCCE offices, Kearney Ag Center, West Side REC, workgroups and
program teams. This network will also be providing much guidance and mentoring to the Advisor.
Both geographically and discipline, this position complements existing and proposed agronomy
positions in the San Joaquin Valley, and will strengthen the agronomy team.
Network External to ANR: There is a large group of scientists at the ARS facility near Parlier that
welcomes collaborations with UCCE. A large number of NRCS staff in the Valley provide another
source of collaborators. FA often work with research and development professionals in the agriculture
chemical industry.
Support: The County of Merced historically provides good support for our programs. This year the
County actually increased the budget and we are asking for another modest increase for next year.
Madera and Modesto are a short drive away so travel costs would be modest. There is ample office
space, a county vehicle and modest clerical support for the position.
Other support: Large amounts of government funding are available on water-related projects. An
assortment of commodity boards and organizations fund projects, including but not limited to the CA
Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, CA Wheat Commission, CA Dry Beans Advisory Board, and
the CA Alfalfa and Forage Association. The agriculture chemical industry traditionally provides support
to our crops Advisors. California Dept of Food and Agriculture has a fertilizer research grant program
(FREP) that also serves as a funding source for agronomic projects.
Location: Merced is in the middle of the 3-county cluster providing easy access at a low cost.
Developed and proposed by: Maxwell Norton, Scott Stoddard Theresa Spezzano.