Newspapers cover retiring advisors

An article in the Hollister Freelance heralded the retirement of UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Bill Coates, who reporter Adam Breen called a "human repository of local agricultural knowledge." Coates ended a 35-year-career with UCCE on Wednesday.

The Imperial Valley Press ran a feature on 4-H advisor Mary Harmon, who retired after 16 years in that position on two separate occasions (1978-1990, 2007-2011). Harmon has been involved in 4-H throughout her life as a participant, advisor and volunteer.

Setting a melancholy tone for the Hollister Freelance article, Breen noted that long-time UCCE advisors are retiring around California, where the number of county-based advisors has dropped from 400 in the 1980s to about 180 today.

Wednesday was the last day for 12 UC Cooperative Extension 4-H, farm, and nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisors. Some advisors will be replaced. In April, Dan Dooley, vice president of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, announced that five academic positions were approved for recruitment. The positions are:

• Delta crops resource management advisor - San Joaquin, Sacramento, Solano, Yolo and Contra Costa counties
• Livestock, range and natural resources advisor - Kern, Tulare and Kings counties
• 4-H youth development advisor – Central Sierra Multi-county Partnership - El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties
• Urban integrated pest management advisor - Bay Area  - Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
• Youth, families and communities advisor - Humboldt, Del Norte, Lake  and Mendocino counties

Harmon told the Imperial Valley Press that she found she could do the most good as a 4-H advisor by working with adults in leadership development.

“I really strongly believe that adults have the responsibility to give back to their community and they can do it through 4-H and heading (its various) programs,” Harmon was quoted.

The Hollister Freelance article said Coates was the expert farmers from around the Central Coast would call with questions about the walnut husk fly or black line disease in walnuts. His research has ranged from methods to reduce the amount of pesticides to ways to control pests that can devastate crops.

Coates, like many of his retired UCCE advisor colleagues, won't turn his back on his life's work during retirement. He plans to update a publication on home fruit gardening in San Benito County, write a report on the county's climate and continue three major research projects – spotted wing drosophila, walnut husk fly and blackline-resistant walnut varieties.

“I would like to continue to develop new research and assist local growers as my time allows," Coates said.

Harmon also won't leave 4-H behind. She plans to volunteer in leadership development during her retirement.

“(4-H) really is part of how I define myself. It’s been a great job,” Harmon was quoted.

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