Tariffs and trade policy will be central issues as a new administration takes office in January and a new session of Congress unfolds. President-elect Trump has proposed 10%–60% tariffs on imported goods. In a new issue of ARE Update, UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emeritus Colin Carter and co-authors Sandro Steinbach and Yasin Yildirim from North Dakota State University suggest that such tariffs will invite retaliatory tariffs from U.S.

Extreme weather spurred by climate change, including droughts and heavy rains, may increase the risk of nitrates from fertilizers ending up in groundwater, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study found heavy rains after a drought caused nitrates to seep 33 feet under farm fields in as little as 10 days. The study was published in Water Resources Research.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, broke ground this week on its new Agricultural Research and Technology Center – a facility located in Davis that will feature specialized labs, greenhouses and research space to tackle key issues in agriculture. In this new center, UC Davis and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will continue its long-standing collaboration to advance projects in sustainable agriculture, invasive species, water management, soil health and more.

Mitchell Feldmann, an assistant professor and genetics researcher, is the new director of the Strawberry Breeding Program, an internationally recognized public program that has released more than 70 patented cultivars over its storied history. 

Food and wine are more than just great flavors – they reflect the stories of communities and traditions. Darrell Corti, a Sacramento food and wine expert, has spent a lifetime sharing those stories, enriching California’s culinary landscape with his introduction of new tastes, ingredients and varietals.

To honor Corti’s contributions, Bob and Roger Trinchero, brothers from one of the largest family-owned wineries in the country and producers of Sutter Home wines, have established the $1.5 million "Darrell Corti Endowed Professorship in Food, Wine and Culture" at UC Davis.

A new program is paving the way for a more diverse and innovative future in food and agriculture. The initiative at UC Davis will invite eight scholars from first generation and underrepresented groups to take part in hands-on research, workshops and training to develop leadership skills, build inclusive communities and share their unique experiences with peers.

Sometimes, all it takes to eat better is a little nudge in the right direction. A team of UC Davis researchers is working on a new smartphone app that makes it easier to eat healthy by recognizing what’s on your plate and offering personalized suggestions to improve your diet.

Long-term smoke exposure from massive wildfires lowers the energy reserves of orchard trees and can cut their nut production by half, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found. The smoke can affect trees for months after a megafire, depressing their bloom and the next season’s harvest. This finding reveals a new danger from wildfires that could affect plant health in both agricultural and natural environments.

Nature Plants published the study today (Oct. 2).

Growing beside sleek vertical solar panels, lush green pepper plants flourish at the height of summer. A team of UC Davis researchers are analyzing an agrivoltaics system that combines farming with solar technology to boost crop growth and promote sustainability.

This innovative approach, according to UC Davis Associate Professor Majdi Abou Najm with the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, could be a valuable solution as California faces a hotter, drier climate.

The adult spotted lanternfly is a majestic blend of red, yellow, black, white and tan, but this invasive insect from Asia has a voracious appetite for crops and is wreaking havoc in the mid-Atlantic.

The insects haven’t been found in great numbers in the Golden State but researchers at the University of California, Davis, are on the forefront of finding ways to control the tiny eggs of spotted lanternflies in hopes of protecting key international trade relationships and crops.