Food & Agriculture

What does the world look like to a cow and why do goats spook so easily? New tools are helping people experience how livestock perceive and respond to their surroundings—leading to safer, lower-stress handling for animals and the people who raise them. UC Davis researchers and veterinarians are bringing these tools to ranchers and others, showing how understanding animal behavior improves welfare in real-world settings. In this episode of Unfold, we explore where science meets the herd.

On a sunny day in early April, young wheat plants stood waist-high, their heads full of still-green grain. A walk along some furrows left pants and boots covered with a fine, orange dust. These plants in test fields near the UC Davis campus were bred to fight a stubborn pathogen that threatens the world’s wheat: stripe rust.

The UC Davis Olive Center is releasing a new olive oil that’s as meaningful as it is tasty. “Friends Blend” will be available for purchase starting this week and the community is invited to get a free taste during Picnic Day, a beloved campus event that will be held April 18.

The continued world leadership of the University of California, Davis, in the fields of veterinary science as well as agriculture and forestry was recognized in rankings released today (March 25).

UC Davis placed second in the world and first in the nation in both subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Quacquarelli Symonds, or QS, is considered one of the most influential international authorities on university rankings.

Packaged foods offer convenience for families and individuals, but they can be a major source of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, which when consumed in excess contribute to chronic disease. To help people build healthier diets, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a new front-of-package nutrition label in January 2025 that would inform consumers about the presence of these nutrients.

Four simple ingredients and one bold idea helped a group of students turn their low-fat dairy spread creation into a first-place win by reimagining what a schmear can be. Their product earned the top prize in a dairy innovation competition hosted by the student-run Food Tech Club at UC Davis.

With a rising global population and environmental instability, global scientists are working diligently toward a more food-secure future. One avenue many are investigating is how engineered biomaterials can influence food production, creating a path toward sustainability.

California agriculture has spent decades building export markets around the world, particularly in Asia. But new research by agricultural economists Colin Carter, Sandro Steinbach and Yasin Yildirim shows how quickly changes in trade policy can destroy market access critical to the success of some agricultural sectors.

In a time of increasing water scarcity and regulatory complexity, enhancing irrigation efficiency and improving on-farm water management practices are critical for California agriculture. Microirrigation – using highly efficient, low-flow and low-pressure systems that deliver water and nutrients close to plants’ roots – is one key solution.

A major