Group listening to a guide inside a greenhouse with empty metal racks
CA&ES hosted an event to listen, learn and deepen relationships with community partners, educators, growers, producers and industry leaders at their newest greenhouse in Kern County.
Large group photo in conference room, diverse attendees smiling with two screens behind
It’s a bittersweet celebration for the successful CalFresh Healthy Living program, which concluded 30 years of nutrition service for youth, families and seniors throughout California.
Group photo of six smiling people standing in a sunlit vineyard with green vines
Dean Stokes joined faculty, staff and students to harvest grapes from the fields behind the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.
Eighteen people smiling outdoors in front of a brick building and greenery
CA&ES welcomed beef producers to discuss challenges and opportunities facing our rangelands and grazing cattle.
Four smiling adults taking a close selfie in a bright kitchen
Dean Stokes is always on the mooove! This month, she welcomed new Aggies and their families to campus and helped with campus Moove-In.
Collage: indoor photo of four people, outdoor group on hills, Salinas Valley graphic
CA&ES visited the Salad Bowl of the World to connect with local producers, including Taylor Farms, Driscoll Berries and industry professionals such as the Grower-Shipper Association.
Collage: ceramic lemon pot in orchard; olives close-up; group of people; man by stone plaque
The summer sun set on an evening of collaboration and connection for CA&ES leadership, faculty and industry leaders from Bondolio Olive Oil.
Nine professionals standing in front of teal wall with gold leaf wall sculpture
CA&ES leadership welcomed Bayer CEO Bill Anderson to campus and took him on a tour of the college’s new Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation to discuss current and future collaborations.
Presenter at podium giving slides in wood-paneled conference room, audience seen from behind
UC Davis presented information and joined conversations at the California Poultry Federation annual meeting.
Group photo: seven smiling adults outdoors; front woman selfie, hijab-clad woman holds cupcakes.
CA&ES Dean’s Office staff celebrated the end of summer and kicked off the beginning of a new school year together outside Mrak Hall.
Speaker on stage in photograph, facing large seated audience in modern auditorium
CA&ES welcomed new first-year and transfer students to campus during our College Welcome events at the Mondavi Center.

A Message from the Dean - September 2026

  • by Ashley M. Stokes

Welcome back, Aggies!

I am so excited for the start of the new school year! This week has been filled with amazing events! We kicked off the last couple of weeks with our first year and transfer College Welcome events to celebrate our new students, enjoyed a sweet treat at the ice cream social and gathered together to welcome our Aggie Jumpstart students. You can feel the energy and enthusiasm on campus as we gear up for another great fall quarter! 

This fall also marks the beginning of a year-long celebration recognizing the 25th anniversary of the transformational gift from the Robert and Margrit Mondavi family, which created the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Sciences. The RMI’s annual fundraiser, TASTE, launches the celebration on Oct. 10. 

I want to congratulate our 2026 Awards of Distinction recipients! Our awardees represent the very best of the college, and we are honored to celebrate their leadership, innovation and dedication to others. They have made a lasting impact on our college, in our communities and beyond, and we are grateful for the many ways they embody the spirit of excellence and service that defines CA&ES. We will honor our awardees at Celebrating CA&ES on Oct. 14 at the new Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation. Come see our newest building and enjoy a showcase of the excellent work happening in the college!

As usual our researchers are incredibly busy in labs and fields! Congratulations go out to Professor Shadid Siddique who is the Howard Ferris Endowed Chair in Ecology and Management of Plant and Soil Nematodes, which will provide ongoing support for his work studying tiny organisms that can have an outsized impact on crops and soil health.

This month, a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change finds that heat stress brought on by warming temperatures leads to a reduction in economic productivity globally. Environmental toxicologists reported that thawing permafrost is sending rusty, metal-rich waters across Alaska’s Brooks Range. Another team is collaborating with a sustainable materials company to examine whether methane from landfills and wastewater treatment plants can serve as affordable raw materials for making eco-friendly plastics. Researchers also found that a Sacramento City Council policy aimed at limiting tobacco products in neighborhood stores still had work to do to when it came to promoting access toward healthy foods instead. 

I’m especially excited for the Salute to Ag football game and celebration, which is being sponsored by the CLEAR Center. We hope to see you all at the tailgate party this Saturday, Sept. 26, and watch the game together as we celebrate the spirit of our work as the number one ag school in the nation! 

Welcome back and Go Ags!

Tags

A Message From the Dean