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Small Farms Advisor(AP 23-17)
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Details
Posted: 16-Nov-25
Location: Fresno, California
Type: Full-time
Internal Number: 6726829
Small Farms Advisor(AP 23-17)
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Application Window
Open date: November 14, 2025
Next review date: Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Feb 6, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
Position Overview
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) offers a unique recruitment opportunity for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Small Farms Advisor. The Small Farms Advisor will conduct an integrated program of extension and applied research to support economic viability and sustainable production for small-scale farms in Fresno and Madera Counties. This position will support a clientele of specialty crop producers on small-scale and diversified farms, including limited-resource and beginning farmers growing unique crops for direct and niche markets including farmers markets, specialty wholesale markets, aggregation hubs, and roadside stands. Crops include a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs as well as tropical and subtropical crops grown on small acreages, such as Asian specialty vegetables and herbs, strawberries, caneberries, emerging crops such as moringa, and small-acreage fruits such as jujube and guava. These crops are often grown in diversified production systems, include both conventional and organic production, and are sold at culturally specific niche markets and/or contribute to food security for diverse urban and rural communities. While there is no defined limit for acreage, most farms covered by this position are 80 acres or less, with the majority under 50 acres, and target their produce towards alternative markets.
UCCE Advisors are responsible for applied research and the extension of knowledge. Research activities are applied, needs-based, mission-oriented, and focused on addressing our communities' challenges. Extension activities are educational practices Advisors use to share research results directly with their clientele and communities. Increased knowledge and understanding of science-based research helps to support and promote the adoption of practices and technologies that solve problems. Extension methods may include individual consultations, presentations, organization of educational workshops and short courses, field demonstrations, farm calls, and site visits. Information may also be disseminated via radio outreach, webinars, fact sheets, policy briefs, news blogs, and social media. Publications are expected in various formats, such as newsletters, articles for the popular press, curricula, conference proceedings, and peer-reviewed publications. Successful research and extension programs result in new information that improves knowledge or understanding and adoption of new skills, practices, changed attitudes, policies, and improved environmental, health, agricultural, economic, and/or social conditions. UCCE Advisors are evaluated through an academic advancement system based on four criteria: extending knowledge, applied research and creative activity, professional competence and activity, and University and public service. By working and living among those we serve, UC ANR expands the University of California's reach to engage all people and communities in California, ensuring equal access to the UC system.
Location Headquarters: The position will be headquartered in Fresno County, 550 E. Shaw Avenue, Suite 210 B, Fresno, CA 93710.
Position Details
The Small Farms Advisor will address critical issues related to sustainable crop production, economics and marketing, and compliance with regulatory programs and requirements including food safety, labor, pesticide use, nitrogen fertilizer use, and groundwater management. Support for small-scale growers will include field consultations, problem solving, and technical assistance in addition to applied research. This position is part of the UC ANR Small Farms Network and includes ongoing collaboration with statewide efforts providing technical assistance for small farms with access to resources, regulatory compliance, on-farm production, marketing and business support, and climate smart agriculture. The Small Farms Advisor will also provide expertise in nutrient management, irrigation, and integrated pest management, including through collaborations developed with other UCCE advisors and specialists, UC faculty, and private industry representatives. An existing team of several staff providing education, technical assistance, and applied research support is available to support the goals of this position through current externally funded projects.
The advisor will develop and implement an applied research program to provide science-based solutions for small-scale, diversified, limited-resource, beginning, and underserved growers, address current and emerging issues in production, economics, and policy, and promote local and regional problem solving. The applied research program will be based upon a needs assessment and will initially include the ongoing projects for which funding and staff support are already secured. Research collaborations may include partnerships with a variety of campus and county-based colleagues as well as partner organizations. Field research activities may be conducted on private farms and at the nearby Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE). Applied research, extension, technical assistance, and policy communication include extensive collaboration with growers, community-based nonprofit organizations, and public agencies. Small-scale and underserved farmers in Fresno and Madera Counties often have limited resources, and their economic viability can be affected by regulatory requirements with a lack of fit between smaller or diversified farms and regulatory and incentive programs set up for larger farming operations. Research that addresses policy solutions to these challenges is encouraged.
Extension education activities include the dissemination of science-based research results and educational information using a variety of methods, including individual consultations, presentations at grower, agency, and industry meetings, workshops, short courses, tailgate meetings, and field demonstrations. Dissemination methods further include radio outreach, collaborations with external partners, publications and newsletters in UC ANR and peer-reviewed journals, public comments and policy papers, technical reports to public agencies, and use of contemporary and emerging electronic tools (such as online learning, web content systems and repositories, and social media), along with specialized and public media outlets. Bilingual outreach in Hmong, Spanish, and other relevant languages is a key component of this position, with language support provided by bilingual staff. The Small Farms Advisor will supervise the Hmong Agricultural Assistant in Fresno County and will supervise and/or provide programmatic guidance to county-based staff in the UC ANR Small Farms Network conducting outreach, education, technical assistance, and research activities.
UC ANR Small Farms Network. This is an exciting opportunity to join a team of highly motivated UCCE colleagues who are passionate about their work and are dedicated to making a difference within their communities and throughout California. There is excellent potential for collaborative projects within the UC ANR system. The Small Farms CE Advisor will be a key member of the UC ANR Small Farms Network (SFN), a statewide team of small farms advisors and extension staff under the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP) statewide program and will work closely with the SFN to collaborate on joint efforts and accomplish statewide goals. The Advisor will collaborate with SFN statewide efforts including technical assistance for regulatory compliance, access to resources, integrated pest management, and other statewide programming for small farms and will work with SFN county-based staff and statewide coordinators to enhance resources available to small farms clientele.
Counties of Responsibility. This position will be headquartered in the UCCE Fresno County office located in Fresno, California and will support small farms clientele in Fresno and Madera Counties.
Reporting Relationship: The Small Farms Advisor reports to the UCCE Fresno-Madera Multi-County Partnership (MCP) County Director and the UC SAREP Associate Director for Small Farms.
Qualifications and Skills Required
Required Qualifications
Education: A minimum of a master's degree in plant science, crop science, agronomy, plant pathology, entomology, soil science, horticulture, weed science, plant physiology, agroecology, or a related discipline in the agricultural sciences, or in agricultural economics, is required at the time of appointment.
Key Qualifications
Additional Skills Required
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
'Misconduct' means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment
Desired Qualifications
About UCANR
UC ANR is a division of the University of California (UC) system that bridges the gap between local issues and the expertise of the UC system by providing research-based information, educational programs, and technical expertise to the public in areas such as agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, and youth development. UC ANR is part of a nationwide Cooperative Extension network, which began in the early 20th century to connect research from land-grant universities with the everyday needs of people in communities across the United States. Today, we collaborate with farmers, ranchers, diverse communities, youth and adult educators, and policymakers to address local and statewide issues related to food systems, water, climate change, and sustainable agriculture through a statewide network of campus-based researchers, county-based Advisors, and community educators. Our mission is to cultivate thriving communities, sustainable agriculture, resilient ecosystems, and economic prosperity in California and globally through equitable generation and sharing of collaborative, science-based solutions. Over 180 UCCE Advisors conduct applied research and extension education from county-based UCCE offices serving all 58 counties from 70+ locations. By working and living among those we serve, UC ANR expands the University of California's reach to engage all people and communities in California, ensuring equal access to the resources UC has to offer. Our vision is that UC ANR will be valued in every California community for meaningful engagement and making a positive difference in people's lives.
About Fresno and Madera Counties
Fresno and Madera Counties sit at the center of California's Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. Fresno County encompasses about 1.88 million acres of farmland and in 2023 posted a record $8.59 billion in gross agricultural value, making it the top-producing county in the nation. Grapes, almonds, and pistachios led production, with major contributions from processing tomatoes, cotton, and cherries. Within this landscape of major California commodities, small-scale farms produce both mainstream and niche crops for a diversity of direct-to-consumer and specialty wholesale markets. Specialty Asian vegetables, mainly from small-scale diversified farms, were cultivated on 1,270 acres in Fresno County in 2023 with a value of over $19 million. Madera County, covering roughly 2,100 square miles, reported an agricultural value of about $2.0 billion in the most recent census, with almonds, grapes, pistachios, and milk each contributing more than $200 million annually. Together, Fresno and Madera represent the backbone of California agriculture, producing a diverse mix of permanent crops, row crops, and livestock that supply local, regional, national, and international markets. Despite pressures from water availability, input costs, and shifting markets, both counties continue to set the pace for U.S. agriculture, blending large-scale operations with multi-generational family farms. Their landscapes highlight the intersection of agricultural production with natural resources, with tourism and rangeland operations in foothill communities and nearby recreational opportunities in the Sierra Nevada mountains including Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks
Learn more about
Salary & Benefits
Salary: The salary range for this Cooperative Extension Advisor position is Assistant Rank, Step I ($85,600) to Step VI ($108,600). Step placement in the advisor series is based on applicable experience and professional qualifications. For information regarding Cooperative Extension Advisor salary scales, please refer to the University of California website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-01/406198.pdf
If the successful candidate is currently a UCCE Advisor, the candidate will be offered the position without change to the candidate's current rank, step, salary and/or appointment terms; and if applicable, is eligible to retain indefinite status.
This position is eligible for indefinite status following three successful reviews and subject to terms noted in UC ANR Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 315 https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/118501.pdf
Benefits: The University of California offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, two days per month paid vacation, one day per month paid sick leave, and paid holidays. This position is eligible for sabbatical leave privileges as per the terms of the University policy. For more information, refer to the UC Benefits website at: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
How to Apply
If interested in this position, please visit: https://recruit.ucanr.edu/ and choose 'applicants' (refer to position #23-17)
Closing Date: To assure full consideration, application packets must be received by January 6, 2026 (open until filled)
Questions?
Contact Mikyla Perez at mikperez@ucanr.edu
University of California Cooperative Extension
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
Application Requirements
Document requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Cover Letter
Statement of Research and Extension - Please submit a 2-page Statement of Research and Extension Interests including how your current and/or past research and extension experience could contribute to, or be applicable to, the needs of the local community. Provide examples of potential goals and outcomes from your research and extension activities.
References - Please provide 3 references: names, titles and contact information.
College Level Transcripts - Electronic transcripts or legible scanned copies (PDF) of original transcripts will be accepted. Transcripts must identify course work completed, grades earned, degrees conferred and confer dates. Please DO NOT send transcripts that are password protected.
- 3-6 required (contact information only)
The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.
Job location
Fresno, CA
To apply, please visit: https://recruit.ucanr.edu/JPF00349
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About University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) consists of a network of scientists and educators working in partnership across the California. We are committed to developing and supporting healthy food systems, healthy environments, healthy communities, and healthy Californians. UC ANR administers UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE), which is responsible for program development and delivery in the counties throughout the state of California.
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