Small Farms Program History

The Small Farm Program was created in 1979, when the California State Legislature appropriated $100,000 to the University of California to provide assistance to limited-resource farmers. UC ANR also directed USDA Rural Development and Part-time Farmers funds (later known as Smith-Lever Funds) to the program, and six farm advisors were hired with the specific responsibility to serve small farm clientele. 

The Small Farm Center was established in 1980 at UC Davis to enhance the viability of California’s small farms. The Center sought out and managed extramural funding to support the research and extension activities of the small farms advisors, as well as coordinating activities with other county-based Cooperative Extension farm advisors and campus-based Cooperative Extension specialists. It served as a liaison between the University, farmers, and public and private organizations, and as a clearinghouse for extension materials on topics ranging from specialty crops to direct marketing. The Center also organized conferences and training activities for small farms.

In 2009, UC ANR implemented changes in the structure and administrative support for statewide programs. The Small Farm Center was closed in 2010, and the administrative functions of the Small Farm Program were re-assigned to division-wide support units. Funding for the small farm advisors was maintained to enable these academics to continue working with small-scale farmers, and the former Small Farm Program director continued as the Program Leader. Following the Program Leader’s retirement in 2017, county-based small farms advisors continued to serve California’s small farms through their individual research and extension programs.

Through the leadership of the county-based small farms advisors, the UC ANR Small Farms Network saw renewed growth in the early 2020s as the network's staff and regions expanded. In 2023, the Small Farms Network was integrated into UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), along with the Organic Agriculture Institute and the Master Food Preserver Program.  Through its united programming, UC SAREP works across the food supply chain supports agriculture and food systems that are economically viable, conserve natural resources and biodiversity, and enhance the quality of life and equity in the state’s urban, rural and Tribal communities. 

In 2025, the Small Farms Network welcomed Carrie Teiken as the new Associate Director for Small Farms, the first dedicated UC ANR small farms leadership position since 2017.

Historic Reports & Awards

• 2007-2008 Annual Report is a brief summary of the efforts of the Small Farms Program.
• 2006-2007  Annual Report explores Small Farms Program projects in more detail.
• The First Fifteen Years traces the early history of the Small Farm Program, published in 1990.
• Pedro Ilic Awards were presented from 1996 - 2012 to an outstanding farmer and an outstanding agricultural educator.
• Small is bountiful: A special report on small farms An issue of the California Agriculture journal devoted to topics related to small farms. Published 1993.
• Small Farms: Stories of Success and Struggle A special section in California Agriculture celebrated the Small Farm Center's 20-year anniversary. Published in 1999.

Previous Leadership

	Ronald Voss, Director 1983 – 1995 Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Vegetable Crops   Developed the Small Farm Program’s specialty crops emphasis and the Family Farm Series of publications for marketing and vegetable crop production Expanded the Small Farm Program’s clientele to include Southeast Asian, Hispanic/Latino, and organic farmers
	Desmond Jolly, Director 1995 – 2006 Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Developed the Small Farm Program’s emphases in agritourism, food safety, women in agriculture, and risk management education
	Marita Cantwell, Interim Director 2006 – 2007 Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences
	Shermain Hardesty, Director 2007 – 2009 and Program Leader 2010 – 2017 Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Expanded the Small Farm Program’s efforts to support small farms in development of value-added products, food safety compliance, and more efficient marketing and distribution systems Continued leading the Small Farm Program and working on issues affecting small farms after the closure of the Small Farm Center in 2010