Using a strategy new to the University of California Cooperative Extension, a professional devoted to outreach in the Latino community has been appointed to enrich the services provided by UCCE's academic staff in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.

While the UCCE academics have unmatched expertise in their particular specialties including entomology, viticulture, plant pathology, weed science, nutrition and youth development Program Representative Dave Delgado is an expert in communication.

A former high school teacher with bachelor's and master's degrees from UCLA in Spanish, Delgado has worked for the Red Cross and the Senior Services Council to be sure Latinos take full advantage of programs and services available. Now, he turns to agriculture, nutrition education and youth programs.

"We wanted more members of the Latino community to access our free information and advising services," said Sonya Varea Hammond, the director of UCCE in Monterey County. "With schedules full of research obligations, field meetings and consultations initiated by farmers, our advisors had little time to search out those who were in need of our services but not aware of them."

Delgado changes that.

Working closely with the academic staff, Delgado is attending meetings, calling on farmers, working with the Spanish- and English- language mass media and collaborating with other agencies to increase the participation in Cooperative Extension programs of limited English-speaking and small-scale farmers and Latino residents. In addition, Delgado further links the advisors to those not proficient in English by serving as an interpreter.

Delgado's appointment is funded for one year by the South Central Region of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a grant from the Monterey County Economic Development Council.

"It's a one-year position, but we hope we can continue to fund it beyond 1999," Hammond said.

For more information, contact Dave Delgado at (831) 759-7350, cemonterey@ucdavis.edu.

Jeannette Warnert
Public Information Representative
Ag and Natural Resources
UC Center
550 E. Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710