By Julie Murphree
Equipped with over three decades of experience in academia and the agricultural industry, Tanya Hodges serves as the Executive Director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA).
A Yuma native, Hodges’ family roots in Yuma County extend six generations. Growing up in a family deeply connected to farming, she developed a passion for the industry and its related business, science, and technology fields.
She brings 16 years of experience in the agricultural industry and another 16 years of experience in agricultural academia to her role at YCEDA. Hodges earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education from the University of Arizona, graduating from the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences. Subsequently, she earned her Doctor of Education in Innovation and Leadership from Arizona State University.
In her previous role, Hodges served as the Regional Academic Programs Manager and Director of Workforce Development and Grants for the University of Arizona Yuma Distance Campus. Within the past three years, Hodges and her team have been awarded nearly $4 million to provide support tools and resources for Yuma students.
She also worked to bridge collaboration between the University of Arizona Distance Campus and the Yuma and Imperial Valley agricultural industries to create the Agriculture Systems Management degree, designed specifically to meet the region's workforce demands.
Hodges is well versed in grassroots advocacy and policy development having served several terms as the Yuma County Farm Bureau president, a volunteer leadership position that so many farmers and ranchers proclaim hones their leadership skill set.
Arizona Agriculture: I'm sure it's been a whirlwind for you in this new position as YCEDA Executive Director. Talk about your role and your excitement about the position.
Hodges: Reflecting on the past nine months, I am filled with gratitude and excitement about my time at the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture since stepping into the role of Executive Director. These past nine months have been a period of remarkable achievements and promising developments for YCEDA. The more I experience and learn about how YCEDA distinguishes itself as a unique public-private partnership centered on research and innovation, the more I recognize the vital and impactful collaboration between the University of Arizona and the agriculture industry.
Having spent many years working in agriculture and academia, I have witnessed our industry's challenges and opportunities firsthand. My journey began with a deep-rooted passion for farming, which led me to pursue an education in agricultural sciences. This foundation allowed me to work closely with farmers and researchers, gaining valuable insights into the intricacies of desert agriculture.
Before joining YCEDA, I had the privilege of building and developing the UA Yuma Academic Campus and was a part of our family agriculture business, Southwest Transplants, and H&H Seed Company, where I developed and implemented agriculture programs and learned farming and agriculture business practices. Serving several terms as the Yuma County Farm Bureau President provided invaluable experience advocating for farmers' interests and collaborating on initiatives to improve agricultural policies and practices. My experience in the academic and practical aspects of agriculture has equipped me with a unique perspective that I bring to my role at YCEDA.
YCEDA's ability to focus on ongoing applied research and innovation while working closely with the agriculture industry has significantly strengthened our ties with growers and stakeholders. We have engaged in conferences, workshops, and outreach programs that have resonated with the agricultural community. For instance, the AgTech Conference attracted participants from eight countries and seven states, demonstrating our global reach and influence. Additionally, the T&A-sponsored Soil Health Workshop in Salinas, California, and the two-day Fusarium Wilt of Lettuce Field Day and workshop were instrumental in sharing knowledge and best practices with over 800 participants.
These events highlight our commitment to addressing real-world challenges and showcase the collaborative spirit that defines YCEDA. Our dedicated team and strong partnerships with industry leaders, growers, and academic institutions have been key to our success. By fostering innovation, promoting sustainable practices, and ensuring that our research is relevant and actionable, we continue to drive progress and make a meaningful impact on the agricultural community. I am incredibly proud of what YCEDA has accomplished. I look forward to continuing this journey and furthering our efforts to support and enhance desert agriculture.
Arizona Agriculture: While so many of us in agriculture know why agriculture research is so important, especially when partnered with industry partners, explain in your own words why all the research centers are so important?
Hodges: University research centers play a pivotal role in driving progress and innovation across various fields.
These centers of excellence are dedicated to advancing understanding in specific disciplines, conducting cutting-edge research that can lead to breakthroughs in science, technology, medicine, and more. By fostering an innovative environment, they help push the boundaries of what we know and what is possible. Through this mission, they attract top-tier faculty, researchers, and students eager to engage in high-level research. This concentration of talent enhances the institution's reputation and creates a vibrant academic community where ideas can flourish.
The research conducted at these centers often leads to new technologies, products, and services that can have significant economic impacts.
Additionally, they address societal challenges, from healthcare and environmental sustainability to social justice and education, contributing to the well-being of communities locally and globally. These centers often promote interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from various fields to tackle complex problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline alone. This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to innovative solutions and new approaches to research.
By producing high-quality research, centers of excellence attract funding from government agencies, private industry, and philanthropic organizations. This investment supports further research, infrastructure development, and educational programs, creating a cycle of growth and improvement. In essence, centers of excellence are hubs of innovation and knowledge, driving progress and shaping the future through their contributions to science, technology, and society.
Arizona Agriculture: Highlight how industry-driven YCEDA is and explain in more detail.
Hodges: The Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture is a unique public-private partnership and center for research and innovation, a pioneering collaboration between the University of Arizona and the agriculture industry. As such, YCEDA distinguishes itself as a leading institute through its unique public-private partnership model, combining the strengths of the University of Arizona and the agriculture industry. This collaboration leverages private funding and industry guidance to drive applied research in arid environments, ensuring the research is relevant and rapidly applicable. YCEDA is a hub for innovation, providing actionable information that enhances food production systems and improves human health. By fostering partnerships between research and industry communities, YCEDA increases visibility and supports innovative research, delivering results at the speed industry demands. Established to address the unique challenges of cropping systems and farming in the southwest arid regions, YCEDA ensures university researchers have producer input and access to real-world conditions, allowing for a better understanding of producer challenges and needs. Recognizing the need for more resources and local leadership to support the Yuma agriculture industry, YCEDA was formed to meet these demands and drive impactful research and innovation.
This innovative structure and collaboration leverage private funding and guidance to drive applied research in arid environments, providing the agriculture industry with actionable information that enhances food production systems and improves human health. Through our unique partnerships between the research and industry communities, we gain visibility, increasing the opportunity to support innovative research while delivering results at the speed industry demands. We are committed to fostering research, innovation, and the advancement of technologies through cross-disciplinary initiatives and active collaboration with industry, scientists, and engineers.
Ultimately, the YCEDA mission works to enhance food production systems, improve human health, and support sustainable practices in arid regions. This further distinguishes it as a specialized center dedicated to addressing critical agricultural challenges.
Arizona Agriculture: Share one or two special stories you would like to talk about with our Arizona farmers, certainly our Yuma farmers.
Hodges: Many farmers and agriculture industry members are active and involved in YCEDA, serving on the advisory council technical committees and developing and implementing our research initiatives or events. Here are three examples of the amazing ways our agriculture partners impact the work of YCEDA.
Story 1: President of Smith Farms, Mark Smith, is a prominent figure in Yuma, Arizona's agricultural community. Mark Smith is also a member of the YCEDA Advisory Council, where he plays a key role in guiding the center's research and programs. His involvement helps ensure that YCEDA's projects address the real-time needs of the agricultural industry in the desert region. Mark has been instrumental in advancing agricultural technology and supporting the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA). Mark has been a driving force behind the expansion of agricultural technology in Yuma. Over the past seven years, his efforts have focused on improving the region's broadband infrastructure, which is crucial for modern farming practices. By leading the Yuma County Broadband Task Force and working with the Arizona Commerce Authority, he has helped Yuma County secure funding and support for installing the fiber-optic networks through the YCEDA/Yuma County Middle Mile Project. As part of the $31 million Arizona State award, a $6 million Ag Tower project aims to provide high-speed internet access to Yuma County's greenbelt farms, enabling farmers to utilize advanced technologies for better crop management and productivity.
Beyond his work with YCEDA, Mark Smith has been actively involved in various water agencies and agricultural boards in the Yuma area. He has served as President of the Yuma Irrigation District's Board of Directors and has been a director since 1983. His leadership in these roles has been vital in addressing water management issues and supporting the agricultural community.
I don't think there has been a day yet that Mark and I have not communicated. His dedication to advancing agricultural technology and his support for YCEDA have significantly impacted my short tenure with YCEDA. Mark is a natural teacher, and it is through this that I have learned and been able to wrap my arms around the details of the AgTech Middle Mile Project and Ag Towers system that will help integrate AgTech into the Yuma region.
Story 2: Jesus Tovar, the President of T&P Farms, Inc., has significantly contributed to the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA). His dedication to advancing agricultural research and technology is evident through his support for creating YCEDA's One Health lab. In 2020, Jesus Tovar generously donated funds to establish YCEDA's One Health biosafety level 2 laboratory located at the Yuma Agricultural Center. This lab focuses on wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), a public health tool that monitors wastewater to detect and mitigate the spread of diseases, including COVID-19.
Jesus Tovar's contributions have enabled YCEDA to conduct weekly wastewater testing in Yuma County, helping to detect SARS-CoV-2 infections and prevent outbreaks. The lab's capabilities were further enhanced to include near real-time SARS-CoV-2 variant testing through genome sequencing, improving monitoring efforts, and identifying new variants.
Today, the YCEDA One Health lab, utilizing sequencing technology, performs in-depth assessments of viral behaviors in Yuma County communities, particularly during peak agriculture seasons. This research allows for the identification of patterns in viral transmission and provides valuable data for public health responses to emerging and seasonal infectious threats. The data provides a blueprint for public health agencies and scientists worldwide to integrate wastewater data into public health actions at multiple scales. To date, this program has received more than $3.5 million in funding to protect public health initiatives and continues to expand to other pathogen targets of public health concern, such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), enteroviruses, Candida auris, as well as chemical agents.
Beyond his support for the One Health biological lab, Jesus Tovar is an active member of the YCEDA Advisory Council. His engagement with YCEDA constantly invites us to the farm to better understand agricultural practices or share ideas over the phone. He's always offering any resources we need to get the job done, showing his deep commitment to protecting the workforce and enhancing farming practices with innovative ideas that inspire and drive our research. His contributions significantly impact Yuma's community and agricultural industry. His involvement helps guide the center's research and programs, ensuring they address the real-time needs of the agricultural industry in the desert region. Tovar's leadership and dedication have been vital in fostering collaboration between scientific research and industry, promoting innovation and sustainability in desert agriculture.
Story 3: Mark Stover, the Director of Yuma and Imperial Farming Operations for Tanimura & Antle, has supported the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA), serving on the YCEDA Advisory Council and YCEDA Technical Committee. His commitment to advancing agricultural practices is evident through his involvement in creating YCEDA's Desert Agriculture Soil Health Initiative (DASHI).
Mark Stover played a crucial role in developing DASHI, which focuses on improving soil health and sustainability in desert agriculture. His extensive experience in farming, spanning over 37 years, has provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in soil management. By collaborating with researchers and industry partners, Stover has helped shape the initiative to address the region's specific needs, ensuring that the practices developed are practical and effective for local growers. Current soil health assessment and management frameworks have been tailored to wetter climates, leaving the unique soil and environments of desert croplands inadequately addressed.
Beyond his contributions to DASHI, Mark Stover is dedicated to YCEDA's initiative, and the agricultural industry extends beyond his professional roles. His efforts to engage with the community and promote sustainable farming practices have significantly impacted the industry, helping to ensure a prosperous future for growers in the Desert Southwest.
Mark Stover's unwavering dedication to advancing soil health and supporting agricultural research through YCEDA's initiatives has been instrumental in fostering innovation and sustainability in the region. His contributions continue to benefit growers and farmers, ensuring a thriving agricultural community in Yuma and beyond.
Arizona Agriculture: In Arizona, with the University of Arizona as our Land Grant University, what makes our linkages with university research, Extension, and agriculture production so important?
Hodges: The collaboration between the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA), the University of Arizona (UA) Experimental Research Stations, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service significantly benefits growers and farmers by streamlining the research and innovation process. These entities work together to address pressing agricultural challenges, develop practical solutions, and implement new practices effectively. YCEDA focuses on applied research and public-private partnerships, tackling disease management, food safety, soil health, and irrigation issues. By leveraging the expertise and resources of UA Experimental Research Stations, they can conduct detailed studies and test new technologies and methods in real-world settings. The Cooperative Extension Service plays a crucial role in disseminating this knowledge to the community through educational outreach, workshops, and training sessions. YCEDA enhances the University's research capabilities, fosters stronger industry partnerships, and expedites solutions addressing real-world agricultural challenges. This complements the essential work of Extension services. It's a dynamic interplay that amplifies the impact of both entities, driving progress and innovation in agriculture, ensuring that cutting-edge research and innovations reach the farmers and growers quickly, enhancing productivity, sustainability, and economic growth in Arizona's agricultural sector.
Arizona Agriculture: So much of what UA research centers do requires extended collaboration with all types of stakeholders, especially producers. Where do you think we can improve, and how do we achieve that?
Hodges: One of YCEDA's greatest strengths is our collaborative spirit. We have created a vibrant knowledge exchange and resource-sharing network by building strong partnerships with growers, agricultural businesses, academic institutions, and government agencies. YCEDA's commitment to community engagement through our partnerships with the Cooperative Extension and Research Experimental Stations remain cornerstones of our mission. These collaborations have amplified the impact of our research and fostered a sense of community and shared purpose that inspires us all.
YCEDA has proactively built connections and collaborations by sharing the story of desert agriculture and highlighting the history, efficiency, productivity, and importance of Yuma agriculture. Over the past ten years, YCEDA has organized and hosted workshops, conferences, symposia, field tours, and field days to engage academia with the agricultural community, promote applied research, drive innovation, and disseminate research findings. These events give the agriculture industry firsthand insights into YCEDA research projects and new technologies. YCEDA collaborates with educational institutions to involve students in research projects, offering hands-on learning opportunities and fostering the next generation of agricultural scientists.
We have learned the importance of ensuring consistent and effective communication with a diverse range of stakeholders and balancing the demands of outreach activities with ongoing research and operational responsibilities. The value of multimedia and diverse outreach methods in engaging and educating the public and the importance of fostering strong partnerships with educational institutions and industry stakeholders, help strengthen community ties, increase public awareness of desert agriculture challenges and innovations, and expand opportunities for student involvement and professional development in agricultural research.
Arizona Agriculture: Your position can be demanding. How do you plan to balance it all?
Hodges: Yes, YCEDA's Executive Director position is very demanding. Fortunately, The Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture exemplifies how we can leverage the strengths of the YCEDA model and its dedicated team. YCEDA thrives on its strong partnerships with industry leaders, farmers, and academic institutions. YCEDA's ability to pool resources, share knowledge, and address the agricultural community's real-time needs through partnerships with the agricultural community allows research projects to be prioritized, ensuring that their efforts are aligned with the farming community's needs. This focus on practical solutions helps expedite the research and innovation process. YCEDA brings together experts from various fields to tackle complex agricultural challenges. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges supplying integrating diverse perspectives and forming teams to develop innovative and effective solutions.
Through the leadership and teamwork of YCEDA's small but mighty team, the responsibility is spread across many, balancing the demands and challenges of managing YCEDA.
There's been shifts and changes in the research world including trying to adapt to the expectations and expediency of what is needed for application in production agriculture.
The YCEDA structure was explicitly designed with the private sector to ensure all research is directly informed by real-world conditions and immediate needs for economic sustainability and entrepreneurship, making YCEDA always highly relevant and rapidly applicable to industry needs. YCEDA was uniquely and specifically established as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) separate from any UA Academic college, the Arizona Cooperative Extension System, and the Arizona Experiment Station, with the director answering directly to Dr. Shane Burgess, the University of Arizona Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Life, and Veterinary Sciences with an advisory board.
YCEDA's research goals are thoughtfully designed to address critical challenges, promote collaboration, and strengthen national and global food security, ultimately benefiting North America's agriculture industry and human health, further distinguishing it as a specialized center dedicated to addressing critical agricultural challenges through its research and innovation. YCEDA Research Goal Initiatives:
- Advance the management of diseases and pests to ensure healthier crops.
- Sustain and improve soil health in arid regions
- Develop efficient water use practices and manage soil salinity.
- Address existing knowledge gaps in food safety.
- Support the integration of new ag technologies to improve desert agriculture practices.
- Expand the One Health research program to address critical issues.
- Validate climate-smart and regenerative agriculture practices for arid regions.
- Enhance production efficiencies through improvements in plant nutrition and genetics.
- Grow local food systems, foster resiliency, and stimulate the bioeconomy.
- Close the agriculture workforce skill gaps through education, training, and workshops.
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