History and Overview of the AES

AES Research Impact

Learn more about how AES funding and research supports the needs of California and the world beyond.

WHAT is the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES)?

Overview

  • The California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) is part of a national network of experiment stations dedicated to problem-solving research.
  • AES faculty in the University of California (UC) system collectively work on more than 500 projects and also teach courses at five University of California campuses (UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced , UC Riverside and UC Santa Cruz) affiliated with the UC Office of the President, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR). UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz were added as AES campuses in 2022 and are working to formalize their programs.
  • The work of AES scientists within the UC focuses on the vitality and sustainability of California’s food production systems, its environment and natural resources, and its people and communities.
  • Many AES scientists collaborate with UC Cooperative Extension Specialists and county-based Advisors on their research and education programs.

Mission

The mission of the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) at the University of California, Davis, is to conduct research that encompasses the continuum of fundamental and applied research for the purpose of developing new knowledge and technologies that ultimately address specific problems of importance to the people of California. Key to this mission is a broad range of research focused on the discovery of solutions and the development of educational programs that disseminate knowledge and technology to an identified clientele. The AES mission focuses on agricultural, environmental and societal issues that are impacted, or impact upon, the management of agriculture and the environment.

History

  • In 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Land Grant Act which provided public land to each state for the establishment of a public university dedicated to the education of the working classes in the agricultural and mechanical (engineering) arts. The purpose was to make education more widely available to the citizenry.
  • The California legislature took advantage of this grant, and in 1868 passed the Organic Act, which led to the establishment of the University of California. The organization and governance of the university was vested in a corporate body entitled the Regents of the University of California.
  • Berkeley was chosen as the site for California’s university.
  • In 1887, Congress passed the Hatch Act, which gave additional land grants to the states for the purpose of establishing a nationwide network of agricultural experiment stations. The purpose of experiment stations was to conduct original research bearing directly on the agricultural industry.
  • Every state (except Connecticut) chose to locate their experiment station at the site of their Land Grant University.
  • The Hatch Act also provided states with funds to support their experiment stations, but states were required to provide matching funds.
  • In the early 1900s, the College of Agriculture at Berkeley recognized the need to establish a research farm that was more representative of California’s climate than was Berkeley. This led to the establishment of the University Farm at Davis and, at almost the same time, the Citrus Experiment Station at Riverside.
  • In 1914, Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act which established the Cooperative Extension, and mandated that each state co-locate its cooperative extension program with its Land Grant University.
  • Through the 20th century, the Hatch Act was amended many times to expand the mission from strictly agriculture to include natural resources, fisheries, and other areas of national concern.
  • The UC has expanded over the years to its present 10 campuses. Each campus is part of California’s Land Grant University. However, AES activity has remained focused at Berkeley, Davis and Riverside, with Davis representing the most substantial investment.

Current

  • The California AES is funded from both federal and state sources, with state support representing the majority of the AES budget.
  • States are required to report their AES research through the web based “Research, Extension, and Education project online reporting tool” (REEport), which is the U.S. Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) documentation and reporting system for ongoing agricultural, food and nutrition, and forestry research.
  • To ensure an accurate picture of AES effort, all AES appointees are required to maintain at least one current and active AES project at all times and to report on their progress annually.
  • Project proposals are reviewed and approved at the campus level. They are submitted electronically from campus to ANR; ANR then submits electronically to the USDA-NIFA.

 

WHERE is the California Agricultural Experiment Station located?

  • Overall responsibility: UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • AES campuses within the UC: Berkeley • Davis • Riverside • Merced • Santa Cruz

UC Davis Campus

  • College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CA&ES)
  • College of Biological Sciences (CBS)
  • School of Veterinary Medicine (Vet Med)

CA&ES and CBS Programmatic & Administrative Responsibilities:

  • CA&ES Dean and AES Associate Director
  • CA&ES Executive Associate Dean and AES Associate Director delegate

Further Details

  • The director of the California Agricultural Experiment Station is the vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the UC Office of the President in Oakland.
  • There are six associate directors of the AES located on five campuses: The Dean of the Rausser College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley, the Dean of the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside, the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, the Dean of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz and the Dean of Engineering at UC Merced. While there are a number of AES faculty members in the College of Biological Sciences, the Dean of CA&ES serves as Associate Director for both CA&ES and CBS.

 

WHO is responsible for maintaining AES projects?

  • All academic faculty with salaried AES appointments (ie., a portion of their salary is paid on AES 13U02 funds) are required to maintain one active AES project at all times.
  • AES expectations are communicated to AES hires as a condition of their employment.
  • If an AES faculty member does not maintain at least one current AES project, their department will forfeit Hatch funds for that academic year, proportional to the PI's AES appointment FTE.
    • The forfeiture rate for 2025-26 is $25,500 per AES FTE.
  • AES productivity is evaluated as part of the normal merit/promotion review process.
  • Faculty performance in the AES is evaluated in accordance with the Academic Personnel Manual, section UCD-320, Appointment and promotion of agronomists in the AES series. UCD-320 includes Exhibit A, Evaluating split appointments: Agronomist (_____ in the Agricultural Experiment Station) with a professorial title.

  • In general, AES faculty are those with the following active appointment titles:
     

    Job codeAcademic Title
    003020 / 003080Assistant Agronomist in the A.E.S. (FY / AY)
    003015 / 003082Assistant Agronomist in the A.E.S. - Bus/Econ/Eng (FY / AY)
    003010 / 003070Associate Agronomist in the A.E.S. (FY / AY)
    003013 / 003072Associate Agronomist in the A.E.S. - Bus/Econ/Eng (FY / AY)
    003000 / 003060Agronomist in the A.E.S (FY / AY)
    003012 / 003062Agronomist in the A.E.S. - Bus/Econ/Eng (FY / AY)
  • New AES hires have a “grace period” in which to establish an AES project. For example, faculty hired between 7/1/2025 and 11/1/2025 are expected to submit their project initiation in Spring 2026. Faculty hired between 11/2/2025 and 6/30/2026 are expected to submit their project initiation in Spring 2027.  
  • Without-Salary (WOS) AES appointees and CE Specialists are not expected to maintain an AES project, however, they may if they wish. Emeriti faculty are not permitted to initiate new AES projects since they are no longer being supported on AES funding.
  • AES faculty members who will be retiring should end their project to coincide with their retirement date and submit the related final report.
    • If the PI's AES project is ending on September 30 and they plan to retire by June 30 of the academic year in which the project terminates, please email [email protected]. The PI will not be required to submit a proposal for a new or continued AES project. The PI will still need to submit a Final Report for the project that is ending.
    • If the PI decides to postpone their retirement, and will not retire by June 30, they will be expected to have a new or continued AES project approved by NIFA on or before June 30.
    • If the PI postpones their retirement past June 30 and does not have a new or continued AES project approved by NIFA by June 30, the department will retroactively forfeit Hatch funds for that academic year, proportional to the PI's AES appointment FTE.

 

WHY are AES faculty expected to maintain AES projects?

Review

  • AES faculty receive all or a portion of their salary from the AES budget. AES funds are allocated from the state and federal governments for the purpose of carrying out mission-oriented research that addresses real-world problems.
  • The AES funds should be thought of as a “grant” that carries with it expectations that research objectives will be met.
  • AES faculty members create projects to articulate their planned contributions to the AES. They report on those projects annually to describe progress toward their stated objectives, just as would be done on a USDA, NSF or NIH grant. Thus, the project and the annual reports become part of the record describing each appointee’s contributions to the AES.
  • In addition to mission-oriented research, appointees are expected to make deliberate efforts to communicate the results of their research to stakeholders—those groups who would benefit from the knowledge generated to address the real-world problems they face.

 

WHEN are AES proposals and reports due?

 

AES Flow Chart for Hatch (-H), Hatch/Multistate (-RR) and Animal Health (-AH): Proposal-to-Approved-Project

 

With assistance from the departmental staff AES Coordinator, Principal Investigator (AES faculty or CE Specialist) initiates New or Revised project (with departmental staff assistance).

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Principal Investigator completes
  -- Project Initiation template -- applies to all projects;
  -- Scientific Outline -- applies only to Hatch (-H) and Animal Health (-AH) projects
  -- Mission-Outreach Statement -- applies only to Hatch (-H) and Animal Health (-AH) projects

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Either the Principal Investigator or the departmental staff AES Coordinator enters the information into NIFA's online system.

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Stage 1 Review (not required for Hatch/Multistate, also known as Regional Research, projects)

  • Departmental ad-hoc committee, selected by departmental chair, reviews proposal (project initiation fScientific Outline & Mission-Outreach Statement). Proposal is either returned to PI with suggestions for modification, or approved and forwarded to chair for signature.
  • Chair signs the Peer Review Certification form.

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  • Departmental staff AES Coordinator forwards final versions of Scientific Outline (Word doc.), Mission-Outreach Statement (PDF) and Peer-Review Certification (signed PDF file) to [email protected].

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Stage 2 Review (not required for Hatch/Multistate, also known as Regional Research, projects)

  • CA&ES Dean’s Office AES Analyst reviews Project Initiation and documentation to ensure administrative details are correct; works with departmental staff to address any discrepancies or errors.
  • CA&ES Dean’s Office AES Analyst forwards Project Initiation, Scientific Outline and Mission-Outreach Statement to CA&ES Executive Associate Dean / AES Associate Director delegate for review / approval.
  • If revision are needed, CA&ES Dean’s Office works with department / PI to resolve.

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CA&ES Dean / AES Associate Director review, approve and sign the Project Initiation.

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CA&ES Dean’s Office submits Project Initiation online and forwards signed copy of full proposal to ANR / AES Director’s Office.

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ANR / AES Director’s Office Review

  • Returns to CA&ES Dean’s Office for revision at departmental level, or
  • Forwards to USDA-NIFA for review and approval.

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USDA-NIFA Review (Program Analyst, Program Specialist or National Program Leader)

  • Defers project (returns to PI for revision; please ask your PI’s to forward any USDA correspondence to you/Dean’s Office), or
  • Approves project.

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USDA-NIFA sends approval notifications and comments (if applicable) to ANR / AES Director’s Office.

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ANR / AES Director’s Office forwards via email the approval notification to the CA&ES Dean’s Office. CA&ES Dean’s Office forwards approval notification to departmental staff AES Coordinator.