How do we produce enough food to feed the earth’s growing population while protecting the environment and assuring everyone has access to the nutrition they need? That’s the critical question you will help answer as a CA&ES student. You can learn how healthy soil, drones, robots, animal science, community and international development, plant breeding and so much more come together to help society finds ways to grow more food with less impact on the environment.

Majors Focused on Feeding Communities
Feeding the World
UC Davis vertical farming facility takes hydroponics to new level. Rows of vertically hung panels are filled with plants such as lettuce, herbs and hearty greens illuminated by the glow of iridescent LED grow lights.
Student measures the length of cucumber vines that are growing up lines in a UC Davis greenhouse.
UC Davis researchers have developed a new form of ice cube that doesn't melt, is reusable, plastic-free and compostable. It could cut down on contamination from ice melt at fish markets as well as revolutionize how food is delivered.
Students at the UC Davis Student Farm.
Student plant breeders at UC Davis are working to release a new variety of pepper they dubbed, “jalapeño popper,” which combines the taste and texture of a jalapeño with an enlarged cavity like a bell pepper, making it the ideal fruit for making jumbo jalapeño popper appetizers.
In July, winners of the Iron Brew competition in food science’s practical malting and brewing course got some hands-on experience brewing, canning and distributing a small commercial batch at Sudwerk Brewery in Davis. Food science major Charles Thudium was part of the winning team.
Genes may explain the difference in taste and color of grapes, like these being processed during a recent crush at the UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science teaching facility.
Student in the FST-101B Lab class in the Carlos Alvarez Food Innovation Laboratory.
At the UC Davis Student Farm, students plant and harvest fruits and vegetables.
A group of 15 students volunteered at Soil Born Farms, an urban agriculture and education project in the Sacramento area. Our students planted garlic and weeded plots while learning about sustainable vegetable and fruit production.
Craig Miramontes, an animal science major and a resident at the Goat Barn and Dairy takes care of the milking and processing of newly born goats.
Rayann Eaves, a UC Davis Animal Science major and a minor in Global Disease Biology, at the UC Davis Dairy.
Charlie Thudium, left, and Baoluo Gao observe their ale-in-the-making at Sudwerk Brewing Co. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)