Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Davis

Title of entry: Pig Farmer Makes a Name for Himself by Pioneering Sustainability

About this entry: The UC Davis CLEAR Center showcased how its research translates into sustainable farming through a multimedia profile of farmer James Lamb in Clinton, North Carolina. The story set out to improve public understanding of modern agriculture, humanize complex scientific topics such as manure recycling and nutrient management, and demonstrate how UC Davis research is used in real-world settings. By highlighting Lamb as both a producer and steward of the land, the story illustrated how sustainability and productivity can coexist, while emphasizing the university’s role in supporting research-based solutions.

A small, coordinated team captured documentary-style content—including video, photography, and interviews with Lamb, his family, industry partners, and UC Davis faculty. The resulting narrative engaged broad audiences across web and social channels and demonstrated UC Davis research has real-world impact. The approach also offers a model for other universities: identify producers implementing research-based practices, document real-world outcomes, include multiple interviews/voices, and share the story across multimedia platforms to demonstrate the real-world impact of academic research to a broad audience.

The James Lamb profile shows how research at land grant universities such as UC Davis can move beyond the classroom to create practical solutions in agriculture. By focusing on a producer applying research-based practices, the story illustrates how sustainability and productivity can coexist in modern agriculture. The multimedia strategy broadened the audience beyond researchers—helping expand public understanding of agriculture and the role of science in making farming more sustainable.