Humiston told Western Farm Press that the funding is part of Napolitano’s presidential matching program for endowed chairs. In short, Napolitano said she would match $500,000 from industry or private contributions to create endowed chairs.

“I’m excited about this because it’s the first time we’ve done one of these,” Humiston said of the endowed chairs within UCANR.

Humiston said future endowed chairs within the UCANR system could be forthcoming as discussions are currently under way with organizations.

The two presidential endowed chairs will address various challenges facing tree nut growers, and not be solely dedicated to pistachios, said Bill Frost, associate vice president of UCANR.

“The Pistachio Research Board was very generous when they donated this money not to make it specific to pistachios,” Frost says. “This research can go to help other tree nut crops.”

The first chair will address tree nut genetics; a second will tackle soil science and plant water relations. According to Frost, both will be tapped from cooperative extension advisors, who will have the opportunity to apply through a competitive process.

Because the positions will be drawn from current cooperative extension advisors, the money invested from the endowments will supplement the university’s research and outreach budget to benefit tree nut programs. A group of university and industry officials will review proposals submitted and award the chairs accordingly, Frost says.

Frost expects to release requests for proposals shortly and have the chairs filled through the competitive application process by the first of the year. The positions will be awarded for five years with the opportunity for existing chairs to reapply if they wish.

Frost says a committee of industry and university officials will review the applications and award the chairmanships.