11/03/2026
Food preservation is a tradition worth keeping. So is learning how to do it safely.
For generations, families have preserved the harvest, passed down recipes, and shared what they've learned with neighbors.
University Extension programs have been part of that tradition for more than a century.
In 1914, the Smith-Lever Act established Cooperative Extension, a nationwide partnership between the USDA, land-grant universities, and local communities. Its purpose was simple: bring practical research directly to the people who could use it.
Food preservation became an important part of that work. As scientists learned more about the causes of foodborne illness, including botulism, Extension educators helped families understand which canning methods worked safely and why.
That work continues today through organizations like USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and UC Cooperative Extension.
Here in California, UC Master Food Preserver volunteers are home food preservers, too. We make jam, fill our pantries, enjoy family recipes, and share what we've learned through research-based education.
Traditional knowledge gave us plenty worth preserving. Scientific research helps us understand which methods are safe, where changes are needed, and what questions still need answers.
Because the best way to honor a food preservation tradition is to help keep it safe for the next generation.
Historical photo: Canning Produce, National Archives and Records Administration, NARA ID 285746. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canning_produce_-_NARA_-_285746.jpg
