Tom Tomich

Tom Tomich is a Professor and Founding Director of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis, where he holds the WK Kellogg Endowed Chair in Sustainable Food Systems. He also directs the UC-wide Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP). His work bridges academia and policy, focusing on sustainable food systems, agricultural resilience, and environmental stewardship. Tomich teaches in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems undergraduate program, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to global food challenges.

Research interests include agroecology, food policy, climate-smart agriculture, and the economic dimensions of sustainable land use. His work spans tropical forest margins, California's Central Valley, and global commodity supply chains. Notable projects include the California Nitrogen Assessment and initiatives addressing meat processing resilience in the U.S. Midwest and California.

Publications emphasize systemic approaches to food systems resilience, stakeholder engagement in knowledge co-production, and metrics for sustainability assessment. His work highlights linkages between environmental health, economic equity, and policy innovation. Tomich has pioneered frameworks for evaluating power dynamics in food systems governance and designing adaptive strategies for climate change.