The University of California, Davis, has received a gift of more than $25 million that will transform the advancement of agricultural technology and innovation for generations to come, made possible by a bequest from late philanthropist and local businessman Dan G. Best II.

The gift honors the enduring legacy of his grandfather, C.L. Best, an agricultural innovator and founding leader of Caterpillar Tractor Co., whose design of his first track-type tractor in 1912 still forms the basis for all current track-type machines used across the world today. 

The two-part gift provides foundational support for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. First, $12 million is creating three endowed chairs named for C.L. Best in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. An additional $12.5 million establishes the C.L. Best Innovation in Agriculture Fund to support student scholarships, faculty and staff research, and facility improvements. 

“We are deeply grateful to Dan Best for this extraordinary gift, which allows UC Davis to carry forward the legacy of C.L. Best by continuing to invent and respond to the evolving needs of the agriculture industry,” said Chancellor Gary S. May.  “This game-changing investment strengthens the university’s leadership in innovation while helping educate future leaders who will address critical challenges around food, water and sustainability.” 

UC Davis is widely recognized as a world leader in agricultural sciences, ranking first in the nation and second in the world for agriculture and forestry by the QS World University Rankings and as well as first in the nation in biological and agricultural engineering by U.S. News & World Report. 

The gift is driving growth during a significant time for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, which is opening the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation in fall 2026. The facility, located in the heart of campus along Hutchinson Drive, will provide state-of-the-art spaces for advanced work in robotics and sensing, AI and big data, plant breeding, sustainability and student success. The robotics and sensing suite in the new facility will be named the C.L. Best Agricultural Innovation Robotics and Sensing Suite in his honor.

“Thanks to the tremendous generosity of Dan Best, our college will build on our first-rate programming and support for students, accelerate the interdisciplinary research of our faculty and staff, and continue advancing agricultural technology on a global level,” said Ashley M. Stokes, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. 

Endowed chairs power innovation in engineering 

The three endowed chairs created by the gift are the first for the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. These prestigious positions provide funds in perpetuity to support distinguished faculty members in research, teaching and service. The new positions are named:

• C.L. Best Endowed Chair in Agricultural Big Data Analytics,
• C.L. Best Endowed Chair in Robotics and Cyber-physical Farming Systems, and
• C.L. Best Endowed Chair in Controlled Environmental Engineering.  

“These three chairs will help translate agricultural research and innovation into deployable products and tangible solutions, supporting ag-tech startups and companies as they bring new technologies to the field,” said Fadi Fathallah, chair of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. 

Together, the positions address critical challenges facing agriculture today — from food security and climate resilience to energy efficiency and workforce issues — while drawing from different disciplines across engineering like robotics and artificial intelligence. 

“The roles are designed to be symbiotic; they will work collaboratively with each other and across departments within the college and the university, bringing together the expertise needed to move cutting-edge research into practical farming and agricultural practices,” said Fathallah. 

These resources, along with the Resnick Center’s new equipment and infrastructure, together act as a catalyst bolstering an already top-tier program to go farther and faster than ever before, accelerating UC Davis’ impact and leadership in ag innovation and food systems sustainability. Fittingly, the Agricultural Innovation Robotics and Sensing Suite within the center will be named in honor of the gift. 

Honoring the Best legacy  

A farmer and long-serving leader in Yolo County, Dan G. Best II was a member of the Woodland Chamber of Commerce, who named him Agribusiness Person of the Year in 2013, and served on the Woodland Healthcare Foundation Board. He was part of a long line of agricultural innovators. His great-grandfather, Daniel Best, worked to improve early grain harvesters and steam tractors in the late 1800s in San Leandro, Calif. — and received 41 patents over his lifetime. 

“Dan was a tremendously generous yet modest man, who was incredibly proud of his grandfather’s legacy and contributions to agricultural innovation. He was adamant that his pioneering work be celebrated, and that UC Davis’s strength in this area made it a fitting tribute for lasting dedication and impact,” said Shaun B. Keister, vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations.

C.L. Best was also an inventor and businessman who changed how land is worked around the world. He perfected the track assembly of the track-type tractor — a machine that moves on continuous steel tracks instead of wheels — making it more durable in difficult ground conditions. His designs became the foundation for nearly all modern tracked machines still in use today.

In 1925, C.L. Best helped form the Caterpillar Tractor Co. and served as its chairman until his death in 1951. Best’s work supported major advances in agriculture through irrigation, flood control and land development. The machines built on his ideas helped shape farms, infrastructure and communities worldwide, creating a legacy that continues to influence modern-day agriculture and industry.