As agave farming catches on in California, UC ANR experts offer environmental and cultural considerations

We’re living in a modern gold rush. That’s according to Samuel Sandoval Solis, a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist and UC Davis professor in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources. But don’t get your pickaxe yet, he’s not talking about minerals. He’s interested in the latest must-have crop.

“We have gone through the pistachio rush, the avocado rush, the almond rush. There is always a rush,” said Sandoval Solis. “We are now in the agave rush.”

The popularity of farming agave has taken off in the last few years, with climate change motivating growers to consider planting drought-tolerant crops. Before 2023, only 50 acres of agave were grown statewide, according to a UC Davis study. Now, that’s quadrupled to more than 200 acres.

With all that buzz, the UC Organic Agriculture Institute hosted a field day on June 4 for current and prospective growers at an organic agave farm in Campo, part of San Diego County. Through a series of bilingual lectures and site tours, experts from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources shared farming techniques that respect the environment and the cultural significance of the agave plant.

Sandoval Solis, a water resources expert, delivered his talk in Spanish, retelling a Mexican creation story featuring agave. He hoped to inspire growers to reflect on the historic significance of the plant, which has been cultivated and studied in Mexico for thousands of years. With that background, he presented attendees with a choice for how they approach growing the plant.

“We are at a crossroads,” Sandoval Solis said. “We can expand the conventional, environmentally aggressive practices, or we can be a little bit more gentle and socially responsible.”

Spilling the compost tea

Ofelia Lichtenheld demonstrated those gentle, regenerative practices on her farm, Rancho de los Espíritus Contentos, where the event was held. She invited attendees to join the process of brewing a “compost tea.”

The murky cocktail is a mixture of organic nutrients including kelp, molasses, bat guano and vermicompost (aka, worm poop), which will be used to water the various test plots of agave growing on the property. Each agave species is evaluated for its suitability to the local microclimate, and Lichtenheld hopes to set every plant up for success by holistically investing in the farm.

“Chemical fertilizers feed the plants, not the soil. I am very concerned about getting the diverse microbiome in the soil,” Lichtenheld said. “You can tell in the plants – they are very happy.”

Reduction in pesticides and herbicides presents some inconveniences, however. Squirrels and rabbits nibble on Lichtenheld’s plants, drawn to their natural sweetness. Coyotes have damaged her irrigation system by chewing through the plastic tubing.

“I have a lot of challenges. That’s why I wanted to have all these people here so they can learn,” Lichtenheld said.

The farm is experimenting with solutions like enclosing the agave with gopher baskets. Meanwhile, Lichtenheld is installing even more wildlife habitat on her site with help from Point Blue Conservation Science.

She’s confident the long-term benefits of pollinators and other wild visitors will outweigh the frustration during this research and development phase. That’s why she appreciates the guidance shared by UC ANR advisors. She’s also sharing her findings as part of the organic hub of the California Farm Demonstration Network, which supports the exchange of sustainable knowledge and practices between demonstration sites.

“ A farmer should not be farming alone,” Lichtenheld said. “They should be farming with other farmers.”

To that point, agricultural experts from UC ANR and UC Davis are conducting a survey for agave farmers to share their experience growing the crop. The survey is available in English and Spanish. Results will be used to create an agenda for applied research, educational training and manuals of strategies that address current challenges.

Investing in long-term growth

Technically, field day attendee Christopher Konrad has been an agave grower for over a decade. His uncle introduced him to the plant as a water-saving ornamental in his garden.

“They’re easy to propagate,” Konrad said. “He would hand them off to me. I would start growing them and enjoy them in my yard.”

Now, Konrad is thinking about the plant differently – turning the corner from home gardener to entrepreneurial agave grower. He’s watched the crop gain a foothold in California, marked by the establishment of the California Agave Council, a trade group dedicated to the plant.

This year, Konrad purchased 40 acres of remote farmland close to the Cleveland National Forest, with the intention of planting agave and selling them to distillers or landscapers. He envisions a farm that’s integrated with the environment, even enhancing the site’s biodiversity.

Touring Lichtenheld’s farm gave Konrad a role model for turning that vision into reality. He took notes on the compost tea recipe and a possible brand of irrigation system to consider purchasing. He’s even hoping to buy agave plants from Lichtenheld, in addition to the free agave seedlings handed out to every attendee of the field day.

Besides absorbing those technical tips, Konrad left the event reflective of his place in the ecosystem of agave growers.

“I’m trying to get clear with myself: why am I doing it? What are my values? What do I care about? If I can be clear with that, then I can know my path forward,” Konrad said.

Agaves are slow-growing – some species take over a decade to mature. From Konrad’s perspective, a lucrative outcome isn’t guaranteed. Over that time, he plans to experiment alongside experts like Lichtenheld and other UC affiliates to ensure these culturally significant plants are well cared for and don’t compromise the environment around them.

Soon enough, he may have his first harvest to show for it.

“I’m going 2032,” Konrad said. “It sounds like a nice number to me.”

Lofton, urban watershed resilience advisor, spurs community action to mark Water Awareness Month

May is Water Awareness Month, a special time for Californians to come together in celebration of water, our most essential shared resource. Across the state, water agencies and providers are hosting lively events, such as poster contests and family-friendly activities, that promote conservation and spark curiosity.

“Now is a great time to visit your local water provider’s website to learn how you can get involved,” said Esther Lofton, University of California Cooperative Extension urban watershed resilience advisor for Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Earlier this May, Lofton and her team actively engaged eight groups of 12th-grade students from Orange and Los Angeles counties. As part of a GROW Program event at UC South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, she brought water science to life by exploring the intricacies of filtration systems and the remarkable journey water takes to reach our taps.

Lofton’s colleague, Daniel Gonzalez II, energized the sessions by demonstrating parts of the filtration process and guiding students through hands-on activities.

Students were surprised to learn about the complexities of water sourcing. “I didn’t know we import water from as far as Colorado!” one of them said.

To foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, Lofton encouraged the approximately 280 participating students to make personal pledges for water conservation. Their enthusiastic responses included promises to turn off the tap while brushing their teeth and to fill washing machines completely before use.

One memorable moment came when a student humorously stated: “I will drink less water!”

Lofton chuckled and reminded the class: “If your body needs it, I encourage you to drink more water – that’s the only exception!”

Orange County grade schoolers wowed by ‘magic’ of water science

Lofton and her team also attended the OC Children’s Water Education Festival, hosted by the Orange County Water District in late April, where they captivated more than 1,600 enthusiastic third- to fifth-graders.

Over two days at Oak Canyon Park, the educators conducted 13 interactive sessions, each with approximately 45 students, guiding them on the extraordinary journey water takes from source to tap while reinforcing the importance of conservation.

The enthusiasm of the young crowd was palpable, with many exclaiming “this is magic!” as they watched water flow cleanly from the filter.

“I really try to ignite a sense of responsibility in this next generation about their critical role in sustainable practices,” Lofton said.

Beyond the classroom, Lofton and Gonzalez also amplified their message through social media and blog posts, creating opportunities for community feedback and questions.

One resident from Santa Barbara asked: “If California cares about protecting water, why are they also building more houses?” This inquiry stimulates essential discussions about finding the balance between growth and sustainability.

Lofton is keeping the conversation going by inviting community members to participate in a brief survey and share their personal water conservation pledges.

“We all live in watersheds, and every small action contributes to a greater impact,” Lofton said. “By making a pledge, you’re not only contributing to a more sustainable future, but you’re also helping lead by example.”

Selected pledges will be featured in next year’s Water Awareness Month celebrations, highlighting the meaningful ways individuals are making a difference.

To learn more, explore Lofton’s latest blog post on Water Awareness Month. You can also follow her journey and access additional resources on Instagram, TikTok, and X, or visit her UC ANR SoCal Water Resources website, which features engaging resources on drinking water, water resilience, water use efficiency and more.

Study findings from Southern California orchards help growers save water, money

Perched precariously on the steep hillside of an avocado orchard in San Diego County, Ali Montazar began to form a theory as to why there are so few studies of irrigation for avocados.

“Perhaps no one likes to do research on a nearly 45% slope and erect 30-foot-high towers to collect data from sensors above the canopy!” said Montazar, University of California Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties. “But if you’re on flat land looking at almonds or pistachios, everyone is happy to do such research there.”

Despite the ruggedness of the terrain (avocados are often planted on hillsides in California production systems), Montazar persisted in advancing his groundbreaking research to optimize irrigation for “Hass” avocado trees. California is the No. 1 state in the U.S. in avocado production, with the crop valued at more than $523 million, according to recent statistics.

A researcher with the California Avocado Commission (CAC), one of the primary funders of this project, was certainly glad Montazar finished his work unscathed.

“Water for avocado is the single biggest input, dollar-wise, that growers have – it tops harvest costs; it tops fertilizer costs,” said Tim Spann, a CAC research consultant who was formerly the director of the CAC research program. “Ensuring that growers are putting out irrigation at optimal rates goes directly to their bottom line.”

The need for efficient and effective irrigation scheduling is especially acute in Southern California, where most of the state’s avocados are grown.

“This region is under pressure due to a variety of water issues, facing uncertain water supplies, mandatory reductions in water use and rising costs of water,” said Montazar, noting that San Diego County has some of the highest water costs in the nation.

Data-based crop coefficients crucial for determining water needs

Crop coefficients are numbers used to calculate the amount of water a particular crop needs, given a variety of environmental and plant factors. Noting that as much as 50% of an avocado grower’s production costs go to irrigation, Montazar set out to develop more reliable crop coefficients for avocado, based on real-world data.

“This is huge; we have never had a project like this conducted for avocados in California,” Spann said. “The crop coefficient we used previously was developed out of a salinity project done 20-plus years ago.”

Because avocado growers had been using that roughly estimated crop coefficient (as well as coefficients borrowed from citrus), Montazar sought to calculate “true” crop coefficients by measuring actual evapotranspiration from orchards across California’s avocado-growing regions.

For three years, Montazar and his team collected data from sites scattered across the four counties where avocados are primarily grown: Riverside, San Diego, Orange and Ventura.

“We used cutting-edge remote sensing technology and ground-based data for this research, which had never been used for avocados at this scale,” Montazar added.

The scientists found that the actual evapotranspiration numbers – and therefore the crop coefficients – varied widely based on site-specific conditions and factors such as slope and row orientation, soil type and condition, canopy size and management, age of orchard and seasonal changes.

“Growers can rely on these numbers, because they come from their practices and may represent a wide range of site and environment features,” Montazar said. “We conducted this study in 12 different commercial sites in actual cropping systems.”

Montazar and Spann both observed that, in general, growers were likely overwatering during certain times of year.

“Overall, the biggest surprise was that Ali has shown we actually need less water than what most of us had previously thought – which is definitely a good thing,” Spann said. “Even if growers don’t fully utilize this information that he’s produced, we can still communicate with them that: ‘Look, our old information that we were providing you – that avocados need about three acre-feet per year – is probably on the high side. At the very least, dial it back 10% or something like that.’”

Scientists share research, develop tools to aid growers

Montazar said that he is developing crop-coefficient curves and user-friendly tools that growers can refer to – factoring in those variables such as growing region, crop canopy and topography features, and soil types and conditions – and thus determine more precisely the optimal amount of water to apply.  

He also said the newly developed crop coefficients will be plugged into an existing irrigation calculator, and have also been used to verify the satellite data-based models available to growers through OpenET.

In addition, Montazar and his colleagues have been sharing the results of the research in the California Avocado Commission newsletter, which goes to 4,000 growers, at CAC meetings, and during more than 10 in-person field days, workshops and webinars. The results also have been presented at several international and national conferences.

“The avocado community has been very supportive,” Montazar said. “Maybe it’s because of the high water-costs in this region, and the fact that this information is an immediate need for water-efficiency enhancement in avocados. Avocado growers are very interested in adopting technology and any improvement in irrigation management; I observed a strong eagerness for these results, which I find very encouraging.”

In turn, Spann said avocado growers have been immensely appreciative of Montazar’s attention to this much-needed area of study.

“When he reached out, it was wonderful – we’ve never really had someone with his level of expertise, specifically on irrigation, working on avocados like this,” Spann explained. “It’s always nice to work with farm advisors, who don’t have the additional burdens of teaching and having students and so forth – they can really dedicate themselves to a project. They’re truly interested in helping the grower.”

And, based on those conversations with growers, Montazar is already formulating his next research project – quantifying, at several sites, the actual effects on avocado yield of following his new crop coefficients to apply irrigation water.

The avocado crop coefficient paper can be found at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425001957. The project was also supported by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The authors are Montazar; Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension soils/water/subtropical crops advisor for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, UC ANR; Dennis Corwin, research soil scientist, USDA-Agricultural Research Service; Alireza Pourreza, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in agricultural mechanization, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, UC Davis; and Richard Snyder, biometeorology specialist, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis.

Courtesy of the UCANR News

Scientists to present research on irrigation, nutrients, disease, pests and regulations

The 2025 California Date Palm Workshop will be held on April 23 in Palm Desert at the UC Riverside Palm Desert Center. Anyone who is interested in growing dates is welcome to attend.

“This workshop brings together researchers, growers and stakeholders to discuss recent research data on the ‘state of the date’ crop in California,” said workshop organizer Ali Montazar, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.

The international date research workshop runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Scientists will share the latest research and information on various aspects of date production, including irrigation and nutrient management, disease and pest management, and laws and regulations.

Abdelouahhab Zaid, secretary general of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, will speak about the development of date palm cultivation regionally and internationally.

Ricardo Salomon-Torres, research professor at Universidad Estatal de Sonora San Luis Río Colorado, will discuss the status of the date palm industry in Mexico.

Montazar will discuss irrigation management. Mark Hoddle, UC Cooperative Extension biological control specialist based at UC Riverside, will give a presentation on South American palm weevil in California., Spider mites, date nutrition and the aspergillus species causing black mold of dates are among other topics that will be discussed.

“We also will have a grower panel discussion on the concerns and the needs of the California date industry,” Montazar said. “This event is such a great opportunity to showcase how impactful date palm production and agriculture is in the low-desert region.”

Participation is free, but registration is requested at https://ucanr.edu/datepalm2025. Onsite registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the UCR Palm Desert Center at 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211.

For more information, contact Ali Montazar at amontazar@ucanr.edu or Kristy Kneiding at kkneiding@datesaregreat.com.

Courtesy of the UCANR News 

Waterfowl Alert Network data help assess risk of avian influenza H5N1

Every winter, millions of migratory birds fly south to warmer locales, passing over California Central Valley dairies and poultry farms. Many of these wild waterfowl are carrying the virus that causes avian influenza, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s wild-bird surveillance, says Maurice Pitesky, University of California Cooperative Extension poultry specialist in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. 

Bird flu has killed millions of birds and disrupted milk and poultry production. In California, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial and backyard flocks of poultry and dairy cows and, more recently, poultry and dairy workers have become infected.

“This is the largest animal disease outbreak we’ve ever had whether you look at geography – we’ve had six or seven continents affected – or whether you’re looking at species,” Pitesky noted. “From a public health perspective, it’s important for us to sound the alarm before this becomes a bigger problem.” 

To contain the disease, USDA is testing milk for the avian influenza H5N1 virus and farmers are supplying poultry and dairy workers with personal protective equipment.

To avert future outbreaks of avian influenza from infecting livestock, Pitesky recommends reducing the overlap of waterfowl habitat with farms that raise animals. This would help prevent birds from mingling with the domestic animals and passing the virus to cows, pigs and poultry.

Knowing where waterfowl roost can help farmers and other stakeholders make informed decisions about protecting their flocks and herds.            

Based on their research, Pitesky and his colleagues have developed the Waterfowl Alert Network to provide data about locations of waterfowl roosting and feeding. The network uses data from satellites, weather radar and land-based environmental sensors. Farmers and agricultural agency personnel can use it to assess the risk wild birds pose to farms. This information can be used to identify risky habitat in close proximity to farms with the goal of shifting habitat away from farms. This might entail, for example, flooding fields that would provide waterfowl habitat in an area at a greater distance from farm animals.          

“One thing we need to consider in the medium- to long-term is the concept of waterfowl habitat shifting away from food animal production,” Pitesky said. “We know how to do this. This approach would allow us to optimize food security for our livestock and poultry while also providing habitat for waterfowl, which are vital to our ecosystem.”

Courtesy of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

Roger Duncan, UCCE farm advisor in Stanislaus County, retires after 36 years

For more than three decades, tree fruit and nut growers have depended on the advice of Roger Duncan, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor in Stanislaus County, to improve their production practices. Duncan, whose research and extension program focused on almonds, peaches, grapes and other tree crops, retired July 1.

“Roger Duncan has been an extraordinarily relevant researcher for the predominant crops in Stanislaus County,” said Rep. John Duarte, owner of Duarte Nursery in Hughson. “His research has encompassed rootstock and variety selection, tree spacing, chemical inputs and spraying, fertilizers, pruning and replanting amongst other projects.”

Duncan began working for UC ANR in 1988 as a field assistant to Integrated Pest Management advisor Jim Stapleton after earning a master’s degree in plant science and plant pathology from Fresno State and a bachelor’s degree in the same subjects from UC Davis. In 1990, he became a UC Cooperative Extension in pomology farm advisor in Stanislaus County.

During Duncan’s tenure, the planted acreage of tree and vine crops has tripled in Stanislaus County to nearly 1,900 farms on over 230,000 acres. His research has helped to improve production efficiency through improved rootstocks, crop varieties and production practices.

“Roger provides growers with resources and tools on nutrition, sprays, nutrient deficiencies, calendars, costs, pest management and other horticultural practices,” Duarte said. “His work has had significant impact on the productivity and quality of almonds, peaches and grapes. Breeders, universities, nurseries, growers and marketers have all gained from the wisdom and dedication of Roger Duncan.”

Growing up in Modesto, Duncan wasn’t raised on a farm. “I had friends whose families farmed orchard crops, so I had some exposure,” he said. “I caught the Extension bug while working as a summer intern for the pomology advisors in the Stanislaus County UCCE office after I graduated with my B.S. That is what inspired me to return to school with the goal of being a pomology farm advisor.”

Reducing production costs

To help growers lower production costs, Duncan introduced orchard practices aimed at reducing hand labor and other inputs. As a result of his research, minimal pruning has become the norm in California almond production, reducing input costs and carbon output and increasing yield. He also improved monitoring and management techniques of established and invasive diseases and insect pests.

“The practical applications Roger brings to the grower community are invaluable,” said Mel Machado, Blue Diamond Almonds vice president for member relations and Stanislaus County almond grower. “His minimal pruning study stood growers on their heads. People had preconceived ideas about pruning. He blew that up. His research showed that after you get the tree’s frame, all you need to remove are the dead and occluded branches. With the market depressed, we needed to cut costs. He said, ‘You don’t need pruning.’ Now I’m growing bushes.”

Art Bowman, a crop adviser with Salida Ag Chem, agreed that Duncan’s pruning research had an impact. “Roger’s pruning trial that lasted over 20 years was a much-discussed subject among growers,” Bowman said. “Growers’ pruning practices definitely changed due to Roger’s research, with early emphasis on structural development and, later in the tree’s life, concentrating on tree accessibility and deadwood removal.”

In 1990, when Duncan joined UC Cooperative Extension, California had 408,700 acres of almonds, according to the California Agricultural Statistics Service. Now the state has over 1.5 million acres of almonds.

About 75% of the farms Duncan has served have 40 acres or less, farmed by “small” or “part-time” farmers, who needed to learn basic horticulture and pest management. Stanislaus County also is home to some very large, sophisticated growers, who Duncan has kept apprised of new technology.

“I believe that personal interaction offers the most memorable means of information transfer, which is why I held an average of 12-plus extension events per year, gave 18-plus extension presentations per year, and went on an average of over 75 individual farm calls per year,” Duncan said. He also provided information via videos, blogs, podcasts, radio shows, newsletters, news media and extension publications as well as commodity boards.

Along with Duncan’s research, Bowman has appreciated his availability. “Roger was always ready to take a call, make orchard visits and listen to a grower’s concern or problem,” he said. 

In 1997, Duncan began hosting twice monthly Tree & Vine Integrated Pest Management breakfast meetings for pest control advisers and growers to discuss current and potential pest threats. These meetings have continued for 28 years.

He speaks ‘farmer’

Machado attributes much of Duncan’s success to his communication skills. “His research is scientific and he speaks ‘farmer,’” he said.

Machado gave rootstock as an example. “Roger is my rootstock resource; he knows rootstocks better than anybody,” he said. “His rootstock trial is dirt simple. There’s a different rootstock every five trees. You can see walking down the row the differences in the rootstocks.”

From his field evaluations, Duncan identified a complex hybrid rootstock that is highly tolerant to ring nematode, bacterial canker and salt toxicity. He found other hybrid rootstocks that boost crop yield while reducing risk from soil chemistry and soil-borne disease challenges, enabling almonds to be grown in the marginal soils on the west side of the North San Joaquin Valley. To help growers choose the appropriate rootstock for their soil, he wrote a comprehensive ANR publication, made a video and worked with the UC Fruit & Nut Center to create an interactive rootstock comparison website.

Over the last 15 years, use of hybrid almond rootstocks has increased dramatically. Burchell Nursery now sells approximately 40% of their trees on hybrid rootstock compared to less than 5% of almond trees 15 years ago, and more than 95% of Duarte Nursery almond trees are on hybrid rootstocks, according to Duncan. 

“We’ve worked with Roger for years, back when he didn’t have a mustache and then when he had a mustache,” said Robert Longstreth, who grows almonds, walnuts and cherries.

“Roger does research in the area you need, not frivolous stuff that you don’t need,” said Longstreth, who has benefited from Duncan’s research on pruning, rootstocks, irrigation timing, plant nutrition and disease control. “He’s thought very highly of by almond growers. When he has something to say, people listen.”

The UCCE farm advisor has overseen long-term trials to learn how to design and maintain an almond orchard to capture early production, maintain long-term yields and maximize profits. “In the first 17 years of the orchard design project, I increased cumulative net profits by up to $14,000 per acre, including increased yield while reducing labor and carbon inputs,” Duncan said.

Influenced by Duncan’s tree-spacing research results, growers have increased almond tree density by 20% per acre statewide, leading to higher crop yields, longer-living orchards and better farm economic sustainability.

As California’s expert on almond rootstocks and almond orchard design, Duncan has taught the subjects for the UC Almond Production Short Course, was lead author on the UCANR publication “Almond Rootstocks,” wrote the rootstock chapter, and co-authored the orchard design chapter of the UC Almond Production Manual. He was invited to Chile, Spain and Australia to share his expertise with growers there.

Expanded programs for kids and gardeners

In addition to being a farm advisor, Duncan served as director of UC Cooperative Extension in Stanislaus County from 2011 through 2013 and again from 2017 through 2020. As the UCCE county director, he acquired new county funding to hire a 4-H youth development program representative in 2018 to provide more learning opportunities for local, underrepresented children.

That year, he also acquired county funding to hire a full-time Master Gardener coordinator and launched the first UC Master Gardener Program in the county.

“I felt very lucky to serve as an advisor in the same county where I was born and raised,” Duncan said. “I am most proud of the trust I have developed with the growers and other clientele.”

Professional awards

Recently, Duncan’s peers at UC ANR honored him with a Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding extension program, which gave growers the data and confidence to adopt orchard practices that have bumped up the productivity and economic value of California almond orchards.

The popular breakfast meetings to discuss pest management earned Duncan and his UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor colleagues the Entomological Society Award of Extension Excellence and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s IPM Innovator Award. The California Legislature also recognized the breakfast club’s commitment to sustainable pest management.

Recognizing Duncan’s extraordinary contributions, the university recently granted him emeritus status.

“I have a lot of respect for the other farm advisors, but Roger is at the top of the pile,” said Machado, who has served on Almond Board committees with Duncan and known him since he joined UC Cooperative Extension. “I’m going to miss him. You can absolutely count on him.”

Congressman and nurseryman Duarte added: “While he will be sorely missed by us in his role of pomology advisor for the University of California, we hope that he keeps his interest, and continues to influence the food production industry in the Central Valley.”

Courtesy of UC ANR News 

UCCE scientists study feasibility of specialty crops for small urban growers

The vacant lots around your neighborhood could be growing fruits and vegetables and making local produce more accessible – while reducing energy needed to transport and distribute the food. Could turning those empty lots into small farms also become opportunities for economic development?

To answer this question, a team of researchers from University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego County are investigating the economic feasibility of growing high-value specialty crops in urban settings like vacant lots. The project – led by Eric Middleton, UCCE integrated pest management advisor for San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties – is currently in progress at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, a seasonal attraction for locals and tourists.

Tucked away in the back of the field is the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site where Middleton and his team established a small farm on approximately 17,000 square feet, starting fall 2023. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the farm is designed to evaluate containerized production both outdoors and under high tunnels.

Growers don’t necessarily need land, just space

High tunnels, also referred to as hoop houses, are semi-permanent structures that act similarly to greenhouses in providing a controlled environment. For the experiment, Middleton will compare cost, effort and durability of two types of high tunnels: one made of steel and the other out of PVC pipes.

“We want to give interested growers information on as many options as we can,” said Middleton, who explained that the project is motivated by the challenges of urban settings, including limited space and lack of arable land.

In the trial, they are growing turmeric, ginger and blueberries. The high-value crops were selected because of their potential to earn a profit. Data evaluating plant variety, soil mix, fertilizer, growth performance, yield and pest and disease pressures will be collected and reported when the project concludes in 2026.

As the crops develop in containers – blueberries in pots and turmeric and ginger in grow bags – Middleton pointed out the mobility aspect of the study, noting that growers don’t necessarily need land, just space.

Whether it’s a backyard or a rooftop, containerized production means easier transport, especially since vacant land doesn’t always remain vacant forever and urban lots may often need soil remediation. Growing in containers solves the anticipated problem of having to relocate.

Where to set up shop in San Diego County

Jan Gonzales, project coordinator and community education supervisor for UCCE San Diego County, is leading the effort to identify available urban land in San Diego County as well as the policies and procedures for growers to access these spaces.

Gonzales is collaborating with community members who are working on similar projects to identify space for prospective growers.

“This has been done before for different objectives and for specific areas in the region, but the information was either project-specific and not publicly available, or not easy to find,” Gonzales said.

Having spoken with people associated with previous or ongoing agricultural land mapping projects, Gonzales has agreed to coordinate and facilitate an advisory work group to discuss areas of potential collaboration and develop project efficiencies. She anticipates holding the first group meeting before the end of the summer.

A production guide to help community members re-create the project

The ideal audience for a study like this is anyone who wants to grow specialty crops, according to Lindsey Pedroncelli, interim director of UC South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, who worked on the project alongside Middleton when she was a staff research associate with UCCE San Diego.

“If you’re a new grower or a grower who wants to diversify your crop production, what we’re learning here can be applied to you,” said Pedroncelli.

Pedroncelli has been instrumental in bringing the experiment to life and documenting its step-by-step workflow thus far. The production guide, which is being created as the study unfolds, will include instructions detailing how to replicate the experiment from the ground up. Currently, it contains information on how to design your farm, the materials to buy, building structures, irrigation setup and crop management.

The most intriguing open question, whether the operation is profitable, is the driving force behind the production guide and will certainly be addressed, Pedroncelli said.

Book a tour and visit the farm

When visiting the farm, you’ll encounter three varieties of blueberries: Star, Snowchaser and Misty. Snowchaser has been a top producer since it was planted in January, but the variety is known to be an early season producer.

Using only one variety of each, the turmeric and ginger were planted in late March-early April. With some unanticipated cold weather in San Diego County, both crops struggled when transitioning out of dormancy, leading to very slow progress, which the team is still navigating today.

Visually, Middleton and his team have noticed differences between the crops growing under the high tunnels versus those grown outdoors, although the data has not been analyzed to confirm or explain notable differences.

Attempting to demonstrate how to profitably grow high-value crops in urban settings using limited space and resources, Pedroncelli said she hopes this study will also encourage people to grow culturally significant crops for their communities.

To tour the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, email Eric Middleton at egmiddleton@ucanr.edu with “Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site Tour” in the subject line.

To learn more about the project and its progress, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/socalIPM/Small_Scale_Urban_Agriculture_Project_/.

Courtesy of Mike Hsu

Organic Agriculture Institute needs assessment refines how it can address pressing challenges

The explosive growth of organic agriculture in the U.S. – reflected in a 90% increase in organic farms from 2011 to 2021, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics – has come at a cost for some farmers. With new farming operations increasing the supply of organic commodities, along with consolidation of buyers, growers report that their profit margins are not what they used to be.

Those market size considerations are among the challenges highlighted in a new report detailing the initial findings by the University of California Organic Agriculture Institute on the most pressing needs of the state’s organic sector. OAI gathered and analyzed data from 423 responses to an online grower survey, over 60 interviews with stakeholders across the organic community, and additional observations from farm visits and workshops.

The report describes other frequently mentioned systemic priorities, such as maintaining integrity of the term “organic,” developing a market for organic seeds, spreading consumer awareness, and alleviating the burdens of organic certification and reporting.

Shriya Rangarajan, the postdoctoral researcher with OAI leading this statewide needs assessment, said that the reported challenges varied by organic status (fully certified, transitioning to organic, or a mixed farm with some conventional), type of crop, as well as size of the operation. She noted survey respondents were roughly representative of the sector overall – 70% small-scale growers and 30% medium and large.

“Organic is not a homogenous industry, to say the least – small growers and large growers are very different; for small growers, their challenges tend to be financial and regulatory, especially relating to certification requirements and labor,” said Rangarajan. She added that larger growers mentioned different types of challenges, weeds and pest pressures for instance, given the difficulty in controlling managing these at scale without the use or availability of organic inputs.

Organic Agriculture Institute key to sharing resources across state

Another common theme from the assessment is that the organic sector needs more accessible resources to address those myriad concerns. For OAI, established in 2020 under UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, the initial findings validated and refined the direction of its research and extension programs.

“As a new organization, we’ve been trying to figure out where we fit into this ecosystem and how we can support it,” said Houston Wilson, a UC Cooperative Extension entomology specialist who has served as OAI’s director since its founding.

Because OAI was envisioned as a hub of resources and connections for California’s organic community, Wilson and his colleagues are especially interested in understanding how its constituent members obtain information – and how OAI can improve their access.

“Growers are finding it difficult to navigate the resources that exist for organic agriculture, like technical information, financial support, compliance and certification support,” Wilson said. “While we’d like to see more resources for organic in general, those that currently exist can sometimes be hard to navigate or it can be hard to know where to go for the right thing – that became really apparent early on.”

While some producers are contacting OAI directly with their questions, Wilson is eager to develop tools and systems that can serve the community more broadly. For example, Wilson and Krista Marshall – OAI’s policy and partnerships coordinator – are currently beta-testing a new map tool, built in conjunction with UC ANR’s Informatics and GIS (IGIS) team. The map, expected to be ready in fall 2024, will enable users to click on their county and see all available resources related to organic agriculture.

Wilson added that OAI will have four full-time staffers by fall, further expanding its research, extension, and education efforts. After holding four field events this past year, OAI aims to increase activities in the coming year, including not just field events but also online resources, webinars and more. Also, a new training and technical assistance coordinator will be tasked with bringing Cooperative Extension advisors and other technical assistance personnel across the state up to speed on a range of organic topics, so they can more effectively answer questions from clientele in their region.

New survey aims to trace crucial organic knowledge networks

Although the OAI team has gained a sense of how information is shared across the organic community (and started to formalize those interconnections through a California Organic Agriculture Knowledge Network), they are now developing a survey to study those relationships more systematically.

“We’re trying to understand what kind of knowledge resources people tap into, which is something that has come up repeatedly in our needs assessment,” Rangarajan said. “We’re trying to understand who people are speaking to because, at the end of the day, organic is still a relatively small part of agriculture in California, and that makes it more fragmented. So trying to connect those different parts becomes important.”

Once Wilson has a more nuanced understanding of organic knowledge networks, he will be able to strategize and position OAI – and the UC – as a more effective partner and contributor in the sector.

“Given the history of organic, growers have had to rely on each other a lot,” Wilson explained. “We understand that the university has unique expertise to bring to the table, but we also acknowledge that there’s all these other knowledge holders out there, so one of the roles that we see ourselves having is helping to facilitate those connections, strengthen them and increase the frequency of interaction.”

That may include further supporting efforts that connect transitioning organic farmers with experienced growers (a mentorship program led by Certified California Organic Farmers, or CCOF), or giving more structure to grower-researcher partnerships that can help address a host of production challenges. In OAI’s grower survey, weed management topped the list, followed by water and disease issues, all exacerbated by climate variability.

“I think a lot of the real innovation changes are coming through growers experimenting with their own practice,” Rangarajan explained. “From a research perspective, one of the best ways to take this forward would be to formalize those experiments in some way so that knowledge becomes more reportable.”

And collaboration on “organic topics,” such as finding alternatives to synthetic pesticides, are a boon to the entire agricultural sector – conventional growers included.

“Everyone is trying to reduce pesticide use; everyone is trying to reduce environmental impacts,” Wilson said. “You don’t have to be certified organic to benefit from organic research; these practices can be used by anyone.”

The report with OAI’s initial findings on organic needs can be found at: https://ucanr.edu/sites/organic/files/396228.pdf.

Courtesy of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

Additional guidance needed for groundwater management strategies 

Cover crops are planted to protect and improve the soil between annual crops such as tomatoes or between rows of tree and vine crops, but growers may be concerned about the water use of these plants that don’t generate income.

“Cover crops are one of the most popular practices we see farmers employ through our Healthy Soils Program,” said Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. “Cover crops supply a host of benefits, such as helping to protect against soil erosion, improving soil health, crowding out weeds, controlling pests and diseases, and increasing biodiversity; and they can bring increased profitability as the number of other inputs are reduced. They also provide water benefits such as improved infiltration and reduced runoff.”

These potential benefits are especially salient in the San Joaquin Valley, where groundwater challenges are more acute. A new report evaluates the water implications of cover cropping practices to lay the groundwork for their adoption in the context of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, which is intended to protect groundwater resources over the long-term.

“Yes, cover crops require a nominal amount of water to establish – and sometimes rainwater is sufficient – but the myriad co-benefits are worth it,” Ross said.

Growers, water resource planners and managers, crop consultants, irrigation practitioners and policymakers may find the cover crops report useful.

The report is the product of a convening process jointly developed by the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, CDFA, Natural Resources Conservation Service of California, and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, and assembled by nonprofit Sustainable Conservation.

The multidisciplinary group of more than 30 individuals has published “Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era.” The literature review, policy analysis and recommendations pertain to the water impacts of cover crop practices in California’s Central Valley under SGMA.

Cover crops and their potential

“Wintertime rain-fed cover cropping does not necessarily significantly increase water losses compared to bare ground in the winter months,” said co-author Daniele Zaccaria, associate professor in agricultural water management for Cooperative Extension at UC Davis. “Cover cropping can significantly improve soil-water dynamics, increasing soil water infiltration and storage and reducing surface runoff.”

To reap the benefits of cover crops using minimal water, Zaccaria said growers will need to know how the plants perform under different conditions.

“We need to develop and implement a coordinated research effort to increase understanding of net water impacts of cover crops under various meteorological conditions – dry, wet, average,” he said.

Report findings and recommendations

To understand the potential of cover cropping under SGMA, the report’s authors came together to answer the following questions:

1. What are the impacts of cover crops on water cycles (both benefits and use)?
2. How does SGMA management account for cover cropping and is it capturing cover crop benefits alongside their water use?
3. How can we ensure that this practice remains available to growers where and when it makes sense?

This report synthesizes the learnings from the collaborative initiative including 100-plus multidisciplinary experts, a policy analysis, interviews with Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) staff and consultants, and the expertise contributed by its 30-plus authors. In light of these findings, the report advances a series of recommendations aimed at bridging critical knowledge gaps, enhancing the integration of cover crops into policies and incentive programs, and bolstering data infrastructure and other mechanisms to support sustainable groundwater management initiatives.

One vital throughline is the need for additional guidance from the state to support local GSAs in facing the complex challenges of developing and implementing groundwater management strategies for their local watersheds. These measures aim to optimize cover crop integration within SGMA frameworks and promote sustainable water management practices crucial for the region’s agricultural resilience and environmental health.

“This report is unique because the university collaborated closely with state agencies and private sector partners to ensure that the different perspectives provided both the best science available as well as viable policy options,” said Glenda Humiston, University of California vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “By taking a comprehensive view, we can advance recommendations for cover crop policy that help us meet multiple goals, manage our natural resources more effectively, and avoid unintended consequences.”

Sarah Light, UC Cooperative Extension agronomy farm advisor, is one of the UC ANR experts who provided science-based information during the convening sessions and co-authored the white paper.

“Cover crops are a valuable soil health practice that can help ensure the resilience of California farms to climate extremes,” said Light. “As we balance the complexities of water and soil management, it is important to understand the role that cover crops play in an annual water budget so that they are not disincentivized in certain parts of the state. This paper can provide guidance to GSAs and policymakers who are charged with implementing SGMA in their regions.”

The report “Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era” can be downloaded for free at https://suscon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SC-Cover-Crop-SGMA-Report.pdf.

Courtesy of the UCANR News 

Although training is required to become a University of California Master Gardener, the benefits of gardening can be experienced by anyone and everyone.

“As long as you’re willing to get your hands dirty,” said Laurie Menosky, a UC Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County, “you can learn to grow all sorts of things.”

In early April, Menosky partnered with ETN Medical Infusion (a clinic in Orange County) and the Sustainability Program for Student Housing at UC Irvine to teach students how to grow tomatoes. Menosky welcomed all in attendance, including families with toddlers who seemed fascinated by the 60 tomato plants atop one of the tables in the room.

The UC Master Gardener Program is a part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. During her presentation, Menosky taught participants how to choose varieties that fit their taste and growing environment, how to cultivate a thriving environment, and how to control pests and diseases using integrated pest management practices.

“We have 16,000 residents at UCI and sustainability is one of our values. One of the ways we engage students is through on-campus gardens,” said Rachel Harvey, sustainability program manager for UCI Student Housing and a UC Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County.

UC Irvine has one teaching garden reserved for undergraduate learning, and three gardens operated and maintained by graduate students. “I was on the waiting list for a garden plot for a while, but it was totally worth the wait,” said Johanna Rinaman, a fifth-year Ph.D. student studying physical chemistry.

While the highlight of the event for many people was the opportunity to take a tomato plant home, another important takeaway was how gardening can be a good activity for your mental health. Sarah Nghiem, family medicine specialist at ETN Medical Infusion, who worked closely with Menosky, was instrumental in developing the mental health content for the day, encouraging attendees to attempt gardening with a mental health perspective.

Nghiem and her team received funding from the Orange County Health Care Agency through the Mental Health Services Act to work with transitional aged students (15-24 years-old) on understanding the importance of mental health, which led to the collaboration between UC Irvine, her alma mater, and the UC Master Gardeners of Orange County.

“I didn’t do any gardening during the winter, and I felt a lot more anxious and depressed during that time,” Rinaman said. “I know gardening improves mental health because I’ve immediately felt a difference whenever I spend time with plants.”

Rinaman, whose father taught her a lot of what she knows about gardening, said that having access to a 4 feet by 6 feet plot to grow her own food is one of the many things she loves about UC Irvine.

Like Rinaman, Menosky turns to gardening to decompress, especially during the long days of summer. Teaching others about the physical and mental benefits of gardening gives her an opportunity to share her experience and, hopefully, help others find new ways to manage stress.

“We often have attendees come back years later telling us how our information has helped them and how much more they are enjoying their time in their gardens,” she said.

To conclude her presentation, Menosky instructed participants to line up for their own tomato plant. Attendees took their plants outside to transfer them from a small pot to a grow bag – a type of container that helps root structure development.

Cassie Ekwego, a third-year transfer student studying civil engineering, couldn’t hide her excitement after carefully lifting her plant. “I don’t think I realized how attentive you need to be when working with plants,” said Ekwego, reflecting on what she learned from Menosky’s presentation.

Now that she has her own plant to care for in her own home, Ekwego is eager to put her new knowledge to the test. “I love tomatoes, but this is going to be a huge responsibility for me,” she said.

Randy Musser, UC Master Gardener program coordinator for Orange County, said that while he enjoys talking to avid gardeners, bringing gardening to new people in the community is special to him. “This tomato workshop is particularly exciting for me because it is an opportunity for the UC Master Gardeners to grow our connection to UCI and young people just starting off on their gardening journey,” said Musser.

With a generous contribution from UC Master Gardener volunteer Sheila Peterson, Musser was able to purchase enough supplies to help attendees, like Ekwego, jumpstart their gardening experience.

Students, whose stress levels can skyrocket throughout the school year, value opportunities to be outdoors, try something new and be in community. “The garden is a different type of classroom. It’s a place where students can learn and experiment, hopefully in a way that reduces stress,” said Harvey of UCI Student Housing.

Ekwego, who tried gardening for the first time while volunteering at UC Irvine’s teaching garden, is just one of the many students inspired by their experiences. “Gardening reminds me that it’s OK to get my hands dirty,” Ekwego said.