California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • What is “soil carbon”?

    You may have heard a lot about soil carbon, “storing” carbon in soil, or “carbon markets.” So, let’s look at the relationship between soil and carbon in basic terms.

    First, carbon. It’s the sixth element on the periodic chart. In nature, only two things are pure carbon: diamonds and graphite. However, carbon can interact with other elements to form compounds that are all around us every day.

    One common carbon-containing compound that is frequently in the news is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the gas that humans breathe out, after we inhale air containing oxygen. It’s a natural product of our metabolism, it’s made by all other animals when they breathe, and it’s even made by some soil microbes during their metabolism.

    Carbon is the 6th element and easily bonds with other elements. Carbon is stored in the soil as part of organic matter as well as frozen carbon dioxide in colder climates like the Arctic.

    Carbon dioxide is a natural compound in air, but with the advent of the industrial revolution, much more of the gas has been put into the air. Carbon dioxide is made by many manufacturing processes, and it is also produced when we use certain types of fuels – like coal and gas – for energy. The machines that produce items like appliances, cars, and all the things we buy are also responsible for pushing more carbon dioxide into the air.

    When carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere, it traps in heat around the earth. That’s why carbon dioxide is called a “greenhouse gas,” It acts like the glass ceiling of a greenhouse to trap heat. The more carbon dioxide in the air, the higher the earth’s surface temperature will be.

    In addition to being in the air, carbon compounds can be found in soil. One form of “soil carbon” is composed of carbon dioxide, which is found in abundance in the frozen ground of the tundra.

    Another very important type of “soil carbon” is organic matter, which is made of decayed materials from living things like plants, animals and microbes. How does organic matter have carbon in it? The term “organic” in chemistry means chemical compounds that contain carbon (and usually hydrogen) along with other elements. Organic compounds are prevalent in nature, especially in living things. You may recall that plants “breathe in” carbon dioxide, and “breathe out” oxygen. Plants use the carbon dioxide to make new cells so stems, roots, and leaves can grow. The carbon part of carbon dioxide, and other elements like nitrogen and oxygen, are even used to make flowers, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

    A feature of healthy soil is a buildup of carbon in the form of organic matter, and even waste of earthworms, insects and other creatures that live in the soil. Even human bodies have organic carbon compounds in them! Humans are mostly made of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen.

    Soils in the Arctic and Subarctic regions store over half of the Earth’s soil carbon. Shown here, a thick organic matter layer of moss, twigs, and roots. They formed under cool, acid, aerobic conditions. Note the dark layer of charcoal at about 30-35 cm. Credit: Chien-Lu Ping, University of Alaska, retired.

    The carbon cycle: As plants grow and die, they leave behind sugars and carbohydrates (both contain carbon) in the soil. This is used by soil microbes and other soil life as a food source. This makes a wonderful carbon cycle, with plants pulling carbon from the air in the form of carbon dioxide and storing it in the soil as organic matter for other living things to use.

    As long as this carbon cycle stays balanced – either by keeping organic matter quantities stable or increasing – the atmosphere is safe. But when human disrupt this cycle by building cities where forests once were, or other anthropogenic changes, it disrupts the carbon cycle. The carbon that was stored as organic matter can easily be put back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Clearing land for agriculture also made soils lose carbon to the atmosphere.

    And, remember that frozen carbon trapped in the frozen tundra? As global warming continues, soil carbon is being lost at faster and faster speeds, as the frozen carbon dioxide thaws. In addition, increases in temperatures of the tundra also increase the activity of soil microbes. As they “eat” more organic matter, this stored carbon is lost.

    Keeping as much carbon in soils as possible is important to life on earth. And scientists are researching ways to store more carbon in the soil in the form of organic matter. You can help keep more soil carbon in your yard! Follow these tips to help your plants and the environment. — By Susan Fisk, Soil Science Society of America and Matthew Polizzotto, University of Oregon

  • Grant Takes on Organic Challenges with Third-Party Certifications

    Although all food producers are subject to food safety rules, organic farmers face unique challenges in trying to also work out incongruities between National Organic Program standards and third-party food safety requirements. For instance, organic farmers must support biodiversity, yet some food safety organizations pressure them to limit habitat and wildlife on or near their farms despite a lack of evidence connecting food safety and biodiversity. To date, little data has been collected on synthesizing current conditions and specific research needs challenging the organic community on the juxtapositioning of organic practices and some food safety requirements.

    To address these concerns, USDA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (OREI) has awarded a $50,000 planning grant for the University of Rhode Island in collaboration with The Organic Center and a diverse team of researchers, organizations, and farmers.

    The planning grant will help fill the current data gap by conducting a needs assessment using a national survey and convening a multi-stakeholder summit to pinpoint the most challenging incongruities between food safety and NOP policies. These activities will determine which producers are most impacted, which food safety requirements are most difficult to synchronize with NOP standards, and which research opportunities can best address these conflicts. In the effort, The Organic Center and University of Rhode Island will collaborate with organic farmers, certifiers and researchers to develop a full OREI research proposal for 2023 submission.

    The long-term goal of the project is to provide organic growers and industry members with cost-effective and organic-compliant tools to mitigate food safety risk and retain third-party certification.

    “While organic food does not have as many contamination events as conventional crops, it is more difficult for organic farmers to meet the demands of third-party food safety certifications, because those third-party standards don’t incorporate sustainability goals such as maintaining biodiversity. Our goal is to identify these tensions, and develop a research program to address them,” says Dr. Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center.

    “Today’s farming systems must meet a wide array of demands for safety, health, and sustainability—and that’s on top of the need to simply stay in business. Organic farmers already know and grapple with this truth—they’ve been at the forefront of innovations to reduce the environmental and health impacts of industrial agriculture for decades. I’m excited that USDA is investing in this research to help our regulatory systems better recognize and support the organic sector’s need to harmonize consumer safety and sustainability goals,” says Dr. Patrick Baur, lead Project Investigator from the University of Rhode Island, Johanna Mirenda, Farm Policy Director for the Organic Trade Association, is participating in the project’s Advisory Board. In her role at the Organic Trade Association, she develops policy strategy through producer engagement, and is primary staff for the trade association’s Farmers Advisory Council. She is an expert in organic regulations, and was the technical director for the Organic Materials Review Institute and policy director for Pennsylvanian Certified Organic prior to her current role.

    Meanwhile, Jeremy Vanderzyl, Director of Technical Services at Organic Trade Association member Duncan Family Farms, is a co-investigator on the project.

    “This project will address a critical area of need within the organic sector, and will be the first step in providing organic growers and industry members with organic-appropriate tools and strategies to mitigate food safety risk while retaining third-party certification viability,” says Vanderzyl.

    OREI helps support wide ranging research projects that specifically address the most critical issues impacting organic growers. The 2018 Farm Bill approved increasing funding for OREI to $50 million per year by 2023, thus establishing permanent funding for the program. For the current 2021 funding round, this amount increased from $20 million to $25 million. In 2022, the amount will increase to $30 million. In 2023, the program funding amount will be capped at annual distribution of $50 million.

    The Organic Center’s mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

  • USDA Expands Local, Electronic Communication Options for CA Producers

    Agricultural producers in California can now signup to receive free email and text messages directly from their local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Service Center for information related to loans, farm disaster assistance, conservation programs, crop insurance and other USDA programs. USDA is expanding the service that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has used for years to now include local information from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and other USDA agencies.

    USDA will send news and updates through a single email or text message subscription through govDelivery, a communication technology service for government agencies. The digital communications platform is secure and subscriber contact information will not be shared.

    In addition to subscribing for emails and texts by location, you can also subscribe for lists by topics, from soil health to farm loans, safety net programs, disaster assistance, and more.

    How to Subscribe

    Producers can subscribe online in minutes by visiting farmers.gov/subscribe.  From this link, producers can choose to receive email communications, text message alerts or both. The first step is establishing subscriber preferences by choosing to receive program information by topic, state and local Service Center. Producers can select as many subscriber options as they want, which allows those who have agricultural interests in multiple counties or across state lines to receive updates from each county in which they operate or have an interest.

    More Information

    For more information visit farmers.gov/working-with-us/stay-connected or for subscription assistance contact your local USDA Service Center.

  • CDFA To Celebrate Farmer And Farmworker Month In Virtual Meeting, October 5, 2021

    The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will celebrate “Farmer and Farmworker Month” with perspectives and presentations from the agricultural community. The Board will also hear updates on federal and state disaster assistance programs related to drought and wildfires. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. –  2:00 p.m. via GoToWebinar.

    Meeting Link:              https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4232674882293680908

    Webinar ID:                 959-249-291

    “With all the challenges California agriculture has had over the last year – it’s a truly a pleasure to celebrate California Grown’s Farmer and Farmworker Month,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “This month gives us an opportunity to recognize and give thanks to the individuals who work on a daily basis to provide healthy and nutritious food to our tables and who are stewards to the more than 24 million acres of farmland in our state.”

    Invited speakers include: Cherie Watte, Buy California Marketing Agreement (CAGROWN); Cole and Veronica Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Brisa Ranch; Cristóbal Cruz Hernández, Brisa Ranch; Chris Maher, Briar Patch Food Co-op; Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, Alexandre Family Farm; David Villarino Gonzalez, Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development (FIELD); Hernan Hernandez, California Farmworker Foundation; Ryan Buras, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES); Jacque Johnson, USDA Farm Service Agency; Carlos Suarez, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Jeff Yasui, USDA Risk Management Agency and other invited speakers.  
     
    “As a farmer, it’s the agricultural workforce that makes California agriculture what it is today,” said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “Without the hard, dedicated, and skilled work of farmworkers we couldn’t enjoy the locally produced foods, farm-to-fork menus or the abundance of produce on our supermarket shelves. Farming requires a workforce, farmers and farmworkers, that California is blessed to have.”  

    The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The Board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials; agricultural representatives; and citizens to discuss current issues and concerns to California agriculture.

    This meeting will have simultaneous audio translation in Spanish and can be accessed at (844) 460-0074 at the start of the meeting. 

  • Don’t Miss the Sonoma Grape Expo, Nov. 5

    Save the date, Friday, November 5th for the Sonoma Grape Expo at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County, Malcolm Media’s premier event for North Coast  Wine Grape Growers and PCAs.  Held biennially in collaboration with American Vineyard Magazine, California Ag Network (and the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group this year), it is the ultimate postharvest regional gathering place for wine grape growers and crop advisors.  Hundreds of growers, PCAs and industry stakeholders attend this expo to enjoy State of the Wine Grape Industry presentations with Allied Grape Growers and Turrentine Brokerage, Continuing Education Credited IPM seminars, great food & company, and an industry trade show featuring the North Coast’s most innovative vineyard technologies, products and services.

    This event is FREE to attend and wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of local industry associations, universities and this year’s sponsors: Wonderful Nurseries, Live Earth Products, FieldIn, Belkorp Ag, Casa Cristal Nursery, Vineyard Industry Products, and the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group.

    Online pre-registration for the event is now available HERE and includes the ability to pre-register for any CE credits attendees would like to receive. Three hours of PCA, PA, QAL, QAC and 4.5 hours of CCA credits have been approved for this event.

    Also new to this year’s program will be a special panel discussion led by Jason Saling, President of the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group.  In addition to wildfires and a challenging marketplace, the North Coast wine grape industry is under an increasing threat of invasive vineyard pests and diseases that need to be kept at bay. Saling and his associates will address the need for collaborative IPM strategies through a county wine grape pest control district.  See the full program below for more details.

    This event along with other Malcolm Media Ag Expos has generated nearly $150,000 in scholarship endowments for the agricultural programs at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Davis.  Interested in exhibiting/sponsoring? Visit agexpo.biz/exhibit and give us a call at 559-298-6020 to see what options are still available.

  • Improving California’s Water Market

    Water trading and banking are important tools that can help California bring its groundwater basins into balance by the early 2040s, as mandated by the 2014 Sustainable Water Management Act (SGMA). But the expansion of the state’s water market still faces some bottlenecks, including aging infrastructure and complex regulations. The stakes for preserving California’s groundwater are rising, however, as is interest in improving the state’s water market.

    “Groundwater…is a really important drought reserve for California,” said Ellen Hanak, director of the PPIC Water Policy Center, at a virtual event last week. “By the time you get into the second and third dry year, you really need to lean on your groundwater very heavily. One of the challenges in California is that we’ve been leaning on it too heavily.”

    Water trading and banking can help. Hanak and PPIC research fellow Andrew Ayres convened a panel to discuss a new report about how to improve the state’s water market in order to aid SGMA implementation and increase drought resilience across the state.

    “Water trading, whether it’s temporary, over a long-term basis, or a permanent sale, can significantly lower the cost of managing water demand,” said Hanak. She said flexible water trading within the San Joaquin Valley, for example, could reduce the cost of getting basins into balance by about two-thirds—thereby saving jobs and preserving the region’s economy. Groundwater banking is also a key tool for augmenting the water supply and managing increasing climatic risk, she said.

    But creating effective and responsible water markets within the state will take work. Andrew Ayres moderated a discussion with three experts about the challenges and opportunities they face.

    Kathy Cortner, general manager of the Mojave Water Agency, described her basin as something of a groundwater success story. After an adjudication process that lasted six years, the basin entered into a judgment in 1996. “What that judgment did was set the framework for allocating a base water right. Over time, the judgment called for a rampdown…it provides a path for people to adjust to a declining amount of water to pump.” There were difficult years, she said, but trading allowed farmers to adjust gradually.

    Stephanie Anagnoson of Madera County says her county has land in three sub-basins. The county is the lead groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) for ground-water dependent lands in these basins. The GSA has been working to address groundwater overdraft through a portfolio of programs, including aggressive recharge activities and land repurposing. It is also one of the first to adopt groundwater allocations under SGMA. “What would have been helpful for us was step-by-step [information] on how to develop an allocation, because that took about two years,” Anagnoson said. “And while there are some white papers, there certainly wasn’t state guidance on that.” The GSA has also been exploring the establishment of a groundwater market for trading allocations of sustainable yield—initially with a tool that allows water users to simulate trading.

    Thaddeus Bettner of Glenn Colusa Irrigation District said that despite glitches with water markets, things are improving. “DWR has been great about funding the development of our GSPs…We really appreciate the groundwater division in DWR for that effort,” he said. Furthermore, “DWR and the Bureau of Reclamation have also developed on an online approval process [for surface water transfers] that has been really helpful to expedite the process.” Still, hurdles remain.

    Near the end of the discussion, Ellen Hanak shared the news that 15 minutes before the event began, the governor had signed several bills that include money for improving the state’s water resilience, including a new program for multi-benefit farmland repurposing under SGMA. “I know it’s small, but it’s a piece of good news,” she said, ending the event on a positive note for a drought-plagued state.

    We invite you to watch the event video. — By Sarah Bardeen, Public Policy Institute of California

  • Assemblyman Adam Gray Addresses Dire Need for Action on Improving, Increasing CA Water Infrastructure

    As drought conditions worsen in California and water curtailments cause prime farmland to run dry, many wonder how long agriculture will have to suffer the consequences of decades of government neglect to water storage/infrastructure needs.  Watch this brief interview with California State Assembly member Adam Gray as he shares his perspective and priorities in regards to the situation.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Port Congestion Limits Tree Nut Exports at Harvest

    Water infrastructure is not the only critical issue California needs to invest more in; since the onset of the pandemic, the west coast ports have been overtasked and are in dire need of attention.  Watch this brief interview with Jim Zion from the Agricultural Trade Advisory Council as he explains the issue and its impact on agricultural exports.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Governor Proclaims State of Emergency in Shasta County Due to Fawn Fire

    Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency for Shasta County to support the response to the Fawn Fire, which has to date burned 8,559 acres, destroying homes and causing the evacuation of thousands of residents.

    California last week secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Fawn Fire.

    Governor Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency in counties impacted by the Cache Fire, Caldor Fire, McFarland and Monument fires, Antelope and River fires, Dixie, Fly and Tamarack fires and the Lava Fire and Beckwourth Complex Fire.  The Governor has also signed executive orders to support impacted communities and bolster wildfire response and recovery efforts.

    The state previously secured FMAGs to support the response to the Dixie Fire in Lassen, Butte and Plumas counties and the response to the French Fire, Caldor Fire, Monument Fire, River Fire and Lava Fire. The White House earlier this month approved a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration and Presidential Emergency Declaration to support the Caldor Fire response, and previously approved a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to support counties impacted by the Dixie and River fires.

    The text of today’s proclamation can be found here.

  • Opportunities for Almond Hulls in Asian Feed Markets

    The California almond industry has grown tremendously in recent years, and so has the supply of almond byproducts such as hulls and shells.  While industry groups and companies are working to expand the consumer markets internationally for California almonds, some are also at work striving to expand the value and uses for almond byproducts. Almond hulls have commonly been used in animal feed locally, but what we they could also be profitably marketed across the sea where greater demand lies. Watch this brief video with Joe Onorato  who represents the first company that has shipped almond hulls to China, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.