The National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (National C-FAR) has selected Laura Peterson – Laura Wood Peterson Consulting – as its new Executive Director. Peterson succeeds Tom Van Arsdall, who retired after nearly two decades leading the organization. National C-FAR thanks Van Arsdall for his service and accomplishments and is confident that the organization is well positioned to build off this great foundation under Laura’s guidance.
“Laura’s modern leadership style and practical approach to bipartisanship underlie her passion for leveraging the political collective for a common good,” said Andy LaVigne, President, National C-FAR and President & CEO, American Seed Trade Association. “Laura is a positive and energetic problem solver who will help advance the National C-FAR mission of sustaining and increasing public investment at the national level in agricultural and food research, extension and education.”
National C-FAR is celebrating its 20th year of education and advocacy for federally funded research, extension and education that result in safer, more nutritious food, more environmentally friendly production, less dependence on non-renewable sources of energy, expanded global markets, and more jobs and economic development in rural America.
At no other time in our history is the nation better equipped to understand the importance of supporting ag and food research, which returns $20 in economic benefit for every $1 invested.
Peterson’s background includes leading federal affairs for nonprofit and corporate interests in the food and ag industry. Laura formed LWP Consulting to advise businesses and nonprofits showing a demonstrated commitment to addressing the complex challenges confronting agricultural production. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a law degree from George Washington University Law School where she also served as adjunct faculty in the Department of Political Science.
The National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (National C-FAR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, consensus-based, and customer-led coalition that brings agriculture, food, nutrition, conservation, and natural resource stakeholders together with the agriculture and food research and Extension community, serving as a forum and a unified voice in support of sustaining and increasing public investment at the national level in agricultural and food research, Extension, and education. Learn more athttps://www.ncfar.org/.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be collecting and testing samples of lettuce grown in California’s Salinas Valley from local commercial coolers from May through November 2021. The agency will test the samples for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. as part of ongoing surveillance efforts following reoccurring outbreaks linked to this region, including most recently in the fall of 2020.
The FDA assignment will direct sampling to be conducted at commercial cooling and cold storage facilities where field heat is removed from harvested lettuce and where product is cold-stored before processing. Sampling may include pre-cooled product (preferred) or post-cooled product. Sample collection at commercial coolers helps the FDA efficiently obtain samples from multiple farms at centralized locations and facilitates prompt traceback and follow-up if contamination is detected.
The agency plans to collect and test a total of approximately 500 post-harvest samples of iceberg, leaf and romaine lettuce. Each sample will consist of 10 subsamples, each made up of one head of lettuce (trimmed, cored and possibly wrapped), or in the case of romaine lettuce, loose leaves or one package of hearts. FDA laboratories will conduct all testing.
During this sampling assignment, the FDA will take extra precautions to help ensure the safety of agency investigators and firm employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA investigators will preannounce their visits to firms per the Agency’s COVID-19 safety practices. They will be outfitted with personal protective equipment (PPE) and will carry out their work while adhering to local, state and applicable CDC guidance.
Helping to ensure the safety of leafy greens remains a high priority of the FDA. This assignment adds to other work underway in collaboration with stakeholders in the California Central Coast growing region to identify where the recurring strain of pathogenic E. coli is persisting and the likely routes of leafy green contamination with STECs. This includes continued implementation of actions identified in the recently updated Leafy Greens Action Plan, including a multi-year longitudinal study to assess the environmental factors impacting the presence of foodborne pathogens in this region. Consistent with the action plan, if the FDA detects a pathogen such as E. coli O157:H7, the agency will conduct a follow-up investigation to identify potential sources and routes of contamination. Such investigations are designed to inform what additional preventive measures may be needed to help prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness.
Western Growers has selected 13 innovators for the inaugural cohort of its Global Harvest Automation Initiative (GHAI), a groundbreaking project that aims to automate 50 percent of specialty crop harvest within 10 years by accelerating the commercialization of harvest automation innovations.
The companies chosen for the cohort all specialize in agricultural robotics, mechanization and automation and will receive exclusive resources to help them launch and scale. This includes 1) Mentoring (mentor support from leading ag and tech companies, including feedback on product offerings, strategy and go-to-market options); 2) Field Trials (facilitation of field trials with growers); and 3) Case Studies (success of field trials will be published as case studies which will be available to growers). Most importantly, the cohort will receive systems integration to integrate industry-standard components (called technology stack) into their product roadmap so their robots can get into fields and markets faster.
“Most harvest startups build the entire technology stack themselves — from imaging and artificial intelligence to robotic end-effectors and automated movement up and down the fields. Western Growers’ Global Harvest Automation Initiative will now build this technology stack for them,” said Walt Duflock, vice president of innovation at Western Growers. “The innovators in this cohort are both startups and established companies that will get help integrating with industry-standard tractors, robot arms and sensors, which can commoditize up to 60–80% of the startup’s technology stack.”
The following are the innovation companies selected to receive hands-on support for all aspects of their businesses for rapid scaling:
Advanced Farm Technologies: provides advanced farming tools, such as automated strawberry harvesting robots, for harvesting services
Antobot: builds a team of small intelligent agriculture robots with advanced computer vision and robotics technology
Augean Robotics: helps solve the labor problem facing farmers by making autonomous collaborative robots
Earth Rover: makes field robots that automate scouting, harvesting and weeding, and provides farmers with per-plant data from seed to gate
FarmWise: designs driverless tractors that use machine learning and computer vision, rather than herbicides, to eradicate weeds from farmers’ fields
FFRobotics: develops a reliable, robust harvesting platform emulating human-hand picking process for efficient, cost-effective and bruise-free fruit harvesting
Muddy Machines: builds a new generation of field robots that help growers manage labor-intensive crops by conducting fieldwork
Strio AI: automates labor-intensive tasks for specialty growers, starting with runner cutting for strawberries
Each innovator was selected based on market traction and potential for successful scale as well as feedback from Western Grower members and industry groups, including the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.
GHAI Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), a group with expertise in precision ag, robotics, artificial intelligence, equipment manufacturing, harvest automation and grower/shipper operations, will work with the cohort on priorities that can accelerate their development efforts.
The SMEs are as follows:
Trimble: Mike Dentinger (Phase 1 Project Management) plus four Trimble SME’s
Bosch in North America: Andreas Fuchs, Fabian Henrici
Oxbo International Corporation: Kathryn Van Weerdhuizen, Scott Korthuis (retired), Chris Schloesser (retired)
Spudnik Equipment Company LLC: David Offerdahl, Evan Steel
Ramsay Highlander: Frank Maconachy, Greg Weisenfeld
Driscoll’s (formerly): Michael Christensen
NWFM LLC: Keith Veselka
Red Rooster Consulting: Scott Jacky
ProMach: Don Wickstrum
Milano Technical Group: Dominic Milano, Soummya Datta
Nematodes normally get a bad reputation. Yes, some of these miniscule creatures can cause harm in plants and animals. But little is known about the non-parasitic nematodes, which have many beneficial roles. Ashley Shaw from the University of Oregon explores this topic in this Soils Matter blog:
It might be hard to believe, but you may never have seen the most abundant animal on Earth: soil nematodes! They represent eighty percent of animal life by number and live in nearly every habitat. They are hard-working and important organisms.
Soil-dwelling nematodes, which I research, are tiny – usually between 1/500th to 1/20th of an inch! (But there is a nematode that lives inside sperm whales that is nearly thirty feet long.)
Indeed, some of the best-known nematodes are parasites. There are different nematode parasites of plants and animals. That means they live in or on the plant or animal, cannot survive without them, and sometimes kill their host (and then move on). But many more nematodes are free-living. In soils, nematodes live in water films that surround soil particles. Both plant root parasitic and free-living nematodes play an important role in plant health and plant feedback to soil carbon.
Photo of a predatory nematode. Predatory nematodes attack and devour other nematodes. Through their feeding, they keep populations of plant parasites and microbial feeding nematodes in check, optimizing plant growth (Credit: Ashley Shaw).
An incredible variety of soil nematodes exist at all levels of the soil food web. At the base of the food web, some feed on plants and algae, others graze on microbes (bacteria and fungi). At higher levels in the food web, nematodes that are predators and omnivores eat other invertebrates, protists, and even other nematodes. In some cases, “predatory” nematodes are the “good guys,” keeping populations of parasitic nematodes in check.
This food web is important to plant health and soil carbon storage. For example, by feeding on bacteria and fungi, microbial grazing nematodes help return nitrogen to the soil through their waste. This makes the nitrogen available again for plant use, improving plant growth.
Nematodes bring other species into the soil food web, too. Some bacteria survive the nematode gut and are deposited along with nematodes’ waste products. Still more hitch a ride on the outside of nematodes’ bodies. As nematodes move around in soil, they deposit bacteria in new places, spreading them around. The bacteria can contribute to and speed the process of decomposition, returning carbon to the soil for storage.
But most good things have a limit: at very high populations, nematodes that feed on bacteria and fungi can reduce their populations. This can lead to lower decomposition and nutrient turnover rates by bacteria and fungi, even lowering plant growth.
Plant parasitic nematodes attack roots using a piercing tool in their mouth. This “stylet” punctures plant cells so it can suck its carbon-rich juices. Some nematodes release chemicals that cause lesions or tumor-like growths on roots. They drain the plant’s strength above- and belowground.
In small populations, plant parasitic nematodes can stimulate root growth, but in high numbers they destroy roots, stunt aboveground growth, and cause disease. Lower plant growth (of both roots and shoots) leads to lower return of organic material to soil and eventually, lower soil carbon.
While the nematode species responsible for plant diseases have received a lot of attention, far less is known about the non-parasitic part of the soil nematode community, which plays mostly beneficial roles in soil. Ensuring a balance between beneficial and plant parasitic nematode groups is important for plant health and its contributions to soil carbon.
Generally, plant-root parasitic nematodes harm plant growth and microbial-feeding nematodes improve it, but other nematodes are also important. For example, predatory nematodes play an important role in regulating populations of plant-parasitic and microbial-feeding nematodes. Through their feeding, they keep populations of plant parasites and microbial feeding nematodes in check, optimizing plant growth.
However, predatory nematodes are also highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their populations often decline with soil disturbances such as pesticide use, fertilization, tilling, or soil compaction. Situations where soil is heavily managed often leads to very low predator populations and higher populations of harmful groups. Predators are also sensitive to changes in rain and temperature, which can also cause an imbalance toward harmful groups.
Shaw is studying compost additions to rangelands to determine the effects on soil carbon and plant growth. Compost also changes the soil food web – including the numbers and diversity of nematodes.
My current research is examining how active land management practices can help boost beneficial nematode groups in soil by improving soil habitat. We are studying compost additions to rangelands and whether they can improve soil carbon storage and plant growth.
Compost directly provides nutrients and increases soil water retention, improving plant growth. Compost is also changing the soil food web in ways not seen in some of the other treatments in our study plots. We think that the soil organic matter in the compost improves soil habitat for predators, supporting the long and complex soil food webs with abundant predatory nematodes that help keep root parasitic nematode populations in check. The result is that plant disease and root parasitism has declined, leading to greater plant growth and root carbon inputs under compost treatments, which benefits soil carbon storage.
Photo: After collecting soil samples, Shaw and her research group inspect nematodes by extracting them into water and examining them in a dish using a microscope. Shown: a diverse grouping of nematodes (longer, worm-like structures) along with a tardigrade and some small soil debris that made it through the extraction process. Credit: Ashley Shaw
The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive, international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. It provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.
What Nobel Prize-winning Economics Research Tells Us About ACP and HLB Management in California
As you have likely heard many times, coordinating management measures for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) over a larger scale than individual properties is key to achieving effective control and limiting the spread of the disease. Coordination is important in terms of surveying for HLB-positive trees and removing them from the ground as soon as possible, applying insecticide treatments at the same time for multiple citrus groves within a Psyllid Management Area (PMA) or a Pest Control District (PCD), complying with quarantine measures for the movement of bulk citrus, using certified budwood and sharing information with neighbors.
But this coordination comes at a cost, and some individuals may be tempted to skip the costs of treating within the recommended window for ACP, correctly tarping their trucks, or even investing some time to convince their neighbors about the importance of these measures. Yet, if everyone skipped these costs and relied on the efforts of others, the ability of the citrus industry to combat HLB would be greatly reduced, leading to a higher risk of HLB spread in California.
This temptation to free-ride on the efforts of others exists in the management of many natural resources, such as groundwater, fisheries or forests. In 2009, social scientist Elinor Ostrom received the Nobel Prize for Economics for studying how societies organized themselves to manage these types of resources and avoid the problem of free-riding. Throughout her career, she studied many different cases of this problem in different parts of the world, and she identified eight principles that were associated with sustained collective action. Interestingly, most of these principles are present in the strategy for HLB management in California, as shown in the table below.
Due to a lack of participation in coordinated mitigation tactics – the free-rider problem – a similar HLB-management program in Florida was not as effective in keeping HLB at bay. But California has so far been more successful in achieving collective action than other infected areas like Florida, and as is seeing more success in preventing the spread of ACP and HLB, including keeping HLB out of commercial groves.
To continue to stay a step ahead of HLB, it is crucial that California’s citrus industry and residents remain vigilant and engage in coordinated management efforts and follow best practices and regulatory requirements.
Although Ostrom’s principles do not offer a universal solution to all free-riding problems, they can be useful to guide our efforts as we continue to work together to face the threat of HLB.
More information on her research, which was recently published in Food Security Journal, can be found on https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01133-9— By Sara Garcia Figuera, Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program
Design Principle (Ostrom, 1990)
HLB Management in California
1. Clearly defined boundaries: the boundaries define who is responsible for the collective effort and over what area, reducing the cost of monitoring behavior.
PMAs
PCDs
2A. Congruence between rules and local conditions: the rules that are established for the management and maintenance of a resource are aligned with the predominant social norms, culture and agro-ecological conditions in a community.
Rules defined by the citrus industry through Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC) in collaboration with County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
Some pre-existing PCDs
Quarantine zones and rules defined by local conditions (citrus production, ACP populations and/or climatic suitability)
2B. Congruence between appropriation and provision rules: correspondence between the rules governing contributions to the maintenance of the resource system, and the rules governing withdrawal of resources from the system.
Insecticide treatments for ACP funded by individual growers.
Other assessments based on production volume (CPDPP) or acreage (PCD)
3. Collective-choice arrangements: if local users who directly interact with one another can define the rules that regulate the day-to-day decisions about the use of a shared resource, they will be in a better position to incorporate local knowledge.
AWM organized locally through PCDs or PMAs
CPDPC establishes rules in collaboration with CDFA
4A. Monitoring users: a community needs to be able to identify users that do not comply with rules; otherwise there can be no credible commitment. Monitoring should be undertaken by the resource users, better than by external authorities.
Seasonal reports of areas treated for ACP
Packinghouse inspections of grate cleaning or spray & harvest
4B. Monitoring the resource: assesses the extent to which the collective effort is being achieved.
ACP monitoring by CDFA, CACs, Citrus Research Board (CRB) and pest control advisors (PCAs) hired by growers
5. Graduated sanctions: Although sanctioning prevents an excessive violation of community rules, sanctions should be graduated based on the severity and/or repetition of violations to ensure proportionality. And they should be imposed by the resource users or officials accountable to them, to maintain community cohesion.
If less than 90% of the acreage is treated in a PMA or PCD, it will not qualify for the residential buffer treatment
When there is a violation of the tarping requirement, a notice of violation is sent before further sanctions
6. Conflict-resolution mechanisms: Low-cost conflict resolution prevents the cost of conflict from outweighing the benefits of successful collective action.
Task Force meetings and other public meetings have been used for addressing conflicts
7. Minimal recognition of rights to organize:Local institutions are more effective when higher levels of government allow users to self-organize in ways that reflect local social and ecological contexts.
CPDPC
PCDs
Grower leader in PMAs
8. Nested enterprises: refers to the importance of connecting smaller social systems that manage different parts of a larger resource system to facilitate cross-scale coordination.
Statewide program coordinated at the regional, county and local level
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) recently announced the return of its annual dairy innovation competition with a new name and increased focus on advancing excellence in functional dairy product development. The Real California Milk Excelerator, the 3rdedition of the CMAB dairy product innovation competition with innovation consultancy VentureFuel, will award up to $650,000 in prizes for new dairy products that support performance and recovery benefits.
The 2021 Real California Milk Excelerator taps into the thriving functional foods market – a market that has grown significantly over the past year and is projected to reach over $275 billion globally by 2025. With consumers prioritizing personal health and wellness in response to the pandemic, the competition will seek out early-stage startups that utilize two of California’s great resources – an abundant supply of sustainably sourced California milk and the state’s entrepreneurial spirit.
One of the biggest dairy competitions in the world, the competition seeks early-stage, potential for high-growth applicants with a cow’s milk-based product or working prototype that plays a critical role in personal performance (focus, energy, exercise, strength) and/or recovery (rejuvenation, relaxation, gut health, sleep).
Up to twelve applicants will be selected to join the RCM Excelerator program with each receiving a $10,000 stipend and support to refine and scale their individual business as well as benefit from group resources including the development of sales and marketing tools. They will also be entered into the CMAB/VentureFuel Mentor Program which includes elite counsel from successful founders, investors, leading corporate executives, and experts across design, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution, farming and processing industries. The first place Excelerator winner will receive up to $150,000 worth of additional marketing support from CMAB to accelerate their product growth in the marketplace. Second place will receive $100,000 of marketing supports from CMAB. To further advance opportunities for finalists, a private, Buyer/Investor Day event will be hosted for finalists to pitch actual clients to drive business development and secure financing.The value of the competition awards is $650,000.
For the first time, CMAB and VentureFuel also will be awarding up to three companies entry into the new Real California Milk Incubator Boot Camp, an option for companies that have great ideas but are too early for the competition. Led by executives at CMAB, VentureFuel and the California Dairy Innovation Center, Boot Camp participants also will gain entry into the VentureFuel Mentor program as well as review of products, tweaking of pitch, introductions to food labs, nutritionists, etc. (a value of $50,000).
John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB
“Consumers are redefining what health and wellness means and looking for foods that provide not only flavor but functionality to help them achieve optimal health. Whether to maximize daily performance or replenishment after physical activity, dairy is the ultimate functional food supplying quality protein plus several vital nutrients that translate to the products consumers are looking for today,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “With the Excelerator and Incubator platforms, we will be able to support companies as they innovate with dairy to bring more of these products featuring milk from California dairy farmers to market.”
Fred Schonenberg, Founder of VentureFuel, Inc.
VentureFuel, Inc., the leading corporate innovation consultancy, is again partnering with CMAB to run the program and to identify the best emerging opportunities from their global network of investors, founders and academics. “Excelsior is a Latin motto meaning ‘Ever upward!’ andafter the tremendous success of our first two programs with CMAB, where we have provided mentorship and accelerated 24 dairy focused startups, we wanted to cement a name that showed our commitment to moving the industry ever upward, ever quickly. This is how we landed at the Excelerator,” said Fred Schonenberg, Founder of VentureFuel, Inc. “By adding the Incubator Bootcamp and Buyer/Investor Day, CMAB continues their commitment to creating a product innovation ecosystem to further increase the demand for California Dairy while supporting and accelerating the influx of new startups and entrepreneurs creating better-for- you products.”
Competition rules and application documents are available at RealCaMilkExclerator.com and the deadline for application is June 25, 2021.
The Excelerator competitions, which in the past have focused on fluid milk and snacking product startups, are part of the CMAB’s innovation ecosystem, which includes the development in 2020 of the California Dairy Innovation Center, a collaborative platform created to further product-oriented innovation and enhance productivity for the California dairy industry through research, training and education.
California, known for innovation, has a reputation for quality dairy products. As the number one producer of milk in the nation, California also leads the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. More than 1200 family dairy farms produce the California milk found in fluid milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and other dairy products identified by the Real California Milk seal.
About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook,YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
About VentureFuel, Inc.
Founded in 2014, VentureFuel is an independent innovation consultancy that builds innovation programs for industry leaders by unlocking the power of external innovation through startup collaboration. Its programs focus on changing behaviors and beliefs in order to unlock new sources of growth. We provide senior leaders with the tools to drive transformative change within their organizations by opening up their teams to new ways of working, products, services and routes to market. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, Linked-In, Twitterand Instagram. You can hear The VentureFuel Podcast on Apple, Spotify or Simplecast.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will purchase up to $159.4 million in domestically produced seafood, fruits, legumes, and nuts for distribution to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions. These purchases are being made utilizing funds under the authority of Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (Pub. L. 74-320), as amended (Section 32). This is one of many actions USDA is taking to address the disruptions in the food system supply chain and worsened food insecurity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The impacts of COVID-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow. Today, USDA is pleased to make the largest single seafood purchase in the Department’s history. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and non-profits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden Administration works to get the economy back on track for American families.”
Selected commodities include: Alaska pollock, apricots (canned, dried, and frozen), chickpeas, dry peas, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic wild-caught shrimp, lentils, navy beans, Pacific pink shrimp, Pacific rockfish fillets, Pacific whiting fillets, pistachios, prepared peaches, and sockeye (red) salmon. The inventories of these commodities are in high oversupply due to a decrease in demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption in the supply chain, as restaurants and other outlets closed during the pandemic. This is the largest purchase of U.S. raised seafood by the USDA to date.
Within a few days of approval, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will offer these commodities to their networks. Orders should be received during the first week of June with solicitations being issued mid-June and awards occurring near the end of the month. Deliveries should start to occur by mid-August.
Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements and be domestic operations.
The purchase amounts are as follows:
USDA also announced today a policy change that makes food fish and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) under the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Previously, only farm-raised game and bait fish were eligible for death loss ELAP benefits. Beginning June 1, eligible aquaculture producers can request ELAP assistance for 2021 losses. This policy change is for the 2021 and subsequent program years. You can learn more here.
Oakville grape grower and Napa Valley Grapegrowers founder, Ren Harris, has been named the 2021 Napa Valley Grower of the Year.
Harris began his farming career in the late 1960s, moving from San Francisco with his wife, Napa Valley native, Marilyn Pelissa. They purchased a prune orchard in Oakville, CA, where Harris began working odd jobs for family and friends, growing a passion for agriculture and farming.
Harris became involved in causes and efforts near and dear to his heart, dedicating years advocating for the vineyard and winery workforce. In 1972, he founded the California Grower Foundation (now Ag Health Benefits Alliance), which established affordable health care access for farmworkers, and helped improve work conditions for many.
As the Napa County Farm Bureau President from 1975 through 1977, Harris was exposed to a wide range of issues affecting the industry, and with that, his passion for supporting Napa Valley agriculture grew.
In 1975, Harris, alongside long-time Napa Valley grape growers Andy Beckstoffer, William Jaeger, Jr., John Trefethen, Virgil Galleron, Justin Meyer, and Joseph Miller, established the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG). They had a shared focus – to sustain grape growing in the Napa Valley. Through the NVG, they set an important precedent for growers, giving them a voice: developing the Bottle Price Formula; lobbying for geographical and historical indicators to be used to establish a wine’s appellation of origin; initiated the Winery Definition Ordinance, which mandated that 75% of grapes in Napa wine must come from Napa Valley vineyards; and other industry practices commonplace today.
Beyond founding the California Grower Foundation and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, Harris immersed himself in other civic, philanthropic, and professional endeavors, all helping to build a legacy for Napa Valley agriculture and land preservation: Governor of the council of California Growers; Napa Valley Co-Op Winery Director; past president and active board member for the Oakville Winegrowers Association; and, since 2002, a 1% for the Planet movement member, annually dedicating 1% of his winery’s gross sales toward environmental nonprofits.
Harris is a 6th generation Californian. He began as a history major at the University of San Francisco, then pursued additional education from Napa Valley College, UC Davis, and most recently, the University of Bordeaux. In addition to his deep commitment to the Napa County community, Harris’s “day job” from 1980 – 2003 was in vineyard and winery real estate.
Filled every day with genuine gratitude, Harris enjoys riding motorcycles, his Saturday morning breakfast routine with a dear friend, Harold Morrison – a routine that has lasted over 50 years! – and sharing historical anecdotes about the Napa Valley.
NVG President Michael Silacci commented on Harris’s award by stating, “Ren Harris is an icon, scratch that, a legend in the Napa Valley. His tireless efforts to preserve and protect the land, the vineyards, the people, and the community are woven into the fabric of the Napa Valley. If the Grower of the Year were to receive an Oscar-like statue instead of a belt buckle, Ren would be the model for it.”
He and his wife own Paradigm Winery in Oakville, CA.
Nominations for the Grower of the Year come from the NVG membership and the recipient is chosen by a special Selection Committee made up of Past Presidents, current leadership, and active committee members. The award criteria are: a strong commitment to sustainable practices; recognized leadership in agricultural preservation; dedicated community focus, contributions to the Napa Valley community; and someone who actively promotes Napa’s reputation for the highest quality vineyards.
About the Napa Valley Grapegrowers
The Napa Valley Grapegrowers is a non-profit trade organization that has played a vital role in strengthening Napa Valley’s reputation as a world-class viticultural region for 46 years. Its mission is to preserve and promote Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards. NVG represents 685 Napa County grape growers and associated businesses.
On April 15th, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB) finalized and approved Ag Order 4.0. The new rulings affect several aspects of agricultural production such as buffer areas and discharge of pesticides to water ways. In this article we will focus on the impacts of Ag Order 4.0 on the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers.
New targets and limits on the use of N fertilizer are calculated using the A minus R metric. In this scenario, “A” is N applied to the crop in the form of fertilizer (Afertilizer), N in irrigation water (Airrigation), N supplied by compost (Acompost) and N mineralized from organic fertilizer (Aorganic fertilizer). “R” is N removed from the field by the crop (Rharvest), scavenged during the winter fallow by cover crops or immobilized by high-carbon compost (Rscavenge), N removed by denitrification bioreactors (Rtreated), N sequestered in woody plant biomass (Rsequestered), or other unspecified forms of N removal from fields (Rother). Although AgOrder 4.0 outlines 3 pathways to compliance, pathway 1 is most likely the one that most ranches would use unless the wells have very high nitrate-N concentrations (> 40 ppm N). A – R is not to exceed the targets or limits shown in Table 1 for pathway 1 compliance. The A-R is calculated over the growing season on a land acre basis. If two or more crops are grown on the same physical acre, each crop contributes to the value for the year. Below is a discussion of each component of the A-R metric.
The “A” side of the equation:
Afertilizeris the amount of N fertilizer added to grow the crop. The actual units of N in lbs/A are used in this calculation.
Airrigationis the amount of N contained in the irrigation water that is taken up by the crop. For most vegetable and berry crops grown on the central coast the volume of water that must be accounted for in this calculation is equivalent to the volume used by the crop for evapotranspiration (ET). For crops where less water is applied than ET, the volume of applied water can be used in the calculation. To calculate Airrigation use the equation:
Airrigation = water volume (inches) x nitrate-N concentration of water (ppm N) x 0.227
The factor 0.227 converts the units inches x ppm N to lbs of N/acre.
For example, if a lettuce crop uses 7.3 inches for ET, and is irrigated with water that has a 37 ppm N concentration, the Airrigation would be:
7.3 inches x 37 ppm N x 0.227 = 61 lbs N/acre
Acompost is the amount of N provided by compost. Given that the amount of N that is mineralized by the compost depends on the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio not all the N in the compost becomes available. This fact is recognized in the Ag Order as follows:
For compost with a C:N ratio of <11, the amount of N in the compost is multiplied by 0.10, and for composts with a C:N ratio of >11 the amount of N in the compost is multiplied by 0.05. Only this amount of N is added to the A side of the equation. These discount factors were an important change made by the Regional Board staff to reflect the actual quantity of N provided by compost and to avoid a disincentive to the use of composts, a key soil health practice.
Aorganic fertilizer is the amount of N that is mineralized during the cropping system. The amount of N mineralized depends upon the C:N ratio of the material and the CCRWQCB is using the regression curve in a recent paper published by Lazicki et al (2020) to determine the amount of N mineralized. For instance, a material like 4-4-2 has a C:N ratio of 7.3 (29% C/4% N) and has a discount factor of 0.39 (Table MRP-3 in Attachment B). This means that if 100 units of N are applied as 4-4-2, the amount mineralized from this material and that is attributed to the A side of the equation is 39 lbs/A (100 lbs x 0.39). This discount factor acknowledges the fact that not all N in organic fertilizer mineralizes during the cropping season and was an important correction made to Ag Order 4.0.
The “R” side of the equation:
Rharvestis the amount of N that is removed from the field in the harvested product. The amount of N removed in the harvested product is calculated by a removal coefficient composed of the percent moisture multiplied by the percent N of the crop. This coefficient is then multiplied by the net pounds of product harvested from a field to determine lbs N/A removed. We have been working on a project developing N removal coefficients for a number of vegetable commodities. Table 2 shows data for full term romaine lettuce. Note that percent solids and nitrogen values observed in our evaluations vary significantly and that the mean value has a notable degree of variability which affects the estimate of N removed by the crop. Regardless of the variability, the important point to recognize is that the removed N is modest in relation to the amount of N applied. Figure 1 shows total fertilizer N to lettuce for a large number of vegetable operations in our area. It becomes evident that growers face some major challenges in complying with the application limits as the limits ratchet down over the next several years.
Rscavengeis the amount of N that is captured by by cover crops or immobilized by high-carbon compost during the winter fallow period. The CCRWQCB agreed to credit non-legume winter cover crops with 97% of their N content that meet the following criteria: 1) are grown for ≥ 90 days during the winter fallow period, 2) accumulate more than 4,500 lbs/acre of dry biomass and 3) have a C:N ratio of ≥ 20 when incorporated into the ground. N scavenging credits granted for cover crops are helpful, but do not remove any of the current logistical barriers to using of cover crops in intensive vegetable systems. However, given that non-legume cover crops routinely contain 100 to 150+ lbs N/acre, as N application limits ratchet down, cover crop use may be incentivized to some degree.
High-carbon composts were also included in the Rscavenge category. This practice is still being researched to fully understand how much N can be immobilized. Growers already use compost (typical C:N ratio of 10-12) but could substitute high-carbon compost (C:N ratio of >30) which can quickly facilitate its use. Currently, high-carbon compost has been granted a credit of 30 lbs N/acre in Ag Order 4.0. However, once the research on this practice is completed, this practice may be granted greater credits as warranted on the R side of the equation.
Rtreat is the quantity of N removed from tile drainage and irrigation runoff by denitrification bioreactors or constructed wetlands. This practice can be implemented in the northern part of Monterey County where high nitrate tile drain water impacts the surrounding sloughs and creeks. The bioreactors vary in size and sophistication, from sunken beds filled with wood chips to highly engineered portable treatment systems.
Rsequestered is the quantity of N that is captured in the woody plant tissue of perennial crops. This form of N removal is relevant to vineyards and orchards in our area and does not impact the vegetable industry.
Rother is the quantity of N removed from the field in other, unspecified ways. One form of N removal not addressed in Ag Order 4.0 is the gaseous loss of N by denitrification from soil. This is a topic that needs further research. Two studies done on the Central Coast showed that in sandy soils with drip irrigation, there is little nitrous oxide or dinitrogen loss (2-4 lbs N/acre/crop). However, an earlier study of celery and lettuce production fields in the 1980s showed that on heavier soil with furrow irrigation gaseous N losses ranged from 18 to 37 lbs N/acre. Further research is needed to understand denitrification rates more fully in coastal vegetable production.
What options does the industry have moving forward?
Basically, a timer has been started by Ag Order 4.0. The first dates are targets of 500 lbs N/acre/year 2 years from now and 400 lbs N/acre/year in 2025 (four years). Starting in 2027 the targets become limits ratcheting down to 300 lbs N/acre/year. In scenarios that we and others have run, the 300 lbs N/acre/year limit will become very challenging for growers to comply with in typical double cropped production. There are basically three key practices that will provide the most improvements in N use efficiency: 1) measuring residual soil nitrate and adjusting fertilizer applications accordingly, 2) accounting for the nitrate in irrigation water as part of the N budget, and 3) improving irrigation efficiency to help maintain residual soil nitrate in the active rootzone of crops. A concerted focus on these three practices will require a commitment from the decision makers at each farming operation. Farming operations have differed in their approach to the pending water quality regulations. Some have taken a proactive approach and are farther along on the learning curve. It is important to make attempts to begin implementing these practices and see what is possible for your operation given the crop mix, soil types, and nitrate levels in the irrigation water. The good news is that there is still time. To begin implementing these practices, it is important to start small to gain the needed knowledge base in efficient N and water management practices. Working with knowledgeable people will be essential.
Other options that can help fine tune fertilizer applications and reduce the risk of cutting fertilizer rates are various nitrogen technologies such as nitrification inhibitors and controlled release fertilizers. In studies that we have done, there is clearly a benefit to the use of some of these materials, but again, there is a learning curve to obtaining the benefits that they can provide. Nitrapyrin (a nitrification inhibitor commonly used in the corn belt) was registered on lettuce and brassicas in 2019 and has not been widely used yet by the industry, but it along with other materials, deserves greater evaluation.
In summary, the finalization of Ag Order 4.0 will have a significant impact on how vegetables are grown on the Central Coast in the coming years. There is a window of opportunity to begin to experiment on how to address limits that will be applied to the use of N fertilizers. Now is the time to make the decisions needed to address this new reality. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for help or advice. — By Richard Smith & Michael Cahn, UC Cooperative Extension
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition — As farmers all across the country enter the busy season of spring planting, policymakers are busy in the nation’s Capital as well getting ready to roll out important relief provisions included in the latest round of COVID-19 aid. Congress passed its fifth round of relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic – The American Rescue Plan – earlier this spring, which included $5 billion in direct aid for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with implementing this provision, with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) responsible for distributing the approximately $4 billion in farm debt relief payments for BIPOC producers who have farm loans made directly by FSA or through private lenders (i.e. Farm Credit, ag banks) with USDA guarantees. While payments have yet to be issued to farmers, the new Administration is working quickly to get urgent relief to some of our nation’s most hard-hit and persistently underserved farmers in the country.
USDA recently released more information on how these relief funds would be distributed and what farmers need to know about accessing this relief. Many of the most frequently asked questions are summarized below, with additional information on USDA’s website.
Who is eligible for relief?
All Black, Native American, Alaskan Native, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latino farmers are eligible for relief, so long as they have outstanding debt on any of the following types of FSA loans (as of January 1, 2021):
In order to issue payments to eligible borrowers, farmers must have their demographic information on file with FSA. If you are uncertain of your demographic designation with FSA, call your local Service Center to verify your classification on record. If an update or correction is needed, farmers may either fill out an AD-2047 form (PDF, 234 KB) and return it to your local USDA service center or call them to update your record, including race and ethnicity.
If multiple borrowers are listed on the loan, the loan is still eligible for relief so long as one of the borrowers meets the criteria listed above.
Do farmers need to apply for debt relief?
Debt relief payments will be made automatically and do not require farmers to apply for payment. USDA is in the process of notifying all eligible borrowers that they have loans that are eligible for debt relief. Farmers will need to verify their total outstanding debt and return the form to FSA before payments are issued.
If you believe you are eligible for debt relief and have not received a notification from FSA, first check with your local service center to ensure your demographic information is on file. If an update or correction is needed, you may either fill out an AD-2047 form or contact your local service center to update your record, including race and ethnicity.
What about farmers who don’t have loans with FSA?
Currently, debt relief is only available for farmers who have current outstanding debt with FSA directly, or with an FSA guaranteed lender. However, farmers who are not eligible may be able to benefit from additional assistance from USDA. While USDA estimates that the debt held by BIPOC borrowers through FSA direct and guaranteed loans is roughly $4 Billion, USDA also has approximately $1 Billion that may be able to be used to provide relief for farmers that hold other types of debt. USDA is actively working to establish a process for providing assistance to former borrowers that are socially disadvantaged based on race and ethnicity. Details will be shared as soon as a process is established.
More aid on the way?
In addition to the $4 Billion in farm debt relief payments, Congress authorized an additional $1 Billion to allow USDA to provide additional support for BIPOC farmers. This includes funding to:
Provide financial assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners that are former farm loan borrowers that suffered related adverse actions or past discrimination or bias in USDA programs
Support outreach, mediation, financial training, capacity building training, cooperative development training and support, and other technical assistance for BIPOC producers
Provide grants and loans to improve land access for socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners
Establish an equity commission within USDA to address racial equity issues
Conduct agricultural research, education, and extension, as well as scholarships and internship programs, at minority serving academic institutions (i.e. 1890s, 1994s, HSIs)
USDA is in the process of soliciting input from stakeholders and BIPOC farmers on how best to utilize this additional funding, including how to provide relief for farmers who have faced discrimination in accessing USDA programs. NSAC will continue to provide updates on how this funding will be prioritized. In the meantime, we encourage farmers and stakeholders within the sustainable agriculture community to check out our BIPOC partners to learn more about what is truly needed to lift up and support these communities:
Nematodes normally get a bad reputation. Yes, some of these miniscule creatures can cause harm in plants and animals. But little is known about the non-parasitic nematodes, which have many beneficial roles. Ashley Shaw from the University of Oregon explores this topic in this Soils Matter blog:
The 2021 Real California Milk Excelerator taps into the thriving functional foods market – a market that has grown significantly over the past year and is projected to reach over $275 billion globally by 2025. With consumers prioritizing personal health and wellness in response to the pandemic, the competition will seek out early-stage startups that utilize two of California’s great resources – an abundant supply of sustainably sourced California milk and the state’s entrepreneurial spirit.
