California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Abby Hammermeister of UC Davis Wins National Grape Research Alliance Inaugural Award

    In Spring 2022, the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) announced the NGRA Fellowship, offering $30,000 per year for up to three years to a Ph.D. student conducting research addressing one or more of NGRA’s industry research priorities. In addition to the monetary award, the doctoral fellowship also includes a unique opportunity to receive mentorship, exposure to commercial grape production and networking with the organization’s national Board of Directors, representing all sectors and regions of the American grape and wine industry. The NGRA Fellowship is made possible by a grant from the NGRA Research Fund.

    “Many of the legends of grape science are retiring, and a tremendous wave of talented new scientists are coming up—it’s a unique window of opportunity we wanted to leverage,” said NGRA Board Chairman Russell Smithyman. “We established the NGRA Fellowship to begin to initiate and nurture lifelong relationships with promising Ph.D.-level students who aspire to make a career helping to advance grape and wine science through innovative, industry-priority grape research. It’s an exciting initiative for an exciting time in our industry.”

    The inaugural NGRA Fellow is Abby Hammermeister (shown above), a graduate student pursuing her Ph.D. in Biophysics as a member of the McElrone USDA-ARS Plant Physiology Lab at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). Her proposed research, “From Leaves to Space: Linking Physiological Responses to Stress with Proximal Sensing Systems,” focuses on how grapevines’ complex response to heat and drought may be monitored and ultimately managed using proximal sensors and other technologies. In her NGRA Fellowship application, Ms. Hammermeister explained that, as an undergraduate student, she discovered the field of biophysics and its applications to plants. Her research “helped me realize that I could apply my quantitative and computational skills to studying plants and sustainable agriculture,” with a specific interest in water management and grapes and vineyard systems.

    Nick Dokoozlian, Vice President – Winegrowing Research at E. & J. Gallo Winery and NGRA Research Chair said, “Abby is an impressive young scientist, who is passionate about applying basic research to further elucidate the bio-physical mechanisms related to grapevine water use. We are anxious to learn how her research progresses and have no doubt that both she and her work will be assets to the industry.

    “We are also very pleased to further strengthen our relationship with Abby’s Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Andrew McElrone of the USDA-ARS and UC Davis,” Dr. Dokoozlian continued. “Andrew and the members of his laboratory are highly respected researchers working on the cutting edge of new technologies to improve vineyard irrigation management. Our industry continues to benefit significantly from their research to increase grapevine water use efficiency.”

    A native of Cheney, Washington, Ms. Hammermeister earned her bachelor of arts degree in Biology with a minor in Mathematics at Carroll College in Helena, Montana. Her undergraduate research was funded by a Connie Callahan Munzenrider CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience) Scholar award in 2019 and, in coming to UC Davis in 2021, she received the university’s highly competitive Dean’s Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for her first year of study.

    “Abby has a bright future as an academic or federal researcher, and can make significant contributions to the grape industry,” said Andrew McElrone, USDA-ARS Research Plant Physiologist and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, who serves as Ms. Hammermeister’s academic advisor. “Support from the NGRA Fellowship will help to ensure that she is working exclusively on grape research and applying her computational and quantitative skills to real-world problems across grape commodities.”

    “The opportunity to connect with industry mentors and do research in commercial vineyard settings is a great way to help me better understand how I could contribute to advancing applied research in grapes,” Ms. Hammermeister said. “I welcome these partnerships and the insights into potential career options in the grape industry for Ph.D.-level scientists.”

    Ms. Hammermeister was one of 13 Ph.D. students who applied for the NGRA Fellowship. The applicants spanned the U.S., representing California, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Texas and Washington. The research projects they proposed addressed remote sensing and mapping; disease, pest and irrigation management; yield estimation; vineyard soil health; genetics and grapevine breeding and more. And their academic advisors are a who’s who of scientists working in grape today.

    “We were humbled by the response from the academic community to our call for entries for the NGRA Fellowship and overwhelmed by the quality of the 13 top-notch applications we received,” said NGRA President Donnell Brown. “These young scientists already are setting a high bar for grape research, and their pursuit of doctorate degrees in grape and wine science underscores their commitment to the industry. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for them and are excited to be part of Abby’s promising career.”

    ABOUT THE NATIONAL GRAPE RESEARCH ALLIANCE

    The National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) was organized in 2005 as a strategic planning organization for research to strengthen the productivity, sustainability and competitiveness of America’s grape and wine industry. The nonprofit organization unites all grape sectors including raisin, juice, table and wine grapes together with researchers and grant funders in a unique collaborative effort that focuses on initiating game-changing, national-level research to advance the industry. For more information, visit graperesearch.org.

  • California Olive Oil Crop Estimate at 1.8 Million Gallons

    The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) Board of Directors has established a pre-season crop estimate of 1.8 million gallons for the 2022/23 season. The estimate is down significantly from the 2021/22 season when just over 3 million gallons were produced by OOCC members, who represent approximately 90 percent of California’s olive oil production.

    The Board also reviewed and adopted a budget for the OOCC’s 2022/23 fiscal year. The assessment rate remains at 16 cents per gallon and is mandatory for producers with 5,000 gallons or more of olive oil per year.

    The budget for OOCC expenses was approved at $416,000 with an additional $97,848 set aside in reserves. The OOCC expected expenditures breakdown as follows: $110,000 for the Testing and Sampling Program; $105,000 for Research; $38,000 for Outreach and $160,100 for Administration and Operations.

  • Agtech Startups to Compete for $250,000 in AgSharks Pitch Competition

    Western Growers and S2G Ventures are now accepting applications for the 2022 AgSharks Competition, a unique event where startup companies pitch their innovations in front of a live audience of the world’s largest specialty crop producers to win a $250,000 minimum investment. Impact-driven entrepreneurs and startups developing technologies that promote a more healthy and sustainable food and agriculture system can apply for the AgSharks Competition at 2022agsharksevent.splashthat.com. Applications close on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022.

    “With a proven track record of rewarding cutting-edge agtech innovators and enabling them to grow their businesses, we look forward to this year’s competitors engaging in a live, spirited back-and-forth with our members on how best to use technology to solve the most pressing needs of our industry,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “With its real-world financial stakes for the start-ups and the potential long-term benefits for our members, the AgSharks Competition is one of the highlights of our Annual Meeting.” 

    Three startups will be selected to pitch their inventions to a panel of growers, shippers, processors and venture capitalists in front of more than 300 fresh produce farmers and industry leaders during the WG Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on Nov. 2-5, 2022. The AgSharks finalists will be the only presenting startups featured on stage. In addition to potential investment capital, the winner(s) will receive international recognition, mentoring from S2G and WG, potential access to farm acreage to pilot their technologies and access to WG’s expansive network of leading fresh produce companies.

    “AgSharks leads as the only pitch competition that offers agtech startups an audience with the biggest agricultural companies across the globe,” said Audre Kapacinskas, Principal at S2G Ventures. “The combination of exclusive access to hundreds of industry leaders, plus investment capital to fuel growth, are two elements that are crucial for a startup’s success in this industry.”

    AgSharks was first held in 2017, and through the competition, past winners Hazel Technologies and Burro have since brought their products from development to market. Hazel Technologies has raised over $87.8 million in funding over six rounds and is advancing the industry with sachets that extend the shelf life of fresh produce by as much as three times. Burro raised a $10.9 million Series A round in September 2021 led by S2G Ventures and Toyota Ventures and continues to help solve farmers’ labor woes with the expansion of its fleet of autonomous robots to farms across the west.

    About Western Growers:

    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Western Growers’ members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. Connect and learn more about Western Growers on Twitter and Facebook.

    About S2G Ventures:

    S2G Ventures, the direct investment team of Builders Vision, partners with entrepreneurs who are working on solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges across the food, agriculture, oceans, and clean energy markets. We provide capital, mentorship and value-added resources to companies pursuing innovative market-based solutions that generate positive social, environmental and financial returns. We provide our partners with flexible capital solutions that can range from seed and venture funding through growth equity to debt and infrastructure financing. For more information about S2G, visit s2gventures.com, tune-in to our podcast, or connect with us on LinkedIn.

  • Julie Henderson Confirmed as California DPR Director

    The California State Senate confirmed the appointment of Julie Henderson as director of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

    Henderson’s formal confirmation – passed on a 29 to 0 vote  – follows her appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom in December 2021.

    Henderson was acting director from July 2021 until her appointment. Prior to joining DPR, Henderson served as the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Deputy Secretary for Public Policy, beginning in November 2017.

    “Julie’s vision of collaboration, equity and sustainability will move this department forward as the state works to support a thriving agricultural sector while elevating public health and the environment,” said Jared Blumenfeld, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Californians will benefit from her continued focus on the adoption of safer, more sustainable pest management practices.”

    “I’m honored to serve in this position to help protect all Californians and our environment,” Henderson said. “I’m grateful to Governor Newsom for giving me this opportunity and to the Senate for their confirmation of my appointment.”

    Since joining DPR, Henderson has led several environmental, public health and community engagement initiatives with DPR staff and state agency partners. Under Henderson’s leadership, DPR worked with CalEPA and the Department of Food and Agriculture in convening the Sustainable Pest Management Work Group in 2021.

    The group is preparing to release a draft roadmap focused on accelerating the systemwide adoption of sustainable pest management in agricultural and urban settings to promote human health and safety, ecosystem resilience, agricultural sustainability, community wellbeing and economic vitality. The work group includes by representatives of a wide range of industry, community and environmental stakeholders, along with academic and government partners. The roadmap is expected to be released this fall.

    Henderson also led DPR in awarding $3.15 million in grants in July to fund research into sustainable pest management practices in agricultural, urban, and wildland settings. The department also awarded about $1.8 million in grants to fund projects that promote implementation and use of sustainable pest management strategies.

    “This is an exciting time for DPR and the state as a whole,” said Henderson. “I’m honored to be a part of this important work.”

    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 400 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • Impacts of Winter Grazing, Integrating Crop-Livestock Systems

    Winter grazing is part of what is called an integrated crop-livestock system. It is a process where livestock, such as cattle or goats, are allowed to graze a crop field during the winter. It is more common in climates with mild winters. Rather than eating the cash crop the farmer sells, the livestock eat the cover crop that was planted to grow over the winter.

    Winter grazing is a useful option for farmers who also raise livestock. They can feed them using cover crops they were going to plant anyway, a cost-efficient and sustainable practice. But how does winter grazing impact the soil underneath? Hayley Crowell, researcher at Auburn University, and her team worked to find out.

    Researcher Hayley Crowell collects cotton root samples to be evaluated for fungi colonization rates. These measurements will help the team evaluate the soil health of the integrated crop-livestock system. Credit: Audrey Gamble

    “Finding the best management practices to improve soil health and maximize economic gains can improve the livelihoods of producers in the Southeast and all over the world,” she explains. “This is possible by using cropland year-round and potentially improving crop productivity through increased soil health.”

    This study was published in Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment Journal, a publication of the American Society of Agronomy, and Crop Science Society of America.

    They performed a study for two years on a site in Alabama. The team started the experiment in October 2018 beginning with planting the cover crops. The grazing began and then the first cash crop of the experiment was planted in the spring. The cash crop was harvested in mid-October. Next, the cover crops were planted shortly after harvest.

    In mid-January after the cover crop was well-established, they allowed livestock to graze the fields until it was time to plant more cash crops in the spring and repeat the process. In their experiment, they let cattle graze the fields for different lengths of time and studied the soil carefully. “Soil chemical properties are very important to understanding and evaluating soil health,” Crowell says. “Various soil chemical indicators are related to basic soil functions. These include promoting microbial activity, controlling water flow, nutrient cycling, and physical stability.”

    They tested for soil organic carbon and active carbon to check for impacts on soil organic matter, which is viewed by most as very important for soil health. The team also analyzed what is called water stable aggregates and penetration resistance. These are qualities of soil that impact how it takes in water and how well plants grow in it. Lastly, they studied the microbes in the soil, many of which are beneficial to plants.

    Rows of cotton, a cash crop, grow among bits of cover crop left on the soil surface. Cover crops are plants grown during the off-season. Credit: Hayley Crowell

    After the first two years of their study, the scientists did not find that winter grazing impacted the soil very much. This means there were no positive effects. However, it also means there were no negative effects. This is useful information for farmers practicing winter grazing.

    “Our data points to how farmers can use this style of management without seeing a big change in soil health in the first two years,” Crowell says. “The study was only based on data from two years. So, it’s not too surprising that our data didn’t point to significant changes in soil health between the different grazing treatments. With more time, we will hopefully be able to paint a clearer picture of how the length of winter grazing impacts soil health.”

    Crowell stresses that this is part of a long-term study, and will require further research collecting more data on the impacts of winter grazing on soil. It is possible cattle hooves stepping on the soil will compact it, or that their manure will provide benefits to the soil. These are just a couple of possibilities that will be examined in future work.

    “There is limited research on integrated crop-livestock systems that are designed to promote soil health,” she says. “While some producers are already incorporating winter grazing into their cropping system, they are not necessarily managing it in a way to improve soil health. This is what our study aimed to investigate.”

    Funding for this research was provided by the Alabama Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  • CA Table Olive Forecast Down Considerably This Year

    USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — The 2022 California table olive forecast is 20,000 tons, down considerably from last year’s crop of 46,500 tons, according to a survey conducted by the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Office. Bearing acreage is estimated at 12,000, which results in a yield of 1.67 tons per acre.

    The Manzanillo production forecast is 18,500 tons, Sevillano production forecast is 1,400 tons, and other varieties are expected to total 100 tons.

    A freeze during February damaged developing buds and negatively impacted production. Growers reported variable crop yields by both variety and area. Manzanillo yields were reported to be slightly higher than the Sevillano yields. Water availability, labor costs, and marketing remain issues for California olives growers, with many uncertain how much of their crop will be economical to harvest.

    SURVEY SAMPLE

    There were 305 growers sampled for the survey. Reports from 224 were used to establish this forecast. The sample is designed to provide a State estimate of all varieties; estimates by variety are less precise.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    A special thanks goes to the many olive growers who participated in the survey. Time spent completing the survey is appreciated, and helpful in estimating current condition of the olive industry in California. The California Table Olive Forecast is funded by the California Olive Committee.

  • California Prune Board Announces 2022-2024 Officers and Board Members

    The California Prune Board (CPB) has officially seated its 22-member board and 16 alternates for the 2022-2024 term.  Following certification of the election by the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture, the new board approved the 2022/23 fiscal year programs and budget at its June board meeting. The CPB officers are:

    • Chair: George Sousa Jr., President of Mariani Packing Co., Inc., Vacaville, Calif. (re- elected)
    • Vice Chair: Mike Vereschagin, Vereschagin Farms, Orland, Calif. (newly elected) 
    • Secretary: Dan Bozzo, Triple B Ranch, Gridley, Calif. (re-elected) 
    • Treasurer: Rajeev Davit, Davit Ranches, Yuba City, Calif. (re-elected) 
    “Our values as a Board keep us driven towards quality and continuous improvement and I’m honored to continue serving as Board chairman alongside dedicated individuals who share a vision of creating a world more enthusiastic about California Prunes,” said George Sousa Jr., President, Mariani Packing Co. “Our industry – like all of agriculture today – has its challenges, but the CPB has been around for 70 years, and we believe in the power of our product and the importance of a vital industry for generations to come.” 
    The newly seated board will serve through May 2024.

    “California Prune growers and handlers have proven to be resilient, strategic, and disciplined in producing a premium fruit that is enjoyed domestically and in export markets around the world,” said Donn Zea, Executive Director, California Prune Board. “Alongside our industry stakeholders, we are dedicated to helping the trade and consumers alike discover the many wonders that California Prunes offer – from health and nutrition benefits, exceptional taste, premium quality, unmatched versatility – and so much more.”   

    The board will focus on advancing the key CPB priority areas that have been determined with input from numerous industry members and the executive committee. Focus areas include:
    • Nutrition research
    • Trade policy and market support
    • Industry unification
    • Production research
    • Expanding global visibility for California Prunes

    CPB membership is composed of 22-member board seats that are elected by the industry, organized by seven districts and a non-industry public member. The CPB officers are selected by the newly seated board members for their leadership roles.

    California is the world’s largest producer of prunes providing about 40 percent of the world’s supply and more than 90% of the U.S. supply. Today, there are more than 36,000 bearing acres of California Prune orchards producing an average of 80,000 tons each year. Consistency in production, driven by rigorous agricultural standards, and superior taste is keeping the demand for prunes from California strong in over 60 countries.

    ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD

    The California Prune Board was established in 1952 to represent growers and handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture. California is the world’s largest producer of prunes with orchards across 14 counties in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. Promoting a lifetime of wellness through the enjoyment of California Prunes, the organization leads the premium prune category with generations of craftsmanship supported by California’s leading food safety and sustainability standards. California Prunes. Prunes. For life.

  • Soil Health Academy Marks Five-Year Anniversary, Looks to Expand Future Efforts

    It started with a vision to share the hope in healthy soil. On August 22, 2017, the Soil Health Academy (SHA) kicked off its first, three-day, regenerative farming school at soil health pioneer Gabe Brown’s ranch near Bismarck, North Dakota.

    Today, the non-profit organization is celebrating its fifth year of operation while also announcing plans to expand its efforts to help farmers and ranchers successfully and profitably apply nature’s time-proven, regenerative agriculture principles and practices in their respective operations.

    Founded by Ray Archuleta, Gabe Brown, David Brandt and Allen Williams, SHA’s world-renowned instructors have conducted scores of three-day schools and specialty workshops across the country, teaching hundreds of farmers, ranchers and educators from around the globe the transformative power of soil health-improving regenerative agriculture.

    “Since its first school five years ago, SHA has been at the forefront of providing practical, on-farm education and support to producers so they can grow healthier soil, profits, food and futures,” said SHA President Dawn Brietkreutz. A U.S. Air Force veteran and regenerative farmer, Brietkreutz and her husband Grant operate Stoney Creek Farm near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, which has been the host site for numerous SHA schools and workshops throughout the past five years. She is also an original member of SHA’s board of directors.

    “Transitioning from chemical- and tillage-dependent conventional farming requires farmers and ranchers to possess a significantly higher level of understanding of soil health-improving regenerative farming principles,” Breitkreutz said. “Knowledge, observation, understanding and problem-solving skills are key to the successful application of regenerative agricultural systems—and SHA’s schools have a proven track record of helping producers achieve those objectives.”

    In its most recent poll, more than two-thirds of SHA graduates reported experiencing both positive soil resource and economic improvements while transitioning from conventional to regenerative agricultural practices. More than a third of its graduates reported reducing synthetic fertilizer and/or pesticide use by 30 percent or more.

    Brietkreutz said today’s “five-year regeneration celebration” also represents an important opportunity to scale up the transformative power of farming in nature’s image.

    “During the past five years, producer interest in regenerative agriculture has grown considerably, as has the community of generous individuals, corporations and NGOs who continue to partner with SHA to expand and accelerate our education and farmer-support operations,” Brietkreutz said. “In addition to developing new learning opportunities and expanding SHA school and scholarship programs, we’re also looking to reach consumers, educators and policy makers through additional outreach and educational platforms in the near- and mid-term,” she said. “So, in addition to helping ensure on-farm regenerative success, we want to help drive consumer awareness, interest and demand for regeneratively grown products, in the months and years ahead.”

    Even as the organization marks this historic milestone, co-founder Gabe Brown will be busy hosting another three-day, regenerative farming and ranching school during the week of SHA’s fifth anniversary. According to Brown, these practical, on-farm schools remain the most effective education delivery method to ensure regenerative producer success.

    “From the outset, we recognized that producer success was dependent on individuals understanding the six principles of soil health, the three rules of adaptive grazing and the four ecosystem processes,” Brown said. “Understanding how to apply that knowledge within the context of producers’ operations remains the foundation of SHA’s teaching and learning model.”

    According to Brown, the future of regenerative agriculture is bright, thanks to all those who represent and support the regenerative farming movement.

    “I’m proud of the incredible success of SHA and its graduates over the past five years,” Brown said. “The tireless dedication of SHA’s instructors, staff and board of directors has no doubt played a key role in that success. With continued support from donors and through the on-going hard work of our regenerative farming and ranching community, I know the best years of SHA lie ahead. And that’s great news for the future of our family farms, our food security, our health and our planet.”

  • Additional Pre-Filled Applications Mailing to Farmers Impacted Recent Disasters

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced another installment (phase) in assistance to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021. More than 18,000 producers will soon receive new or updated pre-filled disaster applications to offset eligible crop losses. Approximately $6.4 billion has already been distributed to 165,000 producers through USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP).

    “We knew when we announced ERP in May that we would have additional applications to send toward the end of the summer as we received new information, and we came to know of producers who were inadvertently left out of the first data set we used,” said USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie. “I am proud of our team’s continued effort to capture additional insurance records to enable over 18,000 producers to receive new or updated pre-filled disaster applications to provide much needed financial relief.”

    FSA will begin mailing pre-filled applications in late August to producers who have potentially eligible losses and:

    • Received crop insurance indemnities for qualifying 2020 and 2021 disaster events after May 2, 2022.
    • Received crop insurance indemnities associated with Nursery, Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) and Margin Protection (MP) policies.
    • New primary policyholders not included in the initial insured producer Phase 1 mailing from May 25, 2022, because their claim records had not been filled.
    • Certain 2020 prevent plant losses related to qualifying 2020 disaster events that had only been recorded in crop insurance records as related to 2019 adverse weather events and, as such, were not previously provided in applications sent earlier this year.
    • New Substantial Beneficial Interest (SBI) records, including SBIs where tax identification numbers were corrected.

    Producers are expected to receive assistance direct deposited into their bank account within three business days after they sign and return the pre-filled application to the FSA county office and the county office enters the application into the system.

    Before applying any program payment factors or eligibility criteria, it is estimated that this next installment (phase) may generate about $756 million in assistance.

    Emergency Relief Payments to Date 
    This emergency relief under ERP complements ERP assistance recently provided to more than 165,000 producers who had received crop insurance indemnities and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) payments for qualifying losses. USDA has processed more than 255,000 applications for ERP, and to date, has made approximately $6.4 billion in payments to commodity and specialty crop producers to help offset eligible losses from qualifying 2020 and 2021 natural disasters. Also, earlier this year, staff processed more than 100,000 payments through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) and paid eligible producers more than $601.3 million for 2021 grazing losses within days of the program announcement.

    Phase Two 
    The second phase of both ERP and ELRP will be aimed at filling gaps and provide assistance to producers who did not participate in or receive payments through the existing risk management programs that are being leveraged for phase one implementation. USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program details are made available.

    More Information 
    In addition, on Aug. 18, 2022, USDA published a technical correction to the Notice of Funds Availability for ERP and ELRP to clarify how income from the sale of farm equipment and the provision of production inputs and services to farmers, ranchers, foresters, and farm operations are to be considered in the calculation of average adjusted gross farm income.  Producers whose average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75% of the producer’s the average Adjusted Gross Income can gain access to a higher payment limitation.

    ERP and the previously announced ELRP are authorized by the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which President Biden signed into law in 2021. The law provided $10 billion to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.

    For more information on ERP and ELRP eligibility, program provisions for historically underserved producers as well as Frequently Asked Questions, producers can visit FSA’s Emergency Relief webpage. A new public-facing dashboard on the ERP webpage has information on ERP payments that can be sorted by crop type – specialty or non-specialty– specific commodities and state. FSA will update the dashboard every Monday.

    Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Farm Loan Discovery Tool. For FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.

  • Growing Cereal Crops With Less Fertilizer

    Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers needed to grow cereal crops. The discovery could save farmers in the United States billions of dollars annually in fertilizer costs while also benefiting the environment.

    The research comes out of the lab of Eduardo Blumwald, a distinguished professor of plant sciences, who has found a new pathway for cereals to capture the nitrogen they need to grow.

    The discovery could also help the environment by reducing nitrogen pollution, which can lead to contaminated water resources, increased greenhouse gas emissions and human health issues. The study was published in the journal Plant Biotechnology.

    Nitrogen is key to plant growth, and agricultural operations depend on chemical fertilizers to increase productivity. But much of what is applied is lost, leaching into soils and groundwater. Blumwald’s research could create a sustainable alternative.

    “Nitrogen fertilizers are very, very expensive,” Blumwald said. “Anything you can do to eliminate that cost is important. The problem is money on one side, but there are also the harmful effects of nitrogen on the environment.”

    A New Pathway to Natural Fertilizer

    Blumwald’s research centers on increasing the conversion of nitrogen gas in the air into ammonium by soil bacteria — a process known as nitrogen fixation.

    Legumes such as peanuts and soybeans have root nodules that can use nitrogen-fixing bacteria to provide ammonium to the plants. Cereal plants like rice and wheat don’t have that capability and must rely on taking in inorganic nitrogen, such as ammonia and nitrate, from fertilizers in the soil.

    “If a plant can produce chemicals that make soil bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen gas, we could modify the plants to produce more of these chemicals,” Blumwald said. “These chemicals will induce soil bacterial nitrogen fixation and the plants will use the ammonium formed, reducing the amount of fertilizer used.”

    Blumwald’s team used chemical screening and genomics to identify compounds in rice plants that enhanced the nitrogen-fixing activity of the bacteria.

    Then they identified the pathways generating the chemicals and used gene editing technology to increase the production of compounds that stimulated the formation of biofilms. Those biofilms contain bacteria that enhanced nitrogen conversion. As a result, nitrogen-fixing activity of the bacteria increased, as did the amount of ammonium in the soil for the plants.

    “Plants are incredible chemical factories,” he said. “What this could do is provide a sustainable alternative agricultural practice that reduces the use of excessive nitrogen fertilizers.”

    The pathway could also be used by other plants. A patent application on the technique has been filed by the University of California and is pending.

    Dawei Yan, Hiromi Tajima, Howard-Yana Shapiro, Reedmond Fong and Javier Ottaviani from UC Davis contributed to the research paper, as did Lauren Cline from Bayer Crop Science. Ottaviani is also a research associate at Mars Edge.

    The research was funded by the Will W. Lester Endowment. Bayer Crop Science is supporting further research on the topic. — By Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences