California Ag Network

Tag: Organic Farming

  • Fourth Annual Organic Field Day Returning to Cal Poly on July 23

    The Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research at California Polytechnic State University will host its Fourth Annual Organic Field Day on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Cal Poly’s Organic Sandbox on Highland Ave. The free event is open to the public and designed for farmers, agricultural professionals, students, and anyone interested in organic agriculture.

    The Organic Field Day offers attendees hands-on access to ongoing student-led research in organic nutrient and pest management, a workshop with the Coalition for Food Safety and Sustainability, and a discussion of trap crops for flea beetles and cucumber beetles. Participants can expect guided field tours, live demonstrations, and direct conversations with Cal Poly researchers and faculty working on practical solutions for organic producers.

    “The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is an opportunity to see the next generation of

    agricultural innovation in action. Attendees will hear directly from Cal Poly students researching soil health and pest management while engaging with experts on practical topics, including trap cropping, food safety, and sustainability. Whether you’re a grower, advisor, student, or industry professional, you’ll leave with ideas and connections that can be applied immediately.” — Matthew Grieshop, Director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research (mgriesho@calpoly.edu)

    “The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is a great event with educational sessions on key topics that are critical for organic farming – organic nutrient management, organic pest and disease management, and understanding soil health. These sessions are all presented by Cal Poly students involved in conducting the research. I believe the information presented will be of interest to the whole organic farming community.” — Ramy Colfer, True Organic Products (rcolfer@true.ag)

    The event follows the Strawberry Center Field Day, also held on July 23 at Cal Poly. Attendees should register for each event separately.

    Registration is free and open to all. Registration and sponsorship links can be found at

    organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026

    Event Details

    Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026

    Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, immediately following the Strawberry Center Field Day.

    Location: Cal Poly Organic Sandbox, Highland Ave., Cal Poly campus.

    Free Event Parking: H1 Lot, Mount Bishop Rd.

    Cost: Free and open to the public.

    For more information, please email Matthew Grieshop, director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research, at mgriesho@calpoly.edu, or visit organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026. — Story contributed by the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research

  • New Webinar Series by CAFF and UC Aids Farmers Transitioning to Organic

    Farmers seeking guidance on starting or advancing their transition to organic crop production are invited to attend free webinars led by a wide range of experts, including University of California scientists and fellow growers.

    Held at noon every Wednesday from Jan. 14 to March 18, 2026, the “Transition to Organic Webinar Series” covers the certification process, market dynamics, soil health and soil amendments, pest and weed management, and other key topics of organic production. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions but can choose any webinars that are most relevant for them.

    Learn more and register; attendees also can choose real-time Hmong or Spanish interpretation for each session.

    The 10 online sessions – each comprising a 75-minute presentation and discussion, followed by optional office hours – are organized and sponsored by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, UC Cooperative Extension, and the UC Organic Agriculture Institute (an institute of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources).

    “This is the first time UC ANR is partnering with CAFF to offer such a series focused on transition to organic,” said Margaret Lloyd, UCCE organic agriculture and small farms advisor for Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties. “Ultimately, we hope to provide the resources, community and support to folks who want to make a successful transition.”

    California leads the U.S. in the number of organic farms, land in organic production and organic sales. In 2023, there were more than 3,300 organic producers in the state, according to the latest California Department of Food and Agriculture report.

    Organizers designed the webinars to appeal to producers across California and to directly address issues that a variety of agricultural operations face.

    “This series brings together technical assistance providers and farmers to explore the full range of challenges producers face when transitioning to organic – from certification and market considerations to management practices, biodiversity, recordkeeping and inspections,” said Grace Jackson, the Central Valley regional lead for CAFF’s Farmer Services team.

    Series addresses challenges of certification, market dynamics, pest and weed management

    Another organizer, Katharina Ullmann – training and technical assistance coordinator at the UC Organic Agriculture Institute – said that demand for more information was quite apparent during workshops held this past year throughout the state, from Siskiyou County to San Diego.

    “Standalone workshops are great, but there is a lot of information to cover in a two- or three-hour workshop,” Ullmann said. “We thought it would be helpful to have a longer, regular series, where we would have a whole hour to dig into a specific transition topic.”

    The lineup of presenters – available on the registration page – reflects a diverse mix of perspectives on organic agriculture, encompassing firsthand farmer experiences and the latest scientific research.

    “We have farmer panels; we have people who work with certifiers, and organic inspectors; we have UCCE advisors and specialists who will present as part of this workshop,” Ullmann said. “Over the past three decades, many individual farmers and other partners like the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology, the CCOF [California Certified Organic Farmers] Foundation and the Ecological Farming Association [EcoFarm] have provided training on transitioning to organic production. We are excited to add to that body of work.”

    She noted that the series covers many of the topics mentioned by respondents to the Organic Agriculture Institute’s statewide needs assessment survey. In addition to crop production challenges and market concerns, growers emphasized the need for support on certification processes and related paperwork (such as the Organic System Plan) – topics to be presented on Jan. 21.

    Aside from this new series on topics about transitioning to organic, Lloyd and other UCCE advisors are continuing an annual online Organic Agriculture Seminar Series on specific aspects of organic production. Details for those webinars, scheduled for Tuesdays at noon in 2026, will be posted on Lloyd’s website.

    Registration and information on the “Transition to Organic Webinar Series” can be found at: https://actionnetwork.org/events/transition-to-organic-webinar-series-for-crop-producers/.

    The series is made possible through funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture State Organic Program, the CDFA Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, and the United States Department of Agriculture Transition to Organic Partnership Program.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu.

    To read more UC ANR news, visit our newsroom at ucanr.edu/News.

  • Business Builder Awards Infuse $1.5M into Food Enterprises Across Southwest

    Awards totaling approximately $1.5 million will empower farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs and strengthen local food systems and supply chain resiliency throughout the southwestern United States.

    Barraza Farms is a small-scale organic farm growing mixed vegetables in Santa Cruz County.

    The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Southwest Regional Food Business Center are pleased to announce the first round of Business Builder Award grants to 73 small and mid-sized farm and food businesses across the Southwest region.

    The Business Builder Award Program is designed to build capacity for food producers and processors by supporting infrastructure, innovation and market access. Recipients include businesses working on:

    ●      Food safety equipment for egg processing, cleaning and grading for a pasture-raised flock, modernizing operations and improving efficiency

    ●      Grain mill for organic heirloom flour production, which will increase supply tenfold to meet growing demand from school districts

    ●      Meat inspection and processing equipment supporting cattle ranchers in Arizona, Nevada and Utah

    ●      Marketing and packing supplies for small food businesses to expand into new markets; examples include spice blends, baked goods, mobile markets, farmers and fish harvesters

    “These projects reflect the diversity and ingenuity of our regional food producers,” said Tracy Celio, program manager for the Southwest Regional Food Business Center. “We are thrilled to distribute Business Builder awards across the Southwest in partnership with USDA, which will address the unique needs of farmers, ranchers and food producers while strengthening local food systems with lasting impact.”

    The recipients include a small, Los Angeles-based spice company, which creates authentic flavors of West Africa.

    “I’m so grateful to receive this grant for Gloria’s Shito,” said founder Gloria Allorbi, whose business creates authentic flavors of West Africa. “These funds will help elevate our shipping process, improve the unboxing experience, and reduce package damage. It’s a big step toward our mission of bringing the bold flavors to more tables and our vision of making the cuisine visible in mainstream grocery spaces; starting with our direct-to-consumer platforms while we grow into retail.”

    Another award recipient, Oatman Flats Ranch, is a farm in Arizona that aims to provide farm-to-fork regenerative, organic-certified food to schools, bakeries, restaurants and health-conscious consumers.

    “We’re thrilled to be an integral part of building local, regenerative and organic food network infrastructure with other local participants,” said Oatman Flats Ranch co-founder Dax Hansen. “This award helps us elevate the value chain with a walk-in freezer and refrigeration unit, improved packaging equipment, and sustainable logistics with local food hubs while supporting the integrity of the products for the community we serve.”

    Part of a national system of USDA food centers, the Southwest Regional Food Business Center – managed by UC ANR alongside its partners – provides coordination, technical assistance and capacity building for food and farm businesses.

    The center’s work across the Southwest is led by a coalition of partners including Utah State University Extension; Utah Department of Agriculture and Food; University of Nevada, Reno Extension; Nevada Department of Agriculture; UC Agriculture and Natural Resources; Valley Vision; UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology; California Department of Food and Agriculture; Occidental College; Local First Arizona; Arizona Department of Agriculture; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; California State University, Chico; Fresno State; Kitchen Table Advisors; and San Diego Food System Alliance.

    “UC ANR is proud to be part of this transformative initiative, supporting food and farm businesses across the Southwest and helping build a more resilient, diverse and competitive regional food system,” Celio said.

    For a full list of the 73 awardees and project descriptions, visit https://swfoodbiz.org/business-builder/. Updates on the progress of the projects will be posted on the website and on the SWfoodbiz Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

    USDA has terminated the national Regional Food Business Center program, effective Sept. 15, eliminating direct funding and training for small farmers. Over the past two years, the Southwest Regional Food Business Center has directly assisted 2,181 individuals and over 1,850 farm and food organizations to grow new businesses and strengthen local and regional food systems.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, economic growth, nutrition and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.

  • Kemin introduces RevoCURB™, a new safe and versatile soil treatment tool to address agricultural issues such as restrictions on fumigants and the requirements for buffer zones.

    SPONSORED CONTENT

    Fumigants are a cornerstone of conventional agriculture in the United States for combating soil-borne pests and diseases. However, fumigants also have significant limitations, including application requirements, buffer zone restrictions and the lack of available products for organic farmers.

    The role of fumigants in agriculture

    Fumigants are chemical agents applied before planting to eliminate pests, pathogens, and weeds, which protect crops and improve vigor and yields, especially in high-value crops like strawberries and tomatoes. Despite their effectiveness, most carry significant health and environmental risks, leading to strict regulations on their use, application timing, permitting, and buffer zones1,2. In some cases, these health concerns have led to complete bans on specific products, such as methyl bromide, which has been restricted in both the United States and Europe2,3.

    Buffer zone restrictions

    To reduce exposure risks, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces strict buffer zones, areas where fumigant application is prohibited, near public spaces like schools and hospitals. Zone size depends on the fumigant used, application method, local environmental conditions, and distance to public spaces. While crucial for public safety and conservation efforts, buffer zones decrease usable farmland. Often, untreated buffer zones can lead to uneven pest control and reduced crop yields4. Buffer zones also add regulatory burdens, including signage and detailed management plans, increasing cost and complexity2.

    Additional limitations of fumigants

    Beyond buffer zone requirements, fumigants come with additional key limitations:

    • Cost: Fumigation is expensive, requiring investments in chemicals, labor, and regulatory compliance, which are often unaffordable for small-scale farmers.
    • Equipment: The application requires specialized equipment, including shank injectors, calibrated applicators, tarping systems, and enhanced personal protective equipment, which further increases total expenses.
    • Application Conditions: Efficacy depends on precise environmental conditions (soil temperature, soil moisture, weather) and properly calibrated equipment to ensure efficacy
    • Environmental Risks: Fumigants are highly volatile and can drift off-site, endangering nearby communities and ecosystems. Improper application may lead to water contamination or harm to non-target organisms.

    Organic alternatives to fumigants

    For organic farmers, the limitations of fumigants are even more pronounced, as organic certification prohibits the use of most synthetic fumigants. In response to these challenges, organic farmers rely on natural alternatives to manage soil-borne pests and diseases5:

    • Soil Solarization: Fallow fields are covered with plastic during peak heat for 4-8 weeks to trap solar energy, which can kill pathogens, pests, and weed seeds. This timeline may be challenging as the temperatures required for effective treatment coincide with peak growing seasons.
    • Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD)6: Organic materials like rice bran or mustard seed meal are incorporated into the soil and the soil is then saturated with water and covered with plastic to create anaerobic conditions. As oxygen is depleted, aerobic pests die and anaerobic species flourish, producing byproducts that further suppress pathogens. Once the field is cleared and prepared for planting, the reintroduction of oxygen into the soil then reduces anaerobic microbial populations, resulting in a cleaner overall soil. This process, however, can be quite expensive as it is water- and input-intensive and can be ineffective if fields are drained too early.
    • Crop Rotation and Cover Cropping: These practices disrupt pest life cycles and improve soil health; however, they are inadequate to knock down heavy infestations without additional inputs.
    • Biological Controls: Beneficial species help suppress pests via predation or competition. Their success depends on careful species selection, application timing, and environmental fit, and they work best when paired with other methods of control.

    Introducing RevoCURB™, a safe-to-use, 3-in-1 solution for organic and conventional growers.

    RevoCURB™ is a new OMRI-listed, 3-in-1 soil treatment designed to enhance crop health and yield by targeting plant parasitic nematodes, microbes, and pre-emergent weed seeds. Exempt under FIFRA 25(b), RevoCURB offers a 0-hour restricted entry interval (REI), no restrictions on maximum residue levels, minimal requirements for personal protective equipment, and no need for buffer zones. RevoCURB utilizes the power of Smart Blend Technology and four essential oils – thyme, clove, garlic, and cinnamon to provide control through multiple complementary modes of action. These oils disrupt cellular membranes on contact, inhibit nematode egg hatching, impact the nervous systems of juvenile nematodes present in the soil, causing paralysis and death, vaporize within the soil column, repelling pests and delaying repopulation and suppress weed seed germination.

    “These contact and repellency modes of action work in tandem upon application of RevoCURB to disrupt pest lifecycles and prepare soils for planting.” – Emma Trainer, Scientist at Kemin Crop Technologies.

    RevoCURB should be applied 14 days prior to planting or post-harvest and watered in per label directions to maximize efficacy and the zone of protection without harming crop seeds, seedlings, and plugs.

    Field trial to assess the effectiveness of RevoCURB on root-knot and stunt nematode populations on cucumber. San Luis Obispo, California (Credit: Bradley Booker at Pacific Ag Research) (SD-25-28093)

    RevoCURB protects young crops from multiple soil pest pressures, allowing for healthier plants and greater yields. Because it’s free from buffer zone requirements, REI, and residue restrictions, RevoCURB is ideal for transitional areas and organic acreages – bringing flexibility and safety where conventional fumigants fall short.

    For more information about RevoCURB, visit www.kemin.com/revocurb or contact us croptech@kemin.com

    References

    1. Panth, M. & Hassler, S. and F. Baysal Gurel (2020). Methods for Management of Soil-borne Diseases in Crop Production. Agriculture,
    2. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Soil Fumigant Toolbox. https://www.epa.gov/soil-fumigants
    3. European Commission. European Community Management Strategy for the phase-our of the critical uses of methyl bromide. April 2009. https://ozone.unep.org/sites/default/files/additional-reported-information/MeBr_Submissions/EC%20Management%20Strategy%20for%20Methyl%20Bromide.pdf
    4. Vansickle, J.J.; Smith, S.; and R. Weldon (2009). Impacts of EPA proposed buffer-zone restrictions on profitability of Florida strawberry growers. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; FE795.
    5. Bolda, M.P.; Dara, D.K.; Daugovish, O.; Koike, S.T.; Ploeg A.T.; Brown, G.T.; Fennimore, S.A.; Gordon, T.R.; Joseph, S.V.; Westerdahl, B.B.; and F.G. Zalom. Non-fumigant alternatives for soil disinfection. UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Strawberry. UC ANR Publication 3468. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Davis, CA. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/strawberry/non-fumigant-alternatives-for-soil-disinfestation/#gsc.tab=0
    6. Lopes, E.A.; Canedo, E.J.; Gomes, V.A.; Vieira, B.S.; Parreira, D.F.; and W.S. Neves (2022). Anaerobic soil disinfection for the management of soil-borne pathogens: a review. Applied Soil Ecology, 174.

    © Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2025. All rights reserved. ® ™ Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., USA. Always read and follow label directions. FIFRA 25(b) Exempt: RevoCURB has not been registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Kemin Industries, Inc. represents that this product qualifies for exemption from registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The products are not registered or authorized for sale in all states. Consult with your Kemin representative or state regulatory representative for approval of this use in your state, specific applications, and labeling. croptech@kemin.com | 800-752-2864 (ext.2).

  • Techniques in Organic Farming that Influence Soil Health

    Soil organic matter has long been known to benefit farmers. The carbon in this organic matter acts as a food source for soil microbes, which then provide other nutrients to the crops grown. Microbes, insects and small soil critters produce materials that can improve soil structure and water retention. It’s a healthy ecosystem every farmer wants to encourage.

    Measuring changes in soil organic matter can be a challenge in intensively tilled soil that is used for vegetable production. Even in production systems with less soil disturbance, soil organic matter changes slowly. But, Eric Brennan and Veronica Acosta-Martinez are testing for soil enzymes as early indicators of improvements in soil health in a long-term systems study.

    Brennan manages the study in an area of California known as the “Salad Bowl of the World.” The Salinas Valley has high-input, organic vegetable production systems. “Farms in Salinas usually need to produce two or more vegetable crops per field annually to be profitable,” says Brennan. “This production intensity complicates the adoption of winter cover cropping. This is why many farmers in this region prefer to use compost to add large amounts of organic matter to the soil.”

    Specifically, the team compared farming systems that received different amounts and types of organic matter. The sources were from compost and cover crops. They recently published their results in the Soil Science Society of America Journal.

    “Our results on soil enzyme activity illustrate the importance of frequent cover-cropping in tillage-intensive, organic vegetable production,” says Brennan. “This raises questions about the sustainability of organic and conventional vegetable systems if cover crops are seldom used. We need to find innovative strategies to help farmers increase cover cropping. The practice is shown to improve soil health. It also provides other benefits like reducing nitrogen leaching into ground water.”

    It’s not that organic or conventional farmers in this region are against cover cropping. It’s that their use can complicate many aspects of vegetable production.

    Brennan’s study showed that cover cropping annually – no matter the type of plant grown – greatly benefits the soil. The study found that annual inputs of compost have relatively small benefits. There was an increase in microbial activity with compost, but not as much as with annual cover crops.

    There are some caveats in the study. This research was conducted in a loamy sand soil in Salinas Valley. Organic farmers in different regions may have different results. Using different types of fertilizers could impact results, as well.

    “The growing body of information from this long-term trial challenges the overly-simplistic notion that certified organic management improves soil health or quality,” says Brennan. He adds that the USDA organic standards require that certified farms show that their tillage and cultivation practices maintain or improve soil conditions. This refers to physical, chemical and biological factors. It also refers to minimizing soil erosion, which can worsen with intensive tilling.

    The team hopes that future research will focus on different soil types, such a clay or loam soil. Evaluating changes over shorter increments would provide useful data, too. The soil enzyme data tells one part of the interesting story of this relatively long-term experiment.

    Read more about this research in the Soil Science Society of America Journal. This research was funded primarily by the USDA-ARS, but also received 2 years of initial funding from a Specialty Crops grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    To watch a 5-minute video of Eric Brennan explaining the Salad Bowl of the World, visityoutube.com/watch?v=M-8tCXXKqNA.