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UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

BIFS: Collaborative Research and Extension Activities

SAREP > BIFS > Collaboration

BIFS projects emphasize a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. SAREP staff work closely with farmers, farm advisors, extensionists and research specialists to conduct project outreach, disseminate information and provide natural and social science technical support. Staff also provide technical assistance by presenting at field days, assisting with customized farm plans, and reviewing and editing publications.

SAREP cooperates in applied research and extension activities with BIFS and BIFS-like projects around the state. Some significant projects and cooperators relating to pesticide use and alternative farming practices include the following:

  • California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)-Pest Management Alliance (PMA): Staff from SAREP's BIFS program, from Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) project and from DPR's PMA sit on each other's advisory boards and project management teams. More information on the PMA program can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/empm/alliance/overview/htm. Information about the BIOS program can be found at www.caff.org.
  • The PMA in Winegrapes project: SAREP serves as a technical advisor to DPR's Statewide PMA in Winegrapes.
  • Agricultural Partnerships Conference, March 2001: SAREP joined with the U.S. EPA (Region 9), California DPR, California Department of Food and Agriculture, CAFF, USDA Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) and the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation to sponsor a conference on Partnerships for Sustaining California Agriculture: Profit, Environment and Community. Proceedings from the conference can be seen at Audio files of keynote presentations are available at http://sarep.ucdavis.edu/events.
  • Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) Conference, May 2000: California DPR and SAREP co-sponsored the first conference on pesticide use reporting in California. DPR's PUR is the largest and most complete database on pesticide use in the world.