PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINING CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE

DAY 1 - MARCH 27

MORNING PLENARY

7:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast. Poster Session Set-up

8:30 Welcome and Introductions
Neal Van Alfen, Dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis
William (Bill) Lyons, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Program Overview: Ann Thrupp, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
Moderator: Karen Ross, California Association of Winegrape Growers

9:00 Keynote Speaker
Agroecology for the 21st Century
Paul Dolan, President, Fetzer Vineyards

9:45 Panel 1 - Partnerships to Extend Sustainable Agriculture
The Ag Partnership concept puts farmers, scientists, extension agents, and other Ag professionals on a level playing field. Ag Partnership projects draw on everyone’s expertise to develop and extend methods for more profitable and environmentally friendly farming.

Craig McNamara, FARMS Leadership Program
Chris Heintz, Almond Board of California
Diana Roberts, Washington State University Cooperative Extension
Moderator: Cliff Ohmart, Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission

11:00 Coffee Break

11:15 Panel 2 - Key Marketing Issues for Progress in Environmentally Friendly Farming
Panelists will discuss opportunities and challenges tied to marketing issues, including innovative strategies for gaining added value, green marketing and ecolabels, and market trends affecting sustainable farming systems.

Kathleen Merrigan, USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
Walter Robb, Northern Pacific Region Whole Foods
Mark Ritchie, Institute for Ag and Trade Policy
Rick Antle, Tanimura & Antle
Moderator: Paul Feder, consultant

12:30 Lunch

COMMODITY-SPECIFIC CONCURRENT SESSIONS

1:30- 4:15 Integrated Pest and Crop Management

Orchards
Walt Bentley, UC Integrated Pest Management, UC Cooperative Extension, Kearney Agricultural Center
Rick Schellenberg, Schellenberg Farms
Rick Knoll, Knoll Organics
Rick Veldstra, grower, Almond Board of California
Carolyn Pickel, UC Integrated Pest Management, UC Cooperative Extension, Sutter/Yuba Counties
Russ Stocker, ARENA Pest Management
Moderator: Gary Obenauf, California Prune Board

Vineyards
Randall Lange, Lange Twins, Inc.
Robert LaVine, Robert Mondavi Winery Central Coast
James Travis, Penn State University
Andrew Norton, Colorado State University
Jon Marthedal, Sun-Maid Growers
Moderator: Jenny Broome, Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program

Small Fruits & Vegetables
Bill Chaney, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County
Craig Weakley, Small Planet Foods
Steve Bassi, Tanimura & Antle
Dave Riggs, California Strawberry Commission
Moderator: John Steggall, California Department of Food and Agriculture

Field Crops
Ed Sills, Pleasant Grove Farms
Bryce Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms
Sean Swezey, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
Steven Temple, Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems (Agronomy and Range Science), UC Davis
Moderator: Cass Mutters, UC Cooperative Extension, Butte County

Animal Systems
Chuck Ahlem, Hilmar Cheese
Alison Eagle, Dairy BIFS Project, UC Kearney Ag Center
Dan Macon, Ag Resource Solutions
Joy Mench, Animal Science, UC Davis
Dan Benedetti, Clover Stornetta Farms
Moderator: Stuart Pettygrove, Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis

In the museum...
4:30 - 6:30 Reception / Local Fresh food and wine / Poster session and Share Fair

DAY 2 - MARCH 28

MORNING PLENARY

8:30 Welcome and Recap of Day 1

Moderator: Ann Thrupp, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9

9:15 Panel 3 - Critical Policy Issues - Pressures and Opportunities
Panelists will discuss major policies and programs that either support or thwart the implementation of sustainable agriculture, and policy challenges and needs for the future to strengthen biologically integrated farming systems.

Fred Keeley, CA State Assembly (invited)
Laura Yoshii, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
Mark Lipson, Organic Farming Research Foundation
Chuck Benbrook, Benbrook Consulting
Moderator: Peter Price, Price Consulting

10:45 Break

11:00 Panel 4 - Bridging Environmental, Agriculture, and Social Interests
Panelists will discuss their experiences working among different interest groups, finding win-win solutions, and overcoming conflicts. Practical strategies for bringing together diverse constituencies will also be discussed.

Jim Cochran, Swanton Berry Farms
Andy Fisher, Community Food Security Coalition
Monica Moore, Pesticide Action Network North America
Becky Waegell, Cosumnes River Preserve
Moderator: Stacie Clary, CA Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

12:30 Lunch

1:15 Keynote
21st Century Agriculture: The End of the American Farm or the New American Farm?
Dr. John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri, Agricultural Economics

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

2:00 - 3:45 Strategies and Techniques for Change

Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) and Successful Management of Ag Partnership Projects
Are you involved in planning, managing, or participating in a collaborative partnership project? If yes, this workshop is for you! With an experienced panel of farmers, PCAs, and farm advisors, we will get into the nuts and bolts of forming a management team, running successful field days, recruiting participants, and how to establish a collaborative environment that allows everyone to get involved in reaching your project objectives. This workshop will use the BIOS for Walnuts project as a main example.

Carolyn Pickel, UC Integrated Pest Management, UC Cooperative Extension, Sutter/Yuba Counties
Jeannine Groh, Walnut BIFS Project
Max Stevenson, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program
Fred Thomas, CERUS Consulting
Dave Scheuring, Gold Oak Ranch
Joe Martinez, Martinez Ranches
Moderator: Marcia Gibbs, Ulatis RCD

Policy Challenges & Opportunities
This workshop will address actions that can be taken by farmers, consumers, and others to address policies that contribute to the development of sustainable and environmentally-sound agriculture.

Stacie Clary, CA Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
Judith Redmond, Full Belly Farm
Pete Price, Price Consulting
Erik Vink, California Department of Conservation, Division of Land Resources Protection
Moderator: Ann Thrupp, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9

Marketing Innovations
This workshop will look at 'green' marketing, eco-labeling, and other 'value-added' strategies for marketing agricultural products. Panelists will share insights and other innovative ways to address marketing challenges through sustainable and organic approaches.

Deborah Kane, Food Alliance
Diego Vasquez, AMO Organics
John Lagier, grower
Jeff Dlott, Real Toolbox
Moderator: Laura Tourte, UC Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz County

Soil Fertility Issues and Practices
This workshop will address soil management and compost use. Commercial growers will describe how compost iimproves soil quality and benefits their vineyard and organic vegetable operations.  Soil scientists and commercial composters will discuss compost maturity, high quality compost and associated agronomic issues.

Marc Buchanan, Buchanan Associates
Tom Piper, Fetzer Vineyards
Pat Herbert, Herbert Ranch
Ralph Jurgens, New Era Farm Service
Jeff Mitchell, Vegetable Crops, UC Davis (UC Kearney Ag Center)
Moderator: Pat Paswater, California Integrated Waste Management Board

Funding Opportunities
This workshop is designed to provide growers, grower groups, NGOs, and others an introduction to the world of grants and grants writing, especially in regard to sustainable agriculture. Panelists will discuss funding sources and ideas on how to target grants for particular institutions.

Bruce Hirsch, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation
Margaret Krome, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Bob Elliott, California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Moderator: Anne Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Associates

3:45 Wrap-Up, Conference Evaluation

4:45 Conference Adjourns

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