With a $3,650 grant from SAREP in 1988, UC farm advisor Lonnie Hendricks began monitoring two Merced County almond orchards farmed by brothers Glenn and Ron Anderson. Glenn farmed organically, while Ron used herbicides and insecticides on his almonds right across the road. Hendricks’ project, expanded to include eight other orchards in additional studies funded by SAREP, showed that organic almond orchards compare favorably to orchards farmed conventionally. This data inspired the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), in collaboration with SAREP staff, to launch demonstration projects aimed at agricultural chemical use reduction. This has become known as the Biologically Integrated Orchards Systems (BIOS) program.

Initial success with the BIOS project in almonds, characterized by a collaborative and interdisciplinary management team, voluntary participation of interested growers, and the use of financial incentives such as free cover crop seed, led the California Legislature to create the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) program to extend the BIOS approach. Assembly Bill 3383 (Bornstein, Brown, and Snyder) was signed into law in September 1994 establishing BIFS. The bill requested the University of California to establish a pilot demonstration program to provide extension services, training, and financial incentives for farmers who voluntarily participate in pilot projects to reduce their use of agricultural chemicals. Since 1994 funds have been provided by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Food Safety Account, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), and the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. New legislation (AB 1998, Thomson) signed in September 1998 expanded the goals and extended the time frame of the existing program and allocated additional state funding. Two large-scale, multi-year projects were chosen for funding in 1995; five projects began in 1998; two more projects began in 1999.

The goal of BIFS is to demonstrate and expand the use of integrated farming systems that have been proven to economically reduce the use of farm chemicals. Farmers involved in BIFS projects are:

• integrating biological and cultural control of pests into their production systems;

• using pest monitoring and economic action thresholds to advise the timing of chemical applications;

• emphasizing soil-building practices such as the use of cover crops to provide all or part of the nitrogen needed by crops, increase water infiltration of the soil, and decrease erosion and flooding;

• creating on-farm habitat and restoring riparian areas to encourage beneficial insect populations and improve habitat for fish, migrant birds and game species; and

• improving livestock management while protecting natural resources.

SAREP was selected to administer the BIFS competitive grants program. Projects are selected based on clearly defined criteria outlined in a Request for Proposals. A 13-member advisory board reviews proposals and makes recommendations for funding to the SAREP director. Renewal of funding for subsequent years is based on demonstrating progress.