January 1997
Grants available to farmers, researchers for biological farming systems
DAVIS—Farmers, commodity groups and academic researchers are encouraged to apply for a second round of grants to improve soil fertility and crop protection with cultural practices and biological pest control that reduce reliance on agricultural chemicals. Awards ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 per year will be available for one or more projects.
The UC Davis-based Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education Program (SAREP) is administering the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) pilot projects, the result of 1994 state legislation. The first round of BIFS grants -- funded by Cal-EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- supports ongoing projects in winegrapes and field crops.
"New funding from the federal EPA and the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources now permits us to fund one or more additional projects," says SAREP Director Bill Liebhardt. "The core of BIFS projects is a team approach to farm management, using farmers, consultants, UC farm advisors and researchers, and independent pest-control advisers to farmers."
"An increasing number of California farmers representing many commodities and counties have been able to maintain yields and quality while greatly reducing their reliance on agrichemicals, including pesticides and synthetic fertilizers," says SAREP Analyst Robert Bugg. The elements these farmers integrate into their production systems include biological and cultural control of pests; on-farm habitats for beneficial insects, mites and spiders; a strong emphasis on soil-building practices, often including biological nitrogen fixation to supply all or part of the nitrogen needed by crop plants; and reduced reliance on agricultural chemicals.
Applicants for BIFS funds may employ additional techniques, such as field monitoring for pest and beneficial organisms; collection of weather data; reliance on research-based action thresholds; use of selective biorational pesticides; and soil, water and plant-tissue testing. "BIFS grants are not necessarily limited to organic farming systems," Bugg adds. "Under this kind of management, agrichemical programs are crafted carefully to integrate all these elements."
New proposals for BIFS funding to study these farmers' production systems are encouraged, Bugg says. The formal Request for Proposals will be mailed the first week of January 1997. Proposals must be received by UC SAREP no later than April 2, 1997. California institutions and individuals are invited to apply for funding. Principal investigators on BIFS projects may be private individuals, for-profit and non-profit corporations, including commodity boards, Resource Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service District or soil conservationists, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors, Cooperative Extension specialists, Area IPM Advisors, and faculty of any accredited California institution of higher learning.
Media Contacts:
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
