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UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
Sustainable Agriculture Newsletter
Fall 2001 (v13n3)

From the Director
SAREP organic farming support on two fronts: grants, workgroup

Preliminary data from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s California Organic Program indicate that registered organic acreage in the state has more than doubled since 1998 to over 170,000 acres, declared sales value of organic agricultural products was over $250 million in 2000, and over 2,200 organic growers are registered with their county agricultural commissioners in 2001. Top value crops include carrots, lettuce, rice, wine and table grapes, strawberries, broccoli, fresh market and processing tomatoes, and several tree crops (almonds, apples, citrus, stone fruit, dates). Although these preliminary statistics are subject to further analysis, they indicate accelerated growth in organic production and markets in the state [see California Agriculture 54(4):26-35].

With the fast approach of an October 2002 implementation date for federal certification of organic growers, many observers have noted the lack of research and extension services for the needs of a growing organic farming community. As the statewide special program responsible for funding research and education on organic methods, it gives me great pleasure to announce two new initiatives to respond to organic farming research and extension needs in California.

In August 2001, SAREP received a three-year grant of $450,000 from the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, which will enable us to make awards to four county-level programs for organic farming and soil health research and extension. In cooperation with Cooperative Extension offices in Marin, Humboldt, and Stanislaus counties, SAREP has made funds available for development of new program areas. In Marin County, a grant to County Director Ellie Rilla will fund an organic and sustainable agriculture coordinator to work with an advisory committee, a local farm advisor, the Marin Organic Board, and other community members to assist farmers and ranchers with business diversification/development focusing on the transition to organic practices. In Humboldt County, a grant to County Director Deborah Giraud will fund a new organic farming researcher to conduct research and education projects on organic practices with county farm advisors. In Stanislaus County, a grant to County Director Phil Osterli will fund a researcher to develop information for soil health and compost science for transitional and organic farmers. A matching grant to an additional county will be used to organize a research and extension program to support local organic farming production and marketing.

The primary intent of the Heller grant is to increase knowledge and information about organic farming systems. We contemplate several new grants to additional county programs in 2002. The grant also includes support for commodity-specific organic production extension manuals, and a California scientific conference on organic farming research in 2002.

On November 1, the DANR Organic Farming Research Workgroup convened in Davis with 65 attendees. Faculty and researchers from 10 academic departments at four UC campuses, farm advisors from 12 counties, and 40 other interested researchers, federal and state program administrators, private foundations and industry representatives and farmers met for an all-day plenary in which members unanimously favored 2002 ratification as a Workgroup; nominated a 12-member steering committee to meet and plan activities in January 2002 for a scientific conference on California organic farming research results with peer-reviewed proceedings; established an organic farming research section of SAREP's Web site with member research interests and bibliographies, and a database of projects primarily funded by SAREP. That page will be up and running in mid-December 2001.

A few highlights from the Workgroup plenary meeting:

  • Karen Klonsky, an agricultural economist from the agricultural and resource economics department at UCD gave a presentation about the growth of organic farm production in California from 1992-1998. Her new publication “Statistical Analysis of California Organic Agriculture: 1995-1998” describes some interesting trends (see “Resources”). Demand for organic production is increasing faster than the acreage or number of organic farmers in California.
  • Researchers discussed multi-year California organic research. Panelists included Ford Denison, UCD agronomy and range science department, who is director of the 100-year Long Term Research on Agricultural Systems (LTRAS) project on the “organic effect” and transition studies; Howard Ferris, UCD nematology department, whose research is on nematodes as markers of soil community development; Kate Scow, UCD land, air and water resources department, a microbiologist conducting research on the DNA “fingerprinting” of microbial communities; and William Horwath, UCD land, air and water resources department, who shared information about organic soil fertility and nitrogen management.
  • UC Cooperative Extension advisors Ramiro Lobo from UCCE San Diego, and Mario Moratorio of UCCE Yolo County, Benny Fouché, UCCE San Joaquin County, and Laura Tourte, UCCE county director, Santa Cruz, spoke about the challenges of working primarily with small farmers, many of whom farm organically and come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
  • Ray Green, program manager of the CDFA-California Organic Program, discussed state and federal regulations relating to organic rules. He noted that each day at least one California farm is registering as organic.
  • There were several breakout sessions at the meeting in which researchers shared their work in fruits, vegetables, tree crops, vines and dairy in California, including Carolee Bull, USDA-ARS, (strawberries); Steve Fennimore, UCD vegetable crops department (strawberries); Louise Jackson, UCD vegetable crops department (vegetables); Glenn McGourty, UCCE Mendocino (winegrapes); Janine Hasey, UCCE Sutter/Yuba (kiwis); Janet Caprile, UCCE Contra Costa (apples/pears); and L.J. “Bees” Butler, UCD agricultural and resources economics department (dairy).

Workgroup activities are supported by a grant from the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Council. I would like to thank both the Heller Foundation and the DANR Program Council for their funding of these activities in support of California’s growing needs in the organic farming community. Those interested in being added to the Organic Farming Workgroup listserv should contact SAREP Office Manager Linda Fugitt at llfugitt@ucdavis.edu or call (530) 752-7556.— Sean L. Swezey, director, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.