Fall 1995 (v7n4)
	SAREP Awards BIFS Grants to San Joaquin Valley Growers, Scientists by Lyra Halprin, UC SAREP San Joaquin Valley winegrape and row crop growers are teaming up with University of California scientists in two pilot projects to showcase innovative farming practices that reduce pesticide use and improve soil quality. The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission (LWWC) and a group of farmers and researchers in the San Joaquin Valley's Westside have each been awarded money to demonstrate "biologically integrated farming systems" (BIFS) on local farms and share that information with other growers. The Commission has been allocated $100,000 to use local vineyards as "classrooms" for area growers and to sponsor educational meetings on innovative farming practices. The Westside group has been awarded $86,000 to conduct row crop comparison studies and to share information on biologically integrated farming practices with district growers. Authorization for the projects comes from the Legislature's Assembly Bill 3383, which was signed into law last year. Funding for the awards is provided jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The program is administered by UC SAREP. "We are delighted to award these grants to two voluntary researcher-farmer groups who have come together to deal with common agricultural problems and reduce pesticide use," said UC SAREP Director Bill Liebhardt. "Other projects similar to BIFS have shown us that using a team approach coupling innovative farmers with scientists is much more effective than regulations in helping other growers adopt biologically integrated farming practices." Maintain Yields These farmers are integrating biological and cultural control of pests into their production systems; providing on-farm habitats for beneficial insects, mites and spiders; and emphasizing soil-building practices such as cover crops to provide all or part of the nitrogen needed by crops. The intended result, according to Liebhardt, is that biologically integrated farming systems will enable farmers to maintain yields and quality while greatly reducing their reliance on agrichemicals, including pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. BIFS is designed around a team approach to farm management, using farmers, consultants, University of California farm advisors and researchers, and independent pest-control advisers. Both projects use successful working farms to demonstrate agricultural operations that have reduced pesticide use in high-value crops. Other area farmers have agreed to participate by adapting the methods demonstrated to sections of their own farms and then monitoring and comparing results with "conventional" plots. Cooperative Venture "The model of participatory extension and research in our project is based on the premise that useful outcomes occur when parties share goals and opportunities," said Jeff Mitchell, a UC Cooperative Extension vegetable crops specialist and project leader on the Westside project. "The 13 farmer members of our group are enthusiastic about this program because they want workable alternatives to pesticides and methods to improve soil quality, and they feel that UC researchers bring credibility to the on-farm demonstrations. Our researchers feel that they will benefit from direct involvement with farmers, which will allow them to develop new and relevant problem-solving research opportunities." Mark Chandler, the LWWC executive director and administrator of the Commission's BIFS grant, notes that the Lodi-area coalition of researchers and farmers is excited to be involved in a project that will expand integrated pest management practices. "Conventional agriculture is looking for that 'shining example' of a district-wide, commodity-based IPM program that demonstrates 'how it's done,'" he said. "With this grant we hope to be that example." The winegrape project is based on biologically integrated farming methods that the Commission has been promoting since 1992. At that time it began an integrated pest management program to promote effective and rapid adoption of sustainable winegrape production practices and to promote economic development in San Joaquin County by cultivating a market niche for winegrapes produced with more environmentally sensitive viticulture practices. According to Chandler, the BIFS grant will help the Commission accomplish its goal of extending adoption of sustainable practices throughout the region. The two model farms involved in the winegrape project are the 120-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard owned by Lange Twins Farm, and Kautz Farm's 30-acre Zinfandel vineyard, both of which have documented substantial reductions in pesticide use in the last five years. Both farms have tracked the use of compost, cover crops, beneficial insects and other farming practices. Team Monitoring The farmers who have signed up to participate in the winegrape project will be evaluated by the BIFS team at the onset of the project and will be monitored seasonally. The Commission will conduct ongoing side-by-side comparisons of yields and pesticide use between the BIFS-farmed blocks and conventionally farmed blocks on the farms of cooperating growers. The results of the comparisons will be made available with other project data at monthly grower meetings and field days and at smaller neighborhood grower meetings. The Westside project is designed to facilitate information exchange among area farmers, consultants and researchers on soil-building practices and options for reduced reliance on agrichemicals. The project will monitor and evaluate on-farm demonstrations of these practices, determine the extent to which IPM practices are used in row crops on the Westside and identify problems preventing further adoption. It will also provide community demonstrations of technologies while making use of participatory research teams to develop and refine additional information. The project will provide technical assistance to farmers and their consultants, and intensive pest management monitoring of fields enrolled in the project. The farms used in the Westside project include O'Neill Farms, a 7,200-acre diversified row crop operation near Five Points, and John Diener's 4,500-acre farming operation between Five Points and Huron. Side-by-side comparisons between conventionally managed and biologically-based production systems will be established on the 13 cooperator farms. A common Westside crop rotation of tomatoes/cotton/onions-garlic will be followed at most sites. Both BIFS pilot projects are funded for one year. Contingent upon demonstrated progress, the projects will be eligible for renewed funding for two additional years.   [ Back | Search | Feedback ]