(Left) The onion irrigation and nitrogen rate trial at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center, Holtville, CA. (Right) Accumulation of salt can be seen in the high irrigation treatment plots.
The post, which is part of a “Research Update” series that highlights projects funded by the FREP competitive grant program, examines the first year of a three-year project, “Assessing Drip Irrigation and Nitrogen Management of Fresh Onions Produced in California Low Desert,” by Jairo Diaz, Director, Desert Research & Extension Center, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR).
Overview: This FREP-funded project evaluates the response of onions to irrigation regimes and compares onion production under different nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates. This project also communicates findings directly to growers, as well as to crop advisors, academics, regulatory bodies, and the agriculture industry.
Background: California’s Imperial County is one of the largest onion production regions in the nation and relies heavily on the Colorado River for irrigation. To prevent soil salinization and enhance agricultural production in Imperial County, growers apply excess water to leach salts from the root zone. Excess irrigation, as well as municipal and industrial discharges from the Imperial, Coachella, and Mexicali valleys, flow into the Salton Sea, resulting in high concentrations of nutrients, salts, and toxic compounds. Growers must adopt improved irrigation and nutrient management practices to reduce water pollution from excess nutrients in California’s low desert region.
Approach: Researchers used sprinkler irrigation for crop emergence to ensure adequate establishment and afterward, applied irrigation regimes using drip irrigation. Irrigation treatments consisted of 40, 70, 100, and 130% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and in-season N treatments included 0, 75, 150, and 225 pounds (lbs.) of N per acre (lb/ac). Soil samples were collected at pre-plant, mid-season, and post-harvest to measure mineral N (ammonium-N and nitrate-N) from the top 3 feet of soil in 1-ft increments.
Are your farm’s food safety practices compliant with the Produce Safety Rule? A good way to find out is to schedule a free, non-regulatory On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program.
OFRRs are available to “small” farms (average annual gross produce sales within the last three years of $250,000 – $500,000) or “very small” farms (average annual gross produce sales within the last three years of $25,000 – $250,000).
OFRRs are designed to give farmers a better understanding of what they can expect from a routine Produce Safety Rule inspection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pursuant to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), developed the Produce Safety Rule to regulate the production of nearly all fruits, nuts and vegetables. The Produce Safety Rule establishes a set of practices that farmers must follow that are designed to minimize the potential of foodborne illnesses. In California, CDFA’s Produce Safety Program conducts Produce Safety Rule inspections on behalf of the FDA.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announces a new webpage is now available for its Technical Assistance Program.
The CDFA Technical Assistance Program (TAP) provides educational resources to help small-scale produce farms comply with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule for growing fruits, nuts and vegetables. TAP offers a variety of services to farms needing assistance and resources about food safety practices. TAP partners with University of California Cooperative Extension specialists who are fluent in multiple languages to serve the diversity of farmers across California.
School Lunch Hero Day: Huge thank you to our school nutrition professionals
California Department of Education: Farm to Summer Celebration Week
USDA updates: USDA Invests $92.2 million in grants for local, regional food producers affected by the pandemic
Edible Schoolyard’s virtual event: Summer Training at Home 2021 registration now open
Fellowship opportunity: Pilot Light
Farm to school resource: Walmart’s new interactive healthy food adventure
School food policy: Free school meals for all to be considered in California state budget
National Farm to School Network resources
The California Farm to School Network includes farm to school practitioners and enthusiasts statewide. Click on the newsletter subscribe button to also receive these monthly updates that include information about grants, resources, research, webinars, events and news from the National Farm to School Network. The California Farm to School Program is part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) in the Division of Inspection Services.
TITLE: Impact & Communications Lead / Research Data Specialist II
USUAL DAILY ACTIVITIES: I try to take a walking break or walking meeting most days. I first joined CDFA to help design and run the pilot Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program, and recently moved into a role focused on evaluation and metrics for Farm to Fork programs, as well as communications. I still consult with grantees frequently on issues that arise and work closely with colleagues to coordinate evaluation efforts.
HOW DO YOU WORK FOR THE CALIFORNIA FOOD SUPPLY? I support food access and food security in our efforts to connect consumers and students with fresh, California-grown produce that is accessible and affordable for everyone.
MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE JOB: One of my first days on the job, I accompanied colleagues on a California Nutrition Incentive Program site visit in the North Bay Area – and surprisingly had the chance to draw on my background in Russian history when it turned out there was no translator for the Russian-speaking older adults participating in the incentive program at the farmers’ market that day. I found myself standing in the rain translating for the group so they could use their incentives to get double value for the produce they wanted.
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE: Keep learning.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? I look forward to walks and coffees with colleagues when things get back to normal!
The annual FREP/WPH Nutrient Management Conference will be hosted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) in collaboration with Western Plant Health (WPH) October 27-28, 2021, at the Embassy Suites hotel in San Luis Obispo.
The conference agenda focuses on the latest CDFA-funded research results and practical applications of fertilizing materials for agricultural production in the state of California.
Register now to attend three free, online courses starting this week about production agricultural water. These courses are part of the California Farm Food Safety E-Learning series created by the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Produce Safety Program. Also visit the UC Davis website to view session recordings from the initial sessions in this series about biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO).
In all sessions, several speakers provide short presentations during a two-hour window with time dedicated to answering questions from participants. Pre-registration is required for the free sessions held online via Zoom.
The Production Agricultural Water Series starting May 13 will provide information on risks associated with production agricultural water, current best practices for agricultural water management, treatment options for agricultural water, and updates on agricultural water requirements in the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. This series is tailored to Californians, with specific agricultural water regulatory and enforcement information relevant to California growers.
Session 1: 1-3 p.m. May 13 – Assessing on-farm risks associated with agricultural water systems
Session 2: 1-3 p.m. May 20 – Introduction to options for treating agricultural water
Session 3: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. June 17 – Update on agricultural water requirements within the Produce Safety Rule (tentative topic, pending availability of proposed revisions)
The BSAAO Series provided information about the benefits and risks of BSAAO use during production. This series was tailored to Californians, with specific regulatory and enforcement information relevant to California growers.
The post, which is part of a “Research Update” series that highlights projects funded by the FREP competitive grant program, examines a completed project by Suduan Gao and Dong Wang (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center) titled “Soil biochar amendment to improve nitrogen and water management.”
Overview: This CDFA-funded project highlights the effects of biochar on adsorption capacity for ammonium and nitrate, nitrogen (N) transformation rates, and soil water retention. This project also investigated the effects of various biochar application rates and irrigation rates on crop response and N fate under field conditions in California’s Central Valley.
Approach: Principal investigators (PIs) conducted both laboratory and field studies to characterize biochar products made from seven feed stocks, determine adsorption capacity for major mineral N species onto biochar, and evaluate effects of biochar on N transformations in the soil. Biochar products with high adoption potential were selected and tested in two field experiments (onion and processing tomato) with varying levels of irrigation, amendments (biochar and manure), and application rates.
Conclusions: Based on both lab and field studies, soil amendments with biochar did not show any direct link to improving yield, increasing N uptake or use efficiency, or reducing environmental losses such as ammonia volatilization or nitrate leaching. However, the PIs recommend that biochar can be promoted as a conservation practice to replace agricultural burning to sequester carbon and sustain soil productivity. They also mention that current commercial biochar products may be too expensive for growers to buy; however, several in-situ, low-cost methods could be explored.
Click here to read the full FREP blog post about this CDFA-funded research project.
This is a blog for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Inspection Services Division (ISD). Read here for the latest news about how ISD is providing Californians professional services that support and contribute to a safe, abundant and quality food supply; environmentally sound agricultural practices; and an equitable marketplace for California agriculture.
