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Author Archives: Brooke Elliott
2017 FREP/WPHA Conference: Save the Date and Call for Posters
Every fall, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and the Western Plant Health Association (WPHA) host a two-day nutrient management conference. The agenda focuses on the latest FREP-funded research results and practical applications of fertilizing materials for agricultural production in the state of California. On November 1-2, 2017, the FREP/WPHA Conference will be …
Research Update: Improving N Use Efficiency of Cool Season Vegetables with Broccoli Rotations
Research Project: Improving N Use Efficiency of Cool Season Vegetable Production Systems with Broccoli Rotations. Smith R. et al. Status: Completed Issue: The cool season vegetable production areas of the California’s Central Coast frequently grow two or three crops during the growing season. The dominant crops—like lettuce and spinach—require high rates of N to produce the yield and quality demanded …
Fertigation Short Course
What: A one-day short course on fertigation is being offered by the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) with funding from the Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The course covers new techniques in the control and application of fertilizers through irrigation systems and strategies to comply with new nitrogen …
Vacancies on the Fertilizer Research and Education Program’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee
The California Department of Food and Agriculture is announcing four vacancies on the Fertilizer Research and Education Program’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee. The subcommittee reviews and recommends research and education proposals for funding and implementation to the department’s Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board. The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) sponsors and facilitates research to improve agronomic and environmental use of fertilizing materials …
Research Update: Data Driven Nitrate Leaching Hazard Index and BMP Assessment Tool
Research Project: A Data Driven Nitrate Leaching Hazard Index and BMP Assessment Tool – O’Geen, A. et al. Status: Second year of a three year study Issue: California growers are faced with the challenge of producing high-quality crops while minimizing the movement of fertilizer nitrogen to groundwater. One major difficulty is identifying the growing areas that have a high risk …
Events for March 2017
Efficient Irrigation and Nitrogen Use Workshop What: Hosted by the California Almond Sustainability Program, this workshop gives almond growers an opportunity to learn about tools and techniques to increase irrigation efficiency through Almond Board of California’s (ABC’s) Irrigation Continuum, and to improve the accuracy of nitrogen applications through the use of an online budgeting tool. A complimentary lunch is included …
Research Update: Fertilizer Value of Nitrogen in Irrigation Water
Research Project: Determining the Fertilizer Value of Ambient Nitrogen in Irrigation Water – Cahn, M. et al. Status: Final year of study Issue: Irrigation water from many wells on the Central Coast contains a significant amount of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N). The N content in irrigation water has not been accounted for in growers’ nitrogen fertilization plans because it is unclear how …
Research Update: N Fertilizer Requirements of Crops Following Alfalfa
Research Project: Characterizing N Fertilizer Requirements of Crops Following Alfalfa – Putnam, D. et al. Issue: Alfalfa is a leguminous crop that converts atmospheric nitrogen (N) into organic compounds. While it is well-known that crops following alfalfa benefit from the residual N produced by alfalfa, the amount of residual N has rarely been measured. Previous estimates of N carryover from …
Now Accepting Concept Proposals for 2017 Fertilizer Research and Education Grants
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is currently accepting concept proposals for the 2017 grant cycle. FREP’s competitive grant program funds research that advances the agronomic and environmental performance of fertilizing materials. The 2017 Request for Proposals (RFP) includes several initiatives put forth by the department to help effectively manage nitrogen fertilizers in …
The FREP Grant Process
A FREP request for proposals (RFP) is released each year, and invites researchers and educators to propose nutrient management research and education projects. The proposals undergo a rigorous selection process by scientific and technical experts, and the approved proposals receive FREP grants. Here is how the grant process works: FREP grants are funded by mill assessments on the sales of …