Inspection Services Blog

Author Archives: Brooke Elliott

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 …