{"id":2828,"date":"2026-07-30T09:26:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T16:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/?p=2828"},"modified":"2026-07-30T09:26:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T16:26:41","slug":"project-update-ventura-county-nitrogen-management-training-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/project-update-ventura-county-nitrogen-management-training-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Update: Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Note: This is part of a Research Update series that highlights projects funded by the&nbsp;California Department of Food and Agriculture&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/is\/ffldrs\/frep\/\">Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP)<em>.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Project Title:&nbsp;<\/strong>Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Project Lead:<\/strong>&nbsp;Jodi Switzer, Farm Bureau of Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Project Status:<\/strong>&nbsp;Completed in 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Project location:<\/strong>&nbsp;Ventura County, CA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Overview:<\/strong>&nbsp;The Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program (FREP-funded project) provides tailored education to help growers in Ventura County optimize fertilizer use and protect water quality. This post shares the key achievements and outcomes reached over the course of this collaborative three-year project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program was developed to provide growers with the tools, knowledge, and certification needed to meet evolving nitrogen management requirements. Under the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board\u2019s Conditional Waiver (Order No. R4-2016-0143), growers in Responsibility Areas with nitrogen benchmark exceedances or nutrient TMDLs (total maximum daily loads) were required to develop certified Nitrogen Management Plans (NMPs), affecting roughly 70% of Ventura County\u2019s irrigated acreage. While similar requirements have existed in the Central Valley for over a decade, Ventura County lacked a locally tailored training program aligned with regional crops, irrigation practices, and regulatory nuances. Recognizing both the regulatory need and the opportunity to improve nutrient management outcomes, the Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group (VCAILG), administered by the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, adapted CDFA FREP\u2019s Central Valley Grower Self Certification curriculum for Ventura County and provided bilingual, accessible training opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project focused on updating, translating, and delivering a Ventura County\u2013specific Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) self-certification training program for growers. The team adapted the CDFA FREP Central Valley INMP curriculum to Ventura County crops, irrigation practices, and the Los Angeles Region\u2019s Agricultural Order requirements. They also developed Ventura County\u2013specific INMP templates and compiled nitrogen removal coefficients through a literature review and consultation with Regional Board staff. The project team held hybrid and in-person workshops, providing bilingual presentations, workbooks, and examination materials. The team translated all training materials, including presentations, workbooks, handouts, and exams, into Spanish and provided live interpretation during select training sessions. Additionally, the team supported the creation of a Spanish-language online self-certification module to expand access for Spanish-speaking growers. Finally, the project team evaluated success using multiple metrics, such as participation rates, exam outcomes, and overall grower engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Outcomes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Delivered six nitrogen and irrigation management workshops, six hours each, hybrid and in-person<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trained 414 participants, with 301 taking the exam and 274 achieving certification<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implemented bilingual materials and live Spanish interpretation, serving 23 Spanish-speaking participants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transitioned training program from Conditional Waiver\/Nitrogen Management Plan (NMP) to Agricultural Order\/Irrigation Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developed Ventura County-specific training workbook, templates, and nitrogen removal coefficients approved by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Demonstrated effective knowledge transfer to growers, observing a high first-attempt exam pass rate (89%)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Partnered with United Water Conservation District, enabling cost savings (~$8,500) and expanded remote access<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Impacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2023 Agricultural Order (R4-2023-0353) expanded applicability to all Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP)-regulated growers and introduced certified Irrigation and Nutrient Management Plans (INMPs) and Reports (INMRs). This increased the scope and complexity of compliance, highlighting the need for practical training and certification in Ventura County. The outcomes of this project equip growers to implement agronomically efficient and environmentally responsible irrigation and nitrogen management practices while maintaining compliance readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This blog post presents only a selection of this project\u2019s findings. To receive the complete final report for this project contact FREP at&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"mailto:FREP@cdfa.ca.gov\"><em>FREP@cdfa.ca.gov<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Note: This is part of a Research Update series that highlights projects funded by the&nbsp;California Department of Food and Agriculture&nbsp;Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP). Project Title:&nbsp;Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program Project Lead:&nbsp;Jodi Switzer, Farm Bureau of Ventura County Project Status:&nbsp;Completed in 2025 Project location:&nbsp;Ventura County, CA Overview:&nbsp;The Ventura County Nitrogen Management Training Program (FREP-funded project) provides tailored education &hellip;<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-y-md text-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/project-update-ventura-county-nitrogen-management-training-program\/\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" aria-label=\"Continue reading the blog post...\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1618,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-frep-grant-program"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9r16A-JC","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":334,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/grants-to-begin-funding-january-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":0},"title":"Grants to Begin Funding January 2018","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"January 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce the award of almost $800,000 in grant funds to agricultural organizations and universities this year. These grants will fund four projects that will improve the efficiency and reduce the environmental\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;FREP Grant Program&quot;","block_context":{"text":"FREP Grant Program","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/category\/frep-grant-program\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":114,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/nitrogen-management-training\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":1},"title":"Nitrogen Management Training","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"April 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) supports education on nutrient management in agriculture and encourages the adoption of beneficial management practices. Currently, FREP is supporting two major projects in nitrogen management: Certified Crop Adviser training and grower training. The infographic below shows the up-to-date outcomes of these projects. For\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nutrient Management Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nutrient Management Events","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/category\/nutrient-management-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NMTP-Infographic","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NMTP-Infographic.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NMTP-Infographic.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NMTP-Infographic.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":920,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/frep-awards-projects\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":2},"title":"FREP Awards Projects to Improve Agricultural Fertilizer Management and Water Quality","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"November 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is pleased to announce the award of over $1.1 million in grant funds to agricultural organizations and universities. These grants will fund six projects that will improve the efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of fertilizer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;FREP Grant Program&quot;","block_context":{"text":"FREP Grant Program","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/category\/frep-grant-program\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":72,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/cdfa-accepting-concept-proposals-for-2016-fertilizer-research-and-education-grants\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":3},"title":"CDFA Accepting Concept Proposals for 2016 Fertilizer Research and Education Grants","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The California Department of Food and Agriculture\u2019s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is currently accepting concept proposals for the 2016 grant cycle. FREP\u2019s competitive grant program funds research that advances the agronomic and environmental performance of fertilizing materials. The 2016 Request for Proposals (RFP) includes several initiatives put forth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;FREP Grant Program&quot;","block_context":{"text":"FREP Grant Program","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/category\/frep-grant-program\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":228,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/research-update-train-the-trainer\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":4},"title":"Research Update: Train the Trainer","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"August 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Research Project: Train the Trainer: A Nitrogen Management Training Program for Growers. Klassen, P. et al. Status: Second year of a three year study Issue: Growers who belong to California\u2019s Central Valley Water Quality Coalitions and who are in designated high vulnerability areas are under new Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Larry Schwankl, UCCE Irrigation Specialist, presenting to CCAs at a Train the Trainer course in November 2015.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/LS-trains-trainers-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":195,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/now-accepting-concept-proposals-for-2017-fertilizer-research-and-education-grants\/","url_meta":{"origin":2828,"position":5},"title":"Now Accepting Concept Proposals for 2017 Fertilizer Research and Education Grants","author":"Brooke Elliot","date":"December 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The California Department of Food and Agriculture\u2019s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is currently accepting concept proposals for the 2017 grant cycle. FREP\u2019s competitive grant program funds research that advances the agronomic and environmental performance of fertilizing materials. 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