News on Farming

CRAE testifies before Cannella Panel

Nov. 2011 The newly re-formed Cannella Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel held their inaugural meeting on November 7, 2011, with the main focus being ecosystem services. CRAE partner Casey Walsh Cady, with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, provided the Panel with an update on the Roundtable’s efforts on the subject, which include identifying key elements of ecosystem services frameworks, compiling a list of pilot projects in California, and building a strategy for creating an enabling policy environment for growing ecosystem services markets in California.

Sonoma FSA Hosts Successful School Food Workshop for Food Day

Oct. 2011 Sonoma County FSA hosted a free School Food Workshop on October 25 for Food Day, which provided a review of best practices, networking opportunities with local farmers.

New Report on Organic Farming

Sept. 2011. The Santa Cruz-based Organic Farming Research Foundation announced the country’s first comprehensive, data-driven report on the social, economic and environmental benefits of organic farming on Sept. 19. Entitled Organic Farming for Health and Prosperity, the document backs anecdotal findings up with a review of the American scientific literature concerning organic farming in the United States.

Farm Forum Praises Sonoma County FSA

Sept. 2011 Sonoma’s 3rd Farm Forum featured more than a dozen speakers on various aspects of the food system. Praises were sung for the Sonoma County Food System Alliance among other efforts within the county. Click to read the Press Democrat article (pdf).

SISC featured in Ag Alert

August 2011 The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC) was featured in the Aug. 17 edition of the California Farm Bureau Federation’s weekly Ag Alert under the heading New tool may help farmers to assess stewardship work. Download the article here.

Sonoma FSA Presents Food Forum Report to BOS

Aug. 2011 The Sonoma County Food System Alliance presented their Food Forum report to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on August 9.

Dry Farming in Sonoma County

May 2011 Dry farmed vineyards, apples, tomatoes, potatoes, and more are thriving in Sonoma County. Learn more in a recent article in the Bohemian, How Dry am I? You may also download a pdf of the article.

Ag Water Stewardship: Online Resource Center

The Agricultural Water Stewardship online resource center is a clearinghouse of information and resources on important on-farm practices for sound water management, many of which have been overlooked for their potential to help growers and ranchers thrive while being good stewards of the water that flows through farms. Each listed practice includes an overview of the practice, the associated water savings, additional benefits, applicability in different production scenarios, case studies, and additional resources.

Ag Water Stewardship Symposium

Feb. 2011 On February 9, 2011 representatives from a range of agricultural research and technical assistance organizations and agencies gathered at the California Endowment’s Oakland Conference Center to share best practices, support systems, and lessons learned; to provide feedback and input to a policy platform to enhance programs that support sound on‐farm water management; and to build a stronger network and ongoing collaborations in service of agricultural viability through smart farm water management. They heard from leading practitioners about model projects and practices. They learned about the policy work that CAWSI and its partners have been doing and helped to shape its future direction. They discussed how they might work more closely together in the future to advocate for policies and programs beneficial to ag water stewardship.

Presentations from the day can be downloaded here:

• Water Conservation, Soil Function, and Organic Matter (pdf), Rex Dufour, National Center for Appropriate Technology
• Water Harvesting, Storage & Dry Farming (pdf), Brock Dolman, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center WATER Institute
• Drought Proofing Your Farm (pdf), Michael Cahn, Monterey County Cooperative Extension

The final report is also available in pdf form.

UCSC releases oral history of organic farming & sustainable agriculture on CA Central Coast

2010. A wealth of colorful, informative stories told by dozens of pioneers in the development of organic farming and sustainable food systems in California’s Central Coast region is now available on the UCSC Library’s website