- Author: Milton E McGiffen
California (CDFA) has a Climate Smart Agriculture initiative. They have several funding programs and new people. And local governments need to develop a Climate Action Plan.
Want to know more? There is an all-day workshop in San Marcos: https://ucanr.edu/sites/Climate_Resilient_Agriculture/Registration/
At $20 including meals it is a real bargain. The director of UC's Ag Issues Center, Dan Sumner, is the keynote speaker. I particularly look forward to the session "Case Studies and Available Resources/Support"
- Author: Milton E McGiffen
University of California collaborates with CDFA on the Climate-Smart Farming program. Our commitment includes several farm advisors at locations across the state, and provides support to farmers who want to adapt to the impending change in climate and do what they can to mitigate.
A summary of their programs can be found at: https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/18328-uc-cooperative-extension-ramps-up-its-climate-change-response
- Author: Milton E McGiffen
North American Carbon World (NACW) is in downtown Los Angeles from April 24-26. The conference aims to bring together a wide range of participants from government to business to talk about carbon markets and climate policy.
For more details see: https://www.nacwconference.com/
- Author: Milton E McGiffen
NRCS Conservation Practice Standards are a determinant of how we farm, funding, and a variety of other things. Many in the biochar community felt the Standards sold biochar short. Well...
"Until April 25, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting comments as part of its review of conservation practice standards mandated by the 2018 Farm Bill and designed to improve the standards and increase flexibility."
For more info, see: https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/12077-opinion-nows-your-chance
- Author: Milton E McGiffen
Lauren Hale is the new Research Soil Scientist at the USDA-ARS San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Fresno. I knew Lauren from her PhD research at UCR under David Crowley. Her thesis explored the use of biochar as a shelter for beneficial soil microbes. She subsequently worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oklahoma's Microbial Ecology lab, where Dr Hale researched total microbial community response to climate change and how that response affects carbon and nitrogen cycling.
Her research projects going forward will include how the soil microbiome affects and is affected by soil health. This currently includes field experiments on the influence of biochar on plant yield under deficit irrigation. Dr. Hale is particularly interested in whether biochar stabilizes microbial communities in cases of drought stress. Future research will investigate biochar for use in water purification.
Contact information: lauren.hale@usda.gov . Office phone: 559-596-2865
