Conservation agriculture news

CASI’s Hosting of Brazilian Conservation Agriculture Researcher and Presentation by Angus Wright

February 22, 2018 

The CASI Center has had the honor of hosting Brazilian conservation agriculture researcher from Sao Paolo state, Roberto Botelho, during February 2018 and one of the highlights of the visit was a meeting with Dr. Angus Wright, distinguished historian and scholar at California State University, Sacramento, where he and Wes Jackson (now of the Land Institute in Salina, KS) created the Environmental Studies Department which was the first of its kind in the US.  Dr. Wright spoke to a large audience on “Food, Forests, and Education” and provided very inspiring encouragement to folks on the importance of ‘loving life' and taking on challenges with open, prepared, and flexible minds.  He wove several stories of people he has known who themselves were open to meeting new and unexpected challenges and encouraged the young people who were in the audience to think broadly and creatively about their education and the work that they will contribute.  He has done extensive work in Brazil and was able to speak with Botelho about it.

 

Sano Farms Hosts Brazilian Conservation Agriculture Researcher

February 22, 2018

Alan Sano and Jesse Sanchez of Sano Farms in Firebaugh, CA graciously hosted Brazilian conservation agriculture researcher from Sao Paolo state, Roberto Botelho at their farm on February 23^rd.  Botelho is visiting the San Joaquin Valley with CASI's Mitchell, who has taken him around to a number of farms where he's been able to meet local pioneers of improved performance production systems.  Sanchez took Botelho out to several of Sano Farms' cover crop fields and dug up soil to show how things have changed since cover cropping and minimum tillage were begun over ten years ago.  Not only have there been remarkable changes in soil tilth, but Sanchez and Sano are also now able to reduce fertilizer and water use at their farm after so many years of consistent cover crop and reduced disturbance approaches. 

 

CASI Hosts Esteemed Guests at Five Points NRI Project Site!

February 22, 2018

Three distinguished guests visited the long-standing CASI NRI Project in Five Points on February 22 and saw first-hand how the no-till and cover cropped soils have dramatically changed since the study was started in 1999.  Dr. Angus Wright, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Studies at California State University, Sacramento, Tom Willey, retired organic farmer at T & D Willey Farms in Madera, CA, and Roberto Botelho, conservation agriculture researcher in Sao Paolo state in Brazil, met with CASI's Jeff Mitchell at the site on a splendidly sunny day in the San Joaquin Valley.  The visitors examined the cover crop mixtures that have been growing during the winter and also dug shovels-full of soil to examine how it has visibly changed under the long-term no-till and cover crop management that has been implemented at the site.  Dr. Wright is a noted researcher and author several books on agriculture including Nature's Matrix and the Death of Ramon Gonzales:  The Modern Agricultural Dilemma.   He gave a guest lecture in Mitchell's PLS111 Agronomy course last fall in Davis and also a seminar the night before at Fresno City College to a large crowd.  We were honored to have these wonderful guests visit our NRI Project site in Five Points.

 

Wrap up for WAE 2018 in Tulare!

We had a good year at the World Ag Expo last week in Tulare.

Special thanks go out to all the folks including Brook Gale, Brenna Aegerter, Jessica Chiartas, Roberto Botelho, Monte Bottens, Ladi Asgill, Matt Rossow, Jesse Sanchez, Scott Park, Michael Janes, Jeannette Warnert, Rick Cesena, who stopped by and who gave good service to our display site. 

A video of some of this year's activities can be seen at  https://youtu.be/SpiCpIjpRp0

All the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017 CASI Farmer Innovator Recognition of Michael McRee of Chowchilla, CA

In a recent meeting of San Joaquin Valley NRCS and Resource Conservation Districts leaders held at the Wool Growers' Restaurant in Los Banos, CA, the 2017 Conservation Agriculture Farmer Innovator Award was presented to Chowchilla, CA farmer, Michael McRee.

Mike McRee has been extremely willing to share his experiences with others and has graciously hosted numerous public field days at his dairy farm over the years.   

Additional information about McRee may be found at the CASI Workgroup website at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ct/?story=90&showall=yes

 

 

 

 

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