- Author: Ben A Faber
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- Author: Annie Edwards, Urban Conservationist
- Author: Catherine de la Peña, Soil Conservationis
Are you an urban grower looking to improve the sustainability of your farm? If so, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) may be able to help you achieve your conservation goals. NRCS is a federal agency focused on implementing on-farm conservation across agricultural operations. NRCS provides America's farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, helping both the environment and agricultural land. While NRCS is a federal agency, our office in California tailors our financial assistance to meet the unique natural resource concerns we see across the state.
As NRCS evolves to address the changing needs of our farmers and ranchers, the agency has taken strides to better serve urban producers. As of today, 17 Urban Service Centers have opened in major metropolitan centers across the US, with an additional 10 offices being planned. In California, we have two new Urban Service Centers.
- Oakland Urban Service Center Contacts:
- Compton Urban Service Center Contacts:
NRCS has a variety of programs to assist producers, including our flagship programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). These programs provide financial assistance to producers for implementing and maintaining conservation practices including high tunnels, hedgerows, structures for wildlife, and irrigation systems. To learn if your operation would be a good fit, refer to Is EQIP Right for Me? and Is CSP Right for Me?.
NRCS is also connected to the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP), which offers the UAIP Grant and Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Cooperative Agreements.
In-ground beds with drip irrigation at Florence Fang Community Farm, San Francisco.
NRCS can provide financial assistance for microirrigation.
How to apply. We recommend that once you have a basic idea of what your conservation goals are, you reach out to your closest Urban Service Center and set up an appointment. At this meeting, you can connect face-to-face with your county's NRCS and USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA) staff. Before you come in, review USDA's getting started guide and take a moment to look over NRCS definitions of historically underserved farmers and ranchers (HUFR). Many NRCS programs— including EQIP and CSP offer higher rates for self-identified HUFR. A specific guide for HUFR can be found here.
If you are interested in applying to any of our programs, you'll need to work with FSA to establish a farm and tract number. Along with registering for NRCS programs, there are added benefits of receiving a farm number, including alerts about new programs, inclusion in the agricultural census, and becoming eligible to elect FSA county committee members. To create a farm and tract number, you will need the following:
- A completed New Customer Data Worksheet, submitted to your local NRCS office. Find the form, as well as instructions on how to apply, here.
- A deed/lease certifying that you have control of the land.
To apply for NRCS programs, you will need to submit a CPA-1200 application to your local NRCS office, which accepts applications year-round. After we receive your application, we will work with FSA to ensure that you are eligible for our programs.
NRCS is committed to helping people help the land— that means all people, including urban and small-scale growers. We look forward to working with you and providing the best service possible to you on your journey.
- Author: Ben A Faber
Get the latest skinny on avocado workshops and other subjects at the latest Topics in Subtropics Newsletter, as well as links to past newsletters.
Topics in Subtropics Summer Issue 2024
This edition includes the following:
- Cherimoya Growers Handbook Available On-Line
- Learning From the Rain
- Optimizing Avocado Irrigation Management Practices Using Soil Moisture Sensing
- Pest Alert: Fig Wax Scale
- Ag Labor Management Resources
- Upcoming meetings
- Avocado Irrigation workshops
- Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBVd)
Past Newsletters:
https://ceventura.ucanr.edu/Com_Ag/Subtropical/?newsletterlist=3197
- Author: Ben A Faber
Unlock the Secrets to Healthy Avocados:
Learn about Avocado Sunblotch Viroid
September 13,2024
9am-12:30pm
The Farm Bureau,Escondido
420 S Broadway,Escondido,CA 92025
Registration link:
https://forms.gle/12LxUUdkPb8DmNdm8
Fatemeh Khodadadi fatemehk@ucr.edu(845) 901-3046
Presentations:
- Fatemeh Khodadadi: Understanding ASBVd: from discovery to diagnostic hurdles
- Elize Jooste:An overview of ASBVd in South Africa:transmission challenges and how to mitigate the spread
- Peggy Mauk:Protecting California's avocado genetic resources through sunblotch viroid detection
- Mehdi Kamali:Rapid and sensitive detection of Avocado Sunblotch Viroid Disease (ASBVd) using our digital methodology
- Author: Ben A Faber
Save the Date: Training Opportunity for
Field Crews
The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program is hosting free training workshops for field crew supervisors and farm labor contractors in Riverside and Ventura counties this month. The two-hour training workshops will be presented primarily in Spanish and will review best practices for field crews on how they can properly prevent the spread of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) through hands-on training. English-language workshops can be available following each Spanish workshop; however, the English-language workshops are subject to cancellation depending on the number of sign-ups.
For more information and to RSVP, please visit our Training Workshop webpage. Please select the preferred language and meeting location for each attendee in the details below.
The Train-the-Trainer workshops will take place on the following dates:
Riverside County
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at Citrus State Historic Park, Riverside County
- Spanish-language workshop: 9 a.m.
- English-language workshop: 11 a.m. (Subject to change)
Ventura County
Thursday, August 29, 2024 at Limoneira, Ventura County
- Spanish-language workshop: 9 a.m.
- English-language workshop: 11 a.m. (Subject to change)
The training workshops will also fulfill the requirement listed in CDFA's harvesters/farm labor contractors' compliance agreement for these industry members to stay abreast of ACP and Huanglongbing (HLB) prevention best practices.
RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Location details, workshop start times and additional information will be sent upon RSVP. Please RSVP using the following link below.
Front-line leaders in the field will learn firsthand about what they can do to reduce the risk of spreading ACP, and ultimately how to protect local groves from HLB.
During the workshop, participants will:
- Learn best practices for field crews to prevent ACP from spreading in between neighboring groves.
- Practice using effective communication techniques to help their crews and others understand these best practices and why they are important.
- Understand the threat of HLB to the livelihood of the California citrus industry.
We all must do our part if we're going to protect California citrus from this pest and disease – and field crews are the first line of defense in this effort. Packinghouses are encouraged to send their staff and crews to this valuable workshop as a way to provide an extra layer of protection in preventing the spread of ACP in their groves.
For questions, please email Makayla Thompson at mt@nstpr.com.
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