- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Cover crops offer many potential benefits – including improving soil health – but not knowing the costs can be a barrier for growers who want to try this practice. To help growers calculate costs per acre, a new study on the costs and potential benefits of adding a winter cover crop in an annual rotation has been released by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Led by UC Cooperative Extension farm advisors Sarah Light and Margaret Lloyd, the cost study is modeled for a vegetable-field crop rotation planted on 60-inch beds in the lower Sacramento Valley of California. Depending on the operation, this rotation may include processing tomatoes, corn, sunflower, cotton, sorghum and dry beans, as well as other summer annual crops.
“This cost study can be used by growers who want to begin cover cropping to determine the potential costs per acre associated with this soil-health practice,” said Light, a study co-author and UC Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor for Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties.
“Based on interviews with growers who currently cover crop on their farms, this cost study models a management scenario that is common for the Sacramento Valley. In addition, growers who want to use cover crops can gain insight as to what standard field management practices will be from planting to termination.”
At the hypothetical farm, the cover crop is seeded into dry soil using a grain drill, then dependent on rainfall for germination and growth.
“Given the frequency of drier winters, we included the cost to irrigate one out of three years,” said Lloyd.
A mix of 30% bell bean, 30% field pea, 20% vetch and 20% oats is sown in the fall. Depending on winter rainfall, soil moisture and the following cash crop, the cover crop is terminated in mid to late spring. The cover crop is flail mowed and disced to incorporate the residue into the soil.
The study includes detailed information on the potential benefits and the drawbacks of cover cropping.
Another consideration for growers is that multiple programs such as CDFA's Healthy Soils Program, various USDA-funded programs (EQUIP, the Climate-Smart Commodities, etc.), and Seeds for Bees by Project Apis m. offer financial incentives for growers to implement conservation practices, such as cover crops.
“This study can provide growers with a baseline to estimate their own costs of using winter cover crops as a practice. This can be useful to calculate more precise estimates when applying for some of these programs and/or weigh the costs per acre with expected benefits in terms of soil health, crop insurance premium discounts or other benefits provided by the cover crops,” said Brittney Goodrich, UC Cooperative Extension agricultural and resource economics specialist and study co-author.
“Last year, the USDA's Pandemic Cover Crop Program gave up to a $5/acre discount on crop insurance premiums for growers who planted a cover crop, and there is potential this will get extended going forward,” Goodrich said.
A list of links to resources that focus specifically on cover crops is included in the study. Five tables show the individual costs of each cultural operation from ground preparation through planting and residue incorporation.
The new study, “2022 - Estimated Costs and Potential Benefits for a Winter Cover Crop in an Annual Crop Rotation - Lower Sacramento Valley,” can be downloaded from the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at coststudies.ucdavis.edu. Sample cost of production studies for many other commodities are also available on the website.
This cost and returns study is funded by the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
For an explanation of calculations used in the study, refer to the section titled “Assumptions.” For more information, contact Don Stewart in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at destewart@ucdavis.edu, Light at selight@ucanr.edu, or Lloyd at mglloyd@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Chen named vineyard advisor in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties
Christopher Chen joined UC Cooperative Extension Jan.10 as an integrated vineyard systems advisor for Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties.
Chen earned a B.S. in agronomy, a B.A. in economics, an M.S. in agronomy with specialization in viticulture and a Ph.D. in horticulture and agronomy with specialization in viticulture, all at UC Davis.
While in the master's program at UC Davis, Chen researched the efficacy of shade nets as heat-damage reduction tools for wine grapes at the UC Oakville Research Station in Napa Valley. He also assisted in field projects across California ranging from Delano and Paso Robles to Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. During his doctoral studies, Chen tested the salinity tolerance of wild and cultivated grapevine rootstocks stored at the UC Davis germplasm collection.
In his personal time, Chen enjoys playing guitar and venturing across California with his partner and Australian Shepherd.
Chen is headquartered at Hopland Research and Extension Center and can be reached at codchen@ucanr.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @GrapeProblems.
Ian Smith has joined Human Resources as manager of employee and labor relations. He succeeds MaryVlandis, who retired in June. He will oversee the staff human relations and employee and labor relations functions.
Smith comes to UC ANR from the UC Systemwide Human Resources/Labor Relations Division of the Office of the President, where he has worked extensively in the collective bargaining process for the last eight years.
Prior to his work with UCOP, Smith worked in human resources in nonprofit human services as well as public utilities, and he has a wide range of HR experience in both the private and public sector on both the management and union sides.
He holds a Master in Public Administration degree and an undergraduate degree in music.
Smith is based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at ijsmith@ucanr.edu.
Dillard, Harris, Uhrich, Almeida, D'Odorico elected AAAS Fellows
Five scientists affiliated with UC ANR are among 564 newly elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science announced Jan. 26.
AAAS fellows are scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines ranging from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.
Helene Dillard, dean of UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was selected “For exemplary contributions to cross-disciplinary academic administration and global public outreach; for research in plant biology, ecology and management of fungal diseases; for agricultural production; and for mentoring and teaching.”
Linda J. Harris, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology at UC Davis, was selected “For distinguished contributions to the field of food safety microbiology especially related to control of Salmonella and other pathogens in low-moisture foods and fresh produce.”
Kathryn Uhrich, dean of UC Riverside's College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and a participating faculty member in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, was selected for her contributions to the field of biodegradable polymers “that serve a critical need in therapeutics/drug delivery and service to the chemistry community.”
Rodrigo P. P. Almeida, UC Berkeley professor of emerging infectious disease ecology and the Hildebrand-Laumeister Chair in Plant Pathology, was selected for distinguished contributions to the field of ecology, particularly for experimental and modeling work on the ecology, evolution and management of insect-transmitted plant pathogens.
Paolo D'Odorico, UC Berkeley professor of environmental science, policy and management, was selected for major scientific advances in ecohydrology and food-water-energy systems.
An induction ceremony for the new fellows will take place during the AAAS annual meeting, to be held online this year Feb. 17-20.
Founded in 1848, AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science and other journals. Its mission is to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement and more.
Sidhu honored as one of 40 Under 40
Jaspreet Sidhu, UCCE vegetable crops advisor in Kern County, has been named one of the Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 by fruit and vegetable industry members across the country.
This honor is reserved exclusively for outstanding young industry professionals who are demonstrating exceptional commitment to making their mark in the industry through innovation and leadership.
Sidhu's applied research and extension program is directed towards developing, evaluating, and implementing pest management practices in commercial vegetable cropping systems. The overall goal of her program is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of vegetable production in Kern County and across California. Sidhu earned her B.S. and M.S. from Punjab Agricultural University in India and her Ph.D. in entomology from Louisiana State University.
The Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 Class of 2021 was honored during a reception at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO on Dec. 7. Gary Pullano, editor of Fruit Growers News, and Stephen Kloosterman, associate editor of Fruit Growers News, presented the honorees with a certificate and gift bag.
Read more about the Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 Class of 2021 at https://vegetablegrowersnews.com/40under40.
CAWG names Oberholster 2022 Leader of the Year
Anita Oberholster, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, was selected by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) as the 2022 Leader of the Year.
CAWG President John Aguirre said, “Dr. Oberholster is an esteemed researcher and leading voice as an educator and expert on the complicated issues surrounding wildfire smoke and winegrapes. Her relentless drive to help by sharing her expertise and frequent communication have been incredibly beneficial to growers and vintners, and CAWG appreciates all that she has done for California's winegrowers.”
The Leader of the Year Award recognizes an individual whose record of exceptional leadership has benefitted California's wine industry and is an inspiration to others. The recipient has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to issues of significant importance to winegrape growers and has achieved lasting changes to promote and protect the interests of California winegrape growers.
As a UCCE specialist, Oberholster focuses on continuing education for the grape and wine industry, while her research program concentrates on current issues in the grape and wine industry. Her core research program focuses on the influence of viticultural practices and environmental factors on grape ripening and composition, and related wine quality and investigations to determine the influence of different vinification practices on wine composition and quality.
Since 2017, smoke exposure in winegrapes has become one of her primary research subjects. She is investigating the absorption of volatile phenols on to grapes and the subsequent impact on wine composition and quality. Oberholster has been instrumental in the research and dissemination of information regarding smoke exposed fruit. She has been an active member of the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force and a presenter for CAWG-supported webinars and meetings.
Oberholster received the award on Jan. 25 during the 2022 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.
Light wins Conservation Education Award
Sarah Light, UC Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor for Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa counties, won the Conservation Education Award from the Soil and water Conservation Society's California/Nevada chapter. Light and Liz Harper, executive director of Colusa Resource Conservation District, share the award for Soil Health Connection, a series of videos they produced. The award was presented Jan. 7 during a webinar.
The Soil Health Connection connects farmers with experts in the fields of soil health and agronomy. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, soil health consists of five principles: soil armor, minimal soil disturbance, plant diversity, continual live plants/roots, and livestock integration.
Light and Harper interviewed farmers, scientists, policy advocates, and farm advisors who are involved in improving soil health in the Sacramento Valley. The 35 videos range from a two-minute video demonstrating a soil nitrate quick test to longer interviews about soil health, grazing, cultivation practices and policy.
See the Soil Health Connection on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRI4lXL4f_ro_Flnp4lu6IA.
Ritchie earns JNEB Platinum Author recognition
The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB) has designated Lorrene Ritchie as a Platinum Author.
Over the past 10 years, Ritchie has been author or co-author of more than 10 papers published in JNEB, according to Editor-in-Chief Karen Chapman-Novakofski.
“We recognize that authors have many choices when selecting the right place to publish and are pleased that you have chosen JNEB, the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior's peer-reviewed journal, so often as an outlet for your research,” Chapman-Novakofski wrote. “We hope you will consider JNEB for your papers in the future to continue advancing research, practice and policy. We truly appreciate the excellent manuscripts you send.”
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Farmers and ranchers are invited on a tour to learn how to use cover crops to build soil health. A full-day tour of several cover crop sites in orchards and annual crop fields in the Sacramento Valley is being offered on March 3 by the Western Cover Crop Council's Southwest Region Committee.
“The goal of this tour is to demonstrate ways to use cover crops effectively in annual crops and orchards in the Sacramento Valley,” said tour organizer Sarah Light, UC Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor.
“This tour will cover a range of topics, including cover crop selection, equipment needed to manage cover crops, considerations for cover cropping in the region, and the importance of building soil health,” said Light, who is also chair of the Western Cover Crop Council's Southwest Region Committee and a board member of the Western Cover Crop Council.
Cover crop species, cultivars and mixes including legumes, grasses and brassicas will be showcased in Colusa County, with farmers, UC Cooperative Extension specialists and researchers giving presentations.
The tour bus will depart from the Colusa County Cooperative Extension Office at 100 Sunrise Blvd., Suite E, Colusa, CA 95932 at 8 a.m. and return at 7:30 p.m.
Participants are currently limited to 50 farmers and ranchers. If space is available after Feb. 1, others may join. ?The $50 registration fee includes morning refreshments, transportation, lunch and dinner. To register or to see the agenda, visit https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=36190.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The results are available in a free downloadable publication in the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources catalog at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=8689.
Hemp was legalized for production nationwide in the United States under the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp has many uses – from textiles to food to biofuel – however is most sought-after for the chemical component cannabidiol (CBD), extracted for medicinal use.
Because of hemp's recent entry into the California crop complex, growers are hungry for information that will help them make irrigation, fertilization, pest management and other decisions.
“When they see unexpected damage on the plants, our growers, county agricultural commissioners and pest control advisers need to be able to determine whether a crop might have been subjected to herbicide drift from an adjacent field or orchard,” Light said. “We provided science-based evidence that can help guide their judgement.”
The scientists exposed hemp to low rates of 19 herbicides used in California. The rates and spray coverages are higher than would commonly occur in herbicide drift situations, because the scientists sought to compare typical symptoms from several herbicide modes of action on hemp. The publication contains 25 color photographs demonstrating the notable symptoms of different herbicides. In addition, detailed explanations about the symptoms observed over a two-week period following exposure are provided.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
University of California Cooperative Extension and the Colusa County Resource Conservation District announce the launch of the Soil Health Connection, an informative outreach YouTube channel. The channel hosts virtual discussions and interviews with leading soil science researchers and farmers with the intention of shedding light on the importance of soil health in California's agricultural systems.
Hosts Sarah Light, UCCE agronomy advisor, and Liz Harper, Colusa County RCD executive director, bring their own knowledge and expertise to the channel by inviting guests and viewers to think about soil health through various lenses. The channel has already released episodes touching on the connections between soils and economics, agroecology, nutrient management, conservation, regenerative agriculture and more.
Featured guests from a multitude of backgrounds help capture differing perspectives and the interdisciplinary nature of the field of soil health. One episode in Spanish has been released.
Soil Health Connection is a product of Light and Harper's collaborative research supported by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Healthy Soils Program in partnership with Richter AG and Davis Ranch. The project is evaluating how soil moisture dynamics change with and without cover crops in an annual cropping system. In addition to the applied research and demonstration aspect, the project also aims to provide a platform for community outreach and education.
Experts in soil health and related fields, as well as growers participating in soil health practices, are encouraged to email Light at selight@ucanr.edu if interested in participating in the Soil Health Connection.
To learn more about soil health in the Sacramento Valley, tune in to hear from the professionals who are getting their hands dirty with these issues every day. New episodes are released bi-weekly at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRI4lXL4f_ro_Flnp4lu6IA.