- Author: Chris M. Webb
Across the nation food producers are turning to alternative energy to run their operations. In addition to saving money some producers are able to sell excess energy, increasing revenue.
The USDA currently operates four programs to assist in achieving energy independence.
- The Biorefinery Assistance Program provides loan guarantees for the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries.
- The Repowering Assistance Program provides payments to eligible biorefineries to replace fossil fuels used to produce hear or power to operate the biorefineries with renewable biomass.
- The Advanced Biofuel Payment Program provides payment to producers to support and expand production of advanced biofuels refined from sources other than corn kernel starch.
- The Rural Energy for America Program provides assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of projects, including renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy development, energy audits, and feasibility studies.
To learn more about the programs, please visit this webpage.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The recent issue of UC’s California Agriculture is packed with interesting and informative articles. Two articles help to directly connect farmers and consumers. All articles can be accessed online.
Please see topics below:
- 150 years after Morrill Act, land-grant universities are key to healthy California
- Uncertain future for California’s biomass power plants
- Community Supported Agriculture is thriving in the Central Valley
- UC Cooperative Extension explores a farm-to-WIC program
- Crop rotation and genetic resistance reduce risk of damage from Fusarium wilt in lettuce
- Citrus growers vary in their adoption of biological control (availible only in E-Edition)
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Co-sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension Groundwater Hydrology Program, Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA) will present an educational opportunity February 28-29 at Buehler Alumni Center, located on the UC Davis campus.
Directed toward a broad audience, the Introduction to Groundwater and Watershed Hydrology: Monitoring, Assessment and Protection short course will be taught by experienced instructors.
From GRA’s website:
“This short course will review the fundamental principles of groundwater and watershed hydrology, water quality, and water contamination. It will provide an overview of the most common tools for measuring, monitoring, and assessing groundwater and surface water resources. And it will review current local, state, and federal programs dealing with groundwater and watersheds. The course is geared towards a broad audience that is involved in the management, assessment, and protection of water resources, either professionally, as an educator, as a stakeholder, or otherwise. Course attendees who may have some experience with, but no formal training in hydrology or related engineering or science fields, will benefit from the basic and intuitive, yet comprehensive approach of this course.”
Scheduled topics include:
• Surface Water Hydrology and Watersheds
• Groundwater Hydrology
• Water Rights and Water Law
• Surface Water Quality
• Groundwater Quality, Sampling, and Monitoring
• Surface Water Contaminants
• Groundwater Contamination
• Defining Watersheds and Groundwater Recharge Areas
• Vulnerability Assessments
• Understanding Potentially Contaminating Activities
• Protecting Water Resources
To register, or for more information, please visit this page of the GRA website.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Biological control can be used to control pests and the damage they cause in gardens, landscapes, agricultural, range and wildlands.
What is biological control? Biological control is using natural enemies to reduce the numbers of pests. Natural enemies include: predators, parasites, pathogens and competitors. Pests include: pest insects, mites, weeds, pathogens, nematodes and vertebrate pests.
Using biological control methods can reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides. Reducing pesticide and herbicide use is beneficial to improving water quality.
To learn more about biological control, please see UC’s Natural enemies gallery. Resources include:
- Biological control and natural enemies pest note
- Narrated presentation on biological control
- Meet the beneficials: Natural enemies of garden pests
- Descriptions and identification of many predators and parasitoids commonly found on California farms and landscapes
- And much more
Natural enemies resources in Spanish can be found towards the bottom of this page.
Most of these resources are available at no charge. However, some are priced publications. When ordering online, please use promo code PRVEN56 to receive 10% off your order, plus a portion of the purchase price will go towards supporting local programs.
Interested in learning, but not purchasing? Priced publications can be viewed in our office. Please contact us in advance to ensure publication will be available upon your arrival.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The newly redesigned UC IPM Online website has many wonderful resources intended to reduce the environmental and human health impacts of pest problems and managing them. Integrated pest management (IPM) can be used to solve pest problems in urban, agricultural, and wildland or natural areas.
IPM embraces combined management approaches for the greatest effectiveness for reducing pest damage. Biological control, cultural controls, mechanical and physical controls, and chemical control work together to create effective, long-term control in a way that minimizes possible harm to people and the environment.
When chemical control is needed the Mitigating Pesticide Hazards webpage provides step by step guidelines and suggestions to reduce potential harm.
Topics include:
- Choose a pesticide from the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines for the target pest
- Before an application evaluation
- After an application evaluation
- Consider water management practices that reduce pesticide movement off-site.
- Consider practices that reduce air quality problems.
Some of these resources are available in Spanish.