Agriculture Programs
UC Cooperative Extension connects San Joaquin County producers, landowners, and residents with research-based information in agriculture and natural resource management, partnering to solve real-world challenges, strengthen farm viability, and protect natural resources for current and future generations. Cooperative Extension Farm Advisors promote agricultural economic prosperity by conducting research and extension programs that support San Joaquin County’s $3.1 billion agriculture industry. Advisors annually conduct over 70 research projects and 30 educational events that address grains and forages, vegetables, tree and vine crops, dairy, and livestock. They extend science-based information on production practices, problem diagnosis, pest and nutrient management, irrigation, and soil and water quality.
Program highlights include:
- Improved nitrogen use efficiency in young second-generation almond orchards following Whole Orchard Recycling. Whole Orchard Recycling is an alternative to open field burning or co-generation burning, and the San Joaquin Valley Air Board reports that 7.5 million tons of orchard biomass has been ground and incorporated on 277,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
- Management strategies to control Red Leaf Blotch of almond, a new invasive fungal disease first reported in 2024.
- Improved disease management strategies in tomato, potato, and onion that can reduce grower costs. A 7-year project evaluating processing tomato cultivar tolerance to soilborne diseases, like Fusarium stem rot, has contributed to a 3% increase in crop volume.
- Variety, pest management, and plant nutrition guidelines for corn, dry beans, small grains, alfalfa, and rice, where 95% of surveyed stakeholders learned useful information and 75% indicated they would use the information over the next year.
- Guidance on using drones for agricultural scouting to support safe, legally-compliant operations and more confident adoption of aerial decision-support tools.
- Quantified how vineyard design choices (rootstock, trellis, and layout) influence canopy stress, productivity, and climate resilience under heat and drought conditions. Equipped vineyard decision-makers with practical in-season and long-term mitigation strategies to reduce risk and sustain performance during extreme weather events.
- Development of an effective Pacific flatheaded borer adult monitoring trap and adoption of preventive cultural practices (e.g., pruning and painting young trees), where 92.2% of surveyed stakeholders gaining actionable knowledge and 59% indicating intended management changes.
- Support for a circular economy by repurposing agricultural residues into feed resources by determining that byproducts contribute to 40% of the lactating dairy ration.
- Increased ecosystem resilience by planting pastures with warm-season grasses that can reduce water use by 50%.
Delta Program
Cooperative Extension programming in climate-smart farming practices helps promote sustainable agriculture, enhance water quality, and protect the Delta and its ecosystem. Research and extension activities provide farmers with information on production practices to support their decision making.
Program highlights include:
- Rice production guidelines to support farm economics, soil health, and migratory waterfowl habitat. Delta rice acreage has expanded to over 12,000 acres.
- Cover cropping and irrigation practice guidelines to support crop yield, soil carbon storage, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, where 69% of surveyed stakeholders learned useful information and 52% indicated they would use the information over the next year.
- Provided expert testimony on crop production and soil salinity to the State Water Resources Control Board in opposition of the Delta Conveyance Project.
- Partnered with the San Joaquin County and Delta Water Quality Coalition, Delta Conservancy, Delta Stewardship Council, and local water agencies to deliver programs that improve water quantity, quality, and sustainability in the Delta.