There are over 3,000 certified organic farmers and ranchers in California, with many more using organic production practices like crop rotation, composting, cover cropping, integrated pest management, and farming with nature to build soil health, manage pests and diseases and build sustainable farming operations. Below is a list of resources to help you learn more about organic production practices. You can find additional UCANR educational guides in the UCANR on-line catalogue and the website of your local farm advisor. Or, visit the UC Integrated Pest Management website for on-line pest management resources.
UC Crop Production Manuals
General
- Organic certification, farm planning, management and marketing (UCANR 2006). IMPORTANT: The Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rules past in 2023 are not included in the 2006 publication.
- Food safety (UCANR 2024)
- Small Farm Handbook, 2nd Edition (UCANR 2011)* This manual is relevant to small scale organic agriculture, but may contain practices that are prohibited on organic farms. Available for a fee.
Crop specific
- Organic apple production manual (UCANR 2000) Available for a fee.
- Fresh Market and Dry Bean Production: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Organic Cut Flowers on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Organic Mixed Production Blocks for Direct Markets on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Organic Olive Production Manual (UCANR 2007)
- Organic Pepper Production on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Organic Potato Production on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) to suppress soil borne pests in Strawberries (UCSC 2025)
- Organic strawberry production manual (UCANR 2012) Available for a fee and currently being updated.
- Organic Dry-Farmed Tomato Production on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
- Organic Vegetable production manual (UCANR 2011) Available for a fee.
- Organic and Sustainable Vegetable and Flower Seedling Production: A Guide for Specialty Crop Growers and appendix (UCSC 2019)
- Cover Cropping for Vegetable Production (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2011) Available for a fee.
- Cover Cropping in Vineyards: A Grower’s Handbook (relevant to organic) (UCANR 1998) Available for a fee.
- Organic winegrowing manual (UCANR 2011) Available for a fee.
- Organic Winter Squash Production on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
Livestock specific
- Niche Beef Production (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2014)
UC Management Manuals
Soils health and fertility management
Soil health
- Introduction to soil health (UCSAREP 2021)
Fertility management
- Soil management and soil quality for organic crops (UCANR 2000) -
- Soil fertility management for organic crops (UCANR 2000)
- Estimating nitrogen availability in organic annual crop production (UCANR 2022)
Compost
- Assessing compost quality for agriculture (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2016)
Cover crops
- California cover crop resources - including excerpt grower database. Be sure to filter for organic. (UCSAREP 2021)
- Classification of Conservation Tillage Practices in California Irrigated Row Crop Systems. (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2009)
- Conservation Tillage and Weed Management (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2006)
- California farmer perspectives and tips on cover cropping - includes both organic and non-organic farmers (UCANR 2020)
Pest, weed and disease management
The UC Integrated Pest Management (IPM) website provides pest, weed and disease organic and conventional management guidelines for major crops in California as well as a weed gallery, natural enemies gallery, and invasive pest gallery as well as other resources, events and training opportunities.
Pest
- Burrowing Rodents: Developing a Management Plan for Organic Agriculture in California (UCANR 2021)
- Insect pest management for organic crops (UCANR 2000)
- Organic Pest and Disease Management of Selected Crops on California's Central Coast: A Guide for Beginning Specialty Crop Growers (UCSC 2017)
Weed
- Weed management for organic crops (UCANR 2011)
Disease
- Plant disease management for organic crops (UCANR 2000)
Supporting wildlife and biodiversity
- Natural Enemies Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control (relevant to organic) (UCANR 1998) Available for a fee.
- Producing Blue Elderberry as a Hedgerow-Based Crop in California (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2021)
- Songbird, Bat and Owl Boxes (relevant to organic) (UCANR 2008) Available for a fee.
Food Safety
- Food safety on organic farms (UC OAI)
UC Cost and Return Studies
- Cost and Return Study: Alfalfa, Central Valley (UCD 2020)
- Cost and Return Study: Almond, San Joaquin Valley North (UCD 2023)
- Cost and Return Study: Apples, Central Coast (UCD 2024)
- Cost and Return Study: Strawberries, Central Coast (UCD 2024)
- Cost and Return Study: Wine Grapes, Mendocino (UCD 2016)
- Archived cost and return studies (UCD older studies)
UC-developed Videos
- UCSC's Center for Agroecology Youtube Channel hosts many videos developed for the Central Coast region. You can find all the videos on the Center for Agroecology Youtube Channel or click on some of the playlists highlighted below.
- UCCE hosts an annual Organic Agriculture Seminar Series for Growers on a variety of topics.
- UCCE North Bay Specialty Crops Youtube Page by UCCE Farm Advisor Ellie Andrews
- Watch on-farm demonstrations and webinar recordings on a variety of topics, many relevant to organic production systems on the North Bay Specialty Crops Youtube page