Posts Tagged: economic

California producers: Climate change is real; we could use a little help

Surveys point to pathways to support farmers, ranchers

How can farmers and ranchers continue to grow our food while facing challenges of a changing climate, increasingly scarce water, land use pressures and rising costs? More than a decade of research is revealing important ways universities, government agencies and other support organizations can help our food producers develop resilience to these challenges and remain profitable.

Leslie Roche is a professor of Cooperative Extension, based in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. She helps lead a statewide team, including other University of California scientists and UC Agricultural and Natural Resource specialists, that is using surveys and interviews with people in the state's agricultural sector to learn what folks need to stay strong.

Researchers aim for their results to shape the state's education and extension efforts in the near future. With the largest farming economy in the United States, California's efforts to help producers has national implications.

How to help our food producers?

Despite their confidence and resourcefulness, both ranchers and farmers reported wanting more help from government agencies, such as crop insurance and programs to protect their farms. Some producers surveyed didn't even know that disaster assistance is available,

What they said about their needs:

• Producers want more information about how to adapt to climate change, tools such as weather stations to help them make decisions, and to learn new skills to help them deal with challenges in their operations.
• Computer-based tools that let producers gather data, look at their risks and possibilities, and make decisions about complex problems will help them keep their operations viable.
• Science-based solutions that are offered must be tailored to the conditions individual producers face, mesh with the strategies they already prefer and be cost-effective. Otherwise, producers are unlikely to adopt them.

The statewide team's work is getting noticed, Roche said: Material from one of the rancher focus groups will be presented at the 2025 annual conference of the Association of International Agricultural and Extension Education.

Farmers: Climate change can affect operations

A survey of 341 California farmers “showed that most believe climate change is real, and many think action is needed,” according to a paper led by Samuel Ikendi, a Roche colleague based at UC Merced. “Farmers are especially worried about how climate change affects water, temperatures, and natural disasters,” Ikendi wrote.

Farmers wanted more information on how to adapt and to learn how to use online tools to better understand climate information.

They're already taking action: More than half of those surveyed (54 percent) are changing their irrigation practices, for example.

Protecting and improving the soil is an important course of action:

• About 48 percent are reducing their disturbance of the soil or adopting no-till cultivation practices.
• Nearly 47 percent are building up organic matter in the soil and/or applying amendments such as manure and compost.
• Nearly 40 percent are using mulch on their crops.

Ranchers: “We can do this!”

Ranchers have confidence in their abilities to get through these tough times, relying on hard experience and drawing on trusted relationships in their communities, according to a paper by Roche and colleagues. That research served as the basis for much of what has been published.

Related links

Read more about the surveys and interviews conducted by Roche and the statewide team:

The Roche team plans to help ranchers stay strong despite drought by creating programs that draw on the respondents' own hard-won wisdom.

Surveys also offer insights into the toll that wildfire takes on producers' physical and mental health, and suggests avenues for supporting their ability to adapt.

Climate-smart agricultural practices can help farmers adapt as temperatures warm.

This story was first published on the UC Davis Plant Sciences site.

Los terrenos baldíos: una oportunidad económica en potencia

Científicos de UCCE estudian la viabilidad de cultivos especializados para pequeños cultivadores urbanos

Los terrenos baldíos de su vecindario podrían albergar cultivos de frutas y verduras y facilitando su acceso a ellas – a la misma vez que reducen la necesidad de transportar y distribuir estos alimentos. ¿Podría ser que convertir estos espacios vacantes en pequeñas granjas se convirtieran también en una oportunidad de desarrollo económico? 

Para responder a esta pregunta, un equipo de investigadores de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California en el condado de San Diego investiga la viabilidad económica de sembrar cultivos de especialidad de alto valor en zonas urbanas como terrenos baldíos. El Proyecto – dirigido por Eric Middleton, asesor para el manejo integrado de plagas de UCCE para los condados de San Diego, Orange y Los Ángeles – se realiza actualmente en The Flower Fields en Carlsbad, una atracción de temporada para los residentes locales y turistas.

Escondido detrás del campo está el Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site (Sitio de Demostración de Agricultura Urbana a Pequeña Escala) en donde Middleton y su equipo establecieron, en el otoño del 2023, una pequeña granja sobre aproximadamente 17 mil pies cuadrados. Financiado por el Instituto Nacional de Alimentos y Agricultura del Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos la granja está diseñada para evaluar la producción en contenedores en el exterior y bajo túneles altos.

Los agricultores no necesariamente necesitan terrenos, solo un espacio

Los  túneles altos, conocidos también como casas de aros, son estructuras semipermanentes que actúan de manera similar a los invernaderos proporcionando un ambiente controlado. Durante el experimento, Middleton va a comparar costos, esfuerzo y durabilidad de dos tipos de túneles: uno hecho con acero y el otro con tubería PVC.

“Queremos proporcionar a los cultivadores interesados información sobre tantas opciones como podamos”, señaló Middleton, quien explicó que el proyecto fue motivado por los cambios en el entorno urbano, incluyendo el espacio limitado y la falta de tierra arable.

En esta prueba, están cultivando cúrcuma, jengibre y arándanos azules. Los cultivos de alto valor fueron seleccionados por su potencial de producir ganancias. Se recabará información que evalúa la variedad de plantas, mezcla de suelos, fertilizantes, crecimiento y producción y la presión causada por plagas y enfermedades y se incluirá un reporte al concluir el proyecto en el 2026.

A medida que los cultivos crecen en contenedores – los arándanos azules  en macetas y el cúrcuma y jengibre en bolsas para cultivar – Middleton resaltó el aspecto de movilidad del estudio, haciendo notar que los cultivadores no necesariamente necesitan un terreno.

Ya sea en el patio trasero o en el techo, la producción en contenedores representa un traslado  más fácil, especialmente porque los terrenos baldíos no siempre se mantienen vacantes para siempre y los lotes urbanos con frecuencia requieren acondicionamiento del suelo. Cultivar en contenedores resuelve el problema anticipado de tenerse que trasladar.

Donde establecerse en el condado de San Diego

Jan Gonzales, coordinadora del Proyecto y supervisora de educación comunitaria para UCCE en el condado de San Diego, encabeza el esfuerzo para identificar terrenos urbanos en esta área, así como políticas y procedimientos para que los cultivadores tengan acceso a estos espacios.

Gonzales colabora con miembros comunitarios que trabajan en proyectos similares identificando el espacio para posibles cultivadores. 

“Esto se ha hecho antes para objetivos diferentes y áreas específicas de la región, pero la información era para proyectos específicos y no algo abierto al público o tan fácil de encontrar”. dijo Gonzales.

Tras haber hablado con personas asociadas previamente o en el presente a proyectos de identificación de terrenos para cultivo, Gonzales ha acordado coordinar y facilitar un grupo asesor para discutir potenciales áreas de colaboración y desarrollar la eficiencia del proyecto. Ella anticipa llevar a cabo la primera reunión del grupo antes de que termine el verano.

Una guía de producción para ayudar a miembros de la comunidad a recrear el proyecto

La audiencia ideal para un estudio como este es para cualquiera que quiera sembrar cultivos de especialidad, de acuerdo con Lindsey Pedroncelli, directora interina del Centro de Investigación y Extensión South Coast UC ubicado en Irvine, quien trabajó en el proyecto junto con Middleton cuando era investigadora asociada de UCCE en San Diego.

“Si eres un nuevo cultivador o un cultivador que desea diversificar su producción, lo que estamos aprendiendo aquí se puede aplicar a ti”, manifestó Pedroncelli.

Pedroncelli ha sido instrumental en darle vida al experimento y en documentar paso a paso, hasta ahora, su flujo de trabajo. La guía de producción, la cual está siendo creada conforme se desarrolla el proyecto, incluye instrucciones detallando cómo replicar el experimento desde cero Actualmente, contiene información sobre cómo diseñar tu granja, los materiales a comprar, estructuras de edificios, instalación de riego y manejo de cultivos.

La pregunta abierta más intrigante, si la operación es rentable, es sobre la fuerza impulsora de la guía de producción y será sin duda abordada, dijo Pedroncelli.

Haga una cita y visite la granja

Cuando visite la granja, podrá encontrar tres variedades de arándanos: Star, Snowchaser y  Misty. La Snowchaser ha sido la productora principal desde que se le plantó en enero, pero a la variedad se le conoce como productora de principios de temporada.

Usando solo una variedad de cada una, el cúrcuma y jengibre fueron plantados a finales de marzo y principios de abril. Con un clima anticipadamente frío en el condado de San Diego, ambos cultivos batallaron al salir de su latencia, resultando en un progreso muy lento, algo con lo que el equipo sigue lidiando hoy en día.

Visualmente, Middleton y su equipo han notado diferencias entre los cultivos que crecen bajo los túneles y los que crecen al exterior, a pesar de que la información aún no ha sido analizada para confirmar o explicar las diferencias notables.

En su intento por demostrar cómo producir cultivos de alto valor de manera rentable en entornos urbanos usando espacios y recursos limitados, Pedroncelli dijo que espera que este estudio motive a los individuos a sembrar cultivos culturalmente significativos para sus comunidades.

Para recorrer el  Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site en The Flower Fields de Carlsbad, escriba a Eric Middleton al egmiddleton@ucanr.edu con la frase "Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site Tour" en la línea de asunto.

Para conocer más sobre el proyecto y su progreso, visite: https://ucanr.edu/sites/socalIPM/Small_Scale_Urban_Agriculture_Project_/.

Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes

South Coast REC studies pesto profitability for small-scale basil growers

UC ANR advisors, staff research methods in conserving highly perishable product

If you visited the greenhouse at the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center in early fall, you would have smelled a sweet aroma with notes of lemon, pepper and licorice.

In one of the conservatories, a team of UC Cooperative Extension advisors and staff grew seven varieties of basil and by the end of October, the plants stretched nearly two feet tall with leaves large enough to warrant a closer look. The wonderful smell would soon become delightful tastes, as the team planned to turn the basil into pesto.

“The rationale was to provide a high-value crop and a value-added solution for urban horticulture, transforming a highly perishable product into something that can be conserved,” said Gerardo “Gerry” Spinelli, UC Cooperative Extension production horticulture advisor for San Diego County, who initiated the passion project.

After noticing a sign at South Coast REC asking consumers to use produce grown onsite in their everyday cooking, Spinelli felt inspired. The sign also requested photos of homemade dishes be sent to South Coast REC's interim director, Lindsey Pedroncelli, to generate content for the REC's Instagram account.

Envisioning a “bigger picture” for this effort, Spinelli turned to Pedroncelli for support. The two agreed that the basil project demonstrates a viable pathway for urban growers who have limited space, and positions South Coast REC as an ideal partner for such endeavors. Uniquely located in urban Irvine, South Coast REC has nearly 200 acres of land reserved for agricultural research and is one of nine RECs housed under UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“Urban growers are constantly looking for new ways to grow food and market their products. Growing plants using the Kratky hydroponic system is a low-input method that is simple to establish and easy to maintain,” said Pedroncelli.

Aside from its research purposes, the project was the perfect opportunity to engage other advisors and staff at South Coast REC. The extra hands and taste buds that helped with this effort would later be known as the South Coast REC Pesto Task Force.

Growing in hydroponics

Given Spinelli and Pedroncelli's Italian ancestry, it was no question that the basil would be used to make pesto – a traditional sauce originating from Genoa, Italy that's commonly consumed on pasta. In just about two months, the following basil varieties flourished in a hydroponic system: cinnamon, Mrs. Burns' Lemon, Kapoor Tulsi, Thai Towers, Amethyst Improved, Red Rubin and the traditional Genovese. With these varieties, Spinelli and Pedroncelli were also interested in testing how taste and color affect the pesto.

Since learning about the Kratky method, a passive hydroponic technique developed by Bernard Kratky at the University of Hawai'i, Spinelli has championed it as an easy and affordable way to grow food. He has produced several videos in English and Spanish about the technique on his YouTube Channel and created a fact sheet that can be downloaded from his website.

Some of its advantages are the low initial capital investment, excellent water and nitrogen use efficiency, short cycle of production and the fact that it is modular and easy to set up, move and store – a major advantage for growers who only have access to space for a limited time and investments on immobile structures are not justifiable.

For the setup, eight 2'-by-3' tubs were used, and each was filled with 20 gallons of water before adding a fertilizer mix that contains one ounce of calcium nitrate, one ounce of magnesium sulfate or Epson salt and 0.6 ounces of lettuce formula. With the additional steps of seeding, drilling holes into the Styrofoam, and placing the net cups with seedlings into each hole, Spinelli estimated about 30 minutes of setup for each tub.

Estimating potential profit for urban growers

Although prices per quantity vary, he also estimated about $25 for the 20-gallon tub, a panel of Styrofoam and net baskets, which can all be reused. In addition, the fertilizer and propagation materials, including seeds and pellets, will cost roughly $68. When breaking these materials down according to the number of growing cycles, about one to two months each, the cost amounts to approximately $5 per tub for 25 cycles.

Using basil sold at Trader Joe's for reference, Spinelli estimated that each ounce of basil grown is worth about 70 cents. The “million-dollar question,” as Spinelli puts it, is how much profit one can earn from this endeavor. Because the Amethyst Improved and Red Rubin varieties had the lowest yields of 12 and 18 ounces, they were combined to make 40 ounces of pesto. In contrast, Genovese had the highest yield of 51 ounces of basil – which produced 64 ounces of pesto.

Using a ratio of 0.7 to 0.9 ounces of basil for every liquid ounce of pesto, and calculating projected value based on Trader Joe's pricing, the Amethyst Improved and Red Rubin combined pesto had a projected value of $21, whereas Genovese had a projected value of $36. Without being combined with any other variety, however, the smallest projected value was the Kapoor Tulsi variety which had a yield of 22.5 ounces, making 28 ounces of pesto and resulting in a $16 projected value.

There are a few costs that Spinelli and Pedroncelli could not account for, such as hypothetical transportation to the market for sale, and the various prices of ingredients used to make pesto – almonds and walnuts, for instance, could be used as a cheaper alternative to the traditional pine nuts.

“With a traditional recipe you spend $5 for the basil and $25 for the other ingredients to produce eight 8-ounce jars of pesto. If you can sell each jar for $10 at the farmers market, there are $50 for profit – maybe more if you can sell one jar for $15, or you can save with non-traditional ingredients,” Spinelli explained.

An additional advantage, which may come with additional expenses, is that pesto can be conserved. The business model could be that the grower sells basil at the farmers market and transforms the unsold product into pesto before it goes bad.

“Getting involved in agriculture can be intimidating and costly, so researching and showcasing inexpensive methods that can easily be scaled to fit your needs is incredibly helpful for both new and seasoned growers,” Pedroncelli said.

South Coast REC staff offer taste buds at ‘pesto party'

Following their harvests in October, Spinelli and Pedroncelli hosted two “pesto parties” for staff at South Coast REC. Although traditional pesto is made with Genovese basil, pine nuts, garlic, Pecorino cheese and olive oil, Spinelli and Pedroncelli experimented with different cheeses and nuts across the seven varieties of basil. Staff offered their taste buds and critical review of each pesto, advising the two chefs to add more or less of a particular ingredient.

Eager to share their progress and vision with UC ANR's senior leadership, Spinelli and Pedroncelli carefully preserved and packaged eight jars of homemade pesto and had it specially delivered to Vice President Glenda Humiston.

“This is a creative way to demonstrate innovation and a fantastic opportunity to support our urban communities. It's not just practical, but economically feasible,” said Humiston, who was pleasantly surprised by the pesto delivery. “Plus, I love pesto!” she added.

What started out as a passion project quickly turned into an opportunity to show how a resource hub like South Coast REC can empower its urban clientele both educationally and economically. It was also the perfect opportunity to engage South Coast REC staff in an activity outside of their day-to-day responsibilities, making for excellent photo ops and social media posts.

Unique conditions in Modoc County drive organic agriculture adaptations

UC Organic Agriculture Institute visits area to hear innovations, needs of local producers

Modoc County, home to 8,500 people and tucked in the remote northeastern corner of California, has been a leader in advancing organic agriculture through its significant ranching and agronomic crop production, namely of potatoes and hay.

In fact, Modoc County is California's number one county for organic beef cattle production (119,782 acres in 2022), and consistently in the top five counties for total harvested certified organic acres in the state, according to the most recent California Department of Food and Agriculture statistics.

“Modoc County farmers and ranchers in many ways exemplify the values of organic agriculture, adapting and tailoring their operations to the contexts of the unique landscapes we live in,” said Laurie Wayne, University of California Cooperative Extension nutrition, community health and food systems advisor for Modoc, Siskiyou and Lassen counties.

This past summer, Wayne and Rob Wilson – UCCE farm advisor and director of the Intermountain Research and Extension Center operated by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources – shared their insights with a visiting team from the UC Organic Agriculture Institute.

Established in 2020 as an institute under UC ANR, OAI was created to develop research, extension and education support for certified, transitioning and aspiring organic farmers and ranchers across California. The OAI team has been visiting different regions to better understand the unique conditions of organic agriculture in those areas.

“These tours are our chance to build relationships with local farmers, partner organizations and colleagues and see how organic agriculture has grown and developed in that specific region,” said Houston Wilson, OAI director. “We also get to learn directly from farmers and ranchers about how regional contexts and community goals influence organic agriculture in their area.”

Modoc County's geography, climate spur adaptive strategies

Wayne, who previously operated a farm in Modoc County and also co-founded the Surprise Valley Saturday Farmer's Market and Modoc Harvest Food Hub, was the perfect person to introduce the OAI team to local agricultural producers.

“I hoped to show our visitors just a glimpse at the many lessons I've learned and inspiration I've gained from the agriculture community in Modoc,” Wayne said.

A common theme across Modoc County is the use of innovative and place-based strategies to farm within diverse ecosystems. For example, extensive rotational grazing is well-suited to the region's vast sage steppes, perennial grasslands and sagebrush ecosystems.

333 Ranch – a third-generation ranch in Lake City owned and operated by Sophie Sheppard, Lynn Nardella, and their son, Jason Diven – raises rotationally grazed beef cattle and calves, hogs and Icelandic sheep and grows organically managed vegetables.

Half of 333 Ranch is under conservation easement to preserve natural resources and wildlife. Their land stewardship practices include working with the Savory Institute – a nonprofit that supports the health of grasslands and the livelihoods of people on those landscapes – on ecological grazing techniques. They also partner with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to convert barbed wire fencing into high tensile fencing for riparian habitat restoration. Sheppard reported that one year after the fence conversion, the ranchers saw nesting Greater Sandhill Cranes and beavers building dams in their creek.

Leah Larsen of Bidwell Canyon Farm in Fort Bidwell said she learned high tunnel production from Sheppard at 333 Ranch and others in the area. High tunnels allow farmers to extend their growing seasons to accommodate diverse crop rotations and opportunities for local food production.

Larsen – who grows vegetables, fruit trees and berries on 1.5 acres (including in two high tunnels) – also raises milk goats and chickens, maintains grazing pasture and operates a farmstay rental. With 11 years of experience farming in Modoc's high desert climate, Larsen offers mentorship to other growers in the region and shares information through channels such as the region's high tunnel Facebook group.

Canyon Creek Ranch in Alturas uses prescribed burns to manage invasive tree species in the sagebrush steppe. Richard (Dick) Mackey and his family operate 3,300 certified organic acres, with 350 head of cattle and 500 acres of hay, pasture and alfalfa. In addition to organic certification, Canyon Creek Ranch is also Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV)-certified; EOV is a program of the Savory Institute that gathers ecosystem data to verify that ranching practices are regenerating the land.

Mackey, whose family has owned and operated the ranch since 1946, brought the OAI team to an area of their property that is managed with fire, demonstrating how their agroecological stewardship has improved the land and suppressed invasive species.

“It was remarkable to see the difference ecological management such as prescribed burning and targeted grazing can make in promoting both healthy ecosystems and more productive organic agricultural systems,” said Krista Marshall, OAI policy and partnerships coordinator. “I feel incredibly grateful to have gotten the opportunity to learn from the innovative and thoughtful farmers and ranchers across Modoc County about how we can accomplish multiple goals in agroecosystems.”

Another example of ecological and agricultural goals being met simultaneously can be found at Tule Lake, where rotations incorporate a wetland wildlife refuge and crop production. Rob Wilson noted that this “Walking Wetlands” program has benefited organic producers with good pest and disease control from the flooded years in the rotation.

“The Walking Wetlands program is a great example of public and private land managers working together to meet land use objectives,” said Wilson, the UCCE farm advisor. “The program results in hundreds of acres of restored marshland habitat for migrating waterfowl each year, while providing organic potato and small grain growers with productive farmland largely devoid of soilborne pathogens and nematode pests.” 

Farm labor support, meat processing infrastructure investment needed in region

All ranchers on the OAI tour commented on the lack of U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited meat processors in the county. Ranchers explained that they must transport animals hundreds of miles to other counties or across state lines to access facilities.

Jon and Kelsey Arreche of Cow Creek Meat, Inc. at Arreche Farms in Cedarville said that the year-long wait lists for processing complicates planning.

The Arreches manage 1,300 acres of pasture, alfalfa, wheat, barley and hay and raise 110 grass-fed and grass-fed/grain-finished beef cattle, as well as hogs, lamb and poultry. Cow Creek Meat was certified organic for 12 years and continues to farm organically despite not pursuing certification currently.

Jon Arreche commented that prices for commodities like alfalfa are not stable but rather fluctuate between organic and non-organic markets, with some years offering a better premium than others. He said that they may pursue certification again in the future.

“Greater investment in processing infrastructure and the need for organic market development are two concerns we heard consistently on the tour,” said Shriya Rangarajan, a postdoctoral researcher with OAI. “We have to ensure the long-term economic viability for these local ranchers.”

The remoteness of Modoc County also has contributed to labor challenges for farmers and ranchers across the region. Some growers have pursued hosting farm apprenticeships or internships, through programs like World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) or through direct hire.

Bidwell Canyon Farm has a farm internship program, which helps with labor on the farm and also contributes to mentoring and teaching the next generation of farmers. There was widespread interest in developing training programs, akin to Rogue Farm Corps in Oregon, to link beginning farmer apprentices with host mentor farmers.

“Hands-on experience working on farms is the best way to inspire and train the next generation of farmers,” said Marshall. “Farmers in Modoc are already creating these types of apprenticeship programs on their farms, so network and capacity building to support these efforts would benefit the agricultural community.”

Markets often dictate whether organic certification is useful

The number of certified organic farms and ranches in Modoc County declined from 34 in 2018 to 19 in 2022, according to CDFA statistics. The OAI visitors learned from growers in the region that markets often dictated if formal certification made business sense for their organically managed operations.

Kay and Erik Antunez de Mayolo grow vegetables, herbs, berries and natural dye plants on a quarter-acre and heritage apples, peaches and other fruit trees on an additional three acres at Oz Garden in Eagleville. They manage their farm organically, but are not certified. Kay Antunez de Mayolo, who markets produce and value-added goods at the Surprise Valley Farmers Market in Cedarville and the Alturas Farmers Market, also contributes to the Modoc Harvest Food Hub.

Most Modoc growers, certified or not, know their customers through direct sales and build trust around the integrity of their operations. Many farmers and ranchers ultimately don't see the financial benefit of certification because of these direct relationships with their customers – especially given the certification cost and administrative effort required.

While cost-share programs for organic certification fees exist (such as the USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program), applying for and maintaining certification status takes valuable time – in addition to direct financial outlay.

Modoc growers contribute to conserving plant diversity

The lively local food and farming community in Modoc County also includes smaller-scale vegetable and fruit farms; the State Organic Program reported 1,281 organic vegetable acres in Modoc in 2023. Modoc fruit and vegetable growers are conserving heritage crops on farm and preserving unique plant varieties while producing food for the community.

At Oz Garden, the apple trees are over 125 years old. Through the Modoc Harvest Heritage Fruit Tree Project, Kay Antunez de Mayolo and others work to identify these cultivars through research and DNA fingerprinting at the UC Davis Genetics Lab. Oz Garden grows diverse plant varieties, including the “Old Fashioned Surprise Valley Tomato,” a locally adapted beefsteak variety stewarded by Modoc resident June Perry.

Bidwell Canyon Farm introduced the OAI team to honeyberries, also known as Haskap berries, which look like an elongated blueberry but have a distinct honeyed flavor and produce well in Modoc County.

“That bit of honeyberry was symbolic of the entire tour – a small but memorable taste of the richness and diversity of Modoc County organic agriculture,” Marshall said. “We are so grateful to Laurie and all the farmers and ranchers for taking the time to share their experiences and feedback with us.”

Partners unveil first on-farm robotics incubators

Opening in Salinas and Merced in 2025, Reservoir Farms will drive ag innovations in automation robotics

The Reservoir, a nonprofit building tech incubators across California, and partners Western Growers Association, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Merced College, Hartnell College and venture capital firm HawkTower have announced the creation of the first-ever on-farm robotics incubators, Reservoir Farms.

Unveiled during a press conference at the FIRA USA 2024 robotics conference in Woodland, Reservoir Farms are set to open in the Central and Salinas Valleys in early 2025. This pioneering initiative significantly shifts how agricultural technology innovates through real-world testing environments, world-class resources and critical industry partnerships.

California agriculture faces critical challenges, including labor availability and cost, import competition, increased regulation, water scarcity, and climate-related challenges, including extreme weather. These challenges have spurred significant advancements in agricultural precision, automation, mechanization, and robotics in recent years.

Despite advancements, early-stage agtech projects lack critical ecosystem support, like connecting directly with growers, testing and validating their solutions, and accessing dedicated shop space and farmland. These gaps hinder capital efficiency and the development of critical solutions that meet the agricultural sector's needs.

Initial projects at the incubators will focus on early-stage agricultural innovations in automation and robotics, including rovers and drones, that accelerate the development of breakthrough solutions to the opportunities and imperatives faced by California farms producing high-value specialty crops, such as labor shortages, profitability, and adopting climate-smart technologies.

Western Growers Association, a key advocate for advancing agricultural innovation, will provide financial and operational support as an anchor partner.

Anchor educational partners like UC ANR, Hartnell College, and Merced College will play a crucial role in innovation and workforce development, preparing the next generation of agricultural researchers, professionals, and innovators to drive the future of farming in California.

HawkTower, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups developing breakthrough innovations for California's environmental and industrial imperatives, is also an anchor partner.

“The launch of Reservoir Farms is a critical step forward in ensuring the future resilience of California's agriculture and across the Central Coast and Central Valley,” said Danny Bernstein, CEO of the Reservoir and managing partner of HawkTower. “By placing incubators directly on the farm, we enable innovators to test, iterate, and scale solutions in real-world conditions as a more immediate path to advance farming communities.”

A new model to incubate agtech innovation

The idea for Reservoir Farms emerged from extensive industry research and consultations with over 50 organizations in the specialty crop sector. Key insights uncovered critical gaps in startups' access to real-world testing environments, shop space, and direct relationships with growers – factors severely hindered capital efficiency and posed a formidable barrier to innovation.

“Our goal is to eliminate the friction points that have historically slowed down the development of new agtech solutions,” said Walt Duflock, senior vice president of innovation at Western Growers Association. “Reservoir Farms offers a new model, where startups can work side-by-side with growers to test their technologies, iterate in a low-stakes environment, and build scalable solutions to improve agriculture's operations.”

Initiative to support thriving agtech ecosystem and job creation

The Reservoir Farms initiative also reflects a broad-based collaboration between key educational institutions, industry players, and local communities to ensure the next generation of agricultural professionals is equipped with the skills needed to support the region's growing agtech sector.

Supporting partners include Central Coast Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action (COPA), Digital NEST, Farmhand Ventures, Merced County Farm Bureau, Milano Technical Group, Monterey Bay DART (Drone Automation & Robotics Technology), Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, Monterey County Farm Bureau, Tesserakt Ventures, and The VINE.

“As robotics and automation become more integral to California agriculture, it's essential to have facilities like Reservoir Farms embedded within the farming community,” said Gabriel Youtsey, chief innovation officer at UC ANR. “By bridging the gap between lab-based research and real-world application and accelerating tech transfer, Reservoir Farms can help build the workforce and technology needed to address the critical challenges on the farm, from labor shortages to climate change.”

Focus on specialized services and real-world testing in California's agricultural heartland

Reservoir Farms will open its first two locations in Salinas Valley and Merced in the first quarter of 2025. Participants can lease testing fields and shop space without the burden of multi-year leases, giving them the flexibility needed to scale. The incubators will offer fully equipped R&D workshops, secure storage for expensive equipment, and customized, pre-planted specialty crop fields for testing.

These facilities will be complemented by Reservoir Farms' co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and a robust demo day schedule designed to connect startups with growers, investors, and other key stakeholders.

In addition, the Western Growers Association's validation process will provide startups with a quantitative “scorecard” that offers crucial metrics on scalability, efficacy, and financial viability. This validation, combined with UC ANR's field testing, will help startups refine their products and receive a critical stamp of approval that builds trust with growers and ensures a smoother path to commercialization.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Goldston
AgTech PR for the Reservoir
816-260-0040
jennifer@agtechpr.com

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