The California Fertilization Guidelines on the Fertilizer Education and Research (FREP) website have been expanded to include recommendations for 18 crops, representing more than half of the irrigated agriculture in California. The recent additional recommendations are for plums, peaches and nectarines. Potato recommendations are coming soon. Additionally, FREP is pleased to announce that tomato, strawberry, and almond fertilization guidelines are now available in Spanish and English.

FREP publishes nitrogen management brochures based on the guidelines. If you would like to make specific crop brochures available at your next event, high-quality PDFs and a limited amount of printed brochures are available from FREP upon request. Find the brochures on the Outreach and Education page of the FREP website under “Nutrient Management Resources,” and on select crop guideline pages under “Additional Information.”

The guidelines also include tips for site-specific adjustments. Although the guidelines are predominantly based on research conducted in California, adjustments for your specific field are important for an optimal fertilization program. Adjustments depend on expected yield, soil properties, local weather conditions, and crop management. Consideration of the multiple pathways of nitrogen and nutrient loss in the field will help you develop your practices to reach maximum efficiency.

The California Fertilization Guidelines and nitrogen management brochures provide growers with an important decision-making tool for environmentally safe application of fertilizing materials without compromising crop yield.

Link to FREP blog

Shasta Lake, now at 110 percent of average.

With March storms boosting reservoir levels, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has increased its water delivery estimate (allocation) for most recipients to 45 percent of requests for the calendar year.

DWR’s initial State Water Project (SWP) allocation of 10 percent of requests, announced in December, was increased to 15 percent on January 26 and to 30 percent on February 24 after January storms increased the Sierra snowpack and brought significant rainfall to the drought-parched state.

Although February was mostly dry, rain and snow returned this month to boost the state’s two largest reservoirs – Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville – to slightly above their historic levels for the date. Some key reservoirs, however, remain far below expected levels for this time of year. The drought has not ended.

Although California is on track to end the winter season with near-average conditions, one such season does not compensate for four prior years of drought. Accurately predicting whether water year 2017 will be wet, dry, or average is beyond the skill of climate forecasters, and we must be prepared for the possibility of a dry 2017. Even with reservoir levels rising, conservation is the surest and easiest way to stretch supplies.

Collectively, SWP Contractors serve approximately 25 million Californians and just under a million acres of irrigated farmland. The SWP provides the same allocation percentages to cities and farms. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates California’s other major water project, the Central Valley Project (CVP), is expected to announce later this month its initial allocation to farms and cities. The SWP and CVP have different legal and contractual obligations and operational capabilities, and the CVP uses a priority system to allocate water. Key reservoirs are rising from winter storms, but some remain below average for the date.

Last year’s (2015) 20 percent SWP allocation was the second lowest since 1991, when agricultural customers of the SWP got a zero allocation and municipal customers received 30 percent of requests. In 2014, SWP deliveries were five percent of requested amounts for all customers. The last 100 percent allocation was in 2006. Seven of the nine years since 2007 have been dry.

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014 and directed state agencies to take all necessary actions to respond to drought conditions. In April 2015, Governor Brown announced the first-ever 25 percent statewide mandatory water reductions and a series of actions to help save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. Californians have responded with unprecedented conservation efforts. To date, guided by the California Water Action Plan, the state has committed hundreds of millions of dollars – including Water Bond funds – to emergency drought relief, disaster assistance, water conservation and infrastructure projects across the state. To learn about all the actions the state has taken to manage our water system and cope with the impacts of the drought, visit Drought.CA.gov.

Link to full DWR news release

Join us tomorrow at 11:30 am at the west steps of the State Capitol! Post any pictures with the hashtag #CalAgDay

Schools across the United States purchased $789 million in local foods from farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food processors and manufacturers in school year 2013 – 2014, according to results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Census released today. That represents a 105 percent increase over the 2011-2012 school year when the first census was conducted, signifying the deepening commitment of schools nationwide to bring local food into the cafeteria and strengthen their local economies.

Schools report that farm to school programs can increase the number of students purchasing school breakfast and lunch, improve consumption of healthier foods at school, and reduce plate waste. The programs are often also heavily focused on nutrition education, helping teach children where their food comes from and exposing them to lessons about healthy eating. The census data show that school gardens, which can be both teaching tools and a sources of fresh produce, have nearly tripled over the past two years.

In California 55 percent of school districts surveyed say they participate in farm-to-school activities. That number represents 373 school districts, nearly 5,500 schools and more than 3.4 million students. Nationally, 42 percent of school districts that responded to the census are operating farm to school programs as of the 2014-2015 school year, and another 16 percent – more than 2,000 districts – have plans to start in the future.

The newly updated Farm to School Census website allows users to find information about farm to school programs in their state and in their particular school or district. The site also names three top school districts in each state that boast higher than average investment in local food purchasing. In addition, users can vote for a school that they believe administers a creative, innovative, and/or exemplary farm to school program for the “One in a Melon” award. Nominations will be accepted through April 15.

In order to establish realistic goals with regard to increasing the availability of local foods in schools, USDA conducted the first nationwide Farm to School Census in 2013. USDA conducted a second Farm to School Census in 2015 to measure progress towards reaching this goal. In 2015, USDA surveyed over 18,000 public, private and charter school districts and 12,585 school districts responded for a response rate of approximately 70 percent. Data were collected through an online survey and through a printable mail-in questionnaire. To view the full results, visit https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov.

Link to news release

More drought information here

By Alyssa Newcomb

California has been battling one of the most severe droughts in the state’s history, but with El Niño bringing storm clouds in over the Golden State, officials saw an opportunity to make it rain.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works was delighted at the prospect of some much-needed rain coming to the area and jumped at the chance to help increase the amount of rainfall the storm brought by intervening in a process known as cloud seeding. Monday’s storm was the first time that cloud seeding had been done by the Department of Public Works since 2002, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Yes, humans can actually modify the weather and it’s been going on for decades. Here’s the lowdown on how cloud seeding works.

What Is Cloud Seeding?

Cloud seeding is when humans try to modify the weather by targeting certain areas within clouds, with the goal of increasing rainfall, mitigating the potential damage from hail and clearing fog, according to the American Meteorological Society.

In the case of Los Angeles County, North American Weather Consultants, a Utah-based group, set up generators, which then sprayed silver iodide into the clouds, creating ice particles. Water vapor then froze onto these particles and fell as precipitation.

Wait, So Humans Can Really Modify the Weather?

Yes! It’s been going on all over the world for decades.

“Attempts to modify the weather have been conducted for centuries. However, modern cloud seeding dates from the late 1940’s, springing from a discovery at the General Electric labs in Schenectady, New York, in 1946,” according to North American Weather Consultants’ website.

Don Griffith, president of the group, told ABC News that “the beneficiaries typically are municipal water supply groups and irrigated agriculture groups that wish to enhance the snowfall so they can get better spring and summer runoff.”

How Effective Is Cloud Seeding?

Various research journals differ on this since there isn’t an opportunity to create a controlled experiment. However, in the case of California’s latest storm, the county estimated it resulted in 15 percent more rainfall, according to the LA Times.

Link to article