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Staff Writer

Sustainable Agriculture in California



What is Sustainable Agriculture?




USDA Definition of Sustainable Agriculture


Sustainable agriculture as described above is a production practice that involves using strategies to help use our nonrenewable resources as efficiently as possible and transition and utilize into a more renewable resource so that we can ensure future generations will have resources. 


The 17 SDGS, sustainability on a global scale

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals is an agenda of Sustainable goals including sustainable agriculture goals in 2015 that the members of the United Nations had agreed upon. These goals range from environmental, economic, labor, societal, and agricultural challenges that the members hoped to conquer and see improvements on by the year 2030.




What does Sustainable Ag look like in California



California Agriculture Vision

California Agriculture Vision or Ag Vision introduced in 2008 is a program created by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Board of Food and Agriculture that aims to address sustainability challenges dealing with California water, labor, regulations, and more. Ag Vision has created many different strategies to address California's sustainability with both immediate and longer-term strategies. The central goal they have is to find sustainable practices to be able to feed our growing population in the year 2050. 


Strategies introduced by Ag Vision:

  • Improve Access to safe and healthy food for Californians.

  • Ease the burden of regulations on agriculture while also maintaining health, safety, and environmental standards.

  • Secure and adequate supply of water for agricultural purposes.

  • Assure a strong labor force through fairness to agriculture workers and employees.

  • Effectively detect, exclude, and control invasive species.

  • Adopt a policy of conserving agricultural land and water resources.

  • Expand Environmental stewardship on farms and ranches

  • Promote renewable energy and substitutes for fossil-based inputs.

  • Assure agriculture adaption to climate change.

  • Promote robust regional markets for all California producers.

  • Cultivate the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

  • Promote agricultural research that anticipates 21st-century challenges.


CDFA Sustainability roadmap

The CDFA or California Department of Food and Agriculture has a roadmap of their sustainable goals and work towards the conservation of our natural resources, they have 5 main areas in which they have goals in those being:

  • Climate Change Adaption

  • Zero emission Vehicles

  • Energy

  • Water Efficiency and Conservation

  • Green Operations


California Climate and Agriculture Policies

  • 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act

  • 2014 Sustainable Agriculture Land Conservation Program

  • 2014 State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program

  • 2016 Healthy Soils Program

  • 2017 Alternative Manure Management Program

  • 2019 Working Lands and RIparian Corridor program

  • 2020 30x30 Natural and Working Land Biodiversity Goal

  • 2021 Conservation Agriculture and Planning grant program

  • 2021 Pollinator Habitat Program

  • 2021 Climate Smart Land Management Program

  • 2021 Water Efficiency Technical Assistance Program

  • 2021 Multibeef Land Reporpusing Program

  • 2022 Organic Transition Program.


What does Sustainable Ag looks like in the Central Valley?




Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

This is required for two things; For GSPs or Groundwater Sustainability Plans and the tracking of different groundwater sources in the Central Valley. This is to help with the growing issues of misusing groundwater supplies and the future scarcity of these water sources our future generations will have to deal with. GSPs are developed by local GSA or Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and create plans that are reviewed every 5 years to ensure groundwater supplies to at least 2040 as of now. 


Recharging groundwater

One of the main practices occurring in the Central Valley is the support of our groundwater and use tactics such as letting groundwater recharge, using cover crops, and regenerative agriculture to improve our soil quality and to help replenish our groundwater.


Build Back Better Regional Challenge

Innovation and further research is important to the future of California and the Central Valley's agriculture systems. Using technologies to help us advance and adapt is part of the goals of the BBBRC while also keeping in mind their principles of equity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability.



Sustainable groups in California?


California 100

California 100 is a group of educated scientists and professionals created and thought of different scenarios and strategies to help California solve its problems over the next 100 years. It is funded by the University of California, where they create a report that numerous research stations find to gather data on the different policies. They have policies that are structured around 15 different sectors including the agriculture and food sector. 


CalCAN

CalCAN is a coalition of farmers that utilize sustainable and organic practices. They help to create policies both state and federal that advocate for sustainability and the farmer during the changing climate and other issues they may face. 


SAGE

SAGE focus on helping local agriculture both in urban and rural farms thrive and grow during climate change. They help to support beginning farmers and those interested in regenerative agriculture.


Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program's goal is to help support our different food systems, conserve our natural resources, conserve California's biodiversity, and to help our urban, rural, and tribal communities.



References


Agriculture & Food Systems. California 100. (2023, October 28). https://california100.org/issue-area/agriculture-food-systems/


Brillinger, R. (2024, August 20). Home. CalCAN - California Climate & Agriculture Network. https://calclimateag.org/


California Agricultural Vision: Strategies for Sustainability. (n.d.-a). https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/agvision/docs/Ag_Vision_Final_Report_Dec_2010.pdf


Faunt, C. C., Traum, J. A., Boyce, S. E., Seymour, W. A., Jachens, E. R., Brandt, J. T., Sneed, M., Bond, S., & Marcelli, M. F. (2024, April 22). Groundwater sustainability and land subsidence in California’s Central Valley. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/8/1189


Sage home - sage. SAGE Center. (2024, September 23). https://sagecenter.org/

Sustainability roadmap 2020-2021 California Department of ... (n.d.-b). https://green.ca.gov/Documents/CDFA/2021-CDFA-Sustainability-Roadmap_enabled-tools.pdf


Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program. Welcome | Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program. (n.d.). https://sarep.ucdavis.edu/


United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Willis, N. (2024, July 5). Regenerative Agriculture offers long-term solutions for Central Valley. Valley Ag Voice. https://www.valleyagvoice.com/regenerative-agriculture-offers-long-term-solutions-for-central-valley/ 

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