Geospatial analysis of California strawberry fields reveals regional differences in crop rotation patterns and the potential for lengthened rotations at current levels of production

Authors: Ramos, Gerardo; Goldman, Polly; SHARRETT, JASON - California Strawberry Commission; SACHER, GABRIEL - Pennsylvania State University; PENNERMAN, KAYLA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); DILLA-ERMITA, JADE - University Of California; Jaime, Jose; STEELE, MARY - California Polytechnic State University; HEWAVITHARANA, SHASHIKA - California Polytechnic State University; HOLMES, GERALD - California Polytechnic State University; WATERHOUSE, HANNAH - University Of California; DUNDORE-ARIAS, JOSE-PABLO - California State University; Henry, Peter

Submitted to: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/2024
Publication Date: 8/15/2024
Citation: Ramos, G., Goldman, P.H., Sharrett, J., Sacher, G.O., Pennerman, K.K., Dilla-Ermita, C.J., Jaime, J.H., Steele, M.E., Hewavitharana, S.S., Holmes, G.J., Waterhouse, H., Dundore-Arias, J.P., Henry, P.M. 2024. Geospatial analysis of California strawberry fields reveals regional differences in crop rotation patterns and the potential for lengthened rotations at current levels of production. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 8. Article 1341782. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1341782.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1341782

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. is a major strawberry producer and consumer worldwide, and most of its strawberries come from a small amount of land in California. This high-quality strawberry producing land is located in three coastal regions: Ventura, Santa Maria, and the Monterey Bay. Anecdotal reports suggest that crop rotation, where a different crop is grown for a period of at least 1 year, is common in some regions of California, but this has not been quantified. This work used publicly available satellite imagery to identify all strawberry fields in Ventura, Santa Maria, and the Monterey Bay during the years of 2017 through 2022. By comparing field locations between years we determined that crop rotation is the normal practice in the Monterey Bay, but is uncommon in Ventura. Across regions fields with no rotations tended to be closer to the ocean and have sandier soils, two characteristics preferred by strawberry growers. There was enough land available in the Monterey Bay and Santa Maria regions for rotations in general to be lengthened, suggesting land availability is not the primary driver for shorter rotations. This work lays the foundation for future studies to evaluate the barriers to adopting longer crop rotations and the potential impacts of climate change on strawberry production in California.

Technical Abstract: Strawberries in California are grown in specific coastal areas where land is scarce and climate change threatens future production. Strawberry growers are under pressure to adopt soil health practices such as crop rotation, but this practice requires additional land. The objectives of this research were to quantify the rate of crop rotation across the three main strawberry producing regions in California (Ventura, Santa Maria, and Monterey Bay), and evaluate geographic and edaphic characteristics influences on crop rotation. All strawberry fields in the main strawberry producing regions of California were identified by satellite imagery and ground-truthing for the years 2017 through 2022. Polygons were drawn around each strawberry field and comparisons made between years to determine if fields were rotated. Edaphic characteristics and shapefiles for surrounding fields were retrieved from public datasets. The three regions significantly differed in their rates of crop rotation. On average, 95% of strawberry acres in the Monterey Bay region are rotated each year, whereas 75% of strawberry acres in the Ventura region are not rotated. Fields that were not rotated tended to be closer to the ocean and have a soil with a higher percent sand. Enough land is available in the Santa Maria and Monterey Bay regions for growers to lengthen crop rotations. Distance from the ocean and soil texture influence crop rotation lengths in California strawberry production. Sufficient land availability for lengthened rotations suggests other factors are primarily limiting this practice.