The key role of local and global farmer networks in the development of conservation agriculture in California

Authors: MITCHELL, J - University Of California; JACKSON, L - University Of California; Reicosky, Donald; KASSAM, AMIR - University Of Reading; SHRESTHA, A - California State University; HARBEN, R - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); MIYAO, E - University Of California; SCOW, K - University Of California; SPOSITO, G - University Of California; BECK, D - Dakota Lakes Research Farm; FRIEDRICH, T - Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (FAO); MITCHELL, A - University Of California; SCHMIDT, R - University Of California; PARK, S - Park Farming; PARK, B - Park Farming; FOSTER, P - Pinnacle Organic Produce; MULLER, P - Full Belly Farm; BRAIT, A - Full Belly Farm; WILLEY, T - T & D Willey Farms; BOTTENS, M - California Ag Solutions; CRUM, C - Agri Technovation; GIACOMAZZI, D - Giacomazzi Dairy; BARCELLOS, T - T-Bar Dairy; CROWELL, M - Bar Vee Dairy; ROY, R - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); FERRIS, H - University Of California; CHIARTAS, J - Regenscore; Brennan, Eric; GAUDIN, A - University Of California; DIENER, J - Red Rock Ranch Inc; DIENER, J - Red Rock Ranch Inc; ASGILL, L - Eco-Innovations, Llc; KUENEMAN, E - Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (FAO); FISHER, J - Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (FAO); BARTZ, M - Universidade Federal De Santa Catarina (UFSC); ATILIO PEIRETTI, R - Global Farmer Network; DERPSCH, R - Consultant; LANDERS, J - Consultant; AEGERTER, B - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service; LEINFELDER-MILES, M - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service; LIGHT, S - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service; MCPHEE, J - Tasmanian Institute Of Agricultural Research; FERRAZ BRANCO, R - Agronomical Institute Of Campinas (IAC)

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/8/2025
Publication Date: 5/22/2025
Citation: Mitchell, J.P., Jackson, L.E., Reicosky, D.C., Kassam, A., Shrestha, A., Harben, R., Miyao, E.M., Scow, K.M., Sposito, G., Beck, D., Friedrich, T., Mitchell, A.S., Schmidt, R., Park, S., Park, B., Foster, P., Muller, P., Brait, A., Willey, T., Bottens, M., Crum, C., Giacomazzi, D., Barcellos, T., Crowell, M.V., Roy, R., Ferris, H., Chiartas, J.L., Brennan, E.B., Gaudin, A., Diener, J., Diener, J., Asgill, L., Kueneman, E.A., Fisher, J., Bartz, M., Peiretti, R.A., Derpsch, R., Landers, J., Aegerter, B.J., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Light, S.E., McPhee, J., Ferraz Branco, R.B. 2025. The key role of local and global farmer networks in the development of conservation agriculture in California. Journal of Environmental Quality. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70039.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70039

Interpretive Summary: Conservation agriculture is an approach to reducing soil disturbance for better soil structure and biological activity, retaining biomass on the soil to support soil life, and diversifying crops to enhance biodiversity. This article chronicles the history of California's Conservation Agriculture Systems Innovation Center in the San Joaquin valley of California that began in 1998. This included a partnership between farmers the private sector university, public agencies and environmental group partners. This effort has resulted in greater adoption of conservation agriculture in California with crops like corn, small grains, tomatoes, cotton, dry beans and melons.

Technical Abstract: This article chronicles the history of California’s Conservation Agriculture Systems Innovation (CASI) Center and how it has increased agricultural sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley, a major production area for the US, by using agroecological practices to reduce soil erosion and conserve soil moisture, champion systems thinking, and create networks of farmers, advisors and researchers. Early Conservation Agriculture systems in the US and other continents have informed CASI since its inception in 1998, with an emphasis on reducing soil disturbance for better soil structure and biological activity, retaining biomass on the soil to support soil life, and diversifying crops to enhance biodiversity. CASI includes >2,200 farmer, private sector, university, public agency and environmental group partners. With timelines of its core research and extension education programs, practice adoption trends and resource quality impacts, CASI’s specific accomplishments are described and compared with the dominant tillage-intensive conventional systems of the past ninety years for crops such as corn, small grains, tomatoes, cotton, dry beans and melons. An associated 25-year research station trial has shown that no-tillage and cover crop practices maintain productivity, increase soil quality (e.g., soil carbon and nitrogen, aggregation and infiltration), greatly reduce dust that is detrimental to human health, and decrease annual production costs by 50 to 75$ per acre. CASI tracked a 40-fold increase in the use of strip-tillage in dairy silage production during the early 2000s and average annual increases in cover crop seed sales of about 25 percent in recent years. Outreach, extension and farmer and industry education programs of CASI include documentary films on YouTube, blogs, workshops and on-farm demonstrations. Interactions with other groups and networks are described along with their support for CASI’s momentum-building strategies for impacts. Conservation Agriculture is increasing in Central California and continued policy support will enable.