USDA awards $2 million to study livestock grazing in organic orchards
Scientists will study THE effects of cattle pasture of blanket crops In organic almond, walnut And pistachio orchards. Photo by Alda Worse
CU, THE Organic Center, University of Rhode Island partner on $3.5 million food safety study For organic produce producersPasture sheep And other cattle can help convert blanket crops has fertilizer For orchard crops. HAS develop best management practices, THE University of California And THE Organic Center are collaborate on research has help organic orchard producers without issue to integrate cattle pasture In their agriculture practices. THE project East finance by A $2 million to agree recently reward through THE WE. Department of Farming Organic Agriculture Research And Extension Initiative research program.
Interest In pasture cattle on blanket crops In nut orchards has increase In recent years. However, research East necessary determine THE best path has improve ground health And pest deletion, And has address concerns about of food origin Pathogens And food security.
"Organic Farmers typically follow THE USDA National Organic Program standards For raw animal manure, waiting 90 has 120 days between incorporation raw manure In THE ground And harvest THE reframe," said Alda Worse, CPU Cooperative Extension urban agriculture And food security specialist In THE School of Veterinarian Medicine has CPU Davis.
"Little research has has been led has check adequate waiting periods has reduce contamination risks In integrated crop-breeding production systems”, She said. "This research will fill THE awareness gap And facilitate THE development of based on science food security guidelines For pasture little ruminants In orchards.
For This four years project, "Influence of Orchard Pasture on Ground Health And Pest Control While Mitigation Food Security Risk," THE scientists will study organic almond, walnut And pistachio orchards In two distinct walnut cultivation Regions In California – THE Sacramento Valley And San Joaquin Valley. THE scientists will assess THE effects of cattle pasture of blanket crops on bacteria populations, ground health, pest control And the economy.
THE cattle pasture project will help producers quantify benefits And potential compromise For ground health. Photo by Therese Fernandes Miranda
Building ground health
" The producers to have regularly raised THE need For more information on pasture impacts on nutrient availability during TREE growth, as GOOD as potential has build up THE biological, physical And chemical pillars of ground health," says Amélie Gaudin, partner teacher And endowed chair of agroecology In THE CPU Davis Department of Factory Science.
Cattle pasture can provide A opportunity has quickly improve THE Rising of nitrogen that can be used by plants And microbes When THE blanket reframe East finished. "This project will help producers develop nitrogen budgets For these more diversified systems And quantify additional benefits And potential compromise For ground health – such as compaction And salinity – has guide THE development of location based best management practices,” Gaudin said.
Pest management
Houston Wilson, CPU Cooperative Extension specialist In THE Department of Entomology has CPU Riverside, will be to study THE effects of cattle pasture on orchard harmful.
"Navel orange worm, Or NOW, East by far THE most destructive pest of almonds And pistachios," Wilson said. "These night butterflies winter In not harvested nuts In THE orchard, And SO deletion And destruction of stay nuts on THE winter East THE foundation of NOW control. While Farmers typically to use machinery has TO DO This, pasture with animals can here A unique alternative that East more profitable And provides additional ecosystem benefits, such as ground health And grass control."
Sensitization has farmers
As part of THE project, THE Organic Center was reward $75,000 has work with CPU Agriculture And Natural Resources has direct national extension And education sensitization activities. These will include A social media California...
Scientists will study THE effects of cattle pasture of blanket crops In organic almond, walnut And pistachio orchards. Photo by Alda Worse
CU, THE Organic Center, University of Rhode Island partner on $3.5 million food safety study For organic produce producersPasture sheep And other cattle can help convert blanket crops has fertilizer For orchard crops. HAS develop best management practices, THE University of California And THE Organic Center are collaborate on research has help organic orchard producers without issue to integrate cattle pasture In their agriculture practices. THE project East finance by A $2 million to agree recently reward through THE WE. Department of Farming Organic Agriculture Research And Extension Initiative research program.
Interest In pasture cattle on blanket crops In nut orchards has increase In recent years. However, research East necessary determine THE best path has improve ground health And pest deletion, And has address concerns about of food origin Pathogens And food security.
"Organic Farmers typically follow THE USDA National Organic Program standards For raw animal manure, waiting 90 has 120 days between incorporation raw manure In THE ground And harvest THE reframe," said Alda Worse, CPU Cooperative Extension urban agriculture And food security specialist In THE School of Veterinarian Medicine has CPU Davis.
"Little research has has been led has check adequate waiting periods has reduce contamination risks In integrated crop-breeding production systems”, She said. "This research will fill THE awareness gap And facilitate THE development of based on science food security guidelines For pasture little ruminants In orchards.
For This four years project, "Influence of Orchard Pasture on Ground Health And Pest Control While Mitigation Food Security Risk," THE scientists will study organic almond, walnut And pistachio orchards In two distinct walnut cultivation Regions In California – THE Sacramento Valley And San Joaquin Valley. THE scientists will assess THE effects of cattle pasture of blanket crops on bacteria populations, ground health, pest control And the economy.
THE cattle pasture project will help producers quantify benefits And potential compromise For ground health. Photo by Therese Fernandes Miranda
Building ground health
" The producers to have regularly raised THE need For more information on pasture impacts on nutrient availability during TREE growth, as GOOD as potential has build up THE biological, physical And chemical pillars of ground health," says Amélie Gaudin, partner teacher And endowed chair of agroecology In THE CPU Davis Department of Factory Science.
Cattle pasture can provide A opportunity has quickly improve THE Rising of nitrogen that can be used by plants And microbes When THE blanket reframe East finished. "This project will help producers develop nitrogen budgets For these more diversified systems And quantify additional benefits And potential compromise For ground health – such as compaction And salinity – has guide THE development of location based best management practices,” Gaudin said.
Pest management
Houston Wilson, CPU Cooperative Extension specialist In THE Department of Entomology has CPU Riverside, will be to study THE effects of cattle pasture on orchard harmful.
"Navel orange worm, Or NOW, East by far THE most destructive pest of almonds And pistachios," Wilson said. "These night butterflies winter In not harvested nuts In THE orchard, And SO deletion And destruction of stay nuts on THE winter East THE foundation of NOW control. While Farmers typically to use machinery has TO DO This, pasture with animals can here A unique alternative that East more profitable And provides additional ecosystem benefits, such as ground health And grass control."
Sensitization has farmers
As part of THE project, THE Organic Center was reward $75,000 has work with CPU Agriculture And Natural Resources has direct national extension And education sensitization activities. These will include A social media California...
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