Production Systems

Resources for Conservation Planning on Organic and Transitioning-to-Organic Operations

This document discusses existing tools and resources that support successful conservation planning on organic and transitioning to organic operations.

Conservation Buffers in Organic Systems: Western States Implementation Guide

Conservation Buffers provides guidance on installing buffers in organic production systems to meet the USDA National Organic Program NOP regulations.

Tea Time in the Tropics

This book critically evaluates the phenomenon of compost tea and provides a thorough discussion of the composition and process of making compost.

Fresh Growth Podcast

Fresh Growth: Approaches to a More Sustainable Future from Western Ag Practitioners introduces you to farmers and ranchers from around the western United States who are finding innovative sustainable practices that enrich the natural resources we all care about. These successful multi-generational operations experiment with new ideas and are making it pay. Listen in as […]

Farmer and Rancher Research in the West

Making changes on the farm or ranch involves taking risks. One or two years spent experimenting can lead to a financial hit too difficult to recover from. That’s where Western SARE’s Farmer/Rancher and Professional + Producer grants help out. Grantees, like the ones highlighted in this report, come up with the possible solution to a problem they face on their farm or ranch, propose a way to research the idea, and then Western SARE provides the critical support needed to experiment.The projects explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education. It is expected that the results are shared with other producers. The highlights you’ll read here are just a fraction of the creative projects attempting to solve real-world problems the grants programs have funded. 

Turning the Tide on Overfishing

According to Simon Ellis, director of MERIP Micronesia, over-fishing is depleting natural resources in Micronesia and other parts of the Pacific, creating a clear need to develop alternatives for the economy and food security for fishing communities.  Sustainable, capture-based aquaculture and hatchery rearing methods of Rabbitfish hold promise not only for fisheries management and coral […]

Supporting Agriculture in the Pacific Islands

Western SARE's 2019 Extension Project

Students Breeds Beans for Organic Farming

Graduate students at the University of California, Davis, have begun field tests on very rare commodities: high-yield, disease-resistant bean varieties that can thrive on organic farms.    “Most crops—about 95 percent—have been bred for conventional farming and can be difficult to grow in organic systems,” said Travis Parker, a Ph.D. student in plant biology who is […]

Citizen Science Guide to Wild Bees

This guide acts as an introductory document for those who would like to understand wild bee biodiversity and contribute to conservation through monitoring in western Washington.

California Strawberry and Research on Compost for Strawberry Health

California strawberry production is at a pivotal point, struggling with new plant diseases due to the phase-out of the fumigant methyl bromide. This video explores the current issues facing strawberry growers in California and explains the use of compost to suppress disease and promote strawberry plant health.

National Organic Farming Handbook

This thirty-page resource was developed to support NRCS conservation planners and other agricultural professionals as they work with organic producers. The handbook describes organic systems and identifies key resources to guide conservation planning and implementation on organic farms. Producers and other audiences may also find the handbook useful, particularly the resources listed in various sections.

Oilseed Opportunities

Farmers and ranchers in the West are growing some new crops and improving their diversity. Many of these changes are being brought about by rising energy and crop prices and the need to become more self-sufficient. Oilseeds such as canola, sunflower and safflower are part of this change and are being grown successfully as agriculture seeks a local and low cost source of fuel and livestock feed. This bulletin is intended as a guide to producers who are considering growing oilseeds.

Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems

Southeastern Utah Farmer Interview: Steve Barry

Nitrogen Management in Field Crops with Reference Strips and Crop Sensors

The purpose of this publication is to improve growers’ knowledge and understanding of how crop canopy sensors and in-field reference strips can be utilized for effective nitrogen (N) management.

Integrating Traditional Foods with Aquaponics in the Desert Southwest

Claudio Rodriguez takes you through the basics of aquaponic growing at Arevalos Farm in McNeal, AZ. Project partially funded by Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.

Managing for Wild Bees

Pollination is a critical component of the crop production cycle, directly contributing to reproductive success for pollinator-dependent crops. Graduate student Hillary Sardinas evaluated the ability of hedgerow restorations to augment hybrid sunflower pollination by the native bee community. She also investigated whether rates of nesting were increased in fields adjacent to hedgerows, as well as whether the presence of hedgerows enhanced the diversity and abundance of the native bee community at different distances into fields.

Living on the Land

One of the most comprehensive and adaptable curricula in the country for training natural resource professionals to, in turn, teach small-acreage landowners how to care for their soil, air and water while maximizing the land’s value.