Sustainability Resources

Sustainable Agriculture Resources


LandSmart to promote productive lands and thriving streams.

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http://landsmart.org/

LandSmart® is a regional collaborative program that helps land managers meet their natural resource management goals while supporting productive lands and thriving streams. LandSmart® was developed by the Sonoma Resource Conservation District (RCD), Napa County RCD, Mendocino County RCD and Gold Ridge RCD in collaboration with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), land managers, and environmental agencies. A free farm plan template is available for download. 

UC Viticulture Information Website

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http://iv.ucdavis.edu/

This is a comprehensive website on grape growing and is designed to increase accessibility to the work of university researchers, including faculty and Cooperative Extension specialists and farm advisors. Content is continuously added and updated. 

Biodiversity Conservation Practices in California Vineyards: Learning from Experiences, a Bulletin from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program

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http://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/docs/2008-Biodiversity_in_Vineyards.pdf

This bulletin describes the findings of a biodiversity study carried out by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in partnership with Cal Poly and UC Cooperative Extension researchers, and was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Specific biodiversity conservation practices are examined in several northern California locations.

Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms

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"Sustainable agriculture" was addressed by Congress in the 1990 "Farm Bill" [Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (FACTA), Public Law 101-624, Title XVI, Subtitle A, Section 1603 (Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1990) NAL Call # KF1692.A31 1990]. Under that law, "the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
  • satisfy human food and fiber needs
  • enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
  • make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
  • sustain the economic viability of farm operations
  • enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole."
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/srb9902.htm

United States Department of Agriculture: Alternative Farming Systems Information Center

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Hosted at the National Agricultural Library, AFSIC specializes in identifying and accessing information related to alternative agricultural enterprises and crops as well as alternative cropping systems. http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=2

Ecological Farming Association

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The Ecological Farming Association, formerly the Committee for Sustainable Agriculture, is a non-profit educational organization that promotes ecologically sound agriculture.
http://www.eco-farm.org/

Sustainable Farming Connection

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Offered by the Committee for Sustainable Farm Publishing, this site offers sustainable agriculture news, perspectives, production, and marketing information as well as online discussion forums. http://www.ibiblio.org/farming-connection

Henry A. Wallace Institute for Sustainable Agriculture

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Engaged in analysis and research to affect U.S. sustainable agriculture and food policy agendas. http://www.wallacecenter.org/

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Area (ATTRA)

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Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) is the national sustainable farming information center operated by the private nonprofit National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). ATTRA provides technical assistance to farmers, Extension agents, market gardeners, agricultural researchers, and other agricultural professionals in all 50 states. http://www.attra.org/

National Biological Control Institute

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Biological Control is the use of living organisms, predators, parasites, diseases, and other antagonists as natural enemies in controlling agricultural/environmental pests. In 1990, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established the National Biological Control Institute (NBCI) as part of the Department's commitment to implement biological control, sustainable systems, and integrated pest management. NBCI is part of APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ). http://www.aphis.usda.gov/subjects/plant_health/

Natural Resources Conservation Service

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The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN)

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SAN is the communications and outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. SARE is a US Department of Agriculture-funded initiative that sponsors competitive grants for sustainable agriculture research and education in a regional process nationwide. SAN is dedicated to the exchange of scientific and practical information on sustainable agriculture systems using a variety of printed and electronic communications tools. http://www.sare.org/

UC Davis-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)

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SAREP provides leadership and support for scientific research and education in agricultural and food systems that are economically viable, conserve natural resources and biodiversity, and enhance the quality of life in the state's communities. SAREP serves farmers, farmworkers, ranchers, researchers, educators, regulators, policy makers, industry professionals, consumers, and community organizations across the state.
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/

University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project

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UC IPM promotes the use of integrated, ecologically sound pest management programs in California. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/

UC Davis Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems Project

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This is large interdisciplinary project with three main objectives. The primary objective is to compare conventional, low-input, and organic farming systems. http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/plantsciences/

Cover Cropping in Vineyards: Grower Profiles

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The Grower Profile series is from a chapter in a SAREP publication on cover cropping in vineyards.
Part 2: www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/newsltr/v7n3/sa-3.htm

Long-Term Research on Agricultural Systems (LTRAS)

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LTRAS was designed as a 100-year experiment because short-term trends can be poor predictors of long-term sustainability. At the Rothamsted Experiment Station, in England, yields in one system increased for 40 years, then decreased to near zero over the next 40 years. Soil properties that determine yields, water use, and nitrate leaching change over decades, not years. Organic matter doubled in another system at Rothamsted, but it took 75 years. http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/LTRAS/homepage.htm

University of California Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources

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Web site providing access to resources available to help identify, manage, and control Pierce's disease and glassy-winged sharpshooters. http://gwss.ucanr.org/

Energy in Agriculture Program

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California Energy Commission program assisting the agricultural industry (food and fiber production, food processing, irrigation districts) adopt energy efficient technologies and management practices that reduce production costs and minimize negative environmental impacts while improving economic sustainability. http://www.energy.ca.gov/process/agriculture/

California Association of Winegrape Growers

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Publishes Grower's Guide to Environmental Regulations & Vineyard Development and The Winegrape Guidebook for Establishing Good Neighbor and Community Relations. http://www.cawg.org/

Central Coast Vineyard Team

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CCVT is a non-profit grower group whose mission is to promote sustainable vineyard practices and develop the public trust based on science and honesty. Through a collaborative partnership of growers, wineries, consultants, and extension, CCVT developed the Positive Point System, the first protocol for assessing the extent of sustainable management for winegrapes. CCVT members own or manage over a third of the winegrapes in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. http://www.vineyardteam.org

Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission Sustainable Viticulture Program

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There are three parts to LWWC's Sustainable Viticulture Program: Grower Outreach, Field Implementation, and Area-Wide Implementation. Grower outreach involves providing information to LWWC growers and pest control advisors (PCAs) about sustainable farming practices that are appropriate for use in their vineyards. http://www.lodiwine.com/sustainableviticulture1.shtml

Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group

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The mission of the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group is to identify and promote winegrowing practices that are economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound. http://www.nswg.org/infoonnswg.htm

Sonoma County Grape Growers Association (SCGGA)

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SCGGA (now is Sonoma County Winegrape Commission) provides resources and support to growers in Sonoma County. http://www.scgga.org/

Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers

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Web page providing "Environmental Facts" for Vintners and Growers in Sonoma Valley. http://www.sonomavalleywine.com/pdfs/TERRAIN_TERROIR.pdf

Fetzer Vineyards

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Fetzer's "Environmental Philosophy" web page. http://www.fetzer.com/philosophy.aspx

California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance

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Coalition of California business, labor and public policy leaders collaborating on solutions for sound economy and healthy environment. http://www.cceeb.org/

Coalition for Environmental Responsible Economies

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A coalition of California business, labor, and public policy leaders who work together to advance collaborative strategies for a sound economy and a healthy environment. http://www.ceres.org/

Community Alliance with Family Farmers

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Founded in 1978, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers is a nonprofit member-activist organization. CAFF political and educational campaigns are building a movement of rural and urban people who foster family-scale agriculture that cares for the land, sustains local economies, and promotes social justice. Members are urbanites, farmers, environmentalists, rural activists, students, and anyone concerned with the social and environmental dimensions of agriculture. http://www.caff.org/

Agroecology in Action

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Promotes the advancement of "Agroecology", a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage, and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving. http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/~agroeco3/index.html

Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems

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The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems is a research, education, and public service program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, dedicated to increasing ecological sustainability and social justice in the food and agriculture system. http://casfs.ucsc.edu/

California Winemaking Impact Assessment

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Research undertaken at the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. This report explores the environmental impacts and socioeconomic contributions of the wine industry in California, along with differences between organic and traditional viticulture. http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/Group_Projects/2000Group_Projects/Wineries

Protected Harvest

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A nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and certifying the use of environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture practices through the development of stringent, transparent and quantifiable standards and incentive-based eco-labeling and public education. http://www.protectedharvest.org/

Fish Friendly Farming

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The Fish Friendly Farming Program is a voluntary certification program for grape growers who implement land management practices that restore and sustain fish habitat on their property. http://www.fishfriendlyfarming.org/

Oregon Low-Input Viticulture & Enology

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Low Input Viticulture & Enology, Inc. program (LIVE, Inc.) is a program providing vineyards and wineries official recognition for sustainable agricultural practices that are modeled after international standards. The certification program provides growers with a list of vineyard practices that are either prohibited or required; in addition the program requires that growers institute a number of ecological options. A point system for ecological options was developed and growers are required to obtain at least one-half of the points to become certified. http://www.liveinc.org/

Salmon Safe

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Certification program in the Pacific Northwest that provides recognition to agricultural operations that work to conserve resources and maintain viable runs of salmon and steelhead. http://www.salmonsafe.org/

The Food Alliance

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The Food Alliance (TFA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable agriculture by recognizing and rewarding farmers who produce food in environmentally and socially responsible ways, and educating consumers and others in the food system about the benefits of sustainable agriculture. http://www.thefoodalliance.org/

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)

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CCOF's purpose is to promote and support organic agriculture in California and elsewhere through an organic certification program, awareness building initiatives, and advocacy for governmental policies that protect and encourage organic agriculture. http://www.ccof.org/

Organic Grape Production in California

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A report authored by W. Douglas Gubler of the Department of Plant Pathology at University of California, Davis covering the production of organic grapes in California.

Ecological Control of Grape Powdery Mildew

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A report authored by V.A. Bourbos et al. on the use of sulfur to suppress powdery mildew in grapes. http://www.landwirtschaft-bw.info/servlet/PB/menu/1043197_l1/index1136800037856.html

Organic Farming Research Foundation Organic Certifiers Directory

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http://www.newfarm.org/ocdbt

USDA National Organic Program

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homepage http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm

Manual Three: CCOF International Standards

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Download the complete manual. http://www.ccof.org/standards.php#man_1