Central Valley, California: regenerative agriculture & water
- Farmer Story
- Research Story
Between the Coastal Range and Sierra Nevada lies California’s Central Valley. Its fertile soil and Mediterranean climate (hot dry summers and cool wet winters) make it a perfect location for agriculture. Producing one third of fruits and vegetables in the United States and over 80% of the world’s almonds has earned this region has earned the nickname “America’s Salad Bowl”. But farmers in the region face significant challenges due to groundwater depletion, land use changes, and the evolving climate.
Amidst these systemic challenges, Central Valley farmers are working hard to remain resilient and create solutions. Given California’s unique climate, cropping systems, and infrastructure, farmers and researchers are demonstrating how regenerative agricultural practices can contribute to water resilience in this region. Those insights can translate into a vision for how regenerative agriculture fits into a holistic approach for restoring California’s water cycle and helping all stakeholders adapt to the changing climate.
Amidst these systemic challenges, Central Valley farmers are working hard to remain resilient and create solutions. Given California’s unique climate, cropping systems, and infrastructure, farmers and researchers are demonstrating how regenerative agricultural practices can contribute to water resilience in this region. Those insights can translate into a vision for how regenerative agriculture fits into a holistic approach for restoring California’s water cycle and helping all stakeholders adapt to the changing climate.
Regenerative Agriculture Blossoms
A team of researchers spread out in an almond orchard on a sunny February morning. They collected insects above and below ground, listened for birdsong, counted plant species on the orchard floor, and hammered in soil cores. This orchard was different, with a deep cover crop armoring the soil. Bees bumbled from blossom to blossom. Chickens and sheep moved beneath the trees just down the row from the scientists. The Ecdysis Foundation team came to the orchard to research differences between conventional and regenerative almond farms. They sought to understand how individual practices and combinations of stacked practices could influence outcomes, and one key finding noted that orchards using stacked practices, such as cover cropping and grazing, had water infiltration rates six times higher than orchards with bare ground.
Shared Goals for Positive Outcomes
The Ecdysis Foundation’s work inspired the General Mills team to integrate regenerative agriculture into the broader strategy for advancing water resilience in California, a region with some of the most significant water challenges.
The California Water Action Collaborative (CWAC) is a network of businesses, non-profits, and public sector allies uses collaboratively designed and funded projects to return water to natural systems in some of the state’s most important watersheds, like the San Joaquin River watershed in the Central Valley. Researchers like the Ecdysis Foundation team have uncovered insights into regenerative agriculture in California, but much remains unknown about how the principles can translate to this context and the outcomes farmers can anticipate. Encouraged by these initial insights, a team of CWAC members formed the Regenerative Agriculture & Water (RAW) Lab initiative to learn more through on-farm pilots. American Farmland Trust and Sustainable Conservation are leading the RAW Lab’s investigation into relationships between water and soil health for perennials, like almonds, and annuals, like tomatoes and onions.
“It became clear in our early conversations when designing the scope of the Lab that we had far more questions than answers,” says Robert Gould, Managing Facilitator with Ag Innovations, who leads CWAC and the RAW Lab. "We had to rethink what was commonly understood as regenerative ag in the California context, including how water more so than carbon could be a primary focus.”
The California Water Action Collaborative (CWAC) is a network of businesses, non-profits, and public sector allies uses collaboratively designed and funded projects to return water to natural systems in some of the state’s most important watersheds, like the San Joaquin River watershed in the Central Valley. Researchers like the Ecdysis Foundation team have uncovered insights into regenerative agriculture in California, but much remains unknown about how the principles can translate to this context and the outcomes farmers can anticipate. Encouraged by these initial insights, a team of CWAC members formed the Regenerative Agriculture & Water (RAW) Lab initiative to learn more through on-farm pilots. American Farmland Trust and Sustainable Conservation are leading the RAW Lab’s investigation into relationships between water and soil health for perennials, like almonds, and annuals, like tomatoes and onions.
“It became clear in our early conversations when designing the scope of the Lab that we had far more questions than answers,” says Robert Gould, Managing Facilitator with Ag Innovations, who leads CWAC and the RAW Lab. "We had to rethink what was commonly understood as regenerative ag in the California context, including how water more so than carbon could be a primary focus.”
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“Regenerative farming has had a pretty big impact on the way I think about farming. I think it actually helps mitigate the effects of drought. And it protects your soil from heating up. You’re kind of protecting the ground and some of those evaporative losses.”
For example, one pilot looks at the impact of whole-orchard recycling on water holding capacity and soil health. With this practice, once an almond orchard reaches the end of its productive life, trees go through a woodchipper are then tilled back into the soil prior to replanting. This supports improved air quality and long-term soil health, however it can cause a lag in fertility for the new trees as the woodchips lock up soil nitrogen until they break down. The pilot investigates whether incorporating a nitrogen source, such as dairy manure, along with the chips will accelerate their decomposition and jumpstart the soil fertility and associated water benefits. By RAW Lab providing space for exploring these questions in the context of an operational farm will help stakeholders understand the “what’ and “how” of regenerative agriculture in California.
Christine Gemperle, an almond farmer in Turlock, California, is one of the participants in the trials. She incorporates practices like cover cropping and flood managed aquifer recharge in her orchard. “Regenerative farming has had a pretty big impact on the way I think about farming. I think it actually helps mitigate the effects of drought. And it protects your soil from heating up. You’re kind of protecting the ground and some of those evaporative losses,” she said. Real world examples like Christine’s farm can demonstrate how water relates to soil health.
Robert Gould also shared, “Once we've launched this first wave of trials, we will be engaging a broader set of supply chain actors, including other food companies and buyers, to explore and address barriers and ways to support broader adoption of 'water-smart' regenerative approaches.”
There is no one solution, but regenerative agriculture can be part of a water-secure future for California. And fortunately, numerous organizations, companies, innovative farmers, and state and federal agencies are all working to create a resilient California and keep “America’s salad bowl” green.
Christine Gemperle, an almond farmer in Turlock, California, is one of the participants in the trials. She incorporates practices like cover cropping and flood managed aquifer recharge in her orchard. “Regenerative farming has had a pretty big impact on the way I think about farming. I think it actually helps mitigate the effects of drought. And it protects your soil from heating up. You’re kind of protecting the ground and some of those evaporative losses,” she said. Real world examples like Christine’s farm can demonstrate how water relates to soil health.
Robert Gould also shared, “Once we've launched this first wave of trials, we will be engaging a broader set of supply chain actors, including other food companies and buyers, to explore and address barriers and ways to support broader adoption of 'water-smart' regenerative approaches.”
There is no one solution, but regenerative agriculture can be part of a water-secure future for California. And fortunately, numerous organizations, companies, innovative farmers, and state and federal agencies are all working to create a resilient California and keep “America’s salad bowl” green.