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Ask a rancher: Surveys draw on hard-won wisdom for surviving drought
Roche team lands $1 million to help ranchers stay strong
California ranchers benefit when they plan ahead for extreme weather variability, according to rancher surveys and interviews conducted by a team headed by Leslie Roche, a professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.
But while wise planning and climate-smart adaptations helped ranchers survive the state's record-breaking 2012-2016 drought, those strategies by themselves were not enough, ranchers reported. Nearly 50 ranchers shared their experiences, and their collective wisdom is summarized in a paper written by Grace Woodmansee. She completed her master's degree with Roche and is now a UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources in Siskiyou County.
Building on that work, Roche and members of the statewide team have landed a $990,000 federal grant to help ranchers stay strong. The team includes colleagues from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and partner organizations. The project draws on members' diverse expertise and regional knowledge rooted in UC Cooperative Extension, while at the same time linking up with trusted networks at the local level.
Both Woodmansee's paper and the new grant are based on more than a decade of surveys and interviews with ranchers and other agriculturalists. That work all points to the economic and social barriers that hinder producers from adopting the climate-smart practices that could help them stay profitable amid the changes to come.
“It's really important to listen to agricultural producers – the people who live and work on the land – and draw on their experiences to develop practical solutions,” Roche said. “Extension can play a key role in sharing this valuable knowledge statewide, so others can learn from it and, hopefully, apply it to navigate their own challenges.”
Partners on the project include individual livestock producers, statewide livestock organizations, local conservation organizations and local agencies. Programs like this could become an example for ranch managers across the American West.
Cattle is California's No. 3 agricultural commodity, with cattle and other livestock worth about $3 billion in 2021, the state Department of Food and Agriculture reported. In addition to facing climate change, the sector is beset by rising costs, high interest rates, wildfire impacts and land use pressures. These additional challenges make it crucial for people managing the state's 14,000 livestock operations – counting beef, sheep and goats – to take steps now to survive future droughts.
Rangeland drought strategy: Mix up the livestock
In the past 12 years, ranchers have increasingly adopted sustainable agriculture practices to cope with drought and other threats, Woodmansee and colleagues found.
A key finding from the surveys is the enormous benefit amid drought of grazing more than one kind of animal on rangelands, Woodmansee wrote. Although most ranchers interviewed grazed only one species during the drought, typically cattle, the few who mixed up their livestock reported doing better economically. Because they have different grazing habits, stock such as sheep and goats can take advantage of different kinds of forage and broaden a rancher's economic base.
In addition, ranchers who used genetic information to think ahead about culling their herds, when that step became necessary, were left with a stronger remainder, Woodmansee wrote.
Ranchers also found it was important to have plans both for preventing problems and reacting to them, Woodmansee added. But surveys done ahead of the 2012-2016 drought, and interviews done four years in, also revealed that only a little more than half of ranchers had planned ahead.
“There is a substantial opportunity to increase preparedness by aiding ranchers in developing drought management plans,” Woodmansee wrote. But she advised, “drought plans are not ‘one size fits all,' and policy must be designed to support drought adaptation and mitigation strategies at the ranch level.”
Grant part of nationwide effort
Roche and team's $990,000 grant comes from the United States Department of Agriculture through the National Resources Conservation Service. It's part of a $22-million, nationwide effort to help American ranchers overcome these and other barriers they face to adapting. Based on all they've learned through the surveys and interviews, the team is now launching a comprehensive education, outreach and training program. Their own wide range of expertise and networks reach deep into ranching communities, and they'll leverage those, too. 
UC Cooperative Extension will have an important role in that work, as a trusted source of information. Training also will embrace conservation planners and technical service providers who work with ranchers.
“Activities will include workshops, field tours and demonstrations on conservation practices to address local natural resource concerns,” the team wrote in their proposal. Their work also “will target opportunities to support underserved communities, including new and beginning ranchers.”
They'll also add resources specifically about the state's grazing lands to the California Climate Hub, a website developed by USDA to provide the latest information to help producers statewide adapt to new climate realities.
People trained in all these areas must be brought up in the ranks: The project calls for networking, mentoring and hands-on learning to spark career choices among young people, and grow skills among beginning ranchers and early career natural resource professionals.
Scientists co-leading the project are Tracy Schohr and Dan Macon of UC Cooperative Extension; Roselle Bush and Gabriele Maier, both UC Davis assistant professors of Cooperative Extension; and Steven Ostoja, California Climate Hub director. The project will provide opportunities for a broad range of UC ANR colleagues as well, Roche said.
Partnering organizations include the Sierra Valley Resource Conservation District, the California Cattlemen's Association, the California Wool Growers Association, the California Rangeland Trust and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Read the science
Woodmansee's paper, "Building Ranch Resilience to Drought: Management Capacity, Planning, and Adaptive Learning During California's 2012–2016 Drought," is online now. It's set for print publication in the January edition of Rangeland Ecology & Management.
An earlier paper that laid the foundation for the subsequent research: "On-ranch adaptation to California's historic 2012-2016 drought, Woodmansee et al., 2021."
Startups get help to speed new tech to California farmers
Program that helps startups and companies scale technologies for California agriculture accepting applications
UCANR Innovate, the innovation arm of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, has opened applications for its VINE Connect program. Developed in partnership with Farmhand Ventures, the program empowers startups and established companies to scale their technologies in California, addressing key challenges for the state's farmers. Deadline to apply is Jan. 8, 2025.
California farmers are at the heart of global food production, but staying ahead requires constant innovation. To meet this challenge, VINE Connect bridges the gap between innovation and application by helping entrepreneurs tailor proven technologies for farmers to ease weed control, harvest and other farming tasks.
Each year, the VINE Connect program runs three cohorts, each centered on different focus areas within California agriculture. More than 20 solutions are selected annually to participate in a three-month cohort designed to accelerate market adaptation. Participants benefit from a workshop series on field trial readiness, opportunities to present their technologies during a field demonstration day, and extended network opportunities to connect with key stakeholders in California's agrifood sector. Eligible participants may also qualify for future innovation grants to support technology development, field trials or relocation to California.
"VINE Connect is all about bridging the gap between innovative ideas and the real-world challenges facing agriculture," said Hannah Johnson, industry lead at UCANR Innovate. "We're helping great technologies find their place in California's farms and fields, creating solutions that work for farmers and the entire food system."
"Programs like VINE Connect are critical for supporting entrepreneurs as they adapt their technologies to the unique needs of California's agriculture industry," said Connie Bowen, Founder of Farmhand Ventures. "It's about building solutions that are both impactful and sustainable while ensuring they have the potential to grow and attract future investment."
The VINE Connect program is part of UCANR Innovate's broader initiative, The VINE, which is dedicated to advancing agricultural innovation across California. Through a market-driven approach, The VINE collaborates with farmers, industry leaders and community groups to identify practical challenges and develop targeted solutions specifically for California.
The initiative operates through two complementary tracks: VINE Build and VINE Connect. VINE Build focuses on transforming early-stage University of California prototypes into viable startups, while VINE Connect supports the market adaptation of any proven technologies to meet California's unique agricultural needs. Together, these programs promote collaboration, sustainability and inclusive growth across one of the world's most essential agricultural regions.
"The VINE is about connecting the dots between innovation and agriculture,” said Gabe Youtsey, chief innovation officer at UC ANR and head of UCANR Innovate. “Together, these programs form a complete ecosystem for transforming agricultural challenges into opportunities, helping farmers, startups and communities thrive in California's dynamic landscape."
Applications for the VINE Connect program are open now and will close on Jan. 8, 2025. For more information or to apply, visit https://thevine.io.
UCANR Innovate is the innovation arm of University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, dedicated to driving agriculture, food, and biotechnology innovation in California. We connect people, ideas, and resources to tackle real-world challenges and drive progress that empowers entrepreneurs, strengthens industries, and secures a thriving, inclusive future for California's agriculture, its workers and its communities.
Unique conditions in Modoc County drive organic agriculture adaptations
UC Organic Agriculture Institute visits area to hear innovations, needs of local producers
Modoc County, home to 8,500 people and tucked in the remote northeastern corner of California, has been a leader in advancing organic agriculture through its significant ranching and agronomic crop production, namely of potatoes and hay.
In fact, Modoc County is California's number one county for organic beef cattle production (119,782 acres in 2022), and consistently in the top five counties for total harvested certified organic acres in the state, according to the most recent California Department of Food and Agriculture statistics.
“Modoc County farmers and ranchers in many ways exemplify the values of organic agriculture, adapting and tailoring their operations to the contexts of the unique landscapes we live in,” said Laurie Wayne, University of California Cooperative Extension nutrition, community health and food systems advisor for Modoc, Siskiyou and Lassen counties.
This past summer, Wayne and Rob Wilson – UCCE farm advisor and director of the Intermountain Research and Extension Center operated by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources – shared their insights with a visiting team from the UC Organic Agriculture Institute.
Established in 2020 as an institute under UC ANR, OAI was created to develop research, extension and education support for certified, transitioning and aspiring organic farmers and ranchers across California. The OAI team has been visiting different regions to better understand the unique conditions of organic agriculture in those areas.
“These tours are our chance to build relationships with local farmers, partner organizations and colleagues and see how organic agriculture has grown and developed in that specific region,” said Houston Wilson, OAI director. “We also get to learn directly from farmers and ranchers about how regional contexts and community goals influence organic agriculture in their area.”
Modoc County's geography, climate spur adaptive strategies
Wayne, who previously operated a farm in Modoc County and also co-founded the Surprise Valley Saturday Farmer's Market and Modoc Harvest Food Hub, was the perfect person to introduce the OAI team to local agricultural producers.
“I hoped to show our visitors just a glimpse at the many lessons I've learned and inspiration I've gained from the agriculture community in Modoc,” Wayne said.
A common theme across Modoc County is the use of innovative and place-based strategies to farm within diverse ecosystems. For example, extensive rotational grazing is well-suited to the region's vast sage steppes, perennial grasslands and sagebrush ecosystems.
333 Ranch – a third-generation ranch in Lake City owned and operated by Sophie Sheppard, Lynn Nardella, and their son, Jason Diven – raises rotationally grazed beef cattle and calves, hogs and Icelandic sheep and grows organically managed vegetables.
Half of 333 Ranch is under conservation easement to preserve natural resources and wildlife. Their land stewardship practices include working with the Savory Institute – a nonprofit that supports the health of grasslands and the livelihoods of people on those landscapes – on ecological grazing techniques. They also partner with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to convert barbed wire fencing into high tensile fencing for riparian habitat restoration. Sheppard reported that one year after the fence conversion, the ranchers saw nesting Greater Sandhill Cranes and beavers building dams in their creek.
Leah Larsen of Bidwell Canyon Farm in Fort Bidwell said she learned high tunnel production from Sheppard at 333 Ranch and others in the area. High tunnels allow farmers to extend their growing seasons to accommodate diverse crop rotations and opportunities for local food production.
Larsen – who grows vegetables, fruit trees and berries on 1.5 acres (including in two high tunnels) – also raises milk goats and chickens, maintains grazing pasture and operates a farmstay rental. With 11 years of experience farming in Modoc's high desert climate, Larsen offers mentorship to other growers in the region and shares information through channels such as the region's high tunnel Facebook group.
Canyon Creek Ranch in Alturas uses prescribed burns to manage invasive tree species in the sagebrush steppe. Richard (Dick) Mackey and his family operate 3,300 certified organic acres, with 350 head of cattle and 500 acres of hay, pasture and alfalfa. In addition to organic certification, Canyon Creek Ranch is also Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV)-certified; EOV is a program of the Savory Institute that gathers ecosystem data to verify that ranching practices are regenerating the land.
Mackey, whose family has owned and operated the ranch since 1946, brought the OAI team to an area of their property that is managed with fire, demonstrating how their agroecological stewardship has improved the land and suppressed invasive species.
“It was remarkable to see the difference ecological management such as prescribed burning and targeted grazing can make in promoting both healthy ecosystems and more productive organic agricultural systems,” said Krista Marshall, OAI policy and partnerships coordinator. “I feel incredibly grateful to have gotten the opportunity to learn from the innovative and thoughtful farmers and ranchers across Modoc County about how we can accomplish multiple goals in agroecosystems.”
Another example of ecological and agricultural goals being met simultaneously can be found at Tule Lake, where rotations incorporate a wetland wildlife refuge and crop production. Rob Wilson noted that this “Walking Wetlands” program has benefited organic producers with good pest and disease control from the flooded years in the rotation.
“The Walking Wetlands program is a great example of public and private land managers working together to meet land use objectives,” said Wilson, the UCCE farm advisor. “The program results in hundreds of acres of restored marshland habitat for migrating waterfowl each year, while providing organic potato and small grain growers with productive farmland largely devoid of soilborne pathogens and nematode pests.”
Farm labor support, meat processing infrastructure investment needed in region
All ranchers on the OAI tour commented on the lack of U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited meat processors in the county. Ranchers explained that they must transport animals hundreds of miles to other counties or across state lines to access facilities.
Jon and Kelsey Arreche of Cow Creek Meat, Inc. at Arreche Farms in Cedarville said that the year-long wait lists for processing complicates planning.
The Arreches manage 1,300 acres of pasture, alfalfa, wheat, barley and hay and raise 110 grass-fed and grass-fed/grain-finished beef cattle, as well as hogs, lamb and poultry. Cow Creek Meat was certified organic for 12 years and continues to farm organically despite not pursuing certification currently.
Jon Arreche commented that prices for commodities like alfalfa are not stable but rather fluctuate between organic and non-organic markets, with some years offering a better premium than others. He said that they may pursue certification again in the future.
“Greater investment in processing infrastructure and the need for organic market development are two concerns we heard consistently on the tour,” said Shriya Rangarajan, a postdoctoral researcher with OAI. “We have to ensure the long-term economic viability for these local ranchers.”
The remoteness of Modoc County also has contributed to labor challenges for farmers and ranchers across the region. Some growers have pursued hosting farm apprenticeships or internships, through programs like World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) or through direct hire.
Bidwell Canyon Farm has a farm internship program, which helps with labor on the farm and also contributes to mentoring and teaching the next generation of farmers. There was widespread interest in developing training programs, akin to Rogue Farm Corps in Oregon, to link beginning farmer apprentices with host mentor farmers.
“Hands-on experience working on farms is the best way to inspire and train the next generation of farmers,” said Marshall. “Farmers in Modoc are already creating these types of apprenticeship programs on their farms, so network and capacity building to support these efforts would benefit the agricultural community.”
Markets often dictate whether organic certification is useful
The number of certified organic farms and ranches in Modoc County declined from 34 in 2018 to 19 in 2022, according to CDFA statistics. The OAI visitors learned from growers in the region that markets often dictated if formal certification made business sense for their organically managed operations.
Kay and Erik Antunez de Mayolo grow vegetables, herbs, berries and natural dye plants on a quarter-acre and heritage apples, peaches and other fruit trees on an additional three acres at Oz Garden in Eagleville. They manage their farm organically, but are not certified. Kay Antunez de Mayolo, who markets produce and value-added goods at the Surprise Valley Farmers Market in Cedarville and the Alturas Farmers Market, also contributes to the Modoc Harvest Food Hub.
Most Modoc growers, certified or not, know their customers through direct sales and build trust around the integrity of their operations. Many farmers and ranchers ultimately don't see the financial benefit of certification because of these direct relationships with their customers – especially given the certification cost and administrative effort required.
While cost-share programs for organic certification fees exist (such as the USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program), applying for and maintaining certification status takes valuable time – in addition to direct financial outlay.
Modoc growers contribute to conserving plant diversity
The lively local food and farming community in Modoc County also includes smaller-scale vegetable and fruit farms; the State Organic Program reported 1,281 organic vegetable acres in Modoc in 2023. Modoc fruit and vegetable growers are conserving heritage crops on farm and preserving unique plant varieties while producing food for the community.
At Oz Garden, the apple trees are over 125 years old. Through the Modoc Harvest Heritage Fruit Tree Project, Kay Antunez de Mayolo and others work to identify these cultivars through research and DNA fingerprinting at the UC Davis Genetics Lab. Oz Garden grows diverse plant varieties, including the “Old Fashioned Surprise Valley Tomato,” a locally adapted beefsteak variety stewarded by Modoc resident June Perry.
Bidwell Canyon Farm introduced the OAI team to honeyberries, also known as Haskap berries, which look like an elongated blueberry but have a distinct honeyed flavor and produce well in Modoc County.
“That bit of honeyberry was symbolic of the entire tour – a small but memorable taste of the richness and diversity of Modoc County organic agriculture,” Marshall said. “We are so grateful to Laurie and all the farmers and ranchers for taking the time to share their experiences and feedback with us.”
Good News on the Monarch Front
Good news on the monarch front. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a...
A monarch caterpillar munching on a milkweed leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This monarch chrysalis formed on a bird feeder in Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male monarch nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female monarch foraging in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Can whole orchard recycling suppress weed establishment in new orchards?
by Becky Wheeler-Dykes, UCCE Glenn Orchard Systems and Weed Ecology Farm Advisor Recent research...
