blog post Commentary: Drought Requires New Strategies for Managing Cropland By Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson Aug 9, 2022 With careful planning, research and development, and incentive programs, the San Joaquin Valley can avoid the worst consequences of land fallowing — and perhaps even create environmental and economic benefits.
blog post Commentary: Can San Joaquin Valley Agriculture Survive with Less Irrigation? Here Are Ways To Do It By Caitlin Peterson Aug 5, 2022 Water-limited crops can be a challenge to grow in the San Joaquin Valley. But where water is scarce they could offer a good alternative to fallowing—and provide other benefits.
blog post Video: Farmland in Transition—The San Joaquin Valley By Vicki Hsieh Aug 2, 2022 Hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production in the San Joaquin Valley as the region brings its groundwater basins into balance. How do we manage all this newly fallowed land? We discuss our new research with a panel of experts.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jul 27, 2022 Key findings include: Three in ten Californians name water supply and drought as the state’s top environmental issue; nearly seven in ten say the water supply is a big problem in their part of the state. More than half of Californians say higher gas prices have caused financial hardship, and more than four in ten are upset about the current rate of inflation. Most Californians oppose offshore drilling, and an overwhelming majority want to prioritize alternative energy over oil, coal, and natural gas. But views are divided along party lines. Democrats are much more likely than independents and Republicans to support key state climate change policies.
event Farmland in Transition: The San Joaquin Valley Jul 26, 2022 As the San Joaquin Valley works to bring its groundwater basins into balance, hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production. How do we manage all this newly fallowed land? Our latest research examines whether water-limited agriculture might help ease the transition—and what other management practices could mitigate dust and air quality concerns in the valley.
blog post Commentary: San Joaquin Valley’s Next Big Air Pollution Threat—Blowing Dust from Fallowed Farmland By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon Jul 25, 2022 Without careful stewardship, widespread farmland fallowing could create a surge in windblown dust in the San Joaquin Valley. Read our recent op-ed about how the valley can get ahead of this problem.
Report Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon, Joy Collins Jul 20, 2022 Agricultural operations and wind erosion are two of the largest sources of dust in the San Joaquin Valley, and the valley’s air quality may decline with increased farmland fallowing and a warmer, drier climate. This will impact low-income, rural communities first and foremost, but proactive management can help identify high-risk areas and direct funding to cost-effective interventions.
Report Exploring the Potential for Water-Limited Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley By Caitlin Peterson, Cameron Pittelkow, Mark Lundy Jul 20, 2022 As irrigated farmland comes out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, valley residents will face increased pests, weeds, and dust—as well as a loss of employment and economic activity. Water-limited cropping is one alternative to fallowing that can improve soil health and air quality, create habitat, and keep land in production.
blog post Protecting Yourself from the Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke By Sarah Bardeen Jul 11, 2022 Wildfire smoke has become a fact of life in California. Wondering about wildfire smoke’s health impacts, and how we can best protect ourselves from harm? We interview an expert to learn more.
blog post How Active Stewardship Could Protect California’s Forests from Extreme Wildfire By Sarah Bardeen Jun 6, 2022 Increasingly extreme wildfires—driven by a combination of fuel build-up, drought, and climate change—are threatening forests throughout California. Without intervention, some of these landscapes could be forever changed. UC Berkeley professor Scott Stephens lays out urgently needed measures that could save the state’s beloved big trees.