CDFA awards $1.69 million for organic irrigation and nutrient research

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has awarded $1.69 million in grants to support research, outreach and education projects that improve irrigation and nutrient management, with a focus on organic and sustainable cropping systems.

The funding, through CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP), aims to help growers optimize nutrient use, boost soil health and protect water quality.

Among the funded projects, a team from Soil Health Lab LLC will develop diagnostic tools to support site-specific nitrogen management in organic vegetable fields. Researchers will analyze soil properties and management histories across more than 100 organic fields in the Salinas Valley to create practical decision-support tools tailored for organic growers.

Other projects include field trials and remote sensing research to improve irrigation and nitrogen management in cantaloupe production, studies to reduce nitrate leaching in orchards and outreach efforts to share best practices with growers of orchard, vine and nursery crops.

By translating field-level data into accessible tools, these projects aim to help organic farmers use nitrogen more efficiently, reduce input costs and maintain environmental stewardship. The funding reflects a growing commitment to providing organic growers with research-based solutions that support both productivity and sustainability.