CASI hosts new UC ANR and NRCS soil health experts for NRI Project soil tour June 7, 2019

June 7, 2019

CASI hosted a group of newly-hired UC ANR and NRCS soil health experts for an introduction to the study site in Five Points, CA, demonstrations, and discussions related to what the project has learned since its beginning back in 1999.  The group included four soil health Advisors who are working in a joint agreement between UC ANR and CDFA as part of the Healthy Soils Project and five NRCS people including Fresno Area Office Agronomist and long-time CASI member, Rob Roy, the new Area Three soil scientist, Luis Alvarez, and three soil health conservationists who work in the Visalia office.  CASI's Jeff Mitchell hosted the group and provided them a presentation on the history and findings that have come from the NRI Project field, a viewing of equipment that has been used in the long-term no-till and cover crop study, a visit to the field and a close look at how soil has changed during the course of the study due to different management systems being implemented, and finally, a tour of the field station's shop where a new implement for cutting cover crops was being prepared.

The ANR visitors had just completed a week-long training session that had been organized by Doug Parker and other University experts in Davis.  The new UC-CDFA soil health Advisors will be working directly with farmers and prospective participants in the State's Healthy Soils Program demonstrations and they will be helping farmers to prepare their applications for the Healthy Soils Program. 

UC ANR and USDA NRCS soil health experts visiting CASI’s NRI Project field in Five Points, CA June 7, 2019

UC ANR and USDA NRCS soil health experts visiting CASI’s NRI Project field in Five Points, CA June 7, 2019

Nine NRCS and UC ANR soil health experts meeting with Senior Mechanic, Mark Strole, who is showing the new cover crop cutter that is being tried in the NRI Project field this spring

Nine NRCS and UC ANR soil health experts meeting with Senior Mechanic, Mark Strole, who is showing the new cover crop cutter that is being tried in the NRI Project field this spring

Newly-hired UC ANR and NRCS soil health experts meeting in Five Points, CA to learn about the longstanding NRI Project and its findings

Newly-hired UC ANR and NRCS soil health experts meeting in Five Points, CA to learn about the longstanding NRI Project and its findings

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