SAREP sponsors first organic strawberry production short course

California leads the nation in strawberry production, accounting for 82 percent of the U.S. strawberry crop. An intensive crop system, each acre produces an average of 21 tons of berries annually. California’s Central Coast and South Coast command the lion’s share of organic production and accounted for over $7.8 million in sales of California’s approximately $12 million total in 2001 (Klonsky, 2003). Statewide production rose in 2002 to $12.5 million on over 1200 acres.

In response to new regulations, as well as to growing consumer demand for organic products and increased interest in organic research and practices, SAREP, the UC Agricultural and Natural Resources Organic Farming Research Workgroup, and US-EPA Region 9 sponsored the first Organic Strawberry Production Short Course in Salinas Feb. 27-28, 2003. Co-sponsored by UC Cooperative Exten-sion (UCCE), the Ecological Farming Association, the California Strawberry Commission and California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Buy California Initiative, the course brought together a diverse group of students and presenters. Attendees included 51 farmer/ranchers, CE personnel, and representatives of state, federal, county and nonprofit agencies, including 14 Spanish-speaking producers who participated using simultaneous translation services.

Rodger Wasson, president of the California Strawberry Commission, and Dan Legard, director of research and education, delivered the keynotes, welcoming participants on behalf of the commission. Karen Klonsky, UCCE specialist, UC Davis agricultural and resource economics department, and Laura Tourte, director, UCCE Santa Cruz County, discussed growth in the organic strawberry industry and presented a new cost of production study for organic strawberries on the Central Coast. Certification and compliance issues were addressed by Vanessa Bogenholm, VB Agricultural Services, Watsonville. Steve Koike, UCCE Monterey County farm advisor presented on-site selection and soil preparation for organic strawberries. Varieties and cultivars best suited to organic production was the topic of a presentation by Carolee Bull, USDA-ARS, Salinas. Additional panel speakers were Sandra Fischbein, Speedling Corporation, Dave Small, California Giant, and Curt Gaines, consultant. Joji Muramoto, UC Santa Cruz, and Richard Smith, UCCE Monterey County farm advisor, discussed nutrient and fertility management in organic strawberries.

Afternoon sessions focused on soilborne diseases and pest management in organic strawberries. Frank Martin, USDA-ARS, Salinas presented on management of soilborne pathogens and Krishna Subbarao, UC Davis vegetable crops department, discussed “Effects of Brassica Rotation on Soilborne Diseases.” Pest and beneficial arthropods, arthropod pest management materials for organic strawberries, and suppression and trap cropping of lygus bugs in organic strawberries were topics discussed by Mark Bolda, UCCE Santa Cruz County farm advisor, Bogenholm and Sean L. Swezey, SAREP director. Day one ended with a grower and consultant panel focusing on production issues, including consultants Bogenholm, Tom Am Rhein, Tim Driscoll, and grower Jim Cochran of Swanton Berry Farm.

The second day included Jenny Broome, SAREP associate director and Steve Koike speaking on organic management of foliar strawberry diseases. Steve Fennimore, UC Davis vegetable crops department spoke on weed management in organic strawberry systems. Growers in the audience were especially interested in the presentation on “Post Harvest Handling of Organic Strawberries” by Elizabeth Mitcham, UC Davis pomology department. The morning ended with presentations by Steve Gliessman, professor of environmental studies, UC Santa Cruz, and Jenny Broome on “Sustainability Indicators in Organic Strawberries.”

For the second half of day two, students toured three organic strawberry farms: Christine and Dale Coke’s Coke Farms in San Juan Bautista, Clint Miller’s Rancho Royal Oaks Farms in Watsonville, and Brandon Ross’s Ella Bella Farms in Corralitos.

Lively discussions and questions followed each of the sessions and participants deemed the course a success. Responses to evaluation questions ranged from 4.3 to 4.5 on a five-point scale. In response to the question, “Do you plan to get involved in organic strawberry production, make changes to your current system or recommend practices discussed at this course as a result of what you learned today?” 83 percent of respondents said “Yes, within the next 6-12 months.” The remaining 17 percent responded “within the next 12-18 months.” Comments included:

“I will use the information to form the basis of future research projects, as well as outreach to local communities working to sustain their agriculture.”

“I plan to grow organic nursery stock.”

“We plan to increase our certified organic strawberry production for sale at our local farmers markets. We are going from minor production to approximately 20 percent of our total.”

Responses to speakers’ presentations were also positive:

“Excellent!”

“All speakers were outstanding and kept on topic well.”

“Mix of academic and grower experience maintains interest.”

“I can not say more than give them an A+ for sharing all their information. I hope the organizers can continue to have these seminars because I think organic is in more demand from consumers.”

Speakers’ presentations were compiled into a course binder, which will form the basis for a future UC ANR publication, Organic Strawberry Production Manual. The original idea and organization for the strawberry organic manual grew out of the SAREP strawberry BIFS project that ended in 2001, with funding from US-EPA Region 9 and special one-time state legislative funds for methyl bromide alternatives linked to Assembly Bill 1998 (Helen Thomson) with a friendly amendment by former State Senator (now Congressman) Mike Thompson. Sean Swezey was the original principal investigator of the project until he was appointed SAREP director in 1999.

This organic strawberry production short course is the first of a series of short courses on organic production supported by the Buy California Initiative. Future courses will be focused on organic production in California winegrapes, vegetable crops and olives.

For further information, contact David Chaney, SAREP education coordinator, (530) 754-8551 or dechaney@ucdavis.edu.