Farmer to Farmer Collaboration Increasing Pollinators Across Diverse CA Farms and Ranches
Year Awarded: 2022
USDA Funding: $1,723,183.00
Partner-Contributed Funding: $1,723,186.00
Project Timeline: 2023-2028
Conservation Program Funded: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP): Alternative Funding Arrangement Partner Led Land Management
California Counties: Fresno, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Napa, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, and Stanislaus Counties
Lead Partner: Pollinator Partnership
Collaborating partners: Almond board of California, Project Apis m., Bayer Crop Science, Blue Diamond Growers, California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Wine Institute, California Dairies Inc., California Farm Bureau, California Cattlemen’s Association, and Neal Williams – UC Davis
Project Summary
Farmer-to-Farmer Collaboration’s goal is to increase capacity of California agricultural lands to provide habitat, forage, and other support to wild and managed pollinators, including bees, butterflies and other important invertebrate species. This benefits species by increasing population, health, and diversity, and benefits farmers and ranchers with improved, cost-effective pest control, reduced need for pesticides, better water quality and soil health, enhanced social license to operate, and stronger ability to maintain and grow markets among global buyers, who increasingly consider pollinator stewardship in their supply chain.
Project Goals
- Creation of pollinator corridors or refugia through collaboration among neighboring farms/ranches. To create corridors or refugia for pollinators across ten counties. Novel tools, funded through matching funds, will be used to model placement of pollinator habitat based on natural and agricultural infrastructure that could improve establishment and reduce risks. We will also build on an area-wide IPM pilot in almonds that is based on collaboration among small growers and Pest Control Advisors.
- Reduction of risk to pollinators through pairing of habitat establishment with promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- Quantitative and qualitative measurement of outputs and outcomes, including acreage, site monitoring and using models to evaluate pollinator populations and health.
- Create momentum for expanded adoption through sharing success stories and opportunities across the producer/rancher community
Partner website
NRCS Contact
Shanna Farmer
Acting RCPP Coordinator
Davis State Office, California
Phone: (530) 902-7339
Email: shanna.farmer@usda.gov