From our blog: Solutions in our Soil

New Guidance Released to Help California Growers Maximize Water Benefits of Cover Crops

May 6, 2025

Sustainable Conservation and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), along with UC ANR and other partners, have released a new guidance document — Cover Cropping in California’s Water Scarce Environments — to help growers harness the many benefits of cool-season cover crops while reducing water use. As farmers adapt to a changing water supply, this guide provides practical considerations about cover crop species, timing, and management to reduce runoff, increase infiltration and water retention, and bolster overall soil health.

Cover Cropping in California’s Water Scarce Environments

May 6, 2025

Practical considerations for managing cool-season cover crops with maximal water benefits and minimal water use Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Sustainable Conservation, UC ANR, and USDA are excited to share this new guidance document. Download the guidance document here. Water Benefits of Cover Crops Cover crops can be highly beneficial in California’s annual and perennial…

Solutions in our Soil

July 22, 2024

John Chacon / California Department of Water Resources Sustainable Conservation recognizes that healthy soil is foundational to the state’s water system, agricultural production, and human health. Agriculture is the backbone of our state’s rural communities, food supply, and economy. However, California’s farming future and our collective health hinge on how we steward our precious water…

Following up on May’s Cover Crop Report

July 22, 2024

This May, an authorship group of 30+ members and 15+ organizations across private, public, nonprofit, and academic sectors published a report entitled “Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era.” Coordinated by Sustainable Conservation’s Solutions in our Soil team, the report was the culmination of a convening series and months of meticulous research, interviews, and writing —…

Multi-Disciplinary Committee Jointly Publishes Report on the Intersection of SGMA and Cover Crop Water Use in California’s Central Valley

May 13, 2024

 A multi-disciplinary authorship group of over 30 individuals has published a report comprised of literature review, policy analysis, and recommendations pertaining to the water impacts of cover crop practices in California’s Central Valley under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

A Soil Health Legacy: Recapping the 2024 Burroughs Family Farms Regenerative Almond Field Day

April 9, 2024

An almond harvester in the Burroughs Family Farms orchards in Stanislaus County A Soil Health Legacy On February 22nd, Burroughs Family Farms hosted their 3rd annual Regenerative Almond Field Day. Growers, community members, and other agriculture professionals converged on their orchards for a day of discussions, demonstrations, and community building. The bluebird Central Valley winter…

Gratitude.

December 21, 2023

Happy new year to you and your family and friends. Thank you for being part of the Sustainable Conservation community! A more sustainable water future is possible, and our climate resilience matters now more than ever. We’re grateful for your generosity and steadfast support and are proud to celebrate 30 years of sustainable and transformational…

Six Barriers to Expanding Soil Health Practices in CA: Sustainable Conservation Releases 2023 Soil-Water Report

December 4, 2023

Soil health has the potential to play an outsized role in conserving and protecting California’s valuable water resources, which is at the core of our work. The following report represents an analysis of the barriers preventing California’s growers from implementing soil health practices and solutions to address them.