Climate Continued from Page 10
For corn, he begins the season using fresh water to fill the soil profile before planting. As the plants begin to grow, he starts with a 15% manure-water concen- tration and slowly increases it to 40% when the corn is tasseling and has the highest nitrogen demand. Because he is using SDI and making applications only when the plant needs it, Mayo said the farm has increased its water-use efficiency by 36% and its nitro- gen-use efficiency by 45% compared to flood irrigation. Depending on the variety, Mayo said, the farm harvests 32 to 33 tons per acre of corn silage using 220 total pounds of nitro- gen per acre, with the nitrogn coming from the manure water. When he used to flood irrigate, he would apply 300 to 380 pounds of nitrogen per acre and harvest about 26 tons of corn si- lage per acre. In alfalfa, he said he has seen yields increase by about 40% and stand life nearly double. An added benefit appears to be en- hanced air quality. Preliminary research by a team led by UC Davis soil science pro- fessor William Horwath found using SDI to apply manure water significantly reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides, a greenhouse gas precursor. (Vicky Boyd is a reporter in Modesto. She may be contacted at vlboyd@att.net.)
Based on trial and error, Rossini said they’ve found what appears to be the sweet spot of drip tape with 14-inch emitter spac- ing and 0.16 gallon-per-hour output, in- stalled in 40-inch rows and buried about 12 inches deep. DeJager Farms also has adopted 100% conservation tillage on its crops, except for processing tomatoes, al- lowing the drip tape to remain untouched below the soil surface for the roughly 12- year lifespan. Manure from dairy barns first goes through a solids separator, where the larg- er material is removed. The resulting liquid then goes through preliminary treatment to further remove solids before it goes into a holding lagoon. Producers don’t necessarily need a sol- ids separator, but Mayo said the goal is to remove as much particulate matter as pos- sible to reduce potential system clogging. “The whole principle is to get the water as clean as we can and still hold the nutri- ents,” Mayo said. DeJager pairs a manure-water lagoon with a fresh-water lagoon to allow blend- ing or the option of using fresh water alone. An EC meter measures the manure water’s real-time EC, or electrical con- ductivity, which is a measure of salts and loosely correlates to nitrogen content. This can vary widely throughout the sea- son depending on temperature, weather
At DeJager Farms, manure from dairy barns is processed before reaching a holding lagoon. A high-tech system blends in fresh water and calibrates nitrogen levels to meet crop nutrient needs.
and the cows’ diet. Based on the readings, a computerized controller blends the fresh and manure water to obtain the proper nitrogen con- centration. Mayo can monitor the activities remotely from his smartphone as well as turn the system on and off. In addition, the system sends him alerts should something go wrong. He bases his water and nitrogen appli- cations on crop coefficients. Developed
by the University of California, they factor in the crop, weather, planting date, growth stage and irrigation method to predict the plant’s optimum water and nitrogen needs at specific points in the season. Mayo’s standard rotation is seven to eight years of alfalfa. After the stand is removed, he may move into processing tomatoes, silage corn and wheat for the remaining four to five years of the drip tape’s life.
Entry deadline is June 28 for 2024 Farm Dog competition
2024 Health & Safety on the Farm and Ranch
Entries will be accepted through June 28 for the California Farm Bureau’s fifth annual Farm Dog of the Year contest. Open to Farm Bureau members in California, with support from Nationwide, the contest asks farmers and ranchers to submit a brief story about their dog, plus up to five accompanying photos. The Grand Prize winner will earn $1,000, with First Place receiving $500, Second Place, $250 and Third Place, $100. In the story submitted with the entry, farmers and ranchers have the opportu- nity to describe how the dog enriches their
lives while supporting them in doing their jobs. Entrants can list any special skills their dog has, tricks it can perform and nonfarm-work activities the dog and its owners enjoy. Tulare County farmer Zack Stuller submitted the winning entry in last year’s Farm Dog of the Year contest. His 150-pound mixed-breed dogs Waylon and Willie shared the spotlight for their roles in deterring crime on his Exeter ranch. Stuller adopted the brothers in 2022. Since then, his property has been crime-free. For full contest information or to enter, see www.cfbf.com/farmdog.
California Farm Bureau is pleased to offer this year-long program of training sessions presented by Nationwide. Select topics will be presented in both English and Spanish. Trainings will be presented via Zoom. The Hazardous Agricultural Materials (HAM) training must be attended in person at a participating County Farm Bureau office or at the California Farm Bureau office in Sacramento. For a detailed list of classes and to register, visit cfbf.com/FBE or call (800) 698-FARM for assistance. You will receive a Zoom link and details prior to your selected webinar date. Members, enjoy access to free classes! Register for the upcoming training webinars.
Foundation seeks proposals for research funding awards
July 2 .........................Hazard Communication July 16 .......................OSHA Top 10 Violations August 6 ....................Fleet Management September 3 .............Fall Protection
modern agricultural tools. The 2024 request for proposal is focused on gathering economic impact analysis data on the cost of mitigation measures to California agriculture as a result of pesti- cide regulations and economic benefits of treated seeds. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. July 26. For more information, visit www. californiabountifulfoundation.com/ research-studies. June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 11
The California Bountiful Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit science and re- search organization of the California Farm Bureau, has released a request for propos- als for economic research studies related to agriculture. Up to $125,000 in funding is being of- fered in coordination with Californians for Smart Pesticide Policy, a coalition of agricultural associations focused on ed- ucating policymakers on the benefits of
September 24 ..........Basic Inspection of Terminals (BIT) Training October 1 ..................Hazardous Ag Materials (HAM) Training November 5 .............Farm Equipment Safety November 19 ...........Rural Road Safety
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