The University of California is partnering with The Organic Center to help organic orchard growers incorporate livestock grazing into their operations.
This project is being funded by a $2 million grant from USDA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative research program.
“Interest in grazing livestock on cover crops in nut orchards has increased in recent years,” according to a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources statement. “However, research is needed to determine the best way to improve soil health and pest suppression, and to address concerns about foodborne pathogens and food safety.”
The “Influence of Orchard Grazing on Soil Health and Pest Control While Mitigating Food Safety Risk” project, headed by scientists from UC, will study two different nut-growing regions in California.
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Alda Pires, a UC Cooperative Extension urban agriculture and food safety specialist in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, says that organic farmers typically follow a 90- to 120-day waiting period between using raw animal manure and crop harvesting, per USDA Organic Program standards.
“Little research has been conducted to verify adequate waiting periods to reduce contamination risks in integrated crop-livestock production systems,” Pires said. “This research will fill the knowledge gap and facilitate the development of science-based food safety guidelines for grazing small ruminants in orchards.”
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