Large Scale and Industrial Agricultural Production and Sustainability Sustainable Food Systems ANR Statewide Conference April 29, 2009 Dr. Clifford P. Ohmart Sustainable Winegrowing Director Lodi Winegrape Commission

Opening Remarks In some circles the title of my topic is considered an oxymoron Most of California Ag production is for export out of the region, state or country Challenge is getting from where we are to where we think we want to be in terms of how we practice mainstream Ag

Important Issues Consolidation of buyers turning even winegrapes into a commodity Food safety scares - poorly thought out responses Landowner liabilities e.g. heat stress case from 2008 Defining sustainable farming for large scale Ag Transitioning farm to next generation

Trends in Large Scale Farming Large Buyers like Walmart, Sysco and Unilever are requiring producers to develop metrics to benchmark and show improvement – performance measures Certification programs are developing, both value added and food safety driven Some sectors, like the wine industry are being proactive and developing sustainable programs Aging population of farmers and some of their service providers like PCAs. Less money available for applied research

Challenges for Large Scale Sustainable Agriculture Producers fear of more regulatory measures Producers need tools to implement sustainable farming practices, e.g. self assessment workbooks More data driven decision-making Most California Ag specialty crops are for export out of state or out of country – wrong paradigm? Lack of consumer knowledge of food systems and Ag production – they just want cheap food

Opportunities for ANR Extension Participate in development of certification programs, e.g. current ANSI project and Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops Help grower groups develop self assessment workbooks Help develop performance-based metrics and benchmark important metrics like energy use, water use, nutrient inputs, etc.

Some Observations Some environmental groups such as World Wildlife Fund, Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council are partnering with growers rather than litigating against them – working landscapes Some of the most progressive growers are large scale Price for crop will dictate what practices can be implemented

Lodi Wine & Visitor Center