Background: The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis is partnering with a number of institutions and researchers over the course of the next two years to complete the California Nitrogen Assessment, an interdisciplinary agroecosystem assessment funded by a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
Why Nitrogen? While nitrogen plays a key role in agricultural production, excess nitrogen application can lead to increased input costs for farmers and have consequences for the environment and human health. In order to gain a more comprehensive view of the state’s nitrogen systems, the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis will be conducting the California Nitrogen Assessment – working together with producers, policymakers, and other interested parties. The assessment will provide valuable insight for stakeholders into the balance between the benefits of agricultural nitrogen to society, and the effects of surplus nitrogen in the environment.
Potential products: practical solutions for growers that will help minimize costs, including Web-based tools that will allow farmers to develop more efficient nitrogen management strategies, saving them money on inputs; metrics or scorecards that policymakers can use to assess best practices for nitrogen use in California; outreach tools that help the public understand nitrogen’s importance in agricultural systems and its impact on the natural environment; scientific papers on N cycling in California; identification of research gaps for future investigation.
Our Partners: The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis is partnering with the following organizations to conduct the California Nitrogen Assessment:
Condensed List of Stakeholder Questions for Phase I of the California Nitrogen Assessment
